An "alligator head" ruby? Help! I need your opinions...

[Love in Bloom]

My husband is usually decent at giving gifts, but this time, he pulled out a real doozey. He gave me an alligator head after returning from a conference in Daytona Beach

. An alligator head

? Yup, the severed and preserved head of a previously living reptile. It's creepy, glassy taxidermied eyes would stare at me no matter where I placed it in the room (even placed in an armoir I could feel it staring at me!). I couldn't even be in the same room with it. As a unique touch, the allligator head also came with complimentary alligator claw keyfob looped by a ball chain around the alligator's jaw. Eeeeek!!

I tried so hard to like my gift, but I just couldn't do it...I have nothing against alligators, I just don’t want various parts of them decorating my house. I thought about it, and then I got a little mad. When I asked DH, "What in the WORLD possessed you to get me an Alligator head?" he could only offer, "You're a biologist, so I thought you would think it was cool...

"

I forget exactly what ensued after that, but now he is sending that darn reptile head to his brother and I get to pick out a new piece of jewelry. Happy ending...Yaaaay!!

So now I need your input. My jeweler has sourced a ruby for me (it's small, 4.2mm round, from Burma). How do you think it would look bezel set into this band?

 

[Love in Bloom]

The above band is 18K yellow gold with platinum inlaid shields and a platinum bezel. The band is also pictured below in all white metal:

 

[Maisie]

I love seeing rubies in yellow gold.

Did he really buy you an alligators head?

 

[Love in Bloom]

Gosh I never knew how difficult it was to capture the color of gems on camera. IRL the ruby is a really gorgeous red color. I wish I could find lipstick just like it! Here are some pics of the stone:

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 2/22/2008 5:15:23 PM
Author: Maisie
I love seeing rubies in yellow gold.

Did he really buy you an alligators head?

Yup Maisie, he really did. I asked him how much he spent on it, to which he replied, "$40, but they had even bigger ones!"....
as if he wished he had purchased an even LARGER more EXPENSIVE alligator head

.

 

[Love in Bloom]

 

[Love in Bloom]

 

[Love in Bloom]

 

[Maisie]

Ooh its lovely. Much prettier than an alligators head I imagine!

 

[Miranda]

I think it would be beautiful in either band. It is a lovely stone! The alligator head story is cracking me up!!!

 

[Love in Bloom]

I had originally thought I wanted the ring in yellow gold. I know Maisie, you mentioned that you love rubies in YG. But I was taking more pictures of the ruby in my ering (so the macro would have something to focus since I wasn''t having luck with just the ruby...) and I kind of like the look of the ruby in platinum. What do you think???

 

[Love in Bloom]

 

[Love in Bloom]

Here is my wedding band...do you think the YG version of the ruby band would look okay stacked with it??

 

[Sparkles22]

The ruby is gorgeous! Really? An alligator head... that would have freaked me out! I bet you''re glad it''s not in the house anymore!

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 2/22/2008 5:26:51 PM
Author: Maisie
Ooh its lovely. Much prettier than an alligators head I imagine!

Yup, I think it is a very pretty color...but I''m thinking maybe a small cushion ruby would look better? Either way definitely prettier than an alligator head!

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 2/22/2008 5:29:29 PM
Author: Miranda
I think it would be beautiful in either band. It is a lovely stone! The alligator head story is cracking me up!!!

Thanks Miranda, you''re helping me see how funny the situation actually was...even though at the time I was, and I''m not normally like this, deeply offended!

Date: 2/22/2008 5:55:27 PM
Author: Sparkles22
The ruby is gorgeous! Really? An alligator head... that would have freaked me out! I bet you''re glad it''s not in the house anymore!

Yup Sparkles, I am very relieved that the alligator head has left the building. Yucky! Glad I''m not the only one freaked out by an alligator head.




So...what do you think about the band: Yellow Gold or Platinum?
Round Ruby or Cushion Ruby?

 

[Sparkles22]

I''m not typically a round person, but the stone you have there is really pretty! I think there is just something about YG and red stones, BUT I have never see it in platinum, and it''s hard to judge from the picture.

 

[coatimundi_org]

I missed this thread earlier.

LIB your hubby is so funny!

It's like Elizabeth Taylor's Ping Pong ring--(well, sort of

) I love it!

Your ring is SO BEAUTIFUL!

 

[purrfectpear]

Wait, did you know he was like this when you married him? j/k

OK, how about a compromise. Rubies as EYES in the alligator head? No? Heck, I''m no help.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I missed it as well...an alligator head? That sounds scary (and icky, lol)!

 

[777_LDY]

Oh my goodness, I didn''t see this either, how funny!!!! I loooooove the happy ending result!

 

[Gypsy]

Good job nixing the alligator head. Love the ruby. Love the ROUND ruby. Really.

 

[Love in Bloom]

Heehee, thanks Coatimundi, Purfectpear, Diamond*Dana, 777_lady, SanDiegoLady, and Gypsy

I'm glad I decided to keep the round. I fell in love with it when I saw it under the microscope...it's small but very lively up close!

You may all be relieved to know the aforementioned head is resting safely in the home of my in-laws, where it is in the capable hands of hubbys little brother. He likes stuff like that

....

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/11/2008 1:08:53 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Wait, did you know he was like this when you married him? j/k

OK, how about a compromise. Rubies as EYES in the alligator head? No? Heck, I''m no help.

Haha - I did know he was weird when I married him (I am weird too...

).

I would like to think I am all about compromise, only thing is, I would have to start a "Show me your bejewelled animal parts" thread...

Ewwwww!

 

[niceice]

Good thing your husband hasn''t watched The Godfather recently, you might have waken up with the alligator head sitting on the pillow next to you. Yea, that''s probably something (stupid) that I would have done and Valerie would have killed me for it. But then again, I think she realized that I was "5" very early on in our relationship. No doubt that the Ruby is a much better gift idea and I really like the ring.

Note to self: no alligator heads as gifts, unless it happens to be Burberry - then I know I''m safe.

 

[simplysplendid]

I think it will look great with the yellow gold! I like the design of this ring in yellow gold better..

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/11/2008 3:43:49 PM
Author: niceice

Good thing your husband hasn't watched The Godfather recently, you might have waken up with the alligator head sitting on the pillow next to you. Yea, that's probably something (stupid) that I would have done and Valerie would have killed me for it. But then again, I think she realized that I was '5' very early on in our relationship. No doubt that the Ruby is a much better gift idea and I really like the ring.

Note to self: no alligator heads as gifts, unless it happens to be Burberry - then I know I'm safe.

Todd, you should totally teach hubby classes to newlyweds. I'm glad you like my ring

Date: 4/11/2008 3:54:24 PM
Author: simplysplendid

I think it will look great with the yellow gold! I like the design of this ring in yellow gold better..

I decided to go for the yellow gold version with a platinum half-bezel, and platinum inlaid flowers and shields

 

[niceice]

Date: 4/11/2008 4:50:35 PM
Author: Love in Bloom

Date: 4/11/2008 3:43:49 PM

Todd, you should totally teach hubby classes to newlyweds. I''m glad you like my ring

Everything I know, I learned from, uh, wearing a shock collar

 

[Selkie]

AHAHAHAHA! I love your alligator head story, and it totally sounds like something my DH (who''s done reptile research) would pull on me, the marine biologist. Yeah. Nice try honey, now take your dead animal parts elsewhere, thanks.

And NIIIIICE job, getting the $40 head upgraded to yet another gorgeous VC tidbit! I want to come take lessons from you in husband husbandry!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

The ruby is really yummy looking

! Do you have the ring yet, if no, when will you get it?