Help me plan for 2nd pair of everyday earrings

[yennyfire]

Something else I adore besides VCA are these from Tiffany (while we are dreaming):

http://www.tiffany.com/jewelry/earrings/tiffany-enchant-fleur-earrings-30610539?fromGrid=1&search_params=p+1-n+10000-c+287464-s+5-r+101323340%2B101323351-t+-ni+1-x+-lr+0-hr+-ri+-mi+-pp+2323+6&search=0&origin=browse&searchkeyword=&trackpdp=bg&fromcid=287464&trackgridpos=,,,,,,

LOVE these! And, if you get them with a lever back, you wouldn't have to worry about the possibility of losing them..

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh wow, DS, thank you soooo much for your suggestions and the pics.

I love the Frivole pave line. I especially ADORE the Frivole pave necklace, it's absolutely magnificent and yet still very feminine and easy to wear. I could easily rock that, even with jeans. So, yeah, the Frivole pave line is stuck in my brain and I've tried the BTF ring and thought it was really lovely too. I may still buy both the BTF ring and the single ring, to wear together like the pic I posted...depending on whether I have extra funds in the future. The Frivole earrings would make a nice addition if I do buy the rings and/ or the necklace, but probably not as a single item. They wouldn't be substantial enough and the more I think about it the more I think I wouldn't reach for them often enough, just to wear on their own. So maybe I'll do the Frivole in reverse order and wait until I buy the rings and/ or necklace first before buying the earrings....IF i buy any, that is.

So, I'm more likely to go the larger centre stone route for my second pair of earrings. I'm reeeeaaaally loving the earrings in the third picture, from the top down, that you've posted. My goodness!! Imagine those with larger centre AVC's or antique cushions and smaller more delicate halo's and no airline?!

DS, you haven't answered my Q! I think you may have looked at plenty of antique cut diamonds, right? Do you think antique cushions (not AVC's, bc the latter may carry too much premium) would be sparkly enough and satisfy my thirst for the disco-ball effect?

The leverbacks, I'd have to have them custom made bc my lobes are thicker and I'd want them to be extra comfortable. I wonder how easy they'd be to put on and take off? They look like they may be a little fiddly. Studs are so easy to put on and take off, and I'm a little concerned leverbacks may be too hard.

If I go this route, what size cushions would you recommend and whom do you think I should consider, to set them?

Oops!!! Sorry about that! Was so busy last week and on vacation now! I love that design for earrings and would love something like that myself! Yes, I have mostly seen AVCs and a Canera AC, as well. I would vastly prefer ideal cut antique cushions over any others since you clearly desire well cut stones! Obviously if you got some from Victor, he would set them, and if you got them from GOG, then Steven Kirsch would set them. I would not consider the ones that LM gets because they are not purposely cut for light return. You would have to have a pair custom cut no matter who you used. You'd still end up paying less than you would for a similar diamond weight pair from any of the branded jewelry houses. I would absolutely love to do it, too, but with smaller stones than you are looking at! I do have a special fondness for Yoram because I think my AVR is an outstanding cut, so I would really love for him to cut a pair for me. But you could talk to GOG and VC and check pricing and look at their stones to see if there is a particular stone that you want replicated. Gosh, with your budget you can go over 2 cts for the stones, I would think. And I wouldn't hesitate to go I VS1 on antique cushions. I'd say 2.5 cts or so with the halos would be a very nice size.

Leverbacks are the most secure option for drops. It makes it almost impossible to lose them. I'd try on some fashion jewelry ones and see what you think. Then, if you find a pair that has the right size and shape leverbacks for your ears, I would buy them and send to your earring maker. I would have to do that, too, because there is too much variation in where people's piercings are and how much drop they want, how much curve to the hook part, etc.

 

[dollyanjuli]

Pics of the Perles d'Or:

LOVE the bangle in a stack. With the rings- you are just giving me life right now I think this is an excellent purchase!

Everytime i make a small bit of headway towards my earrings something happens. I am getting the onyx/ yellow gold combo as I know I will wear them the most. We have our wedding anni coming up so i was hoping I would get them for that, but we just found a nanny for our newborn and she is wonderful but $$$. Then I decided to sell a bunch of stuff I have been accumulating, but not much is selling and then our car was broken into! Sigh. I know I will get them eventually, just need to patient. Hopefully in the next year! It's on my "jewelry bucket list", along with big diamond studs and a pave love- so basically everything you have I want. Like i said before, you are my jewelry icon hehehehe

 

[missy]

Oh wow, DS, thank you soooo much for your suggestions and the pics.

