2.7 Carat OEC Diamond Reset

[CharlotteYork]

I have been pondering a reset for my 2.7 carat OEC diamond for over a year, and I think I have finally reached a decision! This ring will be worn occasionally on my right hand, and my ER is a 3.10 carat RB Tiffany style solitaire. I had seriously considering making it a three stone anniversary ring with a custom antique-style setting, but I worry that with a 2.7 center it will be overpowering to my ER. I still have not completely ruled out that idea, but what I now have my heart set on is a beautiful Edwardian style flower ring like this.... I had actually been considering this style and then a saw a favorite celebrity post these images, and I fell madly in love! I think this would make a beautiful "cocktail" right hand ring and while it will be substantially larger than my ER once the halo is added, it is so different and unusual in style that I don't think it will compete, especially since I would really only be wearing it for special events.

I would love your thoughts on this idea, and also, what size of surrounding stones would I need to give my 2.7 center stone this same effect/finger coverage? I am guessing these are approximately .50 carats each??? I wonder what size her center stone is? Any thoughts on where I might be able to source 10 OEC .50 carat stones? That might be a challenge... And any suggestions on who could make this ring for me? Would you do platinum or white gold?



Here is another ring almost identical in style that I found online to give a more clear perspective...



And what would you think about doing something pretty on the sides of the band? I think these ideas below might be gorgeous, and look like petals of the flower! But is it too much? Perhaps just a simple band would be best?




Inspiration for diamonds on the band...

Thank you so much for your thoughts!!

 

[Rfisher]

Gaaaaa!
Another beautiful floral cluster inspiration - and one of them Georgian to boot.
Cluster fever I tell you!!!
With a sizeable center - and cluster stones vs halo size stones -
You are also wanting diamond shoulder detail?
What’s your finger size?

 

[CharlotteYork]

Gaaaaa!
Another beautiful floral cluster inspiration - and one of them Georgian to boot.
Cluster fever I tell you!!!
With a sizeable center - and cluster stones vs halo size stones -
You are also wanting diamond shoulder detail?
What’s your finger size?

Thank you! My right ring finger is 5 1/4. I was considering some diamonds shoulder detail... I think it needs a little something. But I don't want to take away from the magnificent cluster.

 

[Rfisher]

What's the diameter of your 2.7 OEC?
I can mock up something to compare to your 5.25 finger width.

 

[LLJsmom]

With a 5.25 finger and a substantial cluster around a 2.7 carat, you won’t have room for a leafy diamond shoulder. Good problem to have though.

 

[lydial]

Awesome idea! I just posted my cluster which is NOT Edwardian at all. More contemporary/classic. When I was center diamond shopping some folks suggested some incredible OMC's but they would have clashed with the Tiffany MRBs that I harvested for the "halo" / petals.
Good luck searching! I am sure the antique vendors could find you stones, the hard part is the bit of geometry math calculations you will need to determine the diameter needed - that will be based on how many stones you would like around the center and how you would like to set them. Maybe you can entrust your jeweler to source the stones?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Caysie van Bebber (CVB Inspired design) is the best, in my opinion, for that cluster type of ring. I actually have a ring done by her in that style, except my center stone is a cushion and not a round (and center and halo stones are smaller than yours). The halo stones would be much smaller than a half carat each. I maybe can find some others she has done, as well. She had my little halo OECs custom cut, and she could do that for yours unless a matching set of old OECs can be found.

 

[CharlotteYork]

With a 5.25 finger and a substantial cluster around a 2.7 carat, you won’t have room for a leafy diamond shoulder. Good problem to have though.

Haha, yeah I guess you're right, silly me! Any thoughts on what size the surrounding diamonds should be?

 

[CharlotteYork]

Awesome idea! I just posted my cluster which is NOT Edwardian at all. More contemporary/classic. When I was center diamond shopping some folks suggested some incredible OMC's but they would have clashed with the Tiffany MRBs that I harvested for the "halo" / petals.
Good luck searching! I am sure the antique vendors could find you stones, the hard part is the bit of geometry math calculations you will need to determine the diameter needed - that will be based on how many stones you would like around the center and how you would like to set them. Maybe you can entrust your jeweler to source the stones?

Oh my goodness, your ring is GORGEOUS!!! https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/steven-kirsch-cluster.249142/ I absolutely love, love, LOVE your basket, I want one just like it!! Did you go with platinum or white gold? Do you wear this as your RH ring daily? It is so beautiful with your ER!

 

[CharlotteYork]

Caysie van Bebber (CVB Inspired design) is the best, in my opinion, for that cluster type of ring. I actually have a ring done by her in that style, except my center stone is a cushion and not a round (and center and halo stones are smaller than yours). The halo stones would be much smaller than a half carat each. I maybe can find some others she has done, as well. She had my little halo OECs custom cut, and she could do that for yours unless a matching set of old OECs can be found.

