custom settings

[resident]

Argh, after finally finding a diamond that I like (see this thread) that was from an Australian store, it seems that setting it locally is going to blow my budget as I was quoted $5000 for a design based on the harmony setting from Whiteflash which I modified to a 6 prong and increased the shank thickness near the head. My mockup and the original harmony are below. Sorry for the poor photoshop skills.

My Mockup:


Original Harmony


This means that I may have to choose another diamond, getting the setting from the same place. Seeing this is kind of similar to the standard harmony, which costs $2150 in platinum, what kind of price do you think I could expect from Whiteflash? Does anyone have any experience with custom rings from Whiteflash (are they good to work with, especially if you are from another country)?

 

[tyty333]

Whiteflash has an excellent reputation and their custom work is very good. I would work with them in a heartbeat. I
think the price may be similar but a bit more to the harmony setting. You are using more gold so that will cost you
more and a tad more for the custom work...I'll go out on a limb and guess about $2500 but...best way is to just give them
a call. I'm sure it wouldnt take to long to work up a quote for you.

BTW - I really like th changes you made to the shank of the ring (better than the harmony). Much more integrated looking
instead of looking like it was just set on.

 

[lbbaber]

I am working with Whiteflash now....they are WONDERFUL to work with and the price I was quoted is MORE than reasonable. You want to do what I did (make some small changes to one of their stock rings). They consider it only a "semi-custom" job which kept the price way down. Tell them your budget and they will do their BEST to make it work. I even made some last minute changes without any hassle!! They are making a ring that a local jeweler gave me a price of almost 3000 for the setting....thay are doing it for FAR less!! Also, keep in mind they have 2 different kinds of melee (if you do use them). They have their regular melee and their ACA melee...get a price for both
As far as being out of the country, that I am not sure. Good luck!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Wow, $5000 was absurd! I am sure you'll be more pleased with WF making it! I have not had them do anything custom for me, but many others have, so I am sure it will be more reasonable than that!

I think they will have to redesign that head a little more to make the 6 prongs evenly spaced, though. I actually have a setting that my diamond was in last that had this style head, and it was beautiful! I am going to attach a picture for you so you can show it to WF.

 

[tommywaddle]

I would try Fascinating Diamonds. I found a a Simon G Replica setting from Fascinating diamonds. They do not have great images on their website, but they have many on youtube & can put an image of yours there. They sell on Ebay & Amazon & have perfect ratings with a 30 day money back guarantee.

These ones have less diamonds on the setting, but are similar for $1200
http://www.fascinatingdiamonds.com/ring_detail.php?id=2708
http://www.fascinatingdiamonds.com/ring_detail.php?id=2066
http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=AJUQV6HEKDG6N
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXCZPHois00

They use Unique Settings of New York who can custom make the rings. Fascinating Diamonds don't markup the price much because I bought a diamond online & that seller wouldn't even pricematch F.D.
http://www.uniquesettings.com/

 

[resident]

I think they will have to redesign that head a little more to make the 6 prongs evenly spaced, though. I actually have a setting that my diamond was in last that had this style head, and it was beautiful! I am going to attach a picture for you so you can show it to WF.

Ok here is a version incorporating the head you posted. Much better! This is what I was thinking, but I only had the 4 prong had to work with, so I just added a prong from one of the tiffany styles to the centre. Hopefully using this kind of head wouldn't constitute a fully custom job!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yay, great job!!!!! I do like that so much better! I definitely want to see the finished ring if you have it made! I cannot find my own pictures of the top view of the head of that ring, but the prongs are placed at 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, approximately.

 

[resident]

While I'm waiting for the weekend to be over in the states, I've discovered the lotus ring by Whiteflash and Leon Mege. Does anyone here have the ring and does the rose gold cause any yellowing of the diamond at all?

For some reason I keep coming back to that lotus ring. I can't get it out of my head! It would be pushing my budget to get it but....

 

[resident]

Or maybe even just the lotus modified to all platinum...

 

[tyty333]

The lotus ring is beautiful...I thought you were trying to keep the cost down? Thats about $4k right?

 

[resident]

Yeah yeah, i know - expensive. I was hoping that I could get the Lotus without the pink diamonds and all one colour metal and that would pull the price down but after email Leon Mege, I got a reply saying the pink diamonds are critical to the design and they won't change it. I can respect that.

I'm just crazy

 

[resident]

Ok so I got the first round of CAD designs (I ditched the lotus idea, too expensive and not unique enough).





At the moment, I love the front view, but the side view doesn't do it for me. It looks like two sticks poking out of the band.
I'm thinking that it needs to have the upside down 'Y' at the front narrowed slightly and then the other four prongs to be split slightly at the bottoms so the become mini upside down 'Y's. Then all the tips can join.

How would you fix the side prong problem?

 

[slg47]

I think the changes you are proposing sound good!

tried to find some more 6-prong examples...

you could also make it more like this ring but with the pave? or are you going for the non-tiffany style head?
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/contemporary-tiffany-style-solitaire-engagement-ring-1416.htm

or you could do the head similar to this? (without the surprise diamonds)
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/swan-solitaire-engagement-ring-by-vatche-310.htm

 

[happybear]

Cool design!

I agree from the sides the prongs seemed to jut out quite alot. Maybe you can set the diamond slightly higher? Then the angle of the prongs can be smaller so it doesn't jut out so abruptly.

Like slg said, browse around for more ideas. Enjoy the process...