the way head connects to shank

[Kem]

hey everyone. i thought my boyfriend and i had finally made a decision regarding our ring...we are buying a whiteflash diamond in their cheapest 6-prong platinum setting (we have about a $2000 budget). I have been longing for a mark morrell sunburst but it is just not to be. I have been thinking and thinking about what I don''t like about the wf setting and I realized it is mostly about the way the head connects to the shank. It looks sort of like the head is just stuck on there, if that makes sense, whereas I like designs where the whole thing seems to flow together as a unit. can anyone think of any inexpensive platinum solitaire settings that look like this? at first i thought i''d be willing to sacrifice and a 6 prong setting was a 6 prong setting, but now i''m on the fence, i think it would always drive me crazy. by the way, the stone we will be setting is going to be an RB for sure. thanks for your help!

 

[E B]

Kem,

I believe Whiteflash has access to Stuller settings, and from what I've heard, they're pretty reasonably priced. Platinum won't be cheap, but they might be close to budget. WF can give you a quote if they're able to get the settings.

Here's a trellis style from Stuller: Woven Solitaire Engagement Ring

And a link to the catalog of bridal mountings:

Stuller Bridal mountings

Hope this helps!

 

[susi]

Hello, Kem, I felt the same way when I had my RB HOF mounted....I wanted something simple and secure and not just plopped on top of a shank! My jeweler went to the stuller site and ordered the Solstice head in the bombay shank. Depending on the size of your stone and your preference you can select a 4 or 6 prong. It's secure & relatively inexpensive and very pretty. It would do you well until you are ready to select something more permanent. And, it's a pretty ring.

I wore mine for 4 years and am just now getting the stone remounted.....because it's taken me this long to decide what I wanted

 

[Lynn B]

What you are describing is a peg head, and they are pretty much "what they are". You can't take a true peg head and make it look like a ring in which the head has been "built into"/integrated as part of the overall flowing design style.

However, there is a LOT that can be done to the standard, squarish, thick, blocky prongs of some peg heads. By a skilled benchman, those prongs can be modified beautifully to be thinner, rounder, polished (inside and out) and MUCH more graceful... you just have to request it.

It never ceases to amaze me how many beautiful (and $$$ expensive! $$$) rings are "out there" that obviously have had so much attention paid to the detail in the shanks, and are holding KILLER diamonds, but then the heads just have that standard, stock, bulky peg head look -- almost totally devoid of style or beauty (IMVHO).

I just don't get it!!!

 

[lyra]

You might try looking at some 4 prong styles instead. They will show more of the diamond, and you might find something with a nicer head design. How big is your diamond?

 

[Kem]

I have been taking your advice and looking at the stuller catalogue. I like the solstice and from what I read about it here it is a popular choice. I am kind of set on 6-prong settings even though my diamond will be less than .8 carats, I just like the classic look of it. I hope my stone won''t be "swallowed up" by the setting. Can they make the prongs thinner for a smaller stone or something? The other thing I am confused about is that it seems as if the solstice comes in a lot of different options, knife edge or bombe (I assume this is just flat?), and peg head or not? I am not sure, but the pictures I see of this setting appear to be a peg head and yet still it has a more integrated look than that of other inexpensive solitaire settings. I also read somewhere on here that peg heads make a wedding band sit more flush with the e-ring, but I am confused about why this is so and what the non-peg head option would look like. Thank you for all your advice so far, it has been really helpful now I feel like there are inexpensive settings out there that I could live with, even if they aren''t my favorite, while I wait to be able to afford my "dream setting"

 

[tberube]

how about going with white gold? It's easier to maintain and much cheaper.

Also, this is the company where my fiance got my engagement ring, and their prices are very reasonable for pretty solitaire designs.

 

[Kem]

tberube, i know, white gold is so much less expensive! i am just so set on platinum, i love the look and feel of it and i really can tell the difference between platinum and wg. and unlike a lot of others, i actually really like the look of platinum when it gets that patina, it looks sort of antiquey and timeless to me. still, it is a tough decision and i keep thinking a bigger diamond will comfort me if i end up going with white gold, haha.

 

[milton333]

Did you mean that your budget for the setting is $2000, or total ring budget is $2000? If you're looking at platinum, you could pay that just for the setting. You might be interested in this setting from Knox Jewelers, it's Tiffany-like with a lovely integrated head, but may be outside your budget. I believe you can coordinate between Knox and WF to get a stone set in this setting. You can get the same style in white gold for $490 from Knox. I know you like platinum, but if budget is an obstacle now (i.e, your total ring budget is $2000), you could do WG and plan an upgrade to platinum (maybe by your wedding day).

