WF here I come...

[curiopotter]

Okay, so I''ve given up on my jewelry professor to finish my ring... He''s had it since the beginning of February and month after month I email him asking for an update, and every month he tells me he''s got the drawings almost ready and I can meet him the following week to look at them. I''ve tried getting him to setup a concrete time for me to come by, but he never calls me back.

SO. I finally got fed up and started looking for other options. I called Katie at WF and had her email me a proposal for a custom ring.. and she got back to me THAT evening, and has since responded to all my emails within just a few hours. It''s amaaazing...

I didn''t tell my SO about my plans until I got the proposal from Katie. He was a little stunned, but I think relieved overall. Hehe, I told him that since I''ve had to take care of everything with the diamond shopping and the ring design, that he gets to call the jeweler to get my diamond back.

Anyway, I''m excited because No. 1, I get my diamond back tomorrow, YAY! I haven''t seen it in 5 months! and No 2. I finally see an end to all this waiting!!!

I''m soooooo happppyyyy!!! I know Whiteflash will do a wonderful job!

 

[Gypsy]

Honestly, that''s the best thing you could have done. I would have been fed up too. Can''t wait to see what WF comes up with for you!

 

[Ellen]

You had WAY more patience than I would have had....


Care to share details on the setting?

 

[door knob solitaire]

Curio...

Yippee!! Great news! Your plight has been exhausting to follow. I am glad yo are moving on and UP!! The contact from Whiteflash must have been a shocker to you...in that for almost 1/2 a year you weren''t getting anywhere in contacts from your er....well...NUTTY PROFESSOR. Real customer service should be the norm...and not a shocker!

Glad to have you posting again.

Please allow us to follow with you...keep us updated.

How are the puppies?

DKS

 

[Kaleigh]

Curio,
Good for you. I think you had the patience of a saint with that professor. I can''t wait to see your custom ering. WF will do an excellent job. I''m really happy for you!!!

 

[kcoursolle]

This is a good decision!!!!

If something had gone wrong with your jewelry prof...that would haver really made things complicated and after 5 months he should have had your e-ring, wedding band, and his wedding band done LOL!!!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/2/2007 1:36:28 PM
Author: Gypsy
Honestly, that''s the best thing you could have done. I would have been fed up too. Can''t wait to see what WF comes up with for you!

Ditto here!

 

[curiopotter]

Thanks guys, I can''t wait!

Ellen, it''s going to be another halo.. I asked them to do a 1.5-2.0 mm shank with their ACA''s going all the way around.. I''m having trouble deciding if I want it prong set or channel set. I like the sparkle of prong, but protection of channel. They''re going to bezel set the diamond and do milgrain around the bezel and around the edges of the ring. She said it would be about .50 of melee added. I''ve been eyeballing those bezel set rings from Leon for a while, so I sent them a picture for inspiration. I also told them I eventually want my matching wedding band to sit flush with the engagement ring and I didn''t want any rubbing issues. Any suggestions for the prongs on the shank?

yay!

 

[Gypsy]

I like prong set. I know it''s not as safe though. YAY! I''m so excited for you!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:31:21 PM
Author: curiopotter
Thanks guys, I can''t wait!

Ellen, it''s going to be another halo.. I asked them to do a 1.5-2.0 mm shank with their ACA''s going all the way around.. I''m having trouble deciding if I want it prong set or channel set. I like the sparkle of prong, but protection of channel. They''re going to bezel set the diamond and do milgrain around the bezel and around the edges of the ring. She said it would be about .50 of melee added. I''ve been eyeballing those bezel set rings from Leon for a while, so I sent them a picture for inspiration. I also told them I eventually want my matching wedding band to sit flush with the engagement ring and I didn''t want any rubbing issues. Any suggestions for the prongs on the shank?

yay!

Oh, it''s gonna be gorgeous!!

I prefer prong set meself.

 

[mrssalvo]

I was wondering where you''d been and if you ever got your ring...so glad you gave up and are going with WF, they will do a fabulous job for you. Can''t wait to see pics when it''s done!!

 

[FireGoddess]

Yes, 5 months is an absurd amount of time (I''m also speaking from the same experience)...especially to not have any progress at all, including drawings. I''m glad you decided to go with someone else. At least this means there''s an end in sight!

 

[angeline]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:31:21 PM
Author: curiopotter
Thanks guys, I can''t wait!


