Emerald cut with Flanders or Brilliants? Help needed in Oz

[scb970]

Hi all!!

This is a great forum you guys have going here..

This is my first post and i am soliciting advice on the design of my engagement ring. I love three stone designs and i am a huge emerald cut fan. I am having my ring made by a fantastic jeweler in Melbourne Australia, Glenn Bakker. We have decided on a beautiful 1.55 EC for the centre but I can not make up my mind for the shoulders.. I am debating over 0.5 c flanders or round brilliants. I love the flanders my jeweler showed me, they sparkle like crazy and are a perfect pair and of great quality (D, VVS1). Just to clarify the flanders i am talking about are more accurately called Happy Eights (but not many people refer to them with this name), they are octagonal with all sides equal length, unlike typical flanders with four long and four short sides.

They have a very special appeal however i feel they look considerably smaller than brilliants of equal weight-hence my dilemma. I have not directly compared them yet, i am getting my jeweler to show me some brilliants this week.


Either way i am feeling nervous about the outcome as i have never seen a ring with this design.

I would deeply appreciate any pictures, comments or suggestions you have.

Cheers Stacey

 

[carabella]

Bullets would be gorgeous! I''ve always wanted them for sidestones and wish I would have thought of them for my ering.

 

[Kaleigh]

Hi and welcome to PS

Sounds like a fabulous ering. My vote for the sides, or shoulders as you say is the flanders. If I recall that is a step cut as well but more brilliant than an EC. I'd also consider baguettes, they are timeless and elegant, just as your EC....

 

[scb970]

Thanks for feedback.. What are bullets? I haven''t heard of them - Im new to the world of diamonds!

 

[Kaleigh]

Check out www.theartofplatinum.com You can see examples there.

 

[stryeyes102]

I tried the link because i was curious as well, but it didnt work

But i believe this is what you ladies meant?

Linkie

Good luck with your searching.. Im sure it will be gorgeous no matter what you do!

 

[scb970]

hmm..Definately food for thought!

As much as i like baguetts and the bullets look nice too, I like the idea of complementing the EC with a contrasting faceting system. But as I said i have never seen this done and Im beginning to think maybe there is a reason- i.e it doesn''t work!

 

[Po10472]

If you''re undecided then maybe looking here will give you some food for thought.

I love trapeze cuts and they compliment an EC very well. What about trapeze cut flanders on either side?

 

[arjunajane]

SDL, you took the words out of my mouth! Scb970, Bullets would be fantastic, or even double baguettes like in Surf''s ring https://www.pricescope.com/forum/op-requested/at-last-my-antique-ering-t61580.html
I adore the way that Leon''s rings have those little "shoulders" of metal holding into the bullets or bagutte sides.

I understand your idea to contrast the stones. Imho, I like this when done with the round in the middle and step cuts on the sides, but the other way around not so much..

 

[chrono]

I would not do flanders or other brilliant cuts for an EC center - it will "clash" and detract from the center stone. As others have suggested, smaller ECs, baguettes, and bullets are great. Basically, other step cuts or less busy cuts tend to be a beter match.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/5/2008 7:21:41 AM
Author: Chrono
I would not do flanders or other brilliant cuts for an EC center - it will ''clash'' and detract from the center stone. As others have suggested, smaller ECs, baguettes, and bullets are great. Basically, other step cuts or less busy cuts tend to be a beter match.

I agree, good way of putting it! I also would think other step or baguettes would be a better fit.

 

[scb970]

Good points, I know what your saying. But i was steering away from pairing it up with other step cuts to avoid a ''glassy'' look and also because this design is so common. No ofence to all the beautiful EC''s with baguettes ect posted on here, i do love them, i just wanted something a little unique.

Any one like the idea of flanders with the EC?

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 5/5/2008 7:34:06 AM
Author: scb970
Good points, I know what your saying. But i was steering away from pairing it up with other step cuts to avoid a ''glassy'' look and also because this design is so common. No ofence to all the beautiful EC''s with baguettes ect posted on here, i do love them, i just wanted something a little unique.

Any one like the idea of flanders with the EC?

Have you seen some of these styles?
http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=2
http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=346


Or this one with "shields" - http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=279
personally I love this style and this is how I would set a step cut if I got one.

imho, the flanders cut is kind of like all these other new patented cuts - pretty, but maybe now worth the premium..? But thats just imho

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/5/2008 7:34:06 AM
Author: scb970
Good points, I know what your saying. But i was steering away from pairing it up with other step cuts to avoid a ''glassy'' look and also because this design is so common. No ofence to all the beautiful EC''s with baguettes ect posted on here, i do love them, i just wanted something a little unique.

Any one like the idea of flanders with the EC?

I understand your wanting something different, but if you chose something with a brilliant cut, I''m afraid it will outsparkle the EC. The sidestones of flanders will have a very busy sparkle that will pull the eye away from your EC instead of helping it stand out. If the center EC and sides are well cut, believe me, there''s nothing glassy about step cuts. The large fire flashes (versus tiny busy ones of brilliants) will be eye catching.

 

[Rhea]

Half moons give off more flash and look good paired with emerald cuts I think. Let me see if I can find a photo.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

pulling off brilliant cuts next to a step cut is not easy--I have itty bitty pears next to my square emerald cut, I think they are 18 or 20 points each. The prongs for the pears have teeny round brilliants in them--maybe a point each? At the time, I didn''t want step cuts on either side of my step cut because I thought it would be too difficult to find a complementary wedding band, but there are MANY days I wish I''d done bullets or baguettes and paired it with a baguette wedding band.

There was a recent thread with many pics of emerald cuts--there are a bunch of pics of PS members'' settings in the latter pages
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ecs-show-me-some-life.82527/page-7

Also, I''ll attach a pic of my ring so you can see the pears...

 

[scb970]

your ring is very pretty NEL.. I hear you with the difficulty in paring up a brilliant faceting system with a step cut. Im not sure what to do?!

I need to go back to my jeweler and have more of a play. I haven''t seen my stones in quite a few weeks, i think that''s why i''m beginning to doubt and second guess myself. But I do recall absolutely loving the loose EC paired with the flanders.

Thanks for all the advice though, i am swaying more and more to something with a step cut after viewing all the beautiful ones shown on PS.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 5/6/2008 5:09:10 AM
Author: scb970
your ring is very pretty NEL.. I hear you with the difficulty in paring up a brilliant faceting system with a step cut. Im not sure what to do?!

I need to go back to my jeweler and have more of a play. I haven''t seen my stones in quite a few weeks, i think that''s why i''m beginning to doubt and second guess myself. But I do recall absolutely loving the loose EC paired with the flanders.

Thanks for all the advice though, i am swaying more and more to something with a step cut after viewing all the beautiful ones shown on PS.

Scb, if you love the look of the flanders with your EC, and your aware of the other options but aren''t as keen, than I say just go with the flanders!
Personally, I would love to have shields, bullets, or as addy suggested maybe even half moons? But of course this is your ring - if you''ve seen the stones together and love them then great!

What I would say is to definately go back to the jeweler, and bring your camera. ask them to line your stone up with the flanders on either side as it would be set, and make sure to take a couple photos. If they can get some other sets to show you would be most useful - ask them to set it up with also bullets or shields and take more photos.

Then take the photos home and have a think for a while. And of course post the images here so we can all try to help you decide!

sorry about the long winded post! good luck