Spinel center with Sapph. sidestones?

[Stone Hunter]

Do you all think that a well cut Spinel (very sparkly) would look OK set into a 3 stone with smaller white sapphire sidestones?

I know that well cut Spinels sparkle alot more than well cut Sapphires. Would that pose a problem? Would the Sapphires look dull and glass like next to the Spinel? What I''m wanting to do is increase the visual size of the stone/setting on my hand.

Just an idea for setting my Dan Stair Spinel and I''d like input from PS because you''re so creative. THANKS

Spinel...

 

[chrono]

The white sapphires aren’t going to look dull and glass like. Don’t worry.

You will not get diamond-like dispersion but a well cut pair should fit in well.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Ah good. I don''t need them to be like diamonds. Just something to set with it that won''t clash since it is a color shifter.

Thanks.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I think that would be really pretty!

 

[Arkteia]

BTW- your spinel is beautiful. I second Chrono''s opinion. I think pale pink sapphires should look nice, too, depending on the design. But your spinel...it sparkles through the shade! What a stone you chose!

 

[Crystal keeper]

Should look real good there stone hunter..nice spinel

 

[Stone Hunter]

Thanks PSers. I really really like the stone -- cut by Dan Stair but just haven''t had any setting ideas that worked. Because of it''s size 5.75mm it needs more than a plain setting. And because it''s a color shifter I don''t want to put any other colors near it.

And Bezeling it is out because of the color shift. I don''t want to do anything to limit it.

So a 3 stone prong setting with white Sapphire side stones of maybe 2mm is what I''m thinking of. Unless a PSer comes up with a better idea!

 

[ma re]

My ideas might be on the crazy (or hard to do) side, but here it goes. Since it's not a large stone, since you'd like some sides that wouldn't overwhelm but rather complete, and since you'd like to keep it simple in style and colors, I'd consider a shape of side stones other than round. The reason is simple. If you'd place rounds next to a round, it would look like you were trying to go for a blingy look, while that's actually not your goal. Three round stones, be it all diamonds or a colored stone surrounded with diamonds, are a very sparkly, eye-catching look, and when people try to imitate that with stones that are not as brilliant as diamonds the result can be less than impressive (unless the stones are well cut and nicely scintillating, in which case you can also consider trillions). But when fancy shapes (anything other than round) are used as sides, it shows that the idea wasn't so much to outsparkle everything within a 10 mile radius, but more to create a harmonious arrangement that is more on the subdued and elegant side. In fact, in those cases, side stones often serve as "extensions" of the shank ends and their shape is incorporated in the design of the shank so that they wouldn't stick out. So if you could find a pair of 5x3 (or close to that) marquises, pears or maybe even tapered baguettes, that could work very nicely. You can also consider a satin finish to the shank, if you want to bring out the stones more.

 

[Nomsdeplume]

I think it will look pretty. I vote for pear side stones!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Great ideas Mr. Ma re but where oh where will I find a setting and side stones?

Pears?! Maybe. Ah well all rounds would be simple and then it would get set quickly. I already had a setting bookmarked

.
ETA: I was thinking 2mm round white sapph. not large at all.

Mr. Ma re is right I'm not trying to outsparkle anyone. So I'll think about a fancy shape.

 

[LD]

SH - can I make a suggestion? Before pulling the trigger, can you get to see some white sapphires before you buy? The reason I''m saying that is I''ve never seen ones that I''ve been happy with. No, that''s not true actually, I have, but not in larger sizes. They can look a little grey. I''ve seen some pairs at www.planetarygems.com (but good luck if they respond to your emails - they never do to mine) and www.simplysapphires.com have some also. Both sites I think also have photos where white sapphires are used as side stones.