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Can my custom ring fit any size center stone?

M

mrkool44

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
22
Hi,

I am getting a custom engagement ring made without the center stone. It is being designed to fit a marquise center stone between .5 - .75 carat.

The ring will be shipped to me in 4 weeks, without a center diamond.

My plan is to buy a loose diamond online. Once I get the ring in the mail, I will take both to a local jeweler to install the center stone into my ring.

Problem: A local independent jeweler told me that " You can't buy the center stone without first taking measurements of the actual ring"
(So, I would have to wait until it arrives (4 weeks) before I can even begin to shop for a center diamond, which sucks because I want the ring completed ASAP.)

But, another jeweler said I could buy any diamond size (within reason) and have the local jeweler adjust the ring head to make the diamond fit ?


So, which one is correct ?
 
Adjustments to the setting are possible, but it would be far better to buy a center stone first, then have the setting made to accommodate the exact dimensions of the center stone.
 
Yeah. I agree with your local jeweler. You need to wait till you have the setting, or ask the custom setting maker what the exact measurements of the setting are.

You kind of did backward. Even with a round, getting the setting first is not recommended. But with a fancy it's a frankly a bad idea.
 
I would wait until you get the stone first. It is so much easier to get the stone first, then make the setting to fit the stone. Going about the way you are now, you are unnecessarily limiting yourself to the length and width measurement. It is incredibly difficult enough to find a well cut marquise, let alone making sure it must be a certain mm size. Then there is the fat, medium and skinny marquise consideration as well.
 
I agree with the others, stone first, then setting, especially for non-rounds.

DK :))
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

Spoke to jeweler in California today, he said ring will be completed by July 10th. I told them I plan to put a marquise diamond sized between .60 - .70 carat. They are including a 6 prong ring head, with 2 V prongs.

The reason I am getting the setting made first is because of a few reasons. Main issue is that the ring is not being made locally:

1. We already found the exact ring we want (it's sold in Zales, but they don't make it in platinum, so I asked Robbins Bros to make a duplicate, they are close to my gfs place)
The zales ring is sold with a .37 carat center stone and looks perfect. A stone larger than .70 carat would look awkward. So, we agreed that we want the same ring, but with a better center diamond, sized between .40 - .70 carat.

2. It will take 6-8 weeks to make the setting. So, I wanted to get this part started ASAP.
Whereas, the diamond would only take 1-2 weeks to get in my hands.

3. Another reason is, the ring is being made in California ( I live on east coast), at a Jeweler close to my girlfriend.
I visit there once every 4-8 weeks. So, If I didn't get the ring process started now, it wouldn't get started at all until July, which
would delay the actual ring completion to September/October(too late!)

I plan to buy a diamond and send the jeweler the diamond's dimensions by June 20. Would this give them enough time
to ensure the ring head is adjusted to match the diamond i purchased ?

Once they complete the ring (minus the center stone), they will mail the ring to me on the east coast. I was planning on having a local jeweler set the stone OR I fly to California to pick it up and have them install the stone.

What do you guys think of the plan? Is there a better way to do this ?
 
.60-.70ct is just the weight. Not the mm measurements. Pending how it is cut you can have two diamonds with the same ctw but have a different face size.

I agree with Gypsy, you did this backwards and are limiting yourself to what you can put in there.
 
I agree with the posters above, it is really difficult sometimes to get a diamond that is an exact size for a premade setting, much much easier to buy a stone and send it to the people making the setting and get them to make the setting specifically for it. The reason? No ugly gaps, no messing around the stone fits perfectly first time around.

Marquise come in tall thin shapes and short fatter shapes they are not all the same. You need to ask the jeweller specifically for the best measurement possible for it to fit into that setting and have now limited yourself to that and that only when buying a stone. So if you find a larger stone, a smaller stone with a better cut or something else that you love it is going to be a BIG issue.

I guess what we are all saying is it would be a more practical idea to tell the setting maker to wait until you find a stone. Buy the stone and either then send it to the people making the setting and get the ring made for it and set for you or give them the exact measurements and they make it specifically to fit the diamond that you have.
 
The jeweler who is making the ring has the best information about what is and is not possible. I would trust their judgment.

Is something preventing you from buying the stone now and holding on to it until the setting is complete?
 
If you want just any marquise, you can find one in less than 2 weeks. If you are looking for a well cut marquise, I doubt you can find one within 4 weeks. Round shapes are aplenty and you can find an extremely well cut RB within 2 weeks but this is not the case for fancy cuts like marquises.

