Height of Leon Mege 3 stone ring?

[ordinaryrainbow]

Hi PS'ers!

Does anyone have a Leon Mege ring that is not low-set, and would be willing to show me a profile shot?

I am looking to set an emerald cut stone that I already have in a 3-stone setting. I love LM's work but I like a medium/high setting, and am concerned his settings might be too low for my taste. It's hard to tell from his website but I've seen some reports on here that he favours a lower-set style.

Does anyone know if he will set higher on request? I know some jewellers are very picky about their setting style and don't like to change it.

Thank you!!

 

[mrs-b]

Hi PS'ers!

Does anyone have a Leon Mege ring that is not low-set, and would be willing to show me a profile shot?

I am looking to set an emerald cut stone that I already have in a 3-stone setting. I love LM's work but I like a medium/high setting, and am concerned his settings might be too low for my taste. It's hard to tell from his website but I've seen some reports on here that he favours a lower-set style.

Does anyone know if he will set higher on request? I know some jewellers are very picky about their setting style and don't like to change it.

Thank you!!

I have a Leon 3 stone in profile somewhere, but am having trouble locating it. Yes, I saved it specifically because it IS low.

As for asking Leon to change it to a slightly different aesthetic? Good luck with that, @ordinaryrainbow - you have a bigger pair than me!

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@mrs-b Thanks very much! Making sure I am happy with the height of the profile IS one of my big concerns. As much as I love the look of Leon's work, I know I wouldn't be happy with a low-set ring, and I am having trouble figuring out if he will set at a high height.

 

[SimoneDi]

I would reach out to SK and have a look at his work. I love his craftsmanship.

Another choice might be VC, but I am not sure if he works with outside stones.

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

I would reach out to SK and have a look at his work. I love his craftsmanship.

Another choice might be VC, but I am not sure if he works with outside stones.

@ SimoneDi I had a look at the VC settings online, and thought they were all a little low for my taste. I enquired about a slightly higher setting and was told that they think their setting is in proportion, which i took to mean they weren't open to adjusting it.

I did see this setting from BGD which I liked (at least in terms of height of profile). Not sure if their workmanship is as fine as LM's however?

https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...MIwY-hyoHO4gIVGo7ICh0cVgRZEAQYASABEgJESvD_BwE

Thank you for the SK recommendation - I will check him out!

Some other considerations: I am in New York, so working with LM or another local vendor would be easier. I also need help sourcing side stones. I know LM is recommended for that: not sure about the others.

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

I should add, my other considerations are: delicate prongs, narrow/delicate band, and minimal metal visible from the top. Which is why I thought LM would be perfect, until I read some posts on here that some of his settings are on the low profile side.

 

[SimoneDi]

@ SimoneDi I had a look at the VC settings online, and thought they were all a little low for my taste. I enquired about a slightly higher setting and was told that they think their setting is in proportion, which i took to mean they weren't open to adjusting it.

I did see this setting from BGD which I liked (at least in terms of height of profile). Not sure if their workmanship is as fine as LM's however?

https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...MIwY-hyoHO4gIVGo7ICh0cVgRZEAQYASABEgJESvD_BwE

Thank you for the SK recommendation - I will check him out!

Some other considerations: I am in New York, so working with LM or another local vendor would be easier. I also need help sourcing side stones. I know LM is recommended for that: not sure about the others.

SK is in NYC and I think he is one of the nicest artists/vendors to work with. BGD have wonderful craftsmanship imo. SK ‘s work is more refined and hand-forged, it is also more expensive. But I suppose “expensive” is subjective. For example, I chose to go with someone “more affordable” for my three stone and I regretted not paying the premium and going with SK instead.

Can you share more about the proportions of your stones? Also, do you have a budget in mind?

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@SimoneDi The centre stone is a step-cut emerald, facing up at around 10.6 x 9mm. I will need some guidance as to what side stone size is appropriate from the vendor, and was planning on having the vendor source the side stones for me. My budget is $5000.

