Are we expecting too much re bespoke ER design?

[BrimstoneTwo]

https://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/

Never used them but they have loads of pictures, don't know costs.

Thanks! We will have a look

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

Don't doubt yourself for one minute for moving on to another jeweler. This gentleman should have told you his role, and if he thought more inspirational pics, partial customization etc. were good next steps than HE should have suggested those things.

Thanks motownmama!

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

I called the designer's office today and spoke with a girl who helps to answer phones. She informed me that the owner is now on holiday till 21 Aug and only the other guy is handling everything. When she tried to put me through to him, he did not answer.

I politely but firmly expressed our frustration at being kept in the dark and having to chase communications. I pointed out that even if they were the best jewellery designers in the world that their lack of communication will cause them to lose customers. In fact, I checked the google reviews for them and there are at least three other people that this has happened to.

About an hour later, I received a text from the owner who is in Spain. He says that he did send a proposal and asked me to verify my email address. He said he will chase it on Monday.

Our initial reasons for getting our rings made was that my fiancé was reading up on the differences between hand forged and casting and he liked the idea of a higher quality piece. Also, being in the UK limits our options for ready made settings as the market is just not as robust as the US. We have looked at hundreds of settings in person and online and most are not to our taste. Perhaps we will have to rethink this.

Our RB arrived today from the US. It is a 1.5 carat H VS2 super ideal hearts and arrows from Whiteflash.

So this is basically what we have provided to the vendor.

We would like a plain solitaire setting in unplated white gold flanked by two yellow gold pave or channel diamond bands. All of my family are in the US so we will have two ceremonies and the bands will represent that. I'd like the bands to sit flush against the ER. The use of unplated white gold and yellow gold are to bring a subtle touch of warmth to the set as I find platinum to be very "cold". We are open to other creative ways of bringing warmth into the set.

I prefer four prong settings. The only six prong settings I like are offset so there is no prong at 12 o'clock. I also like double prongs and claw shapes. Open to ideas here too.

This is a setting that we both like the look of from the side but wonder if the split shank could be modified to be made solid. We quite like the sharpness of the design whilst remaining curvy.


Another one that we saw in person looked like this from the side. We love the simplicity.



The final set should be something like this.



So there you go. Thoughts and ideas are appreciated.

 

[Matthews1127]

I called the designer's office today and spoke with a girl who helps to answer phones. She informed me that the owner is now on holiday till 21 Aug and only the other guy is handling everything. When she tried to put me through to him, he did not answer.

I politely but firmly expressed our frustration at being kept in the dark and having to chase communications. I pointed out that even if they were the best jewellery designers in the world that their lack of communication will cause them to lose customers. In fact, I checked the google reviews for them and there are at least three other people that this has happened to.

About an hour later, I received a text from the owner who is in Spain. He says that he did send a proposal and asked me to verify my email address. He said he will chase it on Monday.

Our initial reasons for getting our rings made was that my fiancé was reading up on the differences between hand forged and casting and he liked the idea of a higher quality piece. Also, being in the UK limits our options for ready made settings as the market is just not as robust as the US. We have looked at hundreds of settings in person and online and most are not to our taste. Perhaps we will have to rethink this.

Our RB arrived today from the US. It is a 1.5 carat H VS2 super ideal hearts and arrows from Whiteflash.

So this is basically what we have provided to the vendor.

We would like a plain solitaire setting in unplated white gold flanked by two yellow gold pave or channel diamond bands. All of my family are in the US so we will have two ceremonies and the bands will represent that. I'd like the bands to sit flush against the ER. The use of unplated white gold and yellow gold are to bring a subtle touch of warmth to the set as I find platinum to be very "cold". We are open to other creative ways of bringing warmth into the set.

I prefer four prong settings. The only six prong settings I like are offset so there is no prong at 12 o'clock. I also like double prongs and claw shapes. Open to ideas here too.

This is a setting that we both like the look of from the side but wonder if the split shank could be modified to be made solid. We quite like the sharpness of the design whilst remaining curvy.


Another one that we saw in person looked like this from the side. We love the simplicity.



The final set should be something like this.



So there you go. Thoughts and ideas are appreciated.

I love your ideas, and pave' would look so beautiful flanked against your plain metal solitaire (on each side). Pave' is so delicate & sparkly! Another idea would be to look into "bead set" diamonds. Personally, I'm not a fan of Channel set diamonds, but that's my taste...you must go with what feels & looks good to you.

A 4 prong setting would be beautiful & give your diamond more open space, yet be secure enough to hold the diamond without fear of damage. Creating a curved line around your center diamond, rather than straight, will add femininity & uniqueness. Your ring will be fabulous!
What size ring do you wear?

