CAD feedback for 4.16 O/P antique cushion ring. BEES!

[evergreen]

Hi! Feedback on a CAD, please?

So, the big humongous cushion is already with David Klass and he has zoomed along on a CAD for the setting!! I'm going to go with an inner bezel (will look thinner than in the CAD once polished) in 18k X1 white gold, and the rest 18k rose gold. The full gallery (honeycomb) wasn't structurally necessary and I don't want to block light getting to the pavilion because this ain't an AVC. Check out the cute little bee at 4 o'clock on the shank - that was @Mjay 's idea, and I'll put the older honeycomb-gallery CAD downthread because it was SO cute (but I think it's going to hurt the diamond's performance).


Things I think I might ask for --
# Not have the hidden gallery bees be bent so much; have them closer to the pavilion, although their little heads are on a "point" of a hexagon so maybe they have to be far away? Also, gallery bees should be white gold since this stone picks up color from surroundings pretty easily
# Thinner part-that-rests-on-the-finger-under-the-gallery, whatever that is called - wondering if it can be as gracile as the under-gallery bees while not compromising its structural role.

Inspiration mock-up ring:




Any thoughts? Now that I'm looking at the mockup and Bright Ice's ring, I wonder if the rose gold outer bezel is too big...

 

[evergreen]

Honeycomb gallery!!! So cute. Saving for later.

 

[Kim N]

I'm not good with CADs, but the little bees are ADORABLE! Love them!

 

[lovedogs]

The honeycomb gallery and little bees are SO CUTE

 

[Niel]

Could you make the outer halo hexagonal shaped to go with the bees?
If not, maybe the donut hexagonal shaped?

I had dk put a flower at the very back of a shank of mine for a ring, could be cute to have a bee there too, or a hive, but or something. Maybe lean into the bee motif a little more

 

[Niel]

Also I wonder if lowering the bees to where the split shank ends might have a better flow
Sort of like this. Imagine this flower was a bee

 

[Niel]

Sort of like this

 

[lovedogs]

Sort of like this

Omg this is such a good inspo pic! Love the bee placement on that one

 

[Mjay]

Hi! Feedback on a CAD, please?

So, the big humongous cushion is already with David Klass and he has zoomed along on a CAD for the setting!! I'm going to go with an inner bezel (will look thinner than in the CAD once polished) in 18k X1 white gold, and the rest 18k rose gold. The full gallery (honeycomb) wasn't structurally necessary and I don't want to block light getting to the pavilion because this ain't an AVC. Check out the cute little bee at 4 o'clock on the shank - that was @Mjay 's idea, and I'll put the older honeycomb-gallery CAD downthread because it was SO cute (but I think it's going to hurt the diamond's performance).


Things I think I might ask for --
# Not have the hidden gallery bees be bent so much; have them closer to the pavilion, although their little heads are on a "point" of a hexagon so maybe they have to be far away? Also, gallery bees should be white gold since this stone picks up color from surroundings pretty easily
# Thinner part-that-rests-on-the-finger-under-the-gallery, whatever that is called - wondering if it can be as gracile as the under-gallery bees while not compromising its structural role.

Inspiration mock-up ring:




Any thoughts? Now that I'm looking at the mockup and Bright Ice's ring, I wonder if the rose gold outer bezel is too big...

I love it but I definitely feel like those hidden gallery bees are getting lost. I would definitely move them out a bit and make them white gold. I also love the suggestion that @Niel made. I REALY love the bee on the shank. I know you’re nixing the honeycomb idea but I just have to say that I think it looks pretty.

 

[Niel]

I apologize I see the donut is honeycomb shaped already. I still think a honeycombed shaped outer bezel and some slight shank modifications would enhance this a bit

 

[Niel]

If you made the donut wider (I know you might. It want that if you want a band to sit flat )
You could get a small but still airy design under in the basket and get maybe a hexagon or two, alternating might be cute give the impression of more

 

[Niel]

Could you make the outer halo hexagonal shaped to go with the bees?
If not, maybe the donut hexagonal shaped?

I had dk put a flower at the very back of a shank of mine for a ring, could be cute to have a bee there too, or a hive, but or something. Maybe lean into the bee motif a little more

Ohhh you know what else could be back there make it look like a drip. Like it’s honey.

A poor illustration to help explain - have the drip (in this illustration the left side ) raised slightly so it looks like it’s slightly dripping Down the back of the shank (obviously an exaggeration though I’m sure you could only fit one drip on a thin shank at best )

 

[evergreen]

@Mjay I'm super psyched about someday making a REAL bee ring - like, obviously BEES!!! Honeycomb gallery and bees at the split shank like @Niel suggested - that blue carved ring is AMAZING, did you have that saved in an inspiration folder??

When I get on my computer I'll try out a hexagonal halo. I think I tried it a while ago and it looked funky because the cushion is elongated - would look gorgeous with a round but something about trying to hexagon-ize a rounded rectangle got kinda forced-feeling. I'm not sure I completely understand the gallery idea but I'm pretty attached to the idea of keeping a wedding band flush-fit, so maybe not a good fit to extend the gallery much. The open gallery on that JFA ring is stunning.

Yes, the donut is a hexagon - I think I'm going to make it also white, and the bees in white! I kinda don't want other people to see the bees unless they know about them/are looking for them... Like secret bees. I'm nervous about making the ring look "themed" to a casual observer. On this rendition, anyway. I think the hexagon gallery would look amazing on a big, low-RI colored stone... A huge imperial topaz or something. With full-on bees!! So, definitely saving that gallery for later.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

I love the squares off corners and think the bee is good as-is. Just IMHO.

 

[Niel]

If you don’t want it to be obvious then I’d put the bees in the gallery north/south. Not under the split shank.

