A home for my red diamond!

[periwinklegirl]

After much back and forth (and helpful advice from CSers), I think I'm getting closer to a design for setting my red diamond. I had originally wanted a cluster ring like LD's, but my jeweler (and LD!) pointed out that it would look small on my hand, since my side stones are only 5 pointers and not tens. And I'm a size 9, so it wouldn't have much presence.

So here is what my jeweler has come up with instead.
The centre will be my 0.40 red diamond, the petals will be white 5 pointers and the shoulder "leaf" side stones will be green diamonds!
The proportions aren't quite right in this cad, so I've asked her to do it for me again. But this gives you the idea.

 

[Niel]

that is going to be rediculously blingtastic

 

[periwinklegirl]

that is going to be ridiculously blingtastic

Thanks so much!

My centre stone isn't nearly as big as the one in her cad.

Here's the new cad, with a smaller centre stone. I still want a plain shank though.

 

[maccers]

I can't wait to see how it turns out! It's so unique! Good for you for going with the red diamond!

 

[periwinklegirl]

Thanks. I've had it for a long time. Just finally getting around to getting it set.

 

[Rosebloom]

That will be awesome! I love jewelry with floral motif.

 

[periwinklegirl]

That will be awesome! I love jewelry with floral motif.

Thanks! Me too.

I've been trying to think how to make the side stones look more like leaves. I thought about having them set in yellow gold instead of white.
Not sure though. Maybe the green diamonds will be enough. They're a nice bright spring green.

 

[periwinklegirl]

that is going to be rediculously blingtastic

I'm going to threadjack my own thread:

Nielseel, I keep forgetting to ask you, did you get your asscher coloured stone?

Have you seen my asscher sapphire from Jim Rentfrow? (It's my holy grail thread).
He will cut lab grown rough if you ask him nicely!

 

[Niel]

that is going to be rediculously blingtastic

I'm going to threadjack my own thread:

Nielseel, I keep forgetting to ask you, did you get your asscher coloured stone?

Have you seen my asscher sapphire from Jim Rentfrow? (It's my holy grail thread).
He will cut lab grown rough if you ask him nicely!

No ugh such a frustrating story, but thanks I actually might have to contact him!

You know, I was just about to ask if that ring was going to be set in white gold or in a different color. I think yellow ad the leaves or even the whole thing might help. I wish it was colored diamonds in the cad it would help me imagine. I'm thinking I might have to Photoshop those for you so we can get a better look at it

Also, to get them to look like leaves, I wonder if maybe making them a little more fat and stubby and putting a like down the middle of that pear shapeight help, orillgrainkng

 

[periwinklegirl]

Jim is great! I'd been looking for two years before I found him. Have a look at his website, if you haven't already - Flawless Facets.

Thanks for your ideas!

I thought of milgrain too.
Yes, it's been bugging me about the cad being all white. But it would take me too long to photoshop it into colours. I can improve photos, but that's about it.
I am seriously not a yellow gold fan. I had a bunch of my stuff reset and traded in the gold. So it will be white gold, possibly yellow around the leaves. I'll ask her about milgrain.
The pear shape is a good idea too.
The green diamonds were something I hadn't about incorporating on the shoulders until just recently, so now I'm waiting for them to arrive.
So I have time to think about it all some more.

 

[Niel]

haha im glad you could read what i meant to be millgraining. Stupid phone. But yeah like maybe if the leaves had a "line" down the middle and green on either side with millgraining and green gold in the leaves? just an idea

 

[marcy]

Your ring will be beautiful.

 

[periwinklegirl]

haha im glad you could read what i meant to be millgraining. Stupid phone. But yeah like maybe if the leaves had a "line" down the middle and green on either side with millgraining and green gold in the leaves? just an idea

Right now the design just calls for two small (2mm) green in each shoulder. I'm thinking about increasing it to three - one larger and two smaller, but not sure if that will fit. The jeweler did say they have to be the same size.

Like on the band in this pic, but only three, then plain shank. Gypsy's emerald ring made me think of it. Can't seem to find a pic of that either!

Yellow gold with milgraining maybe to emphasize the leaves.



Had a crazy thought about the petals.Off to see if I can find the pic again.

Here's a pic of Gypsy's ring. Not the best shot, but you get the idea.

 

[periwinklegirl]

Your ring will be beautiful.

Thank you!

I'm really hoping this one will come out well. The last two projects have been complete busts!

 

[periwinklegirl]

Green diamonds arrived today! Yay!

I wish I could visualize how all the colours would look together, but my photoshopping skills aren't up to it without me spending a ton of time.
Will have to wait for the finished product, I suppose!

 

[periwinklegirl]

Here's the latest incarnation. Of course, now that I have decided to have double leaves on each side, I've had to order more green diamonds. So now I'm waiting for them to arrive. I'm going to have two shades of green on each side, one for each leaf.

