Help with setting for sapphire please

[TheElms]

Originally I thought I was going to get a custom setting for my sapphire e-ring, but for various reasons I decided against that.

So, I have narrowed my setting choice to two settings, which are very similar. As you can see from the photos the only difference is whether the ring shank is plain or has pave.





Also, I got the chance to try on the plain shank setting with my sapphire resting in the prongs. And then my lovely boyfriend photoshopped the plain shank to have pave on the shank.





I don't know what I'm going to do for a wedding band, so that's something to consider, but what would you pick and why? I like them both and I really don't know what to do.

 

[marymm]

Both look good, but for an ER, I think I really prefer the plain shank (and, *gorgeous* sapphire, by the way) !- and that would give you more choices for your wedding band and anniversary band(s).

 

[LD]

For an e-ring you can't beat a bit of bling! I'd go with the diamond shank BUT there are some drawbacks:-

(1) Pave makes a ring difficult to re-size. You never know if you'll need to do this in the future.
(2) You need to be careful that the diamonds don't rub your wedding ring which can cause chipping (a good design will eliminate this).

If you wanted a diamond wedding band then it'd look lovely with it (and then you could wear another diamond band on the other side of the e-ring as an eternity ring to complete the set!

 

[vickygigi]

Both look good, but for an ER, I think I really prefer the plain shank (and, *gorgeous* sapphire, by the way) !- and that would give you more choices for your wedding band and anniversary band(s).

I agree! I like the plain band. Your sapphire is beautiful enough. No need for added distraction. Your sapphire is to die for! Congrats!!!

 

[Niel]

i have a plain shank and i love it! then you can add diamond bands to either side. I think that would be pretty!

 

[TheElms]

Split in opinion - its exactly how I feel!

Thanks for all the kind comments about the sapphire. I know I'm very lucky. It's a Richard Homer concave cut. If I recall correctly its 1.52carats and the diameter is 7.2mm. I wasn't originally sold on the concave cut, but it looked so good indoors (which is where I spend the majority of my life) and I really wanted something that made me smile when I looked at it mid-work day. I know its not for everyone but it really works for me.

LD -- with the pave is it difficult to resize even if the pave only goes half way around?

Some bands that I have been thinking about are below as well as a plain band--

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/wedding-rings/ladies-anniversary-bands/-platinum--0.50ctw-share-prong-diamond-anniversary-ring-item-1167 (can't figure out how to post a picture).

 

[NKOTB]

Ooo, tough call. Both do look great. One thing to consider is the comfort of a plain shank. While I do have some rings with pave, if it rubs against the fingers on either side, it might bother me if I wore it every day. That might just be me, though.

Question: in the stock photo of the plain shank, it looks like part of it is polished, and part of it is matte. Is that part of the design? Or just something that is part of the photo for some reason?

 

[TheElms]

NKOTB - The polish is the same all the way around the shank of the ring in real life. I see what you mean in the stock photo and I think it was their attempt at making it look more realistic, but that's not what it looks like in real life!

I know what you mean about the comfort of a plain shank. I tried on e-rings with 3/4 pave and didn't like how it felt, but this ring is only 1/2. I tried on a different ring that had 1/2 pave and I didn't notice it nearly as much on the 3/4 pave.

 

[chrono]

I love melees down the shank, especially if it only goes partway down for durability (melees underneath will not get banged up), comfort (no pinching from the melees), and flexibility (can be resized a little). Fortunately, the band and shank you are considering aren't 2 or 3 sided pave so the risk of rubbing (wearing of metal and chipping of melees) is low.

Note that the Jeff Cooper etoile or scattered band you are considering cannot be resized.

 

[TheElms]

Chrono -- Oh I had no idea that etoile bands couldn't be resized. I just assumed you would arbitrarily pick a gap, call it the bottom, and add or subtract metal there. Thanks for pointing out this limitation. Could the ring be made smaller by the addition of sizing beads?

 

[chrono]

Due to the way the melees are set and spaced, the stones are likely to loosen if an etoile band is resized. I think sizing beads should work although I've never seen it on such a band.

 

[Niel]

Not sure if this is something to consider, but the plain band is more unique. Soooo many people have a halo with diamond shank.

 

[TheElms]

Nieseel - Yes,that is true that halos and diamond shanks are very trendy at the moment. I kind of figured I was already a bit unique because I had a sapphire rather than a diamond.

