Acinom's Adventures - 2016 edition

[Acinom]

lilmosun:
Well it's a very good advice to space projects out instead of going cold turkey.
Is your Paraiba project still in the works? What are your other projects?

 

[lilmosun]

So glad you appreciate the shared humor in our attempts to contain our ban efforts....sometimes things don't come across on-line as intended. I have some earring and a few ring projects that I need to finish off. The paraiba/emerald pendant is still planned but I am really struggling with what I want for a design. Perhaps, I will start a thread for suggestions at some point (but need to resist opening all the threads here that might lead to more ideas/wants ).

Anyway - carry on with posting your pre-ban beauties and ideas

 

[coas222]

Wow Acinom, Your blue Zircon is absolutely stunning.! and set into such a simple and beautiful ring. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Acinom]

Love your sense of humour lilmosun
I am glad you will pursue your Paraiba project in due time. When you continue, I will make sure to sit front row to see your choices.

Thank you so much for your sweet compliment coas! Chris Auletta's selective choice in zircon's is amazing.

 

[Acinom]

PRE BAN UPDATE - TEMPTED BY FUN BRACELETS
Today I discovered these beauties by a Duch designer and I am so seriously tempted by the fun, yet stylish and effortless look...
I love how you can connect a special meaning or a special someone to each gemstone pendant. It's great as a 'mom's jewelry piece'.

 

[imdoubler]

Acinom, your collection is the stuff of my dreams! I love all your different colors and different styles of settings. This new ring is so beautiful and unique... the geometric pattern goes great with the confetti inside the stone... it looks like you're wearing a little universe on your finger.

Thank you for your kind words distracts! The stone indeed resembles a little universe. The Sunstone Iolite is one of the most fascinating stones I have ever seen.

Purple garnet ring
My purple garnet ring was in the package from Australia as well. Yay!! I love the elegant and curvy look of the ring. I have posted pics in a thread I just created on SMTB: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/radiance-alistair-kelseys-curvy-lady.223915/#post-4049575#p4049575']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/radiance-alistair-kelseys-curvy-lady.223915/#post-4049575#p4049575[/URL]

I love this purple garnet!! The setting is very nice too.

 

[Lovinggems]

I love your pre ban update Acinom.

 

[Acinom]

Imdoubler: thank you for liking my purple garnet and the setting! I love how the craftmanship and talents of Jeff White and Alistair Kelsey came together.

Lovinggems: whahaha, thank you!

 

[Acinom]

PRE BAN - A CHANGE OF DIRECTION
So... I was ready to move forward with my beautiful peacock ring. However, Greenlake Jewelry Works initially quoted around 2.000$ for the ring in platinum (1600$ for RG) excluding setting fee and as it turned out, the pricing is now 4000$ I was completely surprised as I had been in regular contact with the designer and she never mentioned a price change. After a bit of radio silence, she came back to me saying it was entirily their fault as only the metal fee and not the labor was calculated (or the other way around). They did offer a special price, but it was stil considerably higher compared to the initial quote and combined with the setting fee I felt quite trapped to be honest.

Somehow it all did not feel right and I decided to move on.
With great help of the charming mr Chris Auletta, the 'peacock zircon' is now on a long and slow trip to Australia.
No hard feelings towards Greenlake by the way! They seem to be very nice people and I love their beautiful work.

Alistair Kelsey will create a trilogy ring for me. Although I am also sad about the peacock setting, it feels right like this!! Alistair will create yet another beautiful setting for me and I am looking forward to add a trilogy ring to my ring collection.
Will keep you updated

 

[picante27]

Wow, I am so sorry Acinom! That is quite a price jump. I'm sure that Alistair Kelsey will create another fabulous ring for you. His work is just beautiful! I look forward to seeing what new design you and AK will come up with for your zircon!

 

[mochiko42]

PRE BAN - A CHANGE OF DIRECTION
So... I was ready to move forward with my beautiful peacock ring. However, Greenlake Jewelry Works initially quoted around 2.000$ for the ring in platinum (1600$ for RG) excluding setting fee and as it turned out, the pricing is now 4000$ I was completely surprised as I had been in regular contact with the designer and she never mentioned a price change. After a bit of radio silence, she came back to me saying it was entirily their fault as only the metal fee and not the labor was calculated (or the other way around). They did offer a special price, but it was stil considerably higher compared to the initial quote and combined with the setting fee I felt quite trapped to be honest.

Somehow it all did not feel right and I decided to move on.
With great help of the charming mr Chris Auletta, the 'peacock zircon' is now on a long and slow trip to Australia.
No hard feelings towards Greenlake by the way! They seem to be very nice people and I love their beautiful work.

Alistair Kelsey will create a trilogy ring for me. Although I am also sad about the peacock setting, it feels right like this!! Alistair will create yet another beautiful setting for me and I am looking forward to add a trilogy ring to my ring collection.
Will keep you updated

Glad you are moving on with this project. I'm excited to see your peacock zircon being set by Alistair as I love the other rings he's made for you. What sidestones will you use?