I love the Frivole pave line. I especially ADORE the Frivole pave necklace, it's absolutely magnificent and yet still very feminine and easy to wear. I could easily rock that, even with jeans. So, yeah, the Frivole pave line is stuck in my brain and I've tried the BTF ring and thought it was really lovely too. I may still buy both the BTF ring and the single ring, to wear together like the pic I posted...depending on whether I have extra funds in the future. The Frivole earrings would make a nice addition if I do buy the rings and/ or the necklace, but probably not as a single item. They wouldn't be substantial enough and the more I think about it the more I think I wouldn't reach for them often enough, just to wear on their own. So maybe I'll do the Frivole in reverse order and wait until I buy the rings and/ or necklace first before buying the earrings....IF i buy any, that is.

So, I'm more likely to go the larger centre stone route for my second pair of earrings. I'm reeeeaaaally loving the earrings in the third picture, from the top down, that you've posted. My goodness!! Imagine those with larger centre AVC's or antique cushions and smaller more delicate halo's and no airline?!

DS, you haven't answered my Q! I think you may have looked at plenty of antique cut diamonds, right? Do you think antique cushions (not AVC's, bc the latter may carry too much premium) would be sparkly enough and satisfy my thirst for the disco-ball effect?

The leverbacks, I'd have to have them custom made bc my lobes are thicker and I'd want them to be extra comfortable. I wonder how easy they'd be to put on and take off? They look like they may be a little fiddly. Studs are so easy to put on and take off, and I'm a little concerned leverbacks may be too hard.

If I go this route, what size cushions would you recommend and whom do you think I should consider, to set them?

Oops!!! Sorry about that! Was so busy last week and on vacation now! I love that design for earrings and would love something like that myself! Yes, I have mostly seen AVCs and a Canera AC, as well. I would vastly prefer ideal cut antique cushions over any others since you clearly desire well cut stones! Obviously if you got some from Victor, he would set them, and if you got them from GOG, then Steven Kirsch would set them. I would not consider the ones that LM gets because they are not purposely cut for light return. You would have to have a pair custom cut no matter who you used. You'd still end up paying less than you would for a similar diamond weight pair from any of the branded jewelry houses. I would absolutely love to do it, too, but with smaller stones than you are looking at! I do have a special fondness for Yoram because I think my AVR is an outstanding cut, so I would really love for him to cut a pair for me. But you could talk to GOG and VC and check pricing and look at their stones to see if there is a particular stone that you want replicated. Gosh, with your budget you can go over 2 cts for the stones, I would think. And I wouldn't hesitate to go I VS1 on antique cushions. I'd say 2.5 cts or so with the halos would be a very nice size.

Leverbacks are the most secure option for drops. It makes it almost impossible to lose them. I'd try on some fashion jewelry ones and see what you think. Then, if you find a pair that has the right size and shape leverbacks for your ears, I would buy them and send to your earring maker. I would have to do that, too, because there is too much variation in where people's piercings are and how much drop they want, how much curve to the hook part, etc.

Just seeing this thread. Gorgeous options Phoenix.

I wanted to add that I was told by a respected benchperson that leverbacks are NOT a good option as eventually the mechanism for the leverback will fail and might cause you to lose an earring. His favorite option are french hooks or earring wires with a plastic thingy at the end to protect you from losing an earring. I know it sounds crazy right but just sharing what he told me. I have been super careful with my lever back earrings since he told me that and I do love my french hook earrings because I feel they are the most secure as long as you use that plastic/rubber thing at the back.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would personally use the plastic or rubber thingy on a leverback hook on a valuable earring, as well. That way you have double protection. There are too many antique leverback earrings still around for me to avoid leverbacks. But I would use the rubber things as a precaution on any valuable earrings that have hooks rather than posts. Different benches use different types. Victor's are different but do have a back that opens and closes. VCA uses the clip on many of theirs which opens and closes. So many options for secure clasps.

 

[Phoenix]

Pics of the Perles d'Or:

LOVE the bangle in a stack. With the rings- you are just giving me life right now I think this is an excellent purchase!

