Bought a CBI / HPD... need some tapered baguette setting advice!

[lydial]

Hello, I was on here recently getting help buying a small inexpensive diamond for a RHR / cluster using my 1 point stones (thank you to all the helpers, even though it became a "thing" where someone else bought the diamond that was posted for me to look at! I do not take it personally and still hope the new orange diamond owner starts a post on what they are doing with it.) The < $4k diamond I bought arrived, and my local jewelry store will be setting that for me, I will post it when it is done. Nervous but I really like their taste so I am expecting it to go well.

Anyway, in the back of my head I have been planning to go for the big upgrade for my e-ring and while I was on here reading reviews of various vendors and learning more about diamonds again I started looking at the ACA and CBI stones.

So, I was able to work out the purchase of a 2.66 carat CBI K color VS-1 diamond to be set in a very classic 3-stone ring with my own proposal baguettes. HPD is going to create the setting. The lovely salesperson Layla and I are going to be going over some details for the setting which is going to be pretty basic (4 double claw prongs, slightly pinched shank as it goes toward the tilted tapered baguettes, platinum) but I am looking for advice with other details I may not be considering. Like the dimensions of the shank, tip angle of the baguettes, perfect heigh of the stone, etc.

I am the person who years ago had my ring re-made for me by Leon Mege and have an issue with my L ring finger, but want to wear this on that finger, so my ring size is 9ish and I have a sensitive knuckle from prior surgery. So the ring needs to slide on/off easily. I never loved some features of the Leon Mege - it was a little "too" low, the prongs were really fragile on the side baguettes - and I would love inspiration for this setting even though they are all about the same really.

So, any advice / pics for a 3 stone ring with side baguettes would be very welcome! Thanks!

 

[OoohShiny]

Hello, I was on here recently getting help buying a small inexpensive diamond for a RHR / cluster using my 1 point stones (thank you to all the helpers, even though it became a "thing" where someone else bought the diamond that was posted for me to look at! I do not take it personally and still hope the new orange diamond owner starts a post on what they are doing with it.) The < $4k diamond I bought arrived, and my local jewelry store will be setting that for me, I will post it when it is done. Nervous but I really like their taste so I am expecting it to go well.

Anyway, in the back of my head I have been planning to go for the big upgrade for my e-ring and while I was on here reading reviews of various vendors and learning more about diamonds again I started looking at the ACA and CBI stones.

So, I was able to work out the purchase of a 2.66 carat CBI K color VS-1 diamond to be set in a very classic 3-stone ring with my own proposal baguettes. HPD is going to create the setting. The lovely salesperson Layla and I are going to be going over some details for the setting which is going to be pretty basic (4 double claw prongs, slightly pinched shank as it goes toward the tilted tapered baguettes, platinum) but I am looking for advice with other details I may not be considering. Like the dimensions of the shank, tip angle of the baguettes, perfect heigh of the stone, etc.

I am the person who years ago had my ring re-made for me by Leon Mege and have an issue with my L ring finger, but want to wear this on that finger, so my ring size is 9ish and I have a sensitive knuckle from prior surgery. So the ring needs to slide on/off easily. I never loved some features of the Leon Mege - it was a little "too" low, the prongs were really fragile on the side baguettes - and I would love inspiration for this setting even though they are all about the same really.

So, any advice / pics for a 3 stone ring with side baguettes would be very welcome! Thanks!

Congratulations on the CBI! It should be awesome and you can have lots of fun making people guess the colour then tell them it's actually a K lol

Baguettes and ring design are definitely not my forte, I'm afraid, but there are lots of people on here who've had custom CAD work done and might be able to assist!

Perhaps you could post a couple of pictures of your LM ring - perhaps 'on the hand' and then a side-on profile pic to demonstrate where you feel it is too low, as well as close-up pics of the prongs? That might help others suggest design options

 

[lydial]

 

[lydial]

Thank you for taking a minute to chime in. I am really excited to get my CBI! This diamond was an H and it is probably going to look so much more yellow than the K, not that I minded. I can not post more pictures of the LM setting because it is already gone, so these pics are old - they were taken when I got it in 2011 and I haven't really taken many more since!
After some time the prongs got worn from wearing with a band (yes I broke the Leon rules...) Honestly looking at it I like the design, Layla sent me a very close inspiration picture with the double prongs. I am just wondering if anyone has any supremely fabulous similar rings? There are some that definitely look worse, more mass produced. i am pretty sure I will love what HPD designs. And my husband wants it to look as much like the proposal ring as possible so I am not considering any other flourishes....

 

[lydial]

This was my proposal ring. 1.28 RB. The LM was a 1.58 RB. The HPD will be a 2.66 RB. I swear I am done after this!! (But the HPD upgrade policy DOES offer some flexibility of I change my mind)....