WOW, absolutely STUNNING!!! Do you have a thread on this ring? I will check out CVB, and I also LOVE the work Steven Kirsch did on @lydial 's cluster! Do you think half carat stones are the size I would need to achieve the finger coverage from my inspiration picture? Or could I go smaller?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

At 5.25 and a center at 2.7 cts., the surrounding stones can't be too big. But the designer can give you the best answer to the size. I'd guess between 10-20 points each.
For example, 10 point diamonds are about 3mm. So if the diameter of your diamond is, for example, 8.7mm, then a halo of 10 pointers would mean you'd have a diameter of at least 14.7mm. Probably slightly more due to the metal on the setting. In fact, when I measure the top of my size 5.5 finger, it is less than 15mm across the top surface where the top of the ring would be. So I am not seeing that you'd be able to go much larger than 10 pointers for the halo, but maybe .15-.20 max. At .20 (3.8mm) you'd be at around 16.3mm. Larger halo stones are possible when the center stone is smaller than yours or if the ring size is much larger than yours.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, thank you! Here is the thread on my ring below. My center is smaller and the halo stones are only 2.4mm. It's still a fairly blingy ring, though!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/a-little-sunshine-from-cvb-yoram-and-av.234991/

You may like to see what I did with an extra OEC for a right hand ring, but it would be beautiful in all platinum.

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...ca-with-a-warm-august-vintage-oec-avr.241765/

 

[lydial]

Oh my goodness, your ring is GORGEOUS!!! https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/steven-kirsch-cluster.249142/ I absolutely love, love, LOVE your basket, I want one just like it!! Did you go with platinum or white gold? Do you wear this as your RH ring daily? It is so beautiful with your ER!

Everything is platinum and it is a RHR but I have the thin pave band to wear with it. I sent the pave band to the jeweler so he could make sure they fit flush. For years I have worn my entire wedding set as a RHR set because of L hand issues but now it seems that again I can wear a LHR set, so the RHR is usually solo...

 

[Rfisher]

All great information given above.
Something else to consider, is how flat (like the Georgian example you posted) vs angled (like diamonseeker2000's above) have. Flatter will have greater diameter than an angled one, with same size cluster stones. Metal setting (like the collets pictured above ) can also add to the diameter of course.
I was going to mock up a halo for you on your finger size- but I think that point has been made. If you add any shoulder detail to a cluster this size - it won't be visible much from above, and will push the total height of the ring up.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, I love @lydial's new SK ring! Gorgeous! I see she used 10 pointers on a 1.15ct center. So in thinking of a 2.7 ct center, yours is just going to have a different look. She said hers is about 12mm total, and we are looking at around 14.7mm for yours with 10 pointers. My stone is around a little over 7mm wide with 5.2mm in halo stones, and finished size is about 13mm in diameter on a size 5.5. So even with 10 pointers, you'll have pretty close to complete finger coverage.

 

[Dreamer_D]

If you want it to be a larger ring, consider wearing it on your right middle finger instead? I actually find it more comfortable to wear rings on my middle finger on my right/dominant hand. I don't know why exactly... but your middle finger is bigger, which would allow you to go a little bigger with the surround diamonds.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Oh, and we will all refuse to help any more unless you post some photos of your OEC! lol

 

[CharlotteYork]

Oh, and we will all refuse to help any more unless you post some photos of your OEC! lol

This is my original ER, and I was planning on wearing it as a RH ring when I got my solitaire last year, but I just don't like the way they look together, and so I never wear it. They are so similar in size that I feel like I am wearing earrings on my fingers! It is a beautiful antique setting, and I figured I can always put the OEC back in and put a sapphire or something in my new flower ring if I ever change my mind.

And I like the idea of wearing the flower ring on my middle finger! I do want it to be BIG!

 

[CharlotteYork]

All great information given above.
Something else to consider, is how flat (like the Georgian example you posted) vs angled (like diamonseeker2000's above) have. Flatter will have greater diameter than an angled one, with same size cluster stones. Metal setting (like the collets pictured above ) can also add to the diameter of course.
I was going to mock up a halo for you on your finger size- but I think that point has been made. If you add any shoulder detail to a cluster this size - it won't be visible much from above, and will push the total height of the ring up.

Oh, I hadn't thought of flat vs. angled. So here are two pictures, one that is flat from the side and @lydial 's stunner (I'm obsessed with that basket!) which appears more angled. Is this what you are talking about? I'm trying to figure out how big I can go with the surrounding stones.

