Help me chose which halo for my 3.15 marquise!

[Niel]

Because your lovely marquise is already so long, I'm going to join the no halo crowd. Actually I'm going to venture into PS heresy territory and suggest fatter prongs - a single contoured prong at either end, and two tab-like prongs on each side, near fairly near the shank. Or maybe just one nice fat highly polished tab on either side. Maybe add some bold detailing on the shoulders of the shank. Essentially, a very modern (or maybe moderne?) look. That or a bezel.

Here's what I meant with "tab-like prongs":

If you look at the marquise in a halo posted above by dS you'll notice it has 4 NSEW tab prongs.

 

[yssie]

I guess I'm missing something... The prongs are scratching your children, so you're going to introduce dozens upon dozens more prongs and increase the overall roughness (even the finest halos will behave like a roughly textured surface compared to plain metal), without actually changing the shape (keeping the pointy ends)?

If you want smooth bezel it and have them soften the points into curves. A halo will exacerbate your current complaint, not resolve it.

 

[Sphene]

Yssie did you look at the possible designs 1 and 4 (love 4)they are bezel set so no scratchy bits - a bigger problem could be how do you match the center stone for color in the halo. In my opinion whiter will look odd and finding that many warmer shade diamonds could be a chore I guess you could go colored stones sapphire maybe?
But I am intrigued how it will all turn out for this rather beautiful stone which looks way bigger than its purported size so so jealous

 

[yssie]

Ah, I assumed everything would be prong-set, without the prongs sketched in - my error! Bezelling the center and any melee will definitely better suit your needs than prongs...

Have you considered a plain bezel sans halo? Not necessarily as a size consideration, as you seem comfortable with the idea of a larger piece, but aesthetically and practically:
- A plain bezel without sidestones, melee, etc. will yield the smoothest possible contour. Nothing at all to scratch your little ones!
- A plain bezel will be easiest to clean - any ring worn around children is going to need a tremendous amount of regular cleaning, halos etc, make it harder by introducing crevices wherein ick can accumulate.
- With a plain bezel you avoid the issue of melee matching. You could have it milgrained or engraved for extra sparkle...

If you prefer the look of a halo, though, then by all means get what you're happiest with colour matching with your center is going to be extremely difficult. One option might be to set single-cuts in a yellow metal halo - single cuts have a different type of sparkle that avoids that "bright white dot" effect, and setting them in YG will "warm" the overall visual effect... Little rose cuts really won't sparkle the way you're looking for, so I'd scratch that. If colour matching is top priority sapphires are definitely worth investigating - the difference between flavor of sparkle will be somewhat mitigated by the fact that it's a marquise, not an MRB, say! I actually think full-cut melee next to your low-coloured center could make for a very interesting contrast, if you go that route..

My first question: your ring is one of the most beautiful rings on PS, IMO, exactly as it is. Do you love it? Do you think you'd be happy with it the way it is for two, five years? If so... I truly hesitate to suggest changing something you adore so soon after getting it... I have to strongly recommend sitting on it for at least a few more weeks - find out if you even want to wear it when dealing with the kids, or whether in practice you revert to bands without large stones, and if you do decide to change styles give yourself some time to ruminate on settings, etc.

 

[therainbowradish]

Yes you are missing the point yssie, the stones of the halo will all be bezel set. The ring will have no prongs abd no pointed tips. The tips will have curves instead of points. I am considering gypsy setting the halo diamonds.

 

[therainbowradish]

Oops I see now that you replied right before I sent mine. You get it now lol. Here is the feel of the new ring but with a smooth finish and maybe old cuts if they can source them. I dont even mind if they are a wonky shape! I do like this current setting but the prongs catch on everything so maybe I am just a bezel girl. I dont want to take my ring off and am confident in the change

Edit to say I cant figure out how to add it from my phone. Will try from tablet later

 

[yssie]

Oops I see now that you replied right before I sent mine. You get it now lol. Here is the feel of the new ring but with a smooth finish and maybe old cuts if they can source them. I dont even mind if they are a wonky shape! I do like this current setting but the prongs catch on everything so maybe I am just a bezel girl. I dont want to take my ring off and am confident in the change

Edit to say I cant figure out how to add it from my phone. Will try from tablet later

David (Diamonds by Lauren) had an absolutely lust-worthy packet of baby OMCs a couple of years ago. They were unbelievably lovely - adorable, charming, sparkly little heartbreakers... Suffice to say that I understand the appeal

The part I'm not sure about is pairing them with your marquise - which, in photos, looks to have a very regular outline and smaller faceting patterns? There is also the fact that in this size the appeal is mostly in having them, I think, as they'd be very similar to single-cuts in terms of light return... and wonky outline = PITA to bezel. Single-cuts seem like they check a number of your boxes, actually

 

[therainbowradish]

I admit I dont know the difference between single cuts and melee. Could you school me? I love the chunky facets of oec but maybe you cant even tell at the small sizes.

