Help me set my new Gary Braun golden beryl asscher!

[DecoDaze]

I recently acquired a beautiful asscher-style golden beryl from Gary Braun at Finewater Gems. It is a soft golden color, which shows off the exquisite cutting. But now I don't know how to set it. It will be a RHR, and at first I was thinking simple solitaire, a la Boston Jeff or that ilk, but now I'm wondering about adding side traps. Or something.

I know I don't want a halo: the stone is 10.5x10.5, so that would just be too much. It is also very deep, at 8.2mm, so it's going to sit high (which is the look I was after for this ring), but I'm not sure if that would affect my ability to put side stones with it--would they look like they are suspended in mid-air? I'm a size 6.25.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your suggestions, both for styles and for vendors (I was thinking about trying David Klass, as I haven't worked with him yet). I'd like to keep the setting as low cost as possible, but still get great quality. (Doesn't everyone? )

 

[Acinom]

Aah, your stone is so amazing... A simple Boston Jeff would enhance the elegance of the stone and make it the true star of the ring.

A three stone or 5 stone would also look great for a tranquil look.

 

[Acinom]

Or a split shank with pave for a vintage look that will be a great match with your other jewelry

 

[Acinom]

Or a more elaborate vintage inspired style after all?
I love this new creation by Victor Canera:

 

[Siameseroo]

Gorgeous beryl! I really love the settings that Acinom posted especially the second and fourth ones!

 

[DecoDaze]

I agree with ricezo! Great settings, Acinom! I really like the solitaire look, and as I said, that was my original intention, but I am drawn to the trap sides, the bullet sides, and the 5-stone (is that Erica's former asscher?). I wonder whether I could fit 5 stones with the center being 10.5mm? I'm size 6.25, so I do have a bit of room. How do I figure that out, since presumably the stones will be angled? Or is that a question for the jeweler?

If I do some sort of step cut sides, I know Leon Mege is highly thought of, but I'm guessing he's out of my budget right now. Who else does good work like that? I will probably want the double claw prongs.

Thank you for suggestions!

 

[dk168]

My setting contributions:









DK

 

[bling_prism]

This stone to me is a statement piece itself and imho will look great in a setting with cleaner and sleek lines I love asschers with double claws it's just very strong and elegant (hope I'm making sense lol) at the same time! Acinom posted tons of inspiration pics and i like the first two settings I can imagine how this stone fits in there perfectly

Oh and have you thought of what metal color?

 

[DecoDaze]

Thanks for the suggestions, DK. Lang has such drool-worthy pieces, I could spend all day in there!

I think I've pretty much decided to go with either just traps (but probably smaller and/or more tapered than the ones in Acinom's picture 2), or traps + bullets/tapered bags. I *think* I'd like to do the latter, if I can fit all of that--I love the look of the diamonds tapering down to the size of the shank. I think I probably need to consult with the designer, so I need to choose someone! Who would be best for this look? I suppose I'll contact Leon Mege for a quote, at least, though I expect I'll balk at his prices. Who else would you trust with this project?

And bling_prism, thanks for your comments. I agree that the stone is a statement in itself, and I want it to be the focus of this ring. That's why I like the proportions of Erica's old asscher ring--the sides aren't especially large compared to the center stone, so they just complement it, rather than stealing the show. I also agree about the double claw prongs.

As for metal color... I'd love opinions on this. I know people often recommend YG with yellow stones, but this stone is such a soft yellow I don't want it to be overwhelmed by the stronger yellow of the gold. I'll try to take some photos with different metals ASAP. In the meantime, what metal would folks recommend for this soft yellow stone with step cut white diamond sides? I have mostly white metals, but I do have some YG, and love them both.

 

[Niel]

I will be eagerly awaiting your metal choice as I am in very much the same predicament. I dont want to wash the stone out but I dont want to overwhelm it. Someone suggested to me once to use 10k yellow for the prongs.

 

[DecoDaze]

That's interesting, Niel. The other night I put the stone next to a 22k YG ring and a 14k ring, and I thought the 14k was better--though not necessarily better than the white metals. I'll take some photos, but probably can't do that until tomorrow. Actually, I think I have a 10k ring I got a pawn shop eons ago at the back of my jewelry box, so I'll try that, too! Keep me posted on your thoughts as well, please! What stone are you setting?

