Do you think the bezel will detract from the stone or enhance it?

[Alice in DiamondLand]

We were at BBB on Saturday looking at the Ritani Endless Love. Am wondering about your opinions on how a bezel affects the stone’s appearance.

I have fallen in love with my diamond. It’s a simply gorgeous Ideal Cut RB 1.6 rock. I am wondering if that bezel will detract from the stone’s beauty. I realize that it’s no longer all about the diamond when you set it, it’s now a ring show piece. But I’d think a rad diamond in a rad setting will be even that more beautiful. The sales gal was saying that in that setting, it would make the diamond look dark and would not allow for as much light to come thru because the girdle would be blocked. I thought the light and fire and brilliance comes from the top, not the sides, right?

The sales gal also said “honey, now you don’t want to do that to that gorgeous stone. Now if that stone were like a J and SI1 or 2, then I’d say ok, but it in the bezel, but don’t but that stone in a bezel”. I chuckled and said, well actually, it is a J SI1. She quickly changed the subject. It just reconfirmed Todd’s wise decision to go with the stone he did – it’s simply gorgeous and even the “pros” can’t tell. Seems silly to pay for something you won’t get obvious benefit from, though then again, I do respect that it’s a matter of opinion so I’ll step off my soap box.

Pretty sure we are going with the Octagon Endless Love with a single pave band. In some ways, I am not sure why i am even asking this because I know y''all will provide us with a whole bunch of things to consider then and I''ll probably become confused again...

 

[rfath]

I'm horribly biased, since I went with a bezel setting (so I won't worry about the diamond if I forget to take it off when I go to the barn or if I do one of my tradmarked clumsy moves and whack it on something). I don't think the bezel detracts from the diamond - it's also a J, SI1 and performs BRILLIANTLY. Mine is an Etienne Perret halo setting, so it's basically held in only around the girdle. I was careful to find a setting that just barely covers the girdle on the edges so it's not covering up a whole lot of stone. I'm really happy with the setting.

Just my experience

 

[Todd07]

Thanks for sharing your expeience Rachel. Your design has the same structure as ritani. Personally, I like the side view where we can see the culet.

 

[heart prongs]

That's a tough call...Do you love the setting? And, if so, is a setting you'll love forever? Will it be wearable with daily activities? Your 1.6 is a good-sized diamond, how much bigger of a spread would you like to have? I have a friend whose center stone is about the size of mine (no more than 1.20) and she has little diamonds all around the center stone -- gorgeous setting -- looks like a snowflake. But it looks like a 4 ct. diamond to anyone looking at it from any distance...she definitely can pull this look off ... I couldn't. I'd consider your lifestyle when making this choice. That is a beautiful setting though...regardless, what a fun decision to have to make!!! klr

 

[reena]

i, too, am horribly biased as i am also getting a pave bezel setting for my stone. but i just love that octagon bezel setting. it's gorgeous and delicate and unique--i really like that you don't see rings like that on a daily basis.




when i was deciding on my setting i had the exact same concern that you have expressed--i.e., will this setting take away from the beauty of my stone? plenty of people here told me to go non-bezel for that very reason, and also because it's a less simple/classic design for an e-ring. ultimately, though, i realized that to me, the setting was just about as important as the center stone--i wanted to have a setting that i adored as much as my diamond. plain solitaires have just never appealed to me, and i knew i wanted something really different/unique for my e-ring. since pave bezel settings have always caught my eye, that's what i got. /idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif




i still haven't received my ring, so i can't tell you yet that adore it . . . but i know that i will! good luck with whatever you choose tho; your stone looks just gorgeous.




Edited to add: and PS, this doesn't have to be your setting for life! so if you love it now, go for it and don't worry about its longevity . . . styles will always change no matter what. you can always change the setting down the road if you like.

 

[Hest88]

I love bezel settings. I think it really depends on if you want a setting that fades into the background or if you consider the setting to be closer in importance to the stone. Certainly a simple pronged setting will be more about the diamond, but I think a bezel setting is just as lovely and shows off the entire package.

 

[Mara]

Check out Kayla's thread in Diamond Hangout...she's considering the same style and also the round bezel vs the Ritani pave with no bezel.




I have a prong set eternity style wedding set and I love the simplicity....with a stunning stone it showcases it beautifully without too much going on around the stone itself. But it will make the stone look even bigger, if that's what you want.




One more thing is that the pave on the sides of the ring and also on the bezel will make for alot of bling, add in wedding band matching and you will be blinded! Make sure the overall look plus wedding band is what you are going for, sometimes when standing alone a setting speaks better than paired. Check out all the options!




