For those with detailed filigree work...

[BlingDreams]

I see all of these beautiful (enlarged) photos on here of filigree work - with milgrain, swooping designs, melee, open spaces, etc. - and love it all. My question is, to the naked eye, how much can you actually see? Maybe it's because my eyes are almost 45 years old but when my boyfriend and I were looking at engagement rings last weekend (for ideas... we'll be designing our own setting) I found it hard to pick out the details - lol. I'm guess I'm wondering if the rings we were looking at were of poorer design and filigree done by LM, VC, etc. is more precise and easy to be seen.

To give you an idea of what I'm interested in, below are two examples of the type of filigree we're exploring (not the exact design, but similar elements).

 

[tyty333]

I know this isnt your question but LM and VC dont really do filigree work like your examples.

I suggest if you are interested in that type of work that you look into CVB.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CVBinspiredDesign
http://www.cvbinspireddesign.com/portfolio

The other option (if you have a tighter budget) might be David Klass.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=david klass jewelry

SingleStone would be another option if you have a very healthy budget.
https://www.singlestone.com/antique-diamond-engagement-rings/

And yes, detailed work by these artisans will be more crisp and easier to see. Some are better than others and the better ones usually entail paying more...no surprise right?

 

[BlingDreams]

I know this isnt your question but LM and VC dont really do filigree work like your examples.

I suggest if you are interested in that type of work that you look into CVB.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CVBinspiredDesign
http://www.cvbinspireddesign.com/portfolio

The other option (if you have a tighter budget) might be David Klass.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=david klass jewelry

SingleStone would be another option if you have a very healthy budget.
https://www.singlestone.com/antique-diamond-engagement-rings/

And yes, detailed work by these artisans will be more crisp and easier to see. Some are better than others and the better ones usually entail paying more...no surprise right?

Thanks for your reply . And no, no surprise that better quality = paying more - lol! We've actually already decided on using Vanessa Nicole for our designer; I'm very confident in her ability to do beautiful micropave and filigree work (a couple of her examples are below) and she's been a gem so far to communicate with. I'm pretty certain we're going to use a Sebastian Barier ring as inspiration and modify it for our liking. What I don't know is if the stress I'm putting on myself to design a different gallery is necessary due to how visible it actually is to the naked eye. Make sense?

 

[tyty333]

I always consider the gallery a sort of hidden gem just for you...not too many other people will see
it (unless they ask you to take off your ring) but you'll know what it looks like and will be able to
appreciate it. I think if you are going to go custom then you (if you want) should design it how
you want it or leave it up to the designer to give you some options. Easiest way to tell your
designer what you like is by showing them a few examples that you like knowing that they may
have to be modified due to other parts of your ring. Are you doing CADs or no CADs? CADs give
you the ability to tweak it until you get it just the way you want it. Without CADs you would have
the designer draw you what they suggest then you can do some tweaking but not as easy to see
as with CADs. If you get CADs we would love to see them...

 

[BlingDreams]

Thanks for your thoughts. What you said makes sense. I'm confident in being able to say what I like and don't like and have examples to send her; I just don't know if it will be too "busy" to be visible at normal size. I'll have to trust my designer to give me her expert opinion I guess!

Yes, we're going to do CAD's. First step though is finding our center stone! We've been talking with Jonathan at GOG about what we're interested in and will be going to NY in a couple of weeks to see him (and some stone selections) in person. If there isn't one that knocks our socks off, we'll probably have one custom cut for us.

Thankfully my boyfriend and I have the same feelings on this ring - I'm going to be involved for a large part of it (I'm very detail-oriented and picky, and thankfully he loves that about me!), but some things will remain a surprise. On the setting, he's going to design part of it without my input/viewing, and if we have a stone custom cut I'll get to see photos of the rough and while it's in the process of being cut, but won't see the finished product until he proposes (which is still a ways off... we just want to get the ring done so we don't have to stress over it).

 

[OreoRosies86]

It will look better in person. My ring has very delicate milgrain that doesn't come across in photos.