Ellen, it''s going to be another halo.. I asked them to do a 1.5-2.0 mm shank with their ACA''s going all the way around.. I''m having trouble deciding if I want it prong set or channel set. I like the sparkle of prong, but protection of channel. They''re going to bezel set the diamond and do milgrain around the bezel and around the edges of the ring. She said it would be about .50 of melee added. I''ve been eyeballing those bezel set rings from Leon for a while, so I sent them a picture for inspiration. I also told them I eventually want my matching wedding band to sit flush with the engagement ring and I didn''t want any rubbing issues. Any suggestions for the prongs on the shank?

yay!

Awww beautiful!! I am so glad things are moving forward for you. I was just thinking... ''where is Curiopotter??'' congrats on the new plan,

a

 

[dianne]

Hey Curio!! Great timing....I was going to start a new thread this week specifically to ask you for an update. Haven''t seen you very much lately but I knew you were patiently waiting on your ring drawings. I am so sorry things didn''t work out as you originally planned but I am certain WF will take very good care of you. Good for you to move forward!! I can''t wait to see the end result!! So good to hear from you!! Keep us updated!

 

[iwannaprettyone]

How exciting!

 

[risingsun]

Good for you. You have been more than patient, but that first ring was just not going to happen. I can''t wait to see you beauty from WF!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think you made a wise decision! My limit on custom rings is 6-8 weeks. I am not understanding those that take longer. Obviously they are just letting the stones sit most of the time.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:39:40 PM
Author: Gypsy
I like prong set. I know it''s not as safe though. YAY! I''m so excited for you!

I''m having my ring done beadset but I am a huge fan of channel set for its comfort and wearability. I hope I never regret the beadset.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/2/2007 5:37:50 PM
Author: FireGoddess
Yes, 5 months is an absurd amount of time (I''m also speaking from the same experience)...especially to not have any progress at all, including drawings. I''m glad you decided to go with someone else. At least this means there''s an end in sight!

I thought the 6 month waits for MWM were nuts but after what I''ve been through I totally understand where it can go. But to not have *anything* is ridiculous. Its like he is doing you a favor but failing to actually *do* it!!!

 

[allycat0303]

I''ve been wondering about your ring! Did they give you an estimated length of time for the ring to be done? You must be so excited to finally get started on the ring.

 

[curiopotter]

Cehra, I had told them bead-set and I'm hoping I won't regret it either lol. I mean, I live like 10 minutes away from their office, I can always just drop it off if something happens, but STILL.

Dianne, I know, I've been so anxious about this ring the last few months. I'm just glad It's finally getting done... I have no ill feelings for my prof., but I just really want my ring and I don't have the patience to wait around for it anymore. I want a proposal already! My grandmother is in town, and she was insisting that I have my wedding THIS December because next year is her 80th birthday party and she wants my parents recouperated financially so they can fly home to Puerto Rico and throw her a big party with our family for her big day. I swallowed REALLY hard... "uh.. uhm... but... December? haha... *delirious* that's so soon!"

Seriously... I can't even imagine having to plan a wedding 6 months from now. I would die.

Ally, They haven't given me an estimated time, although I'm sure it can't take longer than 6 weeks. I'll be sure to ask them when I go in on Thursday. And YES I'm super excited!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/3/2007 12:56:15 PM
Author: curiopotter
Cehra, I had told them bead-set and I''m hoping I won''t regret it either lol. I mean, I live like 10 minutes away from their office, I can always just drop it off if something happens, but STILL.

Yeah that''s convenient!!! I''m not going to be so lucky - not only am I getting this insane custom designer ring that I won''t want anyone else to touch, but she lives far away and I''m getting single cut 1.5 point melee. It could be a real bear to replace those LOL What size is your melee? I''ve told her a million times though that my priority list is: Durability, wearability/comfort, THEN asthetics LOL

 

[curiopotter]

Cehra,

I told her I wanted a 1.5-2.0 mm band, with .01 or .02 ct melee. I also told Katie at WF that I put durability first and asthetics second. lol
I''ve been so freaking picky with everything, from the diamond, to the ring''s subtleties... I really held back when I described what I wanted to WF. I want to see what they come up with first, then yay or nay the wax. I decided that they know what they''re doing, and I''ll leave most of it up to them. My problem is that I want my ring to be super sparkly with a really thin band because rings drive me insane (I know, I know.. sacralige) and I don''t want the beading on the melee to be enormous like I''ve seen on some rings.

