JewelFreak
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2009
- Messages
- 7,768
Have any folks in this area been to this store? They were on Sharon Amity, moved recently to South Park. Since they cleaned my watch before, I toddled over with it again, picked it up yesterday & had SUCH a great time! Nice people.
Wanted to get an idea, for comparison, of B&M prices for settings, so took along my blue spinel & peachy tourmaline. David -- who looks around 60 -- & I experimented w/ several settings. I started grilling him about his experience w/softer stones -- then the fun started. He obviously loves his field. Longtime member of AGTA, etc. Showed me custom designs he'd done w/a variety of stones -- rings, earrings, pendants. Got out a wedding set -- bride & groom rings -- he designed, showed me CADs, computer workups, etc., then the actual rings, waiting to be picked up. I think we played happily for an hour. He is a very imaginative designer & concerned that customers return -- some have, for 30 yrs.
He put my spinel under the microscope -- first time I've looked at one that way, what a fabulous revelation! -- to answer a question I had about the angle at the culet. This view showed up an inclusion not visible through a loupe, will make setting that puppy a risky job: a horsetail down the side that ends very near the surface at the stone's edge. Anyone who sets this will do it only at your risk, he commented; will need to insure it. Beautiful cut, though, he said, which of course is partly why I bought it in the first place.
Of course, you pay B&M prices, including rent at South Park.
For the peach tourmaline (7.75 mm cushion), a size-7 14k yg double-prong solitaire setting w/melee G - H VS on half the shank, his price is around $2K. Feel guilty taking his time & not ordering something -- the work would be excellent & he would always be around, but gulp.
Anyhow, if you're in the area with time, it's a super place.
--- Laurie
Wanted to get an idea, for comparison, of B&M prices for settings, so took along my blue spinel & peachy tourmaline. David -- who looks around 60 -- & I experimented w/ several settings. I started grilling him about his experience w/softer stones -- then the fun started. He obviously loves his field. Longtime member of AGTA, etc. Showed me custom designs he'd done w/a variety of stones -- rings, earrings, pendants. Got out a wedding set -- bride & groom rings -- he designed, showed me CADs, computer workups, etc., then the actual rings, waiting to be picked up. I think we played happily for an hour. He is a very imaginative designer & concerned that customers return -- some have, for 30 yrs.
He put my spinel under the microscope -- first time I've looked at one that way, what a fabulous revelation! -- to answer a question I had about the angle at the culet. This view showed up an inclusion not visible through a loupe, will make setting that puppy a risky job: a horsetail down the side that ends very near the surface at the stone's edge. Anyone who sets this will do it only at your risk, he commented; will need to insure it. Beautiful cut, though, he said, which of course is partly why I bought it in the first place.
Of course, you pay B&M prices, including rent at South Park.
For the peach tourmaline (7.75 mm cushion), a size-7 14k yg double-prong solitaire setting w/melee G - H VS on half the shank, his price is around $2K. Feel guilty taking his time & not ordering something -- the work would be excellent & he would always be around, but gulp. Anyhow, if you're in the area with time, it's a super place.
--- Laurie
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