Aquamarine engagement ring
- Thread starter zzbaron
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Yes, I like it, too. There are many vendors and many collectors here, but one thing you can see, people are passionate about what they buy or create. They just love their stones and their jewelry. Some may put more money into it, some less, but everyone is thinking, looking, comparing, sharing ideas. Also, people are proud of their stones, and that is what''s so important.Date: 1/19/2010 4:57:00 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
A little off-topic, but I am really grateful to Pricescope for threads such as these. I was lurking on another forum in which most of the people only cared about heavily branded objects. Someone asked if they should buy a Tiffany ring, or shop around to get a better value, and everyone said it would be too difficult to find the parts to match the quality of the Tiffany ring, so they should buy the Tiffany ring. My mouth went agape.
I am shocked and dismayed, especially in this economy, how uneducated people can be when shopping for high priced objects such as gems and jewels.
ZZ, consider yourself really lucky that you came to Pricescope for advice.
Thank you everyone for your valuable advice. After speaking with a Tiffany’s sale associate along with other people’s experience with aquamarines I think that stone would be a bad choice for an ering when you are spending that kind of money on a ring. The risk/reward of spending 7k for a ring with the possibility of the stone not holding up to daily ware and tear won’t cut it for me. (Please let’s not bring up the fact that all of you think this ring is a rip off in the first place)
With that in mind I have been trying to educate myself on sapphires along with looking at diamonds and setting on different online retailers. The only concern I have with finding a diamond/setting is buying it at a good online retailer and if there are issues with the ring then how and where do I go to fix the problem. Having to mail a ring back to the online retailer when something goes sideways doesn’t sound ideal to me.
On the other hand, I am beyond clueless when it comes to sapphires. I naively think to myself … who cares if it’s heated? I drink pasteurized milk for goodness sake and I think of it as the same type of thing. Yes, I know it’s not exactly the same but at this moment I wouldn’t think twice about it just like I don’t about the milk I drink. (Although if this was a milk lover’s forum I would have probably been crucified for not wanting to drink raw milk) I do appreciate the advice I get on here though so please don’t think I take it lightly. This is what I get when I voluntarily want information from what I consider an elite group of knowledgeable gem lovers. I am here because I want to learn and will start to read lots of old threads trying to get myself up to speed.
Changing topics a little bit … I think it would be cool if the jewelry industry had such a thing as the equivalent of a wedding planner. You tell an expert what you want and your price range and this person will maximize your money to the hilt contacting several jewelers, gem stores, etc for you. Maybe there is such a thing around here but I don’t know about it. And if there are these people need to advertise more.
Or, is the equivalent to this (in the jewelry industry) is finding a respected jeweler and telling them the exact same thing? Although I think telling a jeweler how much you’re willing to spend seems like a disaster waiting to happen. It’s like going to a VW dealership and saying I want to buy a 35k sports car, what do you have on your lot to sell me? Instead of selling me a pimped out R32 I am being sold a Jetta with a 10k markup.
I really think there are opportunities out there for some jeweler to swoop in and fill this market segment for the buyer. A buyer who doesn’t necessarily need as much help as they could get from a brick and mortar store but a little bit more help then logging onto a website where all you are do is look at numbers and pictures and try to decide for yourself what is good. Maybe this website fills that void with people posting stats on a thread and other people chiming in sharing advice of what’s good or not. The problem though is that this website isn’t common knowledge to the average jewelry buyer.
And you all wonder why Tiffany’s is still so popular. It helps the uneducated feel good about their purchase. (E.g. me wanting to purchase an aquamarine ering from Tiffany’s) Perception is reality and until someone can educate the uneducated jewelry buyer travesties will continue to take place.
With that in mind I have been trying to educate myself on sapphires along with looking at diamonds and setting on different online retailers. The only concern I have with finding a diamond/setting is buying it at a good online retailer and if there are issues with the ring then how and where do I go to fix the problem. Having to mail a ring back to the online retailer when something goes sideways doesn’t sound ideal to me.
On the other hand, I am beyond clueless when it comes to sapphires. I naively think to myself … who cares if it’s heated? I drink pasteurized milk for goodness sake and I think of it as the same type of thing. Yes, I know it’s not exactly the same but at this moment I wouldn’t think twice about it just like I don’t about the milk I drink. (Although if this was a milk lover’s forum I would have probably been crucified for not wanting to drink raw milk) I do appreciate the advice I get on here though so please don’t think I take it lightly. This is what I get when I voluntarily want information from what I consider an elite group of knowledgeable gem lovers. I am here because I want to learn and will start to read lots of old threads trying to get myself up to speed.
Changing topics a little bit … I think it would be cool if the jewelry industry had such a thing as the equivalent of a wedding planner. You tell an expert what you want and your price range and this person will maximize your money to the hilt contacting several jewelers, gem stores, etc for you. Maybe there is such a thing around here but I don’t know about it. And if there are these people need to advertise more.
I really think there are opportunities out there for some jeweler to swoop in and fill this market segment for the buyer. A buyer who doesn’t necessarily need as much help as they could get from a brick and mortar store but a little bit more help then logging onto a website where all you are do is look at numbers and pictures and try to decide for yourself what is good. Maybe this website fills that void with people posting stats on a thread and other people chiming in sharing advice of what’s good or not. The problem though is that this website isn’t common knowledge to the average jewelry buyer.
