Help me reimagine my engagement setting - gold bead ball instead of gem?

[mapchick200]

Long story short, I've upgraded my engagement ring and want to repurpose my old 4-prong solitaire setting to wear on my right hand. A trusted local jeweler suggested I pick out a smaller gemstone, round like the original, and he could set it in there without having to replace the head. I feel like putting in ANY gemstone is going to make it look like what it is, an engagement ring! Would it be doable to lop off the broken prongs and do something fashion-y, like weld on a gold bead ball (a la Tiffany Hard Wear), and maybe add some bead ball accents to the shoulders?

 

[Slickk]

What if he took the head off and replaced it with a bezeled gem? That would be more right-hand-y.

 

[seaurchin]

I think the gold bead balls would be interesting, if you would enjoy wearing it enough to justify the additional cost. Otherwise, it might be better to sell or donate the old setting and put your money into something you do really want.

 

[KaeKae]

The gold bead ball would be fun, think it could be done, though a gold ball that size might be very pricey
What about a pearl?

 

[mapchick200]

What if he took the head off and replaced it with a bezeled gem? That would be more right-hand-y.

Thank you. I had a similar thought about maybe putting in a big ol' emerald cut moissanite in a bezel. Then the jeweler and I got off on a tangent about the likelihood of a gray or green moissanite being coated or not and I started to worry. He also warned me it would still sit rather high due to the shoulders on shank.

 

[mapchick200]

I think the gold bead balls would be interesting, if you would enjoy wearing it enough to justify the additional cost. Otherwise, it might be better to sell or donate the old setting and put your money into something you do really want.

Thank you. The long part of my long story short is that I actually sold the setting to an online scrap gold place. They sent me a payment, and then they somehow screwed up and sent the thing back to me. It's like this setting is haunting me, and I'm not allowed to get rid of it. So here I am.

 

[mapchick200]

The gold bead ball would be fun, think it could be done, though a gold ball that size might be very pricey
What about a pearl?

Thank you. Seriously I've also thought about a pearl. You people are my people! But I don't know whether a jeweler could put a pearl in there. They tend to be seated in a "cup" style mounting with a peg. I've seen settings, but the Stuller catalog doesn't seem to offer a replacement head for a pearl. I also think I would be too hard on a pearl. I mean, look at that busted up setting.

 

[KaeKae]

@mapchick200

I hadn't thought about a pearl being set on a peg, but of course

I have a picture in my head of lady I once knew who wore a prong set pearl ring., Probably stuck in my mind because it was unusual. Not sure, now that you mention it, how well that would last with a pearl.

 

[rosethorn]

From what I know, pink and purple moissanite are usually coated, but not the grey or green. This idea gets my vote!

 

[bludiva]

What about a semiprecious bead like amethyst or lapis lazuli?

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

why not a hollow gold bead ball, if a solid one is too pricey? I honestly love the idea and I want you to do this!