 

[emmy12]

I agree that hidden bees are cute, but I'm having a hard time reading them as bees from the various angles, even when I know what they are.

 

[Mjay]

@Mjay I'm super psyched about someday making a REAL bee ring - like, obviously BEES!!! Honeycomb gallery and bees at the split shank like @Niel suggested - that blue carved ring is AMAZING, did you have that saved in an inspiration folder??

When I get on my computer I'll try out a hexagonal halo. I think I tried it a while ago and it looked funky because the cushion is elongated - would look gorgeous with a round but something about trying to hexagon-ize a rounded rectangle got kinda forced-feeling. I'm not sure I completely understand the gallery idea but I'm pretty attached to the idea of keeping a wedding band flush-fit, so maybe not a good fit to extend the gallery much. The open gallery on that JFA ring is stunning.

Yes, the donut is a hexagon - I think I'm going to make it also white, and the bees in white! I kinda don't want other people to see the bees unless they know about them/are looking for them... Like secret bees. I'm nervous about making the ring look "themed" to a casual observer. On this rendition, anyway. I think the hexagon gallery would look amazing on a big, low-RI colored stone... A huge imperial topaz or something. With full-on bees!! So, definitely saving that gallery for later.

I agree; I like the shape of your bezel as is. I personally don’t think a hexagon shape would look good with the shape of your stone. I think popping the bees out a hair and possibly changing the color of the bees will do the trick. In the CAD with the honeycomb I can totally tell that they are bees but in the recent CAD I honestly can’t tell what they are because they look kind of smashed in there. Subtle details are better than over themed for this particular piece.

 

[emmy12]

Different idea for the under gallery rail instead of the hexagon could you place two bees there? Top with the body and wings forming a hexagon, then bottom with the bodies extended to touch in the middle. Feel free to toss this idea too

 

[evergreen]

@Niel I tried making the bezel hexagonal - it's subtle. The options were to put the "other points" E/W or N/S, and I couldn't even get "close to right" with N/S. I think it has to be so tight, and distorts the hexagon so much, that it isn't going to work for this ring.



@emmy12 your bees are adorable!!! If I was going to go for a true platform bezel, that would be a fantastic way to incorporate them. I think if I stick with east-west bees, though, it is a little swarm-y to make them the on-the-finger part

I am struggling to get a "feel" for how visible they would be against the finger vs as part of the gallery. I think I might have to ask David for a wax of this one... like, I think he has executed what I asked, as far as the bees go, and I think they will be visible peek-a-boo through the split shank which makes me happy, but also it may end up they're too "under".

I think I'm going to ask for a thinner rose gold big-bezel which will expose the bees a little more... I agree they're a little hidden under there. Does widening the bees' wings in the E/W view help? It will be switched to white gold.

 

[emmy12]

Does widening the bees' wings in the E/W view help? It will be switched to white gold.

I think that does help. I would also bring the head of the bee down and outside the hexagon to touch the side.

 

[lovedogs]

I think that does help. I would also bring the head of the bee down and outside the hexagon to touch the side.

This looks much more "readable " to me as a bee

 

[Grymera]

I think that does help. I would also bring the head of the bee down and outside the hexagon to touch the side.

My mind went somewhere else! (My eggplant emoji isn't showing up ) I'd be careful not to elongate the body of the bee too much, I think a rounder, fatter honey bee in the other version will still pop if in a contrasting metal.

 

[evergreen]

I think that does help. I would also bring the head of the bee down and outside the hexagon to touch the side.

Oh I think that really helps! Thanks!

@Grymera what I hadn't accounted for is the bee will be viewed obliquely, like at a 45 degree angle almost, so it gets foreshortened. The CHUBBY BEE impression is super important to me, otherwise it risks wasp or housefly territory. I think if I keep the wings big, maybe bigger than Emmy drew them, even, and the body cute and chubby, it'll come through ok. Maybe. Hopefully. probably will end up asking for a wax just to be sure no eggplants show up unexpectedly.

 

[Eli22]

Bees! I love it! Can’t wait to see the final piece!

 

[evergreen]

So I don't know if y'all follow DK's Instagram but...
BEES!!

She's in my hot little hands, she's got all the delicacy you'd expect from DK, and I am at a loss for photos appropriate to a SMTB but it'll happen eventually.

Thank you so much for all the feedback & help!! The little 4 o'clock bee is right where I can feel it with my thumb, like, "ah, I have the big fancy fabulous ring on, there's the little bee lump that's just for me!". Seriously, so so pleased.

 

[lovedogs]

So I don't know if y'all follow DK's Instagram but...
BEES!!

She's in my hot little hands, she's got all the delicacy you'd expect from DK, and I am at a loss for photos appropriate to a SMTB but it'll happen eventually.

Thank you so much for all the feedback & help!! The little 4 o'clock bee is right where I can feel it with my thumb, like, "ah, I have the big fancy fabulous ring on, there's the little bee lump that's just for me!". Seriously, so so pleased.

I KNEW THIS WAS YOURS!!!!!

 

[evergreen]

Tbh I hope y'all would've been mad on my behalf if this WASN'T my ring, it's a bit niche, ha! Would've been a pretty intense lurker trespass.

 

[lovedogs]

Tbh I hope y'all would've been mad on my behalf if this WASN'T my ring, it's a bit niche, ha! Would've been a pretty intense lurker trespass.

I would have internet fought them for you lol

 

[emmy12]

I totally forgot about the teeny bee on the band and had to rewatch to see it. Looks great!

I do always wonder what DK* would do if a random lurker tried to snipe an (obviously) custom design while yours was still in progress.

* Edit: or any designer

 

[oldcutclubmember]

Can’t wait to see handshots!!