shape
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I never thought jewelry could make me cry! :(

mademoiselle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
4
Good afternoon!

First time, long time and all that. I'd like to keep this post short, since I am not sure whether my topic is appropriate or in the appropriate place.

A long, long time ago (so it seems - it's actually only been a month or two), my wonderful boyfriend made me the offer of a lifetime: find a ring I like, for less than $2k, and it's mine. To show y'all how far I've come, I'll tell you that my first inclination was to search ebay, and the home shopping network! I am so grateful for all the information I have been able to glean from PS, informational posts on the PS forum, and websites linked here.

But all this new information has been completely overwhelming! Yesterday, I asked him whether he'd rather just call the whole thing off! PS has shown me the wealth of information out there regarding gems, cuts, vendors, and settings. I see some of the beautiful settings pictured here, and the unusual e-rings posted, and all I can think of now is the work that must have been involved first picking the gem, cutting/re-cutting the gem, designing the setting, finding someone to fit the gem properly, etc. I just don't know if I could keep track of all that!

I've tried to keep careful track of all the information I've learned on just PS alone, but the more I learn, the less I know. I began wanting a sapphire ring in yellow gold, but now my head is spinning thinking of stone choices alone. I went from expecting to just pick something out at the mall, to now having my heart set on an antique looking setting, and finding a stone separately to place within. (Sapphire is expensive for its popularity, and I've seen beautiful jewelry here in other blue stones. Is a sapphire a worthwhile undertaking for a newbie? )

I would greatly appreciate any help someone might have to offer regarding finding a yellow gold (prefer 10 or 14kt for durability) setting. (Why does it seem like no one likes yellow gold anymore?!) I would prefer to reserve the majority of the budget for the stone itself, and I have no idea whether I like halo, or solitaire, 3 stone rings or 5 stone rings. I suppose I would just like to find a site with/specializing in yellow-gold settings. I want something unique and original, but I realize that I will not find something one-of-a-kind shopping online.

Thank you for your time, and your patience. I wasn't planning on posting on PS until I actually had something I was proud of to contribute, but desperate times...
 

Barrett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
2,218
Post away..you have come to the right place. Pricescope and it's members are here to help consumers just like you.
 

LD

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
10,261
Bonjour Mademoiselle and welcome :wavey:

Ok - first take a few deep breaths and relax! Read your post back and you'll see that actually you've come a long way! So far you've screened in:-

1. You want a sapphire (excellent choice for an e-ring)
2. You want a blue sapphire
3. You want a yellow gold setting
4. You want an antique type setting

So actually you've got the ideas already and just need to bring it to life!

Now you need to decide:

a. What size (in mm) do you want the sapphire to be - don't think in carat weight, think in size.
b. What shape suits your finger and what are you drawn to? Round, oval, square, rectangle, heart, marquise, pear??????
c. Have you seen any antique settings you like? If so, let's see the inspiration photos.
d. What colour blue are you looking for? That's very important as it affects the cost greatly (briefly the brighter more vivid blue, the more you pay.
e. What are your feelings about treatments to gemstones? Do you want is to be totally natural and untreated (if so, the cost will be higher). If you are okay with treatments, do you draw the line at any.
f. Are you happy to source the stone and setting separately?

Ok, so have a think about the above because it really will help to narrow down your thought process even more.

Post as many inspiration photos as you can because that'll give us all a good idea of what you like/don't like and you can bet that somebody will know exactly where to get what you want!
 

Justin_Cutter

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 20, 2011
Messages
543
Great advice LD!

mademoiselle: Don't lose hope! We are here to help ;))
~Justin
 

lavatea

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
519
Great post from LD. I haven't personally done much sapphire hunting, but I *think* a $2000 budget is doable. You'll have to stay away from some of the bigger named setters (I think - BGD or Whiteflash would take a biggish chunk out of that budget, right?) but JKT or DanielM both do gold settings for $1000 or less leaving around $1000 for the stone.
 

chloeishere

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
189
DanielM is well under 1000 (about $200 under) for a simple platinum setting, according to a recent check, so he should be even less for a 14k gold setting!

It sounds to me like you've already got a great start for figuring out what you want. That's half the battle! Here at pricescope, most people end up preferring to find their own stone, but you can also go to a trusted ring vendor and have them source the stone and make the setting for you. MichaelE would be a good choice for that, as he is both a cutter and a metal smith.

(DanielM works on etsy; MichaelE has a website. I believe both are in the trusted vendor sticky at the top of the page).

Next, I'd suggest taking a look at a lot of different settings and figure out what type of antique setting you like (getting a bunch of pictures of things you like is a great suggestion, and will help you figure out what elements you favor). Also, try and figure out what shade of blue sapphire you like-- darker or lighter, how saturated the color, do you like color modifiers or like a straight blue?

Good luck with your search!

