Help me set this 5 ct RB please

[SparkInTheDark]

I had originally intended to reset my 1.2 OEC (also has about 2 ct large meelee) in a cushion shaped halo but then I came into possession of this 5ct RB and was thinking I might do something similar to this weeks gem of the week pendant with OEC solitaire and hexagon halo so I could wear it as a necklace. Would adding a cushion halo to a 5 ct stone be like hanging a hat on a hat? Does anyone have a hand shot of what this would look like?
I prefer the split or braided shank and have put many of V Canera and L Menge's designs in my pinterest file. I also considered turning my OEC into something like Canera's art deco baguette ring but figured I would get more use out of the necklace (I have little kids). Originally I was not a fan of the yellow gold bezel setting the stone is in now- but after wearing it for a week it has grown on me. Still I think it would be prettier to put something like a green tourmaline in this setting and then set RB in such a way that the light can get through it. My engagement and wedding rings are all platinum but I am considering if I might like to use white gold this time around- the local jeweler tells me he dips them for free and it will be lighter on my finger- I remember I had good reasons for wanting the platinum the first time around though so ....not sure. OK I am having a tough time posting a pic so I am going to post the question and then try to put hte pics in the next commnet- this question has already deleted itself a couple of times and I am sick of rewriting it! thank you for your help

 

[SparkInTheDark]

I don't know if these will show up but here it goes

 

[arkieb1]

If you want a cushion halo for a round stone, Victor's Emilya with Two Row Tilted Cushion Halo is one of my favourites, I want this ring made for myself one day. You could probably have him modify it to have any type of shank you want.... This is Acinom's ring, it was a fairly large centre stone;

 

[SparkInTheDark]

this is the oec

 

[SparkInTheDark]

it appears that it is set on a diagonal which is interesting and a bit different than the rings you always see

 

[SparkInTheDark]

Will halo rings be out of date in the near future or will they be timeless? Is it true that people are forgoing the wedding band these days? I always feel like it looks of balance having a band on one side and not the other but my three band set is so thick. It has been ten years since I set my OEC and it seems pretty 10 years ago to me- but I might just be butt hurt bc I didn't do much research and took what jeweler#2 gave me after getting super ripped off by the first jeweler who set it. It was not at all what I wanted and she made fun of me for wanting platinum(told me I would come back and beg for gold in the next five years) and took it upon herself to channel set the diamonds instead of the bead set I asked for- since she knew better- I hated when people asked if I designed it bc I was embarrassed and felt it was ugly, super high up, uncomfortable and caught on everything- I actually wore a fake till my fiance took pity on me and said we should just reset it- my parents said they would help if I promised no to say anything to grandma or her jeweler friend since we had already paid big bucks for the dreaded setting. So the second jeweler I just said please for the love of god bead set these diamonds but didn't realize I should have asked for a whole lot more and have never been quite happy with the way the solitaire just sits on top of the ring without feeling integrated with a little slope or a split shank or something.- wish I had known all of the options back then.
http://raymondleejewelers.net/blog/top-10-halo-engagement-rings/
I like the uneek halo with the split? shank- not sure what that is called. Even though it is round instead of cushion I think it is pretty special and apparently it is 5 cts so it gives me a good look at what it would look like-


I also like this L Menge vision- wish I could post the pictures but i just isn't working for me
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221115/

this is pretty and I think it is a round with a cushion halo- not certain though
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221235/

this VC has half moons on the side-
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221625/

with the tapered baguettes would also make for a nice timeless ring5ct
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221618/

Possible new home for the OEC ad meelee in the platinum ring
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221456/
I think I would get more use out of it but I do love this right hand cocktail ring
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221174/
and am guessing my OEC along with some new baguettes could turn into this- but again I think the pendant would get more daily use, especially with small kids and nowhere fancy to go


I like this shank though it doesn't have a halo
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221246/

anyone have good ideas now that you know what is on my mind?

