Dreamer's Reset - Project Thread

[Taylorbug!]

So I have reached out to Adam at OWD and Grace at Jewels by Grace about possibly sourcing my side stones. I haven't heard from Adam yet, but Grace has been very kind and helpful as always.

Unfortunately, she thinks it will be exceptionally difficult to find a matched pair in this cut style. Of course! If I had an OEC it would be a slightly easier prospect (I mean, we are talking degrees of difficult here).

I suspect that because the type of cuts I am after are so close to MRB proportions, a lot of them were recut over the years.

Orrrr..... some of them may be lurking about, hiding in the big virtual diamond inventories Look at this huge 2.5ct+ American Cut beauty I found on Blue Nile? A mighty familiar facet pattern... And kozibe!



Or this transitional stunner with checkerboard faceting and the most beautiful, chaotic patterning when it moves And H VS1 at over 1.25cts! Wow.

@dreamer_dachsie
Would you mind sharing the link to this 1.25ct stone?

BTW, your new little beauties to complete your three stone are cuties! Congrats

 

[yennyfire]

@yennyfire That is even better! From now on, you may ONLY post after a few glasses of wine! I will do the same and we will all have a grand old time!

Deal!

 

[Dreamer_D]

@dreamer_dachsie
Would you mind sharing the link to this 1.25ct stone?

BTW, your new little beauties to complete your three stone are cuties! Congrats

Looks like it sold, but it was like 12k. You can search BN for potential old cuts by sorting the search by culet size under advanced options.

 

[AV_]

Digressing:
_____
Now, this is a coincidence: a 'Harlequin'! - WWW

The ASET is there. The tilt window achieved in the small diamond that was too 'flat' is not there & the stone is shown in the critical position, with the camera's line of sight razing the table. To what extent this has the same 'pool of light' / reflecting look...

 

[Dreamer_D]

Digressing:
_____
Now, this is a coincidence: a 'Harlequin'! - WWW

The ASET is there. The tilt window achieved in the small diamond that was too 'flat' is not there & the stone is shown in the critical position, with the camera's line of sight razing the table. To what extent this has the same 'pool of light' / reflecting look...

Very interesting! That diamond does look almost identical to the small BN stone I examined and photographed (Pg 2 of this thread I believe). I suspect this bigger diamond will perform a lot like the little one I examined, which is a super super bright stone with a little less "active" scintillation -- though, the bigger facets on the bigger stone will automatically look more active to the eye with broader flashes, compared to the smaller stone.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I snapped a few pictures in the sunshine showing Goergie with one of "the Banshees" (as I am calling them; not sure which one, I think this is the K).



You all love extreme close ups of finger hairs right?



This photo gives a good "real life perspective" on how the faceting looks in more normal viewing conditions.

 

[AV_]

It is a perfect ring.

 

[yssie]

So how do you feel?

(I've already told you how thrilled I am to hear from you so - I'll skip that here )

Table too big, but she's got George's blockiness:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...k-color-vs1-clarity-very-good-cut-sku-6509844

More of the above - but less dramatically so:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...k-color-vs1-clarity-very-good-cut-sku-6722804

You've set yourself quite the puzzle, haven't you

 

[yssie]

Edit - I imagine this latest pair is a significant improvement in terms of matching light return over the original!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Edit - I imagine this latest pair is a significant improvement in terms of matching light return over the original!

No doubt about that babe! The first stone I bought was nice bc in macro the faceting looked somewhat similar and it was most likely and old cut. But it was too white and its optics too "flat" for my taste. It would have bugged me big time.

 

[Dreamer_D]

So how do you feel?

(I've already told you how thrilled I am to hear from you so - I'll skip that here )

@yssie And I am equally thrilled to hear from youuuuuuu!

How do I feel... I think in fantasy dream land where everything is unicorns and rainbows, I would clone my Georgie and use those as side stones. But custom cutting diamonds in this size just feels... over the top for me right now. Both in terms of cost and in terms of, I dunno... perfectionism, I guess. I had a lot of unexamined anxiety the last time I was very heavily involved in diamonds. I am in a very different place now. I don't plan to invite obsessive perfectionism back into my life!

One thing I really wonder about is exactly how noticeable the difference would actually be between these MRBs and an identical transitional cut in this size. We are really just talking about a 5-10% difference in LGFs after all. This is an intellectual and empirical question I have that I would LOVE to answer for purely scientific purposes lol. I did a photo shop to help envision it.

