Do you prefer round or cushion shaped halos?

[Snoble]

Im having a custom halo made to fit my 1/3 ct stone (family diamond) round cut. Well I wanted to put it in a cushion halo because I like the look of it better, but now im starting to reconsider. Im afraid that it will never quite look right. I dont want gaps on the corner of the round stone and Im worried thats exactly what Im gonna get. My jeweler is making me a sample before he goes ahead with anything but Im still worried. So my question is what do you think...round or cushion shaped halo?

My fav cushion:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cant-tell-from-pics-how-this-would-look-irl.134748/

And the second posting with pic w/round halo is much like I would do if I did a round halo.

Thanks!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

How skilled is you jeweler? Have you seen any cushion halos for rounds that he has done in the past? What will the sample entail?

 

[Snoble]

No he didnt have any to show me....so I guess im not really sure on his skill. He didnt really explain what the sample will entail either. I believe the plate size to show me how much finger coverage. So I dont think I will get that much of an idea of what it will actually look like. Is it the best idea to do shared prong in the halo pave?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/18/2010 2:11:38 PM
Author: Snoble
No he didnt have any to show me....so I guess im not really sure on his skill. He didnt really explain what the sample will entail either. I believe the plate size to show me how much finger coverage. So I dont think I will get that much of an idea of what it will actually look like. Is it the best idea to do shared prong in the halo pave?

I think it is best to find a jewler who can show you finished product.

Is there a reason why you want to work with this particular jeweler?

pave is not easy to do and the skill of the creaftsman is really important. I would not buy sight unseen myself unless is was from a vendor with KNOWN skill.

 

[Snoble]

Its just the place my husbands family has always gone too. I also believe its the only jewlery store in my area that does custom work. He does do good work, Ive seen lots of it, its just everything that he has made so far isnt exactly what I want so this will be sort of a new creation for him. Thats why it isnt guaranteed, while ive seen round ones that hes done and they look really nice, and the cushion ones he did are bezeled that I didnt care for. Thats why I dont know if I should just settle on round. Or go for it and get what I really want. Also if I dont like the end product he is so nice I have no doubt that he wouldnt work with me until its perfect. Just dont know if I want to go through all that, Im very much the kind of person who would say I like it just to not hurt his feelings. I just want to love it.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/18/2010 2:31:36 PM
Author: Snoble
Its just the place my husbands family has always gone too. I also believe its the only jewlery store in my area that does custom work. He does do good work, Ive seen lots of it, its just everything that he has made so far isnt exactly what I want so this will be sort of a new creation for him. Thats why it isnt guaranteed, while ive seen round ones that hes done and they look really nice, and the cushion ones he did are bezeled that I didnt care for. Thats why I dont know if I should just settle on round. Or go for it and get what I really want. Also if I dont like the end product he is so nice I have no doubt that he wouldnt work with me until its perfect. Just dont know if I want to go through all that, Im very much the kind of person who would say I like it just to not hurt his feelings. I just want to love it.

You are paying him, don''t worry about feelings.

He would want to make you truly happy.

Will he do CADs or a wax? If you show him photos of how you want it to look and you agree, and the final product is not right, then he should remake it. It is simple.

 

[Snoble]

Your right Dreamer, Thank you! Im gonna stick with the cushion shape halo then. Its possible for them to do those without gaps on the corners of the main diamond, right? Do they just use the prongs to fill in that empty space, or do they re-arrange the diamonds some how??

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/18/2010 2:47:49 PM
Author: Snoble
Your right Dreamer, Thank you! Im gonna stick with the cushion shape halo then. Its possible for them to do those without gaps on the corners of the main diamond, right? Do they just use the prongs to fill in that empty space, or do they re-arrange the diamonds some how??

I believe that just make the halo as tight as they can and then the diamond is prong set on top and it covers any gaps. Also, the diamond are set more in an oval shape and then the metal of the halo looks like it is exaggerated ever so slightly to create the cushion appearance.

Honestly, I would go with the Vatch Grace (~$1900) or the WF Guinivere (~$1400) setting and know what I was getting. Perhaps more money but less stress.

Here are some examples to show your jeweler and also that show you how the diamonds are done in the settings I mentioned above:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-engagement-ring-pics.127475/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/much-overdue-pics-of-my-wedding-set-and-some-others.119593/

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I second Dreamer, unless your jeweler is making it for like $300 I would go with the WF or teh Vatche. You know excatly what you are getting and they will be gorgeous!

