color by the yard spinoff...need opinions!

[sunshine0808]

Hello, I have several loose round sky-blue topaz and some smaller round yellow sapphires. I am wanting to do a bezel necklace (think DBTY) with both the topaz and the sapphires.

The pattern I'm thinking is: larger topaz, then 1.5" later, a yellow sapphire, smaller topaz, yellow sapphire (all individually beveled, but close together on the chain), then 1.5" later a larger topaz, repeat...see pictures.

I would love to hear thoughts on this project. I am also debating between splurging for yellow gold or just going with silver. Which metal tone do you think would look better? I'm concerned that with yellow gold, the sapphires are so tiny they will get lost and just look like yellow gold beads or something, whereas the color of both stones will pop against the silver, particularly the sapphires.

If I go with silver, does anybody know anything about Argentium? Does it tarnish? Is it hypoallergenic? Cost effective?

Lastly, recommended vender to fabricate this? I was kind of thinking DanielB on etsy. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[sunshine0808]

Closer pic

 

[GregS]

I gave an Argentium silver to an ex and it tarnished horribly within the first few days. However, I gave an Argentium silver ring to my mother without any signs tarnishing at all. I like the color combo you have chosen.

 

[FrekeChild]

What if you did the sapphire in a yg bezel and the rest in silver? Love Daniel M btw.

 

[AprilBaby]

Great idea unless you have a nickel allergy.

 

[sunshine0808]

I thought the Argentium had no nickel?

Frekechild: did you mean yellow hold bezels around the sapphires and silver bezels on the topaz and a silver chain?

 

[FrekeChild]

Yes.

 

[NonieMarie]

Argentium silver is way too white for me. I would have it done in silver and have him rhodium dip. I think bezeling the sapphires in gold is a great idea.

 

[pregcurious]

What if you did the sapphire in a yg bezel and the rest in silver? Love Daniel M btw.

Ditto

 

[pregcurious]

I gave an Argentium silver to an ex and it tarnished horribly within the first few days. However, I gave an Argentium silver ring to my mother without any signs tarnishing at all. I like the color combo you have chosen.

Were they from the same vendor?

 

[JewelFreak]

If you bezel the sapphires in gold, I'd do the topazes too -- they'd look really nice in yg. Then the chain in silver or gold, whichever you like.

 

[GregS]

I gave an Argentium silver to an ex and it tarnished horribly within the first few days. However, I gave an Argentium silver ring to my mother without any signs tarnishing at all. I like the color combo you have chosen.

Were they from the same vendor?

Yes, same vendor.

 

[carmen1]

I love the combination, and I'd bezel all the stones in yellow gold, I think that pale blue is really lovely against yellow gold.

 

[wordie89]

I really like the layout and have often thought that cby would be pretty.... I figured it is too expensive so I look forward to hearing more about it (is that's okay with you.)

I also like the idea of gold bezels for the sapphires and argentium for the rest.

FYIW I had an argentium ring made with 3 colored stone bezels. Looks great. I'll have to check with my friend and see if it's tarnishing. I hope not as that's why I chose argentium. DanielM was jeweler and I was very pleased with the project.

 

[alice87]

I have few rings in argentum silver, no tarnishing. It gets dull, so after cleaning it looks all new and shiny again, but no tarnish. I have it from two different vendors.

 

[alice87]

Just another thought, ask for a price quote for both gold, and silver, amazingly, it would not be that much different. I think because bezel setting is generally expensive, you may reconsider it done in gold rather than silver after getting a price quote. I believe price is the same for sterling and argentum silver.

 

[FrekeChild]

Argentium silver is way too white for me. I would have it done in silver and have him rhodium dip. I think bezeling the sapphires in gold is a great idea.

There is barely a discernible difference in metal color between rhodium plated anything and silver. I was just looking at a handful of my rings, and would place them in order from whitest to least white:

rhodium plated 18kt wg
rhodium plated 14kt wg
DM silver
Tiffany silver
platinum
unplated 14kt wg

 

[chrono]

Just another thought, ask for a price quote for both gold, and silver, amazingly, it would not be that much different. I think because bezel setting is generally expensive, you may reconsider it done in gold rather than silver after getting a price quote. I believe price is the same for sterling and argentum silver.

Ditto. I found the labour of bezel setting many stones ala DBTY to be more expensive than the stones themselves.

 

[DotDot]

Do you know who will set your necklace? Such a lovely idea.