So the small diamond on the right is the Georgie clone. This is not totally accurate bc the large diamond handles light and color differently than a small, so shrinking the large diamond down this way likely exaggerates the actual difference between the faceting/light play of the small transitional and the MRB. But even still, it is very very subtle. And of course, this image is still magnified compared to real life!



And when I discuss this with my husband, he keeps saying that he thinks its more important that the two sides match, because if *they* match, the overall look of the suite will still be complimentary. So I did another little photoshop showing the Banshees beside Georgie. And I gotta say, it looks deeelish.

 

[AV_]

If you would want the play of light to be more similar to the much larger main stone - the sides would not be any kind of round brilliant at all.

Thinking out loud

 

[AV_]

I hear you about chasing perfection & paying for it too. It might be worth asking if a pair of AVR or YF rounds just happen to be there - else, no quibble with these, by all means.

 

[yennyfire]

I think you should stop looking and move forward! Those stones look great together...I think you’ve done a great job finding them!!

 

[meely]

'Deeelish' is definitely the right word for it, loving those proportions, it's going to look amaaaazing!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think you should stop looking and move forward! Those stones look great together...I think you’ve done a great job finding them!!

YES mama! I am keeping these babies and moving forward!

'Deeelish' is definitely the right word for it, loving those proportions, it's going to look amaaaazing!

I am really enjoying these proportions too They are small enough that the center stone is still really the star, but large enough that they hold their own in terms of the light play. Plus the color and overall cut quality is such a good match. I love gazing at my diamonds and I think gazing at these three beauties would bring me a lot of pleasure

So onwards and upwards! Inspiration pictures for the setting coming up next!

 

[Rfisher]

What are the side stone to center mm?
Or I missed it?

 

[Dreamer_D]

What are the side stone to center mm?
Or I missed it?

I don't think I mentioned it! I think the center stone is ~7.9mm and the sides are each ~4.3mm.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I think those two side stones will compliment the center stone nicely. You've done your homework and unless you want to split a hair three ways, I think you are good to go. Absolute perfection does not exist in anything; chasing it forever just steals the joy! Can't wait to see your new ring!

 

[D&T]

This will be a magnificent three stone ring. Every time I see your Center diamond it makes my heart skip a beat! I love the LGF in the 75% for sure, I just love the fatter arrows and these two little fellows will be sure to compliment!

 

[Dreamer_D]

This will be a magnificent three stone ring. Every time I see your Center diamond it makes my heart skip a beat! I love the LGF in the 75% for sure, I just love the fatter arrows and these two little fellows will be sure to compliment!

I know, fat arrows are the best!

Just for funsies, I photoshopped one of my little MRBs to be the same size as my old cut and I am really astounded by how similar the cuts are. The arrows are black in the old cut but silver in the little guy, but they are very similar in width! And the tables are nearly identical. I can't wait to get a report of the proportions on my old cut when I send it to GIA. I am SO CURIOUS about all the angles!

 

[Natylad]

Ohhhh!!! Wow @dreamer_dachsie, i'm so excited to see that you are back! I've also spent a couple of years away from PS, because i was very busy finishing my new book and dealing with health issues of my family but the other day, without any specific reason, i just remembered you and i was thinking of you, wondering how you are, what you've been up to and whether you still have the same interest in diamonds that you used to have! Tonight i signed in on PS and saw your thread and couldn't believe in my eyes! I thought: This must be an old thread, that somebody bumped for some reason but noooooo! It was truly you !!!
I'm super excited that you are posting again and that you have a new project! During the last two years i had my diamond reset in a three stone setting too! Don't you love three stones?
I'm now going back to read the entire thread! I wish you the best of luck with your new project! Yay!

 

[Rfisher]

@dreamer_dachie
What are you thinking setting design wise?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Ohhhh!!! Wow @dreamer_dachsie, i'm so excited to see that you are back! I've also spent a couple of years away from PS, because i was very busy finishing my new book and dealing with health issues of my family but the other day, without any specific reason, i just remembered you and i was thinking of you, wondering how you are, what you've been up to and whether you still have the same interest in diamonds that you used to have! Tonight i signed in on PS and saw your thread and couldn't believe in my eyes! I thought: This must be an old thread, that somebody bumped for some reason but noooooo! It was truly you !!!
I'm super excited that you are posting again and that you have a new project! During the last two years i had my diamond reset in a three stone setting too! Don't you love three stones?
I'm now going back to read the entire thread! I wish you the best of luck with your new project! Yay!

Naty! it's so lovely to see you! I think we need to see some photos of your three stone? So many of this style on ps these days, its so interesting to see how styles change over the years and different things become more and less popular. Last time I was here it was all about the simple solitaire. I am enjoying the more ornate styles that are in favour today.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Settings. The bane of my existence.