 

[lydial]

This is the one I bought: https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10572




The one on the L:

 

[OoohShiny]

Nice!! That is some upgrade lol

I am sure that HPD will create something beautiful for you - I think @cflutist had one of her rings (5-stone trellis ring, IIRC??) custom-made by them and it was lovely!

 

[lydial]

Thank you I am looking forward to it!

 

[autumngems]

Would like to know what you think of the CBI, I am on fence between that and Whiteflash ACA purchase

 

[chamois]

I just recently purchased a CBI K from HPD and you would never know it was a K. Lovely size upgrade you are getting I’m sure it will be stunningly beautiful.

 

[lydial]

Would like to know what you think of the CBI, I am on fence between that and Whiteflash ACA purchase

I will let post when it gets here!

 

[lydial]

I just recently purchased a CBI K from HPD and you would never know it was a K. Lovely size upgrade you are getting I’m sure it will be stunningly beautiful.

Can you link or post some pics or specs? Now I am in the waiting game...

 

[chamois]

Can you link or post some pics or specs? Now I am in the waiting game...

I didn’t do a thread.
Specs are: 1.65ct 7.58 x 7.60 K VS1
T 54.6
C 34.6
P 40.7
D 62
HCA 1.1
Will try and post a pic.

 

[lydial]

Sounds amazing to me! Glad you love it!

 

[chamois]

Here you go.

 

[lydial]

Here you go.

Can not see any color, amazing!

 

[RainbowSeekingGoat]

Hi Lydia, congrats on your new CBI I also just joined the family and am on the waiting game as well.. And, I am working with Layla too on a setting with tapered baguettes! (HPD are ordering the baguettes for me in my case.) I am on a similar boat and it is so nice to found you here I am setting mine with 6 prongs so it is not exactly the same, but I would love to follow your custom design thought process!

I looked at Leon Mege’s work previously and also not super fond of how low (even though it is his signature) the stone is set. But I do like how he use tiny prongs to hold the baguettes instead of a bar tucked underneath the center stone so you see a nice flow of “diamond to diamond” trasition when viewed from the sides. Is that how your previous setting is like? (Can’t really tell from the pictures at the moment.)

What are the size in mm of your proposal baguettes? I personally found that the wider but shorter the baguettes are to the center stone, the ring would have more of a HW look, and the slimmer they are to the center stone, the ring would have more of a enhanced solitaire feel to it (especially when the stone is set higher). What height are you thinking of setting yours? I am in between 7/8mm at the moment and my stone is just a little over 2 carats.

 

[rockysalamander]

Have I got this correct? You want a three stone, with baguette sides stones. You need it to allow a flush wedding band without worries about the prongs. You want something a bit more sturdy.

1) To allow a flush wedding band (or any band). If the center is held with prongs that emerge above a solid shank and are "sucked inward" above the height of a band, you have no contact issues. These can be single or double (like the SK below), but keeping them from the top of the shank is important.





2) I'd want the shank to smoothly meet the bottom of the baguette. I find the tail prong on this kind of setting uncomfortable. Steven Kirsch does this beautifully.


http://stevenkirsch.com/gallery/ring-trio-three-stone-round-diamond-pears-platinum/

3) Do you like the head to float up, above the baguettes (like #1) or more even like the Steven Kirsch? That will determine the angle of the baguettes and the height of the center. For a center your size, I would personally find the SK ring more comfortable.

4) Getting over your knuckle. I'd look at shanks designed for folks with arthritis. My mom has a bunch of these, her current favorite is the forever fit. She likes that it takes no tools and won't "nip" your skin when opening and closing. She has "speed humps" on several, but she likes these better. Your selected jeweler will buy the shank and they work that into the design of the ring. The narrowest will be 2.5 mm.
https://foreverfitrings.com/index.html

Does that help?

 

[lydial]

Hi Lydia, congrats on your new CBI I also just joined the family and am on the waiting game as well.. And, I am working with Layla too on a setting with tapered baguettes! (HPD are ordering the baguettes for me in my case.) I am on a similar boat and it is so nice to found you here I am setting mine with 6 prongs so it is not exactly the same, but I would love to follow your custom design thought process!

I looked at Leon Mege’s work previously and also not super fond of how low (even though it is his signature) the stone is set. But I do like how he use tiny prongs to hold the baguettes instead of a bar tucked underneath the center stone so you see a nice flow of “diamond to diamond” trasition when viewed from the sides. Is that how your previous setting is like? (Can’t really tell from the pictures at the moment.)