Good luck.

 

[Kaili]

I don't know if this will help you, but I found this post. If you scroll down, you can see her diamond in a plain setting next to the bezel setting.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-new-bezel-set-micro-pave-e-ring-setting-is-here.18526/

 

[Todd07]

----------------
On 10/11/2004 5:20:26 PM Mara wrote:







Check out Kayla's thread in Diamond Hangout...she's considering the same style and also the round bezel vs the Ritani pave with no bezel.
----------------

Thanks Mara,

We've been in Kayla's thread but wanted to post a very specific, more technical question here. Is there any validity to what the saleswoman told Alice:

" The sales gal said putting an excellent cut diamond in a bezel setting would make the diamond look darker vs. an open solitare setting. rationale being it blocks light from entering thru the girdle."

I can imagine the stone picking up some of the bezel color but I didn't think brilliance would decrease due to light being blocked from entering via the girdle.

Would love to hear from more bezel owners or Pros.

 

[Upgradable]

Isn't it interesting how hanging around PS for a while gives you more knowledge than some of the jewelry sales people out there.

Your instincts are correct, she doesn't know what she's talking about. With an ideal stone the light that goes in the top comes out the top! If it were a poorly cut stone (most likely those she sees on a regular basis), she may have a little more credibility.

I personally love bezel and semi-bezel, but unlike many around here, don't particularly care for pave. I like wide, bold bands and two-toned settings. This ring needs to be about what is beautiful to your eyes. It will be an everlasting reminder of your love and committment to each other. Trust your hearts!

 

[treysar]

Here's a before and after pic with a ring similar to the endless love setting - it shows a HUGE difference, in my opinion, compliments my stone. Besides making it look bigger, i feel that it actually ACCENTUATES THE STONE - I feel like it's even more sparkly, and that it stays cleaner, or needs less cleaning, to shine. (Why, I don't know, maybe because the undercarriage doesn't get as much stuff on it?) But I guess that's not where sparkle comes from, huh.

Anyway, that was my worry too - that it would take away from my stoone. (And my stone is smaller, BTW, it's 1.14, compared to your whopping 1.6!)

That will be one huge sparkler no matter how you set it!!

Good luck!

 

[reena]

wow, treysar, every time i see that comparison pic of your ring i can't believe it! the stone was really pretty before but the bezel makes it even more WOW, and the difference in (apparent) size is astounding. even visually discounting the width of the surrounding bezel, the center stone STILL looks much larger to the eye! i love it...

out of curiosity, any idea of the approximate width of your bezel?

 

[rfath]

----------------
On 10/11/2004 8:33:17 PM Todd07 wrote:

We've been in Kayla's thread but wanted to post a very specific, more technical question here. Is there any validity to what the saleswoman told Alice:

' The sales gal said putting an excellent cut diamond in a bezel setting would make the diamond look darker vs. an open solitare setting. rationale being it blocks light from entering thru the girdle.'

I can imagine the stone picking up some of the bezel color but I didn't think brilliance would decrease due to light being blocked from entering via the girdle.

Would love to hear from more bezel owners or Pros.

----------------

You might want to try a search for this topic.. I know I've seen serveral. If I recall correctly, most felt that an ideal stone shouldn't suffer significantly, and some less-than-ideal performers might actually improve since the leakage from the girdle is blocked.

My personal experience is that I haven't noticed a change in the performance of the stone now that it's in a full bezel. Mine is a super-ideal cut.

 

[njc]

----------------
The sales gal was saying that in that setting, it would make the diamond look dark and would not allow for as much light to come thru because the girdle would be blocked. I thought the light and fire and brilliance comes from the top, not the sides, right?
----------------

I work with a girl that has the Rotani Endless Love and she has a beautiful and HUGE (i want to say 2+ ct) diamond in it. Although i have only seen her diamond in this setting, it does not take away from its sparkle or whiteness at all. Its just a retna-burning, bright sparkling white on her finger! That sales woman doesnt know what she is talking about. I say go for it if thats what you love! She also has the matching wedding band which is a great compliment.

 

[treysar]

Reena,

I have no idea - I don't even know how to measure it! But will taking a picture of it next to a penny or something help you see the size of the bezel?

 

[reena]

oh, don't go to any trouble. i was just wondering. my own will be about 1mm thickness; was just curious to compare.

 

[treysar]

I can't wait to see it!!! It sounds like we have the same taste!!

 

[reena]

i know! i was so excited when i first saw your SMTR post!