anyone know harry winston?

[comet-boy]

I am getting an engagement ring and visited the exclusive harry winston "salon" on 5th avenue this weekend and saw a pretty setting with 4 tapered double prongs (it had side stones but I prefer a single diamond). what I liked in particular about this was that each "half-prong" was really thin and elegantly shaped -- I''ve looked on the web for photos of other double-pronged seetings and I haven''t seen any that taper the way these did. I was previously trying to decide simply between 4- and 6-pronged standard tiffany solitaire settings, but this one seemed intriguing. if I don''t want to pay a huge premium to mr. winston and co. to buy the ring there, is there any way to copy it or at least come close? the diamond guy I''ve been working with says that the person who will do the setting for me is doing it by hand and can make anything so long as I can give him a photo or accurately describe it. does anyone know what this particular setting is called? is it a "signature" style for harry winston? is it easy/feasible to replicate?

thanks!

(this is a great site, btw)

comet-boy

 

[Mara]

Sounds like you may be talking about the 'split-prong'? I don't know if that is the official name but I have seen it attached to settings with 4 prong heads that are split into 8 small prongs...so instead of a 4 prong head you have an 8 prong baby head. Maybe it is just called 8 prong?

Anyway--I have a few pictures of styles like this at work that I found while we were looking for our setting. I really liked this style, its an old fashioned thing from the earlier 1900's, and I loved that the prongs were very unobtrusive and thin, but somehow still added a real charm to the head as opposed to the 4 prong bulkier look that so many settings seem to have while I was searching. In the end we went with a modified tulip 4 prong due to the strength...but I really liked the look of the split prong all along.

I'll post the pictures tomorrow when I get to work. In the meantime try searching on Google for 'split-prong' diamond ring or similar and I bet you will get some pix to view. You may not find the setting you are looking for but if you know you want a solitaire look with a 8 prong head, you can definitely get the setting made for much much cheaper than buying it at HW!

 

[Mara]

Oh I had this one here at home...this is one of the ones that definitely has the prongs that 'curve' more around the stone than the straighter prong styles. I like the look of this head, but I have also seen smaller prongs as well in the same 8/split style.

 

[gg]

Have you checked out www.artofplatinum.com?

They have several photos of split prong rings like the one I've attached.

 

[Mara]

That is a lovely ring, GG!! I like how the prongs almost look like small fingers holding the stone, quite elegant!!

 

[riley]

GG,
How did you find the "www.artofplatinum.com" web site? They have beautiful settings.

Mara,
That's a very beautiful ring!

 

[ociopia]

I love this "dainty" split prong. I, too, find most prongs too bulky.

However, I would want it in 14 carat white gold. (I am one of the nuts who think platinum is very "cold" and also too expensive - I prefer white gold.)

Any suggestions of this by a mfg who would do white gold? (I'm assuming Art of Platinum would not.)

Thanks,

Sherry

 

[DiamondOptics]

Hi Sherry,

White gold is extremely desirable, and many people
use it as an alternative to platinum as a cost effective
substitute.

Kirk

 

[comet-boy]

just wanted to thank you all for your thoughtful feedback and photos. the bottom one has a lovely split prong just like I was imagining. I think that if done subtily enough (tapering and not bullky heads), four split-prongs is a beautiful and "light" setting.

cheers,

comet-boy