I adore FireGoddesses shank and halo widths.. but I also love Leon''s milgrained channel shanks on his halos. I think if I get it comfort fit, it won''t annoy me as much.



lol, we''re so picky

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/3/2007 5:45:28 PM
Author: curiopotter
Cehra,

I told her I wanted a 1.5-2.0 mm band, with .01 or .02 ct melee. I also told Katie at WF that I put durability first and asthetics second. lol
I''ve been so freaking picky with everything, from the diamond, to the ring''s subtleties... I really held back when I described what I wanted to WF. I want to see what they come up with first, then yay or nay the wax. I decided that they know what they''re doing, and I''ll leave most of it up to them. My problem is that I want my ring to be super sparkly with a really thin band because rings drive me insane (I know, I know.. sacralige) and I don''t want the beading on the melee to be enormous like I''ve seen on some rings.

I adore FireGoddesses shank and halo widths.. but I also love Leon''s milgrained channel shanks on his halos. I think if I get it comfort fit, it won''t annoy me as much.



lol, we''re so picky

hehe me being picky is only half of what has taken my ring so long and it really isn''t my place to say the rest though I will say that I understand 100%. Just had to say that LOL Anyway, my input only goes so far and then I''m *happy* to throw my hands in the air and say whatever happens, happens. I don''t think I''d feel comfortable doing that if I was working with someone I didn''t even know (like a benchperson *through* a salesperson) but I went with Ocean because I wanted an artists touch and I am happy to give her the space and time to do just that.... I''ve set my parameters and then there are a lot of freedoms that are up to her and are out of my control. I know my ring will not look the way it does in my head, but I also know it will be beautiful and *mostly* the way it does in my head LOL the shank on my ring is about 6-7mm wide and is two 2mm channels (not channel set but bead set) of angled melee flanking 3mm of matte band to give it a 3 band look. It''s the opposite of yours, NOT dainty or thin at all LOL The rows/channels/whatever they''re called of melee are going to be edged in milgrain but I chose NOT to get involved in the size of the beads LOL The head was what I chose to be super picky about.... its very unique, so its easy for me to let go on things like bead size and just trust that she will do what is best.... she and I both want her to personalize it... anyway this is a long way of saying that I totally understand the control vs letting go issue... part of me wants to stamp the design in my head out into a metal ring and wear it and another part of me wants a ring that was given total control by an artist other than myself.... I suppose this is a combo of that.

 

[curiopotter]

Sara,

Yeah, I completely get it. The best part about letting go, is that sometimes you get suprised by a new idea you hadn''t thought of, and end up liking it more than your original idea.



I got my diamond back yesterday, YAAAY!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/4/2007 11:41:57 AM
Author: curiopotter
Sara,

Yeah, I completely get it. The best part about letting go, is that sometimes you get suprised by a new idea you hadn''t thought of, and end up liking it more than your original idea.



I got my diamond back yesterday, YAAAY!

That too!

How does it look? Better than you remembered or the same? I have this fear my diamond will have lost its sparkle LOL

 

[curiopotter]

lol that made me laugh..

no I think it looks better than I remember. I only got to bond with my diamond for like half a day before I gave it to the jeweler, so I never got to just stare at it. I also didn''t get to loupe it while I was home, only at the WF offices, so now that I have a loupe that''s all I''ve been doing with it.

It''s definitely my diamond.. I can see the inclusions that I wasn''t able see at WF, but I''m glad this is definitely my diamond.

I love staring at it..

I checked the invoice from WF a little while ago, and they had an estimated shipping time of July 26th.. I''ll be in Vegas so my SO has to pick it up. I wonder if he''s gonna hide it from me until he proposes, or if he''ll let me try it on..

 

[KimberlyH]

Here''s to progress, curio!

So glad you have your diamond back and a new plan of action.

 

[iheartscience]

Hooray for your ring getting started! You have the patience of a saint, that''s for sure!

I have bead set melee on my ring from WF and I love it. The beads are super tiny and they''re extremely uniform. The melee on my ring is 1.3 mm if I recall correctly. The diamonds are on three sides of the shank so my shank is 2.2 mm wide and tall. It''s squared off so there''s a little line of metal along the edges of the shank.

I can''t wait to see your finished ring!

 

[curiopotter]

AHhhh... nothing like customer service.

BrianTheCutter just called to see if there was anything I needed from them and/or to make any suggestions about how they''re running things at WF. I told him I''d surely make suggestions and thanked him for calling.


I went and dropped off the diamond yesterday, so I''m super excited to hear back from Katie about the progress. I know I''m going to be checking my email like every hour of every day until they finish. I swear, if they had a ''rush'' fee, I''d pay it out of my own pocket just to get that ring into my sticky little fingers.

thing2of2
I think that''s the shank I went for.. a small band of metal around the shank to protect the melee. When they send the pictures of the wax, I''ll make sure to note it and make sure it''s not a lot of metal. I just want as little metal showing as possible.

I CANT WAAAAIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!