Best vendors for sourcing half moon sides (and 3-stone settings)

[mn_shopaholic]

I just got a sapphire from Jeff White that I'm thinking about setting in a 3-stone like @cokitty https://www.pricescope.com/communit...h-oval-half-moon-step-cut-three-stone.192735/ or maybe a trellis-style if that can be done with an oval + half-moons. I'd like a swoopy/curvy setting for this project if possible.

So I've reached out to SK for a quote because I do quite like that setting as inspiration, but I'm wondering if there are any other vendors who would be worth considering?

Specifically someone who has a good eye for proportions and is willing to work to find the best side stones for my sapphire and who won't mind me wanting to review/approve side stone options prior to setting. Even if a 3-stone design isn't exceptionally complex, I want the details (choice of sides, prongs, etc) to be well executed. I'm also not the sort of person who can send a stone out and be ok being completely surprised by the end result, so I'd like to work with someone who is willing to collaborate and listen to my thoughts re: the desired end result - someone who can take an idea or inspiration photos and know how to best apply the spirit/aesthetic of those ideas to my specific project.

The sapphire if anyone is interested:

Thank you!

 

[Module]

I'm not much help here but just want to say both the spess and sapphire are impressively beautiful!!

 

[headlight]

David, of Diamonds by Lauren @Rockdiamond comes to mind for endless ring mounting options done custom, as well as all kinds of shapes that can be cut in whatever quality diamond.

 

[cokitty]

I just got a sapphire from Jeff White that I'm thinking about setting in a 3-stone like @cokitty https://www.pricescope.com/communit...h-oval-half-moon-step-cut-three-stone.192735/ or maybe a trellis-style if that can be done with an oval + half-moons. I'd like a swoopy/curvy setting for this project if possible.

So I've reached out to SK for a quote because I do quite like that setting as inspiration, but I'm wondering if there are any other vendors who would be worth considering?

Specifically someone who has a good eye for proportions and is willing to work to find the best side stones for my sapphire and who won't mind me wanting to review/approve side stone options prior to setting. Even if a 3-stone design isn't exceptionally complex, I want the details (choice of sides, prongs, etc) to be well executed. I'm also not the sort of person who can send a stone out and be ok being completely surprised by the end result, so I'd like to work with someone who is willing to collaborate and listen to my thoughts re: the desired end result - someone who can take an idea or inspiration photos and know how to best apply the spirit/aesthetic of those ideas to my specific project.

The sapphire if anyone is interested:

Thank you!

Hi @mn_shopaholic. I have worked with many vendors.(LM, SK, VC, WF, BGD, Wink, DK, Alex Parks and many others)
The reason I keep going back to SK is that he has an extraordinary eye for proportions. He sends pictures of the stone with options and is great about making sure you have precisely what you want.
You could send him you've posted here and get exactly what you are after.

 

[mn_shopaholic]

I'm not much help here but just want to say both the spess and sapphire are impressively beautiful!!

Thanks! The spess isn't mine, but I certainly don't mind the opportunity to admire more of Jeff's work

David, of Diamonds by Lauren @Rockdiamond comes to mind for endless ring mounting options done custom, as well as all kinds of shapes that can be cut in whatever quality diamond.

Thanks for the suggestion! I only saw one pair loose of half moons on their site, but I'll reach out and see what else they have available/accessible to them and what they can recommend for settings.

Hi @mn_shopaholic. I have worked with many vendors.(LM, SK, VC, WF, BGD, Wink, DK, Alex Parks and many others)
The reason I keep going back to SK is that he has an extraordinary eye for proportions. He sends pictures of the stone with options and is great about making sure you have precisely what you want.
You could send him you've posted here and get exactly what you are after.

Thank you! It is always good to hear when someone has a positive enough experience with a vendor that they return for repeat projects. In some ways, SK makes the most sense simply because I keep coming back to your ring as my primary source of inspiration and it would require the least amount of modification to get right so long as he is able to source the right sides.

I just run into issues with analysis paralysis when I've seen pieces I love by so many different vendors here on PS, but not having worked with most of them, I don't know which is going to be the best fit for a project or my OCD/control freak personality. Or which ones don't always want to work with outside stones, etc. Not having an unlimited budget for re-sets, I want to make sure I'm doing my due diligence upfront, rather than trying to correct mistakes later if it is at all possible to just get it right the first time.

 

[MollyMalone]

* * * Thank you! It is always good to hear when someone has a positive enough experience with a vendor that they return for repeat projects. In some ways, SK makes the most sense simply because I keep coming back to your ring as my primary source of inspiration and it would require the least amount of modification to get right so long as he is able to source the right sides.

I just run into issues with analysis paralysis when I've seen pieces I love by so many different vendors here on PS, but not having worked with most of them, I don't know which is going to be the best fit for a project or my OCD/control freak personality. Or which ones don't always want to work with outside stones, etc. Not having an unlimited budget for re-sets, I want to make sure I'm doing my due diligence upfront, rather than trying to correct mistakes later if it is at all possible to just get it right the first time.

Steven Kirsch & Diamonds by Lauren are around the corner from each other, so they share the same geographical advantage: being in/adjacent to the Diamond District on W. 47th Street. So each has enviably easy access to the wide-ranging wholesale inventory of side stones available in NYC -- the vast majority of diamonds that enter the US come through NYC. Also, I don't know if your sapphire came with a GIA or AGL lab report, but if not, both labs are also right there, so it would easy for either of them to walk your stone to and from the lab. I prefer AGL, but here are the price lists for both labs:

Price List — American Gemological Laboratories

aglgemlab.com

https://www.gia.edu/doc/Colored_Stone_FS_USD_2020_0101.pdf

Note that if your sapphire is under 5 carats, it qualifies for AGL's least expensive report, the GemBrief card.

But DbL uses "outside" benches whereas if you elect to go with SK, you'd be working with the person actually fabricating the ring. Please don't construe that as a slur against DbL; I'm simply thinking that you would be happier working directly with the jewelsmith, especially one you know has such a well-deserved reputation.

I do have one reservation on your behalf about this, however, because of your comment about your own personality. You won't get CADs & then a wax and/or silver model to see on your hand, as would be a possibility with going the CAD-cast route. Do you think that having such visual aids will be extremely important to you?

If you decide to forge ahead with a hand-forged ring, perhaps you could consider it a good exercise for letting go a bit more in general; the anxiety that typically underpins the wish to be in control and for perfection is exhausting. Although I was never OCD and wasn't micromanaging all aspects of my life and those around me (my greatest expectations for perfectionism were for myself), I didn't really appreciate to what extent the "controlling" and perfectionistic parts of me were interfering with my life, how tiring it is, until I had a wholly unexpected heart attack while still in my 40's -- which strongly motivated me to do life differently. Effective, but a heart attack is a helluva way to learn that lesson!

 

[KKJohnson]

I messages this company once and had a pleasant conversation about side stones

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Maytal Hannah also can source some gorgeous and unique side stones but they can get pricey

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but I ultimately used David Klass and he got in multiple sets in varying color grades until we found a pair that went beautifully with my main stone. He sent photos of each pair along with stats