A shocking twist! Fanboy goes with Leon . . . and a halo!!

[JulieA]

Fanboy-
I am new to this site and was sort of scared to ask advice after reading your agonizing trail of posts! I am a bit of a perfectionist and over analyzer too. Regulars seemed ready to kick you out of the forums with your indecisiveness! But it seems so worth it. All the advice from PS is fantastic and I am seriously psyched for you that a decision finally was made. You seem so content with your final choice and that is what is most important. All of your choices were going to produce beautiful rings-- but now you have piece of mind and that is priceless. I can''t wait to see pictures!

 

[Harriet]

Good. Now can we have the $5k in consultation fees?

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 6/25/2007 6:40:57 PM
Author: Harriet
Good. Now can we have the $5k in consultation fees?

OMG, LOL

 

[surfgirl]

Just goes to show...sometimes the best things are those which are tried and true...though I''m a little shocked that you''re going with, how did you call it? "Made to measure?" Shocking I tell you! Simply shocking!

A humble surf has bespoken.

 

[decodelighted]

No milgrain -- cool. Sounds clean & modern while staying classic & perfectly flattering to such an amazing stone. I can''t wait to see it when it''s done.

Date: 6/25/2007 6:27:31 PM
Author: JulieA
Regulars seemed ready to kick you out of the forums with your indecisiveness!

To JulieA -- don''t be skeered. We''ve had much more *indecisive* people around these parts. I think part of the frustration that started to build with Fanboy (sorry Fanboy) was that he was asking questions we couldn''t answer. We just didn''t have the knowledge or experience or basis for comparison ... whereas HE DID. He was the only one who''d seen Taffin & Mege rings *in person*!! Usually people end up feeling helpful - feeling like they can contribute ... this one left many eager helpers, um, impotent.

 

[angeline]

Whoaahhh, you sure know how to keep us on our toes! Congratulations, sounds like you''re really happy with your decision and with Leon. I CANNOT wait to see the end result. And it''s nice to have the extra to do something special with the wedding rings etc..

a

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Well I kinda just lurked during the exciting phase of this story (I hate conflict) but I can come out now and say congratulations on making the decision. Money is money and $5K left for something else is great especially when you know Leon can deliver a beautiful ring. I live vicariously through these decisions, so thank your for letting me have some fun.I love the idea of a halo!

 

[fanboy]

Date: 6/25/2007 7:41:35 PM
Author: HappyAnniversary
Money is money and $5K left for something else is great especially when you know Leon can deliver a beautiful ring. I live vicariously through these decisions, so thank your for letting me have some fun.I love the idea of a halo!

Unfortunately, it appears it''s going to cost quite a bit more than $5k. All the options and such add a hefty premium; I won''t know exactly how much until Leon e-mails me.

 

[risingsun]

Congrats on your decision. Now you need to talk with Leon about the wedding ring

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Congrats! I am sure that it will be stunning!

 

[iheartscience]

Ooh, forgot to say that I''m glad you decided against milgrain. I think it''s going to look so clean!

 

[cutey TT]

It''s going to look beautiful! So glad to hear that you and Leon were totally on the same page.

Don''t forget about us in August!

 

[pyramid]

fanboy, glad to here you are getting your diamond set and are happy with your decision. Can''t wait to see it if you are able to post pictures.

 

[omieluv]

I am so glad that you and Leon were able to connect on a creative level and no, I am not shocked that you went with him. Though you were leaning heavily toward Taffin, I figured that once you talked with Leon, you would be swayed, given all of the praise his former clients have provided on this forum. I am shocked that you are going with a halo!

 

[Gypsy]

Can''t wait to see it. Is it going to be prong set (and what type of prongs) or bezel set?

 

[fanboy]

Omieluv: I'm shocked I'm going with a halo too. It's not so much I like or dislike halos in general; it just seemed that a halo was particularly suitable to this stone. It guarantees that the shape of the Asscher won't be lost in translation.

Gypsy: I'm doing double eagle claw prongs. Leon and I had a short debate over how to space them. He suggested putting one claw at each corner of the diamond, but I wanted to keep them paired up at the cut corners. Anybody have a preference either way?

Also, Leon suggested doing 8 stems instead of 4, one at each corner. I went with 4 because I thought 8 might make the side profile seem too crowded. However, 8 does have a magic feel to it. It just so happens it's a lucky number in Chinese superstition. 8 sides, 8 prongs . . . 8 stems?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I''d put a lot of trust in Leon''s opinions. I like the idea of a halo on an asscher since they face up smaller anyway.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 6/26/2007 2:00:39 PM
Author: fanboy
Leon and I had a short debate over how to space them. He suggested putting one claw at each corner of the diamond, but I wanted to keep them paired up at the cut corners. Anybody have a preference either way?

Weeeeeelll. Since you *asked*

... I''m intriqued by the idea of eight tiny prongs just covering the points of the asscher WITHIN the halo. I didn''t like it for Gypsy''s solitaire but within a pave halo, it could look like the tiny beads they used to use to hold stone into settings & almost dissapear - PLUS they''d protect the sharp corners. Hmmmmm. Guess I can''t truly picture either version because I can''t yet visualize the airline & how that relates to what is holding the stone versus the halo.

