Choices choices...

[Dreamer_D]

For a three stone, definitely option one!!! I much prefer 3 prongs around the side stones as opposed to four. I think with the four prongs around the side stones, they almost look like princess cuts.

I agree, my preference is three prongs on the sides.

Haven Would you be offended if I ended up borrowing some of the design elements in your ring? I love the detail on the gallery, and think it could look really cool in a three stone (though not totally sure how this would work...).

I have similar skin to you -- very fair and slightly pink undertones. I will try to try on some 18k RG today.

 

[Haven]

Offended? I would be delighted!

I'm going to sketch a three-stone version of the ring, actually, because I need a good distraction from grading for about ten minutes and PS is moving too slow! (I'm not saying you should use my sketch, just that you gave me a good thing to focus on while I allow my brain to rest for a bit before I go back to reading final portfolios.)

 

[Bella_mezzo]

DD-you are so not a stock setting girl I would do something custom that you like, even if it is not your forever setting this is probably for more than just right now setting

What do you like the best? I LOVE yssies ring and I LOVE Haven's ring and I LOVE SLG's ring. but they are all very very different not much help, but that's how it is.

If it were me and I wanted something a little different, I would do a version of yssie's ring or I would do something sort of like haven's basically like a 3 stone version of the JBEG sophie but with 3 prongs on the outer stones....

 

[Dreamer_D]

Offended? I would be delighted!

I'm going to sketch a three-stone version of the ring, actually, because I need a good distraction from grading for about ten minutes and PS is moving too slow! (I'm not saying you should use my sketch, just that you gave me a good thing to focus on while I allow my brain to rest for a bit before I go back to reading final portfolios.)

OOh, I was hoping you would offer I just did not want to ask.

I am procrastinating editing a manuscript, so I feel your pain. Any and all suggestions more than welcome in the design realm!

 

[Dreamer_D]

DD-you are so not a stock setting girl I would do something custom that you like, even if it is not your forever setting this is probably for more than just right now setting

What do you like the best? I LOVE yssies ring and I LOVE Haven's ring and I LOVE SLG's ring. but they are all very very different not much help, but that's how it is.

If it were me and I wanted something a little different, I would do a version of yssie's ring or I would do something sort of like haven's basically like a 3 stone version of the JBEG sophie but with 3 prongs on the outer stones....

This is the direction I am leaning!

I like a lot of different styles, the smooth lones of the ring like slg has, and I had before, was appealing because I loved the shank heft and the curves on the gallery. But it is perhaps simpler than I want at this point.

I want something different and unique. This is what I am struggling with -- trying to find such a design for a three stone is impossible But I feel pretty good about the notion of 18k rose gold, just need to go try some on. I have always loved the way rich high karat yellow gold looks on me, so RG seems a nice compromise.

I am not too concerned about wearing my half eternity with this ring b/c I would not want the diamonds to hurt the gallery. I will either get a pave set diamond band, or most likely, wear a plain band with my three-stone.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I want to officially say that I ADORE Haven't ring , and if it could be done in a three-stone, I think that would be perfection! Besides the design itself, I love that it has the platinum head. The idea of prongs to me are to be almost invisible...to hold the stone securely but not distract from the diamond. That was what was holding me back on solid rose gold for any of the other settings. Haven's looks terrific with rose gold and platinum!

Gosh, I think I need some more diamonds!!!!

 

[Haven]

GAH! I drew up a little sketch right after I posted but I can't figure out how to get our copier to scan and email the document, and my cell phone doesn't have reception in the building so I can't take a picture of it and send it to myself.
I should probably just go home and scan it on my home computer anyway.

 

[Haven]

The picture just came through my email!
Okay, it's super fuzzy and I'll scan the document once I get home, but I think it's enough of a start where you can tell me what you do and don't like about it. I literally just took my ring design and expanded it into a three-stone, so there's probably a lot you'll want to change, so let me know.

I drew a top view of the setting without the stones so you could see how the metal works out, but it took ten minutes for that last picture to go through so I'll just scan it from home.

I don't know if you want two-tone, but you could do the blue in platinum and the red in RG.
Oh man does my Blackberry take bad pictures. It will look better once I can scan it!


ETA: I have NO idea how the proportions of your stones will actually look, so sorry if the drawing is totally off.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love that! (and want one!!!)

