5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom settings

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

And a couple of closeups of the workmanship - the milgrain is incredibly fine and even, the texture changes are symmetric and precise, the interiors are beautifully polished...

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Thank you DS!

Acinom, Packy - So... after deciding to put the yellow zircon into my three-stone... I'm going to be taking the RDG re-set very, very slowly. Fortunately Erika indicated that she'd be willing to hang onto the setting for a few more months whilst I figure out where I'm going with it!

For the past couple of weeks I've been set on "peachy" and "preferably glowy as opposed to sparkly", but I want to give it a few more weeks before committing to colour or personality. If "peachy" and "glowy" stick around my best options are probably sunstone, sleepy spinel, or unheated sapphire - possibly tourmaline? And then there's finding a lapidary who has/can source material that could cut a stone of the size I'd need... baby steps!!

 

[Rockinruby]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

New camera... couldn't resist taking new pics...



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Beautiful! Love the new photos!

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

How can you stand it, Yssie?! These settings are so so so perfect. I love the brushed finish. I would not be wearing it, but holding it and staring at it all day. Those prongs with the millgrain are like dragon claws. ***sigh***

So inspirational. I have to focus on the upgrades that I will wear all the time. I have to say. As huge as your new studs are, they look normal and perfect on your ears. Meaning that they are not obnoxiously big. (Bummer, gotta work toward obnoxiousness...)

Yes, I definitely think 2 cts/ear are not TOO big. Phew...

 

[_lovesvintage_]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Thanks for the new photos. Yeah... the details are a perfect complement to these gorgeous diamonds.

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Thank you Rockin, _lv_!! A month in and I still can't quite believe *I* own *these* - I'm taking it as a good sign

LLJ - Oh my goodness, I had a perturbing realisation today - I have hardly any diamonds left!! I rehomed a fair number of pieces and loose stones, and now I have these studs, my eternity, my DBTY, and... anything else is melee!

I love these earrings and I wish I'd done it sooner. Like, 2010 sort of sooner, back in the price dip. I will say, though, that I really do miss having a ring with a centerstone... I'll be very glad to have my RDG back!! I love jewellery but I don't love wearing jewellery, if you know what I mean? ...Just knowing that it's there waiting to be admired... really, though, I wind up fiddling with rings and bracelets - and then getting annoyed with the fiddling and just taking everything off. And putting it all in a box so I'm not distracted all day.
Which of course explains (away!?) my participation in the Perlee Procurement Programme, y'know. (And yeah, I just gave myself brownie points for the alliteration... 'cause it's been that sort of day, good grief )

Hah, they DO look COMPLETELY normal to me now! They definitely aren't Huge anymore, and they aren't even really Big - just very comfortably normal! They ain't kidding about this DSS thing, I tell ya'

2ct per ear? I think that would be quite an excellent size your 1ct stones already look LARGE in your earlobes

 

[packrat]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Ugh I need to not even look in here to see if there's more pictures dangit. I want to holler at Erika any time she posts something on FB b/c her finishes and milgrain just make my heart hurt they're so beautiful. I tell myself that I shouldn't spend such money on a ring that isn't my ering, I didn't spend a lot on my opal pendant, and the opal has such a history and meaning to it, so why should I spend a lot on a rhr? Buuuut then I see her work and I shake my fists at the screen and yell ARGH you are so beautiful!

I'm really excited about your RDG project-have you narrowed down any stones or are you just still perusing and seeing if that's still the color you're wanting?

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Ugh I need to not even look in here to see if there's more pictures dangit. I want to holler at Erika any time she posts something on FB b/c her finishes and milgrain just make my heart hurt they're so beautiful. I tell myself that I shouldn't spend such money on a ring that isn't my ering, I didn't spend a lot on my opal pendant, and the opal has such a history and meaning to it, so why should I spend a lot on a rhr? Buuuut then I see her work and I shake my fists at the screen and yell ARGH you are so beautiful!

I'm really excited about your RDG project-have you narrowed down any stones or are you just still perusing and seeing if that's still the color you're wanting?

Yes!! And all the new variants on her original designs - I keep thinking it can't get better and then it does!

