Custom setting Platinum-questions-need help!

[catia]

Hi I have a setting picked out that is not too complicated that I have pics of that I want remade.

I found the setting in WG & viewed it in person. Pics of the ring looked great, but in person viewing showed poor workmanship, it just looked sloppy & unfinished & plated--which it was because it was a white gold cast repro--but whoever did the work was sloppy, even the millgrain was poor, looked like that was cast too instead of being done on the finished product.
It looked like they plated over solder lumps & the basket looked wonky, & the underside of the basket was just a mess, so I walked.

I've been reading a lot & some info I got was that cast platinum is weaker & that hand forged is better & will last longer.


Does anyone have any info or referrals for an honest & reputable jeweler who does hand forged platinum that is affordable?

I've seen & drooled over Leon Mege, but the prices are so high, I'm looking for maybe not a designer brand, but quality workmanship.
Surely this is out there somewhere?

Originall I spoke with Abit at sunjewelry, in person, in Los Angeles, who said no problem to cad & cast my ring-he was very helpful-but I am worried about cast in platinum, I've read horror stories about air bubbles & that cast plat is brittle & I am worried.

Abit said casting plat was no issue, they do it all of the time, & I met their cad guy in passing too. He said the ring would be cleaned up properly, he saw the messy basket & lumpy looking stuff I was referring to, from pics without me even saying anything. He said the millgraining should be done after, so it looks crisp. He gave me a quote on the spot for the basics & said finding the proper side stones would be the only issue, but not really an issue, just would be a matter of making sure they match each other (4 rubies) in color & size & that might take a little time & add to the total of the quote & gave some round about #'s.
His prices were great & he quoted me for the custom band I was thinking about as well.

The biggest thing holding me up is about what I've read about the dangers of cast platinum. I want a ring that wont be weak, which is why I wanted platinum.

I am confused about the casting process, & after reading online, need clairification between cast & handforged.

I do not want to go with white gold, because I don't want the issues with replating in the future.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Is there such a thing as quality affordable not designer branded hand forged plat rings?

 

[slg47]

what is the design? there is nothing wrong with cast rings and casting can be a better method of manufacture for some designs. also, what is your budget? hand forged is more costly.

 

[catia]

Ok, I'm not a jewelry person, so I have no idea what the setting type is called.

It's has a center diamond with 4 colored sidestones & 4 double prongs (so 8 pronges total). It is not a halo.

It is "new vintage", sort of art deco, is not a ring with pave, it's more simple, has a few colored side stones & 4 small melee on each side. it's not filigree.
It doesn't look like a complicated ring, & I was told is was not a complicated design by sun jewelers.

My question is mainly--who are the affordable non-designer brand custom ring makers?

I don't want to post a pic of the setting yet, not publicly. I don't have a prob sending a pic to get an estimate.
i don't know why, but I feel kind of 'superstitious' about it at this point--maybe that's not most accurate term, but close.

Only 1 jeweler has it, it's a repro of an old ring.
I was not pleased with the quality AT ALL--or the price of their repro, considering the poor quality.
They had no real guarantee, I could order it, inspcet it & had 7 days to return it, but nothing nothing nothing as far as workmanship in the guarantee.

I figure if it looked awful to my untrained eye in WG, with wonkiness of the actual finished product in their store, the one they were telling me I could walk out the door with that day, I figured I'd better pass.

I also saw the original cast they had in sterling, the one they would use to make the wax mold one in platnum from--& it was wonky as well. So if the prototype was wonky...well...

The prongs looked awful--looked like it was previosly set but wasn't, the basket & inside the basket was awful IMHO
I want to make it 'mine' but fixed up properly-meaning making the ring symmetrical & the basket done properly, & the prongs made right.

I am ok i think with a combination of cast & hand forged. I'm out of my element honestly, which is why I am here.

Also, can you explain what designs are better for cast?
Info is greatly appreciated!