On the one hand I'm attracted to the contrast between the pave halo and the plain shank- it almost seems more modern to me. And I like the slightly increased durability.

On the other hand I like the very blingy look of the pave shank with the pave halo. And I feel like if I'm going to have a blingy piece it should be my e-ring (kind of along the lines of what Chrono and LD are saying).

 

[ingrid518]

Are you guys going for a matchy wedding rings? If so, consult the future husband. Some guys don't like sparkly rings. If you are not into the match wedding rings, a half eternity band will be my suggestion eliminating the worry for resizing.

Wishing you the best of luck in your decision.

 

[minousbijoux]

I also think for balance of design and detail that having bling on the band re pave is the way to go. However, I agree that it might be wise to figure out the wedding band first if you have a preference.

 

[LD]

If a ring only has pave a little way down the shank it can be resized probably no more than one size. HOWEVER, the jeweller MUST check all the pave claws to make sure that the diamonds are still held in place securely.

Think about how the resizing process takes place and you'll understand why some rings can't be resized. Look at one of your rings that has diamonds in it. If you cut open the shank at the bottom and then squeeze it inwards to make it smaller, the claws holding in the diamonds will move as you squeeze inwards - probably opening a little. Making a ring bigger, the claws on the diamonds get squished inwards putting more pressure on the diamonds AND that's just with one squeeze. In reality, resizing isn't just one swift process, it's usually a series of movements. So the stress to the existing ring/prongs/diamonds can weaken everything. Sometimes, you can't see where metal has weakened either and so it's only later on (weeks or months) that something will go pop. It takes a lot of time for a jeweller to check all the pave prongs and repair any that may be suspect. Some jewellers just give everything a cursory check and don't carry out repairs - just because it's a time/cost issue.

A swiss set ring is usually impossible to resize because diamonds are set in a perfectly sized hole - you play with the shank and that hole changes shape.

Hope that makes sense?

 

[distracts]

Well if offering my opinion is all about MY preference... I prefer plain-shank halos. I just think they look more elegant, idk why. I'm not opposed to pave shanks on them, but, really, you already have diamonds totally encircling the center stone, isn't that enough? But, then, uh, my ring is covered in pave all over so this may be a weirdly hypocritical view. But there's something about the halo that makes me just like a plain shank.

Also, looooooooove your sapphire.

 

[LD]

Let me just throw this one in there .............. (and I appreciate this is a personal opinion) the one without any diamonds on the shank looks like somebody started to make a diamond ring and then forgot the rest. It looks unfinished. To me, there's no flow to the design.

I'm not against plain shanks (have a number myself) but I would never combine a plain shank with a halo of diamonds. It's either plain or diamonds.

 

[chrono]

Or worse yet, it gives the impression that the owner is trying to work with a limited budget and can only afford the halo but not melees in the shank. I KNOW this isn't the case but unfortunately, there will be people out there who think like this.

 

[minousbijoux]

Let me just throw this one in there .............. (and I appreciate this is a personal opinion) the one without any diamonds on the shank looks like somebody started to make a diamond ring and then forgot the rest. It looks unfinished. To me, there's no flow to the design.

I'm not against plain shanks (have a number myself) but I would never combine a plain shank with a halo of diamonds. It's either plain or diamonds.

Exactly this! I could not have said it any better!

 

[Niel]

Well as someone with a plain shank halo i couldnt dissagree more. Its more casual and easy for upkeep. And i find them paired with a diamond band much more interesting. You really can only pair a melee shank halo with the matching band. Plain shank you have a million more option

 

[minousbijoux]

Well as someone with a plain shank halo i couldnt dissagree more. Its more casual and easy for upkeep. And i find them paired with a diamond band much more interesting. You really can only pair a melee shank halo with the matching band. Plain shank you have a million more option

These are all excellent points as well and I guess it just comes down to what's most important for the OP.

 

[LD]

Well as someone with a plain shank halo i couldnt dissagree more. Its more casual and easy for upkeep. And i find them paired with a diamond band much more interesting. You really can only pair a melee shank halo with the matching band. Plain shank you have a million more option

Completely disagree. I have a plain wedding band and often team it with a diamond shank e/ring (just to clarify - I don't have a particular e/ring but interchange).

It's all about personal preference and as Minou has said it's not about what we like/dislike. It's what the OP wants.

 

[pinkjewel]

To me a concave cut sapphire is more modern (by the way- I think it's beautiful!!), so I would go with the plain shank. My ER has diamond pave and engraving, but more and more, I'm wearing my DBL yellow diamond with pink diamond halo on my left hand instead. I find the smooth shank on that ring is just more comfortable.