What are the size in mm of your proposal baguettes? I personally found that the wider but shorter the baguettes are to the center stone, the ring would have more of a HW look, and the slimmer they are to the center stone, the ring would have more of a enhanced solitaire feel to it (especially when the stone is set higher). What height are you thinking of setting yours? I am in between 7/8mm at the moment and my stone is just a little over 2 carats.

Hi, Twinsie! I know my baguettes are supposed to be .23 ct each, longish, 2 mm across at narrow end. Rest is at home. I also agree going with 7.4 ish mm lower shank to table will give nice height. My LM was about 6.7 mm and felt low, to me. The prongs on the baguettes were so small I needed a loupe to see them. Layla knows that always freaked me out. But I definitely prefer prongs.

This will be fun, we will have to keep in touch through the process!

 

[lydial]

Have I got this correct? You want a three stone, with baguette sides stones. You need it to allow a flush wedding band without worries about the prongs. You want something a bit more sturdy.

1) To allow a flush wedding band (or any band). If the center is held with prongs that emerge above a solid shank and are "sucked inward" above the height of a band, you have no contact issues. These can be single or double (like the SK below), but keeping them from the top of the shank is important.





2) I'd want the shank to smoothly meet the bottom of the baguette. I find the tail prong on this kind of setting uncomfortable. Steven Kirsch does this beautifully.


http://stevenkirsch.com/gallery/ring-trio-three-stone-round-diamond-pears-platinum/

3) Do you like the head to float up, above the baguettes (like #1) or more even like the Steven Kirsch? That will determine the angle of the baguettes and the height of the center. For a center your size, I would personally find the SK ring more comfortable.

4) Getting over your knuckle. I'd look at shanks designed for folks with arthritis. My mom has a bunch of these, her current favorite is the forever fit. She likes that it takes no tools and won't "nip" your skin when opening and closing. She has "speed humps" on several, but she likes these better. Your selected jeweler will buy the shank and they work that into the design of the ring. The narrowest will be 2.5 mm.
https://foreverfitrings.com/index.html

Does that help?

Thank you! That all helps! They are both beautiful to me. The SK is probably the closest and most classic, and wearing a size 9 ring the baguette angle will look best right around there or slightly lower like the first picture. Fortunately or unfortunately my swelling affects my fingers as well as knuckles (and shoulders, wrists, elbows...) so the ring will probably fit fine but the fancy arthritis shanks may be in my future... I actually have more of a chronic tenosynovitis than arthritis. No explanation, just have had it for decades.

 

[RainbowSeekingGoat]

Hi, Twinsie! I know my baguettes are supposed to be .23 ct each, longish, 2 mm across at narrow end. Rest is at home. I also agree going with 7.4 ish mm lower shank to table will give nice height. My LM was about 6.7 mm and felt low, to me. The prongs on the baguettes were so small I needed a loupe to see them. Layla knows that always freaked me out. But I definitely prefer prongs.

This will be fun, we will have to keep in touch through the process!

The LM looks lower than 6.7mm in your pictures! I guess higher is definitely the way to go I got a preliminary CAD from HPD at 8.3mm because I want the band to sit flush. But I am just planning to have a plain gold band so I think perhaps it can come down to 7.8/ 7.5ish. What band would you wear for this set? And have you received a CAD with your baguettes plugged in? It would be easier for us on the forum here to help look at the angles of the baguettes/ the dimensions of the shank with that.

And 100% agree with @rockysalamander that the shank should meet the bottom of the baguettes smoothly, just like your previous LM. I like how the SK style has a little raise in the tip, and drops down to the rest of the shank with an elegant curve.

 

[lydial]

Hi again, I do not have my CAD yet. Layla mentioned I should expect it this week. I definitely am ok with sharing here. I am very curious to see what 6 prongs looks like with baguettes too! I am not great at this forum so I may need help posting once I get it.

 

[lydial]

Have I got this correct? You want a three stone, with baguette sides stones. You need it to allow a flush wedding band without worries about the prongs. You want something a bit more sturdy.

1) To allow a flush wedding band (or any band). If the center is held with prongs that emerge above a solid shank and are "sucked inward" above the height of a band, you have no contact issues. These can be single or double (like the SK below), but keeping them from the top of the shank is important.





2) I'd want the shank to smoothly meet the bottom of the baguette. I find the tail prong on this kind of setting uncomfortable. Steven Kirsch does this beautifully.


http://stevenkirsch.com/gallery/ring-trio-three-stone-round-diamond-pears-platinum/

3) Do you like the head to float up, above the baguettes (like #1) or more even like the Steven Kirsch? That will determine the angle of the baguettes and the height of the center. For a center your size, I would personally find the SK ring more comfortable.