 

[Tourmaline]

When your 5ct diamond is removed from the bezel setting, it may damage the setting for future use. But as to what to do with the 5ct diamond...I have been going back and forth for a year about my own, haha! When I first got it, I set it in a solitaire with a pave diamond band. My 5ct diamond is GIA L color (yours looks like it may be similar in color?), and I didn't like the contrast between the main diamond and the white melee, so then I set it in a platinum solitaire. I loved it at first, but the setting started to feel cold to me over time, and now I feel that the platinum adds a sort of grayness to the stone's color, and I would rather celebrate the yellow tint. So I want to reset mine in rose gold. I saw a very light yellow antique diamond here on PS in a gorgeous rose gold halo with white melee, and it's one of the most beautiful things I've seen! So I have been waffling back and forth on whether to do a halo or a solitaire. I realize this may not all be helpful to you, haha, but maybe it will be helpful in terms of how you may feel seeing your diamond in a white metal. Just something to think about.

 

[pinkgem2522]

Will halo rings be out of date in the near future or will they be timeless? Is it true that people are forgoing the wedding band these days? I always feel like it looks of balance having a band on one side and not the other but my three band set is so thick. It has been ten years since I set my OEC and it seems pretty 10 years ago to me- but I might just be butt hurt bc I didn't do much research and took what jeweler#2 gave me after getting super ripped off by the first jeweler who set it. It was not at all what I wanted and she made fun of me for wanting platinum(told me I would come back and beg for gold in the next five years) and took it upon herself to channel set the diamonds instead of the bead set I asked for- since she knew better- I hated when people asked if I designed it bc I was embarrassed and felt it was ugly, super high up, uncomfortable and caught on everything- I actually wore a fake till my fiance took pity on me and said we should just reset it- my parents said they would help if I promised no to say anything to grandma or her jeweler friend since we had already paid big bucks for the dreaded setting. So the second jeweler I just said please for the love of god bead set these diamonds but didn't realize I should have asked for a whole lot more and have never been quite happy with the way the solitaire just sits on top of the ring without feeling integrated with a little slope or a split shank or something.- wish I had known all of the options back then.
http://raymondleejewelers.net/blog/top-10-halo-engagement-rings/
I like the uneek halo with the split? shank- not sure what that is called. Even though it is round instead of cushion I think it is pretty special and apparently it is 5 cts so it gives me a good look at what it would look like-


I also like this L Menge vision- wish I could post the pictures but i just isn't working for me
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221115/

this is pretty and I think it is a round with a cushion halo- not certain though
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221235/

this VC has half moons on the side-
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221625/

with the tapered baguettes would also make for a nice timeless ring5ct
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221618/

Possible new home for the OEC ad meelee in the platinum ring
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221456/
I think I would get more use out of it but I do love this right hand cocktail ring
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221174/
and am guessing my OEC along with some new baguettes could turn into this- but again I think the pendant would get more daily use, especially with small kids and nowhere fancy to go


I like this shank though it doesn't have a halo
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27021666492221246/

anyone have good ideas now that you know what is on my mind?

Quoted for truth!

 

[SparkInTheDark]

Thank you for your reply and all of your awesome info. I agree that the OEC has a candle light color to it that looks yellow next to the white meelee- it's one of the things I don't love about the current setting- that and it is overwhelmed by the three bands so all you see is the smaller diamonds. Maybe if they were thinner bands? I have a love affair with emeralds so I certainly wouldn't mind adding a few of those- or maybe sapphires since they are my birthstone and I hear they are a bit tougher. I like the idea of adding a bezel of rose/ gold but then continuing on with the other smaller stones- thank you for the idea! I actually have a really pretty diamond and emerald pendant set in gold that would mimic the shape of the art deco baguette ring- one of the earrings when missing but we could work that out. Could I relaly play it up enough to make it look like a yellow diamond? That would be awesome.