 

[Snoble]

OK so I just went to my jewelers and sat down and talked with him and i feel alot better. He was able to show me some custom work he was done with round diamonds in cushion halos. While there were some things pointed out that I didnt like about them, he agreed with me and said those things were done upon request (gaps, bezel, thickness)
He said to form my cushion shaped halo he is going to place slightly bigger diamonds in the corners then on the sides to fill in the gaps, but not a noticable differnece. He did have a sample made without the diamonds in it so I could get an idea of the finger coverage and the shape.
He also wants to make the plate for the halo slightly thicker, but not noticeable, so that he could wrap diamonds around the side of the halo as well, like the custom job on the link I put up earlier from WF. I cant decide if this is a good idea or not??
I also talked to him about how nervous I was that it could come out differently then what I have pictured in my head so we decided that I could come check it out in phases and sort of give my stamp of approval so that anything I dont like can be re done. Which is something that makes me feel alot more comfortable.
I know it would be a safer bet to buy from WF but Im fooling my husband into thinking im adding to my exsisting setting instead of buying a whole new one, and my jeweler is going along with this as well. Obviously something I would be able to do with WF if im sending my ring away. This is also much more affordable.

So how does this sound?? Still a bad idea?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/18/2010 6:54:54 PM
Author: Snoble
OK so I just went to my jewelers and sat down and talked with him and i feel alot better. He was able to show me some custom work he was done with round diamonds in cushion halos. While there were some things pointed out that I didnt like about them, he agreed with me and said those things were done upon request (gaps, bezel, thickness)
He said to form my cushion shaped halo he is going to place slightly bigger diamonds in the corners then on the sides to fill in the gaps, but not a noticable differnece. He did have a sample made without the diamonds in it so I could get an idea of the finger coverage and the shape.
He also wants to make the plate for the halo slightly thicker, but not noticeable, so that he could wrap diamonds around the side of the halo as well, like the custom job on the link I put up earlier from WF. I cant decide if this is a good idea or not??
I also talked to him about how nervous I was that it could come out differently then what I have pictured in my head so we decided that I could come check it out in phases and sort of give my stamp of approval so that anything I dont like can be re done. Which is something that makes me feel alot more comfortable.
I know it would be a safer bet to buy from WF but Im fooling my husband into thinking im adding to my exsisting setting instead of buying a whole new one, and my jeweler is going along with this as well. Obviously something I would be able to do with WF if im sending my ring away. This is also much more affordable.

So how does this sound?? Still a bad idea?

hahahaa!! That is priceless!

I think as long as you are honest and are not afraid to say when you are unhappy, you will be fine. If you looked at the quality of the work and were satisfied, and this jeweler will stand by the quality in terms of repairs, then good!

 

[Snoble]

Thank you dreamer! It might sound weird but it means alot to have your approval, lol! I do feel alot better, and after my meeting today I feel comfortbale now to tell him I dont like something.

What do you think about about the diamonds on the side of the halo, not just the top, is this a good idea? Or will I chance it looking too bulky?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/18/2010 7:13:32 PM
Author: Snoble
Thank you dreamer! It might sound weird but it means alot to have your approval, lol! I do feel alot better, and after my meeting today I feel comfortbale now to tell him I dont like something.

What do you think about about the diamonds on the side of the halo, not just the top, is this a good idea? Or will I chance it looking too bulky?

You make me blush. It is not strange, I post about a million threads a month looking for the approval of my PS gang. We are human and we like approval

!

I think you need to try on settings with and without the two sided pave like Mani5ha has on her ring to know how you feel for sure. I think with your smaller stone that I would opt for the simpler style though, with only the halo arond the diamond and a more delicale edge of metal. I also think it will be simpler to execute the design well, and given that you do not know with 100% certainty the skill of the benchman the jeweler uses (or does he do his own bench work?), perhaps best to keep it a little simpler?

 

[risingsun]

Just an FYI, Tacori makes cushion halo settings for round diamonds. There are no gaps, no filling in the corners, etc. I considered one of their settings for my RB, but then decided to go with a round halo, instead. Check out the Tacori website or do a search on PS. They know what they are doing. Scroll down about three posts to see BlackIslands' Tacori Halo. This style is available with or without sidestones. The thread also has links to the Tacori website. HTH

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/question-for-tacori-rings-2620-and-2623.101850/