 

[CharlotteYork]

Oh, I love @lydial's new SK ring! Gorgeous! I see she used 10 pointers on a 1.15ct center. So in thinking of a 2.7 ct center, yours is just going to have a different look. She said hers is about 12mm total, and we are looking at around 14.7mm for yours with 10 pointers. My stone is around a little over 7mm wide with 5.2mm in halo stones, and finished size is about 13mm in diameter on a size 5.5. So even with 10 pointers, you'll have pretty close to complete finger coverage.

Hmmm... I'm afraid 10 pointers are going to look more like a halo, and I really want a big chunky cluster. I want it to look as much like the inspiration picture as possible, and her ring is so big it hangs off the finger. This is going to be a cocktail ring so I want it to be big and blingy! I held some 20 pointers from a bracelet around the ring, and it looked rather "halo-y"... I think they would need to be bigger to replicate this look, but I am having trouble visualizing.

 

[lydial]

Hmmm... I'm afraid 10 pointers are going to look more like a halo, and I really want a big chunky cluster. I want it to look as much like the inspiration picture as possible, and her ring is so big it hangs off the finger. This is going to be a cocktail ring so I want it to be big and blingy! I held some 20 pointers from a bracelet around the ring, and it looked rather "halo-y"... I think they would need to be bigger to replicate this look, but I am having trouble visualizing.

You are going to have so much fun with this! I am not sure what the diameter of your center stone is, maybe 8.5 - 9 mm or slightly less? I suspect if you want 10 (or so) stones around it then you will need stones around half the diameter (or slightly less) to get it to "fit". So an average 4.25 mm MRB is 25-30 points. I am not sure how an OEC measures but it is maybe different? My OMC diamond stud earrings are 0.9 and 0.97 ct and they face up slightly small for the weight.

First you need to decide how many stones, 8-10-12 works I think.... then you will do some math where you divide the face of your center stone into that many pie pieces extending out past the perimeter, and then figure out what mm radius/diameter connects the lines together and to the perimeter of your stone. Plus you need to decide if there will be a shadow line around your center diamond or do you want the outer stones to visually connect to the center - or not - this will affect the size of the melee. Then double and triple check your math with a good jeweler!!! I suspect you will be using 10 x 25-30 pointers. That is going to be a big heavy diamond ring AND WILL BE AWESOME!!

Have you seen this thread? https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-diamond-cluster-rings.228853/page-9

 

[Dreamer_D]

Hmmm... I'm afraid 10 pointers are going to look more like a halo, and I really want a big chunky cluster. I want it to look as much like the inspiration picture as possible, and her ring is so big it hangs off the finger. This is going to be a cocktail ring so I want it to be big and blingy! I held some 20 pointers from a bracelet around the ring, and it looked rather "halo-y"... I think they would need to be bigger to replicate this look, but I am having trouble visualizing.

The smaller diamonds look to be about 1/2 the diameter of the central stone [I used paint to measure the pixels], so if your diamond is 8.7mm then you would be aiming for about 4.3mm stones.... that's about .30ct each.

 

[VintageJAlltheWay]

Good Morning! This is my first post here.... I am enjoying finding my way and seeing all of the beautiful rings and reading the lovely stories about each. I don't know if sharing mine helps, but maybe it will ... I had my solitaire reset into a vintage 1960's era ring that was slated to be melted for scrap by local jeweler.... it was flat in center before. I wanted a floral cluster for my ER and i wanted something completely unique and different. I love the result and it has been fun to have some "bling" at this stage of life..... 40 year wedding anniversary this year! Floral clusters are really feminine and again, fun.... and I think you will love love love having one and whatever you create will be gorgeous! Thank you for letting me share!

 

[CharlotteYork]

Good Morning! This is my first post here.... I am enjoying finding my way and seeing all of the beautiful rings and reading the lovely stories about each. I don't know if sharing mine helps, but maybe it will ... I had my solitaire reset into a vintage 1960's era ring that was slated to be melted for scrap by local jeweler.... it was flat in center before. I wanted a floral cluster for my ER and i wanted something completely unique and different. I love the result and it has been fun to have some "bling" at this stage of life..... 40 year wedding anniversary this year! Floral clusters are really feminine and again, fun.... and I think you will love love love having one and whatever you create will be gorgeous! Thank you for letting me share!

I am so honored to be your first post, Welcome! Your ring is absolutely STUNNING!!! I cannot believe it was going to be scrapped! How wonderful that you were able to save it and give it new life. A beautiful ring, and a beautiful story!

 

[CharlotteYork]

You are going to have so much fun with this! I am not sure what the diameter of your center stone is, maybe 8.5 - 9 mm or slightly less? I suspect if you want 10 (or so) stones around it then you will need stones around half the diameter (or slightly less) to get it to "fit". So an average 4.25 mm MRB is 25-30 points. I am not sure how an OEC measures but it is maybe different? My OMC diamond stud earrings are 0.9 and 0.97 ct and they face up slightly small for the weight.

