Help!!! ....Double prong vs single prong?

[MyDreamRing]

I am considering settings for my three stone ring and one of my options is to have a custom made setting. I''ve looked at so many pictures and am considering having a traditional basket setting but am now trying to figure out how I want the prongs to look. I have seen many picures of double prongs (claw prongs), but have yet to see any in person. I am not sure how these will look with my setting since only the center stone will have double prongs and the side stones will have single prongs. Is it possible that the double prongs will just be too much for the size of my center stone (1.50 ct)? Many of the double prong settings I see tend to be on large colored stones, not diamonds.

Is one type better than the other or just a matter of preferance. I was told that you usually only see the double prong in your more high end custom pieces.

Also, if I go with a single prong can I make it thinner and come to more of a point (like in the double prongs) with out sacrificing the stability of the setting. I have seen some single prongs that look like a large round ball and I don''t really like that look.

Lastly, how much should a prong hang over the stone? I want my stone to be secure but I don''t want huge grabbing prongs, I like the look of a delicate thin prong.

Thanks...I really need some help with this decision!

PS: My ring will be an oval (1.50 ct) with 2 half moons.

 

[Robyn12]

Hello,

I think it's just a matter of preferance. To me, double prongs tend to make for a more antique look -- is that something you're going for? I think a 1.5 ct stone is plenty large enough for this look...

I prefer to see double prongs alone, or with tappered baguettes, or pave -- I have never seen them with half moons, but I'm sure that combo could be pretty too. Check out http://www.artofplatinum.com/. Also, here is an oval from HW with double prongs and side stones... it's a very pretty look.

Good luck!

 

[Magnum]

I bought my fiancee an engagement ring with split (double) prongs, and her center stone (round) is 1.31 carats. 1.5 carats is by no means small, and you shouldn't have any problem with split prongs in that size. I really like the look of split prongs. I'm not a jeweler, so take this with a grain of salt, but it seems to me that double prongs, since they're a little thicker, should be a little stronger than normal single prongs, which could be a consideration in a four prong ring. In a four prong ring, if one prong gets bent, the diamond could fall out, whereas in a six prong ring you could lose as many as three prongs (if you lost every other one) and still hold the diamond securely. Just a thought. Maybe a jeweler can comment on the strength of double prongs?

 

[winyan]

I have double prongs (claw prongs) on my OEC/blue sapphire ring, which is a Cartier wanna be. I personally prefer them, or the fishtail setting on antique looking pieces.

There's a pic of my ring here somewhere, probably under more of 'my stuff'.

win

 

[winyan]

Sorry double post when connection died.

win

 

[valeria101]

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On 5/11/2004 5:15:25 PM MyDreamRing wrote:



#1 Also, if I go with a single prong can I make it thinner and come to more of a point (like in the double prongs) with out sacrificing the stability of the setting. I have seen some single prongs that look like a large round ball and I don't really like that look.

#2 Lastly, how much should a prong hang over the stone?

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Most of these options a pure matter of personal taste - so what coud I do?

But the points above sound technical, so... here goes

#1: these would be single claw prongs, sure they are perfectly feasible - in fact, this is just a matter of finish wether you want a 'claw' shape or a ball of metal at the tip of the prong. Both are just as good - it is just the execution that maters.

#2: This depends on the shape and thickness of the prongs (which can vary, for example, from thick near the band to resist deformation, to thin near the tip to dissapear from sight).

Love or hate Tiffany, but their setting presentation is very instructire - I found. Here is their graphic answer to your Q (LINK). A claw prong would not necesaily have to be longer relative to the respective upper girdle facet to hold it's own - as long as it is not made thin (in vertical section, that is) as well as narrow (as seen form above, which you want).

 

[MyDreamRing]

Thanks for all the advise.

I actually am lucky to live near a mall with many designer stores (Tiffany, Cartier...). The reason why I asked the second question about how large the prongs have to be to hold the ring securely is because when I went to Cartier they had the tiniest prongs on their e-rings (these were 4 prong rings). I have NEVER seen prongs so tiny. Not only were the actual stems really skinny and thin but he way the prongs clasped the stone....it was the smallest little ball of metal, so delicate. It was about the size of the tip of a fine ball point pen, barely noticable. I just couldn't figure out how that little ball of metal was holding the stone, but I figured for a $36,000 ring it must be secure.

Cartier also had this really neat double prong which I had never seen before. Instead of a double claw foot prong it was a double ball prong (again this was with the micro small ball beads). This ring was beautiful but way

out of my budget at $60,000.

Unfortunately they do not have pictures of these rings on their website but if anyone ever gets the chance they should check out these mountings, it is increadible how tiny they got these prongs. I didn't think it was possible.

My fear is that I don't want my custom ring to try and do a prong setting that they are not familiar with and make the stone not secure enough. Cartier may know what they are doing when it comes to micro prongs, but I am not so sure other jewelers do. Is this common to see prongs this small? Is it safe?

 

[valeria101]

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On 5/12/2004 10:12:21 AM MyDreamRing wrote:



Is this common to see prongs this small? Is it safe?

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I am not familiar with the Cartier setting you mention, but it is not uncommon to see tips about 1mm over the stone. Whether the arrangement is safe or not depends on the rest of the setting too: it's hard to tell in general.

I was wandering wether you let gop of the idea of a trellis setting. I remembered there was something very fitting on an older thread (LINK). I see no reason why this cannot be readily made to accomodate half moons (unlike the other I posted previously, wich had four prongs for each side instead of three), and knowing that the designer did it before might be a plus too. Since this is custom, the shape of the prongs and size could also be altered.