Custom setting - can I see?

[floridajen]

Thanks to the PSers, I now know that I have to custom design my 3 stone ring. I have researched the custom jewelery designers that many of you have used and/or recommended. I have received a few quotes already and I am not shocked by the estimates$$$ because I kind of knew what it would be.

My question is to those that have used Victor, ERD, Leon, Steve K etc ......do you think it was worth the extra $ for the custom work? Did you feel or experience that a local jewelry designer would not be able to create a quality custom setting too? I am really jsut curious about what is so different between what these guys do vs. what a nice local designer could do? I have received some quotes from some nice ones in town and they are about 35% less.

And any pics of your custom rings would be appreciated.

Thanks for any information you can provide

 

[J_Rock]

I definitely think at a certain ring budget, it makes sense to go custom if you cant find a design local. I say this because settings at this caliber are not cheap. However, I think it also takes a certain type of client to maneuver the custom process (unless you are ordering something they've already made). With my project, I took full liberty to provide input and drive the design. I worked with Victor and he executed my vision flawlessly. We traded over 60 emails and I even provided a PowerPoint deck with details of the concept. To this day, I have never seen a ring in person anywhere in the same league as my fiance's ring. Even though I bought the ring and designed it, I still find myself helplessly staring at her finger! I would do it all over again.

Here are details from my project:
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-halo-featuring-a-1-52-avc-3-row-pave.169374/

 

[distracts]

My question is to those that have used Victor, ERD, Leon, Steve K etc ......do you think it was worth the extra $ for the custom work? Did you feel or experience that a local jewelry designer would not be able to create a quality custom setting too? I am really jsut curious about what is so different between what these guys do vs. what a nice local designer could do? I have received some quotes from some nice ones in town and they are about 35% less.

For a ring with that much pave, you need someone who is experienced with pave. Most local jewelers do relatively little custom work and their cases are filled with settings made by other people, which they just set the center stone in. I live in a major city, have visited dozens of jewelers, and have found exactly one place that does good pave (where I got my e-ring from) - and they send it out to have it done somewhere else, so it's arguable how local it really is (and it's definitely not the quality of Victor/Leon/Steve - but my fiance wanted to buy from a store he could actually go to, so we did that, and it's much better pave than most non-PS pave I've seen). And it was around the same price as the cast pave settings by PS vendors. Everywhere else - if they even could do their own pave - had very sloppy pave with beads of mismatched sizes, diamonds set crookedly, everything I'd not want in my ring. If you do look locally, PLEASE bring a 10x loupe and examine their work. Compare it to the close-up pictures of pave rings you can find on PS. Make sure they repair it free of charge and replace melee if they fall out. Ask about the rates at which they've had that happen with their previous custom pave work. My preference, if you don't have a constraint like that the person who is paying for it is wary of internet shopping, is to absolutely go with one of these companies that is recognized as being good at pave, and has hundreds of testimonials on PS. I'd rather pay a little more for the peace of mind that I'm getting the best.

 

[Haven]

I wear a custom, hand-forged piece created by a local jeweler.

I think it all depends on where you live, and who you can find locally. I am in the PS minority in that I prefer to work with a local jeweler because I like all the perks that come with doing so. However, I'm lucky to *have* a local jeweler that does amazing work. When I say perks, I mean the ability to establish an ongoing relationship with a professional who understand my aesthetic; the ability to drop in whenever I please to have my ring cleaned and checked and the prongs tightened, etc.; the ability to have melee replaced at no cost if necessary; not having to ship my ring off every time I want something checked out; having somewhere to go where I'll get superior customer service and attention whenever I crave it. I also love that my jeweler will call me when he gets a project or stone in that he knows I'll appreciate. There's an entire dimension to the experience that *I* want, and so that's why I go local.

The extra cost for a custom piece was absolutely worth it for me to get exactly what I want. But this is completely personal. I'm all about scrimping in other areas of life, but not where luxury items are concerned. That's what makes them luxury.

Here's a link to my ring's SMTB thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...y-2-30-ct-omb-antique-cushion-upgrade.158760/

 

[diamondseeker2006]

When it comes to pave, you are taking a huge risk to go with the unknown. Many people have problems with pave rings because they just aren't well made. If I were having a pave ring made, I wouldn't even have to think twice...I'd contact Victor Canera. He made my halo sapphire studs and they are the finest pave halos I have ever seen.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-heirloom-sapphire-halo-earrings.178823/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-heirloom-sapphire-halo-earrings.178823/[/URL]