ETA: Your budget is definitely doable, depending on how big or ideal a sapphire you would like (if you are looking for a 5 carat kashmir cornflower blue unheated sapphire... well, probably not). We finally have my e-ring ordered, and we came in at just under $600 for the entire ring (stone and setting purchased separately). I did invest a lot more time to find stones and settings within the price range, but it only makes the ring feel that much more "us".
 

mademoiselle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
4
Thanks to everyone so much for your kind attention. I agree with everyone that it would be more helpful to see pictures of what I like, but I'm having such a hard time narrowing it down.

May I ask for someone knowledgeable to please give me a recommendation regarding where to shop yellow gold settings? Doesn't have to be vintage or anything, just a place where I could get a start. I am not looking for an engagement ring; (my Mr. Wonderful and I have only been living together for a year, after all! :lol:) the reason why I immediately thought 'blue sapphire', but I am loving that blue sapphires have come back in style as engagement jewelry because I like solitaires.


I will try to give an idea of what I am looking for, but I feel these will probably all be pictures y'all have seen a million times:

-http://www.brilliantearth.com/Sapphire-Fancy-Halo-Diamond-Ring-Gold-BE1FH30R30-SY8X6OV/
*Beautiful, but not 'original' enough.

-http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=424072
*Why does everyone hate yellow gold? I love the ornate details, but something just doesn't click for me.

-http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/Antique-looking-Bezel-Pave.html
*I wish the prongs weren't so heavy. Too busy, I think. Although a top-down view of the same ring shows more interest, and less confusion.


If I may mention a little bit about myself to perhaps bring my style into slightly clearer focus: I'm a young woman in her early twenties that enjoys fashion from the 1840's and 1940's especially. I like classic styles and silhouettes. I spend most of my time swishing around my 1827 apartment's parlor in my peignoir sets. :D I know a lot of the women on PS are as 'classy' with a sophisticated simple elegance as I aspire to be, and I hope one of y'all would be willing to share with me pictures of one of your own beautifully original designs - in an engagement ring, gemstone ring, or RHR. S'il ti plait.


I'm starting to think maybe I'm just too picky... I must thank everyone for your patience with me.
 

Mom2SF

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
26
I haven't posted in over a year. I have a sapphire e-ring and love it, although it's super pale, almost white.

I just wanted to let you know that yellow gold and a pretty blue will look lovely together. Don't compromise.

One idea is to go to a local reputable jeweler and look at their settings - my local jeweler had what seem like hundreds of engagment ring settings on display all with CZ stones. They were willing to set my stone in any of their settings.

It was helpful that we had my stone in hand so they could order the correct "setting/prong style" - they also had a catalog for me to look at which was helpufl. I think DH paid less around $2200 for my ring total (including the stone) and I can go in anytime for an inspection and cleaning.

It can be done!
 

chloeishere

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
189
If a setting is available in white gold, it should almost always be available in yellow gold, too. So, if you see a setting you like in white gold, you can probably get it in yellow gold-- try not to let the color of the metal turn you off, as you can probably get the same setting in a different color.

Another thing to remember is that these settings are extremely magnified-- prongs that look ginormous on screen (blown up 100x the size), will probably look dainty and totally normal on the actual ring. That said, you like what you like!

Here's a few people on etsy to check out (note: I have no purchase experience with any of these sellers, they just came up for a search on yellow gold antique ring):
Most of these settings are in white gold, but the person does custom rings and any of them could be made in yellow gold: http://www.etsy.com/shop/artmasters?ref=seller_info#

This? http://www.etsy.com/listing/6940921...=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

This is an already sold halo by DanielM that I think you might like-- he does generally more modern or simple styles, but you could look through his sold items to see if he's done something you like in the past: http://www.etsy.com/transaction/59119706

ETA: I have a pretty different style from yours, so I may not have the best advice-- I appreciate antique style rings, but they aren't my personal style and I don't tend to wear them. So, I apologize if the links I gave are way off the mark!
 

pregcurious

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
6,724

vintagelover229

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
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Have you considered getting an actual vintage piece? There are many beautiful sapphires and I bet you could find a great one with that budget.