Everytime i make a small bit of headway towards my earrings something happens. I am getting the onyx/ yellow gold combo as I know I will wear them the most. We have our wedding anni coming up so i was hoping I would get them for that, but we just found a nanny for our newborn and she is wonderful but $$$. Then I decided to sell a bunch of stuff I have been accumulating, but not much is selling and then our car was broken into! Sigh. I know I will get them eventually, just need to patient. Hopefully in the next year! It's on my "jewelry bucket list", along with big diamond studs and a pave love- so basically everything you have I want. Like i said before, you are my jewelry icon hehehehe

Dolly, I'm exchanging the Perles d'Or for the 6-motif Sweet Alhambra pave bracelet. Thank you though.

I'm so sorry to hear about your car being broken into. That sucks!

What about lowering prices on your items to help move them along? I can think of at least one PS'er who has sold many items because her prices were very attractive. I had to lower the asking prices on both of my diamonds recently to sell them. Heart-breaking, I know, but sometimes ya got to do what ya got to know, yanno?!

I really hope you get your onyx/ YG Alhambra studs very very soon, along with your other desired pieces. Xx

 

[hathalove]

Thank you for posting all the pics! It's a very beautiful bracelet and I love it most stacked. Now I get what you mean about it feeling it needs to be a stacking bracelet not necessarily to wear on its own. I still love the design but am starting to wonder what my other options are. I've been thinking WF shared prong bangle or DBTY too so hmmm... I love the d'Or still but not sure it is my next purchase. I guess I need to take myself down to the boutique. I always feel like it is hit or miss with the SAs at my location so I kind of dread going in. I love my Cartier SA though!

 

[Phoenix]

Oops!!! Sorry about that! Was so busy last week and on vacation now! I love that design for earrings and would love something like that myself! Yes, I have mostly seen AVCs and a Canera AC, as well. I would vastly prefer ideal cut antique cushions over any others since you clearly desire well cut stones! Obviously if you got some from Victor, he would set them, and if you got them from GOG, then Steven Kirsch would set them. I would not consider the ones that LM gets because they are not purposely cut for light return. You would have to have a pair custom cut no matter who you used. You'd still end up paying less than you would for a similar diamond weight pair from any of the branded jewelry houses. I would absolutely love to do it, too, but with smaller stones than you are looking at! I do have a special fondness for Yoram because I think my AVR is an outstanding cut, so I would really love for him to cut a pair for me. But you could talk to GOG and VC and check pricing and look at their stones to see if there is a particular stone that you want replicated. Gosh, with your budget you can go over 2 cts for the stones, I would think. And I wouldn't hesitate to go I VS1 on antique cushions. I'd say 2.5 cts or so with the halos would be a very nice size.

Leverbacks are the most secure option for drops. It makes it almost impossible to lose them. I'd try on some fashion jewelry ones and see what you think. Then, if you find a pair that has the right size and shape leverbacks for your ears, I would buy them and send to your earring maker. I would have to do that, too, because there is too much variation in where people's piercings are and how much drop they want, how much curve to the hook part, etc.

DS, thank you sooo much for replying and for your suggestions.

How do you rate the VC cushions compared to GOG AVRs? I wonder if there's a thread comparing them, particularly re their light return performance? And price-wise, do you happen to know if they're comparable? I will contact them for pricing, when I'm ready, but just wonder if you, or anyone else, might know.

Why do you think LM antique cushions are not up there, in terms of performance?

I'm thinking 2.5-3ct I VS1-VS2 or even an eyeclean SI1. Halo's will be a MUST! lol

I'll start to look around at fashion jewellery and see what I can find. Good suggestion!

 

[Phoenix]

Thank you for posting all the pics! It's a very beautiful bracelet and I love it most stacked. Now I get what you mean about it feeling it needs to be a stacking bracelet not necessarily to wear on its own. I still love the design but am starting to wonder what my other options are. I've been thinking WF shared prong bangle or DBTY too so hmmm... I love the d'Or still but not sure it is my next purchase. I guess I need to take myself down to the boutique. I always feel like it is hit or miss with the SAs at my location so I kind of dread going in. I love my Cartier SA though!

Hathalove, I'm exchanging this Perles d"Or for the 6-motif pave Sweet Alhambra instead.

It's true, this Perles d'Or bracelet is not substantial enough and is really quite expensive for what it is.

I think a shared prong bangle, made up of little ACA's would be AMAZING. If you go smaller, it'd still be fairly understated (this is what you're looking for, right?), but would still be beautiful and sparkle beyond belief.

I'd not do DBTY, if I may suggest. I have 2 DBTY necklaces and the little "buggers" keep flipping and that drives me nuts! lol

 

[Phoenix]

Thank you, Missy and DS. It's really good to know all the relevant facts. I'll study all available leverback options and see...