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Coloured engagement ring ....

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Pandora II

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I got engaged on Christmas Eve - hooray!

Now I get the fun bit - to design my ring and have it made....
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I am definitely a coloured gemstone girl, although I'd like some diamond micropave.
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The pokey special is the way I'm leaning. I'm a bit nervous about working with Leon though. Does anyone else do micropave like his?

I was a professional jewellery designer and still do the odd bit here and there, I am also rather a control freak so I probably need a top technician rather than a top designer - if that makes sense...

I love all the red and orange stones, but they don't look nice with my very pale, pinkish, english skin tone
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I'm not a fan of blue for myself - also my mother and sister have blue sapphire e-rings.

So I'm looking at the greens. I love the tsavorites and have seen a couple of demantoids that are pretty. I now need to learn everything I can about them, and where to get a good one.

Any comments or recommendations of great ring-makers/setters who I can work with on-line from the UK very gratefully received.

I'm soooooooooo excited
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kristy_lyn

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There was someone who posted a *gorgeous* dark green engagement ring on here about 6 months ago. If I remember right, it was tsavorite? and, it had micropave. I''ll have to see if I can find my saved link...
 

kristy_lyn

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It was posted by "Pokey" and is on page 11 of the colored engagement ring thread...
 

kristy_lyn

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Ooops... duh, I didn''t read your post closely enough - I see that you already saw the "pokey special".... :)
 

diamondseeker2006

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I would talk to Maytal Hoftman. She does beautiful work and may be less than Leon. Do a search on here for her name. I posted some of her rings one time. She used to work for Beaudry and her work is perfect. I am considering her for a colored stone project myself.
 

movie zombie

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welcome to the wonderful world of color e-rings!

that green e-ring was absolutely fabulous.....was that velourial''s?

movie zombie
 

Pandora II

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Thanks Movie Zombie,

I was soooo sad that the orange didn't look nice on me, your ring and Mine's literally make my mouth water. I have been looking at them again and again. No diamond has ever had the same effect on me that a coloured stone can.

Pokey's tsavorite was the first ring ever, ever, ever that made my FI lean over and say "I like that one a lot". This was also about 10 minutes before he proposed.

I'm hoping that someone like Wink Jones might be happy to work with me long distance for the stone and whoever does the setting - does Wink do micropave??

I'm thinking it would be best to pick the ring up in person in late September when I am in the USA. Long wait, but I want to do it all with no rush and...FI said to get a placeholder ring in the meantime. So now I get ....TWO rings
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, not sure if the poor man has realised quite what a bling-junkie I am.

Thanks also Diamondseeker for the Maytal Hoftman info - she does beautiful work.
 

LdyNghtWng

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Greens are lovely, but if you like the red-orange rnge..how about a padparadascha sapphire?
Lovely distinct colour, with enough pink in them, and pale enough to enhance your skin tone.
 

Pandora II

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I have been obsessively reading PS for the last two days and am now pretty sold on something very similar to Pokey''s tsavorite. I''ve emailed him and Maytal with some questions.

My main concern is how safe the pave is. I''m fairly nice to my jewellery - but I''ve never owned anything like that before. I have read all the threads about the problems ally and others have had with loose stone etc and it worries me as I will need to find someone competent in the UK to fix any problems.

What are your thoughts on doing something like channel setting instead of pave - can it be done so that you keep that gorgeous shimmery diamond look?

Also, for long-distance sizing is it best to do something like send the maker a cheap ring that is a perfect fit or is there a special way to measure - just seems like loads of people here have had to resize and I wondered why?

PS. Pad sapphires are amazing and I love them, but FI isn''t keen. If I was dead set on them I have one, but as I wasn''t firmly commited to a particular colour I''d like to have something we both love. I said no to blue stones which were his first choice.
 

diamondseeker2006

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There are also some nice green sapphires...you just have to look a little to find one! I personally would feel more comfortable with a sapphire for an e-ring since it is much more durable than most other gemstones other than diamond and ruby.
 

FacetFire

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Just a few I love...

http://thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/nscnet/expandedstones.aspx?stoneid=U637

http://thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/nscnet/expandedstones.aspx?stoneid=U617

http://thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/nscnet/expandedstones.aspx?stoneid=U2042
 

FacetFire

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Have you thought about purple? I have pale skin with pink/red undertones, and purple stones look great against my skin. I highly suggest something like a purple spinel...I have one and it sparkles like crazy! Honestly, it competes with my diamonds.

Oh, and can we ask what shape you were thinking about?
 

Pandora II

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Mmmmm, NSC, I''m almost as hooked on that site as this!

I think I''d opt for a tsav over a sapphire though as they are a lot more sparkly, although the durability is a factor to consider. If I saw the perfect green sapphire I''d be tempted though.

