Help me design a bracelet

[QueenB29]

The husband of one of my best friends in the world is deploying to Iraq in the spring, and I want to have a bracelet made for her that she can wear while he''s gone to remind her of him. I want to include both of their birthstones (hers: blue topaz, his: peridot), and some sort of yellow ribbon charm.

I LOVE this bracelet by Cavalier Creations on Etsy (has anyone used them before?) and want something similar. I already have an 8x6 EC blue topaz and two 6x4 EC peridots from a gemstone parcel. The stones aren''t great by PS standards, but they''re very pretty in real life, and all I can afford. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13181270

Here''s some different shots of the stones. They''re not that good.

 

[QueenB29]

I came up with a couple of ideas and sketched them out. Which do you prefer?

Design number 1:

 

[QueenB29]

Design number 2:

 

[QueenB29]

I''m also open to other suggestions

 

[stepcutnut]

Sounds like a great project for your friend! Very thoughtful of you

Would you consider 2-tone? I ask because I always love peridot set in a yellow metal.

I love the airy/wavey design of the etsy bracelet you posted.

 

[QueenB29]

That''s not a bad idea. Her wedding set is two-tone: white gold with yellow gold accents. Let me photoshop the images and see how they look with yellow.

I guess it would just depend on the price of the yellow gold bezels vs. all silver. I''d like to keep it to around $100.

 

[QueenB29]

Okay, I did a really ghetto job,

but I think the yellow accent could look cool.

 

[stepcutnut]

Here's a not so great rendition.

 

[stepcutnut]

.

 

[QueenB29]

Oh that''s really cool! How did you draw those?

 

[stepcutnut]

Just with ''Paint'', I would love a better design program one day

 

[QueenB29]

Well, those are some fabulous Paint skills

I like the yellow around just the peridots better than all three.

Do you like them E-W or N-S better?

 

[ma re]

I'd also recommend going two-tone, not so much because of the piece itself, but because of what it will symbolize - such a piece needs at least some warm colors, so at least bezels. In terms of how to set them, probably the best way to decide is to think about her wrists; if she has wider, stronger wrists than you can set the stones across the wrist like in #1 (horizontally), but if her wrist is small it would probably be better to set them along the wrist (vertically).

P. S. I'm not sure about the two "bands" of a bracelet (like in #2), cause it might not wear nicely or be very durable.

 

[QueenB29]

Date: 7/23/2009 2:04:36 PM
Author: ma re
I''d also recommend going two-tone, not so much because of the piece itself, but because of what it will symbolize - such a piece needs at least some warm colors, so at least bezels. In terms of how to set them, probably the best way to decide is to think about her wrists; if she has wider, stronger wrists than you can set the stones across the wrist like in #1 (horizontally), but if her wrist is small it would probably be better to set them along the wrist (vertically).

P. S. I''m not sure about the two ''bands'' of a bracelet (like in #2), cause it might not wear nicely or be very durable.

You think? That was one of my favorite parts of the Etsy inspiration bracelet.......except that one had 3.....

 

[D&T]

Beautiful bracelet and I love the E/W look and great Paint drawing StepCut!

 

[packrat]

I like it E/W as well. What a great idea for your friend-very thoughtful!

 

[QueenB29]

Thanks. I''m kind of leaning towards that as well

Thanks for your input everyone. Keep the great ideas coming!!

 

[ma re]

Date: 7/23/2009 2:43:48 PM
Author: QueenB29

Date: 7/23/2009 2:04:36 PM
Author: ma re

P. S. I''m not sure about the two ''bands'' of a bracelet (like in #2), cause it might not wear nicely or be very durable.

You think? That was one of my favorite parts of the Etsy inspiration bracelet.......except that one had 3.....

Well I''m no expert, but those bands would move independently while the bracelet is worn and probably catch on one another, so they might snag and strain the metal (but I could be wrong). Not to mention that it would be enough to catch any of them onto something to damage the bracelet, so you''d have extra elements to pay attention to. BTW, I assume that those bands look something like a herringbone type chain i.e. are flexible and can twist(?).