I suppose i should aim for whiter color for contrast... i love sapphires but am having him set one in my old ering so i think i will stick with diamonds. Thanks for your help! Off to go google single cuts and DBL inventory lol

 

[thecat]

In terms of of which cut sparkle more, it will be full cut more than single cut more than rose cut.

Since you want the melee to sparkle, rose cut should not be considered.

As marquise doesn't sparkle as much as modern round, full cut melee might out sparkle the center stone. Besides, full cut melee will frequently appear white in the halo even when the center stone is a modern round. If you aren't looking for a contrast between the melee and center stone, single cut seems better than full cut melee.

Once you decide on the cut of melee, you need to decide on if you want a contrast between center and melee color. That will help you determine the color of melee. You also need to consider whether you want a warm or cool look which will determine metal choice. Do you want to mix metal or single metal color? These depend on the color contrast or no contrast you're going for. I think there are many decisions to be made here, which will push me towards just bezeling the center and live with it for a while before haloing the diamond. But I can understand the decision to get it perfect immediately too. Guess I'm no help

 

[therainbowradish]

Thank you! Sounds like single cuts are a good choice. The ring will be all yellow gold. I am inspired by this Etruscan style halo, but with smooth metal and larger halo stones. I will trust David and Amy on matching or contrasting the color.

 

[ccuheartnurse]

You have a tough decision because I can definitely see that marquise in all the 5 you are considering. I really like halo's & I'll be halo'ing as many rings as I can afford to. LOL I love number 4 myself. You mentioned you wanted sparkles so I would guess this halo is out of the running. In that case, I would choose #1.

 

[Niel]

So you're redoing your whole right, right? Your not just replacing the head of this ring?

If so, I'd take a look at Rebecca overmanns stuff, see if you can't find an example of a halo you'd like to replicate. I think it would go well with the halo you're after, and I love some of her more geometric shanks.

 

[therainbowradish]

Yes the whole ring. Woe I LOVE her work!! Thats exactly what I am after, I will look through and send some ideas to David and Amy. Thank you Niel!!!

 

[UrsTx]

Not to derail you, but Caysie just put out a new marquise Bella halo on her Instagram. Her id is cvb_id if you want to check it out.

 

[therainbowradish]

Thanks! I saw it, but it is not the style I am going for

 

[yssie]

Single-cut vs. full-cut melee are two types of tiny stones used in pave. The difference is in the number of facets - here's an old PS thread about it: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/full-cut-vs-single-cut.152010/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/full-cut-vs-single-cut.152010/[/URL]

Single-cut stones have fewer facets. This is considered a good thing in very small stone sizes because the virtual facets (internal reflections of physical facets, reflections of reflections [of reflections...]) are larger, permitting fewer larger, higher-energy outputs. There's a lower limit to the size and number of flashes your eyes can resolve - single-cut melee will produce fewer larger, slower flashes of light, and you'll see more colour. More importantly to this discussion, IMO, is the fact that full-cut melee will look like "bright dots" regardless of what the actual body colour is - the "apparent body colour difference" between say a 2ct G center and G-coloured melee is one of optics and light return flavour, not actual tint of the material. If you *want* the colour contrast between center and halo full-cuts are definitely the way to go, but if you'd prefer to minimize it it's definitely worth considering single-cut melee set in YG

 

[therainbowradish]

Thank you, I read that thread yesterday and found it very helpful. They are looking for old cuts but if they can't find them single cuts sound great! Thank you!!

 

[drk14]

In terms of of which cut sparkle more, it will be full cut more than single cut more than rose cut.