 

[SimoneDi]

@SimoneDi The centre stone is a step-cut emerald, facing up at around 10.6 x 9mm. I will need some guidance as to what side stone size is appropriate from the vendor, and was planning on having the vendor source the side stones for me. My budget is $5000.

Sounds like a lovely large stone! I would definitely reach out to SK and see what he will quote you for the full project. I believe that his work is the closest in aesthetics to LM. You can also make an appointment, meet with him in person and see some of his work before you commit.

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@SimoneDi I will! Thanks very much for the recommendation!

 

[Rockdiamond]

I can't speak of any particular vendors work- but in general:

delicate prongs, narrow/delicate band, and minimal metal visible from the top.

All of these aspects usually will require the type of setting where the three stones are set in a "bridge" that is one piece. This puts the three stones closer to each other- and closer in height. Finer settings are usually made this way. Many of the higher three stone settings are cast- and less costly. They will have the two side diamonds attached to the shank, as opposed to the type of "bridge" I'm referring to.
When the side diamonds are not part of the same unit as the center, the center diamond is generally set higher ( maybe on a peg). Cast rings are generally thicker as well.
I hope this helps!!

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@Rockdiamond Thank you! This is very helpful information that I didn't know.

Do you have examples of the bridge vs peg setting you are referring to?

I have seen the classic Harry Winston emerald/traps setting online (there is a profile shot) and it looks high enough for my liking - the side stones look set nice and high, as does the centre emerald. Is this the bridge setting type you are referring to? Are the side stones appearing to be set high because the online sketch shows a large centre stone, with a fairly deep total depth?

 

[Rockdiamond]

You're welcome @ordinaryrainbow!

I have seen the classic Harry Winston emerald/traps setting online (there is a profile shot) and it looks high enough for my liking - the side stones look set nice and high, as does the centre emerald. Is this the bridge setting type you are referring to?

If you can post the side view picture I'll be glad to comment!

I don't have any "peg" three stone pics ( we don't make them that way)
Here's a "bridge"

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@Rockdiamond thanks! That setting look to be a nice height to me.

This is the Harry Winston emerald setting that I think is a good height:



compare to this VC example, which is too low for my taste:

 

[Rockdiamond]

Both the pictures show "bridge" type settings.

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@Rockdiamond thanks! Good to know I can have the finer setting at a height I am comfortable with.

 

[lydial]

I had trouble communicating with LM when I did a ring with him in 2010. I went with the low setting, it was OK but I understand why you want it higher. I recently had a custom ring made by SK which was beautiful and the communication was very good as well. I also recently did a ring with HPD (the 2.66 CBI w/ the tapered baguettes) and my ring height at 7.4 mm falls visually between the 2 you have pictures of above, closer to the lower height one. I suppose it depends on the height of the center stone and how much space you want below the culet? You can link from my avatar to the threads about the new rings if you are curious. Maybe 8-8.3 mm is the right "height" for you if you want medium high? 9 mm is very high IMO... You definitely will not get that from LM unless he has a different opinion of settings now...

 

[tyty333]

You also might try Maytal Hanna. She does lovely work and I think* she is open to your request (vs other vendors). Anyway, she is worth a call
https://www.maytalhannah.com/#design

 

[arkieb1]

I would strongly advise against working with Leon if you want to have any input. Leon does what Leon does, when you start requesting what you want, then it's time to find someone else.

 

[headlight]

@Rockdiamond thanks! That setting look to be a nice height to me.

This is the Harry Winston emerald setting that I think is a good height:



compare to this VC example, which is too low for my taste:

It's funny how different things appeal to different people... I actually think the VC ring is the perfect height... very elegant and much more comfortable for daily wearing, IMO.

 

[yssie]

I'm working with Leon on a bracelet right now. It's a slow burn sort of project - I'm not in a rush, he's got to find the right stones which will take some time... I have to say that he's been fantastic to work with so far. Very easy to communicate with - providing his opinions and soliciting my feedback, asking me to send my thoughts and ideas his way, going over them with me.

