Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Setting

[Gypsy]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Okay well. I have to apologize to Frankie on one point. Frankie this thread has been very useful as a tool to help newbies on RT.

 

[ariel144]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

I don't know how I found this thread but posting to bump it as I think it is very educational for those wanting a custom made setting. Thanks to Frankie for her over-the-top efforts to post all this info. Don't want a halo but the quality of work will transfer to other styles as well, not to mention their guarantee or lack of guarantee if you are not satisfied with what appears to be substandard work.

When I had a custom setting made locally the jeweler had to make 3 wax settings before she could get the stone to set up properly to suit her for my radiant. She told me that. I was not actively involved in that process. I loved the ring and did not look at it magnified to pick it apart. This was a real learning experience for me. Thanks again. My next project I plan to be more involved.

I agree with Frankie that there are certain things one should not have to specify to a jeweler who is making a custom setting, just common issues that they should do automatically...like where the prongs should sit in reference to the arrows on a RB diamond.

Thanks Frankie!

 

[Chloegal]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

SK's prongs ... in addition to different sized prongs, they are also pointing at different directions (use the corners of the table as reference points) :




in this photo you can also start to see bumpy / uneven parts of the halo - most prominently the pave diamonds and metal between the upper left and upper right prongs - sizes of melee diamonds are not even (some a bigger reaching beyond the halo, also the outer frame of the halo look bumpy and not a smooth perfect circle.

Wow, that is just so educational and interesting! As an observer of the beautiful halo trend here,I can see that there are so many details that make up the end result!

Thanks for taking the time to show your results with 3 different vendors. I think all 3 did a decent job, but the fine tuning and differences between them all is fascinating. Even hearing about their personalities is so interesting as i can almost imagine myself right there dealing with a strict and short tempered vendor compared to a friendly and patient one! The latter to me is almost worth an inferior job because I`ve been there done that....bad memories lol!!!!

I love how we get to see through your pictures and story the different results possible and how subtle changes can alter the whole look of a ring. I think your VC ring is probably the prettiest, but I do like LM`s front view because you can see the diamonds in the halo without the centre diamond covering any of them. But that`s just an opinion as another here loved how the VC halo merged into the centre diamond.

In a way it`s really splitting hairs but what a wonderful problem to have and I do thank you for allowing us to be part of it from beginning to end. I`m sure many will be helped in clarifying what they do and dont like for their own future projects. All 3 of your rings are a wealth of great information.

 

[xtini]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Hi Phoenix !

of course, no problem ! PS has helped me so much so this is the least i can do !

yes, i agree that VC's craftsmanship, customer service and also price (!) are the best amongst the "master jeweler" category.

to answer your questions:

1) i was not aware of the "size" of the melee per say, but LM's - 1.7mm meleee on the halo, SK's - 1.1mm melee on the halo, VC's 1.3mm on the halo. i was told the as a general guideline, the melee size is basically the width of the band / halo you desire minus about 0.2mm ( for the metal part, even if you want to have an all diamond look with no metal top down). i had this discussion with VC while planning this final setting and he sent me adobe illustration digital "sketches" with 1:1 ratio of my center stone. one with a 1.5mm halo and one with a 1.7mm halo, both viewed top down with a 1.8mm shank. we did not discuss the melee "carat size", but discussed more so on how wide i wanted the ring shank / halo to be seen top down and VC went on from there with the appropriate melee sizes.

here are the 2 illustrations he sent me. the top one is with 1.5mm halo and 1.8mm shank. the bottom one is with 1.7mm and 1.8mm shank. i decided on the 1.5mm halo.




2) the melee in all 3 settings are full cut F/G VS+ (top line cut quality). the quality of all 3 settings are on par and i don't see any problems nor can i loupe any stones that looked cracked or with any inclusions at all. i believe full cut melee works perfectly with "brilliant" cut stones such as round, and oval, and i think single cut melee (even though i have not seen it in person) would work better with antique cut cushions.

