Diamonds here...settings there?

[PacMan12]

First time poster alert!!

I am a regular on the forums using all the thoughtful well written threads to educate myself about diamonds/settings and oogling over all the pictures. So let me start by saying thanks for helping the male consumer feel so much more at ease about the process.

I am so excited to say that the search for the woman I want to marry has ended (I FOUND HER!!) and now comes the fun part of searching for that stunner of a diamond and setting to match the beauty of a lady I get to spend the rest of my life next to.

I am looking for advice on how to tread the delicate? balance of buying a diamond from one vendor and setting it with another.

Planning on a newly cut vintage faceted cushion (AVC from GOG, true antique from LM, or Canera antique cushion)

I feel a kinship with Johnathan from GOG and his AVCs (I have watched so many videos from him I kind of feel like a GOG groupie) but the settings at LM and VC seem to speak to me.

So how does that work?

Do they get mad or refuse to set the diamond you already have or is it a non issue?

How about some opinions (I know everyone has some!!) on if I should take a closer look at LM or VC for both the diamond and settings.. Or GOG for a setting?

Once I get the choices narrowed down you know I'll be coming to the forums to ask opinions and share the experience from diamond to setting to "big reveal" and be able to add tons of photos to that other forum topic over there...

PacMan12

 

[Acinom]

Welcome to PS
Both LM and VC will not set stones from the August Vintage line from GOG as they each have their own vintage line. You may consider Steven Kirsch as he has set AV stones from GOG before, but please check in advance.

Victor's newly cut vintage stones look amazing and you will get a discount on the setting if you purchase the diamond as well as the setting from him.
I have worked with LM once and VC is currently making a fourth setting for me. I can totally recommend working with Victor.

Your choice depends on your budget, expected carat weigth of the diamond and the style of the setting. It could be helpful if you could provide that information. Depending on what you are looking for and your budget, you could also contact Brilliantly Engaged (BE) or David Klass. They will can make CAD/CAST setting for a good price. Especially David's pricing is amazing and he seems to be a Pricescope favorite at the moment.

 

[PacMan12]

Hi acinom!!

Details can be honed of course but as it stands right now:

budget is 20k (can be stretched a few K for a stunner!)
Looking to get close to 2.0carat (Optics are of utmost importance, GIA xxx and AGS 0, while I could wiggle down on color clarity to an I and SI1)
Setting-micropave, eagle claws, basket, kind of like the VC vintage solitaire

I just wanna be as informed as possible and work with an honest trustworthy jeweler that has my best interest in mind. I know that with the support of family and extended pricescope community I will end up getting something amazing

Bring all your suggestions and comments!!

 

[m-2-b]

I'm a big fan of Victor Canera's work. Here's a few options for you from his inventory of CAC's:
https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/kfw8qn-2.024-i-vs1-ideal-antique-cushion
https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/fl2kfl-1.948-i-vs2-ideal-antique-cushion

Take a look at this thread for real life pics of settings that Victor has done for other PS'ers:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/[/URL]

I personally have a J colored AVC from GOG and had Steven Kirsch set it for me in a lovely micropave halo which can be seen below. I'm sure SK could make a beautiful vintage solitaire for you if you choose the AVC route.

Good luck in your search!

 

[PacMan12]

M-2-b

Your stone is just beautiful and the setting really sets it ablaze! That fire is what draws me and my future wife to AVCs

Thank you for all of the information..the VC stones you suggested I had pulled out as well.

The suggestion of Steven Kirsch is a great one and I will inquire with him should I end up with an AVC.

 

[arkieb1]

Leon and Victor do not take AVCs because they have their own stones. At the moment GOG doesn't have a huge amount in their inventory in the price bracket and size you are looking for. And lastly it's a myth that Victor's stones are not as nice as GOGs, they use different looking photography that is all.

As you have read above you get a bit of a discount if you buy the stone and setting both from Victor so that is worth taking into consideration. What sort of setting are you after? A simple setting from Victor, Steven or Leon will be a few thousand and a halo around double that amount.