And yeah, I honestly do know exactly what you mean re. mind-clean spending priorities... I guess with these earrings I finally got the point of being able to rationalise (or avoid rationalising?) just saying "to heck with it" - and I'm really very glad I stopped myself from going through the usual constraint assignment exercises because I never would have gone this route had I done that. And... I feel like I paid for perfection and I truly *got* perfection!! And goodness knows I can nitpick with the best of them! Working with Erika was such a pleasant and painless experience, and then actually getting everything I'd hoped for...

The RDG - oh my goodness, there was the PERFECT stone on Gene's site - it probably lasted thirty seconds; I didn't even see it until several days after it had sold. A peachy tourmaline, exactly the right size, $600. I'm planning to let this project simmer on the burner for a couple of months... if PERFECT turns up again in some other incarnation, great, if not I'll start looking for someone to cut me something then. I confess I'm sorta hoping peachy has a cousin...

What's the latest with your yellow?

 

[packrat]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Ugh I need to not even look in here to see if there's more pictures dangit. I want to holler at Erika any time she posts something on FB b/c her finishes and milgrain just make my heart hurt they're so beautiful. I tell myself that I shouldn't spend such money on a ring that isn't my ering, I didn't spend a lot on my opal pendant, and the opal has such a history and meaning to it, so why should I spend a lot on a rhr? Buuuut then I see her work and I shake my fists at the screen and yell ARGH you are so beautiful!

I'm really excited about your RDG project-have you narrowed down any stones or are you just still perusing and seeing if that's still the color you're wanting?

Yes!! And all the new variants on her original designs - I keep thinking it can't get better and then it does!

And yeah, I honestly do know exactly what you mean re. mind-clean spending priorities... I guess with these earrings I finally got the point of being able to rationalise (or avoid rationalising?) just saying "to heck with it" - and I'm really very glad I stopped myself from going through the usual constraint assignment exercises because I never would have gone this route had I done that. And... I feel like I paid for perfection and I truly *got* perfection!! And goodness knows I can nitpick with the best of them! Working with Erika was such a pleasant and painless experience, and then actually getting everything I'd hoped for...

The RDG - oh my goodness, there was the PERFECT stone on Gene's site - it probably lasted thirty seconds; I didn't even see it until several days after it had sold. A peachy tourmaline, exactly the right size, $600. I'm planning to let this project simmer on the burner for a couple of months... if PERFECT turns up again in some other incarnation, great, if not I'll start looking for someone to cut me something then. I confess I'm sorta hoping peachy has a cousin...

What's the latest with your yellow?

I hope that peachy has a cousin as well!

Ugh, the yellow hasn't gone any farther. I waffle b/c I love the setting it's in, I just wish it were gold instead of silver. At the time my plan was to go less expensive b/c I'd planned to have a ton of rhr's..now I don't. And I could recreate the setting w/gold, but then I think well heck, why not just start over w/a whole new look? I've got a few ideas rolling around in my head for design, so it's just a matter of telling myself it's ok to spend a lot more than I did on my ering and then actually scrape the money together! I could maybe get a sim of some sort for the setting it's in and use it as a travel ring..like I ever travel more than to the grocery store..but maybe someday ha! Mom did tell London she's taking us to Australia in a couple years so I'm holding out hope...

 

[kgizo]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Wowza!! One of a kind and absolutely gorgeous. They look so beautiful on you!

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

kgizo Thank you!!

Ugh I need to not even look in here to see if there's more pictures dangit. I want to holler at Erika any time she posts something on FB b/c her finishes and milgrain just make my heart hurt they're so beautiful. I tell myself that I shouldn't spend such money on a ring that isn't my ering, I didn't spend a lot on my opal pendant, and the opal has such a history and meaning to it, so why should I spend a lot on a rhr? Buuuut then I see her work and I shake my fists at the screen and yell ARGH you are so beautiful!

I'm really excited about your RDG project-have you narrowed down any stones or are you just still perusing and seeing if that's still the color you're wanting?

Yes!! And all the new variants on her original designs - I keep thinking it can't get better and then it does!

