Oval Hessonite from Richard Homer... how to set it??

[Little Monster]

So this concave Hessonite Garnet should be on its way pretty soon from Richard Homer...

I think I''m absolutely in love with it. The color is exactly what I was looking for (I kept looking at Spessartites but hadn''t found THE one... low & behold... I find that orangey-red in a Hessonite instead). Somehow that is hanging me up just a little... I was so sure I wanted a Spess that it seems strange to have found a different stone. Can anyone relate?

The Hessonite is an oval, 4.67 carats, 11mm x 9.3mm, concave faceting,.

I''m trying to figure out how to set the stone -- I am fairly sure I want to set it in a ring, though a pendant is definitely not out of the question. I had been looking at these two settings (pretty different options, I know!) but wanted to see what you guys might have to suggest!

Also, some part of me is REALLY worried that the stone is going to be too big (I know, I''m crazy! Did I REALLY just say TOO BIG?) Anyone have experience with larger stones like this? I''m a size 5.5 or so... if that helps.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Little Monster]

here''s the 1st setting I was looking at... I was thinking to ask WhiteFlash if they could do something like this from Etienne Perret...

I''m grabbing csSullivan''s picture of the design... hope you don''t mind... your ring is gorgeous!

 

[Little Monster]

here''s another simpler one -- I really like the double claw prongs...

 

[Little Monster]

or this? I''m not sure how expensive something like that would be to recreate... any ideas?

 

[chrono]

A spessartite is still a garnet and so is what you found; therefore you did get what you want.
An open bezel like the Etienne Perret design would be lovely. Are you planning on EW or NS?
I have a size 4.5 fourth finger and wear a 9.6 mm square cushion spessartite, so no, it’s not too large. After all, size is relative.

ETA related to picture 3:
The problem with a large stone on a small finger is that you aren’t going to have much room on the sides of your finger to be able to see and appreciate any detailing on the band.

 

[Kismet]

I love the color of that stone! My favorite setting in your list is the second one (the leon solitaire).

 

[D&T]

I've saved this in one of my folder I just thought it was so pretty and classic. not sure if you like it or not, hope you don't mind me sharing with you this picture. just thought I throw it out there as well. kinda like your first pic.
... Is this for a RHR?

ETA: I love all your choices, but the third, like Chrono stated that you might not be able to appreciate the details on the side if your stone covers most of the top view.

 

[QueenB29]

I like the bezel. I think the diamonds might take away from the awesomeness of that stone!!!!

 

[Little Monster]

Thank you guys! Such fast responses - it always amazes me : )

Chrono: A Garnet is a Garnet is a Garnet... you''re right -- I''m not sure why this is mattering in the slightest to me! I''m not sure about E/W or N/S -- I think having the stone in hand will help with that one... I want to say E/W?? Not sure what would look better... I think you''re right that the detailed shank would be sort of a waste... and Leon Mege''s work should never be wasted. I suppose I''ll store that one away for another time!

Kismet: I love that color too... makes me all excited just to see it in person! I''m leaning towards #2 too -- perhaps simple is best to just show off the stone?

D&T -- of course I don''t mind you sharing that pic -- that''s what I''m looking for - suggestions!! Where is that setting from? It''s really pretty & simple... I like : )

QueenB: thanks for the input! I think the Hessonite appreciated your support... it probably doesn''t want any competition!

I have a slightly one-tracked mind sometimes and I''m trying to see what ELSE would be out there that I''ve completely missed! This is for a RHR... and engagement ring isn''t really in my near future... so I''m building myself a ring instead : p

 

[D&T]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:40:31 PM
Author: Little Monster


D&T -- of course I don''t mind you sharing that pic -- that''s what I''m looking for - suggestions!! Where is that setting from? It''s really pretty & simple... I like : )

LM- I''m not sure where it is from, this was one of the very first photo I saved off of PS. so it''s somewhere in PS land

 

[stepcutnut]

Lovely stone! I would love to see it bezeled in 18kt or higher YG with a WG/Plat shank

 

[BWise]

Here is my concave cut spess (recut by Richard H) in a diamond halo setting. The spess is 12 x 9mm, my finger size is 6.5. Hope this give you some perspective on size.

Nice stone!

 

[T L]

Date: 8/13/2009 4:01:00 PM
Author:Little Monster
So this concave Hessonite Garnet should be on its way pretty soon from Richard Homer...