 

[BlingDreams]

When I saw your first photo I immediately thought of a design I saw just the other day by Victor Canera. It's featured on both his Instagram page as well as his website. In case you aren't familiar with him, he is very well respected on this forum and does does high-quality, hand–forged rings. He is located in the United States, but I'm sure he would be happy to work with you in the UK.
https://instagram.com/p/BXlWb1yjCXr/
https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/the-irys-six-prong-solitaire

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

Thanks for the idea of bead set. That was something we did consider.

We are in our early fifties and it's not a first marriage for either of us so I suppose our tastes are not as trendy.

I'm an L which I think is 6 in the US.

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

When I saw your first photo I immediately thought of a design I saw just the other day by Victor Canera. It's featured on both his Instagram page as well as his website. In case you aren't familiar with him, he is very well respected on this forum and does does high-quality, hand–forged rings. He is located in the United States, but I'm sure he would be happy to work with you in the UK.
https://instagram.com/p/BXlWb1yjCXr/
https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/the-irys-six-prong-solitaire

Stunning ring! Unfortunately, it's for a stone of more than 8mm and ours is not that big. We will look at his other stuff though. Thanks!

 

[ericad]

It sounds to me like you were very well prepared for your appointment! With ideas and a firm direction - I think it's most likely a case of personality mis-match. Once you find the right designer/jeweler who "gets you", the whole experience will be great!

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

It sounds to me like you were very well prepared for your appointment! With ideas and a firm direction - I think it's most likely a case of personality mis-match. Once you find the right designer/jeweler who "gets you", the whole experience will be great!

Thanks Ericad. Really appreciate the sense check.

 

[LLJsmom]

Stunning ring! Unfortunately, it's for a stone of more than 8mm and ours is not that big. We will look at his other stuff though. Thanks!

He does custom rings, so his pieces are customized to the size of the stone. If you are very set on the exact setting, then you may need custom...

 

[rockysalamander]

Really nice inspiros. When you say unplated white gold, specify unplated palladium white gold (nickel is still legal in the US and you want to compare apples to apples). Since you want to stack with two bands, you need to be clear that you need a flush fit setting.

The first ring is a split shank because the metal that makes up that A in the middle comes from the shank and comes around the heat to meet in the middle. This setting by Christine Guibara is very similar, although a bit more paired down and simple. If you don't like the open V on the sides (where she had diamonds), you could have that solid. It will look more like a tapered shank. You could also have two, small trillion diamonds placed there. The trick with this setting will be that that flare at the top needs to be higher (above) your bands or the bands won't fit flush. I know David Klass has a variation on this in process right now.

http://www.christineguibara.com/


The Vatche Royal Crown and Comfort-Fit Surprise Solitairea also very similar. You basically want the princess cut version of the Vatche where there are only 4 prongs in contact with the diamond. I bet that is something easily done by WF.

https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...g-for-princess-cut-diamonds-by-vatche-307.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/comfort-fit-surprise-diamond-ring-183.htm

The second one is a bit trickier to execute. Your drawing does not reflect it, but usually those setting are much thicker in profile if the prongs are continuous with the shank, like this Swan from Serendipity. https://www.serendipitydiamonds.com/uk/product/r1d003

Another way to achieve that look would be with a semi-bezel. Sholdt has some very nice versions. They will customize and are lovely to work with. They don't list and UK retailers, but give them a call if you like there stuff (http://sholdtdesign.com/our-retailers/). On their website, the rings below are in the Vashon and Rainer collections. They are on the US west coast. These bezels are around $2300usd.



This is @Echidna's 1.23 ct in a Sholdt semi bezel.

But, I think this Fremont is much closer. LoveAffairDiamonds and others here in the US sell Sholdt settings.

They also make a thinner version that is more like your #2.http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/jewelry-designers/sholdt-jewelry/rings/28ZZ1/

This Verragio is also similar. I can't recall the name, but we will find it if you like this..

 

[rockysalamander]

Another custom jeweler option is Green Lake Jewelry Works (https://www.greenlakejewelry.com/default.aspx). Don't be put off by the designs on their website, which are very different than you expressed. They have a fantastic bench and will work with you until you are happy. Look a the "Modern Minimalist" for more clean designs. If you look through their designs, you can see an elegance and organic flow that is totally "their" thing.

Custom Semi-Bezel

Reverse Taper Trellis

Contemporary Solitaire
https://www.greenlakejewelry.com/gallery/gallery.aspx#,M,MTG-2

p.s. Apologies for typos. Getting help from DS on my lap.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You certainly were specific in your design ideas. Sounds like you caught the ring designer right before vacation, perhaps? But I hope you can find someone who will do a beautiful job making your rings!