3) i am very adamant about my setting heights even when i first went to see LM. when i saw LM i was not aware that i could tell him the exact mm to achieve, more like i asked for "LM medium high" setting (note: medium high only to LM standards), and told him that i needed to see the diamond culet above the donut and not hidden / chopped off from my vision (which is the case for many LM rings i've seen on PS). When i received the ring i measured it with my calipers and while it was "high" to LM standards, it was barely 6.5mm in height, a little too low for me still. because of this, and with the excessive metal on the lip part of the halo, the ring looked a little flat and "pancake"-like to me when worn on the finger. not being able to see the gallery and the pavilion of the center stone unless i deliberately rotated my finger bothered me.

for SK's ring, with more knowledge and confidence going into the project, i instructed for my ring to be set about 2mm above the finger, and with my center stone's depth of 5.21mm, the stone was set about 7.25mm in height. however, if you can see closely at the profile comparison photo, the head (halo opening) of the ring was actually too small for the center stone, forcing the diamond to rest below its girdle on the halo, visually the center stone looked like it's bumped up higher.

for VC's ring, i asked for the same height - about 2mm above the finger. with the combination of curved stems and a small donut, the diamond now looks perfectly situated and the head of the ring looks perfectly sculptural, 3D and fluid all the way down to the donut.

4) Technically speaking, the differences between casted and hand forged = 1) casting saves a little bit of time 2) 100% of the casted pieces have various degrees of air pockets and bubbles inside of the metal because the metal is poured into a wax mold guaranteeing to trap air inside. 3) the most important difference is the durability. casted pieces are a bit weaker due to the air bubbles (essentially hollow air gaps) inside the metal. the process of hand forging is essentially rolling the metal from a block of metal until one reaches a desired gauge (correct me if i am wrong). i think in this process the metal is "passed through" a hand cranked machine with the "space" adjusted to the desired gauge. as a result, compressing the metal repeatedly back and forth, there is absolutely no air bubbles inside of the metal. in addition, the process of rolling (forging) strengthens the metal so much more.

so while casted and hand forged pieces may look very similar in physical appearance on the surface (depends how well one can hand finish and polish the piece at the end), the difference is really on the inside of the metal that contributes to the strength of the piece as a whole in terms of bending out of shape.

in terms of dings and scratches, i was told that 90% plat with 10% iridium performs the best in terms of the metal looking steely, weight being the lightest, and the best to endure dings and scratches over time. my LM and SK rings are both 95% plat and did tend to register dings / scratches more than my VC ring which is made with 90% plat and 10% iridium.

i believe i started some commotions on PS discussing the "hand forged" topic... and my relationship with SK has now most likely been severed with me burning the bridge publicly on PS. however i don't regret this one bit. i just believe that with custom jewelry at this price point, it is very important to have 100% transparency with the material and exact process put into the project. people have different standards and tolerances and it is perfectly ok to choose casted or partly casted rings, i really think casted jewelry had gathered some degree of a bad rep on PS. casted pieces are very durable too, if the craftsmanship is good. i just believe that as a consumer paying so much money, the price needs to match the process that goes into the final product, and that the consumer needs to know whether or not a piece is casted or hand forged, that's all.

sorry long post, great questions because now i have spoken my mind ! hope this helps !!

Hi Frankie,

I'm so glad and relieved that I came across your thread! Thank you so much for sharing!! I've been learning a lot reading your threads and I have a some questions about your halo dimensions. In your previous thread, ( victor canera halo ring- my forever setting finally) you mentioned that the halo view from the top down is 1.5mm (as you stated above) but the actual width is 1.7 because of the 25 degree tilt downwards. So Is the melee size 1.3? or 1.5? If the actual width of the halo is 1.7 shouldn't the melee size be 1.5? Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon!!

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Frankie,
I am happy for you for finally getting the ring exactly how you want it to be. I agree with all your assessments. VC's ring looks the best. Thanks for taking the time explaining your thoughts and assessments and showing informative comparison photos. This helpful thread saves me lots of time, headache, and money experimenting. When I want to get a halo ring next, I shall definitely go to VC and ask for your setting.

Sorry that you have to endure unnecessary criticism. This is the exact reason why I do not share my bad experience here, because I think there are some very loyal members who are very protective of the PS sponsored vendors. It is very unfortunate indeed, because bad expereince is just as valuable information to share as good experience.

Thanks again for sharing.

^^^. I agree completely!! You have a right to your opinion based on YOUR experience. Thank you for sharing generously of your time and thoughtfulness. I liked VC's pieces visually more than any other's but I could not figure out why. So I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Now it all makes sense. I just received a couple of quotes frm him and will definitely be having a piece done by him next year. I appreciate your high expectations and attention to detail. That is what makes the difference in VC's work and it shows.