I'm being dramatic, but I have a long history of intense ambivalence about settings. I have never invested real money in a setting in the past. I have never embarked on a custom setting project. On at least three other occasions in the past I have been in the same position I am in today -- three diamonds in hand, ready to set... and each time something stopped me from pulling the trigger and having the diamonds set! I want to break that pattern now!

Things I know I want: Yellow gold. Engraving or carving. Antiqued/oxidized metal. A not-dainty, something closer to 2.5 - 3mm, ideally with a bit of taper (see avatar). Unique or whimsical elements.

Some inspiration images I have collected over the years:

I just found this picture again after many years, and if this was yellow gold with antiquing it would be almost perfect! Does anyone recognize it or have other images?


Another with engraved shank:



I also saved this ring, which is the inspiration for @Rfisher's three stone that is in the works. The diamonds in this inspiration ring are very close to the proportions that my ring will have.




I also like how organic and claw-like the prongs look on these rings:

 

[Rfisher]

Beautiful choices. I empathize with how hard it is to narrow down.
Those engraved shoulders are gorgeous!
I don’t know how hard it would be to find someone who would carve/chase as an alternative to engraving? That would be something special!
That Barbone one always makes me think of self penance- the culet must be poking the wearer?

 

[meely]

They are all beautiful inspiration rings Dreamer, I can't think that you will go wrong with any of those designs. I hope that this will be the ring that succeeds and we will get to see it finished the stones you have got are beautiful and look wonderful together!

 

[missy]

Settings. The bane of my existence.

I'm being dramatic, but I have a long history of intense ambivalence about settings. I have never invested real money in a setting in the past. I have never embarked on a custom setting project. On at least three other occasions in the past I have been in the same position I am in today -- three diamonds in hand, ready to set... and each time something stopped me from pulling the trigger and having the diamonds set! I want to break that pattern now!

Things I know I want: Yellow gold. Engraving or carving. Antiqued/oxidized metal. A not-dainty, something closer to 2.5 - 3mm, ideally with a bit of taper (see avatar). Unique or whimsical elements.

Some inspiration images I have collected over the years:

I just found this picture again after many years, and if this was yellow gold with antiquing it would be almost perfect! Does anyone recognize it or have other images?


Another with engraved shank:



I also saved this ring, which is the inspiration for @Rfisher's three stone that is in the works. The diamonds in this inspiration ring are very close to the proportions that my ring will have.




I also like how organic and claw-like the prongs look on these rings:

@dreamer_dachsie love your inspiration choices. My two favorites for their fluidity and romance. Swoon worthy settings.






I get what you mean and share your ambivalence about settings and have been waffling for my ER setting. I think with your above choices you just cannot make a wrong move.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Beautiful choices. I empathize with how hard it is to narrow down.
Those engraved shoulders are gorgeous!
I don’t know how hard it would be to find someone who would carve/chase as an alternative to engraving? That would be something special!
That Barbone one always makes me think of self penance- the culet must be poking the wearer?

Yeah, not sure what's up with the Barbone one, but you are right! It could be a penance!

I think that the images that best capture my vision would be these baskets:

Combined with the more substantial shank and shoulder engraving of this ring:


What I like most is the way that the milgrain that frames the shoulder engraving continues along the bottom edge of the donut on the baskets. I would like the engraving/detailing on the shoulder to somehow continue across the baskets for continuity.

I know that both CVB and DK have already created baskets like the ones on the gold inspiration ring, the latter on her Maria ring and the former in your ring, @Rfisher (and THANK you for the effort you put into creating it! I hope you don't mind possibly sharing that work in the future, I would be grateful). And I know both have created very nice engraving for others. So those are the two vendors I have reached out to (initially I was set on CVB but I suspect budget may preclude that option; the CAN/US dollar exchange is brutal right now). So far, I can't get either one to return my emails But I hear persistence is key.

 

[bling_dream19]

I do love me some Yssie, and I wish I was as young and beautiful as she is again! But when you start getting confuzzled like that it's time for bed @yennyfire!

They do look pretty together. It's not "perfect", but since I don't think it will be possible to find old cuts of this make that can live up to Georgie's optics (not to mention color and size requirements), I think I am ok with this compromise I'll enjoy playing with them while I sit with this decision. I admit, I get the warm and fuzzies just seeing them like this!

1.89ct K/L with .30ct L and .31ct K

(Sorry the diamonds are dirty! It's hard to handle them all in one shot!)



And a little bit more real life perspective showing lovely dispersion in the last moments of daylight!

Stunning!