 

[slg47]

I love that! (and want one!!!)

me too!!!! Haven you are so talented!

 

[mrssalvo]

I love that! (and want one!!!)

me too! that would be gorgeous!!

 

[Amys Bling]

I would love a rose gold ring, but I think I would get tired of it if it was my primary e-ring. I think #1 would look best in white metal. If you do go with rose gold, I'd go for a more romantic, swoopy design such as slg's or yssie's. The other reason I'd stick with white is because you already have wedding bands to go with it.

Totally agree! I like the idea of rose gold, but as a "wear every single day" ring I would fear that I would tire of it or eventually I would feel it didn't match everythng else I own (unless of course you can start aquiring many new pieces in rose gold to match) lol!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

HAVEN-You are amazing!!!!! That is gorgeous and wow you are GREAT at drawing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Amys Bling]

The picture just came through my email!
Okay, it's super fuzzy and I'll scan the document once I get home, but I think it's enough of a start where you can tell me what you do and don't like about it. I literally just took my ring design and expanded it into a three-stone, so there's probably a lot you'll want to change, so let me know.

I drew a top view of the setting without the stones so you could see how the metal works out, but it took ten minutes for that last picture to go through so I'll just scan it from home.

I don't know if you want two-tone, but you could do the blue in platinum and the red in RG.
Oh man does my Blackberry take bad pictures. It will look better once I can scan it!


ETA: I have NO idea how the proportions of your stones will actually look, so sorry if the drawing is totally off.

I think this is a winner! I want to change my vote to option #3- Haven's ring in a three stone version!!!!!

 

[Haven]

I scanned the images in so they'll look better now.
The biggest problem with this first design is that the prongs on the side stones are RG, yet the center stone's prongs are platinum. I drew up a second design that eliminates that.

Here's the first design again with a couple different views:



And here's the second design. This one is a has three platinum baskets for the stones, and an extra swoop curling up on each side stone (so the setting will remain one piece--the swoop can be soldered to the plat basket.) I also have the shank splitting right at the crown and into curls that meet the band that goes under the girdle for the same reason. (This element is what I have on my ring, so the side view would be similar except my stone is set in four prongs and your side stones would be set in three)



Of course, you may not like any of these ideas and I won't be offended at all! This little project gave me some much needed distraction. I'm really enjoying drawing rings, so if you want to go a totally different direction I'll be happy to render some of your ideas into drawings!

ETA: A good alternative to those extra curls on each side stone in Option b would be to just have a swooping piece come up and meed the band right in the center. That is, if you can't handle all those curls.

 

[yssie]

Haven..

 

[Dreamer_D]

Haven just delightful. The changes you made form version A to version B are exactly what I was contemplating when I was out just now -- I saw your first drawing before I left, and wondered about the side baskets. The solution I thought of in the car was basically what you drew in option B! One design element needs tweaking, I think, and that is where the swoop upwards from the shank (evident in the top image attached) terminates. See my attached picture. Any thoughts? I am not sure how it would look terminating near the outer basket prong, but cannot off the top of my head think of an elegant solution. Your ring has those delicate curls there, but you cannot really accomplish that with a .35ct. side stone.

 

[Haven]

You're right--the curls won't fit because there isn't much space there. I imagined the shank splitting only into two pieces since there will be a prong right there, that is, if you want three prongs on the side stones. The pieces could just attach to the basket, which I think could look nice. On my ring the shank splits into three, and the center strand rises up and is simply attached to the band that goes around the stone.

I'm going to post two close-ish pictures of where the shank is simply attached to the band on my ring. I'm going to try to draw up with I'm imagining, and then let's see if we can figure out a good way to make it happen.

You can sort of see how the center of the shank just meets the band here:

 

[Dreamer_D]

And I went to look at rose gold, and by far my preference is for 18k RG. The 14k RG was too pink, and it has a coolish undertone similar to WG that did not appeal to my eye. The 18k RG has a nice burnished, apricot undertone that I liked, softer than YG and warmer too.

My trouble is that I love three stones, and I think that the design you have suggested Haven is amazing. But so delicate. A I love chunky settings, like Micheal Bondanza. But I don't think I can have both -- chunky setting and three stone. Example of the chunky style I loved, I loved this Roberto coin ring, below. The rose gold on it was perfection. And I love rings like the Durnell posted. But I don't think that style works with a three stone.