He's had several insights that I would not have come to myself, and he's been able and happy to back his recommendations up with fact and objectivity, so I've asked that he find ways to execute my wants within the parameters of those recommendations.

Different sort of project than an E-ring, of course, but I have to say that I personally feel any concerns I may have had about working with him were misplaced. But I've also learnt to listen to my vendors - something I can't say my younger self had much of a predisposition for

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@yssie thank you, that is very reassuring. From your description, it sounds like he is collaborative and will work to your requests, provided they fall within the overall framework he recommends. Is that right? From your experience, do you think I can ask him outright if he would be comfortable providing a higher height setting?

When I first approached him with a quote request that was accompanied by this question along with a series of other (less important to me) questions about his design style, side stones etc, he asked me to pay a retainer and come in for a consultation. I’m keen to avoid paying the retainer only to learn he strongly recommends / will only consider a low setting.

 

[yssie]

I would suggest finding a couple of photos of "too low", a couple of photos of "too high", and a couple of "just right", and asking him if he'd be willing to work with your "just right" look & feel.

But you'll need to find good examples. The examples you posted earlier in this thread are suspect, to be honest - the HW green center is much larger than the VC yellow center, and also much larger compared to finger size. That means that even if the culet is the same distance off the finger in both rings, the sidestones of the HW are naturally held higher off the band underneath them. It also means that they're spaced further apart in the HW - they actually sit above where the shank starts to turn really curve to become the sides of the ring, which means the shoulders are taller and the sidestones look to be set "higher" even though they're angled virtually identically.

My point here - they're poor examples because they don't isolate desired aesthetic from ancillary convolutions (of both centerstone stone size and ring size), and if you send them to Leon he'll tell you exactly that. Possibly rather bluntly! I resized and overlaid the two rings to show what I mean - see how similar the angling of the sidestones is? The perceived "height difference" of the sidestones really is due entirely to the size (height and width) of the centerstone relative to ring size. How high the centerstones are set - well, we really can't compare because of the angle of the VC photo, but there might be other pics in whatever thread that's from.




This sort of thing is why I think many vendors demand that customers let them judge what's best - because it takes longer to explain what someone is or is not seeing than it does to just do it. That's not your fault, of course - you can't be expected to anticipate all these nuances!! But when a client goes in and demands "medium height", and his or her vision of "medium height" doesn't work with stones and finger size... noone's happy. CAD is invaluable in this regard!

For my bracelet - Leon told me that he wished he could use platinum or 18k YG, but it needed to be 14k YG or 14k/18k RG. He offered only cursory explanation for why. Had I not already anticipated this requirement I might have been taken aback; as it was I was glad to hear him state it, as I know I can trust a vendor who says "bad idea, not gonna do it" when something's actually a bad idea - which platinum would have been for my project.

 

[yssie]

Full disclosure: I have also worked with Diamonds by Lauren and I was very happy with the ring they created for me. Communication was easy and freqent - David is always willing to listen and is patient with explanations. And his best bench's work is spectacular. I can highly recommend reaching out to him as well about your project @ordinaryrainbow - talk about your feedback expectations up-front, and just make sure that you ask for his best bench

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@yssie thank you so much for the detailed explanation. I see what you mean, and I think I’m having trouble clearly explaining my want in this regard, perhaps because I don’t have the vocabulary to explain it (beyond :”I like that”, “I don’t like that”) and am struggling to find good pictures.

Here is another HW picture with a smaller stone. It seems to me that the setting is a nice height, but perhaps what I like is the gap between the band and the bottom of the centre diamond, and the fact that so much of the diamond is visible.



Compare to this LM ring, which is stunning to me in all respects and so much nicer than the HW ring, except that it looks like the diamond sits all the way down into the band:


I prefer the raised look of the HW stone, but the delicacy of the LM band, shank and prongs, if that makes sense.

I don’t trust myself to review CAD drawings and be able to explain the changes I need to get the look I want. I would much prefer to hand the design over to a designer whose overall asthetic I love, and just give some guiding principles.

