Budget estimates (large fingered people)

[whitewave]

Hi, everyone.

I’m just curious here. I have this round yellow sapphire from finewater, post here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-2-38-round-yellow-sapphire-from-finewater.250799/

It’s a 2.3 carat round... well, shoot. I don’t have the dimensions and it’s at my other house. I guess this thread is pointless.

However, just in case anyone has an opinion, I’ll leave the thread.

I want a daisy ring, so plain shank with a halo. I’ll try to find inspiration photos. It’s the halo with metal on the outside of the diamonds so like a flower.

I guess I’ll get DK to do it. (I had a vendor offer to set an outside stone, but this vendor normally doesn’t so I really don’t want to put them out...)

It will go on my right hand index finger— one of my largest fingers, so will likely need to be a size 9.5, possibly 10. OMG. The horror of that.

Any guesses? I realize I’ll likley have to come back later with the dimensions.

 

[whitewave]

No miligrain on halo an not rose cuts. Just to give you an idea.

I realize this post is going nowhere lol

 

[whitewave]

I’m on a bling ban, so I’m not even close to asking for an estimate.

I’m pre pre pre budgeting.

 

[dk168]

To be honest, I am not certain what the OP is asking, sorry!

And the size of the stone in question?

My middle finger on my left hand is a size 12+ US, no big deal IMHO, it is what it is!

DK

 

[LilAlex]

"2.3 carat" and "...it's at my other house" don't usually go in "budget" questions...

I don't think the few extra mm of band length for a size 9 or 10 will majorly impact the price. It's not like ft^2 for a house.

OTOH, if you want/need a much wider spread (think bigger diamonds), that's a different story.

 

[CSpan]

I get what you are saying, what would that setting cost approx? I don't think coverage is going to be very hard on that style of ring. Now as for proportion, someone smarter than me needs to chime and and advise on the size of the halo.

 

[whitewave]

I get what you are saying, what would that setting cost approx? I don't think coverage is going to be very hard on that style of ring. Now as for proportion, someone smarter than me needs to chime and and advise on the size of the halo.

@dk168 I’m trying to guesstimate how much it costs to make a halo ring.

@LilAlex funny. I see your point lol.

@CSpan yes, I’m trying to figure the sizes out for halo stones, but given I don’t have the stats on the sapphire, I don’t see how I can figure out what size melee.

At any rate, I’ll leave this here and when I get sapphire dimensions, maybe someone can chime in.

I probably need @mrs-b in here since she has completed many projects lately.

 

[whitewave]

To be honest, I am not certain what the OP is asking, sorry!

And the size of the stone in question?

My middle finger on my left hand is a size 12+ US, no big deal IMHO, it is what it is!

DK

Sorry, I was crazy unclear. I’ve been in spaced out floaty land. DH thinks I may still be recovering from the steroids I was on last month for Bells Palsy. It suppresses ACTH and it takes a while for the body to start making it again.

That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. Lol

 

[winnietucker]

Sorry to be off topic, but who owns the last halo in your other post? I want to go admire it.

 

[whitewave]

Sorry to be off topic, but who owns the last halo in your other post? I want to go admire it.

I found it on google images. I reverted the image and it’s from the antique jewelry company but I haven’t found it yet. I googled “daisy ring petal halo”

 

[whitewave]

I found it on google images. I reverted the image and it’s from the antique jewelry company but I haven’t found it yet. I googled “daisy ring petal halo”

It doesn’t pull up the ring, only the website. I’m guessing it sold.

 

[MamaBee]

@whitewave Your inspiration ring looks a lot like my vintage daisy cluster! Your sapphire is gorgeous! My center diamond is teeny next to your sapphire so I’m no help with the dimensions. I agree @mrs-b would be able to steer you in the right direction.. David could definitely make you a gorgeous daisy ring.

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

I would guess a 2.3ct sapphire would likely be 7.5 to 8mm. I have a daisy ring with an 8mm zircon. The melee size is about 1.5mm. Just showing you for reference.
My best guess would be $1,800 to 2k +/-, depending on the melee sizes and band thickness.

Adding: total circumference is 14 mm, on sz 6 finger

 

[whitewave]

I would guess a 2.3ct sapphire would likely be 7.5 to 8mm. I have a daisy ring with an 8mm zircon. The melee size is about 1.5mm. Just showing you for reference.
My best guess would be $1,800 to 2k +/-, depending on the melee sizes and band thickness.

Adding: total circumference is 14 mm, on sz 6 finger

Thank you so much! Yes, it’s always fun collecting stones, but that’s only half of it! Lol. Ok, I was assuming baseline $1800 in the least and up from there depending on melee size.

And then I have the asscher cut emerald to set after this.

At least bling bans give you time to think...

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

Lol, I am also declaring a bling ban. I declared it last week too, but failed miserably...two rings and two gemstones this week!.
I've blown my 2020 bling budget, all before Jan 1st!

 

[voce]

The ring on the left, my "crown ring", size 9.5, has a substantial amount of gold. IIRC, the gold+setting cost was $1350, and CAD cost was $350. $1700 before cost of stones. I think your daisy ring will be cheaper in terms of gold and setting but then you have to add in the cost of the halo stones, presumably diamonds?

I think depending on size/quality you'll probably have to throw in $300-$500 for those, plus $1400 or $1500 for gold. I estimate $1700-$2100 total for your project.