Not only that, a 0.6 to 0.7 ct marquise can have many different measurements, depending on the cut (and fat/thin-ness). Possibilities (taken from the PS quick diamond search) include:
7.7 x 4.3 mm
8.2 x 4.5 mm
8.5 x 4.6 mm
9.0 x 4.3 mm

Settings do not have that much leeway, only 0.5 mm either way, so if your setting is made to fit a 7.5 x 4.5 mm marquise, you are out of luck if you happen to like a 8.5 x 4.5 mm marquise. Please get the stone first, then the setting because there is no way to predict the shape and measurement of the diamond you end up with. Since you are pressed for time, get the stone first and set it in a plain solitaire for proposal purposes. Once that is done, you can take your sweet time with the custom setting.
 
If it's a peg head, the jeweler can change the head. If it's not a peg head, they can possibly pinch it up or spread it out in the right places and/or add material to the prongs. If it's a halo, you may have to work with a jeweler who has access to many sources, to find a marquise that will work well in your setting. You didn't indicate the style, so there's really no way to give you an answer. 2:1 length to width ratio is standard, but I like fatter marquise stones better.
 
We have no idea what stage the ring is being made now. But please ask the jeweler to stop first. Getting a ring before finding the stone severely limits your diamond selection. Please buy your diamond first before proceeding with the ring.
 
I agree with you guys that I'm doing this backwards. But, i hope you understand the reason why I did it this way.

We found the exact setting we liked...we just didn't like that its in gold and didnt like the center stone. Since the ring takes 6-8 weeks to make, I had no choice but to get started on the setting asap. If I had 3-5 months, I would buy diamond first, then start the ring. But, I didn't have that much time.

At this point, I have already paid the jeweler to start making the ring. I told the jeweler that I would purchase the diamond later and he said that is no problem and that he can set whatever diamond I decide to buy. (I didn't like any diamonds he had in his store)

The ring head is being made with interchangeable ring head, not cast. I spoke to some local jewelers and they said if it is interchangeable, then it's as simple as changing out the head to fit whatever size diamond you buy.

I spoke to the jeweler making the ring today and I asked if he needs diamond measurements, he said No. So, this is contradictory to the advice on this thread. Why is he not concerned about diamond size ?

I plan to buy a diamond on bluenile. I should have it in my hand by June 5. The ring will not be completed until July 5-10.

So, I'm guessing I have about 4 weeks before the ring is completed to send the jeweler the dimensions, if necessary.

Some notes:

1. I don't want to ship a loose diamond to the jeweler making the ring and ask them to set it for me. I'd prefer to do this in person, while I am watching... I'm assuming this is what you guys recommend? This means, I would have to book a flight from east coast to california when the ring is ready ... this may or may not fit into my work schedule.

2. i ask jeweler to ship completed ring including the ring head to me on east coast. I then take it to a local jeweler to have them install my diamond, purchased from bluenile.

What do you think is the best way to go about this, at this point in time?
 
You have some leeway with a peg head; probably give or take 0.5 mm both ways. You also have a good selection by going with BN. Unfortunately, BN does not provide actual pictures or proof that the marquise is well cut. Fancy shapes such as a marquise cannot be purchased by the numbers so you are risking ordering a dud or leaky diamond.

Secondly, most jewellers do not allow the customer to watch the setting process. Firstly, they have a backlog of other jobs so they cannot tell you precisely when they will get to your ring. To ensure that you have the correct diamond, you need to know your diamond thoroughly (precise measurement and inclusion plot).
 
I doubt any jeweler would allow you to watch the setting process. First, because of safety: there are a lot of sharp tools around and valuable stuff. It would be very easy for someone to either hurt themselves or slip a job envelope into their pocket. Insurance doesn't cover shop visitors, either, so that would be a nightmare. Second, because of the nature of the job. Would you want someone breathing down your neck while you were doing painstaking work that requires a lot of concentration? Third, scheduling. A bench jeweler is often working on multiple pieces at the same time and he doesn't have a set time to get to a certain piece.
 
ok, thanks for the help so far. I am planning to buy a diamond either on bluenile or through a local jeweler.

If I can't see the diamond being set anyway, should I go ahead and buy and ship the diamond to the jeweler in California?
Or, I am going to cali July 2-9, so I could wait until then and take the diamond to the jeweler in cali personally.

Another option is to have the jeweler ship the finished setting to me on the east coast, and I will get diamond installed locally.

Which option is better?

How can I be verify that the jeweler installed my stone in the ring and not a similar stone?

What is your advice on best way to proceed t?
 
Ah, your jeweler is probably making the setting with a peg head, which is easy to swap out for different stones. They are able to work on the rest of the setting without knowing the exact dimensions of the center.