 

[Dreamer_D]

You're right--the curls won't fit because there isn't much space there. I imagined the shank splitting only into two pieces since there will be a prong right there, that is, if you want three prongs on the side stones. The pieces could just attach to the basket, which I think could look nice. On my ring the shank splits into three, and the center strand rises up and is simply attached to the band that goes around the stone.

I'm going to post two close-ish pictures of where the shank is simply attached to the band on my ring. I'm going to try to draw up with I'm imagining, and then let's see if we can figure out a good way to make it happen.

You can sort of see how the center of the shank just meets the band here:

Yes, I do see, and I guess if that part of the shank thinned really thin and met the cross bar part of the basket, not the actual prong, it would look good!

ETA: Actually, with three prongs, there would be no basket part there, so the RG shank would have to meet the prong somehow, and that is the challenge of the design I think for a three stone ring.

 

[Haven]

Okay, I have another idea--what if the piece that splits from the crown met with the piece that curls up and back towards the shank. I can't figure out how to draw on this photo in PhotoShop, but what I mean is: what if the two left-most curls in this photo weren't curls at all, and met instead? It would be like a big swoop.
Clear as mud?

 

[Haven]

You want chunky? We can do chunky!

Let me dig around and think about it for a while. I'm not super familiar with three-stones, but this will be a fun challenge.

 

[Haven]

Do you like this Michael Bondanza three stone? What elements would you change about it? Which do you like?

ETA: I think you could totally incorporate the melee under the prongs (in the Pearlman's piece) into this Michael Bondanza three-stone.

 

[Dreamer_D]

You want chunky? We can do chunky!

Let me dig around and think about it for a while. I'm not super familiar with three-stones, but this will be a fun challenge.

Girl if you can solve my design challenge I will love you forever and name my third child after you

I still like the delicate look, I think I need to ask DH his advice too!

Hmmm... from your drawign above it is clear as mud indeed! I feel like there needs to be *something* going from the shank to the basket in that area, but what I cannot picture. The curls on that side would have to go, but something needs to remain... Like on Yssie's ring where the shank meets the basket *as a prong*, but with 2 tone that is more difficult to manage.

 

[Haven]

We'll figure this out.
I have to go interact with my long suffering husband right now, but I am going to be thinking about this project tonight.

If you have a bunch of rings that you really love, post them. That's how I was able to create my ring design, I stared at all the rings I love and smushed them all together.

ETA: I lied. DH's father called and they've been on the phone since I posted.

I checked out our SMTR thread for three-stone rings, and LSUfan seems to have the chunkiest three-stone, she posted several pics on the first page:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-stone-ring-girls-are-you-out-there.75486/

NOW, I know that's more of a frilly ring than a chunky one, but the shot of the ring on its side in the ring box made me wonder if you want a more built-up setting like that one, instead of a prong-y setting. Does that make sense?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Haven, I love how you changed the side baskets to platinum! I'd love to have that setting!

 

[dani13]

WOW, Haven- you are talented, lady!!!! I really hope you guys can bring these ideas to life!!!! Its exciting to see this process unfold!!!!

 

[Cozystitches]

Ok, for the original question, I voted for Option 2 because I don't care for the basket look. Now, even better I LOVE the ring that Haven designed! LOVE IT! Love the swoopy curls, love 2-tone (but I'm a y-gold/platinum prongs gal), love it! Would that design fit flush w/a wb?

 

[MissGotRocks]

Haven, you have found your second calling in jewelry design! I love option B for the ring.

DD - chunky settings can be nice but I think the stones can get lost in the metal - if you know what I mean. A more delicate setting or a straight up setting with clean lines tends to show the stones better IMO and while a nice setting is great, it's all about the stones!!

As for whether a band can sit flush, I would hope the answer is no. I'm really changing my taste in that area - I love a small gap although my set doesn't have it. That's the major reason I would consider resetting my three stone into something that would produce a gap. I think then you get the full advantage of being able to see the ering and the wedding ring.

Can't wait to see where and how this ends up - so far, so good!

 

[Amys Bling]

As for Haven's two designed, design #2 appeals to me with all the prongs being in platnium as opposed to the side ones being in rose gold.

BUT if you like chunky, DD, then start collecting different pictures and take your favorite aspects from each and mix them together.