Not always. FWIW, in my fiancee's ring, the SC melee in the outer halo sparkle much more than the FC melee (pink FC melee in the inner halo, and colorless FC melee in the shoulders). I think that the theoretical increase in scintillation with FC diamonds only becomes relevant for melee above a certain size? In our ring, the melee is only 0.5-0.7 points, and apparently, at this size, the full-cut brilliants have such small facets that the light return from each facet (and virtual facet) is significantly lower than the light return from the facets in the single-cut melee.

Anyways, mine is another vote for pairing the marquise center with single cut melee -- it's a beautiful combination.

 

[therainbowradish]

Here is the CAD for the oval shaped halo that I dreamed up. We decided to go with single cuts. I absolutely love it. My only question is about the raised marquise shaped border around the center stone, and whether it could just be eliminated so the stone sits down flush for a slightly rustic look (and to bring the height of the ring down a little). Or perhaps the raised center stone provides balance. Thoughts? Either way I am so excited. David and Amy's ability to take my crazy drawings and interpret them into art is just so amazing. This thing is going to be a monster.

 

[JDDN]

It looks fantastic.

Personally, I think the slight elevation of the center stone brings balance. It's not super duper high which is nice. I do think that maybe he could slightly radius the edges of the border around the marquise so it's not so sharp edged if that makes sense.

What metal color are you going with for this ring?

I'm totally amped about your ring, lol!

 

[therainbowradish]

I completely agree with you about adding a radius to the edges of that border. And probably the halo as well.

I am going with all yellow gold this time.

 

[JDDN]

Ah buttery goodness will be the yellow gold.

Yes I think having a softer edge to the marquise border and to the halo border will allow the different silhouettes of the marquise and the round edged halo to blend very nicely together. In other words, the contrast of the pointed marquise tips to the rounded halo tips will be soft and flowing and it will look interesting and pleasing to the eye rather than stark.

 

[Sphene]

I agree all the edges need to be rounded - and less single point diamonds like the pictures above - it will give the ring a more modern edge - in my opinion the cad design is a tad dated - I only base that on the designs you have exclaimed over

 

[tyty333]

I'm not big on the raised bezel around the marquise. I think it needs to be lower and less dominate. More a flatter to the stone.

Are you going with brushed gold on the shank/halo? Just wondering what look you are going for.

 

[therainbowradish]

Sphene how does it look dated? Would love more details on what you mean.

Brushed yellow gold all over.

 

[drk14]

With the current elevation, the profile of the halo+marquise is similar in shape and dimension to the basket -- i.e., there's a mirror image symmetry between the basket and the top of the ring. If you lower the diamond, it will change this look. But this is a matter of personal taste. I think it should be fairly easy for David to alter the CADs to show you what it would look like if you lowered the bezel. Alternatively, it wouldn't be too hard for someone here to photoshop the CADs you posted, to give you an idea of how the design would change if you lowered the marquise.

If you decide to lower the center diamond, make sure that you don't lower it too far. If the marquise girdle falls below the top of the melee in the halo, then you will block some light from entering the crown of your center diamond. For the type of marquise that you have, that may reduce some of the sparkle in the diamond.

 

[Acinom]

Great CAD's!
I love the slight elevation of the stone and inner bezel. I agree about making the edges of the inner bezel a tad softer, also to reduce the 'scratch level'.

What is the length of the outer halo border?

 

[Sphene]

Dated was the wrong word maybe - I meant based on the very modern halo'd rings in the pictures above i.e. gaps between the diamonds larger than normal halo's - your design is very samey to all the rest less modern hence why I said dated - sorry

Do love the idea of brushed gold - but how brushed - is that going to irritate your babies skin

Hope you will be happy with your new halo remake - you may want your solitaire back you could have just gone for flattened elongated prongs to stop scratching your babies

But I wish you good luck you must be having great fun in trying to decide and you can always change again

 

[therainbowradish]

Thanks Sphene. The entire solitaire was botheri g them, not just the prongs so it needs to go in a bezel. It will just be satin finished, not shiny, but still smooth

rdk14 the girdle will be covered by a bezel anyway :p

 

[therainbowradish]

I just got the dimensions of the halo.... wait for it.... 23.68 x 14.76. LOLOL . Yahhhhh that is going to go over my knuckle. My finger is only 15mm wide. So we are scaling it way down to a halo like this Rebecca Overmann design, but set north south with much more rounded tips. If my fingers were wider I would totally set it east west.

drk14, what are the dimensions of your halo?