I think I''m absolutely in love with it. The color is exactly what I was looking for (I kept looking at Spessartites but hadn''t found THE one... low & behold... I find that orangey-red in a Hessonite instead). Somehow that is hanging me up just a little... I was so sure I wanted a Spess that it seems strange to have found a different stone. Can anyone relate?

The Hessonite is an oval, 4.67 carats, 11mm x 9.3mm, concave faceting,.

I''m trying to figure out how to set the stone -- I am fairly sure I want to set it in a ring, though a pendant is definitely not out of the question. I had been looking at these two settings (pretty different options, I know!) but wanted to see what you guys might have to suggest!

Also, some part of me is REALLY worried that the stone is going to be too big (I know, I''m crazy! Did I REALLY just say TOO BIG?) Anyone have experience with larger stones like this? I''m a size 5.5 or so... if that helps.

Thanks for your help!

Did you get it yet? Is the color the same as the photo because hessonites tend to be very brownish.

 

[blithesome71]

Nice Hessonite. The color looks more red that brown. Cute

yingh, that spess ring of yours is soooooo pretty!

I love how it sparkles.. I must agree, for me it''s one of the most beautiful pieces here in PS.

 

[Gailey]

LM, I have a 4.51 oval Malaya garnet (11 x 9 mm). I''m hoping it will be set and back with me within a week or so. I''ll post it when it gets here.

I opted for a fairly plain gold setting, for two reasons. I did think it was too large for anything other than a halo and given that my ER is an oval halo and I have another halo in the works, I figured 3 halos was probably one too many. Secondly, I didn''t want to spend the money - too many other projects needing funds. my ring size is 6.5 btw.

Lovely stone btw. I also have a hessonite garnet, which I love.

 

[Gailey]

Date: 8/13/2009 8:15:20 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 8/13/2009 4:01:00 PM
Author:Little Monster
So this concave Hessonite Garnet should be on its way pretty soon from Richard Homer...

I think I''m absolutely in love with it. The color is exactly what I was looking for (I kept looking at Spessartites but hadn''t found THE one... low & behold... I find that orangey-red in a Hessonite instead). Somehow that is hanging me up just a little... I was so sure I wanted a Spess that it seems strange to have found a different stone. Can anyone relate?

The Hessonite is an oval, 4.67 carats, 11mm x 9.3mm, concave faceting,.

I''m trying to figure out how to set the stone -- I am fairly sure I want to set it in a ring, though a pendant is definitely not out of the question. I had been looking at these two settings (pretty different options, I know!) but wanted to see what you guys might have to suggest!

Also, some part of me is REALLY worried that the stone is going to be too big (I know, I''m crazy! Did I REALLY just say TOO BIG?) Anyone have experience with larger stones like this? I''m a size 5.5 or so... if that helps.

Thanks for your help!

Did you get it yet? Is the color the same as the photo because hessonites tend to be very brownish.

I''m not sure that''s true TL. I think they definitely photograph on the brown side. I have one and it''s a rich gold colour with just a hint of peach - think 22Kt, but it does look a tad brown in the photo. Very deceptive stones if you ask me.

 

[Gailey]

Date: 8/13/2009 8:20:06 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady

Date: 8/13/2009 7:53:45 PM
Author: yingh
Here is my concave cut spess (recut by Richard H) in a diamond halo setting. The spess is 12 x 9mm, my finger size is 6.5. Hope this give you some perspective on size.

Nice stone!

I love this ring. I love the halo.. and I love the clean lines of the split band. Its one of my favorite colored stone rings on PS.

I''m not normally a lover of concave cuts, but if there''s one stone it suits more than any other it''s got to be a spess. Gorgeous little fireball Yingh

 

[BWise]

SanDiegoLady, blithesome71, and Gailey, thanks for your kind words.

I was hoping my ring to help Little Monster to pick a setting since we both have concave cuts and the stone sizes are similar. I wasn''t too sure about my ring design since it is the biggest ring I ever made, but it turned out nicely. Hope this helps.

 

[Gailey]

Yingh, is there a thread about your ring?

 

[BWise]

Sorry about the threadjack - didn''t mean it.

I have old old thread on the recut of the spess.

