Gift advice for my wife (new mom due 6/16) and our baby

[MillieLou]

Don't feel tied to pearls. I got a sapphire ring when I had my son as I didn't like his birthstone. Whatever you get will be special and meaningful because of what it is commemorating.

The spacer idea is great and practical.

Incidentally we were given a beautiful engraved silver spoon - we chucked it in our cutlery drawer with the rest of the cheap teaspoons and use it daily to make tea and eat yogurt. So it's actually quite useful but I wouldn't recommend.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

congratulations on you about to be a dad
when i was born my dad gave my mum an eternity ring which she wore every day

i have found as ive got older ive come around to pearls

take a look at pearl paradise on line
bracelets start at US$70 and earings $90 and an 18inch necklase at $180
plus they seem to have regular sales

 

[ihavenoideawhatimdoing]

thanks so much everyone for all the insights. so appreciative.

thanks to everyone; i have narrowed it down to either the spacer or the locket.

the engraving on the spacer is an amazing idea but i'd need to ensure the ring is wide enough and also plain (i assume) in order to take an engraving?

must i also go with the same metal as her ER/WB which is Platinum? any thoughts on what style might go nicely with her current rings? i like the twist/rope and bead style but that may be too busy/uningraveable.




here's the bead on a hand:

and a plain, thin platinum band:

 

[tyty333]

I like the "bead" spacer and think it would look nice. I think the twist band would be too much going on and I think the plain
one you posted might distract because it has no texture (too shiny in between two diamond bands if that makes sense).

The beaded one would be my first choice. Plain (because it is nice) would be my second choice. Wonder if you could find
something with a satin or matte finish?

 

[MollyMalone]

In all honesty, I don't think that beaded band is very nicely cast and finished; I'm concerned you'll decide it's kinda crude once you have it in hand. If you'd rather not spend the money for the Raven's Edge hand-forged and delicately millegrained platinum band I suggested at post #29, take a look at Formonte Jewellry on etsy.

Formonte says their platinum bands -- available as comfort-fit or flat, etc, and in range of widths and heights (depths) starting at 1mm wide and .75mm deep ($280 in platinum) -- are hand-forged & they offer a wide variety of finishes, in addition to highly polished: matte, brushed matte, lightly hammered and polished or matte, linear brushed matte, silk, or satin. Scroll all the way down the right-hand sidebar of the listing page to access photos of the various finishes:

This item is unavailable - Etsy

Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.

www.etsy.com

P.S. Ask whichever vendor(s) you're considering about engraving, e.g., will they do that for you, and if so, what fonts you could choose from, how many letters are possible, what's the narrowest band that can be engraved, and of course the cost. It will be so much easier for you if the jeweler supplying the band also takes care of the engraving

 

[kgizo]

I don’t want to overwhelm you with suggestions, but if she likes colored stones this vendor on etsy has some very nice and affordable pieces in sterling silver.

 

[MollyMalone]

* * * must i also go with the same metal as her ER/WB which is Platinum? * * *

Don't think you must go with platinum, but you said upthread, she isn't a fan of gold -- unless you mean yellow gold, so white gold would be fine with her?

I'd take a silver ring out of the running. Not sure how simpatico in appearance it might be with her pave set, but from a wholly practical standpoint, I don't think a delicate silver band is going to stand up well to extended wear through the years (the durability of hand-forged platinum is one reason I've been nudging you in that direction ),

 

[ihavenoideawhatimdoing]

In all honesty, I don't think that beaded band is very nicely cast and finished; I'm concerned you'll decide it's kinda crude once you have it in hand. If you'd rather not spend the money for the Raven's Edge hand-forged and delicately millegrained platinum band I suggested at post #29, take a look at Formonte Jewellry on etsy.

Formonte says their platinum bands -- available as comfort-fit or flat, etc, and in range of widths and heights (depths) starting at 1mm wide and .75mm deep ($280 in platinum) -- are hand-forged & they offer a wide variety of finishes, in addition to highly polished: matte, brushed matte, lightly hammered and polished or matte, linear brushed matte, silk, or satin. Scroll all the way down the right-hand sidebar of the listing page to access photos of the various finishes:

This item is unavailable - Etsy

Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.

www.etsy.com

P.S. Ask whichever vendor(s) you're considering about engraving, e.g., will they do that for you, and if so, what fonts you could choose from, how many letters are possible, what's the narrowest band that can be engraved, and of course the cost. It will be so much easier for you if the jeweler supplying the band also takes care of the engraving

Thanks!!! I missed your Raven’s Edge recommendation. I’ll take a look.