 

[mochiko42]

My setting contributions:









DK

Oh wow, the second ring is amazing!! The bezel and the filigree really checks all my boxes..... Gahhhhhhhhh.... [emoji33] [emoji7]

 

[DecoDaze]

As promised, an attempt at comparing metals through photos. Sorry for the ones that are blurry--but I think they still give a sense of color. Taken next to a window on a sunny day and under a shaded skylight.

Starting with the yellows...

10k



14k





And as I apparently don't have an 18k YG ring, and can't tell what my chains are, 22k:

 

[DecoDaze]

More 22k:





And on to the whites. 18k:

 

[DecoDaze]

14k:



Platinum:





Plat with a wee OEC (though I'll do step cut sides with this stone):

 

[DecoDaze]

Finally, with both 22k YG and platinum:



So, what do you think???

 

[Acinom]

This is a difficult one! Which combo speaks most to you in real life?

I like the contrast with white colour or the warm sparkle of 22K.

 

[DecoDaze]

You know, Acinom, it's funny--I really like the 22k YG in the photos, but IRL I feel it overwhelms the stone. Plus I don't think 22k is the best alloy for delicate prongs. I'm thinking about doing what someone suggested earlier, and combining 18k YG prongs on the beryl with an 18k WG shank and prongs for the sides. Something like this lovely piece by Steven Kirsch. Perhaps that would be the best of both worlds? I like the contrast between the two colors, too, and I worry that if the beryl is set in white, it will be washed out, but if the sides are set in yellow, they'll look more yellow and diminish the contrast effect. Not sure.

 

[Acinom]

You know, Acinom, it's funny--I really like the 22k YG in the photos, but IRL I feel it overwhelms the stone. Plus I don't think 22k is the best alloy for delicate prongs. I'm thinking about doing what someone suggested earlier, and combining 18k YG prongs on the beryl with an 18k WG shank and prongs for the sides. Something like this lovely piece by Steven Kirsch. Perhaps that would be the best of both worlds? I like the contrast between the two colors, too, and I worry that if the beryl is set in white, it will be washed out, but if the sides are set in yellow, they'll look more yellow and diminish the contrast effect. Not sure.

I like this exact inspiration ring with the warm prongs enhancing the colour and the white stones and metal for contrast

 

[Niel]

What was your opinion on the 10k gold? I don't have any so I am unable to do any sort of testing With that color.
I like the idea , at least for myself, of a very white metal in the shank (plat, white gold palladium base, what have you) I think the more white the shank , the better contrast that will have for the center.

I worry having it set in white though as I dont want it washed out.

I have a pic of a yellow diamond in all white metalmetal and it seems very soft. Let me see of I can find the pic.

 

[DecoDaze]

Niel, I don't like the 10k, to be honest. It's too... brown, I think. It's just not a very pretty metal, and while my stone is not overwhelmed by the 10k, I also don't think the 10k complements it. I think folks on PS have said that white metals bring out brown in yellow stones, which may be true, but I think the 10k does it even more! So I'd recommend against it, regardless of what it does for the stone, just because it's kind of ugly. (Or at least the pawn shop 10k ring that I have certainly is!)

What I'm thinking at the moment is that going for a richer gold just for the yellow stone's prongs (so that there's only a bit of the gold peeking out at the corners from the top down view) will be best. I completely agree about wanting the contrast, though. I don't think you said in this thread--what yellow stone are you setting?

 

[DecoDaze]

You know, Acinom, it's funny--I really like the 22k YG in the photos, but IRL I feel it overwhelms the stone. Plus I don't think 22k is the best alloy for delicate prongs. I'm thinking about doing what someone suggested earlier, and combining 18k YG prongs on the beryl with an 18k WG shank and prongs for the sides. Something like this lovely piece by Steven Kirsch. Perhaps that would be the best of both worlds? I like the contrast between the two colors, too, and I worry that if the beryl is set in white, it will be washed out, but if the sides are set in yellow, they'll look more yellow and diminish the contrast effect. Not sure.

I like this exact inspiration ring with the warm prongs enhancing the colour and the white stones and metal for contrast

Thanks, Acinom! I like it, too. I think it gives a good sense of how it would look to use two different metals. And it's beautiful!

 

[Niel]

Oh I should have said. I have a 6.5 mm lemon yellow chrysoberyl cushion and half moon sides.
The issue with mine that differs from yours is yours has the honey undertones and mine has a chartreuse undertone. I dont want to bring any of the green out , even though it is minute.... Blarg. I guess I have to bite the bullet and go to the jewelry store and slip ir into some settings. I know my last chryso I used yellow gold because I wanted to bring out the yellow, so now I'm not sure.