 

[Kem]

my total ring budget is around $2000. Is a stuller solstice really that expensive? I know that the cheapest platinum setting at wf is like 500 or 600 dollars. I was hoping the stuller ring was 900 at the most. I would go with white gold temporarily but an upgrade is not in the forseeable future, money is really tight, and i want my wedding band to match (just a plain platinum band). it would be weird to get a platinum wedding band and a wg e-ring and then not be able to upgrade for possibly years and years. it would drive me crazy! if it doesn''t sit totally flush with the wedding band i can cope, but i have weird things i am particular about with the ring and i already feel awful for being so picky! my poor boyfriend is a saint to put up with me.

 

[milton333]

Personally, I'd put the money into the diamond and skimp on the setting for now, but it's your ring.

Some of the cheapest platinum settings I've seen that don't have the "peg head" look are at Wink Jones. All of the settings described below are on that page.

There is a 4-prong classic cathedral, WR204 for $765. The 6-prong in platinum is $795, WR206.

A 6-prong solitaire with more of a basket setting is available in palladium for $730, WSE101. Palladium is a rare metal, arguably more valuable than platinum, but may be more bluish-white.

This tulip setting is lovely, $750 in platinum, WST150105. Not sure if they can do it for a round instead of cushion stone.

I believe this is the Solstice with bombe (round) shank, and it's $960 in platinum, WST15420615. A similar look is here for $970 in platinum, WST1632060.

I've heard that Wink Jones a/k/a Winfield's has the best price available for the Solstice (I think the one listed is a genuine Stuller, but I'm not sure).

As you can see, platinum is going to take a HUGE chunk out of your ring budget. For the Solstice style ring on the Wink Jones site, it's almost $1000 for platinum, $260-360 for white gold.

 

[milton333]

Wink Jones is also an authorized dealer for D. Vatche. A really pretty solitaire setting, the "royal empress", style 144, is available from Wink for $514 in all white gold, $730 in WG with platinum prongs, for .5 ct.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would get the cheapest white gold solitaire setting from WF and put most of the $2000 in the stone! I can''t see getting platinum setting that you are going to upgrade later. That really would be a big waste of your budget, in my opinion. Get the better stone now, and get your dream setting later in platinum.

 

[Kem]

ooo, milton, i love that tulip set mounting from wink''s. do you know if that could be set very low, or is that impossible for that type of setting? the thing i loved about the stuller was that it could be set very low. i am so confused now as to budget, because as much as it makes sense to spend more on the diamond and wait for my dream setting, when i think about having to wait years while wearing a ring with a setting that i really am not at all happy with, it just makes me reconsider. it is one thing if the setting is really temporary, but this setting won''t really be... waiting four or five years at the least before resetting is a long time to wear something on your finger that you can constantly see the flaws of. i am sure of all people, pricescope-ers can understand that, haha.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 11/19/2007 7:31:12 PM
Author: Kem
ooo, milton, i love that tulip set mounting from wink''s. do you know if that could be set very low, or is that impossible for that type of setting? the thing i loved about the stuller was that it could be set very low. i am so confused now as to budget, because as much as it makes sense to spend more on the diamond and wait for my dream setting, when i think about having to wait years while wearing a ring with a setting that i really am not at all happy with, it just makes me reconsider. it is one thing if the setting is really temporary, but this setting won''t really be... waiting four or five years at the least before resetting is a long time to wear something on your finger that you can constantly see the flaws of. i am sure of all people, pricescope-ers can understand that, haha.

I see what you are saying and I agree. I think you just need to work hard to find the best *balance* between your setting and your stone... and remember, most PS vendors have that wonderful trade-up policy for your stone. The diamond you get now does not have to be your "forever" diamond anymore than the setting does!

One more thing -- to really maximize your stone budget look at lower color/lower clarity stones. When well cut, they are GORGEOUS, and really give the most *bang for the buck*. (Enabling you to get a bigger diamond than you probably ever thought possible, OR save a bunch of $$$ to put toward that setting!)

My diamond is an AGS-0 2.36 J/SI2 RB that is beautifully white and totally eyeclean. I would buy it again in a heartbeat!