And you all wonder why Tiffany’s is still so popular. It helps the uneducated feel good about their purchase. (E.g. me wanting to purchase an aquamarine ering from Tiffany’s) Perception is reality and until someone can educate the uneducated jewelry buyer travesties will continue to take place.
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- 10,261
Oh ZZBaron, your post had me chuckling away like mad! If it''s any consolation, I think you''re heading down the right path ......
I think you''ll find that the ladies (and gents) on this forum are the equivalent of wedding planners when it comes to finding a good looking gemstone and setting! So, you give us a wishlist and there''ll be a number of people who will happily help.
Sorts of things you need to think about are:-
1. Size of the sapphire - rough dimensions.
2. Your preferred choice of colour (and a picture would be helpful - doesn''t have to be of a gemstone - because descriptions are awful). As a first port of call, have a look at the Natural Sapphire Company and Simply Sapphires. I''m not suggesting you buy from either of them but it''s a good start as they have a fairly large choice of cuts/colours etc.
3. Your preferred choice of cut (i.e. round, oval, pear, trillion, cushion etc etc)
4. Your overall budget
5. You mentioned heating and it''s important that you think about treatments - a heated sapphire will always be cheaper than an unheated one. I feel the same way as you about heated gemstones as to my mind, it''s simply finishing off what nature started BUT I draw the line at adding anything else so heated is as far as I''ll go. Treated sapphires such as BE diffused sapphires can look astonishingly lovely but are cheap and hold very little value (so I personally wouldn''t want one as an e-ring but you may feel differently).
Ok, now for the setting:-
1. What''s your preferred metal? White gold, yellow gold, rose gold, platinum or something else?
2. Does your FI want to have a halo similar to the Legacy?
3. Do you want lots of small accent diamonds or perhaps a larger diamond on either side - perhaps a trapezoid etc?
Buying a setting online can be stressful (especially if you do everything by email/phone) BUT nowadays, custom designs are made with CADs so you see an idea of the finished ring BEFORE it gets made. That way you get a change and alter as you go along. Just to see the process have a look at Chrono''s recent threads on her Mahenge Spinel. You''ll see the starting point, the CADS, how it changed and then the final result.
The only issue with doing this online is that if something does go wrong with the setting, yes, you do have to post it back. HOWEVER a bespoke setting is normally of the highest quality so there should hopefully be less issues.
Many of us go through this process a number of times each year - both with the higher end designers and then also with artisans who rely on paper drawings. Please don''t be frightened by it. We can help you through it.
Lastly, have a look in the "show me the ring" part of the forum for ideas on settings. Have a look at Pearlmans, Whiteflash, Etsy (for Artisans) and all the others that you can find (there are tons of them). That might help shape ideas for you.
Happy looking!
I think you''ll find that the ladies (and gents) on this forum are the equivalent of wedding planners when it comes to finding a good looking gemstone and setting! So, you give us a wishlist and there''ll be a number of people who will happily help.
Sorts of things you need to think about are:-
1. Size of the sapphire - rough dimensions.
2. Your preferred choice of colour (and a picture would be helpful - doesn''t have to be of a gemstone - because descriptions are awful). As a first port of call, have a look at the Natural Sapphire Company and Simply Sapphires. I''m not suggesting you buy from either of them but it''s a good start as they have a fairly large choice of cuts/colours etc.
3. Your preferred choice of cut (i.e. round, oval, pear, trillion, cushion etc etc)
4. Your overall budget
5. You mentioned heating and it''s important that you think about treatments - a heated sapphire will always be cheaper than an unheated one. I feel the same way as you about heated gemstones as to my mind, it''s simply finishing off what nature started BUT I draw the line at adding anything else so heated is as far as I''ll go. Treated sapphires such as BE diffused sapphires can look astonishingly lovely but are cheap and hold very little value (so I personally wouldn''t want one as an e-ring but you may feel differently).
Ok, now for the setting:-
1. What''s your preferred metal? White gold, yellow gold, rose gold, platinum or something else?
2. Does your FI want to have a halo similar to the Legacy?
3. Do you want lots of small accent diamonds or perhaps a larger diamond on either side - perhaps a trapezoid etc?
Buying a setting online can be stressful (especially if you do everything by email/phone) BUT nowadays, custom designs are made with CADs so you see an idea of the finished ring BEFORE it gets made. That way you get a change and alter as you go along. Just to see the process have a look at Chrono''s recent threads on her Mahenge Spinel. You''ll see the starting point, the CADS, how it changed and then the final result.
The only issue with doing this online is that if something does go wrong with the setting, yes, you do have to post it back. HOWEVER a bespoke setting is normally of the highest quality so there should hopefully be less issues.
Many of us go through this process a number of times each year - both with the higher end designers and then also with artisans who rely on paper drawings. Please don''t be frightened by it. We can help you through it.
Lastly, have a look in the "show me the ring" part of the forum for ideas on settings. Have a look at Pearlmans, Whiteflash, Etsy (for Artisans) and all the others that you can find (there are tons of them). That might help shape ideas for you.
Happy looking!
