Artisan settings & gold karat question

[ted]

I''m not a huge fan of the typical settings available in most jewelry stores or from the big online merchants (Blue Nile, Mondera, etc). My tastes run more toward simple, gold-wire settings. I found a few small studios online that carry beautiful rings in this vein, but they haven''t been responsive to my e-mail inquiries, which makes me hesitate to do business with them. The attached photo shows the type of setting I''m looking for. Can anyone out there recommend an online jeweler who carries items along these lines?

I have a second, unrelated question that comes from idle curiosity ... Gold jewelry usually comes in 14K and 18K versions. Although less common, it can also be found in 10K and 22K. Why is it virtually impossible to find gold jewelry stamped with 12K or 16K designations? Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[denverappraiser]

Ted,

Many small operations find that they have to divide their time between lots of different activities and will tend to neglect e-mail. I would cut them a little bit of slack on this point. Call them on the phone or, if they're local, show up at their door. If you really are being ignored, you should consider going elsewhere but if they just don't check their e-mail very often, perhaps it's because they are too busy making beautiful things.

This design shouldn't be hard to find. Do you already have the stone? If so, what's the size?

Choice of karatage is mostly a traditional issue. 16k is just not something that has been requested by many people. Your jeweler should be able to make you any karatage you request although they may be inclined to look at you funny for asking such a thing. Lots of dental gold is 16k by the way.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[ted]

Thanks denverappraiser. For some reason I've had a hard time finding settings to my liking, but I'll keep looking (patiently!). I'm not actually in the hunt for 16K gold, just curious as to why it's never seen in jewelry applications. Demand, I think, would tend to follow supply in this instance. Maybe this will have to remain in the category of unsolved mysteries.

 

[Lynn B]

Wow, whatta cool setting! I LOVE it!

And while I certainly don't know for sure, I wouldn't think it would be very hard for something like that to be made.

I am thinking that some of the vendors here on PS do custom work... have you contacted any of them? Or asked for recommendations? Also, I know there are other skilled craftsmen who have done beautiful custom work for posters here... have you done a search?

Lynn

 

[ted]

Hi Lynn, I knew I wasn't the only one who liked it! I'm new to this board and haven't reached out to any other members yet, but thanks for the ideas.