Any specific finish that you think would work well if I don’t go with Ravens?

e weddingbands also has this

Platinum, Domed Comfort Fit, High Polish, 2mm, Ring

www.e-weddingbands.com

 

[scouty]

I really like this twist band from David Klass:
https://etsy.me/2M7K6Bc

Or this slightly thinner twist band:
https://etsy.me/2FMPbPi

I had David Klass make this 1.5mm solid platinum 2.7g band last summer for $250. Thought it was a good price and quick turnaround.


You could also present the ring in a custom ring box I would recommend this vendor on Etsy MWB Studios:
https://etsy.me/2MrGjh3. They have lots of designs and engrave the inside of the box. Here are 2 that I have:

 

[MamaBee]

few hundred bucks. wife isn't much into pearls nor earrings as far as i can tell.

she likes rings and necklaces and gravitates towards platinum, silver (read: not so much gold).

one other idea i had was getting her a spacer for her engagement ring. right now she has a cheap alloy spacer but could be nice to grab her something else.

thanks!!

I really like the idea of getting her a nice spacer for her engagement ring. I would go with the same metal as her engagement and wedding rings...

 

[ihavenoideawhatimdoing]

im in touch with Raven's Refuge and David Klass.

Klass quoted me $450 for a plain, 2mm band. seems OK but i can get the same type of band from eweddingbands for about half price. any reason to pay the DK premium?

as an aside, i presume this is way too busy/gaudy? not sure...

 

[MollyMalone]

so i got in touch with Raven's Refuge and David Klass.

Klass can make me a plain 2mm Plat ring for $450 but not sure why i'd spend the extra if the same type of band from e-wedding bands is about half the price.

waiting to her back from Raven.

as an aside, is this olive band too busy?

Hmmm... The eWeddingBands link that's in your post #38 is for a 2 mm, domed comfort-fit, platinum band that -- in what eWeddingBands calls their "standard weight" (lightweight and heavyweight are other options) -- is ordinarily $463 for sizes 4 - 4-3/4 (prices increase with ring size). The holiday weekend sale price is $318, which is a nice savings, but not close to 1/2 the price DK quoted you. And I don't know if her ring size is 4 - 4-3/4. Did you mean to show us another band?

Re the 1.5mm olive engraved ring: Think it would be really useful to see at least one additional photograph with it on someone's hand; better still, if it were shown stacked with one or more pave rings. My GoogleImages search didn't retrieve any such pics, so how about asking eWeddingBands if they can supply at least one hand shot that could give you more of a real-life perspective?

P.S. Were you to decide upon one of eWeddingBands plain platinum bands, what do you think of the satin finish that's available with those? That would give a sheen, but not the shine of the highly polished finish.

Men's & Women's Wedding Bands, Anniversary & Engagement Rings

www.e-weddingbands.com

 

[ihavenoideawhatimdoing]

Hmmm... The eWeddingBands link that's in your post #38 is for a 2 mm, domed comfort-fit, platinum band that -- in what eWeddingBands calls their "standard weight" (lightweight and heavyweight are other options) -- is ordinarily $463 for sizes 4 - 4-3/4 (prices increase with ring size). The holiday weekend sale price is $318, which is a nice savings, but not close to 1/2 the price DK quoted you. And I don't know if her ring size is 4 - 4-3/4. Did you mean to show us another band?

Re the 1.5mm olive engraved ring: Think it would be really useful to see at least one additional photograph with it on someone's hand; better still, if it were shown stacked with one or more pave rings. My GoogleImages search didn't retrieve any such pics, so how about asking eWeddingBands if they can supply at least one hand shot that could give you more of a real-life perspective?

P.S. Were you to decide upon one of eWeddingBands plain platinum bands, what do you think of the satin finish that's available with those? That would give a sheen, but not the shine of the highly polished finish.

Men's & Women's Wedding Bands, Anniversary & Engagement Rings

www.e-weddingbands.com

i like the satin finish quite a bit. i am going to email them and request a hand shot.

also i added a coupon code for this ring which brings it down to $231 shipped:

Platinum, Domed Comfort Fit, High Polish, 2mm, Ring

www.e-weddingbands.com