 

[ma re]

A few good points have been made; #1 that a lot of diamonds might take a way from the stone, and you don''t want that with a native cut, and #2 that white metal might accentuate any brown the stone might have (but it doesen''t have to, you''ll see once you get the stone) so that at least some yellow gold would be great. And I''ll add #3, that recreating setting #3 would be quite expensive cause you''d be charged for setting each and every one of those diamonds. Bezel setting would give the stone more protection so you wouldn''t have to baby it as much as if it were in prongs, but that''s a matter of choice and depends on how much you''ll be wearing it. Pendant would also be much safer for the stone, but if you wouldn''t wear that pendant much there''s no point in having it set that way. Other than that I don''t know what else to say. Hope it turns out great

 

[Little Monster]

Date: 8/14/2009 3:22:54 AM
Author: ma re
A few good points have been made; #1 that a lot of diamonds might take a way from the stone, and you don''t want that with a native cut,

I''m sorry, this really bothered me. I''m not sure Richard Homer''s work really qualifies as "native cut." Thanks for the advice, but forgive me if I''m a little insulted.

 

[chrono]

Little Monster,
I would guess that perhaps Mr Ma Re is mistaken; that he thought it was a different stone. I am in agreement that Richard’s work is above and beyond any “native” cutting I have seen. It probably qualifies as precision cutting, I would think.

 

[Little Monster]

Thanks everyone for your help!

D&T: I think it''s a James Meyer setting? At first I wanted to say John Mayer, but I think he''s in another line of work :p I''ll keep searching for the image!

Stepcutnut: That''s a really interesting idea. Just a question though -- why would you do a 2 color setting? I always thought that if you were going to do a different metal head, you wanted the platinum in the head to make it stronger, more secure, no? I''ll think about it though... I just haven''t had any yellow gold in a while.

Yingh: your ring is AMAZING!! YIKES! Talk about bright

Your ring really illustrates the stone:finger ratio... Your halo is beautiful, but it almost makes me wonder if I really want to make the stone look any bigger by adding a halo or bezel setting... Maybe a thinner bezel than the photo above? Does anyone know of something like that? Again, thank you for including your Spess... it''s Gorgeous : )

Tourmaline Lover: I haven''t gotten it yet -- we''re in the process of getting it here. I''m pretty sure it really is that color -- Richard said it is a gorgeous cinnamon stone, a really beautiful orangey-red, which is special for Hessonite. He talked a lot about the rough which he got from a friend, and I''m confident that this is not going to turn out to be a brown piece-o-rock... but thanks for the concern!

Gailey: Thanks for the advice... I think I''m leaning towards a simpler setting too... I would love to see your Garnet when you post it. It''s really helpful seeing others'' projects : )

Yingh: no problem about the thread-jack... I think that Spess would stop traffic, so a little thread-jack is understandable

Thanks again for all your help!!!

 

[mochi]

I like the second setting. That''s a very pretty stone, btw.

 

[chrono]

A yellow gold head is still a very secure setting. A white metal might bring out too much contrast when you have a very deep and strong coloured stone which might make the stone appear a little brownish. Having a yellow colour metal will soften the looking and bring out more of the red colour.

 

[Little Monster]

Chrono,

Thanks for your advice! I am thinking about 2 Spess rings on here (MovieZombie''s & MINE!''s) and was always drawn to a setting more like MINE''s. I absolutely LOVE MovieZombie''s Spess... I think that 8+ carat stone probably has its own gravitational field at this point

While her setting makes it look perfect, it just isn''t really me. But, I think I''m going to have to look at it in person to really know either way. Maybe I''ll take the stone on a field trip to meet a few metals & settings (even if they''re not THE settings, at least I''ll get an idea about what it might look like). And thanks for the vote of confidence about the cut. I read that and was a little sad for a minute before I remembered it was ridiculous. But thanks for the reminder of that!

Mochi -- thank you!

 

[chrono]

LM,
A field trip with the spessartite is a great idea. You get to see how it “fits” in the various settings and metal colours, plus how the entire package looks on your hand.

 

[Kismet]

Date: 8/14/2009 8:01:30 AM
Author: Little Monster

Date: 8/14/2009 3:22:54 AM

Author: ma re

A few good points have been made; #1 that a lot of diamonds might take a way from the stone, and you don''t want that with a native cut,

I''m sorry, this really bothered me. I''m not sure Richard Homer''s work really qualifies as ''native cut.'' Thanks for the advice, but forgive me if I''m a little insulted.

I''m sure he meant to type ''concave'' and not ''native'' because with a poorly cut stone you do want to distract from the cut and your stone is in no way poorly cut.

 

[simplysplendid]

I really like the third setting. I think it goes very well with your gorgeous spessartite.