But really- it will be beautiful either way, so you can't make a wrong decision.

 

[FrekeChild]

I can see both sides of the story. I have a plain shank as my ering, and I got it that way because I wanted to have a ring that would be as safe as possible, as comfortable as possible and require the least amount of maintenance as possible. But I have some paved shank erings as well (I have issues!) I tend to think of the pave shank as more aesthetically pleasing (looks more finished) but the plain shank looks hardier.

As for diamond shanks matching diamond band shanks - not necessary. I think you can pair any ring with any kind of shank and so long as the wearer likes it, that's all that matters! I pair mismatching bands and rings all of the time. In fact, the only rings I have that match are plain shanked ring with plain wedding band. You also see "mismatched rings" all over SMTB and RT and they are beautiful!

So if I had to chose, I'd go with plain. But that's because I like having lots of variety to dress up and dress down my rings!

 

[Niel]

Well as someone with a plain shank halo i couldnt dissagree more. Its more casual and easy for upkeep. And i find them paired with a diamond band much more interesting. You really can only pair a melee shank halo with the matching band. Plain shank you have a million more option

Completely disagree. I have a plain wedding band and often team it with a diamond shank e/ring (just to clarify - I don't have a particular e/ring but interchange).

It's all about personal preference and as Minou has said it's not about what we like/dislike. It's what the OP wants.

Let me be clear. I dont mean you cant wear it with a blain band im saying if you want to wear a diamond band your options are limited. With a plain shank you could go full diamond, plain, bezet, bezel, alternaiting diamond and CS, all CS, you can mix and match. Not the same with a diamond shank, a lot fewer options


I agree its really ops choice, but she asked for opinions and as someone who actually has a plain shank halo i wanted to express the benefits i see in that style

 

[TheElms]

Wow - have a busy day at work and log on to find a real debate. I love it! Obviously this is a personal decision but I do find it helpful to hear why people prefer plain over pave or vice versa.

I sort of see why people might think a pave halo with a plain shank looks unfinished or as though there were budget concerns. I think this is particularly problematic with rounds and cushions, but strikes me as less the case with fancy shapes. I think it also depends on how your stone is set and whether it has miligrain.

Nieseel I definitely don't think your pear e-ring looks unfinished and I think its the combination of the pear shape and the bezel setting with the milligrain. But I have seen some round and cushion halos with plain shanks that look unfinished to me and I think my setting might fall in that category because the halo is so simple. On the other hand, I think the fact its a sapphire helps make it look intentional as opposed to unfinished, but maybe I'm just rationalizing! SO I think at the moment I'm leaning towards plain shank.

My only worry about having a plain shank is pairing it with a pave wedding band. If the pave on the band matched the halo to me it might look off center -- like the center stone was on the wrong band. But I think as long as the size of the diamonds on the halo and the wedding band were different or if there were colored stones on the wedding band it would look fine to me.

As to the wedding band, at the moment I really like the James Allen single prong band from the link I posted. I worry this is too impractical for me (but its so pretty!!!). I really did want something more durable, but maybe oh well. I'd need a spacer right?
How do you think the shared prong would look with the plain shank?

 

[LD]

Are you near to a jewellery store? If so why not pop in and try on some wedding sets. See whether you prefer diamond or non diamond. I hear you completely that if you went plain with a diamond wedding band, from above the ring could look off centre. To avoid that you could have another diamond band on the other side (any excuse for more diamonds)!

I really think you need to see and try on a few rings to see what grabs you. You never know, you may end up with some other ideas!!!!

 

[pregcurious]

I think it's a personal preference and lifestyle choice. I have a plain wedding band and a diamond eternity (anniversary) ring to wear as bands. I wear the plain wedding band in the winter (size 4.25) and when I am working with my hands. When I want something dressy, and/or for most of the summer, I wear the eternity band (size 5). I am working on a reset of my engagement diamond with a plain shank, and probably some kind of melee or side diamonds on top. Just go with what you like best.

 

[Niel]

does it have to be one of the two of those settings? because, if you say you are pretty active, and are concerned that a diamond w band might be too impractical, than it might be impractical to have diamond in the band too. I find, a split shank seems to make a plain shank look a little more finished

http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/halo-french-set-diamond-engagement-ring-in-14kt-white-gold/6128



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