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Thinking about a rhodolite garnet ring project

milton333

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
637
I'm anxiously awaiting my BGD bezel halo pendant for my original e-ring 1/2 ct diamond: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond-pendants/halo-bezel-pendant-18k-white-gold-5677w18 Because of a completely bizarre serious of issues with the appraisal and getting a copy of my insurance policy, I got my stone to BGD so late that I won't get it for my b-day, and maybe not until mid-January :((

So, I started looking at other projects. I've been trying to avoid upgrading my e-ring upgrade :lol: , and had been thinking about an east-west set marquise for a right hand ring. I'm also in love with rose gold with my very pale skin, and wanted to try to incorporate that.

Then I happened upon a Barry Bridgestock supernova cut oval rhodolite tanga garnet at ACStones.com. 2.31 ct, 8.4 x 7.0 mm. It's not here yet, but I think I'm going to love it. http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=3911


I've seen pics of other BB tanga garnets, including one similar oval owned by Arjunajane, and swooned.

So, I'm already pondering settings. I want to do a ring. And shades of the east-west marquise in rose gold are still in my mind. So I found this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/77308623/firely-orange-sapphire-diamond-ring-14k which is incredibly yummy.


I asked about doing a custom version of this, with a plain shank/band in either white gold or rose gold, and they can do it for me in either.

So, I'm looking for opinions. Yes, I'm jumping the gun a bit, but I just feel like I'm going to love the garnet. Even if I don't love it, I'll probably shop for a similar oval green tourmaline and would look at the same type of setting, in WG or YG.

What would you do for a setting? I'm iffy on halos for diamonds, but love a haloed colored stone, so I'm really leaning toward that.

I didn't necessarily want to go custom and spend a ton more on the setting than on the stone. But, most stock settings have a north-south orientation for ovals. Of the few sideways settings that I've seen from the usual suspects on ebay, most aren't quite the right size for the stone. I'm a bit leery of quality. I'm also reluctant to ship the stone to China for setting, so I'd also have a local setting fee.

I've looked at the LOGR and lan.b04 (et al.) stores on ebay, and I'm not crazy about any of the east-west setting options - most aren't really a halo, just a thin band of diamonds that swirls partially around the stone. I don't have to have east-west, I guess, but still, few of the north-south settings really call to me.

I have identified these options:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gorgeous-7x8mm-Oval-14K-Gold-Diamond-Semi-Mount-Ring-/370570420204?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item5647b7dfec
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6x8mm-OVAL-Cut-14K-WHITE-GOLD-Pave-DIAMOND-WEDDING-HALO-SEMI-MOUNT-RING-SIZE-7-/270846350270?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item3f0fb353be
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gorgeous-6x8mm-Oval-14K-Gold-Diamond-Semi-Mount-Ring-/270877910681?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item3f1194e699
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oval-Shaped-8x10mm-Solid-14Kt-Rose-Gold-Diamond-Setting-Engagement-Ring-/200682245964?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item2eb9980f4c
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oval-9x7mm-Solid-14Kt-White-Gold-Diamond-Engagement-Setting-Ring-/200691707495?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item2eba286e67


Cost of the ebay settings run from 1/2 to 2/3 of the price of the custom work from EidelPrecious. My oval has odd dimensions, though, so I might need to customize some of these for size, and might want to do rose gold (and most people have mixed results with any customization). I may have to add as much as $100 to get the stone set at a local jeweler. Still, they're all cheaper than custom.

If I go custom, then the setting will definitely fit my stone, and they'll set it for me. I like the quality of what I see at EidelPrecious, and I think another PSer had custom work done by them. I think the price quote was quite reasonable for what they'll be doing, just more than the cheapest available options.

I'm just a bit concerned that I took a random, late-night, "a red-raspberry stone ring would be yummy" impulse purchase and am now spinning it into a much more expensive project.

orange sapph halo.jpg

tanga garnet.jpg
 

milton333

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
637
Another thought I had was maybe this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/83969678/iolani-ring-in-18k-yellow-gold-sterling customized for a sideways set oval, with a rose gold bezel and rope "halo," sterling silver band?



From the side, though, the center stone sits up really high above the rope "halo," and I'd want them to be closer to flush, wonder if that's possible.


Oh, also, garnet is my son's birthstone, so I'm telling myself that I can make this ring special because it will be a kind of "mother's ring" for me, something that will remind me of my son.

heartofwaterjewels.jpg
 

pregcurious

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
6,724
I really like the east-west Etsy halo, but with a plain shank. The plain shank makes the ring very wearable, the halo will really make the color pop. The only issue is how much darker the stone will look with a halo.
 

milton333

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
637
So, I'm expecting the stone by my birthday :appl:

Let me ask this - what is the most you would spend to set a garnet?
 
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