 

[Acinom]

Wow, I am so sorry Acinom! That is quite a price jump. I'm sure that Alistair Kelsey will create another fabulous ring for you. His work is just beautiful! I look forward to seeing what new design you and AK will come up with for your zircon!

Thank you so much picante!!! I am still grateful I could steal your beautiful design. It was quite a price jump indeed and it felt better to take a different route. My zircon is currently on a long journey from the US to Australia. Looking forward to hear Alistair's ideas.

 

[Acinom]

Thanks Mochiko!! I love working with Alistair and I love wearing the rings he created for me.
We will use diamonds as sidestones, so it's a candidate for the low cost stones in expensive settings thread.

 

[Siameseroo]

Sorry to hear that the peacock ring did not work out but I have complete faith that Alistair will create an amazing ring for you. Looking forward to seeing photos!

 

[Acinom]

Sorry to hear that the peacock ring did not work out but I have complete faith that Alistair will create an amazing ring for you. Looking forward to seeing photos!

Thank you for your kind words Siameseroo!
I just got word from Alistair Kelsey that my stone has arrived safely in Australia. He says it's a beautiful stone.
A huge thank you for Chris Auletta for coming to the rescue

Here is a pic of the peacock zircon that Alistair snapped for me:

 

[Hounddog]

It's a fabulous colour and I'm sure it will look fantastic in whichever setting you choose, all your rings are beautiful.

I hope you don't mind me asking, do you have to keep paying import taxes etc for each stage of its journey, if it's US-Australia and then finally back to you?

It's going to be an amazing ring, I can't wait to see it.

 

[Acinom]

It's a fabulous colour and I'm sure it will look fantastic in whichever setting you choose, all your rings are beautiful.

I hope you don't mind me asking, do you have to keep paying import taxes etc for each stage of its journey, if it's US-Australia and then finally back to you?

It's going to be an amazing ring, I can't wait to see it.

Thank you for your kind words Hounddog!
I always have to pay taxes/custom fees when the finished ring arrives in Europe. The amount varies wildly and depends on the value of the ring. I had to pay a few hundred Australian dollars when my purple garnet was arriving in Australia because of the value of the stone. My other stones have been lower in value so the amount is negligible. So, I do need to calculate whether it is worth it to have rings custom made abroad. Because of the high quality it has definitely been worth it.

I am awaiting Alistair's sketch for the three stone ring and curious to see the outcome.

 

[Acinom]

TRIO OF ROSE GOLD
Alistair is creating 3 rose gold stackers for me: one plain, one with diamonds and one engraved. Looking forward to see the result!
Not a colored stone, yet a colored metal project.

DESIGN FOR THE TRILOGY
I received a rough sketch for the trilogy ring that will have the peacock zircon in the center. I love the sketch!!!

 

[Hounddog]

Wow Acinom!
I think you've done it again....you have such a great eye... all four of those rings are going to be stunning.
I especially love the design of the trilogy ring

Thank you for answering my earlier question, I thought as much but wondered if maybe while the stones and settings were joining themselves across the world maybe there weren't charges...I was hoping it was only the finished product that got taxed!
I can see how it's still worth it for high quality and such beautiful rings.

I bet you can't wait to receive these new ones How exciting!

 

[SeekingClarity]

Alistair Kelsey finalised two more rings for me. Yay!!
I will take a while before I can collect them, so I will just drool on the pics he sent me. Again, Alistair did such a great job. I am looking forward to wear the rings and see them in real life.

First the classic 'Elegance' with blue zircon by Chis Auletta. I love the 6 wire prongs.

Hi Acinom,

This is such a lovely ring. Thanks to the recommendations from you and arkieb1, Alistair will start working on an engagement ring for me soon!

It is my understanding that the jeweler typically provides the melee/pave or accent stones as part of making the setting. How do you find the baguettes that Alistair has used on this ring compared to other vendor's accent diamonds?

Thanks,
SC

 

[Acinom]

That's great news SeekingClarity! Do you have any idea on the design yet? I am super excited for you. Every aspect of Alistair's work is of high quality. Like other vendors I have worked with like Victor Canera and Leon Mege, I would rate the quality of the stones as excellent. If you have any specific requirements, I would just ask Alistair.

 

[SeekingClarity]

Yep, the ring is inspired by the local design, though does not require me to waive responsibility/assume insurance risk and is also being hand made instead of cast! I will post about it once it has been completed.

That is great to hear about the baguettes, as I'm already lining up future projects with him and wasn't sure how to source the smaller type stones.

 

[Acinom]

Aww, thank you Linh and PS team for featuring my CS collection in 'Jewel of the Week'. I was so surpised to see it.
I have gained so much knowledge here on PS and got a lot of help especially from Arkieb.
Thank you! Thank you!

 

[Lovinggems]

Congratulations Acinom.
PS is very considerate, this will make searching for your threads much easier.