And yeah, I honestly do know exactly what you mean re. mind-clean spending priorities... I guess with these earrings I finally got the point of being able to rationalise (or avoid rationalising?) just saying "to heck with it" - and I'm really very glad I stopped myself from going through the usual constraint assignment exercises because I never would have gone this route had I done that. And... I feel like I paid for perfection and I truly *got* perfection!! And goodness knows I can nitpick with the best of them! Working with Erika was such a pleasant and painless experience, and then actually getting everything I'd hoped for...

The RDG - oh my goodness, there was the PERFECT stone on Gene's site - it probably lasted thirty seconds; I didn't even see it until several days after it had sold. A peachy tourmaline, exactly the right size, $600. I'm planning to let this project simmer on the burner for a couple of months... if PERFECT turns up again in some other incarnation, great, if not I'll start looking for someone to cut me something then. I confess I'm sorta hoping peachy has a cousin...

What's the latest with your yellow?

I hope that peachy has a cousin as well!

Ugh, the yellow hasn't gone any farther. I waffle b/c I love the setting it's in, I just wish it were gold instead of silver. At the time my plan was to go less expensive b/c I'd planned to have a ton of rhr's..now I don't. And I could recreate the setting w/gold, but then I think well heck, why not just start over w/a whole new look? I've got a few ideas rolling around in my head for design, so it's just a matter of telling myself it's ok to spend a lot more than I did on my ering and then actually scrape the money together! I could maybe get a sim of some sort for the setting it's in and use it as a travel ring..like I ever travel more than to the grocery store..but maybe someday ha! Mom did tell London she's taking us to Australia in a couple years so I'm holding out hope...

I prefer yellow stones in yellow metals too - stones can't help reflect their settings somewhat, I think, and yellow-on-yellow in combinations in particular seem to feed off each other If you love the current setting, though... well, that's a pretty good argument for just replacing it with YG instead of taking the plunge with something new and possibly-not-as-awesome... dilemma!!

I really, really don't think you should feel at all bad spending 'more' or 'less' on this piece than any other! Though - I know that's easy to say, and easy to logically defend, and quite a bit more complex emotionally. You really *aren't* dishonouring your Ering by spending more on another piece... but I've been there and I know that it can definitely feel that way. So I guess I'll just be crass and say that I hope you resolve it in the way I hope because I really want to see what you're thinking

Coloured gems... scare me still! I know just enough to be dangerous. It's funny: I'm so comfortable with diamonds - I can pick 'em, nitpick 'em, and yak about 'em with anyone, and I'm completely confident that I know exactly what I want and what I'm looking at. CSs, though, I definitely don't have that same confidence and that makes buying them more than a bit nerve-wracking! I can't seem to get past worrying that I'm about to make an expensive mistake - my reset quote for this setting is limited to ONE, so even a perfectly nice "learner stone" that I don't love forever and ever and ever would be a mistake

 

[Stone Hunter]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

BEAUTIFUL!

Near perfect match for the stones and the settings are so detailed and lovely. Congrats!

 

[packrat]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Right now it's in two tone w/yg around the stone and the rest is silver and it's a semi bezel. It's a conglomeration of two settings I liked so I put them together-so then I'm kina partial to it also b/c it was my very first attempt at anything custom, so I'd have to keep it and put something else in it. I'm back and forth between bezel/semi bezel, and prongs, spending my nights when I can't sleep, working on designs in my head. I had a random trail of thought that veered off into a different design the other night and I remember thinking, right before I fell asleep, where in the world did that come from? I don't even know if it's possible to do.

I think colored stones are hard too. Everyone has preferred colors, and some of what I like isn't necessarily top color. Plus, it's hard to find *the* color, depending on what you're looking for. And if you find it, and it's your holy grail color, then you gotta hope like hell nothing happens to it b/c you might never find that color again! Really, my chryso would be about irreplaceable to me, b/c I've never been able to recreate this color-and I've tried, w/two yellow garnets and three or four other chrysos. My avc's, I could get another L and two M's anytime. The chryso tho, that color to me is...it's visceral, how much I love it.

 

[packrat]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

I messaged you on FB. Wasn't sure if you get on there much or not.

