Three stone, wide band sapphire ring

[Selkie]

Hi! I''m glad I found this site. I like the diversity of opinions and taste that everyone has here, and am hoping for some suggestions. My boyfriend proposed on New Years (not coincidentally, it was our 5-year anniversary), and we are now dealing with THE RING. I''m an obsessive "Googler" and have been all over the place looking for something I''m not sure exists. If that means I have to design it, great, but I need someplace to start!

I have big hands, since I''m tall and literally large-boned and my ring finger is size 9. I wear mostly silver rings, only one or two at a time, if at all, and I like a simple but classy look. The idea that I am choosing something I''ll want to keep on my hand forever is a little weird to me. I''m considering getting a ring that serves as both an e-ring and wedding band, and I''m not particularly concerned whether this confuses people (MOM)

.

Basically, this is what I''m looking for in the design:
Center stone=approx. 1 carat (~6mm dia.) round blue sapphire (we''re looking at a couple now)
two side stones= .33 ct. round diamonds from earrings my grandmother gave me
Wide white gold or platinum band about the same diameter as the sapphire, or a bit larger (6-8mm) POSSIBLY with a thin rim of yellow gold around the edge.
To offset the width, I want the band to have open scrollwork/filigree, sort of a leaf pattern if possible. I''ve attached a picture of a band I like, for an example (but without the small diamonds).
Low-profile setting, either flush or bezel for the diamonds, and bezel or a low basket for the sapphire.

I like the antique look, but most filigree rings seem to be wide at the stone and tapering around the finger. I''m pretty sure I want consistent width. I''ve seen a number of wedding bands that fit this bill, but I''m concerned that setting three stones on a simple wide band will look, I don''t know, glued-on, makeshift, something like that. I''m also worried that a bezel setting for the center would look odd with a less contemporary style band. Any pictures or suggestions would greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[belle]

hey selkie

welcome to ps!
your ring design sounds just lovely. i''ve always liked the idea of a sapphire e-ring and those scroll designs are just beautiful.

have you talked with any jewelers about your design ideas?

 

[Selkie]

Thanks, belle! I''m a water person, and it''s all about the blue for me. There''s a really cool local jeweler who does a lot of interesting work with unusual settings and gems, and we spent an hour there last weekend looking at their stuff. It''s a TINY shop-it''s crowded with 4 people in it, and there isn''t a ton on display, but we really liked the styles and the atmosphere, and they live for custom work. So I think we''ll have it made there, unless I find exactly what I want (not too likely) from a reputable online dealer. We''re hoping to talk with them soon, and I''m sure they''ll have suggestions. I just want to go in with a pretty good idea.

 

[belle]

sweeeet! i''m all about the blue too...love it. your best bet is to go custom and i think that is an awesome idea. i''ve always wanted to design my own jewelry, it just gives it more meaning. i think your ideas are good. i''m heading out the door now, but if valeria101 hasn''t come along by the time i get back, i''ll try working up some ideas with photoshop.

 

[widget]

Hi, Selkie...Welcome!

Your design ideas sound wonderful, and sort of reminded me of this designer: Karina Mattei.

Here's a picture of a ring of hers...unfortunately I goofed around with it a while ago and 'photoshopped' some yelllow gold/diamonds into it..but you get the idea. Were you thinking of something like this, only with the band wide and not tapered?

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[widget]

Here's a picture from her website showing some other bands...I think the top one could translate into an awsome three-stone band...

I hope you stick around and share your design process with us, and of course eventually show us the final results!

By the way...welcome to Pricescope!

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[Selkie]

Hi Widget, and thanks! You hit the nail on the proverbial head with the Karina Mattei designs. I really like the use of yellow and white gold in that band you noted in your second post, and the side stones could tuck nicely into the curves. It also reminds me of the styles I saw at the local jeweler, so I think they'd "get" what I want. This is fun. It's almost a shame to only be able to pick one design!

Selkie

 

[belle]

wow! good job widget! that sounds just like what selkie was looking for.
i can''t wait to see how your ring progresses selkie. keep us posted!

 

[Kismet]

Daniel Spirer also has a few designs that might inspire you too, particularly the bottom right and top center ones.
http://spirerjewelers.com/gallery/rings/norm/index.html

 

[bar01]

Your project sounds wonderful, and has some basic similarities to the one I gave to my gal. Please keep posting on your progress.

If you have any details on the sapphires you are looking at – let us know!

 

[pricescope]

Congratulations on your engagement Selkie!

One Photoshop speculation of the Original for you

 

[valeria101]

And soemething relatively simple...

With a sapphire centre, such a thing would be quite lovely. And would not need such unique skills as traditional filigree does.