Pandora II
Ideal_Rock
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- Aug 3, 2006
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- 9,613
LOL - that is pretty much the service you get here on Pricescope!Date: 1/19/2010 5:54:50 PM
Author: zzbaron
Thank you everyone for your valuable advice. After speaking with a Tiffany’s sale associate along with other people’s experience with aquamarines I think that stone would be a bad choice for an ering when you are spending that kind of money on a ring. The risk/reward of spending 7k for a ring with the possibility of the stone not holding up to daily ware and tear won’t cut it for me. (Please let’s not bring up the fact that all of you think this ring is a rip off in the first place)
With that in mind I have been trying to educate myself on sapphires along with looking at diamonds and setting on different online retailers. The only concern I have with finding a diamond/setting is buying it at a good online retailer and if there are issues with the ring then how and where do I go to fix the problem. Having to mail a ring back to the online retailer when something goes sideways doesn’t sound ideal to me.
On the other hand, I am beyond clueless when it comes to sapphires. I naively think to myself … who cares if it’s heated? I drink pasteurized milk for goodness sake and I think of it as the same type of thing. Yes, I know it’s not exactly the same but at this moment I wouldn’t think twice about it just like I don’t about the milk I drink. (Although if this was a milk lover’s forum I would have probably been crucified for not wanting to drink raw milk) I do appreciate the advice I get on here though so please don’t think I take it lightly. This is what I get when I voluntarily want information from what I consider an elite group of knowledgeable gem lovers. I am here because I want to learn and will start to read lots of old threads trying to get myself up to speed.
Changing topics a little bit … I think it would be cool if the jewelry industry had such a thing as the equivalent of a wedding planner. You tell an expert what you want and your price range and this person will maximize your money to the hilt contacting several jewelers, gem stores, etc for you. Maybe there is such a thing around here but I don’t know about it. And if there are these people need to advertise more.Or, is the equivalent to this (in the jewelry industry) is finding a respected jeweler and telling them the exact same thing? Although I think telling a jeweler how much you’re willing to spend seems like a disaster waiting to happen. It’s like going to a VW dealership and saying I want to buy a 35k sports car, what do you have on your lot to sell me? Instead of selling me a pimped out R32 I am being sold a Jetta with a 10k markup.
I really think there are opportunities out there for some jeweler to swoop in and fill this market segment for the buyer. A buyer who doesn’t necessarily need as much help as they could get from a brick and mortar store but a little bit more help then logging onto a website where all you are do is look at numbers and pictures and try to decide for yourself what is good. Maybe this website fills that void with people posting stats on a thread and other people chiming in sharing advice of what’s good or not. The problem though is that this website isn’t common knowledge to the average jewelry buyer.
And you all wonder why Tiffany’s is still so popular. It helps the uneducated feel good about their purchase. (E.g. me wanting to purchase an aquamarine ering from Tiffany’s) Perception is reality and until someone can educate the uneducated jewelry buyer travesties will continue to take place.
I also do this for friends who are getting engaged - they give me the budget, we discuss stones and designs, they I go shopping with their $$$. They trust me to get them the best bang for their buck. I get the pleasure of knowing they haven''t overpaid for something ghastly!
rosetta
Ideal_Rock
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- Jan 7, 2010
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- 3,417
yay, no aqua!
there''s been some happy customers recently at the natural sapphire company...and sapphire is a great choice!
loads of vendors, make sure you read the thread at the top of the forum listing all of them
we are all here to help you!
there''s been some happy customers recently at the natural sapphire company...and sapphire is a great choice!
loads of vendors, make sure you read the thread at the top of the forum listing all of them
we are all here to help you!
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2004
- Messages
- 2,030
Here''s an idea. Look all over the web, and save pictures of rings you both like. Make some sketches of modifications. Then take some of the money you saved by not going to Tiffany''s, book a flight and overnight at a bed and breakfast and visit one of the recommended jewelers you read about here. Spend the day going over the design and create a beautiful custom ring with the goldsmith. You can either source the stone from the same place or bring your own in.
Gailey
Ideal_Rock
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- May 14, 2008
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- 3,783
zzbaron,Date: 1/19/2010 6:27:04 PM
Author: Pandora II
LOL - that is pretty much the service you get here on Pricescope!Date: 1/19/2010 5:54:50 PM
Author: zzbaron
Thank you everyone for your valuable advice. After speaking with a Tiffany’s sale
Changing topics a little bit … I think it would be cool if the jewelry industry had such a thing as the equivalent of a wedding planner. You tell an expert what you want and your price range and this person will maximize your money to the hilt contacting several jewelers, gem stores, etc for you. Maybe there is such a thing around here but I don’t know about it. And if there are these people need to advertise more.Or, is the equivalent to this (in the jewelry industry) is finding a respected jeweler and telling them the exact same thing? Although I think telling a jeweler how much you’re willing to spend seems like a disaster waiting to happen. It’s like going to a VW dealership and saying I want to buy a 35k sports car, what do you have on your lot to sell me? Instead of selling me a pimped out R32 I am being sold a Jetta with a 10k markup.
snipped respectfully
I also do this for friends who are getting engaged - they give me the budget, we discuss stones and designs, they I go shopping with their $$$. They trust me to get them the best bang for their buck. I get the pleasure of knowing they haven't overpaid for something ghastly!
Congratulations to you both on your forthcoming engagement and kudos to you for coming to Pricescope.
Some of the content of your posts strongly suggests to me that you have not "lurked" on Pricescope for very long before posting. Not unusual, especially for gentlemen (no offence intended).
