I''m seeing purple -- photos from Wink of my purple sapphire halo setting!

[Lula]

I'm positively giddy! Wink just sent me photos of my finished Bella ring for my 1.00 Infinity M SI2 diamond.
The PS community helped me design this ring -- background thread
And here's the CAD thread link

The ring should be on my finger in 24 to 48 hours -- I can't wait!

Wink was so much fun to work with. He answered a million questions and waited patiently until the PS'ers had a chance to weigh in on the design, including a re-design of the gallery (thanks Gypsy!).

He sourced purple melee (and made it look easy) after a PS discussion with Amytheste, Queen Mum, Glitterata and others about the possibility of a purple halo.

He "talked me down" one day when I was upset and called him and told him I wanted to change the design because I showed my husband the CAD photos and my husband said "it looks like a spy decoder ring"! Hubby was in the doghouse for a few days after that!

Wink was an early and ardent supporter of yellow gold prongs (Amytheste's suggestion)

He wrote a little jingle (he'll cringe at this, I'm sure!) in response to an e-mail from me inquiring whether the Bella setting would be a good choice for my M!

QUOTE:
"Bella, Bella she's our ring,
Come on baby show that bling.
Bella Bella she's our ring,
She can do it, show that Bling!

Well, I guess I better sell diamonds, not gonna make it as a poet.
Bella is a JOY!
She would be PERFECT for your 1ct."
END QUOTE

Anyway, I know how all you SMTR types hate this blathering, so on with the photos...

A top view...

 

[Lula]

Second top view

 

[TBjumper]

HOLY MOTHER OF G.... that is beautiful... the color is FANTASTIC. CONGRATS

 

[Lula]

Side view...love how the gallery looks like dragonfly wings from this angle. You can see the "M-ness" of the Infinity from the side in this photo.

 

[Lula]

last one...profile...

 

[Lula]

whoops, I lied...thought you might want to see the purple melee loose...

Thanks again, everyone, for all your feedback and suggestions on the design of this ring!

 

[TBjumper]

Sorry I interupted your posting, I got a wee bit excited.

The ring is stunning.

 

[Lula]

Thanks, TBjumper. I love the color, too. Wink says he's pleased with how the color turned out when they were set

ETA: That's okay -- I got a wee bit excited, too, when Wink sent me the e-mail with the photos!

 

[D&T]

oh my Sara! that looks TDF

Gorgeous and I cannot wait to see it on your finger!!! it's here already huh? wow, for me it seems like time flew by and I remember your thread very clearly. But I'm sure it was a long wait for you though. So exciting! congratulations on such a beautiful one of kind piece of art

 

[DianaBanana]

Oh Sara...how awesome is this???

It''s more delicate than I pictured it would be, all of the other spies will be SO jealous!!!!

Just kidding of course, it''s beautiful and probably the most unique ring I''ve seen featured on PS.

Way to go Wink!

 

[Lula]

Thanks, D&T, you were with me from the beginning of this project (when I was debating whether or not to order the M!). Thanks so much for your compliments and encouragement on this project. It took Wink''s bench only 4 or 5 weeks to complete this (he quoted me 4 - 6 weeks).

 

[Novel]

SaraPJ, I can''t believe I missed that thread in CS! Its stunning and that gallery is simply a work of art! Enjoy it!!

 

[packrat]

Ohhh that is one cool ring! I can not wait to see hand shots of that baby!!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

that is phenomenal! I am digging the melee sooo much!

 

[oddoneout]

Amazing. I love the halo and purple is my favourite colour so it makes me love it more. You''ve started my brain going on a purple halo now.

 

[beaujolais]

Yes. Absolutely. The lavender color with the yellow gold !! Woo-hoo.

A true beauty. Graceful. Delicate but strong. Ladylike.

EXQUISITE.

 

[Laila619]

Wow, the whole design is just stunning! The milgrain is a lovely finishing touch.

Is this going to be a new engagement ring? What band will you wear? Or is it a RHR?

 

[beechezz]

Sarap333,

I am totally and utterly in love with your ring. The "m" looks delicious in this new setting, and the amethysts are gorgeous...plus the yellow gold prongs and accents are divine! I bet you can't wait to get this baby on your finger. Congratulations to you and to Wink for doing such a fine job. Wishing you many years of happiness wearing your new beauty!

 

[Catmom]

Oh it''s beautiful!! I love the purple halo and the setting is gorgeous.

 

[SB621]

That ring is so BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE! I''m absolutely in love with it!

 

[vc10um]

Date: 10/27/2009 5:13:18 PM
Author: oddoneout
Amazing. I love the halo and purple is my favourite colour so it makes me love it more. You''ve started my brain going on a purple halo now.

+1

Hmmmmm...now the question is...how do I get A to buy me 2 E-rings??!?

