Recommend a jeweler to bezel my aquamarine?

[gailrmv]

hello! I hope to soon have my very own asscher set aquamarine!!! I really love Ellen's aqua with the prong and was thinking that I'd try to do something similar. I also love the Sholdt line that Pearlman's carries.

However, since I hope to be able to wear this ring often, so maybe a bezel is the way to go to protect the stone. I just love Mochi's chrysoberyl bezel and LaurenThePartier's scapolite bezel ring too. Whiteflash won't bezel set my aqua due to risk of damage during setting. Can anyone else recommend a jeweler to work with on this? Also, anyone have a ballpark idea of price?

thanks!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

BGD might do it. He has a couple setters dedicated to colored stones.

Speaking of aquas, I just found out my bezel is done. It is by Sally at Heart of Water, I am very happy with how it turned out. She would be another good option if you can handle sending it overseas. Also, Juliakaytaylor has done some very nice work.

Maybe This pillbox can be modified for an asher? I like the fact that there is a design in the bezel, it breaks up the metal.

 

[ckrickett]

james meyer does a fantastic bezel

 

[innerkitten]

I was also going to say James Meyer.

 

[chrono]

JM does the nicest bezels that I’ve seen on PS, plus he is very experienced with gemstones from what I’ve observed. I think his work is around the $1K mark which is great for custom handmade work.

 

[cinnamon013]

Try Pal on Etsy. His work for me has been top notch and his prices are great. His moniker is PMGART.

 

[Gailey]

Given how lovely Lauren's scap turned out, why not try her jeweller? Isn't scapolite softer than aqua? Also, ask Wink (font of all knowledge). He set Pandora's sphene, although I don't think it was in a bezel.

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 8/6/2009 9:56:06 PM
Author:TanDogMom
Whiteflash won''t bezel set my aqua due to risk of damage during setting.....Also, anyone have a ballpark idea of price?

That''s a little weird, since bezel setting anything is probably less dangerous than setting it in prongs...provided it''s done properly. The cost is the same as it is with anything else and varies depending on the material and weight of the setting as well as whether it''s a commercially made setting or something custom made to fit you and your stone. Some commercially made settings can be modified by adding a bezel at a fairly low cost. There are some antique style settings which are made with the stone set lower than the sides of the metalwork, having beads to hold the stone in place, (these are even more protective than bezel settings since the stone is not exposed at all...see Bead set ring example )

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 8/6/2009 9:56:06 PM
Author:TanDogMom
hello! I hope to soon have my very own asscher set aquamarine!!! I really love Ellen''s aqua with the prong and was thinking that I''d try to do something similar. I also love the Sholdt line that Pearlman''s carries.

However, since I hope to be able to wear this ring often, so maybe a bezel is the way to go to protect the stone. I just love Mochi''s chrysoberyl bezel and LaurenThePartier''s scapolite bezel ring too. Whiteflash won''t bezel set my aqua due to risk of damage during setting. Can anyone else recommend a jeweler to work with on this? Also, anyone have a ballpark idea of price?

thanks!!

TanDogMom, my jeweler (JB Jewelers) is a local here in Dallas, but if there''s anything I can do to help facilitate you getting your aqua bezel set, let me know.

Just beware, that he''s not well equipped for online sales, but I think he did an amazing job on my scap, and that sucker is soft! There isn''t a lick of damage to the stone.

 

[chrono]

Date: 8/7/2009 12:08:21 PM
Author: Michael_E

Date: 8/6/2009 9:56:06 PM
Author:TanDogMom
Whiteflash won''t bezel set my aqua due to risk of damage during setting.....Also, anyone have a ballpark idea of price?

That''s a little weird, since bezel setting anything is probably less dangerous than setting it in prongs...provided it''s done properly. The cost is the same as it is with anything else and varies depending on the material and weight of the setting as well as whether it''s a commercially made setting or something custom made to fit you and your stone. Some commercially made settings can be modified by adding a bezel at a fairly low cost. There are some antique style settings which are made with the stone set lower than the sides of the metalwork, having beads to hold the stone in place, (these are even more protective than bezel settings since the stone is not exposed at all...see Bead set ring example )

I think WF is concern about damage to the aquamarine as they are hammering the bezel down just over the girdle. I believe it is easier to set a pronged setting than a bezel.

 

[gailrmv]

Thanks all!
I have contacted BGD and Caleb Meyer, because he has something on his website that is exactly what I''d like. Does anyone know if he''s related to James Meyer? I think maybe, since they have similar style. I know BGD can do exactly what I want. It''s a little more than I wanted to spend, so I''ve just got to think it through. I appreciate the suggestions of the etsy folks, although I think I''d prefer to stick with a larger operation. I appreciate the info about Lauren''s jeweler as well. I think I;d prefer to stick with someone who is used to working via internet/phone, but I will definitely keep him in mind!
Thanks again all!

 

[sapphire.panda]

Caleb Meyer is James Meyer''s son. Are you interested in one of CM''s platform rings?

 

[gailrmv]

Hello again!

Update: Havent heard yet from Caleb Meyer, got a quote from BGD which I am sure is very competitive for custom, but more than I had wanted to spend. I may go this route though, depending on what other options are out there. I may also check with ERD who did Neatfreak's awesome bezeled cushion!