I think you will find it hugely informative and re-assuring to spend some time here reading about other people's experiences. Both Pandora and Lovingdiamonds hit the nail squarely on the head when they say that members here regularly provide the kind of service to which you refer.
In addition, the on-line suppliers, be they lapidarists, diamond suppliers, or jewellers gain phenomenal exposure through supplying to Pricescope members and I doubt there is one of them that would risk his reputation by providing shoddy sub-standard goods or service - we would fry them alive in an instant. Just in case you didn't know, Pricescope is well into 2 million posts and I believe has approx 40,000 registered members.
Additional research will tell you that B&M stores are going to the wall daily because of the rise of internet sales. That would not be the case if all the on-line suppliers were a bunch of second rate crooks.
Might I suggest that you and your girlfriend look at the "Show Me The Ring" section as well as the Coloured Stones E-ring/Eye Candy thread. What you will find is that reputable suppliers get mentioned time and again. A further search on any of their names will bring up pages and pages of reviews (good and bad, but mostly good) of the favoured suppliers.
I also suggest you hang out in Rocky Talk because you might well find that you can afford a diamond of a respectable size after all.
We will be happy to help you on your journey and perhaps all that is required of you (apart from answering LD`s pertinent questions) is that you open your mind a little. As Movie Zombie so often espouses, `Education, education, education`.
Good luck.
Gailey, when it comes to diamonds I have been lurking on this board on and off for 9 years. Every once and a while I would come back and see if anything new or exciting has been going on or if I wanted to brush up on anything before buying any new diamonds. But as far has gems go I am brand new at this and I sure it shows. When it was time for me to buy an aquamarine I thought this would be as best a place as any to get the truth instead of a one sided story from a salesman. That’s what prompted me to finally become a member.
I have checked out both of the show me your bling threads but not with my girlfriend. I think that is a great idea. Please just remember that as of one week ago I thought everything was pretty much set in stone. I was prepared to go in one direction and it has now been turned upside down. Any who, thank you for the advice as I do take it seriously.
I have checked out both of the show me your bling threads but not with my girlfriend. I think that is a great idea. Please just remember that as of one week ago I thought everything was pretty much set in stone. I was prepared to go in one direction and it has now been turned upside down. Any who, thank you for the advice as I do take it seriously.
movie zombie
Super_Ideal_Rock
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- Jan 20, 2005
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- 11,879
i found saving pictures of rings i liked to be very helpful for inspiration. i also visited as many upscale jewelers/stores as i could to see what was out there.
i think the idea of using the $ saved from not buying from tiffany''s to travel to visit recommended jewelers is a great idea!
mz
movie zombie
Super_Ideal_Rock
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- 11,879
yes, we started out looking at diamonds........and i ended up with my spess instead. it happens.
also, yes, you too can become knowledgeable re sapphires. there are books on sapphires. there is a ton of info on the internet. search for "blue sapphire" here at pricescope and you''ll find a ton of opinions.
get a copy of richard wise''s Secrets of the Gem Trade....
online checkout what these people have to say about sapphires: palagems.com
and i''m betting someone like gene would also cut a stone to your specifications.
the options are endless but first get some sapphire stone education.
don''t just rely on the pictures on websites: for instance, call richard wise and talk to him....he has inventory in the vault that isn''t pictured at his website. actually, didn''t someone else recently get a blue sapphire from richard for an e-ring for his SO?
most of all TAKE YOUR TIME AND ENJOY LEARNING ABOUT THE COLOR STONE YOU DECIDE IS THE ONE FOR HER E-RING! for so many of us it was the real key to recognizing "the one" when it finally turned up.
mz
Gailey
Ideal_Rock
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zzbaron, I apologise if I made an unfair assumption, it was not my intention to be insulting. I am really impressed when any guy comes on here and says he has lurked in the diamond section for 9 weeks, never mind 9 years!
You know one other gem that comes to mind is blue topaz. It gets villified somewhat because generally it is irradiated white topaz (to give it a blue colour) which is as cheap as chips. However, natural blue topaz can be found and is very much like pale aquamarine, but with a moh`s hardness of 8 which is second only to conundrum (sapphire). While it`s refractive index is not as high as conundrum it is certainly higher than aquamarine which means that it is going to have more sparkle than an aquamarine.
I have had a golden yellow topaz in my engagement ring for nearly 20 years and only last year did I finally have the crown re-polished. It is bezel set with a diamond halo, so somewhat protected. Until I took up gardening for a living it lived on my finger virtually 24-7 for best part of 15 years.
I also believe that some suppliers deal in a variety of treated blue topaz that has not been irradiated, but I don`t know much about the process.
At any rate you can go to Doug Menadue at Bespoke Gems to look at naturally occuring blue topaz, and Lisa Elser who deals in non-irradiated blue topaz. Both suppliers have sterling reputations. Be aware that Lisa`s site is more of a gallery than an on-line shop, but if you e-mail her she will send you her latest catalogue which I know has quite a bit of blue topaz.
Another blue topaz alternative might be the distinctive concave cutting of master lapidarist Richard Homer. Concave facetting is not for everyone, but it is certainly worth looking at in your search.
Hope this helps.