I like purple for a rhr, but I don''t want to spend the rest of my life explaining that my ring isn''t an amethyst - don''t get me wrong, I think amethysts are beautiful and I have quite a few, but I''d like something very different from what I usually wear.

I have made my mind up on the green: I''d like a really bright blueish green - no doubt they will be the most expensive. This forum ruins your palate for the cheap stuff. Grrrr

I''m going to be looking for a cushion or fat oval tsavorite I think. I''m currently looking at ajsgems and multicolor, although I see that Campbell Bridges (who first found tsavorite) sells some too.

I love the story of how he had a python to guard the stones when he first started mining. I have two royal pythons, and I like the idea of getting them to guard my bling.
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Anyone have any thoughts/opinions on what the Pokey Special would be like if it had channel set diamonds on the top of the split shank, pave on the head and prongs and plain sides?

Or is messing with a Leon masterpiece sacrilege????
 

Pandora II

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Here''s the Pokey Special in case some of you haven''t seen it.

If you have, I''m sure you''ll all like to have another chance to see it...

PokeySpecial.jpg
 

flopkins

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yes, look up velouriaL''s tsavorite also, I think she had it custom made by Michael E? I''m not 100% sure.

I think most of the vendors that frequent here work internationally.
 

movie zombie

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ok, this is what i would do....don''t know if i can describe it though: leave the split shank without stones then run a thnk band of diamonds under the color stone and fill it with the diamonds if you must have diamonds.

a really great color stone can stand on its own....

and i don''t wear my spess e-ring 24/7: i wear it when i leave the house to go to the farmers market or anywhere. but at home its not worn.

movie zombie
 

diamondfan

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the Pokey is my favorite, I meant to list it in the thread about whose ring I would love to see in person...what a stunner!
 

kristy_lyn

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Channel setting would still look nice, but, I think it would lose some of it''s "wow" factor without the pave.

From what I''ve read, if pave is done well, it''s pretty secure. But - harder to clean and stuff.
 

Pokey

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Agreed. Pave''s the way to go. My fiancee hasn''t had any trouble cleaning it and the whole point of Leon is that his stones don''t come out. Of course it makes sense to want someone on the ground in the UK-maybe Leon can recommend someone

As I said in my email, I''d recommend going with Leon. When you tell anyone else to copy a Daniel K setting, you get a Daniel K knockoff. When you tell Leon to copy a Daniel K setting, you get an entirely new animal that has the architecture of a Daniel K setting, but the aesthetic result is entirely made up of Leon''s style.
 

Pandora II

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Okay - poll time:


I have to make a mental decision here:

I have sent Wink and email with similar questions, and I will go with his advice but I'm always a big fan of getting as many opinions as possible.

Q.) My e-ring budget is pretty good, but it's not going to run to a repeat of Pokey's gorgeous 2.39ct tsavorite AND a Leon setting.

Would you:

a) Put the $$$ into buying the absolute best possible gem quality tsavorite c. 2ct available on the market and have a more basic setting. (ie stone = 2/3rds budget)

b) Go for an excellent c.1.40ct tsavorite and put it into Leon's amazing setting. (ie setting =2/3rds budget)

c) Beg, borrow, steal, get a night-shift at MacDonalds to buy both... (stone/setting = 50/50% of budget)

PS. There is absolutely no possibility of an upgrade of either later. My e-ring will be as it was on the day it was put on my finger, on the day I die.


ETA: I have decided I have to make a clear decision this week, esp with Tucson coming up at the end of the month.
 

Kismet

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If you''re never, ever going to upgrade, then I''d wait and save until you have enough for the ring you really want. No sense in being unhappy with your engagement ring for the rest of your life.
 

MINE!!

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Here is the thing about colored stones, a gemstone "perfection" is more "interpretive." My spess, is not internally flawless, as I beleive almost all stones are not. There is some undertones of yellows and browns that some would not like. Is it an ideal color? Hmmmmm....

MZ has a spess, I have a spess, yet our stones are very different in color, alhtough they are both orange. There are spess''s that are not the "best" in color and they are the least desirable. Tzavorites are defintely on the upper end of the scale when you are looking price range (as I am sure that you have experienced) but that is not to say that you have to search for the "perfect" number/spec swtone, just the stone that is perfect for you. So not settle for a stone that you only "kinda" like. Colored Gemstones are personal, each one a very distinct entity and individual, ask anyone who has a gemstone e-ring and they will have their own unique interpration of their gemstone and what it means.

I think that you should like for a good stone, but don;t get hung up on numbers, get hung up on what appeals to you and your eye. You can always UPGRADE a setting. But if you fall in LOVE with a gemstone, it is not an upgradable stone. For example, you are not going to be "upgrading" to a VVVS from an SI. Most people who get a gemstone e-ring have a "relationship" with their stone, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, that is just my .02.