 

[Selkie]

I really like that one too, and the ones Valeria posted. These are all great ideas, and are very much what I had in mind. I''m looking around for stones now. We''d prefer unheated, but are willing to go with a very nice heated sapphire if I can''t find one in the size I want. I''ve looked in places like the Natural Sapphire Company and Simply Sapphires, and am also planning to ask the jeweler what he can get in for us to take a look at. How much of a mark-up should I expect if I buy one through the jeweler, and how should I go about evaluating what he presents?

 

[valeria101]

I woudn''t say there is some consistent markup for fine color locally versus online. The nicest sell anyway...

The ring above comes from Wink''s gallery here. I had completely forgotten about it! Fancy concave cut sapphire and spessartite plus design work came in one package, as the story goes.

The question "how should I evaluate what he presents" is always a good, hard question. As far as I know, it is pretty safe to have a look at a few options including some very fine regardless of price and decide what works for you out of the bunch. Now, this is a great way to go if you have a chance to see more than a couple of stones, and unless your jeweler happens to hold a large inventory of colored stones, this is tricky.

Pictures are not the greatest way to see the color brilliance of precious stones - so if you are considering options both online and off, it may get complicated.

 

[widget]

I think for all gems, especially colored stones, your eyes and heart are the best evaluators! I think sapphires with richer, more saturated color are more "highly valued" than lighter toned ones, but it's really a matter of personal taste.

I suspect that stones called in by a B&B would be a bit more costly than those from online sources, understandably. There is indeed a huge advantage in being able to look at an assortment of candidates, rather than try to "evaluate" just one.

I recently purchased an gemstone online, but had a local jeweler call in some stones so that I could compare them all before I made my final decision.

Being open to considering heat treated stones does give you more options in your search for a fine looking gemstone within a certain budget.

I would only consider unheated sapphires that have certs from one of the major gem labs (AGTA, GIA, AGL, etc)...

Just my amateur 2cents, of course...

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[Selkie]

OK, so we're getting in these two stones to look at. I wanted to compare similar stones with different treatments, since I've seen VERY few sapphires close up.

First, the unheated 1.23 ct round:
Search for item B654 at Natural Sapphire Company-

1.23 ct unheated

 

[Selkie]

Second, a 1.22 ct heated round:

The pictures aren't great, but they said it's currently the best (heated) stone of that size in stock.

1.22 ct heated

 

[bar01]

It sounds like you are doing the right things. It is no secrete I am a proponent of untreated sapphires – especially in engagement rings. However, the color is the main thing - you need to love the color and sparkle. Then – hopefully you can find one that is untreated too.

Photographs are not the best indicators for colored stones. You do need to see them for yourself. I might say that the that stone your posted from NSC looks wonderful, but its cost per ct is lower than some. Perhaps because of a lighter tone, or some grey. Again impossible to say, other than the price per ct indicates something slightly less than “ideal market preferred” characteristics. It is a bit shallow too. However your preferred characteristics may be different than “the market” and this may save you some money. Personal phone conversations with Michael Arnstein (owner at NSC) will tell you more about this stone than any of us could via the net.

If you would like to see some good examples of “market preferred” colors in blue sapphires I would suggest you do some browsing at Tiffany’s in Southern Cal. Most of these will be treated and way over priced, but in my experience you will see some nice examples of color. You can find a location here.

Also, don't limit your self to what you see on the website of NSC or Cherrypicked.com. Call them and describe what you are looking for - they have access to many sources of fine stones which may not be posted on the sites.

 

[Selkie]

It''s in San Pedro, in Ports O'' Call Village. Anyone who knows this area and reads that is probably going to roll their eyes, because Ports O'' Call is pretty cheezy. However, the shop has been here forever and we''ve gotten recommendations from several people. What''s the matter with Old Town SD? I''m guessing it''s touristy area overpricing syndrome?

Selkie

 

[Selkie]

We visited the Jewelry Source in El Segundo, CA this afternoon, and had a really nice experience talking to the owner, Brenda. She had several gorgeous sapphire rings on display, in addition to many other very nice gemstones, and was very helpful and patient with a couple of fine jewelry novices. A leeetle out of our price range, but it was great to get an idea of the "market preferred" colors.

Selkie

 

[valeria101]

Not sure if the design really fits the description, butit was cute enough to post:

The sapphire is 5.5mm (.7cts).


This one below, is a custom pieces that the maker advertises as ''makeable with any size center stone and color combination of metals). Hopefully this description also accomodates the options for a faceted sapphire as centre stone... and sidestones.

From HERE

 

[valeria101]

Photoshoped... sprry for the glowing platic blue - couldn't get rid of it for some reason.