 

[glitterata]

Zowie, Sara, I LOVE that color combo! I can''t wait to see hand shots! What a beautiful ring!

 

[Luckyeshe]

WOWZA!!!!

It''s absolutely beautiful!!!!!!

 

[Lula]

Sorry for abandoning my thread -- I was on an hour-long conference call, and when I came back, wow, a lot of responses. Thank you!

Diana - LOL!! Yes, the other spies will be jealous! I have forgiven my husband for his comparison of the Bella to a Decoder ring (I had to look on Wikipedia to see what the heck a decoder ring was!). I agree, it is more delicate than I thought it would be, too. And, unique, yup, that's what I expected -- it's kind of a "Best of PS ring"!

Novel - I have only recently found the CS forum (budding sapphire addiction), so that's why there is no thread on this ring on that forum. But, I agree, it would have been an appropriate place to start my Bella threads. There are A LOT of purple stone lovers on PS.

Packrat, asscher halo lover, beechezz, catmom, and sarahbear and luckyeshe -- thanks for your comments and compliments. Hand shots by the end of the week, I hope.

sonoma -- thank you for your comments "Graceful. Delicate but strong. Ladylike." That's exactly the look I was going for (plus "different") in a setting for my M. I am not a size-4-finger gal, so I wanted a halo that wasn't too delicate, and I love the "delicate but strong" description. And I am so glad I included the yellow gold (most of the setting is 18 kt. white gold, with 18kt. yellow gold prongs, gallery and shoulders).

Laila -- thank you for your compliments on the milgrain. Wink said his benchman does incredible milgraining, and he was right. This is an anniversary upgrade to replace my original blue sapphire engagement ring that I never really "loved" (and I picked it out). I will most likely wear it on my left hand as a replacement ER. My wedding band is a very narrow 2mm white gold band that may or may not work with this. Wink may be called upon to make me a new wedding band if the gap between my original WB and the Bella setting is too large.

oddoneout and vc10um -- thank you, and if the purple sapphire halo bug bites, Wink is the man to call. I am such a colored gemstone noob that I never knew sapphires came in all these incredible colors. At first I wanted amethysts for the halo (the only purple stone I knew -- seriously) and Wink nixed that due to durability issues. So it was great that Wink was able to source the purple melee.

Glitterata -- thanks so much for the compliments on my new ring. I hope you know what an inspiration you have been for me -- you have such a gift for seeking out unusual and beautiful gems and setting them in just the perfect way (your S I1 Infinity set in sterling silver, a/k/a the "salad plate diamond" being the latest example).

I live in the Midwest, where the bling is pretty understated, so I truly appreciate all the help I got from all of you (and all the others who posted on my previous thread) in designing such an unusual, yet super-high-quality ring. That's why I love PS -- I know I'm not in Kansas -- er, Wisconsin -- anymore!

 

[Tuckins1]

Stunning!!!

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 10/27/2009 5:21:41 PM
Author: beechezz
Sarap333,

I am totally and utterly in love with your ring. The ''m'' looks delicious in this new setting, and the amethysts are gorgeous...plus the yellow gold prongs and accents are divine! I bet you can''t wait to get this baby on your finger. Congratulations to you and to Wink for doing such a fine job. Wishing you many years of happiness wearing your new beauty!

Beechezz,

Thank you for your kind comment, I do feel the need to second a comment made just above by Sara.

When she contacted me she did originally indeed ask for amethysts, but I told her that would be a poor choice as at a 7 in hardness they would not withstand the rigors of daily wear very long. Though these look like extraordinary amethysts they are in fact extraordinary sapphires.


Wink

P.S. Sara has been an absolute JOY to work with and I am so excited that she was as happy as I was when she saw the pictures of her ring. I was walking out the door to grab lunch when Sylvia brought Sara''s in, I just turned back around and started taking pictures. I never did get lunch today, but hey, who cares!?!

This is one of those jobs that I knew was going to look pretty good. I was anticipating that it would be pretty good. I think I was anticipating WAY LOW, this is one of the prettiest rings I have ever seen.

 

[KaeKae]

Sara, (and Wink,) this ring is GEORGIOUS. I never in a million years would have thought to use purple sapphire. But, NOW I am

. Again, it''s beautiful. Enjoy, wear it in good health!

 

[luv2sparkle]

Wow, that is a stunning ring! Congratulations, and I can''t wait to see handshots. Beautiful sapphires, love them, Wink did an awesome job!

 

[Gayletmom]

Woweee, Sara, that is one beautiful ring! I''m not really a purple person and I almost didn''t even open your thread but I am so glad I did. I am now loving purple sapphires-if only they could all be as gorgeous as yours and set in such a stunning ring.

I just love her!

 

[marcy]

Very pretty.