red spinel, suggestions for E-ring

[zeolite]

Shown below is a 1.32 ct Burmese red spinel. I need style suggestions for a ring, and especially vendor suggestions, where to buy it? Mounts could be plain, but most probably with accent diamonds. I also own a considerable selection tsavorite, yellow sapphire, and pink sapphire melle, bought for another project.

The stone is 6.6mm x7.3mm, so while it is a near oval, I'm sure a 7mm round head would fit best. Astute readers here will note that I've never requested jewelry mounts before. It will be for my son-in-laws new bride.

 

[Arcadian]

Oh my, I screamed when I saw that stone!

What type of setting would you be looking at? gold or platinum? there's a lot of choices for a stone like that (white flash may be a good choice).

-A

 

[zeolite]

My wife wants to use white gold.

And, as far as the picture, the gem looks like that when evenly lit by my white photographic front diffuser, but in real life, with light coming in at a narrower angle, it has more dark areas, such as at the bottom. But the color is accurate. The stone was a recut by superb cutter, Phillip Youngman.

 

[pregcurious]

Zeolite, that is am amazing red spinel. I have one, and it cannot hold a candle to that. Did the recut improve the color by a great margin? My stone has a belly and I would be willing to recut to improve the color.

I like jbEG's Julia bezel a lot:
http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/JbEGSignatureSettingsandSpecia/Plain-and-Pave-Solitaires/The-Julia-Bezel-Solitaire/13197667_hDLW3L#993361170_KFMf6

 

[zeolite]

Thank you pregcurious, for your suggestion. The spinel had a slight belly underneath and a small window. The recut lightened the color slightly (it was slightly dark) and closed the window. It was really just a small tweak, and very little weight was lost.

 

[milton333]

A suggestion for another jbeg setting: http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/JbEGSignatureSettingsandSpecia/Halos/The-Bella-Signature-Halo/20800726_wZqnxF#1651035646_KLSzWGm

Available in white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, mixed metals between the halo and shank, possibly also platinum.

What's the budget?

 

[Deia]

I LOVE the Julia but for some reason feel this stone should be pronged not bezeled.

Milton that ring is delicious! Everything about it. I would do a halo like that (ie with prongs) for the spinel. Now what kind of halo depends on what the lady likes... modern looking? antique looking? specfic brand name look a like (I'm thinking harry winston here as an example)

 

[pregcurious]

Thank you pregcurious, for your suggestion. The spinel had a slight belly underneath and a small window. The recut lightened the color slightly (it was slightly dark) and closed the window. It was really just a small tweak, and very little weight was lost.

Thanks, Zeolite. I may do the same. My stone is very deep, so it does not have a window, but it is slightly darker than I would like.

I've really enjoyed your other threads as they are very educational. Do you also sell gemstones in addition to collecting them? If you do, is there some way we can find you?

 

[chrono]

Congrats to the lucky lady on a beautiful spinel. While I love bezel settings and the one Pregcurious suggested is stunning, I have a feeling it might not be a good fit for the spinel. My concern is that bezeling it will bring out more of the darkness than preferred. The JBeg setting suggested by Milton is gorgeous too. Sure, it's a halo but looks to be slightly different from the usual halos.

 

[zeolite]

milton - budget? I'm not really sure what is required, but in low to medium range, not high.

Deia - yes, I prefer pronged. I think a halo could be a problem, since the stone is between oval and round.

pregcurious - yes. Look at this link, and look for 51.85 cts:

http://www.stepbystepwire.com/awards/gemmys.cfm

 

[chrono]

A halo will not be an issue if it is made to fit the stone aka custom. Are you opposed to a custom setting?

 

[zeolite]

I'd like to try a ready made setting first, for budget reasons. i can change if this doesn't work out.

 

[Arcadian]

Zeolite, that is am amazing red spinel. I have one, and it cannot hold a candle to that. Did the recut improve the color by a great margin? My stone has a belly and I would be willing to recut to improve the color.