You know one other gem that comes to mind is blue topaz. It gets villified somewhat because generally it is irradiated white topaz (to give it a blue colour) which is as cheap as chips. However, natural blue topaz can be found and is very much like pale aquamarine, but with a moh`s hardness of 8 which is second only to conundrum (sapphire). While it`s refractive index is not as high as conundrum it is certainly higher than aquamarine which means that it is going to have more sparkle than an aquamarine.
I have had a golden yellow topaz in my engagement ring for nearly 20 years and only last year did I finally have the crown re-polished. It is bezel set with a diamond halo, so somewhat protected. Until I took up gardening for a living it lived on my finger virtually 24-7 for best part of 15 years.
I also believe that some suppliers deal in a variety of treated blue topaz that has not been irradiated, but I don`t know much about the process.
At any rate you can go to Doug Menadue at Bespoke Gems to look at naturally occuring blue topaz, and Lisa Elser who deals in non-irradiated blue topaz. Both suppliers have sterling reputations. Be aware that Lisa`s site is more of a gallery than an on-line shop, but if you e-mail her she will send you her latest catalogue which I know has quite a bit of blue topaz.
Another blue topaz alternative might be the distinctive concave cutting of master lapidarist Richard Homer. Concave facetting is not for everyone, but it is certainly worth looking at in your search.
Hope this helps.
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- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 262
I usually have a few blue topaz rough that came out of the ground blue, and a bunch that are treated in an electron accelerator which gives a sky blue with no radiation. Right now I''ve also got some Swiss Blue that was irradiated, but has been tested and shows no residual radiation.
There''s an excellent article here http://www.cigem.ca/pdf/noomie.pdf which describes typical topaz treatments.
Cheers,
Lisa
MAC-W
Brilliant_Rock
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- Sep 28, 2009
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- 671
There is!
In fact there are a number of people that can provide that service. Try Wink Jones (http://www.winkjones.com/gallery/design.php), Brian Gavin (http://www.brianthecutter.com/custom-jewelry) or Michael E (http://www.gemshoppe.com).
Each of these people can do the whole service from gem sourcing (diamond or coloured stone), design, manufacture etc and can link with appraisers in your local area to send proposed stones for real life viewing by you and your fiance.
They are all members of pricescope and post on this forum quite frequently, so you can be very confident that they will not "rip you off".
There are others as well but these are the ones that spring immediately to mind. I'm sure others here will add the ones I've missed.
Brian Gavin seems to be the favourite one at the moment so maybe do a search for posts mentioning him (sometimes he is abbreviated to BGD)
Any of the ones I've mentioned above will be able to talk you through the pluses and minuses of various types of stones and can even cut the exact stone (shape/size) you want from the rough material.
Another option that might work for you is to use your local B&M as your "ring planner". When I got my ring (a few years ago now) we did it through a B&M shop but had lots of internet info and hubby managed to barter and haggle the B&M down to match the I-net prices, and as a result got much better colour and clarity as well as bigger carat that they were initially offering (surprise surprise LOL) Now if I need ring cleaning, setting checks etc, I just pop down the street and get it as part of their free customer service.
PS. Congrats on your engagement (I think I forgot to say that earlier)
Just wanted to say- your journey sounds really exciting... I can t wait to see what you end up with. Also, I am with the people who are advising you to go custom. I am not almost a complete newbe myself, but I really like the idea of actually having something completely unique- a stone handpicked by you, placed in a setting handmade by a crafts-person (picked from a lineup of excellent artists) to your specifications. Then you can look at your e ring, and really say, ''this ring is completely unique to us''. RE the heating thing- I don t have a problem w it at all, but for my e ring I choose unheated, simply cos it was an ''extra special'' piece, and I wanted something extremely rare etc. That said, I know I could have gotten a better quality sapp had I gone the heated route....
ma re
Ideal_Rock
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- Aug 10, 2008
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Except you forgot chrysoberyl - I mean Gailey, to here this from you...
Zzbaron, your idea of an "e-ring planner" could be trickier in reality than it is in theory, because of reasons like:
- different people''s eyes often have different sensitivity to light and therefore color; what you might see as a pure medium blue, might look medium-dark violetish blue to someone else, and not necessarily because one of you is wrong
- color descriptions are a disaster waiting to happen - take mandarin orange as an example; to some it''s pure orange, midway between red and yellow, to others it''s slightly more yellow etc.; or where greenish-yellow stops and yellowish-green begins...
- slight changes in the cut, clarity level or shade of color, can change the stone''s appearance dramatically
- it would be hard to describe what level of liveliness (scintillation) of a stone you like
...and so on. Once you get more into gems, you''ll understand much more of this.
Since no one mentioned, once you''re on palagems.com to see their sapphire buying guide, also check out "judging quality" article, link is on the left side of the website - very informative for newbies. Also, browsing gemstone.org might be fun and educating.
rosetta
Ideal_Rock
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- Jan 7, 2010
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zzbaron,
here is a link to some different sapphire rings for inspiration...
personally, i would buy a fabulous sapphire in your preferred tone and saturation, and send it to Leon Mege for a truly amazing ring!
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-off-your-sapphire-engagement-rings-please.124960/
here is a link to some different sapphire rings for inspiration...
personally, i would buy a fabulous sapphire in your preferred tone and saturation, and send it to Leon Mege for a truly amazing ring!