I do believe Leon has a great eye though -- I bet if he started down one path & then wasn''t happy with it, he''d switch to whatever worked best (rather than his own original idea).

 

[fanboy]

Well, in my opinion, when the claws are disbursed to each corner of the stone, they are less visible, but also make the stone appear more rounded since they cover up the corners. On the other hand, when the claws are paired up, they are more visible, but the diamond more distinctively maintains its shape.

In my calculus, that makes for a draw. However, as a subjective matter, I prefer the look of double claws when you do spot them, and paired in such a configuration they correspond perfectly with the four stems connecting the halo to the gallery. If we separated the claws and put them in the corners, then the eight-stem format might work better.

 

[Gypsy]

Have you seen Lovely's Leon? Lovey's side view with the eight instead of the four. I prefer the eight myself, especially for stability.

It has the claw prongs on her asscher halo like the ones you are describing. No airline though and it has milgrain... But let me see if I can find a pick.

 

[fanboy]

Gypsey, isn''t Lovey''s ring showing an airline? Or am I totally wrong about what an airline is . . .

 

[Gypsy]

It's kind of hard to tell, there may be one... but that milgrain right along the stone makes it difficult to say for sure.

This is what I would refer to as an airline... although, granted this one is exagerrated a bit.

 

[omieluv]

Date: 6/26/2007 2:00:39 PM
Author: fanboy
Omieluv: I''m shocked I''m going with a halo too. It''s not so much I like or dislike halos in general; it just seemed that a halo was particularly suitable to this stone. It guarantees that the shape of the Asscher won''t be lost in translation.

I was shocked because you had originally wanted a simple style and you were afraid of mirroring an antique style. It appears that you and Leon think more alike than you had thought, or Leon''s perspective along with your own created a wonderful synergy, resulting in a variety of new ideas for Leon to consider.

You mention in a previous post in this thread that Leon has not created a setting quite like the one he is envisioning for you, so I am assuming you will take comfort in the fact that your end result will not be from your attempts to replicate an antique setting, rather, will result from a blending of creative ideas from both parties. Judging from the photo''s that Gypsy just posted, I think the halo will enhance your stone, which is what DiamondSeeker was eluding to in a previous post and what I am sure Leon was thinking as well. You are going to end up with a setting that will reflect the craftsmanship and design a talented artist along with your contributions, which we are ALL excited to see!

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 6/26/2007 3:07:26 PM
Author: fanboy
isn't Lovey's ring showing an airline? Or am I totally wrong about what an airline is . . .

I see an airline ... a very subtle one, which is my preference. I do like the eight stems better than I *thought* I would -- always liked the *idea*. Could go either way on the prongs.

Wish I could remember whether Lovey's is a 1.5 or a 2.0 carat-wise ... it could be pretty close to your finished product, Fanboy -- as her asscher is very stop-signed RA in shape, if not a true RA (also can't remember for sure).

 

[fanboy]

Date: 6/26/2007 3:09:05 PM
Author: Gypsy
It''s kind of hard to tell, there may be one... but that milgrain right along the stone makes it difficult to say for sure.

This is what I would refer to as an airline... although, granted this one is exagerrated a bit.

Whoah, that''s not what I had in mind. I had in mind barely a sliver of space . . . maybe I''m better off without an airline at all.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I hink Lovey''s ring is perfection as an asscher halo! I love the tiny airline and the 8 supports and the placement of the claw prongs!

 

[Gypsy]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cant-stop-smiling-story-of-a-man-with-a-square-emerald-leon.24458/

Here''s Lovey''s thread (has other pics in it too) and it is an H color 1.5 ish stone.

 

[fanboy]

Date: 6/26/2007 3:20:29 PM
Author: omieluv

I was shocked because you had originally wanted a simple style and you were afraid of mirroring an antique style. It appears that you and Leon think more alike than you had thought, or Leon''s perspective along with your own created a wonderful synergy, resulting in a variety of new ideas for Leon to consider.

Well, I don''t really care if a certain design feature was used in the past or is incidentally associated with a certain time period. I am simply against trying to do something for the sake of looking antique. I only care if the form is straightforward and simple. Sure, the halo adds another feature to the ring, but it has a legitimate aesthetic function, and the number of parts necessary to create it are no more than needed.

Another thing to consider with the number of stems: the stems will be covered in pave, so the eight-stem format shown above without pave is not entirely representative. The stems on the ring I''m making will be slightly thicker, hence my fear of over-crowding.

 

[decodelighted]

This pix is great for size reference on the hand & to show what it might look like to *others*.

I think a delicate, fine, fine airline is going to be PERFECTION. It''ll allow just a bit more light into the stone, give it a vaguely floating quality, while also plumping up the face up size impression of the whole ring just a smidge. MANY functions for an airline. Oh how I know you appreciate a good "function", Fanboy!

 

[fanboy]

Date: 6/26/2007 4:00:29 PM
Author: decodelighted
This pix is great for size reference on the hand & to show what it might look like to *others*.

I'm very excited about the halo's enlargening effect. I've never known a girl to want a smaller diamond than the one she's got.