green lake jewelry

[f0rbidden]

Hi everyone.
Since i''m well on the way to selecting a great diamond, i now need to find a great setting!

i love the rings at Green Lake, but their prices are way out of my budget.

Any suggestions on where i can find something along the same lines as Green Lake but at prices that are more affordable? i don''t want to spend $1500 on a ring when my entire budget is only $2500.

thanks!!

`bidden

 

[belle]

the craftmanship of green like jewelry looks just superb. you are going to have a hard time matching it on a budget. $1500 for a custom ring is actually very, very good. if you want to stay under that pricewise, you are going to have to stick with simple stock settings.
best of luck!

 

[David_Lundahl]

Belle''s got it right, sorry but no way can you get custom of that caliber for less than what GreenLake charges. Custom work is a whole ''nother ball game, we can''t make our money off of selling 1000''s of pieces from one mold when we are doing a one-off. You''ll have to find something stock that you like or increase your budget.

 

[f0rbidden]

ok, let me rephrase my question given the info that''s been provided.

where can i find something like what GreenLake makes - only stock rather than custom?

i can''t increase my budget, so that''s out of the question....i have to find other solutions - time to get creative!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 10/27/2006 8:24:58 AM
Author: f0rbidden

where can i find something like what GreenLake makes - only stock rather than custom?


i can''t increase my budget, so that''s out of the question....i have to find other solutions - time to get creative!

I have found with settings you normally get what you pay for. You my find a cheap greenlake type knockoff but chances are it''s not going to hold up and probably have workmanship issues. I agree with belle, since budget is limited at this time, put the whole amount into the stone and set it in a simple solitaire until you can save up for the setting you really want. Do you have a pictre of a particular setting you''re after?

 

[David_Lundahl]

That''s a great idea...forbidden, post a pic of what you''re looking for and maybe we can find something similar that somebody offers as stock

 

[f0rbidden]

ok, how about something like one of these....i don''t really want the side stones...so that should help with the budget (i hope!)

 

[f0rbidden]

or...

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/27/2006 8:30:54 AM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 10/27/2006 8:24:58 AM
Author: f0rbidden

where can i find something like what GreenLake makes - only stock rather than custom?


i can''t increase my budget, so that''s out of the question....i have to find other solutions - time to get creative!

I have found with settings you normally get what you pay for. You my find a cheap greenlake type knockoff but chances are it''s not going to hold up and probably have workmanship issues. I agree with belle, since budget is limited at this time, put the whole amount into the stone and set it in a simple solitaire until you can save up for the setting you really want. Do you have a pictre of a particular setting you''re after?

I don''t know that greenlake really *has* a style though... they do have some stock in their store, but vastly they are a custom operation moving to the whim of the client. I think they have a *wider* variety of styles they feel comfortable with than many or even most jewelers, but I don''t see them as having a particular style other than - well made.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/27/2006 10:01:34 AM
Author: f0rbidden
ok, how about something like one of these....i don''t really want the side stones...so that should help with the budget (i hope!)

they do hand filligree there - it isn''t just punchouts or cutouts... and it isn''t cheap. One of the benefits of going with greenlake is that they DO hand filligree and they DO hand engraving - both of which are difficult to find people who do it well.

 

[f0rbidden]

i know they do amazing work, and they are really nice, too, which makes it even better - IF you can afford it.
but well, i can''t.
if i buy my ring from them, there will be nothing left for the diamond. nothing at all.

i love their designs, as they are very original and unique - like me! i''m hesitant to buy a ''stock'' ring, because i don''t want a ring someone else can buy, too.

i know that one has to decide between originality and budget, but it seems to me that you should be able to have both.

 

[belle]

Date: 10/27/2006 11:49:58 AM
Author: f0rbidden

i know that one has to decide between originality and budget, but it seems to me that you should be able to have both.

everyone has a budget. originality and budget can both be had. you just have to be reasonable with your expectations for both. if your expectations exceed your budget, you will have to make a compromise somewhere.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/27/2006 11:49:58 AM
Author: f0rbidden
i know they do amazing work, and they are really nice, too, which makes it even better - IF you can afford it.
but well, i can''t.
if i buy my ring from them, there will be nothing left for the diamond. nothing at all.

i love their designs, as they are very original and unique - like me! i''m hesitant to buy a ''stock'' ring, because i don''t want a ring someone else can buy, too.

i know that one has to decide between originality and budget, but it seems to me that you should be able to have both.

Well, in the world of diamonds, to have your cake and eat it too, you have to buy two cakes :/

That said - you aren''t going to get a totally unique custom piece like those of greenlake without paying for it - and there is NOTHING wrong with not being able to afford it. Heck, I''ve waited 15 years to get what I wanted and have had nothing to tie me over LOL

I second the put it all into a stone (with upgradability of course hehe) and get a very inexpensive plain ring - for now.

You could find a local jeweler who might make you something for less but you aren''t likely to find the filligree or engraving and if you do you might not like the quality of it.

 

[firebirdgold]

How about an antique? I really loved the Greenlake rings too but we had a similar budget. We ended up going with antiqueengagementrings.com

This one is 1.45 carat vintage diamond for $2750

I like this one a lot better though, it has a similar shape as some of the GreenLake rings but not the engraving. It''s a really nice .52 carat emerald for $2550.

We kinda stalked the website for a while and picked a real antique platinum ring with a .57 carat old diamond for $2250. I couldn''t be happier!
Anything with the word replica in it means they can make a duplicate with a different diamond in it that might fit your price range. So you could either pick a mounting style you like and call and ask for a duplicate in your price range, or do what we did and stalk the site. They put up new things all the time. My favorite replica is this beautiful floral ring with carved flowers and open work for the profile. It''s romantic with an elegant shape. They don''t have a version of it up at the moment, though. But you could call and ask. They often put little sapphires in the centers of the flowers which look like forget-me-nots to me.

 

[pricescope]

Cheap-cheap: 18K WG

$745, they have it in Platinum too, twice as much.

 

[Silverkae]

Hi, f0rbidden, good luck on your search, I totally understand having a budget. My fiance tried to give me a budget of no more than $2K because he "couldn''t afford it" but after he had taken $7k out from the savings account on a project car (he ended up not buying because it was a scam, but he spent the money anyway on other things) and I found out, my new budget is no more than $7k to match his withdrawal. My custom ring is less close but less than $5K so he''s happy because I''m happy.

I had just checked antiqueengagementrings.com websites and their semi-mounts are beautiful!! Wished I had checked with them first before doing my custom job. *sigh* But then again, I haven''t seen my finished product yet, so I may love it sooo much that it doesn''t matter that I paid a bit more.

Thanks for the link Indiejones.

 

[MINE!!]

Date: 10/27/2006 10:01:55 AM
Author: f0rbidden
or...

I LOVE THIS RING!!!! LOLLLLLOOOOKKKK AT THE RED AND WHITE>>> YUMMMM YUMMMMM YUMMMM

 

[jasper]

Bidden,

You might want to contact Green Lake Jewelry Works and ask them what they can do, given your budget. I expect that they would know how close (or far) stock settings can come to the sample you liked. Their website is designed with these kinds of conversations in mind.

-- Jasper