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Beading on bezel, where to put it? Opinions please!

sassy_pants

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 18, 2011
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I'm in the beginning stages of a having a custom bezel setting made for my reset, and sooooo excited! Hopefully, I will have CADs soon to share! They were supposed to get emailed last week, so while I'm impatiently waiting, I can't help but obsess a little over some small details. So some background...I'm going for a modern/sleek but also feminine and refined aesthetic (I consider my current setting to be modern/bold but too masculine). I would like to add some detail to the face up view of the bezel, but don't want to veer too far into the vintage look. I was originally inspired by a Brilliant Earth setting, where the beading is outside the bezel ring, sort of like a metal halo. These beads are quite large, though. I would be worried they might overwhelm my 1.22 RB. My goal is to highlight my stone, perhaps even make it look a little bigger :naughty: if possible! So here are my questions, all thoughts and opinions welcome!

1. Location. Should the beading/milgrain be up against the stone or outside the bezel? Which would enhance size the most without looking clunky? I was thinking maybe up against the stone since it would blur the difference between the stone and the metal, and then they eye would see the polished outer rim of the bezel as the border of the stone. But my concern would be that beading would add height to the bezel, obscuring some of the crown from the side view, thus losing some sparkle. If the beading is outside the actual bezel, I'd want it to be on a lower plane, so that the tops of the beads are no higher that the girdle of the diamond.

2. Size. Trying to keep a sleek look, but don't want the beading to detract from the stone. What size do you think would work best, and how would you best communicate this to the designer?


I've attached some pics to demonstrate the difference of the inner versus outer beading and larger versus smaller beading. The first pics are the Brilliat Earth design and the last is GemFever's beautiful Audrey in a BGD bezel. I could look at that ring all day!

_36603.jpg

_36604.jpg

_36605.jpg
 
I think beading outside the bezel enhances the size.
 
liaerfbv|1457300084|4000683 said:
I think beading outside the bezel enhances the size.

Thanks! I prefer that look, really the only reason I'd consider putting it on the inside would be if it enhanced the size of the stone more so to do that way.
 
I like the beading on the inside, in the last photo.
 
Gosh! Woww! They are very gorgeous! I'm looking to *maybe* bezel my old (crappy) diamond. Love these looks.

It's a little bit hard for me to judge. Similar looks but then again completely different. The bottom one (inside) to me, looks more antique. I'm personally liking the top one (but both are lovely). Top is more modern IMO.

Ok...we have. Back and forth with opinions!. Lol!

I vote top :) Outside
 
cinnamonstick|1457305146|4000735 said:
Gosh! Woww! They are very gorgeous! I'm looking to *maybe* bezel my old (crappy) diamond. Love these looks.

It's a little bit hard for me to judge. Similar looks but then again completely different. The bottom one (inside) to me, looks more antique. I'm personally liking the top one (but both are lovely). Top is more modern IMO.

Ok...we have. Back and forth with opinions!. Lol!

I vote top :) Outside


Thanks for the comments! Yeah, I agree the inside beading is more antique looking. The design I'm going for will have beading somewhere on the face of the bezel and pave around the crown. I'm wondering if having the inside beading will flow better with that design, so you would see just the pave from the side versus seeing the ring of pave and bead tops from the side view. Another thought, perhaps the inside beading is easier to keep clean than a bezel without beading in the inside edge? The lip of the bezel that folds over the girdle can't really set totally flush because of the crown faceting, so perhaps the inside beads would help with that? Or allow less of the diamond to be covered by the bezel? I warned I was obsessing!
 
I like the inner beading! I think it looks more delicate. The other one looks like a hg all but without diamonds whereas the inner beading still keeps the bezel effect overall.
 
Beading and milgrain are two different things. The last picture of the BG ring looks like milgrain to me. The top picture basically has a bezel around the diamond and then a beaded halo. These are two totally different styles. It just depends on what you like best.
 
inner milgrain is a finer look that cast beading on the outside. So that gets my vote.
 
Thanks so much for all the expert opinions! This is my first ever reset or custom work, so there is a lot I'm still learning. I thought milgrain was just tiny beading, but it sounds like one is cast versus done by hand? Or is there another difference?
 
well you are also comparing a CAD rendering to a real life photo. I would go on pinterest or insta and look at real photos of both. You aso have to option of just doing a fine millgrained bezel without shine on either side. Who is making your ring? Do they have examples on their page you can review?
 
artdecolover71|1457350327|4000928 said:
well you are also comparing a CAD rendering to a real life photo. I would go on pinterest or insta and look at real photos of both. You aso have to option of just doing a fine millgrained bezel without shine on either side. Who is making your ring? Do they have examples on their page you can review?

Oh gosh, I didn't even realize the first one was a CAD! Thanks, good advice. I'll check out Pinterest. David Klass is making my ring.
 
oh nice-he just did my last bezel ring-here is an example of his milgrain with no shine on either side if that is something you are considering....

_36611.jpg
 
and I am sure on his insta and pinterest he has pics that just have an inner or outer layer of milgrain.
 
I just got the first CADs!!! Still not sure about the beading, if I want it as it is in the drawing, like a halo. The other two choices are smaller beads for a smaller halo or move it to the inside edge of the bezel as milgrain. I will really have to give this some thought! If we move it to the inside edge of the bezel, then I think the pave side area would move up and expose more of the pavilion of the stone, which would be nice.

Any feedback on any part of the design? Like I said, this is my first experience with custom or CADs, so I can use all the advice and insight you have. Be brutally honest!

_36612.jpg
 
artdecolover71|1457358219|4000962 said:
oh nice-he just did my last bezel ring-here is an example of his milgrain with no shine on either side if that is something you are considering....

What a beautiful ring! You can really see all the attention to detail, it's just gorgeous. Thanks for the suggestion. I think I'm a big fan of the shine, though!

Every time I see a new piece posted from David Klass I feel better and better about working with him. He really does amazing work.
 
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