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-off-your-sapphire-engagement-rings-please.124960/
Gailey
Ideal_Rock
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- May 14, 2008
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- 3,783
Mea culpa! I guess I was too busy thinking pale blue. Chryso doesn''t come in pale blue does it?Date: 1/20/2010 2:41:37 PM
Author: ma re
Except you forgot chrysoberyl - I mean Gailey, to here this from you...
Zzbaron, your idea of an ''e-ring planner'' could be trickier in reality than it is in theory, because of reasons like:
- different people''s eyes often have different sensitivity to light and therefore color; what you might see as a pure medium blue, might look medium-dark violetish blue to someone else, and not necessarily because one of you is wrong
- color descriptions are a disaster waiting to happen - take mandarin orange as an example; to some it''s pure orange, midway between red and yellow, to others it''s slightly more yellow etc.; or where greenish-yellow stops and yellowish-green begins...
- slight changes in the cut, clarity level or shade of color, can change the stone''s appearance dramatically
- it would be hard to describe what level of liveliness (scintillation) of a stone you like
...and so on. Once you get more into gems, you''ll understand much more of this.
Since no one mentioned, once you''re on palagems.com to see their sapphire buying guide, also check out ''judging quality'' article, link is on the left side of the website - very informative for newbies. Also, browsing gemstone.org might be fun and educating.
I’ll check out the blue topaz Gailey but I think it has the same hardness as the aquamarine. I could be wrong but if that’s the case I’d rather not use that stone for an ering.
MAC-W, I have already checked out Brian Gavin’s site and was pretty impressed with a couple of his designs. I liked them all but some actually looked like miniature pieces of art. I don’t even want to know how much they must cost. I’m thinking my budget might not be large enough for him. I will check out the other two you suggested as well.
Thank you LovingDiamonds for the jumpstart of what I should be thinking about. I know my girlfriend is into the halo bezel look. I have started to check out lots of different designs online and different threads from pricescope. Once I figure out which ones she likes best I’ll be sure to post and get some opinions. I also think that the cut of the stone would be anything that can be very symmetrical. I think either a cushion or round would be best as I think a halo around them would have a flow better. I would want a blue sapphire but not really sure about which kind or shade or anything like that. I’m still trying to research all of them when I get a chance. The ring would be in either white gold or platinum. The max of my budget was somewhere around 6-8k but that’s when I was looking at the aquamarine Legacy or getting a diamond with a halo around it. I am not familiar with prices enough with the sapphire to know if I even have to pay that much. Of course it would be cool if I could get my sapphire and setting for less than that amount but I’m not sure if that is realistic if I get this all custom made. Whenever I think about custom made rings (especially erings) I think it''s going to be over 10k.
Another concern I have is how long is this process is all going to take? Yes, it’s fun to research and to figure out what is best but I don’t know if I can get this all done by April/May. Does that seem possible? That’s when I was going to do the official proposal as we are planning on taking a trip somewhere in Europe (I work for an airline so whatever flights are open we just hop on). If this is a six month process I’d like to know that now so I can just go ahead and buy a diamond and setting from james allen or wf or just buy the diamond online and have it put into a setting at a local b&m store.
MAC-W, I have already checked out Brian Gavin’s site and was pretty impressed with a couple of his designs. I liked them all but some actually looked like miniature pieces of art. I don’t even want to know how much they must cost. I’m thinking my budget might not be large enough for him. I will check out the other two you suggested as well.
Thank you LovingDiamonds for the jumpstart of what I should be thinking about. I know my girlfriend is into the halo bezel look. I have started to check out lots of different designs online and different threads from pricescope. Once I figure out which ones she likes best I’ll be sure to post and get some opinions. I also think that the cut of the stone would be anything that can be very symmetrical. I think either a cushion or round would be best as I think a halo around them would have a flow better. I would want a blue sapphire but not really sure about which kind or shade or anything like that. I’m still trying to research all of them when I get a chance. The ring would be in either white gold or platinum. The max of my budget was somewhere around 6-8k but that’s when I was looking at the aquamarine Legacy or getting a diamond with a halo around it. I am not familiar with prices enough with the sapphire to know if I even have to pay that much. Of course it would be cool if I could get my sapphire and setting for less than that amount but I’m not sure if that is realistic if I get this all custom made. Whenever I think about custom made rings (especially erings) I think it''s going to be over 10k.
Another concern I have is how long is this process is all going to take? Yes, it’s fun to research and to figure out what is best but I don’t know if I can get this all done by April/May. Does that seem possible? That’s when I was going to do the official proposal as we are planning on taking a trip somewhere in Europe (I work for an airline so whatever flights are open we just hop on). If this is a six month process I’d like to know that now so I can just go ahead and buy a diamond and setting from james allen or wf or just buy the diamond online and have it put into a setting at a local b&m store.
ChunkyCushionLover
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2009
- Messages
- 2,463
ZZbaron,
I read quickly through this thread and I think any colored gem you choose must be softer than diamond and could have durability issues.
BGD is a cad/cam and wax designer. This means they can crank out a design from a cad image in under two weeks and therefore the prices are quite reasonable this goes for many cad/cam designers supported by a good benchman.
I know you don't want a replica but just for an idea on pricing an excellent copy of the legacy setting, including about 0.8 Ct of F/G VS melee and excellent craftmanship would come in at under $3000 maybe even $2500 from BGD or ERD or WF all well respected PS vendors with a lot of experience with these types of rings and with a policy of satisfying the customer by revisions until you are satisfied. Custom Cad Designed Rings in platinum without a lot of pave diamonds cost significantly less and really nice ones can cost $1500 - $2500 leaving a lot of room for a diamond, a setting in white gold can be even cheaper.