I like jbEG's Julia bezel a lot:
http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/JbEGSignatureSettingsandSpecia/Plain-and-Pave-Solitaires/The-Julia-Bezel-Solitaire/13197667_hDLW3L#993361170_KFMf6

Lovely

I also like the modified Julia. Much more open and has prongs but, I think still unique looking, less possibility of darkening the stone (at least I think so?)

http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/JbEGSignatureSettingsandSpecia/Plain-and-Pave-Solitaires/The-Julia-Modified-Solitaire/13305754_DxKwsS#1088080912_32TNS


-A

 

[Arcadian]

Here's some other options, all quite pretty and may work with what you're looking for. I searched on 18K white gold.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/fishtail-pave-with-truth-head-18k-white-gold-5360w18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/sabrina-18k-white-gold-5522w18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/royal-charm-micro-pave-18k-white-gold-5680w18



Plainer Options


http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/lattice-thin-comfort-shank-18k-white-gold-5681w18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/split-prong-grace-18k-white-gold-5507w18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/split-shank-rope-solitaire-18k-white-gold-5364w18

Some of them I believe they can change the heads on. Could certainly be worth checking out.


-A

 

[LD]

Silly question but what does the lucky recipient of the stone like? Vintage, modern, sleek, chunky etc etc? We are picking things WE like but that may be way off base!

I would second and third Deia and Chrono's concerns of bezelling. I would not want the performance to be affected so a lovely open, pronged setting would be my preference. Actually if the recipient likes modern jewellery I would be very very very tempted to have an open basket (no halo) but would have accent sides or shank. I love this setting that a gentleman recently linked to as a suggestion. I wouldn't put a pink stone under the spinel but would consider a lovely white diamond (or if you really want a funky look, a green tsav).

 

[briolette]

That spinel is so beautiful, I could cry....
There's this fantastic pagoda setting that Bijouxs Extraodinare has made. I could see the spinel in a white metal version of that.





They also have a stoplight red spinel ring. It's in yellow gold, but perhaps you could get this style done in white (I happen to like yellow gold with red spinel...it makes it look redder to me)

 

[zeolite]

Arcadian - thanks for the many links; much to look at.

LD - I'm not sure of her preferences. I was going to present her with ideas and see what she prefers. My wife and the couple are Chinese, so they have distinct dislikes: no pointy stones (trigons), must be smooth curved outlines. That small pink accent gem under the white diamond is really unusual, but I don't think the Chinese will buy it.

briolette - I would prefer yellow gold with the red spinel, but my wife says white. Thanks for the Bijoux Extraordinare source.

 

[pregcurious]

I like these 2 simple Vatche settings with diamonds in the tapered shank, and claw prongs:
http://dvatche.com/index.php?page=collection&catID=2,18&startRow=6&id=160
http://dvatche.com/index.php?page=collection&catID=2,18&startRow=36&id=10

Ii also love the Eternal Grace from Brian Gavin ($1750):
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/eternal-grace-platinum-5704p

 

[T L]

I love this design with smooth intersecting curves in the gallery. I would do side diamonds, as it would really emphasize the red color.

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/53027565

 

[AGBF]

I love this design with smooth intersecting curves in the gallery. I would do side diamonds, as it would really emphasize the red color.

This is another view of the ring you posted, TL. I happen to love this look and am having my own red spinel set in the same way that this stone was set, with the sidestones going, "downhill". (I agree with you that the sidestones should be diamonds, by the way. Only diamonds will show off the red of the spinel.) I think a spinel is enhanced by side diamonds. I do not think they have to be large; they can be 10-pointers or even smaller. I do think the stone benefits from the flash of white that a diamond, no matter how small, provides, however!

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

When I was looking at settings for my red spinel, I looked at settings that had pear shaped diamonds as sidestones. If one takes this route, the pears obviously have to look in proportion to the center stone and one is essentially committing to a three stone ring rather than to a solitaire, however.

Deb/AGBF

 

[minousbijoux]

Zeo, if the photo is any indication, your stone is the most saturated red I've ever seen and looks like its lit from within. While I agree that diamond accents would be elegant, I think in order to get the contrast and not make the diamonds look shabby, you will have to get really, really, high quality, white diamonds. My worry would be that otherwise, it would just look a bit dirty...

 

[AGBF]

This ring shows what one can do with small diamonds. One can place three small stones in a cluster at each side of the center stone. I think that one at either side would look equally good, however! The band can be made to taste: narrower, flared, knife's edge, whatever one likes and complements the delicacy of the accent stones. I really like this look, personally.