 

[strawrose]

Juliabjewelry has a daisy design:


http://etsy.me/13Rgcsy

(I was just thinking of her because I had to report a stolen photo of her designs... again. She’s very popular, apparently. )

 

[whitewave]

@voce that sounds about right I assume... 2100-2200. I just don’t want another about 4K setting.

@strawrose I wonder if she sets outside stones?

 

[voce]

@voce that sounds about right I assume... 2100-2200. I just don’t want another about 4K setting.

@strawrose I wonder if she sets outside stones?

I'm shocked by your mention of 4K for a setting. I've only ever spent more than $2k on the setting twice, one for my pear-shaped paraiba, another for my avatar ruby ring, but then the avatar ruby ring included wax carving and the suite of diamonds, and even then had cost under $3k for setting. I guess it would be reasonable if the jeweler had to spend considerable time designing and the customer wanted a specific design from them, or if the customer had no idea about the design they would like. I generally think up a design before I approach the jeweler or even make the CS purchase. Nice stones, I budget up to $2k (prefer fleshing out my designs with Enhoerning, or would use Yvonne Raley's custom settings if I bought the CS from her), and cheapie stones, I never spend more than $1k on and work with Daniel M.

I understand the beauty of a stone exceeds its dollar value sometimes, but any "excess money" that goes into the setting, you'll never recoup if one day you have to sell it. That said, I've never loved any premade setting, apart from some of Yvonne's designs, as much as the settings that I've designed myself with sketches and had others tweak/fabricate.

I think if Julia B sets outside stones, that's your best option right there in terms of value, since you probably won't have to budget much for CADs. It might be worthwhile to get a quote from Daniel M, but I'd source stones from another jeweler.

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

Last I read, JuliaB does not set outside stones. She might fabricate the setting, and you could have the sapphire set locally . ( I've never bought her jewelry, so can't speak for the quality. )

 

[whitewave]

@voce it was my custom CVB ID micro pave setting for my asscher. But I love it to pieces so to me it was worth it and is my engagement ring so.....

 

[whitewave]

Last I read, JuliaB does not set outside stones. She might fabricate the setting, and you could have the sapphire set locally . ( I've never bought her jewelry, so can't speak for the quality. )

It’s not exactly what I want, but for that price.... I found my email receipt for the sapphire and Gary didn’t list dimensions, so I’m not sure I have the dimensions on it.

 

[chrono]

@voce Has Daniel M cleaned up his act from a year or two ago? I am hesitant to recommend him unless he has shown that he is responsive to emails and prompt delivery again.

 

[voce]

@voce Has Daniel M cleaned up his act from a year or two ago? I am hesitant to recommend him unless he has shown that he is responsive to emails and prompt delivery again.

Yes, so far, so good. I've had stuff set by him Oct-Dec 2019. At first I hadn't recognized the name to connect it with a thread where people discussed him being flakey, since I hadn't worked with him before.

I saw another PS member get something from him, and I stumbled upon his Etsy shop. Started with having him do some bezel rings and bezel sliding pendants for some of my cheaper stones. Then I had a purple spinel set E-W in his trellis design, and I sent some other small CS to make the bee ring. After that I sent more stones for a 3-stone trellis ring and for more bezel projects so I'd have pieces to gift friends and family. In all at least a dozen projects to set.

After I realized he's the same vendor that was not responsive before, I became more skeptical, especially since he chipped the red spinel I bought from Pristine Gemstones, promised to show me the chip, and offered a workaround for free, but I didn't get to see it until December.

However, he has been good about responding to me through Etsy convos. Reply was generally same day or at most next business day. Later on he gave me updates once or twice each week even when I was not as responsive as my work became busy. Most of the stuff (everything except the chipped spinel) I've sent him were completed in 2-3 weeks. The chipped spinel, took longer because he found his workaround plan was to affix more gold to hide the chip, but he couldn't solder it on due to the high heat and had to wait to use equipment to laser on more gold.

It seems that once he sets stuff, he mails it the next day, so most of the wait is for him to sit down and CAD a custom project (which is fast once he does it), then wait for casting (a week), then wait for him to set the stones. I think he has quite a number of projects going on at any given time, judging by the number of custom listings he's sold. I had a princess cut Mahenge spinel from Gran Gem and a semi-mount I bought off LoupeTroop. He charged me just $20 to set it (don't think I can get that price at local jewelry shops), and I received the ring back with the stone perfectly set about a week after I sent him the stone and semi-mount. Probably 5 of those days that week the stone and ring were in transit, so my feeling is that he finishes his work rather quickly once he gets to it in the queue, however he prioritizes his open projects.

I'm attaching a picture of the bezel pendants. The one with the chip is in the center.

What I appreciated, was that he was honest and contacted me as soon as the chip occurred and apologized. He did not charge me at all for the work that he did on the damaged stone. So far communication since October 2019 has not been a problem. I've been happy with the work that he has done so far for me.

 

[meely]

The start of this thread was too funny. Judging by your inspiration photos I think you might be looking at more like 3k. Just thinking you seem to be wanting quite large diamond melee

 

[whitewave]

The start of this thread was too funny. Judging by your inspiration photos I think you might be looking at more like 3k. Just thinking you seem to be wanting quite large diamond melee

Probably so lol

 

[ShinyPink]

Julia has set my stones. It depends on the price of the stones, though. I'm not sure she's comfortable setting an expensive stone, but it doesn't hurt to ask her.