 

[PacMan12]

Arkieb1...thanks for the information and advice..I have seen you on the forums many times..it's nice to finally speak with you

I'm looking for a solitare setting with pave and millgraining on the shank and some sort of basket with pave and mill grain

My future wife has stated she would enjoy having a flush fitting band next to the setting but all the settings with flush stems look a little off.

 

[arkieb1]

You would have lots of options for bands, a matching band, a French Cut band, an engraved band, a plain metal band all would work with that you are describing. What do you mean by flush stems look a little off? Do you have a picture? I think of stems on baskets with pave used for halos not always setting where you want them to more than than being an issue with a decorative basket head as a feature, I guess it depends on how you want the basket to be constructed.

What sorts of things does she like or do you like? Visual examples or links to rings that you like would help.

 

[m-2-b]

I'd suggest a spacer band w/ a notch if you end up with an ER setting w/ a donut at the base. I have one from VC (I like the flush look also) but use it as my band by itself. But you can stack it next to regular band, too.

https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/bands/ring-spacer

 

[Acinom]

Suggestion for a setting from VC since you mentioned pave and milgraining and a vintage look I believe? This one has bright cut set multi row pave with milgrain. Instead of milgrain you can also choose pave on the uppper part of the shank only.

 

[decisively_unsure]

At the sort of money involved, if people aren't willing/able to set the stone of your choice in a setting of your choice then look elsewhere. It's that simple, you are the customer and you are always right.

In my business I always take an "item" from a competitor and do my own work and finishing touches to suit the client, and I don't see why this should be any different for jewellers. The mighty exception is they are protective over "proprietary" cuts, but then you are entering marketing and legal land and not what is necessarily right for the customer.

Good luck, love cushion cuts.

 

[LLJsmom]

I brought Victor Canera my own stone for a reset. No wuestions or issues. Perfectly professional and kind. I will say that his antique cuts are stunning IRL. If I had to do it over again I would get both stone and setting from him. But unfortunately I only found PS after buying my stone.

 

[PacMan12]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Arkeib1-the style of the wedding band isn't the issue it was the fact that she wants the wedding band to sit right up against the ring and I didn't really like the way the flush stems of say the VC Alaria were..(picture is below but doesn't show the stems..have to look at the video for that)

but...

After doing some more PS research I came across this thread by Mayk
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-evelyn-with-flush-stems-bgb.203805/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-evelyn-with-flush-stems-bgb.203805/[/URL]

That setting (the VC Evelyn) seems a little chunkier and with some minor changes to the type of pave (still trying to understand that) and addition of millgraining it could work very well with an antique cushion cut (picture included alas well)

Acinom-I like that band a lot and have asked VC about it already.

M-2-b..you were reading my mind as I didn't describe it best that I could but the spacer could work as a normal band..do you think they can dress a spacer up at all?

LLJsmom-was that recently that you did that or a while ago?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The antique cushions of GOG and VC are the best as far as cut goes. So you can go with GOG/Steven Kirsch or Victor for both. Basically you just have to find the right stone and then that determines who will set it. I would not go with SI1 in an antique cushion, by the way. The facets are large and may show more inclusions than a brilliant cut stone.

 

[PacMan12]

Diamondseeker2006 I agree with your assessment. That seems to be what I am finding as well. I haven't seen these stones in person yet so I wasn't sure about going down to an SI1..your point makes sense about the larger facets and I guess it is something you just have to see in each individual diamond. I'll get a chance to see what GOG has in two weeks when I visit them in person with my girlfriend!
I am taking a trip there from Chicago..looks like I'll need to plan a west coast trip too!

 

[m-2-b]

Yes, Victor can put pave on the spacer itself (just not where it is notched out) to make it look like a matching band.

 

[arkieb1]

All you would need to do is explain to Victor what you do and don't like and let him go from there. I totally disagree with the poster above commenting about jewellers not accepting stones, there was a long history between some of these vendors that I will not get into and now they cut their own stones, that is why they do not accept some outside stones for specific custom cuts diamonds only, they do accept general outside stones.

Your final choice, I think, will be heavily dictated by what is available in your price range at the time.