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Stone Hunter Thank you! I'm still completely amazed that I found that matching stone, and so quickly!
Another MRB I was looking at at the time - beautiful, but not as perfectly matched - is still available, and is actually ~10% less now... I was originally planning to buy around this time of year and when I saw that I wondered for maybe half a minute if I shouldn't have waited after all, instead of jumping when I did, but... I truly don't think I'd ever have taken the risk of losing that particular stone!! No regrets

Packy Responded!

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

New pretties for these pretties

The pearls are peachy baroque freshwaters from Mimi Favre on Etsy. They're beautiful - very colourful IRL!! I couldn't photograph the colour play at all, though... pearl photography is not my forte. Mimi was great to work with - she was forthright about the condition of the pearls and pros and cons of one pair over another, and she answered my questions very quickly and made the changes I'd wanted in record time
https://www.etsy.com/shop/FavreBijoux

I asked her to remove the original earwires and add a length of chain with two jump rings instead. The chain is ~3.5cm I prefer it doubled and shorter.

 

[yssie]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett



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[sparkle_zo]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

So extraordinary!

 

[pencilcase]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Yssie- Those are STUNNING! Double whammy with the diamonds and pearls. Please do post these on the pearl threads- I know the other ladies would love to see these.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

OH. WOW...

 

[Abby12]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

$&?#!
These are making me NEED bling. Gorgeous!

 

[cokitty]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Great size, just right for your ears!

 

[grateful4life]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

OH...MY...GOSH! Now I need 5 ctw studs and drop pearls!!! These are to die for!

 

[Skhii]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Hi Yssie, thank you for taking the time to take gorgeous photos and write a detailed thread about your custom Erika Winters project! If you have some time, would you mind answering some questions?

Why did decide to choose 950Pt/Ru over white gold for your earrings? Are there great advantages and disadvantages for choosing one or the other?

Erika Winters has a form to contact her on her website, but it sounds like you contacted Grace to start your custom order. Was there a reason for that?

Thanks so much! You studs are really a work of art, and I love that you included photos of the packaging!

 

[athenaworth]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

Good lord how freaking gorgeous! Can I have your jewels and your perfect ears? Kthnxbye!

 

[PierreBear]

Re: 5.4ctw studs!! Erika Winters/Jewels by Grace custom sett

So beautiful! Thank you for sharing the pictures and the stories. I find it so precious that you can tell the difference between the two stones. Crafted for, you, specifically to enjoy!

 

[yssie]

@sparkle_zo, @pencilcase, @LLJsmom, @Abby12, @cokitty, @grateful4life, @Skhii, @athenaworth, @PierreBear - A philosophical question for those still active here: Does “Thank you!!” still count if it’s three to four years late? Or maybe a better question - how much does a "Thank you" devalue per year?

It's almost 2020, and these studs are still my most-used jewels, and I still have no thoughts of upgrading


@Skhii I do want to answer a couple of your questions, albeit very very late!

I chose platinum over white gold because I wanted to guarantee they'd be hypoallergenic - I share them with my nearest and dearest. Some of those women do have metal sensitivities but all can wear almost-pure platinum and stainless steel without issue! If this hadn't been a concern I'd have chosen 18k Pd/WG to cut every bit of weight possible

I've worked with Erika several times since having these made and all my experiences have been wonderful!! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her - she's an incredibly talented designer, a fantastic communicator, and has an exceptional bench


I had a couple of photos removed from a prior post - reattaching this one

 

[maita13]

@yssie, these earrings are spectacular!! That size earrings is on my wish list. Someday...

I must say that the setting details are truly impressive. In fact, it would also look great as a solitaire setting, I think. The details are just sublime. I'm not surprised they're the most used piece of jewelry.
I'd wear those too every single day.

Thanks for sharing. Your collection is enviable. Wear them in good health always.

 

[gregchang35]

Ah- May-zing!!

Awesome staples!!!

Well done on design- as per your other pieces- wonderful!!

 

[LLJsmom]

I loved rereading this thread. These studs are beyond amazing, especially having had a chance to see them IRL. (Yeah, I’m name dropping.). Studs seems like an inadequate word for them. They are stunning. I COULD NOT stop staring at them. I am so happy for you that you are still loving them. You’ve attained your goal earrings.