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

Wow Rockysalamander! Thanks for the work you put into that! Esp with the help Your love of jewelry really shines through! So much to ponder and consider. Thanks for the reminder to compare like to like and also that we are looking for a higher flare. Very helpful.

I love the pieces you've shared, especially the ones on Christine Guibara's page as well as Green Lake Jewelry. I think those of you in the US should be very grateful for the huge number of artists that you have easy access to. I must admit though, that I am leery of using a US person as it involves international shipping, customs, VAT etc. There must be somebody in the UK who is good enough to do what we are looking for!

It's early Saturday morning here and we've decided to go back up to Hatton Garden again even though we have a BBQ to attend later and the house is a mess and the weeds are taking over the garden. Most places are closed on Sunday so really we only get one chance a week to see things in person. We are going to take another look at the setting we drew from memory. He wouldn't allow us to photograph it the first time we were there.

If deciding to buy an unbranded setting, how does one know if it is well made? Are there any telltale clues? What would make you avoid a purchase or what would give you confidence?

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

You certainly were specific in your design ideas. Sounds like you caught the ring designer right before vacation, perhaps? But I hope you can find someone who will do a beautiful job making your rings!

It's very possible that we did, although the google reviews are remarkably similar to what's happening to us i.e. slow communication followed by the vendor claiming their email went missing. We would have been more than happy to wait had we simply been told.

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

I was starting to wonder if this is a US/UK style issue. I am American but have been in the UK for 11+ years now and have no intention of returning. I do, however struggle to find clothes I like here as the style sense is just a bit different. But I think I am just picky and have unusual taste

 

[Austina]

Brimstone, I've recently had a ring made in the US. I spoke with the designer, she sent me photos of the wax mold before casting, the cast and unpolished mount before stone setting, then the finished item. My son is in the US, so I had it sent to him when I visited. I didn't want it getting lost en route, and in the unlikely event I didn't like it, I could return it easily from there.

When we got back to Heathrow, we went to customs (there wasn't anyone there), but we called and they came. They did the conversion with a generous exchange rate, rounded down the figure, so we ended up paying a very reasonable amount of duty. All in all, it was a lot less stressful than I'd imagined.

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

It's certainly an option of last resort Austina! I've brought back stranger things from the US over the years but we don't have a trip planned at the moment. And I am not an artist so I really need to see things in person to appreciate them fully.

We are just off to London. Again. Throwing all our preconceived ideas out of the window and will see what we can find that speaks to both of us. Despite it all, I think we are making progress!

 

[Austina]

Good luck!

 

[Matthews1127]

It's certainly an option of last resort Austina! I've brought back stranger things from the US over the years but we don't have a trip planned at the moment. And I am not an artist so I really need to see things in person to appreciate them fully.

We are just off to London. Again. Throwing all our preconceived ideas out of the window and will see what we can find that speaks to both of us. Despite it all, I think we are making progress!

Please do keep us informed! We will all be curious to know what you decide!!

 

[mrs-b]

My post wasn't spam, but it was my first post so I can see how you made that mistake.
I saw BrimstoneTwo's post and was just trying to be helpful.

Hi @tinydiamond

Welcome to Pricescope! You are MORE than welcome to share vendors' names here - it's one of the functions of the site - that we share info, experience and contacts.

As for the spam thing - gees louise - of COURSE it wasn't spam! I've never seen a spammer ask if it's OK to share first! Pls forgive OooohShiny; I have no idea where he got his 'spam impression' from and thought your post was very helpful and the type of thing we've seen here on PS a thousand times. As for it being your first post - everybody has to start somewhere!

Welcome!

 

[tinydiamond]

Thanks mrs-b!

 

[OoohShiny]

Hi @tinydiamond

Welcome to Pricescope! You are MORE than welcome to share vendors' names here - it's one of the functions of the site - that we share info, experience and contacts.

As for the spam thing - gees louise - of COURSE it wasn't spam! I've never seen a spammer ask if it's OK to share first! Pls forgive OooohShiny; I have no idea where he got his 'spam impression' from and thought your post was very helpful and the type of thing we've seen here on PS a thousand times. As for it being your first post - everybody has to start somewhere!

Welcome!

I did only say that it could be spam lol


@BrimstoneTwo - are you able/willing to name the vendor you are working with? I have previously worked with and recommended Durrants on here and I was wondering if you are referring to them, but it doesn't sound like it from what you have said?

If it's not them, I would recommend popping in early on a Saturday to run through things - in my experience they are all family members, not at all 'fawning', and are pretty much no-BS, which is a refreshing change from the insincere hard-sell that many places in Hatton Garden seem to employ.

If it is them you are referring to, though, I'm not sure what to suggest... lol

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

@OoohShiny what an interesting post to come home to!