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Zeo, if the photo is any indication, your stone is the most saturated red I've ever seen and looks like its lit from within. While I agree that diamond accents would be elegant, I think in order to get the contrast and not make the diamonds look shabby, you will have to get really, really, high quality, white diamonds. My worry would be that otherwise, it would just look a bit dirty...

...and why would that be a problem?

Deb

 

[AGBF]

I have posted two rings below for your perusal because, in my opinion, both offer an option that would be very attractive with the beautiful spinel you have. As you can see, each ring shows a relatively large center stone flanked by relatively small accent diamonds. I, personally, like this look very much.

The ring on top is one I had commissioned for my daughter's 16th birthday by Rick martin. He found a lovely opal and some tiny, but special, VS quality diamonds to flank it. It is in a standard Stuller mounting. I like the way that the diamonds, although they are tiny, set off the opal.

The ring on the bottom is one I found on Google Images. Although I do not find the center stone particularly attractive, I think that the proportion of the center stones to the accent diamonds is very pleasing to the eye. In my opinion it shows that one can can very small (as with my daughter's ring) or larger (as with this ring) and still have a graceful look.

If it were my ring, I would invest in small high color, high clarity diamond accent stones and set this spinel simply. It will shine all by itself! It doesn't need more to set it off!

Deb/AGBF

 

[zeolite]

pregcurious - I like your sample, but I think it is out of our price range.

TL - I like the graceful curves of your design.

AGBF - I think your samples may be close to what she will choose.

 

[zeolite]

Zeo, if the photo is any indication, your stone is the most saturated red I've ever seen and looks like its lit from within. While I agree that diamond accents would be elegant, I think in order to get the contrast and not make the diamonds look shabby, you will have to get really, really, high quality, white diamonds. My worry would be that otherwise, it would just look a bit dirty...

I don't want to mislead anyone, but try to show the spinel as accurately as possible. My spinel is good, but not THAT good! A top red spinel will be as intense in color but brighter, lighter in overall tone. I think my photographic lighting system is giving it too much help. It looks closer to this picture (fine color but darker), when viewed under incandescent GE Reveal lamps, but NOT using my white diffuser. My diffuser brings in the light at a very wide range of angles, and manages to fill every single facet with color. However, if the gem is poorly cut (and this gem is cut quite well), no amount of diffused lighting is going to cover up cutting flaws.

 

[pregcurious]

Here are some more affordable settings from Eternity Diamonds. I have never used them, but some other PSers have. They will send you sample settings to try for free.

$765 Pave cathedral setting:
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Cathedral-Diamond-Ring-%28.08-ctw.%29-329.htm

S855 Side cluster setting, like AGBF suggested:
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Portia-Diamond-Ring-with-Clusters-by-Eternity-%28.23-ctw.%29-231.htm

$865 Single sidestone setting, like AGBF suggested:
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Frida-round-cut-diamond-with-round-cut-diamond-accents-by-Eternity-%28.20-ctw.%29-244.htm

$895 Channel set diamond setting:
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Channel-Set-Diamond-Ring-332.htm

 

[anne_h]

Gorgeous. I LOVE the chubby oval shape. Love. Far better than round.

To me, it calls for halo. Custom if possible. White metal. Pave. The usual.

Anne

 

[T L]

Zeo, if the photo is any indication, your stone is the most saturated red I've ever seen and looks like its lit from within. While I agree that diamond accents would be elegant, I think in order to get the contrast and not make the diamonds look shabby, you will have to get really, really, high quality, white diamonds. My worry would be that otherwise, it would just look a bit dirty...

I don't want to mislead anyone, but try to show the spinel as accurately as possible. My spinel is good, but not THAT good! A top red spinel will be as intense in color but brighter, lighter in overall tone. I think my photographic lighting system is giving it too much help. It looks closer to this picture (fine color but darker), when viewed under incandescent GE Reveal lamps, but NOT using my white diffuser. My diffuser brings in the light at a very wide range of angles, and manages to fill every single facet with color. However, if the gem is poorly cut (and this gem is cut quite well), no amount of diffused lighting is going to cover up cutting flaws.

Thanks for the clarification. I do see orange in your spinel photo above, and I think a fine top red spinel will have a little blue in it. However, your stone is still lovely. It looks like a flame spinel. The trillion looks to have more blue in it.