First you need to decide how many stones, 8-10-12 works I think.... then you will do some math where you divide the face of your center stone into that many pie pieces extending out past the perimeter, and then figure out what mm radius/diameter connects the lines together and to the perimeter of your stone. Plus you need to decide if there will be a shadow line around your center diamond or do you want the outer stones to visually connect to the center - or not - this will affect the size of the melee. Then double and triple check your math with a good jeweler!!! I suspect you will be using 10 x 25-30 pointers. That is going to be a big heavy diamond ring AND WILL BE AWESOME!!

Have you seen this thread? https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-diamond-cluster-rings.228853/page-9

Thank you, @lydial and @dreamer_dachsie !!! I was terrible in math and geometry, so this is most helpful! My paperwork is in the safe, but I think the size of my OEC is closer to 9mm, so it sounds like 30 pointers might be the way to go. If I am roughly understanding the math correctly, the total carat weight of the surrounding stones should be the same (or slightly more) as the weight of the center stone. Does that sound right? I am hoping to use 10 stones, so I'll need to get a jeweler to confirm the geometry. But if I used ten .30ct (roughly 4.3 mm) stones for the surround, my total would be 3 ctw for a 2.7 carat center. That sounds right, yes?

The thread you sent is so helpful, and I noticed one of my inspiration images was included... @mrs-b referenced it as "the holy grail of cluster rings" I love that!! I think I found the original link to this "holy grail" here - https://blog.eriebasin.com/post/1671883169/1900s-edwardian-diamond-cluster-ring-sold and the specs say it has a 0.87ct European Cut Diamond Center, ~1.80ct Total (so .93mm total for the surrounding stones)... This confirms my ratio! It is listed as a 1900s Edwardian Diamond Cluster Ring in Platinum and 18K Gold. SO beautiful... I wish I could find pictures of the side on this one!!


The "holy grail" cluster ring

Also from the cluster thread... @imdoubler posted her ring which has a 6.4mm OEC Center and the 8 side stones are ~4mm OEC..... so roughly a 1 carat center with 2ctw (8 x .25ct) for the surround, I think? That would be a 2 to 1 ratio, hmmm???? My brain is starting to fry. Here are @imdoubler 's original threats on her beautiful antique ring. It is really pretty with 8 side stones too!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/so-i-got-the-cluster-ring.225728/

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/camellia-my-flower-cluster-oec-ring.227564/



@lydial , in answer to your question... I do not want a shadow line (bezel?) around any of the diamonds... I want the outer stones to visually connect to the center with prongs like in the "holy grail" ring.

@mrs-b has some beautiful clusters, I would love her opinion on this project as well! I see she used and highly recommended David Klass for hers. Thoughts?

 

[VintageJAlltheWay]

I am so honored to be your first post, Welcome! Your ring is absolutely STUNNING!!! I cannot believe it was going to be scrapped! How wonderful that you were able to save it and give it new life. A beautiful ring, and a beautiful story!

ahhhh thank you SO much! I can't wait to see what you create!

 

[EC8]

What an exciting project!!!
Saw an OMC cluster ring on Lang’s website, has similar specs to what you are thinking about - item # is
10-1-11919

 

[scarsmum]

Here’s what it would look like with .40’s. It sounds like you would want to squeeze a couple more i there for a denser look so maybe .30’s?
http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/the-marguerite-halo-setting/

 

[CharlotteYork]

What an exciting project!!!
Saw an OMC cluster ring on Lang’s website, has similar specs to what you are thinking about - item # is
10-1-11919

Thank you @scarsmum and @EC8 !! Interesting, the Lang ring also has a 2+ to 1 ratio (6.09 ctw with 2.47 center)... That is definitely the look I am going for!

 

[mrs-b]

Here’s what it would look like with .40’s. It sounds like you would want to squeeze a couple more i there for a denser look so maybe .30’s?
http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/the-marguerite-halo-setting/

The halo stones in this ring are 4mm, not .4ct. So they're about .25ct each. .4 would be markedly bigger.

I think every day about turning my 3 stone into a 9 stone cluster, using the 2 x .62ct stones that are currently sides, and getting 6 more. The ring, all up, would then be slightly over 8 ctw, with a diameter of 20.3mm. My current cluster with the sapphire center, is roughly 17mm, and I have plenty of room on that to go larger. Like you, I like a BIG ring.

BTW, that ring was made by Steven Kirsch, not DKJ. His work is lovely, but so is DKJs, so it comes down to price for me and with whom I get along best.