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ť Great Exeperience with GoodOldGold (Tim/Jonathan) - Finally Set on Michael Bondanza

Great Exeperience with GoodOldGold (Tim/Jonathan) - Finally Set on Michael Bondanza

P: 9/5/2007 10:24:34 PM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	It took over 3 months for my wife to decide the setting for the diamond I purchased ( http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=63195 ). We chose Michael Bondanza Union setting ( http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=48206 ). It is simple, sleek, elegant, and is much nicer than it looks in pictures. It has a distinct look, and is different from many other (semi-) bezel setting such as Tiffany Etoile we purchased about a year ago and returned within 30 days window when the diamond search really began. We purchased the Union setting at Toppers in Burlingame (Bay Area). Michael Bondanza, like others, does not guarantee the work if someone else works on their ring. We chose to ask Toppers because I trust their work. Bill Kaplan, the owner, is a really nice gentleman. He is one of very few who is willing to work on a diamond purchased elsewhere. The setter at Topper is also great. Both admit the diamond from GOG is very nice. I really like that kind of attitude, seriously; because they also carry super ideals like hof and lk. I will post pictures when I have time. My wife wears it almost every day and when she does not, I do not have time to work on a camera I am not so good at. It has been a journey. I have learned a lot about diamonds. I often come here to see/enjoy people helping each other. Thank you all.
Posted: 9/5/2007 10:24:34 PM

There are 16 replies to this message. There are 16 replies on this page.

P: 9/5/2007 10:41:00 PM
angeline Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,942 Last Post: 11/14/2009 Member Since: 7/23/2006	Oooohhhh congrats!!! I love Michael Bondanza and have been to Toppers lots of times. BIll is indeed a wonderful gentleman and he has excellent prices. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeasssee post pics! It is cruel and unusual punishment to tell us of this ring and not show it to us! I can't wait to see it!
Posted: 9/5/2007 10:41:00 PM

P: 9/5/2007 10:43:17 PM
diamondseeker2006 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 17,609 Last Post: 11/18/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Three months is a pretty short time around here! Glad she found a setting for that beautiful stone! Please be sure to post pictures when the ring is finished! ~~~ When in doubt...don't.~~~
Posted: 9/5/2007 10:43:17 PM

P: 9/5/2007 11:04:55 PM
Kaleigh Ideal Rock Total Posts: 25,906 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 11/18/2004	Congrats, I love Michael B. Can't wait to see some pics!! ____________________________ Piece of cake and a candle. ng gift
Posted: 9/5/2007 11:04:55 PM

P: 9/5/2007 11:31:10 PM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	Angeline - I am glad that you like Michael Bondana. My wife initially wanted Whitlney Boin 2 prong hidden bezel setting, which is also very nice. Later it was found that it is not necessarily strong enough to sustain the diamond for a long time. She then find Michael Bondanza. She has kind of different sense of choosing her goods, but I must admit M.B. is not only unique but elegant. Yes, Bill's price is super excellent, really, no matter the setting. Almost $1,000 less. Why is that? He should be known more in Bay Area IMO, but may be only me who did not know that. Thank you Angeline.
Posted: 9/5/2007 11:31:10 PM

P: 9/5/2007 11:53:41 PM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	DS2006 - Yes, I plan to post pictures. I wish I could do as well as Ellen. Her pics are just super. By the way, your diamond is very nice. I have studied yours along with the one you compared agiainst it. GOG provides lots of info I can look at as I get more used to those data. Now, I look at Helium report to see if the mode is "Sarin", "Helium", or "Simple", then look at variences of P/C then look at Star/Upper ratio, and do not forget to make sure that azimth of P/C agree with DiamXray. BS, very often in my case, confirms the data provided. I llke your posts too. Thanks!.
Posted: 9/5/2007 11:53:41 PM