 

[ManhattanSpin]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Wow this thread is helpful! I was going to go LM...but it seems VC is far superior.

Too bad I live in NYC...I guess a trip to LA is needed!

 

[luvsdmb]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Holy Crap this thread makes me realize I'm clueless when it comes to halo's. Glad you compared all three so it might help me figure out what I do/don't like.
Do you wear a band with it?

 

[fashionbabee]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

I was thinking of SK also (or Camera or Maytal) until I saw on PS an skin halo ( would never say which) that was uneven/bumpy and had different angles/size melee.I thought it must have been a one off....till now. thanks for the post as it has confined VC for me.....

 

[Butterfly123]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

I also wanted to thank you for your post. Since I am in NYC, I was going with SK but based on the pictures your provided, I made my decision to go with VC. He is making my ring and I can't wait to see it. Thank you again!

 

[meredeth11]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Learned a lot from your comparison Frankie, thanks for the sharing, the post is so informative!

 

[Dongela]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Just found this thread and found it interesting...Quite educational and remarkable to see these three rings.. Thanks..

I wanted to share our own recent experience. We recently had a lovely halo setting made by SK and it is perfect in every way. Our appraiser even remarked about how perfect the prongs and detailing were as it was examined under a microscope. I think everybody has a few ups and downs, but I had to chime in with our experience.. We are in Los Angeles, but we chose to use SK in New York because we preferred his designs to VC, who is local for us. No axe to grind, or issues to debate, but we just got done with our SK experience and we cannot say enough nice things about him and his work.

 

[7avocado]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Butterfly123 - How did your VC ring turn out? I am too in NYC and am seriously considering going with VC, would be great to hear about your experience.

 

[astar11]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Butterfly123 - How did your VC ring turn out? I am too in NYC and am seriously considering going with VC, would be great to hear about your experience.

I am not butterfly but I can tell you that I can't find a delicate and beautiful halo like VC's, elsewhere !! I think VC craftsmanship is amazing !! The mellee that he use is sparkling beautifully...even from picture, you can tell that VC work is more delicate than Leon or SK.

 

[TheAffairOfTheNecklace]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Thank you for this post Frankie,
I too am sorry that it at times this post devolved into strange name calling and remarks which I do not think you deserved. I did wonder if your ability to revise your vision had aided in your communication and voicing of what your wants (and realization of those wants) but after your description of your experience I do not think it would have mattered what order you went in since some vendors were not open to listening to your desires or even saying- I don't do it this way, you might be happier with x,y, z (Or rather In this case VC). - By the way the knowledge and admission of what you cannot or will not do but the recommendation of someone who can and will provide those services is to me the mark of a true gentleman/woman and genius level artist in any craft.
Excuse my grammar as I am half asleep. Anyhow I am at the beginning stages (like saving up the money) to reset two stones and am determined that one of them will be a halo (the original jeweler told me no- no reasons just no couldn't be done). I have seen VC's work all over PC (to which I am a newbie).
I have a lot to learn about diamonds and jewelry which is why I decided to start now and be ready when it is time- unlike my Ering where I basically just begged to get something that I didn't hate. I was treated poorly by the first jeweler , completely ignored my requests (gave me channel where I asked for bead) and ridiculed for choosing platinum over gold insisting I would be back in under a year begging her to change it. I was not permitted by my family to say anything bc of her relationship with a family member. I never really considered I could get something I loved- sad.o
Anyhow moving forward in seeing so many posts I started wondering of I should look at other artists but. In seeing your pictures I see that the ones I am drooling oer all have at VC daintiness and as an added bonus he is in driving distance. I just wanted to thank you- I couldn't figure out if you had three rings of very similar construction (wow she really likes round halos!) or kept remaking the same ring (boy her husband is unrstandng- or she is paying for these on her own) is this your engagement ring? Did you drive your husband batty? My husband would have gone bananas with the lost money, but that is just his personality and our financial situation so there is no shame in that game-believe. I am tickled that you got to keep going till you found the ring of your dreams- I hope I get to do the same (I've waited long enough!!
Would it be tacky to inquire as to the carat weight of the center stone? I will have two stones to reset, a 1.4 OEC and a 5 carat round (not sure of the exact cut) to reveal my ignorance when a jeweler told me my diamond was an OEC I thought he meant it was old and from Europe which made sense given grandpa" s travels. Both are family heirlooms and the smaller is my current Ering. I'm not sure which should be the halo or if I Could wear the 5 every day, perhaps it could Still be my Ering but I would wear a lovely eternity band alone on the daily. Do you wear a wedding band on the same hand? My fingers aren't small and dainty so the coverage of the 5 would be nice and I am hoping would make my fingers look less Chubb by comparison.

