Help requested again! Setting 2.66ct H stone

[Phoenix]

Hi PS'ers,

So I'm having the 3 stones shipped to Leon this week. Wheee....I can't wait to see the finished ring....soooo exciting....but the 6-8 weeks wait is agonising!!

Some of you may remember I bought a 2.656ct H Si2 (eye-clean of course ) signature H&A stone from BGD in comtemplation of using it in my 3-stone ring. Well, I didn't, obviously, lol! . I didn't want to return it to them since I got such a good price for it (prior to the recent price hike craze). I thought that maybe I wanted to get a match for it and return/ sell my 4.649ctw J VS2 studs (ie. upgrade them); but then I looked at currrent prices and realised I'd effectively be making a "loss" since prices have shot through the roof since I bought them, so decided not to return the J VS's. Also, there's not much of a visual difference between 2.3ct and 2.6ct - so no point having two similar pairs of studs, right?! I may still upgrade the J's eventually to 3ct each (ie. when I hit the jackpot in the lottery, ha ha ), but this means that I still have this 2.66ct H stone.

I'm thinking now perhaps to reset it to a pendant with an inexpensive setting (but I don't wear pendants, though am lusting after a rivieva (sp?) necklace and would like one at some point in the future - perhaps when I hit my second jackpot, lol!! Seriously though, I may be able to swing it for my 50th b'day or our 20th wedding anniversary - so I could save this stone to use as the largest centre stone in said comtemplated necklace).

Alternatively, since I've been lusting after a halo ring (and I do *not* want to send my 3.02ct F VS2 half way round the world for this purpose - at the risk of having it stolen/ losing it), I thought I may use this opportunity to set this 2.66ct into a halo ring. There are several halo'es that I love.

PS'ers, pls help me once again to decide what I should do with this stone. This would be my final project for the next several years (long several years they will be ) - until DH decides to buy me that monstrous 5ct or until I get my riviera necklace.

Thanks very much once again.

So choices:

1) Inexpensive Pendant - like the BGD Barbara pendant or one in a simple martini setting

2) Halo'ed ring with milgrain border, like risingsun's

3) Micro pave halo ring, like lvnut's

4) Fun modern ring, similar to Asscherhalo_lover's, but with pink and white (instead of yellow) melee diamonds and milgrain border

5) Bite the bullet and ask Leon to make it!!

 

[Phoenix]

Risingsun's beauty:

 

[Phoenix]

Lvnut's gorgeous honker:

 

[Phoenix]

Asscherhalo_lover's fun asscher:

 

[Phoenix]

You know, I've just realised my above post might read as if I've been presumptuous and assuming that LM's prices are higher. That is not what I mean at all, risingsun, lvnut and Asscherhalo_lover. I have no idea what they cost. All I know is that i) LM's prices are quite high and ii) I LOVE all your settings and will be over the moon if I end up being able to set my new RB into a setting as gorgeous as one of yours.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hi, Phoenix! I always love your projects! This time I voted pendant because since you have an e-ring that is larger and you are having a very nice right hand ring made, I don't see when you would really wear a halo ring. Do you still have the Leon pear halo ring or was that traded? So I voted for the pendant because I think it is the perfect size since it is larger than the studs and smaller than your e-ring. I think you would probably enjoy having the pendant once you started wearing it!

 

[Phoenix]

Hi, Phoenix! I always love your projects! This time I voted pendant because since you have an e-ring that is larger and you are having a very nice right hand ring made, I don't see when you would really wear a halo ring. Do you still have the Leon pear halo ring or was that traded? So I voted for the pendant because I think it is the perfect size since it is larger than the studs and smaller than your e-ring. I think you would probably enjoy having the pendant once you started wearing it!

Hi diamondseeker, it's so kind of you to post your replies and help with all my projects. I really appreciate your help. Hmmm...a pendant? Do you really think I'd start enjoying wearing it? I haven't worn one for years - find them rather fidgety, the clasp especially. But you have a point about my having yet another ring. I do still have the Leon pear which I wear daily now instead of my RB ering (darn you, DSS!! ). I've been yearning for a gorgeous RB halo ring for some time now and do not dare have the 3ct halo'ed (too chicken to send it overseas and back etc). But then again, I'd hate to splurge out another few thou's to end up having to dismantle the ring later on so that the diamond could be incorporated into a riviera.....so I guess my Q now is how likely am I going to get this necklace? Maybe never, maybe DH will stop buying me any more bling after the 5ct!! Maybe I'd have to choose btw that and the 5ct, ie. I couldn't have both!! Who really knows?!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Well, the positive side of a pendant is that you can wear it daily if you want, whereas a riviera necklace could only be on very formal occasions. The other plus is that you could have it set in a simple martini or 4 prong setting which would cost very little and then if you wanted to change it later, you wouldn't have wasted a lot of money. But if you set it in a $3-5000 ring setting and decide to change it, then you have wasted a lot of money. The thing is, putting a halo on this stone will just bring it closer to the size of your 3 ct. round and I am not sure you'd really wear it much when you have the pear ring (which is gorgeous!!!) and a new three stone ring.