P: 9/6/2007 12:04:50 AM
angeline Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,942 Last Post: 11/14/2009 Member Since: 7/23/2006	Date: 9/5/2007 11:31:10 PM Author: gontama Angeline - I am glad that you like Michael Bondana. My wife initially wanted Whitlney Boin 2 prong hidden bezel setting, which is also very nice. Later it was found that it is not necessarily strong enough to sustain the diamond for a long time. She then find Michael Bondanza. She has kind of different sense of choosing her goods, but I must admit M.B. is not only unique but elegant. Yes, Bill's price is super excellent, really, no matter the setting. Almost $1,000 less. Why is that? He should be known more in Bay Area IMO, but may be only me who did not know that. Thank you Angeline. Wow we have the same tastes! I love Whiteny Boin 2-prong as well! I agree that for a larger stone it might not be as strong for the long term. I also looove the Steven Kretchmer that Bill has and on the tension design, the Niessing rings from Germany too. In fact I think I like just about every ring design! hard not to when there's a sparkly diamond in the center! a
Posted: 9/6/2007 12:04:50 AM

P: 9/6/2007 12:10:23 AM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	Hi Klaleigh - will post the pcitures. It turned out to be a very beautiful ring. I will try my best.... Thank you for your interest.
Posted: 9/6/2007 12:10:23 AM

P: 9/6/2007 12:23:16 AM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	Angeline - my wife says that the next ring is "tension settting". My observation is: the more woman get used to diamond/setting things, the simpler, the better to her. I plan (TO BE ABLE) to upgrade a diamond at 3ct... Whitney Boin 2 prong hidden bezel is what I thought is the one. But it is ME who noticed that their "HIDDEN" bezel got bigger recently to the point where you can hardly see the girdle reflection, meaning it got thicker, meaning problems reported from customers regarding the durability, which I confirmed from more than a few diffrent sources. It is a nice design however. I was about to pay nearly $5,000 for that wi/ (do not recall what it is called, but some small square diamonds on the ring around the cerner stone), despite the small reward for working hard! Hard to make a woman happy!
Posted: 9/6/2007 12:23:16 AM

P: 9/6/2007 1:07:55 AM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	Date: 9/5/2007 11:53:41 PM Author: gontama DS2006 - Yes, I plan to post pictures. I wish I could do as well as Ellen. Her pics are just super. By the way, your diamond is very nice. I have studied yours along with the one you compared agiainst it. GOG provides lots of info I can look at as I get more used to those data. Now, I look at Helium report to see if the mode is 'Sarin', 'Helium', or 'Simple', then look at variences of P/C then look at Star/Upper ratio, and do not forget to make sure that azimth of P/C agree with DiamXray. BS, very often in my case, confirms the data provided. I llke your posts too. Thanks!. Of course LGF IS A key too.
Posted: 9/6/2007 1:07:55 AM

P: 9/6/2007 8:27:15 AM
Ellen Ideal Rock Total Posts: 22,894 Last Post: 11/6/2009 Member Since: 1/13/2006	Date: 9/6/2007 12:23:16 AM Author: gontama Angeline - my wife says that the next ring is 'tension settting'. My observation is: the more woman get used to diamond/setting things, the simpler, the better to her. I plan (TO BE ABLE) to upgrade a diamond at 3ct... Wowzers, that's one lucky woman you have there!! Sounds like you really did your homework and ended up with a quality ring that is really beautiful. Good for you! And I'm not surprised you had a good experience with GOG, they're great to work with. I can't wait to see pictures of it, and thank you very much for the compliment! I'll add, in case it might help, try practicing on a different ring that she doesn't wear as much. Then you can figure out what works and what doesn't, so that when you can finally pry it off her finger, it won't take too long with the shots. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "It is also important for the State to inculcate in its subjects an aversion to any 'conspiracy theory of history' for a search for 'conspiracies' means a search for motives and an attribution of responsibility for historical misdeeds." -Murray N. Rothbard, in The Anatomy of the State John Swinton [1829-1901] Chief Editorial Writer of the New York Times (Considered "the Dean of his Profession" by his peers), when asked to toast an 'Independent Press' in a gathering at the National Press Club, circa 1880 "There is no such thing in America as an independent press unless it is in the country towns. You know it, and I know it. There is not one of you who dare express an honest opinion. If you express it you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid... for keeping my honest opinions out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for doing similar things.... The business of the New York journalist is to distort the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of Mammon, and sell his country and race for his daily bread, or for what is about the same thing, his salary. You know this, and I know it and what foolery to be toasting an 'independent press.' We are tools, and the vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are jumping-jacks. They pull the strings and we dance. Our time, our talents, our lives, our possibilities, all are the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."
Posted: 9/6/2007 8:27:15 AM