I don't know how your fiance feels about about antique cushion cuts but considering how you liked the Tiffany legacy which is a modifed square cushion with large facets, there are other superior cut diamonds that are far more rare and with much better light performance.
If it was me I might consider this diamond http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6469 and a video of one set in a Tacori 2620 that would leave more than enough room for a setting. These have only been produced since July of 2009 and are only sold by GOG so there are only about 100 or so in the world so far. This cut in terms of light performance blows away the legacy as it was designed for optimal light performance under the table.
Also if you want really rare there are only about 10 - 20 of these in existance so far and its a new asscher cut called the Octavia. This cut was just put into production in december designed by PS member Karl K.
When I first looked at the legacy it reminded me of an asscher, this particular asscher has been redesigned for optimal light performance one example in your budget would be this one http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6761/ and a video of a one of these can be found here Octavia.
Also I wanted to show you my Aquamarine halo earrings designed based on my ideas and executed by custom designer Ocean Pearlman. I also would not reccomend aqua for an e-ring, but I am much happier with Richard Homer's precision cut concave and antique faceted cushions than I am with the big windows in a legacy cut aqua. For a diamond those large facets are often deisreable but in an aqua which has a lower refractive index many people prefer the extra light return you get from concave cutting of extra facets under the table. A picture of the aquamarine's and my fiance's earrings can be found in this thread .
With respect to the "jewelry planner" idea many of us have been helping posters get the best bang for their buck for years now. PS changed my entire perception of buying jewelry and I appreciate how much I have learned and how well my wife's jewlery has turned out. In return for the education I received, I regularly read and post here to help others. You are lucky you get just about the best advice you can, from diamonds cutters, colored gem specialists, top vendors, jewlery appraisors, jewelry designers and lowly hobbyists like myself, and the best part is that all this advice is "FREE".
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2004
- Messages
- 38,364
Your timeframe of April is definitely doable to find the right stone and setting but you must begin right away. With a custom setting, once you have finalized the CAD, it only takes a week for completion. However, it may take several weeks due to unexpected revisions to finalize the CAD. Finding the right stone can take anywhere from days to months.
vinkalmann
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2009
- Messages
- 231
After I got engaged last fall I did this write-up in an attempt to help future bachelors through the process. This is for the Natural Sapphire Company, but I would think that any vendor that offers CAD designs would be a similar process.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/just-got-engaged-and-a-good-experience-with-the-natural-sapphire-company.132048/
If I were to do it again, I would definitely be looking for someone that does CAD designs as you can very easily get a solid idea of what the end product would look like.
Poke around on NSC, you'll see that there's a wide variety shades of blue. More often than not, the "desirable" (or what the market is labeling as desirable) stones will have a higher per carat cost.
Note that with colored stones you're paying for the color, how evenly the color is distributed, and the color saturation. This varies from diamonds where you might be focusing on clarity, cut, and carat.
You're in the same boat I was where you are asking, "Just how much does this cost." Again I would look on NSC because their site it set up to tell you the setting cost and the stone cost. If it seems like I'm pushing NSC, I'm not, it's just their site is set up to give you really good ideas what things cost.
I would look at settings that your fiance likes, choose one, choose the metal, and then click on the link that say something like "show stones that will work". You can then select the price range you're looking for and then you'll see a list of stones available that will work in the setting. You might not be able to get the bezel setting you're looking for, but you'll at least get to see what things cost.
The stones offered here are untreated. You mentioned before that you didn't feel that untreated versus treated was important, but I would definitely recommend doing some research before making your purchase. What it all boils down to (at least for me) is an untreated stone is actually rare whereas a treated stone isn't.
In terms of production time, you could definitely get it done by May. At NSC you could do it easily in a month, maybe three weeks.
Just to solidify why you might not want to spend a fortune on a diamond, here's an interesting read on the diamond industry. I thought it was pretty eye opening:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/15362/the_history_behind_the_debeers_diamond.html?cat=46
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/just-got-engaged-and-a-good-experience-with-the-natural-sapphire-company.132048/
If I were to do it again, I would definitely be looking for someone that does CAD designs as you can very easily get a solid idea of what the end product would look like.
Poke around on NSC, you'll see that there's a wide variety shades of blue. More often than not, the "desirable" (or what the market is labeling as desirable) stones will have a higher per carat cost.
Note that with colored stones you're paying for the color, how evenly the color is distributed, and the color saturation. This varies from diamonds where you might be focusing on clarity, cut, and carat.
You're in the same boat I was where you are asking, "Just how much does this cost." Again I would look on NSC because their site it set up to tell you the setting cost and the stone cost. If it seems like I'm pushing NSC, I'm not, it's just their site is set up to give you really good ideas what things cost.
I would look at settings that your fiance likes, choose one, choose the metal, and then click on the link that say something like "show stones that will work". You can then select the price range you're looking for and then you'll see a list of stones available that will work in the setting. You might not be able to get the bezel setting you're looking for, but you'll at least get to see what things cost.
The stones offered here are untreated. You mentioned before that you didn't feel that untreated versus treated was important, but I would definitely recommend doing some research before making your purchase. What it all boils down to (at least for me) is an untreated stone is actually rare whereas a treated stone isn't.