4) Getting over your knuckle. I'd look at shanks designed for folks with arthritis. My mom has a bunch of these, her current favorite is the forever fit. She likes that it takes no tools and won't "nip" your skin when opening and closing. She has "speed humps" on several, but she likes these better. Your selected jeweler will buy the shank and they work that into the design of the ring. The narrowest will be 2.5 mm.
https://foreverfitrings.com/index.html

Does that help?

Thank you everyone. My CAD looks really similar to the SK setting. What do you think about the prongs laying over the donut - should they come "from" the donut, or lay over the donut?

This ring they come from the donut:

 

[rockysalamander]

Thank you everyone. My CAD looks really similar to the SK setting. What do you think about the prongs laying over the donut - should they come "from" the donut, or lay over the donut?

This ring they come from the donut:

I like when they come from a straight shank, like my #1 picture, rather than a donut. Has the maker said you need a donut and cannot have a straight shank or maybe you prefer a donut?

 

[lydial]

@rockysalamander I am not sure why we are doing the donut. My other 2 similar settings had a donut and I think I am feeling sentimental? Maybe it is just "the way it is usually done"? I do not plan to wear a wedding band with this but I also may change my mind over time. I am wearing it as a left-hand ring and I am having my wedding band re-made as a cluster and will wear as a right-hand stack (all due to knuckle stuff for me).

I think I would wear a spacer like this if I were to add a wedding band anyway due to prior damage to my other ring from prong wear from a micro-pave eternity band.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/589174411/10k-stack-ring-10k-ball-ring-10k-thumb?ref=cart

All my friends say that once they added the wedding band to their engagement rings they felt the e-ring lost it's oomph, so I am excited to be wearing an e-ring by itself with the other thin stack on the other hand!

 

[RainbowSeekingGoat]

Thank you everyone. My CAD looks really similar to the SK setting. What do you think about the prongs laying over the donut - should they come "from" the donut, or lay over the donut?

This ring they come from the donut:

I just got my CADs too and some adjustments need to be made. I will post them separate so I am not hijacking your thread here! I will tag you there when I post I have the same prongs "laying over the donut" situation as you do too in my CAD. I love a small donut but I am very keen on having my wedding band to be worn flush so something will need to be compromised. I do think you can keep the donut and ask for the prong to come out of the donut like the below? (That's what I am planning to ask for in my next round of CAD.)

 

[lambskin]

Your proposal ring setting looks exactly like mine. I got mine in 1987.

 

[lydial]

I just got my CADs too and some adjustments need to be made. I will post them separate so I am not hijacking your thread here! I will tag you there when I post I have the same prongs "laying over the donut" situation as you do too in my CAD. I love a small donut but I am very keen on having my wedding band to be worn flush so something will need to be compromised. I do think you can keep the donut and ask for the prong to come out of the donut like the below? (That's what I am planning to ask for in my next round of CAD.)

Hi, I would love to follow your project but I am giving up social media for Lent. Trying to be less distracted. Any chance you can post your CAD today? Otherwise I will catch up after Lent!

 

[lydial]

Hi Lydia, congrats on your new CBI I also just joined the family and am on the waiting game as well.. And, I am working with Layla too on a setting with tapered baguettes! (HPD are ordering the baguettes for me in my case.) I am on a similar boat and it is so nice to found you here I am setting mine with 6 prongs so it is not exactly the same, but I would love to follow your custom design thought process!

I looked at Leon Mege’s work previously and also not super fond of how low (even though it is his signature) the stone is set. But I do like how he use tiny prongs to hold the baguettes instead of a bar tucked underneath the center stone so you see a nice flow of “diamond to diamond” trasition when viewed from the sides. Is that how your previous setting is like? (Can’t really tell from the pictures at the moment.)

What are the size in mm of your proposal baguettes? I personally found that the wider but shorter the baguettes are to the center stone, the ring would have more of a HW look, and the slimmer they are to the center stone, the ring would have more of a enhanced solitaire feel to it (especially when the stone is set higher). What height are you thinking of setting yours? I am in between 7/8mm at the moment and my stone is just a little over 2 carats.

Hi @RainbowSeekingGoat Sorry I never really answered here. My baguettes are about the same as yours. 6.1 mm, 2.4 on the wide end, a little less tapered. 1.8 at the short end? My ring size is much larger than yours, you will have more finger coverage with the same length. My LM had prongs on the middle part of the baguettes, which my HPD will as well. I was going for a very similar setting to please the spouse... I finalized a height of 7.4 mm. My LM was very low, I thought it was 6.5 mm but may have been 6. I asked Layla to email you the final CAD since I am refraining from posting until after Easter. I am not that religious but I need a social media and distraction detox. Good luck, your ring will be gorgeous.