The 5 ct should be a pretty good color- I had a jeweler look at it and she said it would look lovely next to white meelee- no problem- she said it had very good color but didn't use a letter- only saying that I could use any white metal or meelee that I wanted without a problem- then again neither jeweler who set my OEC mentioned it was going to look like a yellow stone on a white band. The 5ct's only issue is a "feather line"? which the jeweler (and my grandmother) said I would never see without a loupe (she wasn't selling it to me since I was just looking at settings). I have the paperwork on it somewhere- it was a gift to my grandmother from her third husband who met her when selling a diamond to her second husband- its ok to laugh. He worked for DeBeers and had a monkey and used to pay me a nickel for every diamond I resurrected from the carpet in his office with my "young eyes". So of course I grew up loving sparkly things. Actually the OEC is the one the 2nd bought from the third as a gift and the 5ct was her engagement ring from the third husband. She left it to me but my mom wasn't ready to part with it till she suddenly took it off and handed it to me a few weeks ago. All of grandma's diamonds are round- she had a thing for full moons and round diamonds : ) Which Is why I sort of wanted to make one of them into a cushion with the halo. **edited by moderator to remove comments to vendor not abiding by our policies**

 

[Coralfish]

Oh, I actually love the setting. Something of the James Meyer about it.

 

[RaymondLeeJwlrs]

That story is amazing! I love it when stones have history!

As for setting one of the diamonds in yellow to make it look fancy we do this all the time! They have to be pretty high up on the color scale, and they will still only look very light - light fancy, but it's a great way to play up the color of a diamond we otherwise would have to right off as a poor color grade.

It sounds like that one feather inclusion in your 5 carat is no problem, and when you have it re-set just make sure whichever jeweler you choose has a GIA GG on staff and they can give you a proper appraisal while it's loose.

I think you could do a round cushion setting with either stone (by far our most popular halo style is a RB or OEC in a cushion shaped frame, and every one of our designer lines has multiple versions of this setting. Uneek in particular has a TON: http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/uneek/)

However, given the size of the 5 carat and your original question about "hanging a hat on a hat" (a phrase that I love and will borrow from you the cushion halo might be better as an upgrade for your existing wedding set. It sounds like it's still not exactly what you'd love, and for something you wear every. single. day. it should put a huge smile on your face every time you glance down. The 5 carat could be lovely (and I do think it would look very similar to the original Uneek ring we made that you'd linked to) but re-mounting your original diamond and trading in your bands for something more subtle might be the way to finally get your perfect ring!

For the 5 carat, I really love the idea of playing into its vintage charm with a setting like these first few: http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/diamondsdiamond-engagement-ringshalo-style-engagement-rings/

I originally thought emeralds because this is one of the most delicious rings I've ever seen: http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/diamondsdiamond-engagement-ringshalo-style-engagement-rings/3-01ct-european-cut-diamond-emerald-double-halo-engagement-ring/ and with an M color it's got that candlelight quality to it.

But sapphires are my birthstone too! So you couldn't go wrong with something like this:http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/diamondsdiamond-engagement-ringshalo-style-engagement-rings/plat-2-51ct-round-brilliant-diamond-sapphire-halo-ring/

And even though you are on the opposite coast, we'd be happy to go back and forth with ideas, we do ship internationally. But for something custom I completely understand wanting to work locally!

Liz (marketing director for RLJ)

 

[SparkInTheDark]

That story is amazing! I love it when stones have history!

As for setting one of the diamonds in yellow to make it look fancy we do this all the time! They have to be pretty high up on the color scale, and they will still only look very light - light fancy, but it's a great way to play up the color of a diamond we otherwise would have to right off as a poor color grade.

It sounds like that one feather inclusion in your 5 carat is no problem, and when you have it re-set just make sure whichever jeweler you choose has a GIA GG on staff and they can give you a proper appraisal while it's loose.