 

[QueenB29]

I can''t tell from the picture. I''m leaning more towards the E-W version, so it might not be an issue. But here''s the original bracelet from Cavalier Creations on Etsy.

 

[QueenB29]

Here''s another view.

 

[ma re]

Ah, now I get it - there should be no problem with wearability or durability; I thought these bands were thinner and wider, but they seem more like square cables or something. In that case it''s only a question which design you think she''d like and wear more.

BTW, is the band in the "one band design" the same width and thickness as in this one where there''s two or three of them? I''m guessing that it''s wider and stronger, which might complement wider wrists, while this multi-strand look may better suit someone who''s more petite.

Hope I''ve been of some help

 

[QueenB29]

Date: 7/24/2009 8:48:11 AM
Author: ma re
Ah, now I get it - there should be no problem with wearability or durability; I thought these bands were thinner and wider, but they seem more like square cables or something. In that case it''s only a question which design you think she''d like and wear more.

BTW, is the band in the ''one band design'' the same width and thickness as in this one where there''s two or three of them? I''m guessing that it''s wider and stronger, which might complement wider wrists, while this multi-strand look may better suit someone who''s more petite.

Hope I''ve been of some help

You''ve been very helpful Mr. ma re. Thank you so very much.

I''m not sure. I think the "one band" design I came up with would be 3-4 mm, as the width of the peridot is 4 mm. The reason I actually drew the N-S version with the two bands is b/c I was concerned that might be too narrow to support the bracelet.

I''m not a jeweler so have no idea if it''s practical or not. I just thought it was pretty

 

[Gailey]

I''m liking the two tone, bezel set, east-west look.

What a thoughtful gift.

 

[litebrite]

You are a very considerate friend.

I like the east west setting (more wrist coverage) and agree with the two toned setting. I like the fluidity of the ribbony look but I wonder if it might look better with just two strands versus three. Also if you set it E-W maybe the waviness might detract from the stones?

 

[litebrite]

Here''s an idea of what it could look like (sorry for Paintjob, it was best that I could do.) have had difficulty uploading it.

 

[litebrite]

So you could bezel in gold and have a very open braid or twist look with argentinium silver and gold, plus it still incorporates some of the ribbon idea.

Also 3 strands on an E-W would probably be too busy, but maybe that''s just me.

I''m sure your friend will appreciate the thought and present whatever shape the final bracelet takes.

 

[QueenB29]

Date: 7/24/2009 12:26:16 PM
Author: litebrite
You are a very considerate friend.

I like the east west setting (more wrist coverage) and agree with the two toned setting. I like the fluidity of the ribbony look but I wonder if it might look better with just two strands versus three. Also if you set it E-W maybe the waviness might detract from the stones?

Litebrite--my stones aren''t big enough to have three strands anyway And if it''s E-W the stones aren''t wide enough to have any more than one, so I kind of see what you mean. The waviness might not make sense with just one strand. Maybe a tapered band that is wider next to the stone and gets narrower as you get to the chain part? I might have to try re-drawing it.

Sarah is the only person I''ve known, other than my family, who has ALWAYS been there for me. I would do anything for her.

 

[QueenB29]

Date: 7/24/2009 12:43:50 PM
Author: litebrite
Here''s an idea of what it could look like (sorry for Paintjob, it was best that I could do.) have had difficulty uploading it.

Wow--you all are so talented in Paint

I think the design is really cool, but unfortunately I don''t think I can afford that much gold. I think the only gold I''ll be able to do is to bezel the peridots with it.

 

[QueenB29]

What about getting some kind of texture on the band? Some of the hammered pieces on Etsy look really cool.

 

[litebrite]

You could also do the open braid with just silver.

Or I saw this on overstock - you could still do the EW setting on the center line, although with this I would be tempted to do a NS setting. I like the openness and flow of it - something similar might work for your design.