Quick questions - which size aqua do you guys think would look better in a bezel: 7 mm per side, or larger (8-9 mm per side)? I'm leaning towards the smaller.

Also - anyone seen any bezel settings made by designers, so I would avoid having to go custom? I am just not sure I have the personality for custom!

 

[chrono]

Yes, Caleb is the son of James Meyer. I have read that his customer response time is very poor; poor enough for a few PSers to drop him in favour of going with James Meyer. Etienne Perret (I hope I spelled his name correctly) also does bezels.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

OK, so here are a few things to consider

Part of what will determine the cost of the setting is the amount of gold that will need to be used, the bigger the stone, the more expensive the setting. A smaller ring would be a better "everyday" ring as well. But a larger ring will give contrast to your e-ring. You have to balance the two and decide what you want. If you want my opinion, I tend to keep the stone 7 mm or less for an "everyday ring." Another thing, since you are not going to wear a band with this ring, you can really set the aqua low, into the shank, that will also help protect it even more because height plays into this as much as exposure.

The thing I am most happy about, is the time Sally took to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. When I e-mailed her about the aqua, I told her I wanted a pillbox setting. Most vendors would say "ok, send me the stone." She nicely suggested to me some other settings, and when I told her that I liked a part of one, but not everything, she said she could modify it. WIth a 14 hour time difference, this ended up delaying things a week (usually we would only exchange one e-mail a day), but I got a setting that was better for my stone. And without her suggestions, I would have never even given that setting a second look. She also made sure that we were still on the same page after my stones arrived. I feel that the communication was the best part of this transaction. This is the reason I will probably use Sally again, even tough the overseas thing is tough.

However, I would never send a stone I could not replace to her. So as much as I love her stuff, for my Spessarite, I am going to have it set by either BGD or Ocean Pearlman. It is sitting in a box right now because I don''t have the funds to do that right now (I might if I quit buying stones, but I am just having too much fun with that).

I like the idea of a partial bezel better than a full bezel, especially for a large stone, because I don''t like the look of all that metal in the profile view. To protect the stone, I would do something similar to the Tiffany Bezel e-rings, where the entire edge of the stone is bezeled, but there is a cut out at the side to open things up (this is also less gold than a full bezel).

 

[gailrmv]

Thanks for the great idea chrono! i have always admired etienne peret's work. and v good to know abt caleb. i like james's style for other ppl but its not really what i have in mind for me. caleb has something just right on his website, but customer svc is very important.

anyone familiar with diana vincent? looks like she has great style and works with gemstones and will do custom!

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 8/9/2009 4:17:23 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
OK, so here are a few things to consider


Part of what will determine the cost of the setting is the amount of gold that will need to be used, the bigger the stone, the more expensive the setting. A smaller ring would be a better 'everyday' ring as well. But a larger ring will give contrast to your e-ring. You have to balance the two and decide what you want. If you want my opinion, I tend to keep the stone 7 mm or less for an 'everyday ring.' Another thing, since you are not going to wear a band with this ring, you can really set the aqua low, into the shank, that will also help protect it even more because height plays into this as much as exposure.


The thing I am most happy about, is the time Sally took to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. When I e-mailed her about the aqua, I told her I wanted a pillbox setting. Most vendors would say 'ok, send me the stone.' She nicely suggested to me some other settings, and when I told her that I liked a part of one, but not everything, she said she could modify it. WIth a 14 hour time difference, this ended up delaying things a week (usually we would only exchange one e-mail a day), but I got a setting that was better for my stone. And without her suggestions, I would have never even given that setting a second look. She also made sure that we were still on the same page after my stones arrived. I feel that the communication was the best part of this transaction. This is the reason I will probably use Sally again, even tough the overseas thing is tough.


However, I would never send a stone I could not replace to her. So as much as I love her stuff, for my Spessarite, I am going to have it set by either BGD or Ocean Pearlman. It is sitting in a box right now because I don't have the funds to do that right now (I might if I quit buying stones, but I am just having too much fun with that).


I like the idea of a partial bezel better than a full bezel, especially for a large stone, because I don't like the look of all that metal in the profile view. To protect the stone, I would do something similar to the Tiffany Bezel e-rings, where the entire edge of the stone is bezeled, but there is a cut out at the side to open things up (this is also less gold than a full bezel).

typing 1 handed now w/ baby- sorry to be so short! thanks for great ideas! i LOVE those tiff bezet rings. that is a great idea for inspiration.

another inspiration ring is kmci's asscher
kmci - totally not too much metal for me, and a great size - smaller than 7 mm too. too bad its custom from jeweler in australia!!

more later!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

That is a good inspiration ring

 

[litebrite]

TanDogMom, thanks for pointing out Diana Vincent. I saw some of her settings in a local BBB recently and was absolutely drooling over them, especially this bypass bezel with sidestones: bypass bezel

 

[gailrmv]

litebrite - I emailed her and really hope to hear back! Her work is so beautiful!! I wish I could see it in person.

Mini update, Caleb Meyer does not set customer's own gemstones

Working with Etienne Perret, though, is a real possibility - one that really excites me, as I've always admired his work!

I am still giving some thought to the Sholdt and also the Whiteflash Full of Surprises, if I decide to go prong setting. I think I need to wait til I have the aqua in hand before making a final decision.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

When are you getting it?