Custom ring - advice please

[Elegant]

Hi, Lots of people here are so knowledgeable about designing and customizing rings, etc., especially with colored stones. I attached a picture of the ring that I might talk to a jeweler about recreating. It is pink tourmaline, white gold, and has diamonds. The person from eBay that had it up for auction and will make it if I contact him about it, will charge about $3,200 and he is from the UK. I thought, of course, depending on the quality of both the tourmaline and diamonds, I would be able to find someone who could possibly make this much more inexpensively. I saw the "How to: A full custom ring process" thread in Rocky Talky, but I want advice for this particular ring.

My questions are:

1. How do I even go about attempting to get the ring made - I have never in my life done this and it scares me to be quite honest? Do I contact a jeweler and say - can you make this for me? If so, then who (question #2)
2. Who do you think, out of the jewelers you all have worked with, could make this ring or make it more beautiful than this ring?
3. Would I have to acquire the tourmaline and diamonds from somewhere first then send the stone(s) to him/her?
4. I will be wearing this ring everyday, so do you think that the pink tourmaline is too soft?
5. I don''t want to re-plate the white gold, so should I go for palladium or platinum? I do not like high maintenance jewelry.

Help! Please help me with the process. Thank you so much. I hope this is the right forum to post in for this request.

Thanks!

Elegant

 

[arjunajane]

Hi Elegant,
just wondering, is that my OMC in your av? I thought it looked familiar..

As to your questions, I may leave them to those with more experience in CS

 

[FrekeChild]

Depending on the size of the center stone, and seeing as how it is not the most desirable color, I would say you could get that made here in the USA for much cheaper by sourcing the stone yourself and shipping it off to BGD or WF--or any other jeweler. That also depends on how much ctw of diamonds too.

 

[Elegant]

Date: 7/26/2009 11:48:59 PM
Author: arjunajane
Hi Elegant,

just wondering, is that my OMC in your av? I thought it looked familiar..

As to your questions, I may leave them to those with more experience in CS

Yes it is, I hope you don't mind! I blew the pic up and enlarged it - I think you took the most gorgeous pics - I hope it's ok! I love that diamond so much...all because of your pics! Geez, thinking about it, is it a faux pau (sp?)? I'll get rid of it - I didn't mean to offend...what an inconsiderate idiot I am... I just love that diamond!

 

[Elegant]

Thanks FrekeChild. I think I am going to think about the whole baguette thing too. So WF or BGD, huh? I have been seeing a lot of BGD''s work recently too...thanks!

 

[Gypsy]

Honestly I''ve priced out that setting, or ones similar to it-- many variiations on the theme. Look up "Baguette Halo" in the search function and you''ll see my threads. The baguetes need to be custom cut and it''s a very labor intensive design. 3200 is not a bad price, honestly.

I do think a tourmaline is too soft for everyday, and considering how much that setting may cost you, you might want to go with a sapphire.

As for metals, white gold will need to be replated. Platinum and palladium will need polishing as they scratch either. STILL because of the design, I would go for platinum, personally. It''s less brittle than the rest, so if something happens it will have a better chance of bending instead of breaking, That''s one of the reasons why I went for it in my own setting.


If I were to have the ring made I would get qoutes from:

Leon
BGD
Maytal

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 7/27/2009 12:00:09 AM
Author: Elegant

Date: 7/26/2009 11:48:59 PM

Author: arjunajane

Hi Elegant,


just wondering, is that my OMC in your av? I thought it looked familiar..

As to your questions, I may leave them to those with more experience in CS

Yes it is, I hope you don''t mind! I blew the pic up and enlarged it - I think you took the most gorgeous pics - I hope it''s ok! I love that diamond so much...all because of your pics! Geez, thinking about it, is it a faux pau (sp?)? I''ll get rid of it - I didn''t mean to offend...what an inconsiderate idiot I am... I just love that diamond!

Hi Elegant,
don''t worry! I was a lil but surprised, but not offended at all!
In fact I guess it''s quite flattering.

I hope you don''t mind me saying so, but I''m more than happy for you to
save my pics and re-post them, whatever you like. I''m not protective or weird at all
about those things and love to help others with things that I''ve bought, designed etc..

But just with the av (because it is my e-ring), I guess I''d prefer to keep
that one personal.

I hope you don''t mind, and please don''t worry I''m not upset or anything!

I hope you have some luck creating your ring, it really is very pretty.

 

[Elegant]

Date: 7/27/2009 2:29:50 AM
Author: arjunajane

Date: 7/27/2009 12:00:09 AM
Author: Elegant

Date: 7/26/2009 11:48:59 PM
Author: arjunajane
Hi Elegant,
just wondering, is that my OMC in your av? I thought it looked familiar..

As to your questions, I may leave them to those with more experience in CS

Yes it is, I hope you don''t mind! I blew the pic up and enlarged it - I think you took the most gorgeous pics - I hope it''s ok! I love that diamond so much...all because of your pics! Geez, thinking about it, is it a faux pau (sp?)? I''ll get rid of it - I didn''t mean to offend...what an inconsiderate idiot I am... I just love that diamond!

Hi Elegant,
don''t worry! I was a lil but surprised, but not offended at all!
In fact I guess it''s quite flattering.
I hope you don''t mind me saying so, but I''m more than happy for you to
save my pics and re-post them, whatever you like. I''m not protective or weird at all about those things and love to help others with things that I''ve bought, designed etc..
But just with the av (because it is my e-ring), I guess I''d prefer to keep
that one personal.