P: 10/21/2007 1:21:54 PM
Skippy123 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 19,824 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 11/24/2006	I just caught this! Congrats! I hope you post pics. ETA: the stone is yummy! Skippy "The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it, and the faith to believe it's possible" Rich Devos
Posted: 10/21/2007 1:21:54 PM

P: 10/21/2007 1:49:25 PM
gontama Cut Rock Total Posts: 170 Last Post: 12/23/2007 Member Since: 6/2/2007	Date: 10/21/2007 1:21:54 PM Author: Skippy123 I just caught this! Congrats! I hope you post pics. ETA: the stone is yummy! Thank you skippy. She likes the diamond. I plan to post pics of the complete ring when ready. She wears almost every day and I do not have much time. I have not even used ultrasonic cleaner either as I mentioned in the other thread. I would not have spent well over 20K for this diamond if 41P has even the slightest bad thing for beauty. People believe me it is my hard-earned money... I have super respect for Garry/HCA and at the same time I need to emphasize the facts Jonathan represents.
Posted: 10/21/2007 1:49:25 PM

P: 10/21/2007 1:58:12 PM
mrssalvo Ideal Rock Total Posts: 16,857 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 1/3/2005	wow, GOG and a Michael Bondanza. I can't wait to see pics. One other pricescoper I can think of has a bondanza setting and it's remarkable, i'm sure your wife's is no exception. ----------------------------- A deal is only a deal if you are getting exactly what you want.
Posted: 10/21/2007 1:58:12 PM

P: 10/21/2007 2:06:12 PM
diamondseeker2006 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 17,609 Last Post: 11/18/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Okay, I remember your stone now!!! But I think you are a little behind on those pics?????? ~~~ When in doubt...don't.~~~
Posted: 10/21/2007 2:06:12 PM

P: 10/21/2007 2:09:12 PM
Rhino Ideal Rock Total Posts: 4,865 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 3/29/2001	Kind thanks gontama. The pictures you took of the diamond in the other thread came out excellent. Great job. I can't wait to see the final pictures of how that looks in the setting. Unfortuneately Tim is no longer with us and I have taken back on the job of handing the incoming email which is why I don't have much time to come here and participate as often as I'd like. I am off today and wanted to express to you my appreciation. Please let me know when you post pics so I can see the finished product. Warm regards, Rhino Good Old Gold
Posted: 10/21/2007 2:09:12 PM

P: 10/21/2007 2:14:23 PM
diamondseeker2006 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 17,609 Last Post: 11/18/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Date: 10/21/2007 2:09:12 PM Author: Rhino Kind thanks gontama. The pictures you took of the diamond in the other thread came out excellent. Great job. I can't wait to see the final pictures of how that looks in the setting. Unfortuneately Tim is no longer with us and I have taken back on the job of handing the incoming email which is why I don't have much time to come here and participate as often as I'd like. I am off today and wanted to express to you my appreciation. Please let me know when you post pics so I can see the finished product. Warm regards, I wondered if Tim would be moving on since he finished his law degree. I can't imagine him liking doing that as much as working with diamonds everyday!!!! ~~~ When in doubt...don't.~~~
Posted: 10/21/2007 2:14:23 PM

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