Help! Too many (good) choices!

[lsyama]

(First time posting, and oddly, I''m a bit nervous...)

I''m thinking of getting either a concave cut blue sapphire from Richard Homer, a Mozambique tourmaline from Precious Gemstones, or a pastel sapphire also from Precious Gemstones.
The stones are round, between 6-7mm diameter.

My first problem is deciding which of these to get!
The second problem is deciding on a setting.

I like the Boone tension settings, particularly the Venus and Sculpted Round.
The tension settings appeal to me because they''re so unique, and pretty darn cool!
I also fell in love with quaeritur''s ring...
But for some reason, I have the feeling that these settings would work better with a diamond rather than a colored stone.

Another option is the Whiteflash Antique-Style ring.
(I still need to check that Whiteflash would set my stone...)
I think the antique style really compliments colored stones.

Opinions/advice would me much appreciated!

 

[Skippy123]

I love the Boone tension 2nd one. I am not crazy about the sapphires you have posted. I don't know if it is the pictures but they don't look as sparkly as the tourmaline. It is exciting to have a project and welcome to PS

 

[Kismet]

If you want a tension setting then you better check with your jeweler to see what he''ll set in a tension setting first. Tourmaline may be too soft for a tension setting and you may have to be careful as to how included the stone is too.

I love the color of the pastel sapphire on the far right. Very pretty indeed.

 

[twodoor2]

I would not tension set anything unless it were a diamond.

 

[chrono]

I would think that most gemstones would be too soft for tension setting. It also needs to be practically inclusion free as well. I''d check with the setter/designer first as to which gemstone he would recommend before buying the setting.

 

[Stone Hunter]

WELCOME to PS

Maybe you could find a non tension setting that has the look of those. The settings you posted all look very nice.

I certainly understand about not knowing/being able to decide what to buy. Many stones appeal to me too! I''d like to buy more than one this month! So far I''ve just done alot of research and tried to find vendors that other PSers like and looked at stones online. I think that if you''re new to colored stones it takes a certain amount of knowledge before you''re comfortable making that first purchase.

Good Luck

 

[lsyama]

Thanks for the advice!
I hadn''t really thought about the problems associated with tension setting a "softer" stone - thanks for pointing that out.

If I can figure out how to post a photo, here''s the Richard Homer sapphire.
Hopefully I''ll be receiving photos of the pastel sapphires and tourmaline soon.
(I actually purchased this pastel sapphire from Precious Gemstones several years ago, had it set in the Vatche Royal Crown, and I love it!)

 

[lsyama]

I love the color!

 

[lsyama]

I find the curvature of the side view a bit odd (compared to diamonds), but I guess it''s not uncommon for colored stones.

 

[chrono]

Yes, the curvature is needed to get the right angles to preserve the best colour and brilliance in the gemstone. That blue sapphire has such a lovely shade of blue - not too dark and not too light.

 

[lsyama]

From Precious Gemstones, left to right:
1.02 blue tourmaline
1.12 green tourmaline
1.40 unheated violetish blue pastel sapphire (no cert)
1.78 unheated light greenish blue (cert)

 

[lsyama]

Same stones, but in different lighting (outside, but rainy)

 

[lsyama]

Hmm, not sure if anyone will see this, but I''ll try anyway...

I just heard back from Whiteflash - the Design Team said their Antique 3-stone setting (photo attached) cannot accommodate the Richard Homer sapphire.
(Specific reasons were not given, but perhaps it''s the depth of the sapphire?)

Anyhow, I''m rather bummed and not sure what to do next.
Jamie (from Whiteflash) asked if I''d be interested in a custom design.
I am... but I''m a bit afraid of what that might cost!
Any idea of how much more it would cost for a custom design?
(Side note: The antique 3-stone setting is $2,300 in platinum)

I think I''ll poke around in the RockyTalky forum to see if I can find price info...

 

[chrono]

Probably the depth and "belly" bulge of the stone is preventing it from fitting into the setting. Can WF not make any modifications to semi-custom the setting to get the Homer stone in?

 

[Stone Hunter]

Oh that''s too bad.