Diamond quality for a pendant & handmade vs CAD?

[SeekingClarity]

Hello PS!

I am planning another necklace for my lovely wife and had a couple questions. The plan is to have a spherical pendant dotted with small diamonds. Fortunately, this is a design she already owns and loves (but it is an old Swarovski necklace with a broken chain). I am planning to remake this in WG with diamonds for her, but had a couple questions.

1. The idea of handmade jewellery is quite appealing to me. For a pendant (as opposed to a ring), particularly a spherical one, is it as critical for it to have the strength/durability of work-hardened metal? Or would CAD be sufficient? It seems the original has held up fairly well...

2. I'm not sure how large the stones will be, perhaps half pointers (the ball is about 10mm across)? At this size, and in a pendant, is there a significant difference between D-VS and F-SI?

3. What size stones would be recommended for this design?

Lastly, here is an inspiration photo (apologies for the terrible quality)!


Cheers,
SK

 

[rockysalamander]

What a sweet idea!

Micropave is pricey. I found a similar pendant for $5k on 1st dibs.
https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/nec...-18-karat-gold-necklace-pendant/id-j_4167823/
The above version is 0.65 in (16 mm) and is 2.20 tcw.

1) For micropave, there is always some benefit for handforged, but it will come down to your budget.
2) Let the designed choose the size that works best. You actually want them tiny to make going around a circle more smooth. From a good designer, you'll be fine with G/H VS/SI quality.
3) I'd get quote from hand-forgers Victor Canera and Maytal Hannah, along with CAD designer David Klass in LA.

Just keep in mind that you are paying for the labor to make this, the diamond cost will be much smaller part of this design.

 

[MollyMalone]

What a splendid, thoughtful gift that will be, @SeekingClarity

I'm no bench jeweler, but I'm not sure that such a sphere pendant can be hand-forged -- if that's what you mean by "handmade." The process doesn't seem to lend itself to the fabrication of a sphere. From Victor Canera: "ingots of platinum or gold are melted and then pressed, bent, formed or pulled into the different parts that comprise a piece of jewelry.
https://www.victorcanera.com/education/jewelry/hand-forged

Leon Mege prefers "bench made;" here's his quickie summary: using traditional tools and a hand torch, [r]aw metal stock such as plate or wire is cut, bent, forged, ground and filed.
https://www.leonmege.com/side-stones/item/97-bench-made

 

[SeekingClarity]

Thanks, @rockysalamander ! I'm actually speaking with Alistair Kelsey again, as I'm based in Sydney. It's great to hear that the G/H VS/SI quality should be sufficient. We are probably going to do hammer set diamonds instead of micro pave and leave a tiny bit of metal showing between stones. This is more in line with the original necklace, but I have wondered about using pave instead...

What a sweet idea!

Micropave is pricey. I found a similar pendant for $5k on 1st dibs.
https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/nec...-18-karat-gold-necklace-pendant/id-j_4167823/
The above version is 0.65 in (16 mm) and is 2.20 tcw.

1) For micropave, there is always some benefit for handforged, but it will come down to your budget.
2) Let the designed choose the size that works best. You actually want them tiny to make going around a circle more smooth. From a good designer, you'll be fine with G/H VS/SI quality.
3) I'd get quote from hand-forgers Victor Canera and Maytal Hannah, along with CAD designer David Klass in LA.

Just keep in mind that you are paying for the labor to make this, the diamond cost will be much smaller part of this design.

Thank you, I hope she will like it! My understanding is that CAD would be used to cast two hemispheres and handmade would create the hemispheres by working plate metal into the appropriate shape. It may actually be quite tough to ensure the sphere is completely symmetrical that way though?

What a splendid, thoughtful gift that will be, @SeekingClarity

I'm no bench jeweler, but I'm not sure that such a sphere pendant can be hand-forged -- if that's what you mean by "handmade." The process doesn't seem to lend itself to the fabrication of a sphere. From Victor Canera: "ingots of platinum or gold are melted and then pressed, bent, formed or pulled into the different parts that comprise a piece of jewelry.
https://www.victorcanera.com/education/jewelry/hand-forged

Leon Mege prefers "bench made;" here's his quickie summary: using traditional tools and a hand torch, [r]aw metal stock such as plate or wire is cut, bent, forged, ground and filed.
https://www.leonmege.com/side-stones/item/97-bench-made

 

[MollyMalone]

* * * Thank you, I hope she will like it! My understanding is that CAD would be used to cast two hemispheres and handmade would create the hemispheres by working plate metal into the appropriate shape. It may actually be quite tough to ensure the sphere is completely symmetrical that way though?

