Custom ering, advice on builders?

[ejsarkar]

I worked with WhiteFlash on this ring for a friend. .50ct center with .02 and .04 stones in the halo. It had similarities to a Hearts On Fire design but the split shank made it different enough. Total setting plus diamond cost $3000. I made a detailed ppt presentation for them and they didn''t get all the details quite right in the first CAD but they redid the CAD and I was really happy with the outcome. Hope this helps.

 

[ejsarkar]

Side view

 

[sruzhyo]

Nice ring Aus!

The work looks good. Was it what you wanted?

Here''s another shot of the pear Gypsy.

 

[Gypsy]

It''s really a personal choice. For me, that line/bowtie would drive me crazy. It would not be mindclean for me. What do you think of it though. Other than that line, I think it''s stunning.

 

[LostSapphire]

HiYa sruzhyo!

How exciting to have a project!

My experience was extremely positive. I had purchased a sapphire from Jeff White. He held onto it until I had quotes from 3 different "builders".

I asked for quotes by sending them a detailed description of what I wanted, plus, I had worked up a 2D CAD drawing of proportions I was looking for as to the diamond melee and pears.

WF was amazing as far as: response time, patience with my questions, attention to detail, and lastly, price. The other 2 vendors were close, but knowing my need to have some control over the design elements, I chose to go with WF.

We approached the project first by commissioning a CAD drawing to be done. I had an online "webinair" with the CAD guy, where he and I shared the same screen/monitor and discussed over the phone, elements of his design that I wanted changed, tweaked, etc. etc. He worked with a CAD program to draw up a wireframe 3D sketch.

Once we had kind of nailed down the design, it went to be rendered into a coloured, 3D CAD drawing. We realized at this stage that I wasn't totally ok with the transition between gold/platinum at the head of the setting. So he tweaked it again and sent me another.

At that point, we finalized up the quote and did the $$ thing. This was not an inexpensive setting. WF sourced a number of rounds and pears, ensuring a very high quality of diamonds. The workmanship is superb. And, I felt totally comfortable with them setting my sapphire, which Jeff White shipped directly to them once I had approved the quote.

Once I had approved the CADs, it went to production. At this point, I was given a timeline to shipping date.

The ring shipped the day they said it would. It arrived at Canada customs the day they said it would. I had it on my hand the next morning.

For me, this process was very positive because I felt my input was appreciated, and listened to. I had a very specific design in my head (and already on my CAD program here at home!!!). So it was important that they interpreted my design and executed it appropriately. And that they did, beyond my expectations.

Everyone is different, and people have varying expectations as to how the process should play out. I think if you know how YOU like to work with a project, will go a long way as to telling you which type of Vendor you should have make the ring for you.

Below is a collection of pics to illustrate the process I've described above. I hope this helps.

I've had my ring for 3/4 of a year now. And am as thrilled with it now as I was on Day one!

Wishing you the best of luck on your journey to the ring. Enjoy yourself, and have fun along the way!

LS

 

[sruzhyo]

Thanks for the input Gypsy. I have been assured time and time again that in life-size, this pear is 100% eye clean. I won't mind at all if at 40X it shows a bow tie, so it won't stick in the back of my head. Now I am saving all the e-mail traffic and if it is NOT eye clean, then we'll have issues.
However, I have no reason to doubt them, so it should be kosher.


Hi Lost!

That ring looks incredible, and I really appreciate the write-up. The pictures from start to finish are great, and it looks like they were able to transfer the image in your head into reality quite well. So far I have experienced the same kind of customer service you write of, so I'm glad to hear of another good experience.

BGD are very excited about the project as well, Lesley has been awesome. However the price difference is significant at this point, so unless they can work some magic I am going with WF.

Steve

 

[Gypsy]

Um. Just one little point. Eye clean means that you can't see inclusions with your naked eye at certain distances away from the stone (WF actually has their definition of eyeclean on their site)... that bowtie is not an inclusion. It's a result of the cutting. So someone telling you that the stone is eyeclean will have nothing to do with whether or not that bowtie is visible. An IF clarity diamond could have a bowtie you could drive a truck through. It'd be totally eyeclean, and loupe clean too. But it would still have a dead zone where the light return is compromised right in the middle of the stone (bow tie).

This will show you what I mean. This is a D color (as colorless as it gets) IF (as clear as it gets, pretty much) pear with a similar bowtie issue to yours. COMPLETELY eyeclean, and loupe clean too. But it's got a bowtie. Click on the picture and you'll see it clear as day.

D IF Pear with Bowtie


WF does have a good return policy, but I would maybe say get the diamond sent to you in person, before you get a custom setting for it, decide if you like it, if you do and decide to keep it, send it back for setting. If you don't like it, you are not out the cost of a custom setting for a stone you don't want.

 

[sruzhyo]

Wow. Gypsy I see what you mean, an almost $16,000 diamond that has a major bow tie.

This is why we who yearn for information come to PS!

I want to see the diamond in person to see what it looks like, and if the bow tie is anywhere near as pronounced as in the pictures then return here I come.


I owe you one Gypsy!

Thanks to all on the board, I''ll keep you posted

 

[Gypsy]

Glad to be of assistance! I hope it ends up being a non-issue in real life, because it''s an otherwise gorgeous stone, truly. Keep us updated!

 

[sruzhyo]

Gypsy,

You are 100% right. The diamond arrived, and as pretty as it was, the bow tie jumped out at me.

I couldn''t help myself, so I showed the FF, and she agreed. She saw it without me pointing it out, and so that''s unsat...it''s on the way back to WF.

Now I''m struggling. Super-Ideal solitaire? Or custom pear with the possibility that because pears don''t sparkle like super-ideals, that she''s disappointed.

Originally, we were looking for a fancy ring with unique metal work until she saw a HOF diamond (in person)...so super-ideal is something that blew her away.

Then after looking at lots of super-ideals in rings (online), she got interested in metal work again...

Help!!

Help!!

 

[Laila619]

I think you can't go wrong with a round HOF.

But if you really want a pear, there are ones without bowties. Keep looking!

 

[Gypsy]

Promise to help more tomorrow. First, ask her point blank: Honey, do you want a superideal round or a pear (or a cushion or whatever). PICK ONE for me. PLEASE. You showed her the pear, so it's not a shock you are looking at diamonds, so you might as well use the best resource you have: HER.

IF she wants a pear.... Call Jon at GOG and ask him to find you a pear with no bowtie. At all. Give him the rest of your requirements as well (budget and size... in mm, not in carats) as well.

For Superideals, GOG has them in rounds so do others. I would look at highperformancediamond.com and Briangavindiamond.com (site isn't fully operational, but if you email or call you will be promptly assisted).

I KNOW that Jon can find you an amazing pear though. KNOW IT. So that's my first suggestion. www.goodoldgold.com

Finally rank what is most important to you

Maximum light return
Uniqueness
Spread

That will help any vendor help you better. And tell Jon at GOG that Gypsy sent you and says Hi.

 

[sruzhyo]

Hi Guys,

Talking to James at WF, I''d told him that we were leaning towards a round but this other pear still came in.

So some more pics. MUCH less of a bow tie, it''s a pretty pear. Thought I''d throw it up just to see what you guys think anyway.

 

[sruzhyo]

40X

 

[sruzhyo]

Ideal Scope



So I think this is a much better diamond. Some other expenses have come up and so we may not be able to get the custom ring made (another contributing factor to head back to the round and super-ideal), but this is something that I would want if we were to create the pear shape I think.


What do you guys think?