I guess what I’m struggling with is whether LM has a strong design preference for low setting and so will not deviate from his preference (as @mrs-b suggested), or whether he would steer a customer away from a high setting he felt was inappropriate or unstable or otherwise unworkable. Obviously I am fine with the latter, but would like to work with someone who will respect my preferences if the issue is the former. If that’s LM, then I think I will have a good experience with him as I think the delicacy of his work is gorgeous.

 

[yssie]

Some questions?
1. What are the dimensions of your stone?
2. Would you want it set N/S or E/W?
3. What shape will the sides be?
4. What size will the sides be, do you have a strong preference or do you plan to leave that up to your vendor?
5. What's your ring size?

In general he, Steven Kirsch, and Victor Canera all lean toward less space between finger and culet.

It sounds like you want to work with Leon - just call him! The worst thing that can possibly happen is that you both decide you aren't a good vendor/client fit right? And if that happens we can help you find someone else who's better suited to whatever you need that working with Leon wouldn't have provided.

 

[mrs-b]

I've worked with Leon also. And had a reasonably good experience. My best advice on this, tho, is don't mention PriceScope. He hates this site and it can only make things more difficult for you.

I actually love his aesthetic. Like - LOVE. But I've heard about him swinging on a dime for mood. So it really depends what you want. If you leave things largely in his hands, and ESPECIALLY if you get stones through him, you should be fine. He loves being the master craftsman. He hates being told what to do. I believe he wants his pieces to be wholly his pieces, and I understand his point. it's just that there's much better ways of going about it than he seems to employ.

Good luck! I'm sure if he does your ring it will be stunning.

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

Some questions?
1. What are the dimensions of your stone?
2. Would you want it set N/S or E/W?
3. What shape will the sides be?
4. What size will the sides be, do you have a strong preference or do you plan to leave that up to your vendor?
5. What's your ring size?

In general he, Steven Kirsch, and Victor Canera all lean toward less space between finger and culet.

It sounds like you want to work with Leon - just call him! The worst thing that can possibly happen is that you both decide you aren't a good vendor/client fit right? And if that happens we can help you find someone else who's better suited to whatever you need that working with Leon wouldn't have provided.

@yssie Thanks! Answers to your questions:
1. Dimensions are 10.9 x 8.9 x 5.5
2. Definitely N/S
3. Unsure, although I am leaning towards step traps. (The centre stone is step-cut.) Maybe baguettes, or even pears. This is something else I would need guidance on from the vendor.
4. Happy to leave it up to the vendor, although I have seen sides ranging from 04.ct to 0.6ct in person that look nice (although I could be convinved to go smaller/larger)
5. Size 5 - I have slim, long fingers.

Yes, I think that might be the best way to go (and if it was anyone but Leon - who I am concerned about bothering unnecessarily - I would absolutely ask). When I first reached out for a quote request, I asked the question about height, along with other questions, and he responded and said he could set time for a consult but required a $400 retainer (without addressing any of the questions). So I guess the worst thing would be to find out we're not a good fit after I pay the $400 (but better to lose $400 than be unhappy with the final ring, right?)

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

I've worked with Leon also. And had a reasonably good experience. My best advice on this, tho, is don't mention PriceScope. He hates this site and it can only make things more difficult for you.

I actually love his aesthetic. Like - LOVE. But I've heard about him swinging on a dime for mood. So it really depends what you want. If you leave things largely in his hands, and ESPECIALLY if you get stones through him, you should be fine. He loves being the master craftsman. He hates being told what to do. I believe he wants his pieces to be wholly his pieces, and I understand his point. it's just that there's much better ways of going about it than he seems to employ.

Good luck! I'm sure if he does your ring it will be stunning.

Thank you @mrs-b! This makes me feel better. I would be happy to leave things in his hands, and just give some very general guidance on things that are very important to me.

It seems like different people have very different experiences, including whether he is willing to discuss ideas in depth.

And thank you for the tip about not mentioning PS! Good to know not to mention so I don't start things off on the wrong foot right off the bat...

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

@mrs-b PS the ring in your avatar is gorgeous!