 

[PacMan12]

Arkieb1...you are correct about it all being determined by choices at the time of purchase.
VC has been very nice to speak with via email and GOG as well.
I tend to really like VC settings (his workmanship speaks for itself) but without any financing options VC becomes a more difficult road due to the cut I'm looking at needing to be bought at VC as well.

 

[LLJsmom]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-jocelyn-with-scalloped-basket.208952/

Here is the link to my reset. Lots of pics. IRL NOTHING that Victor does looks bulky, unless you specifically ask for it. . My reset was finished late 2014. I had been thinking about it since 2012 but was too nervous and unsure. Trust me and many others. No need to be.

 

[LLJsmom]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/

In case you haven't seen this thread it's a great consolidation of Most of Victor's work for PSers. I visited him personally to view his work first, and then I felt confident dropping my old ring off with him. He is great to talk to on the phone too. Super no-pressure and low key. Not sales-y at all and great at listening. Don't expect a person that will overrun you with what he thinks is best. But he will give you his opinion if you ask. I sure did. Hope everything works out well whichever way you go.

 

[arkieb1]

This would probably come in under your price range with setting;

https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/q654yt-1.932-k-vs1-ideal-antique-cushion

And this probably just over with setting;

https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/dc6unz-2.074-j-vs1-ideal-antique-cushion

I would hassle for a discount stone and setting on the 2.074 J personally and also ask if you can if you like the stone put a sizeable deposit and then pay the outstanding balance when the ring is finished (they usually take a few weeks).

 

[PacMan12]

LLJsmom-thank you for your links..your ring looks very similar to things she likes and is a real beauty..wow look at that center

arkieb1-I think those diamonds are definitely worth seeing but I was worried about dropping below the I color due to the fact that it's a larger stone. A J is very close and it all depends how it looks. I will speak with him about these stones as well.

Previously I had liked this stone but it blows the budget a bit depending on final setting cost
https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/fl2kfl-1.948-i-vs2-ideal-antique-cushion

 

[arkieb1]

Going to look at some stones is a great idea you will learn more about your partner's (and your own) tolerance or intolerance for colour. I owned a small K AVC which I sold but it was never ugly colourwise to look at. It was off white generally and at it's very worst antique lace is how I would describe it. I personally don't mind Antique cuts in a mid range of colours but I don't like modern cut stones lower than about an I. There isn't a right or wrong answer, colour is a really subjective choice, one person will love one colour the next cannot live with it at all...

The only way to tell is by going and looking at some stones in these colours. The "I" you have picked is a really great stone too, I think if it is a whisker outside the budget and that is the one you decide you like best negotiate the terms, Victor has always been very reasonable when I have dealt with him.

 

[DiamondXXX]

Hi, I just went through your topic and wanted to add to what arkieb said - I feel a bit disappointed about not being able to set the GOG's AVC with VC or LM, but the way VC communicated with me about this it is a sort of mutual agreement between them and not the "I want to sell my own diamond to you" attitude. This was important for me to know. I am currently leaning towards the full VC route to be honest. I am just also not sure how low in color should I go to still have a white facing stone. I have heard J is the breaking point towards more color. So I think I would stick to I and higher.

 

[PacMan12]

DiamondXXX...Have you ever seen a J color CAC or AVC in person? I have seen an I AVC in person and was quite happy with it. VC has a short video of a large J stone on his site and it seems to look good (but to be honest you would need to see it compared to others to tell if there was a difference)

Here is the link to the VC diamond:
https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/a5xaz5-2.113-j-vs1-ideal-antique-cushion

Or...

I have found a few people that will set an AVC diamond in a hand forged setting. Both Steven Kirsch and Brilliantly Engaged will gladly set an AVC. I also have been speaking with GOG about using a Vatche setting. Vatche makes every ring to order and seems to be high quality, affordable and flexible.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just wanted to mention to both of you that as you compare stones even within one vendor's inventory, always look at the diameter measurements rather than the weight. Two stones of the same weight may not look the same size as you view them face up. This is true of all diamonds, but especially with stones like cushions or antique stones which are often deep.