Custom Ring Settings

[GemLovers!]

Hi,I am looking to get a custom setting made. I'm not near a major centre so I have limited options with regards to traditional jewellers to deal with but they have all quoted around $375 for 18K gold and $1200 for platinum. The setting will be a bypass style so it has a little more metal than a simple tiffany ring and will be a custom made by goldsmith (i.e. not just chosen from a catalog) as the options I've seen in catalogs for by pass styles were very limited. Hence I created my own sketches of what I wanted.I have all the diamonds (including the acent stones) which consist of 7 stones - 6 accents ranging from 2.5 to 3.5mm and a center 5x8 oval. All need to be claw set.Am I getting hosed? Are there any internet jewellers who create custom settings which work in platinum?

 

[lawmax]

Hi Gemlovers,Here are some US jewelers who do custom work in platinum:Steve Livingston, www.demsjewelers.com
Joe Bacon, www.intellex.com~bacon www.tradeshop.com These guys are all very reputable and do beautiful work. Give them a call to compare prices, services, etc.In Canada, there is Michael Drechsler, www.3djeweler.com His site is very cool.

lawmax

 

[moediamond]

Hello,
A fair price for labor would roughly be $300 for an incredible model maker. The Platinum should cost you no more than $60 per pennyweight (as a reference, 20 pennyweights equals one ounce; or 32 grams = 1 ounce )
Depending on the thickness of the ring you desire, you should be looking at $600. So $900 should be fair..
Thank you.
[email protected] (model maker/JQ Magazine award designer)
JQ Magazine is a trade publication....

 

[moediamond]

As a frame of reference, Platinum is normally sold for $100+ per pennyweight at the retail level. For those of you who think Platinum is high $625/ounce, it's due to extraction costs of about $400/ounce. The $200+ goes to somebody- I don't know who??
18 months ago, extraction costs were $85/ounce - that's when Platinum was $350...
Nobody can "move" Platinum prices- not Gates not even Soros (who moved Gold 4 years ago )
Thank you.