I hope you don''t mind, and please don''t worry I''m not upset or anything!
I hope you have some luck creating your ring, it really is very pretty.

Hey - as soon as I responded I changed it...I am embarrassed, ashamed, etc. I am sorry... I feel like a super newbie that makes all the wrong mistakes...like a weenie. I feel like crawling in a hole somewhere...

 

[chrono]

1. Yes, you contact the jeweller and show him/her the picture and ask for quotes. It is best if you have an approximate size mm stone because it will impact the price.
2. Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Leon Mege (good but pricey), Quest Jeweller or even your local jeweller.
3. You can purchase the tourmaline yourself or have the jeweller/custom designer source it. I don’t think you will be able to source the diamonds. They have to match in size (the most difficult) and the corner stones might even have to be custom cut. I believe that the diamonds are going to be the bulk of your budget due to the nature of the design.
4. Correct, a tourmaline is not an everyday stone. Sapphire might be a better choice but it is also going to cost a lot more.
5. For that design, I also recommend platinum.

 

[ma re]

Ditto on all the above, and I''d also add that such a design is not a good idea for an everyday piece. Channel setting is not that difficult to damage and once damage occurs it''s not easy to repair it. Not to mention that if damage would happen on any of the custom cut diamonds the price of repair would increase even more. Hope that helps.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 7/27/2009 2:57:33 AM
Author: Elegant

Hey - as soon as I responded I changed it...I am embarrassed, ashamed, etc. I am sorry... I feel like a super newbie that makes all the wrong mistakes...like a weenie. I feel like crawling in a hole somewhere...

Elegant! Please, I mean what I said I wasn''t angry or upset at all.
You will have noticed I''m very happy to always share photos/ideas/prices/vendors with
other PS''ers, I am not protective over these things.

You have no reason to feel like any of those things - let''s forget I mentioned it ok?
(hugs)

 

[Elegant]

Date: 7/27/2009 12:12:18 AM
Author: Gypsy
Honestly I''ve priced out that setting, or ones similar to it-- many variiations on the theme. Look up ''Baguette Halo'' in the search function and you''ll see my threads. The baguetes need to be custom cut and it''s a very labor intensive design. 3200 is not a bad price, honestly.
I do think a tourmaline is too soft for everyday, and considering how much that setting may cost you, you might want to go with a sapphire.
As for metals, white gold will need to be replated. Platinum and palladium will need polishing as they scratch either. STILL because of the design, I would go for platinum, personally. It''s less brittle than the rest, so if something happens it will have a better chance of bending instead of breaking, That''s one of the reasons why I went for it in my own setting.
If I were to have the ring made I would get qoutes from:
Leon
BGD
Maytal

Gypsy, thanks for the input. From what I have been hearing, tourmaline is too soft and platinum is the way to go, but it is more expensive. Thanks for the quote referrals too. That helps to know where to go. I don''t have a local jeweler that I work with and trust. Thanks!

Date: 7/27/2009 8:31:45 AM
Author: Chrono
1. Yes, you contact the jeweller and show him/her the picture and ask for quotes. It is best if you have an approximate size mm stone because it will impact the price.
2. Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Leon Mege (good but pricey), Quest Jeweller or even your local jeweller.
3. You can purchase the tourmaline yourself or have the jeweller/custom designer source it. I don’t think you will be able to source the diamonds. They have to match in size (the most difficult) and the corner stones might even have to be custom cut. I believe that the diamonds are going to be the bulk of your budget due to the nature of the design.
4. Correct, a tourmaline is not an everyday stone. Sapphire might be a better choice but it is also going to cost a lot more.
5. For that design, I also recommend platinum.

Thanks Chrono, I was wondering what size is in the pic. I didn''t get those specs from the eBay guy, point taken, thanks. Tourmaline is not an everyday stone - okay - yeah, sapphires are much more expensive...I''ll need to think about this. Thank you for your input/help. I really appreciate it.

Date: 7/27/2009 9:51:07 AM
Author: ma re
Ditto on all the above, and I''d also add that such a design is not a good idea for an everyday piece. Channel setting is not that difficult to damage and once damage occurs it''s not easy to repair it. Not to mention that if damage would happen on any of the custom cut diamonds the price of repair would increase even more. Hope that helps.

Thanks ma re, not an everyday design? Well, that''s not good, is it?

Seems like this ring is "high maintenance" in everything. If it would need repair,t hat would really suck because the guy is in the UK. I can''t imagine sending it off. Again, I will need to re-evaluate this situation...grrr...thank you so much for your help!

Date: 7/27/2009 10:28:08 AM
Author: arjunajane

Date: 7/27/2009 2:57:33 AM
Author: Elegant
Hey - as soon as I responded I changed it...I am embarrassed, ashamed, etc. I am sorry... I feel like a super newbie that makes all the wrong mistakes...like a weenie. I feel like crawling in a hole somewhere...

Elegant! Please, I mean what I said I wasn''t angry or upset at all.
You will have noticed I''m very happy to always share photos/ideas/prices/vendors with other PS''ers, I am not protective over these things. You have no reason to feel like any of those things - let''s forget I mentioned it ok?(hugs)

Hi arjunajune,
You are too kind, and yes I have noticed you are extremely helpful in every and all capacities... It is a lesson learned for me - I feel like an idiot, and I feel embarrassed though. I should know better, that''s all. Thank you for your help.