In terms of production time, you could definitely get it done by May. At NSC you could do it easily in a month, maybe three weeks.
Just to solidify why you might not want to spend a fortune on a diamond, here's an interesting read on the diamond industry. I thought it was pretty eye opening:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/15362/the_history_behind_the_debeers_diamond.html?cat=46
vinkalmann
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2009
- Messages
- 231
For kicks, I looked this up for you so you can get an idea what a similar style and a nice stone would run:
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Mountings/Rings/multistone%20with%20pave/stoneid=JS734PT#&&2RWKSN5i/OWnv9Hrt7bLWoVy1Re0qr7RfsTKTAA7cvpkZjSd7xlAwQFTAQT9nUzMTIilLc5X5yJ+uPKlryuugo1Ir2vPNrLtQwD22uqqats=
The setting is in platinum which adds a fair amount to the cost: $2,172 (14kt by comapare is $1700)
The stone is a really nice color and this is about the most per/carat that they charge for a stone of this size: $$4,600.
For a total of $6,700. Well below the Tiffany version for a much better stone. With more poking around on other sites you might be able to get it for cheaper as NSC is one of the more expensive companies.
What''s cool though, is say you like the ring in the link above, but don''t like the diamonds that are set on the side, you just say you don''t want that and they will design it without it. Got to love CAD
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Mountings/Rings/multistone%20with%20pave/stoneid=JS734PT#&&2RWKSN5i/OWnv9Hrt7bLWoVy1Re0qr7RfsTKTAA7cvpkZjSd7xlAwQFTAQT9nUzMTIilLc5X5yJ+uPKlryuugo1Ir2vPNrLtQwD22uqqats=
The setting is in platinum which adds a fair amount to the cost: $2,172 (14kt by comapare is $1700)
The stone is a really nice color and this is about the most per/carat that they charge for a stone of this size: $$4,600.
For a total of $6,700. Well below the Tiffany version for a much better stone. With more poking around on other sites you might be able to get it for cheaper as NSC is one of the more expensive companies.
What''s cool though, is say you like the ring in the link above, but don''t like the diamonds that are set on the side, you just say you don''t want that and they will design it without it. Got to love CAD
Asu
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 225
I just want to add something to your topic,that may be helpful for you.I know that aquamarine are considered too "soft" for everyday wear,but I''ve worn (and I still wear) an aquamarine solitaire as my promise/engagement ring for six years now,without any problem.I''m quite hard on my rings,I sleep with my rings on,I''ve had the ring on while showering,doing dishes,cleaning around the house and working,and the stone is still like the day I got the ring,even if you could easily see the wear on the gold.I love aquamarines,the color and the way they sparkle,so if your girlfriend love this stone,I say go for it.
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Messages
- 25,221
Please don''t be offended, but are you sure it''s an aqua? It could be a synthetic spinel, which is a common substitute for aqua, and much harder. I find it really hard to believe you never chipped it.Date: 1/22/2010 5:36:13 AM
Author: Asu
Really?I looked at the stone several times with a loupe,but it''s still sign free.No scratches,no chips,nothing.It''s quite a big stone and it sits pretty high on the setting..maybe I''m really just lucky
Asu
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 225
nope,it''s certified.My husband bought it from a well known (here) store we have in our town,when we were 18,and the stone is certified.I don''t remember by who,thought,because I lost the paper that was with the ring when we moved.Plus the color is not the top color for aquamarines,it''s a bit pale.I would think that if they have to sell fakes,they would more likely put out a more saturated stone
when I discovered pricescope I started to worry about the safety of the stone too,after reading that aqua easily chip,and the jeweler told me that with just everyday wear,it''s not really that easy to chip the stone.Sure,if I knock the ring against an hard surface then I will probably crack my stone,but it need to be really hard.He said that probably I will have to repolish it,though,sometimes down the road,because with years of wear the stone could eventually scratch on the table and became a bit cloudy-looking because of that.
Hi dreamer dachsie, if I go down the route of getting a sapphire it won’t be in a replica legacy setting. She liked the look of the Tiffany Legacy setting but not solely because it was from them. Before I started to look online we were going to the local b&m stores and it was nearly impossible to find an aquamarine (or any other gem for that matter) with a halo bezel look. At that time the only setting I knew of that was in that style was from Tiffany's and the rest is history.
I know she likes the halo/bezel look so that has been my focus as far as settings go. I still need to do a little more research to make sure the bezel setting doesn’t detracts from the inherent beauty of the sapphire any way. I'd hate to buy a really nice sapphire and then find out that the bezel inhibits light from coming into the gem and in turn it looks flat. I don’t know if light entering a sapphire basically enters from the top like a diamond (because of the cut) or because of the properties of the sapphire it needs more real estate to get its sparkle and to make the blue vibrant in color.
I know she likes the halo/bezel look so that has been my focus as far as settings go. I still need to do a little more research to make sure the bezel setting doesn’t detracts from the inherent beauty of the sapphire any way. I'd hate to buy a really nice sapphire and then find out that the bezel inhibits light from coming into the gem and in turn it looks flat. I don’t know if light entering a sapphire basically enters from the top like a diamond (because of the cut) or because of the properties of the sapphire it needs more real estate to get its sparkle and to make the blue vibrant in color.
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