I think you could do a round cushion setting with either stone (by far our most popular halo style is a RB or OEC in a cushion shaped frame, and every one of our designer lines has multiple versions of this setting. Uneek in particular has a TON: http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/uneek/)

However, given the size of the 5 carat and your original question about "hanging a hat on a hat" (a phrase that I love and will borrow from you the cushion halo might be better as an upgrade for your existing wedding set. It sounds like it's still not exactly what you'd love, and for something you wear every. single. day. it should put a huge smile on your face every time you glance down. The 5 carat could be lovely (and I do think it would look very similar to the original Uneek ring we made that you'd linked to) but re-mounting your original diamond and trading in your bands for something more subtle might be the way to finally get your perfect ring!

For the 5 carat, I really love the idea of playing into its vintage charm with a setting like these first few: http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/diamondsdiamond-engagement-ringshalo-style-engagement-rings/

I originally thought emeralds because this is one of the most delicious rings I've ever seen: http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/diamondsdiamond-engagement-ringshalo-style-engagement-rings/3-01ct-european-cut-diamond-emerald-double-halo-engagement-ring/ and with an M color it's got that candlelight quality to it.

But sapphires are my birthstone too! So you couldn't go wrong with something like this:http://raymondleejewelers.net/products/products-page/diamondsdiamond-engagement-ringshalo-style-engagement-rings/plat-2-51ct-round-brilliant-diamond-sapphire-halo-ring/

And even though you are on the opposite coast, we'd be happy to go back and forth with ideas, we do ship internationally. But for something custom I completely understand wanting to work locally!

Liz (marketing director for RLJ)

First off I am drooling over several of your suggestions Liz- I'm imagining the finger coverage with the second ring on the first row of vintage rings- it has sapphires and I think a bezel. I also really love the "delicious" ring you linked to- perfect adjective.
I am a little confused becasue some people seem to be saying they find the 5 ct rb to be yellow and others seem to be talking about the OEC which is a bit over a carat (I'm not totally sure). To my eye if I hold them up to each other the 5ct is way whiter and clearer where the OEC has a sort of candle look to it and looks yellow or even cloudy against the white meelee in my wedding band (another reason I don't love the setting). The jeweler told me the 5 ct has a very good color and would look great with white meelee in a halo- do you see something different? I need to dig up the cert info somewhere.
When someone told me my engagement ring was an old European cut I thought it was just old and from Europe (before I joined PS) so what do I know? LOL. I am actually planning to wear the 5 ct on my wedding finger and the OEC either on the right hand or a pendant. I've had the 5 ct on my wedding finger for a week now (only way it will fit) so I'm used to it now, I'm not sure I can go back : ) But now my wedding ring is in a box and that isn't right. My grandmother always told my husband he wouldn't have to upgrade me- lol.
As for the story- my grandmother was a mini Elizabeth Taylor- I believe her last proposal of marriage was in her late 80s and she was doing jazzercise well into her nineties and wearing animal print and fitted dresses- she was a beauty inside and out. Her mission every day was to make someone else smile and believed a day spent helping others was a day well spent. She bought me a dress for winter formal I don't think my mom was excited for me to wear bc my grandmother said it made my bottom look pert- lofl. She was something else. I think I said above that her love of round diamonds extended to her love of full moons (and anything round) and she actually waited for a full moon to take her when it was her time to go.
Sounds like everyone is doing the round diamond/cushion halo- might be a lot of those around, eh? Maybe with the uneek shank it will look a bit different. When you set the ring can you see metal? I think one of the things I don't like is how much metal is visible in my current setting as well as how thick and clunky the rings seem (the wedding set). The gold bezel setting was my grandmothers and isn't really my style but again- it has grown on me considerably in the last week- not sure I can dislike anything she worse for so long or that sparkles so brightly. The one person that noticed it told me it looks fake and everyone will think it is fake : ( Haters gonna hate- I guess.