Yes, I think hand-forging a sphere would be quite a challenge; plus, even it's possible, I imagine it would be very time-consuming (and therefore, more expen$ive). Not every vision lends itself to hand-forging; Victor Canera himself has said so on more than one occasion here.

And consider this -- those gold Faberge eggs owe their shape to being cast

 

[sledge]

Beautiful pendant, and splendid idea. I have nothing to contribute other than encouragement.

However, I saw your avatar and assume that is your wedding band. I liked it and was curious if you could provide some details. My girl has been asking what type of bands I like and I haven't had any good responses.

 

[SeekingClarity]

I've been thinking about how difficult it would be to create a two perfectly matching round hemispheres hammered out of plate. Not that I doubt AK's skills, but it seems like a tall order from an effort perspective.

I also didn't realize AK did CAD as well as handmade jewelry, as I haven't heard any feedback on his CAD work. I'm assuming these are two different, but related, skill sets. A pendant is less likely to get whacked on a door or railing, so perhaps it isn't as critical to hand work the metal.

Yes, I think hand-forging a sphere would be quite a challenge; plus, even it's possible, I imagine it would be very time-consuming (and therefore, more expen$ive). Not every vision lends itself to hand-forging; Victor Canera himself has said so on more than one occasion here.

And consider this -- those gold Faberge eggs owe their shape to being cast

Thanks for that, @sledge! Yes, my avatar is my wedding band. My ring has a low, half-round profile. It is 5mm in width and has a 5mm x 2.5mm D/E VS baguette that AK sourced and channel set. I hemmed and hawed about getting a frenchie instead for Yoram, but ultimately went with the cleaner look of the baguette. Here's a thread about it (which reminds me, I should put some more photos in it): https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-ring-and-heirloom-oec-floret-pendant.235182/

Beautiful pendant, and splendid idea. I have nothing to contribute other than encouragement.

However, I saw your avatar and assume that is your wedding band. I liked it and was curious if you could provide some details. My girl has been asking what type of bands I like and I haven't had any good responses.

 

[sledge]

Thanks for that, @sledge! Yes, my avatar is my wedding band. My ring has a low, half-round profile. It is 5mm in width and has a 5mm x 2.5mm D/E VS baguette that AK sourced and channel set. I hemmed and hawed about getting a frenchie instead for Yoram, but ultimately went with the cleaner look of the baguette. Here's a thread about it (which reminds me, I should put some more photos in it): https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-ring-and-heirloom-oec-floret-pendant.235182/

You're very welcome!

And thank you good sir for sharing some details. I may have to reach out to AK when the time comes for my ring. Admittedly I have not been partial to having diamonds in my ring (I know, I know...blasphemy on this site, lol). But you managed to do so in a very tasteful manner that appealed to me, and with a baguette nonetheless which I normally do not like.

The metal work is great also. I really dig the brushed look, and was surprised to learn it was WG. It looked like an alternative metal, which is another reason I initially liked it. My body chemicals are just not WG friendly.

Again, kudos on a job well done my new friend. And God speed on your new project!

 

[SeekingClarity]

You're very welcome!

And thank you good sir for sharing some details. I may have to reach out to AK when the time comes for my ring. Admittedly I have not been partial to having diamonds in my ring (I know, I know...blasphemy on this site, lol). But you managed to do so in a very tasteful manner that appealed to me, and with a baguette nonetheless which I normally do not like.

The metal work is great also. I really dig the brushed look, and was surprised to learn it was WG. It looked like an alternative metal, which is another reason I initially liked it. My body chemicals are just not WG friendly.

Again, kudos on a job well done my new friend. And God speed on your new project!

Aside from the baguette, I really enjoy having the top/bottom polished and the side brushed for some contrast. And you could always have Alistair do a similar ring in platinum!

Alistair is great to work with and has the added benefit of a strong USD to AUD conversion for those in the US!