I'm not willing to out the original designer as there are two sides to every situation and it may be his colleague at fault. It wasn't, however Durrants.

I did read your recommendation for them though. We did another round of window shopping but when we asked three different shops if they were willing to set a stone we already had, two refused outright. We then went to Durrants.

We discussed settings and options at length and they are more than happy for us to provide the stone. Caroline was very down to earth, knowledgeable and patient. We found a setting extremely similar to the one we posted above, and they can build and modify it to our wishes. We also confirmed our decision to flank a white gold ER with two rose gold pave bands. The only things left to decide are what type of pave and if the ER will also have pave or remain plain.

We met Stephen and were invited to see the workshop. He happily showed us what he was working on and explained exactly how they work. They still do a lot of their work by hand, and his knowledge was impressive. Being nerdy types who like to know how things work, we were thrilled!

We decided to discuss things alone before making a decision but before we had walked two shop lengths we had decided to go with them. Although we don't have a firm quote yet, the figure that Caroline ballparked for us sounds very reasonable for the work involved.

Thanks to all who read and contributed.

Now to research pave........

 

[rockysalamander]

What a wonderful turn for you two! So happy for your to find someone that suits you. My personal preference for pave is fishtail and beadset. I like the extra durability. With pave, you'll want each band to be 1.9 mm wide (along the finger).

VictorCanera has a good page about pave. https://www.victorcanera.com/education/jewelry/pave-styles

This is the view (upside down) of an antique ring I have with fishtail pave. The girdles of the diamonds do not extent beyond the prongs so they don't damage other stones or metal. To stack with a band, you want the band (bridge on this ring) to rub, not the prongs.

 

[OoohShiny]

@OoohShiny what an interesting post to come home to!
...
We did another round of window shopping but when we asked three different shops if they were willing to set a stone we already had, two refused outright. We then went to Durrants.

We met Stephen and were invited to see the workshop. He happily showed us what he was working on and explained exactly how they work. They still do a lot of their work by hand, and his knowledge was impressive. Being nerdy types who like to know how things work, we were thrilled!

We decided to discuss things alone before making a decision but before we had walked two shop lengths we had decided to go with them. Although we don't have a firm quote yet, the figure that Caroline ballparked for us sounds very reasonable for the work involved.

lol! That's awesome

I'm glad you are able to move forward with confidence!

I'm jealous, I didn't see the workshop lol

I saw the ring halfway through, though, which was cool, and the older chap (presumably Stephen) strolled out one time with a 6ct Pear ring he'd just finished!

I hope you can get exactly what you want for the price you want

 

[Austina]

That's good news Brimstone, hope the quote fits your budget.

Please come back and show us the finished ring.

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

What a wonderful turn for you two! So happy for your to find someone that suits you. My personal preference for pave is fishtail and beadset. I like the extra durability. With pave, you'll want each band to be 1.9 mm wide (along the finger).

VictorCanera has a good page about pave. https://www.victorcanera.com/education/jewelry/pave-styles

This is the view (upside down) of an antique ring I have with fishtail pave. The girdles of the diamonds do not extent beyond the prongs so they don't damage other stones or metal. To stack with a band, you want the band (bridge on this ring) to rub, not the prongs.

Thanks for the link! Very detailed and helpful.

We are leaning towards fishtail and we discussed making the bands between 2-2.5 each, with the shank of the ER being the same as the wedding bands. This is chunkier than what is fashionable right now but I'm old enough to not give a toss

Caroline did say that many people go for the smooth type of pave so that it doesn't snag on things, but I found it less attractive tbh. I know there are some long discussions on PS so I will have to go do some reading. I've not worn pave before as my previous ER had a channel set. I never lost any stones but it's apples to oranges. It's hard to decide if my lifestyle is risky to pave or not. On the downside, I am an avid gardener and wear gloves for that. I also work in science and occasionally do work that requires me to glove up. On the other hand, our children are adults so my housework and daily life is pretty sedate. I don't play any sport that involves impact. And the diamonds are small enough to replace if they were to be damaged or go missing. I think it's a risk we are both willing to swallow to have a prettier style but we sleep on it and read read read. It's really fun to learn so much and I find myself eyeing peoples rings on public transit now.

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

lol! That's awesome

I'm glad you are able to move forward with confidence!

I'm jealous, I didn't see the workshop lol

I saw the ring halfway through, though, which was cool, and the older chap (presumably Stephen) strolled out one time with a 6ct Pear ring he'd just finished!

I hope you can get exactly what you want for the price you want

It sounds like you need to go back and see it! I'm sure there's something you want made lol.

 

[BrimstoneTwo]

That's good news Brimstone, hope the quote fits your budget.

Please come back and show us the finished ring.

Will do Austina!