However, with that said, if you don't think you'd wear a pendant, then there would be no point in doing that either!

For what it is worth, if you wanted to make it a permanent extra ring, I'd let Steven Kirsch do the halo because he did such a beautiful job on Frankie's and Gypsy's rings.

 

[vanderaf]

I never thought I was a pendant girl until I got one myself and now I wear it daily. It goes with anything and everything...I never thought about wanting a pendant until I visited my doctor and she had a 3 carat round heirloom diamond around her neck. It was to die for!!!!! That did it for me. Although mine is only 1 ct...I think the pendant would look amazing with your collection.

 

[Sparklelu]

I voted pendant. Even if you are not a pendant gal right now, you wlll be. I think a nice milgrain bezel setting would be perfect. I wear my barbara almost every day. You will wear yours I am sure.

 

[LGK]

How about a bezel bracelet, like BGD's? Would you wear that more than a necklace? That's what I did with a "stray" 1.5ct cushion. And the bracelet from BGD is an awesome price at $250 or something like that- less $$ out if you hate it!

I would vote for a pendant. You've got a whole herd of similar size stones going on there, and I bet once you settle on your favorites there's one or two that won't get worn as much. And it would *suck* to spend so much on a great setting only to find you prefer your 3 stone, or your 3 ct, or your pear. (I actually did that- got a 2 ct transitional cut- and ended up selling it because I just preferred the look of my smaller OEC... you can't always predict what is going to get daily wear.)

A bezel pendant might grow on you? I mean, it just seems more versatile to find somewhere else other than a finger to put it! A tiara maybe ?

As for a riviera necklace- it sounds beautiful and amazing, but not terribly wearable to be perfectly honest. A 5 ct RB sounds like more your speed! And would get daily wear.

 

[bright ice]

I vote for the pendent but lvnut's honker halo is gorgeous!

 

[m-2-b]

I have the BGD Barbara pendant myself and love it! BTW, do you have a pic of the 2.66ct stone? I always wanted to see what it looks like in a regular photo--glad a pricescoper finally got it!

 

[Phoenix]

Thank you, everyone, DS (again), Vanderaf, Elisateach,LGK, bright ice, and mom2boys, and also to those who've voted in the poll. Your help is much appreciated.

Guess what?! I've put in an order for the Barbara pendant with milgrain!! [ drumroll pls, ha ha!!]. As much as I'm tempted to have the stone set into a halo ring, am not 100% sure about that decision; and so for the time being, the diamond will be housed in a pendant. If I end up not wearing it much, it wouldn't hurt too bad, financially speaking, to dismantle the setting and start over again.

I've requested to receive the pendant from BGD earlier (initially I was going to request that everything be shipped together) but the wait for the ring from Leon is far too long and I just wanna get my grubby little hands on this little (well, I guess not so little ) beauty!!

Stay tuned, PS'ers.

 

[Phoenix]

Well, the positive side of a pendant is that you can wear it daily if you want, whereas a riviera necklace could only be on very formal occasions. The other plus is that you could have it set in a simple martini or 4 prong setting which would cost very little and then if you wanted to change it later, you wouldn't have wasted a lot of money. But if you set it in a $3-5000 ring setting and decide to change it, then you have wasted a lot of money. The thing is, putting a halo on this stone will just bring it closer to the size of your 3 ct. round and I am not sure you'd really wear it much when you have the pear ring (which is gorgeous!!!) and a new three stone ring.

However, with that said, if you don't think you'd wear a pendant, then there would be no point in doing that either!

For what it is worth, if you wanted to make it a permanent extra ring, I'd let Steven Kirsch do the halo because he did such a beautiful job on Frankie's and Gypsy's rings.

DS, you are so kind! I agree with everything you've said. I'd love a riviera at some point and it'll strictly be for formal occasions (and I'd certainly rock it too, lol! ).

I've spoken to Brian and he says the best pendant, in terms of less "flipping-incidents" (shall we say), would be the Barbara. I actually really love StarryEyed's new WF pendant and it's elegant simplicity, but Brian told me something like that would flip too. That'd drive me bonkers!!

I do love the new beauties being churned out by Steven Kirsch. That man is sooooo talented!! He executed Gypsy's and Frankie's beautifully!! [going over to SMTB to drool over Frankie's new halo ].

