Poll: which setting for my mahenge spinel?

[Upgradable]

I''m getting closer to having the ready cash to mount my 1.73 mahenge. I''ve narrowed the designs down to two: flanking vertical baguettes or a Harry Winston inspired halo mounting.

I have not yet decided on the jeweler, so please do not assume Leon just because it is his pictures I''ve photoshopped. They were just the best face forward shots.

 

[jstarfireb]

This is a first for me. I generally dislike halo settings and almost never vote for them. However, your stone looks perfectly at home in that delicate halo setting, so that''s what I would go for.

 

[ma re]

It''s your call of course, but IMO the one with the baguettes would be better because: a) I prefer halos on larger stones, and by that I mean like 3-4 carats and above, and b) if you''d keep everything to scale as on this photo of a halo version, the diamonds would have to be incredibly small and the shank incredibly thin, like 1.5 mm if not even less.

 

[Upgradable]

Very good point, ma re. I do want the stones to be very small, much to the scale of this picture. That might be limiting.

 

[chrono]

With your stone being elongated, I’ll opt for the side baguettes setting too, more so if you already own other halo settings.

 

[risingsun]

I love halos, but I prefer the Leon with this stone. I think it looks a bit too elongated in the halo, so the proportions seem "off" to me.

 

[lavatea]

I voted halo, but I don''t know the dimensions of your stone. I guess size is an issue, though, since you agreed with Mr.Ma Re. I also don''t know how many halos you own. If you own many, then I''d suggest the other one.

 

[brandy_z28]

Of those two options I''d go with the baguettes.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I love the baguette sides!

 

[Upgradable]

Date: 5/25/2010 7:54:37 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
I love the baguette sides!

That must have been a hard decision for you since you are known for both your love of step cuts AND your gorgeous collection of halos!!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 5/25/2010 7:56:30 PM
Author: Uppy

Date: 5/25/2010 7:54:37 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
I love the baguette sides!

That must have been a hard decision for you since you are known for both your love of step cuts AND your gorgeous collection of halos!!

LOL, Uppy. It''s true. I sat here and just agonized over the choice.

That''s a total winner of a mahenge, though!

 

[T L]

I voted the telescoping baguettes because it''s art deco inspired. However, I love both. I don''t think you can go wrong with either design.

 

[Indylady]

Vertical baguettes for me too. I''ve always loved Harriet''s spessartite ring, and I think its a really fabulous design that shows off the center stone. I have a very similar ring in mind for an e-ring.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I voted halo but I change my vote - your stone isn''t as large as the one in that halo and I think the side stones will look better on yours (though you can''t really do wrong here!)

 

[BWise]

Vertical baguettes - it balances the shape of your spinel - if the proportion in the picture is accurate. The color is very pretty!

 

[chictomato]

Certainly halo for me! 1.73 carats is a rather modest size to me, surrounded with diamond melees will definitely make it look more ''substantial''

 

[colorluvr]

I voted for the first one. They are both pretty, but the one with the baguettes is more unique looking IMO.

 

[VapidLapid]

I voted baguette, but i was hungry when I voted. I''m not a fan of halo in general unless the stones are each at least .12 and oec. It is true the proportions make this stone a little long and might look weird. But I was thinking, i know I shouldn''t, that as odd as this will sound (hear me out first) it could work in an east/west with a surround if not actually a halo, if it were in a very unique sort of sculptured custom mount. I do like the simple one with the baguettes but something about it screams like every ring Tiffany made in 1976.

 

[movie zombie]

i''d change the spinel to an east/west orientation with the vertical baguettes: the north/west orientation....to my eye....looks out of balance. however, i do prefer that setting over the halo.

mz

 

[innerkitten]

I love the one with the baguettes but both would look great! I would love to do something like that baguette setting with my spinel which I have yet to set.

 

[FrekeChild]

Halo. But honestly, I''m not feeling OMG about either of these...I like the idea of bigger sidestones rather than a lot of little stones, but I''m not sure about the bags....

 

[jstarfireb]

What about half-moons or traps instead of baguettes? I''m just not feeling the squareness of the baguettes with the rounded contours of your stone.

 

[Indylady]

Half moons are could be very neat.

 

[virgoruby]

Date: 5/25/2010 1:26:25 PM
Author: ma re
It's your call of course, but IMO the one with the baguettes would be better because: a) I prefer halos on larger stones, and by that I mean like 3-4 carats and above, and b) if you'd keep everything to scale as on this photo of a halo version, the diamonds would have to be incredibly small and the shank incredibly thin, like 1.5 mm if not even less.

I love both designs - I voted halo, but after reading ma re's comment, I'm now leaning towards the baguettes setting... Sorry, I'm absolutely no help here....
I'm sure it would look stunning in either setting.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I rather see it made into a 3 stone ring with larger side stones given that the spinel is 1.7 ct. Just get more finger width coverage.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 5/26/2010 1:40:49 AM
Author: jstarfireb
What about half-moons or traps instead of baguettes? I''m just not feeling the squareness of the baguettes with the rounded contours of your stone.

Jstarfireb - I think you might be on the right track . . .

Uppy, what about bezel set cadillac side stones or step cut traps? Miligrain around the bezels. Claw prongs on the mahenge.

I know I''ve never seen a piece of yours with hand engraving, but for some reason, I''m seeing a 3 stone with slightly larger bezeled sides and some lovely hand engraving like Walter''s 3 stone sapphire ring.

 

[Upgradable]

Both of those options sound gorgeous!! If I go three stone, I would definitely want step cut. I don''t think brilliant cut sides would compliment the mixed cut of the spinel.

I really love the idea of milgrained bezels with engraving. Lauren, you can read me like a book! Do you have any pictures?

 

[LaurenThePartier]

OK, I went to get pics.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-her-sapphire-ering-wf-rwise-fixed.103395/

 

[LaurenThePartier]

This is the only thing I could find with cadillac shaped sides. Love this Tacori, but it seems like the idea of what I''m talking about isn''t easy to find . . .

 

[Upgradable]

Those look gorgeous. My problem with coming up with the perfect design for this stone starts with that it is not very big, but it has a vivid personality, then I want something simple and clean but not pedestrian. I really want this to be unique but not contrived.

Although I really like the flanking baguettes best, I''m wondering if my stone is not big enough (7.7mm length) to have baguettes that make enough of an impact. That''s why I''m also contemplating the HW halo. I know that it would act to spotlight the center without being "frilly." But my ering is a halo, and I like the idea of that being the one and only halo in my collection.

Oh, the problems we live with.