Sorry to thread jack!

 

[DecoDaze]

Oh I should have said. I have a 6.5 mm lemon yellow chrysoberyl cushion and half moon sides.
The issue with mine that differs from yours is yours has the honey undertones and mine has a chartreuse undertone. I dont want to bring any of the green out , even though it is minute.... Blarg. I guess I have to bite the bullet and go to the jewelry store and slip ir into some settings. I know my last chryso I used yellow gold because I wanted to bring out the yellow, so now I'm not sure.

Sorry to thread jack!

Not a thread jack; I asked, after all! Yes, I can see the difficulty with a green undertone. I've see recommendations for a colored metal "cup" to encourage certain colors in a central stone. Is this a situation where that might work? Yellow gold cup for a yellow stone?

If you do go to the jeweler to try things out, let me know what you think!

 

[Niel]

Oh I should have said. I have a 6.5 mm lemon yellow chrysoberyl cushion and half moon sides.
The issue with mine that differs from yours is yours has the honey undertones and mine has a chartreuse undertone. I dont want to bring any of the green out , even though it is minute.... Blarg. I guess I have to bite the bullet and go to the jewelry store and slip ir into some settings. I know my last chryso I used yellow gold because I wanted to bring out the yellow, so now I'm not sure.

Sorry to thread jack!

Not a thread jack; I asked, after all! Yes, I can see the difficulty with a green undertone. I've see recommendations for a colored metal "cup" to encourage certain colors in a central stone. Is this a situation where that might work? Yellow gold cup for a yellow stone?

If you do go to the jeweler to try things out, let me know what you think!

Ugh I dont know. I had a while thread about this ive been racking my brain trying to decide what to do with it. I want to keep the lemon yellow tones to it, so I will probably end up leaving it all white metal. I think the color is pure enough that the white won't wash it out. I hope !

 

[Lovinggems]

You know, Acinom, it's funny--I really like the 22k YG in the photos, but IRL I feel it overwhelms the stone. Plus I don't think 22k is the best alloy for delicate prongs. I'm thinking about doing what someone suggested earlier, and combining 18k YG prongs on the beryl with an 18k WG shank and prongs for the sides. Something like this lovely piece by Steven Kirsch. Perhaps that would be the best of both worlds? I like the contrast between the two colors, too, and I worry that if the beryl is set in white, it will be washed out, but if the sides are set in yellow, they'll look more yellow and diminish the contrast effect. Not sure.

I like this!

 

[SparkliesLuver]

You know, Acinom, it's funny--I really like the 22k YG in the photos, but IRL I feel it overwhelms the stone. Plus I don't think 22k is the best alloy for delicate prongs. I'm thinking about doing what someone suggested earlier, and combining 18k YG prongs on the beryl with an 18k WG shank and prongs for the sides. Something like this lovely piece by Steven Kirsch. Perhaps that would be the best of both worlds? I like the contrast between the two colors, too, and I worry that if the beryl is set in white, it will be washed out, but if the sides are set in yellow, they'll look more yellow and diminish the contrast effect. Not sure.

I like this!

+2!

 

[DecoDaze]

OK, so I've decided to go with the yellow prongs for the center and WG or plat for the rest of the ring. I love the steven kirsch that I posted above, but then I ran across this beauty. It is puppy4248's ring--also Steven Kirsch!--asscher with tapered bags. I was specifically looking for inspiration rings with similar proportions to what my ring will be, and this fits the bill (her stone is a little smaller than mine--and WOW what a stone! --but her finger is also smaller, so proportionally, it's about as precise at it gets).

I find that I love how the asscher looks with the tapered bags. I'm wondering if side traps would just be too much, given that my stone is so large? I'm thinking that the tapered bags will provide the color contrast but still allow the beryl to be the star. Especially given that the beryl has a lower RI?

(And now I'm definitely feeling that a 5-stone will be too much for this ring, so I'm just going to save that for a future project!!!)

I'm sensing a Steven Kirsch theme here... anyone know how his prices run?

What do you think?









Link to puppy4248's SMTB thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/more-pics-steven-kirsch-square-emerald-w-tapered-baguettes.197237/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/more-pics-steven-kirsch-square-emerald-w-tapered-baguettes.197237/[/URL]

 

[Acinom]

Beautiful choice!
I love this equally to the one above.

I would just contact Steven for a quote. An alternative is to contact David Klass or BE.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Any updates?