 

[Phoenix]

How about a bezel bracelet, like BGD's? Would you wear that more than a necklace? That's what I did with a "stray" 1.5ct cushion. And the bracelet from BGD is an awesome price at $250 or something like that- less $$ out if you hate it!

I would vote for a pendant. You've got a whole herd of similar size stones going on there, and I bet once you settle on your favorites there's one or two that won't get worn as much. And it would *suck* to spend so much on a great setting only to find you prefer your 3 stone, or your 3 ct, or your pear. (I actually did that- got a 2 ct transitional cut- and ended up selling it because I just preferred the look of my smaller OEC... you can't always predict what is going to get daily wear.)

A bezel pendant might grow on you? I mean, it just seems more versatile to find somewhere else other than a finger to put it! A tiara maybe ?

As for a riviera necklace- it sounds beautiful and amazing, but not terribly wearable to be perfectly honest. A 5 ct RB sounds like more your speed! And would get daily wear.

Agreed with everything you've said. A pendant it is then. I wouldn't say no to a tiara either, ha ha!! and I could see a 5ct in my "daily" ensemble!! [ like in the next century maybe - at the rate diamond prices are rising!! ].

 

[Phoenix]

I have the BGD Barbara pendant myself and love it! BTW, do you have a pic of the 2.66ct stone? I always wanted to see what it looks like in a regular photo--glad a pricescoper finally got it!

Thank you, mom2boys.

May I ask, does your pendant flip? Also, does it sit straight or does it tilt forward (the design looks to me as if it may tilt forward when worn).

I don't have pics of the 2.66ct stone. It's still at BGD's. I've asked Lesley to take some glamour "nikked" photos of that and the 2.374ct "blue". I hope she does that before the stones get shipped out for setting.

 

[Phoenix]

I vote for the pendent but lvnut's honker halo is gorgeous!

Isn't it?!!

 

[LGK]

I'm excited to hear you went with a bezel pendant! I suspect it'll grow on you, with such a lovely stone in it especially. BGD's bezels are really minimal- lovely and delicate. And really quite wearable day-to-day. I was a bit hesitant to go for such a minimal setting for the bracelet I got (BGD's millgrain bezel bracelet) since I usually prefer more ornate settings. But, the illusion of having the stone suspended on your skin is awesome- I bet you'll love it. And hey, if not- it wasn't a huge investment at least!

 

[m-2-b]

The Barbara pendant doesn't flip if it sits low on your neck and doesn't lay in the "nook" between the clavicle bones. In my experience, it doesn't tilt forward very often either.

I had my eye on the 2.3ct "blue" diamond, also! But DH wanted me to wait on an upgrade until later this year...oh well! How did you convince yours to buy all of those lovely diamonds at once?!

 

[Luminous-MB]

I'm a lil late but I was def going to vote pendant as well for all the already stated reasons above! I am sure you will absolutely it! Many congrats!

 

[Phoenix]

I'm excited to hear you went with a bezel pendant! I suspect it'll grow on you, with such a lovely stone in it especially. BGD's bezels are really minimal- lovely and delicate. And really quite wearable day-to-day. I was a bit hesitant to go for such a minimal setting for the bracelet I got (BGD's millgrain bezel bracelet) since I usually prefer more ornate settings. But, the illusion of having the stone suspended on your skin is awesome- I bet you'll love it. And hey, if not- it wasn't a huge investment at least!

Thank you, LGK. I'm so excited myself!!

 

[Phoenix]

The Barbara pendant doesn't flip if it sits low on your neck and doesn't lay in the "nook" between the clavicle bones. In my experience, it doesn't tilt forward very often either.

I had my eye on the 2.3ct "blue" diamond, also! But DH wanted me to wait on an upgrade until later this year...oh well! How did you convince yours to buy all of those lovely diamonds at once?!

Thanks for chiming in again, mom2boys. I'm glad to hear the Barbara pendant doesn't flip or tilt forward often. Yay!!

So sorry to learn I bought the "blue" diamond you had your eye on. I feel bad now!!

 

[Phoenix]

I'm a lil late but I was def going to vote pendant as well for all the already stated reasons above! I am sure you will absolutely it! Many congrats!

Thank you so much.

 

[mrssalvo]

I"m late too but I think you will be very happy with the pendant! It's going to be fantastic

 

[m-2-b]

No worries! I'm sure the right diamond will come around for me--the waiting is just killing me, especially w/ diamond prices going up the way they are! Please make sure to post tons of pics w/ whatever setting you choose to use the BGD blue diamond in. I'd be interested to see the flourescence aspect of it!