I had considered three leaves on each side, similar to Neatfreak's lovely setting, but in the end my jeweler and I agreed that it would be too busy with everything else going on in this ring. Also, I think they would be somewhat hidden down the shank. And I do prefer a plain shank, it makes the setting float a little.

And I've decided to do it all in white gold.

Thoughts?

 

[Niel]

Very pretty. The extra leaf to me makes it look more like a flower to me, my only thought is that the shank looks a bit thick for me. But of that's what you're going for then stick with it. It'll really be something special.

 

[periwinklegirl]

Very pretty. The extra leaf to me makes it look more like a flower to me, my only thought is that the shank looks a bit thick for me. But of that's what you're going for then stick with it. It'll really be something special.

Oh great! I was hoping that the leaves would add more of a floral element.

I agree that the shank looks thick. I'm going to ask her to make it thinner. I think a narrower shank emphasizes the shape of the leaves. I'm thinking about 2mm wide. I love how Neatfreak's looks!
I asked my jeweler about milgraining the edges of the leaves and she thought it would look too busy.

What do you think?

 

[Niel]

I'm fairly certain millgrianing is added at the end, so you could leave it off for now and if you think it needs it later maybe add it?


I think it might benefit from everything just being a tad smaller? I think that could be accomplished two ways, un bezeling the halo or making the points in the bezel halo a little smaller (like that blue ring you posted). I only suggest that because as it is now, the whole ring is the focal point, verses the stone as the focal point and the floral detail as the accent.

BUT If you like that its more of a fashion ring, then leave it. Its all just a matter of what look you are going for I think.

But yeah the band I agree would look great at like 2mm

 

[Niel]

heres a good picture of what i meant by smaller bezel melee

 

[periwinklegirl]

I'm fairly certain millgrianing is added at the end, so you could leave it off for now and if you think it needs it later maybe add it?


I think it might benefit from everything just being a tad smaller? I think that could be accomplished two ways, un bezeling the halo or making the points in the bezel halo a little smaller (like that blue ring you posted). I only suggest that because as it is now, the whole ring is the focal point, verses the stone as the focal point and the floral detail as the accent.

BUT If you like that its more of a fashion ring, then leave it. Its all just a matter of what look you are going for I think.

But yeah the band I agree would look great at like 2mm

Thanks Niel!

I think you're right and that milgraining can be added at the end.

The size of the stones is fixed, because I'm using stones I already have (recycling my old wedding band). And there actually isn't a bezel around the centre or the "petals", they are all going to be prong set (the petals will be shared prong).
It's my impression that CADs usually look a little clunky compared to the real thing.

But I will talk to her and see if it can be made to look a little more delicate.

Love the ring you posted!

 

[Niel]

oh! ok, yeah if it not bezeled then i think itll be nice, i think its just the way the CADS are it looks like there is metal around them. you are right, cads do look a lot more bulky than they are

if the halo is going to look like this, i love it! i an totally imagine there being leaves on this, and i like it a lot.

 

[Niel]

not a great photo but i was googling and saw this, thought id pass it along

 

[periwinklegirl]

Pretty! Thanks so much!
Where did you find that? That's very much what I have on mind.
It's really helpful to see the colours!
I've got to get started with Gimp and change the colours on my cad!!!
I know it would make a big difference to see it with the real colours.

Here they are!

 

[Niel]

some random website when i was googling something completely different, so i dont know how i found it. yeah i think a nice coloring might really help imagine it. I thought that twisty vine like shank really added to the look, even if it stays a plain shank like youre going

 

[evergreen]

Noodling around a little with Photoshop this afternoon.. It's a wee bit less blue than your red but hopefully helps!

 

[periwinklegirl]

Wow!!Evergreen, thanks so much! That's fantastic!

Now I can really see the colours and picture how it will look!

Thank you!!!

 

[Niel]

Oh I like it. Kind of makes me wish I could see the leaves and shank in yellow gold. Just for a comparison. Maybe I'll do that

 

[periwinklegirl]

Oh I like it. Kind of makes me wish I could see the leaves and shank in yellow gold. Just for a comparison. Maybe I'll do that

Hi Niel,
Just realized I never answered you! Two things about the yellow gold:

first, I can't stand it, reminds me of my first wedding set (and my first husband ),

second, it adds substantially to the cost of the setting, as it's a second pour.

So no go for me on the yellow gold. But my green diamonds are pretty green. I think they'll hold their own without any yellow to enhance them. But thanks so much for the thought!

I'm surprised at how much the cs people were all pushing the white diamond leaves! Where's the love for coloured stones?!

 

[Niel]

haha yeah i thought that was weird too. Im not sure they get it. I mean, if you were going to try and really emphasize the red diamond, id understand just going white, but i think your going more for a statement piece, so the green is nice. i did like there idea if trimming everything down though. and using the leaves as if they were a split shank.

and i understand about the YG. Im just in love with it. But thats ok, ive got my own yellow gold ring coming