Considering Turning the OEC into a RHR statement like VC'sArt Deco baguettes and pave halo or into a daily wear pendant. I've always wanted a pair of studs and a pendant that could be elegant daily wear but that Art Deco s statement ring would look bananas with the glamorous clothing my grandmother left me- she was Liz Taylor before Liz Taylor was Liz Taylor- KWIM? Her husband was a jeweler- well husband number three anyways- everyone's favorite for certain. He would give me a dime for every melee I sifted out of the carpet as a kid. Some kids looked for beach glass I looked for diamonds.

So Yes I wanted to know if VC would know what I meant if I requested a Frankie (I too do not like the donut look- there are serveral tweaks you made which I would never have thought to verabalize but now can- so thank you since you have made it unnesscary for the jeweler to be a mind reader or for me to settle for good enough after 8 1/2 years (and probably ten by the time I get this done) of staring at a ring that is better than a sharp stick in the eye- damn I sound like a spoiled brat t complain a out any diamond ring but I ink this is the Bly place it is allowed. Ok I'm too tired to go on. Thank s again for the formation and pictures , it is truly a rare thing to have use dall three and be able to give a side. By side comparison! Good night !

 

[TheAffairOfTheNecklace]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Is there a way to keep a file of the rings that I find on PS and adore, that way when it is go time I can bring a fold of those ins probation pics to the jeweler and have a place to start our conversation and a language to speak? Either of pictures or whole posts? I fear that bookmarking will only lead to dead addresses a year from now and I don't seem to be able to copy other people pictures (understandably). Thanks again. Jazz

 

[mrs-b]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Have just re-read this entire thread for about the 15th time. Every time I do, I learn something new - there is SO much information in this one thread!

And I have to say - every time I read it, I love VC's work just a little bit more. That man is a frigging genius.

ETA If PS had mandatory reading prior to membership - this thread would be on the list...for all sorts of reasons!

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Have just re-read this entire thread for about the 15th time. Every time I do, I learn something new - there is SO much information in this one thread!

And I have to say - every time I read it, I love VC's work just a little bit more. That man is a frigging genius.

ETA If PS had mandatory reading prior to membership - this thread would be on the list...for all sorts of reasons!

Exactly mrs-blop. Required reading. Have you seen all the threads asking for help to replicate halos, etc.?

 

[mrs-b]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Have just re-read this entire thread for about the 15th time. Every time I do, I learn something new - there is SO much information in this one thread!

And I have to say - every time I read it, I love VC's work just a little bit more. That man is a frigging genius.

ETA If PS had mandatory reading prior to membership - this thread would be on the list...for all sorts of reasons!

Exactly mrs-blop. Required reading. Have you seen all the threads asking for help to replicate halos, etc.?

Yes! This would help all those people a LOT!

 

[lwiern1]

Re: Comparison Photos of my Victor Canera, SK, Leon Ring Set

Can you tell me the angle of the halo for the SK one? I am looking for a double edge halo, and was thinking a 20 degree tilt, but not sure if that is too steep?

 

[Tinkybell]

I am new here and really enjoyed reading this thread. I love the SK design with the side halo stones .I am currently having SK make a ring for me although no halo and specified beefy prongs to hold my stone. I think all three artists have beautiful portfolios I chose Steven based on a design he did for another client on here. After hearing my wishes and style, Steven knew EXACTLY what I was wanting and actually sent me a picture of a design, that I had printed and saved as my inspiration setting from 8 years ago. I literally had goosebumps and he just got me immediately He had to tweak my design to fit my stone from the original but I think I am going to love it even more! It is a drop scary to have a custom design made without being able to try it on, but I am hopeful it will exceed my expectations. Thanks for all the info!