Either setting option will work. I would send the stone directly to the jeweler making the setting in California, as they are most familiar with the setting. They might even be willing to do it for no additional cost, since you're already buying the setting from them. Getting the stone set locally would be at least $100 depending on costs in your area and the intricacy of the setting.

The risk of a reputable jeweler swapping out your stone for a cheaper one or a CZ is extremely low. It's simply not worth the tremendous risk to their reputation for a pretty low payoff. They are also unlikely to have a stone that looks similar enough to yours lying around. Such a switch is also very easy to detect. An independent appraiser will be able to verify that the stone in the setting is the same one represented by the certificate. You'll probably want an independent appraisal anyway, to determine valuation for insurance.

May I ask why your online option is limited to Blue Nile? With a fancy shape like a marquise, the numbers tell very little about how a diamond will look. We usually recommend buying fancies from vendors that provide more information, like pictures and reflector images. Good Old Gold provides an exhaustive set of information that allows consumers to understand a diamond's performance. James Allen is a more budget-friendly option that provides less information, but their cool rotating images plus ASETs (3 per customer provided upon request) allow for a pretty good idea of what you're getting. If you provide desired specs and budget, there are many here who could suggest some good candidates.

Also, I just realized you posted this in "Hangout." You'll get more responses if you move it to RockyTalky. Click on the "Report Concern" button to contact the moderator and ask them to move it.
 
urseberry|1400810842|3678538 said:
Ah, your jeweler is probably making the setting with a peg head, which is easy to swap out for different stones. They are able to work on the rest of the setting without knowing the exact dimensions of the center.

Either setting option will work. I would send the stone directly to the jeweler making the setting in California, as they are most familiar with the setting. They might even be willing to do it for no additional cost, since you're already buying the setting from them. Getting the stone set locally would be at least $100 depending on costs in your area and the intricacy of the setting.

The risk of a reputable jeweler swapping out your stone for a cheaper one or a CZ is extremely low. It's simply not worth the tremendous risk to their reputation for a pretty low payoff. They are also unlikely to have a stone that looks similar enough to yours lying around. Such a switch is also very easy to detect. An independent appraiser will be able to verify that the stone in the setting is the same one represented by the certificate. You'll probably want an independent appraisal anyway, to determine valuation for insurance.

May I ask why your online option is limited to Blue Nile? With a fancy shape like a marquise, the numbers tell very little about how a diamond will look. We usually recommend buying fancies from vendors that provide more information, like pictures and reflector images. Good Old Gold provides an exhaustive set of information that allows consumers to understand a diamond's performance. James Allen is a more budget-friendly option that provides less information, but their cool rotating images plus ASETs (3 per customer provided upon request) allow for a pretty good idea of what you're getting. If you provide desired specs and budget, there are many here who could suggest some good candidates.

Also, I just realized you posted this in "Hangout." You'll get more responses if you move it to RockyTalky. Click on the "Report Concern" button to contact the moderator and ask them to move it.
Click to expand...

Yes, the jeweler said the head is interchangeable and not cast. So, I guess it's a "peg head", although he didn't use that term. He also said he will install any diamond I bring to him for free, but he will not warranty the diamond, just the setting.

My online option is not limited to blue nile. It's just the one I came across after a referral from a friend. If there are better online or local places, I am very open to trying them out. I found a site called Ritani, they actually allow me to select 2 diamonds, have them shipped to a local store near me and have me look at them in person, if i like, it will charge my card...if not, it will not cost me anything. Pretty cool.

I am a little scared of buying it from online without actually seeing it in person, since marquise it's very hard to tell the cut, it would be nice if I had someone local to advise me along the way.
 
For a marquise, I would check out James Allen. They have photographs of the actual stone and can provide Asets and other images to help you make your decision. Gold old Gold, if they have stock in the marquise size you are looking for can be good too.

Also, both James Allen and GOG are in New York. I'm not sure where you are on the east coast but if you're willing to fly to California to see diamonds, maybe New York is convenient for you as well. JA only takes walk-through with appointments and only when you've narrowed down your choices (when I last checked). However, they also have gemologist on staff that can help you with the selection process.

Quite frankly though, if you post your budget, size and other requirements here on Pricescope, we could probably help you find something spectacular too. We love doing that here.
 
Like suggested before, I would purchase the diamond ASAP and send to the jeweler in California. Have them set it and when they send it to you, take it into an independent appraiser to make sure it all checks out. This is good to both ensure the diamond you bought is the one they set (shouldn't be an issue if the jeweler is reputable) and to get the appraisal documents for insurance purposes.
 
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