One more thing, Do not underestimate simplicity or think that you are trading down for a simple setting until you can get your Leon. I once saw the most beautiful Green Tourmaline solitare that had a wide wedding band. It was bright and awe-inspiring... a real attention getter.
 

Pandora II

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Thanks MINE.

I totally agree with you. It''s one of the reasons I''m a colour girl not a diamond girl. My hope is to get to choose the stone that tells me I ''NEED'' to have it from a top range. My idea of top is basically a great colour and a tsavorite that is cut to show the beauty of the stone to it''s best - not to max the ct weight. I''ve seen way too many badly cut sapphires to want to judge from a single photo. Clarity - I doubt a beautiful stone is going to have major problems, but I''m not looking for flawless - I prefer stones with a bit of something interesting going on inside them!

Here in the UK I have tried loads of B&M stores just so I can have a look at some in person. Only one store actually had one and it was minute, and they didn''t know they had one till I took them outside and showed it to them in the window.
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All the other stores have never even heard of them.

It''s not so easy to have stones shipped here and back on spec which is why I''m asking an expert to hunt mine down for me.

I collect lots of things - dreadful habit, and when I look over my silver collection, I probably wouldn''t buy 90% of what I bought in the first couple of years. My eye has developed and I won''t tolerate faults that once I didn''t even notice.

It basically boils down to my wanting a stone that I''ll love in 10 years time and think: you did well rather than I wish I''d look harder, known more etc

A bit of me is also thinking - this stone is not that common, and looking at the demantoid garnet situation and the tanzanite situation, should I push the boat out a bit and get a two carat stone that may not be available in 10 years time.

Agree on the setting, but FI loves pave!
 

Moosejaw

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My wife is stuck with a Leon design in her mind...I spoke with him and he was a bit abrasive, or I am abit too sensitive.

I spent a bit on her tsavorite, and it isn''t her engagement ring...so we are both of the understanding that this will be a multi-occasion gift...christmas, birthday, mothers day...combine those and BOOM you have a Leon Setting...and possibly next Christmas''s gift.

-G
 

Pandora II

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I have heard from quite a few people that Leon''s bedside manner is not the greatest.

I don''t have a problem with that. But I don''t know that I can work easily with someone who is not very flexible on design.
 

LuvThatBling

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It sounds like you are adamant about not changing your ring and if that is the case, I would save and get exactly what you want.
 

movie zombie

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as Mine has said, color stones can vary even within the same group. however, the difference between a quality stone and a good stone is significant. but you will pay a price for that difference. i paid as much for my stone as many do for their diamond and setting. but the stone sang to me and i knew i would never want to upgrade it. there were setting issues due to its size and the fact its only about 7.5 on the moh scale. but i take real joy in wearing the ring and it is exactly what i wanted.

there are those that buy a color e-ring merely to stand in place until they can get a diamond. i don''t think you are one of those.....you sound like a real color woman. and if so, you''re going to want a quality stone. be prepared for the prices.....but you''ll have a stunning ring that you will treasure for life.....no upgrade pangs which means it could be more cost effective over the long run in addition to being what you want.

movie zombie
 

Pandora II

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Date: 1/11/2007 10:20:56 AM
Author: movie zombie
as Mine has said, color stones can vary even within the same group. however, the difference between a quality stone and a good stone is significant. but you will pay a price for that difference. i paid as much for my stone as many do for their diamond and setting. but the stone sang to me and i knew i would never want to upgrade it. there were setting issues due to its size and the fact its only about 7.5 on the moh scale. but i take real joy in wearing the ring and it is exactly what i wanted.

there are those that buy a color e-ring merely to stand in place until they can get a diamond. i don''t think you are one of those.....you sound like a real color woman. and if so, you''re going to want a quality stone. be prepared for the prices.....but you''ll have a stunning ring that you will treasure for life.....no upgrade pangs which means it could be more cost effective over the long run in addition to being what you want.

movie zombie
MZ, you have totally hit the nail on the head with what I''m trying to say.

I have always been a colour stone fanatic. I have seen amazing diamonds but they don''t make me feel the way a superb coloured rock can. I can look at pages and pages of diamond solitaires without the slightest envy - but show me Timmy''s ruby, Pokey''s Tsavorite or your and Mine!''s spessartites and it''s like Pavlov''s dog
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This is why... I''m after a quality stone. Wink seems to think that if the stone he''s calling in for me is as decribed I don''t need to look further unless I want something bigger.
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This is a 1.42ct cushion cut. I have quite long fingers and I''m around a 6.25 ring size. The stone measurements I have are 7.25 x 5.25.

I''ve drawn it out on a bit of card and cut it out to see what it looked like on my hand. Am I nuts or do other people do things like this. FI thinks I''ve gone loopy, but I want this to look like an e-ring not a cocktail ring and I think it might head that way if the rock is too big. Especially considering most people I work with think .25 is a sizeable diamond!
 
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