A nice 3 stone one in yellow gold
http://www.langantiques.com/products/item/30-1-4179

Very unique round and step cut sapphires and diamonds
http://www.langantiques.com/products/item/30-1-4142

A more delicate 3 stone (not sure how I feel about this one but I decided to include it anyways)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Sapphire-European-Diamond-Filigr-Ring-18K-White-/270788132962?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0c3b0062

Not sure how high this would go
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Platinum-Ceylon-Blue-Sapphire-Ring-Circa-1920-/360402798158?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e9ae464e

Dainty one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VICTORIAN-SAPPHIRE-DIAMOND-18CT-GOLD-RING-/200556014916?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_VintageFineJewellery_CA&hash=item2eb211ed44

Diamond center with a sapphire halo thats on sale
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-ART-DECO-40ct-DIAMOND-SOLITAIRE-SAPPHIRE-RING-/230567675021?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35aee7848d

Another diamond and sapphire side stones but with jeff cooper trellis setting
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JEFF-COOPER-SAPPHIRE-DIAMOND-LATTICE-ENGAGEMENT-RING-/370480489101?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56425ba28d

Vintage yellow gold cushion 5 stone sapphire and diamond ring
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-80-CUSHION-DIAMOND-SAPPHIRE-5-STONE-RING-1920-/270725801780?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0883e734

Nice filigree ring
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-DIAMOND-FILIGREE-ENGAGEMENT-RING-SAPPHIRES-1920-/170715623682?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_with_Accents&hash=item27bf71b102




Another 3 stone
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EDWARDIAN-SAPPHIRE-DIAMOND-RARE-RING-FREE-P-P-/370511743671?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_VintageFineJewellery_CA&hash=item5644388ab7

I really like this one with the sapphires down the sides with the diamond center
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ART-DECO-50-DIAMOND-SAPPHIRE-SOLITAIRE-ENGAGEMENT-RING-/160408570290?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25591889b2

This one looks like it has heart shaped sapphire side stones
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-DIAMOND-SAPPHIRE-ENGAGEMENT-RING-D-35CT-G-H-SI1-SIZE-6-5-UK-M1-2-14KW-/170717255313?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_with_Accents&hash=item27bf8a9691

Sapphire center stone bezel set with diamond side stones in yellow gold
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPECTACULAR-NATURAL-SAPPHIRE-DIAMOND-TRILOGY-RING-/190545535053?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_VintageFineJewellery_CA&hash=item2c5d66204d

Another 3 stone bezel
http://www.rubylane.com/item/480330-13253x20Decox20Diamondx20Sapphire/Art-Deco-18-Karat-Yellow

Really nice OEC center stone with sapphires
http://www.rubylane.com/item/514555-rl-621/2-17-Carat-Edwardian-Diamond

This one looks like it could have a nice center stone as well in YG with pear sapphire side stones
http://www.rubylane.com/item/514555-rl-706/1-10-Carat-Diamond-Sapphire

Unique one
http://www.rubylane.com/item/169313-2897/Stunningly-Beautiful-Sri-Lanka-Sapphire

A nice cluster sapphire ring
http://www.rubylane.com/item/518197-RGC10321V/Antique-Edwardian-Sapphire-Diamond-Cluster

Floral one
http://www.rubylane.com/item/445734-Ant-SapEueoDia-14KRing/Antique-Faceted-Sapphire-European-Cut

Another halo ring
http://www.rubylane.com/item/530807-09130-4278/Lady-Di-Sapphire-Diamonds-Ring

This is a bit high but I thought I'd include it just in case
http://www.rubylane.com/item/702524-L6906/Natural-1-50CT-Sapphire-Diamond

Victorian yellow gold one
http://www.rubylane.com/item/518197-RG0310227V/Antique-Victorian-Sapphire-Diamond-Heart

Princess cut one
http://www.rubylane.com/item/514555-rl-584/98-Princess-Cut-Diamond-Sapphire
 

Barrett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
2,218
Great post LD, preg, and vintage(and the others). Nice and very helpful
 

mademoiselle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
4
Thank you for your help! I am so happy to see so many complete rings in so many different unique settings. :) PS has made another happy gal! I will also investigate some pieces at one of the jewelers next time I go downtown.

I do however think I'm going to have to ask the little Mr. to donate another $1k or two to the cause... I guess I'll have to find out just how far "whatever makes you happy, darling" will stretch!

I am hesitant to close the thread in case someone else has a resource they may be willing to share with me. Thank you, again, for all your help.
 

distracts

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
6,131
I felt much the same way as you did when I started looking for an engagement ring! I wanted sapphire, and quickly realized sapphires are way harder to find than I'd previously thought. But look what I ended up with!

I'd go to a reputable jeweler in your area - not a mall chain store (in my experience, they don't have any good sapphires, just the weird black ones), but an independent store or boutique jeweler (in my case it was a diamond company, actually) - and ask to see sapphires. When I did this, I couldn't see any that day because they had to have them brought in, and I had to go back several times before I found the one I liked, but I did, and ended up with an amazing ring (I picked the setting at the same place as the sapphire, but that was really just luck). If your budget is $2000, you may want to look at heat-treated stones in addition to unheated ones. Even if you don't find a sapphire you like there, having seen them in person will give you a MUCH better idea of what colors and shapes you like. I thought I wanted a pale, steel blue sapphire, and ended up getting a vivid darker blue in a cushion cut, which had previously been my least favorite cut. As you narrow down what you want, you can have the store bring in sapphires more in line with your color/cut/size/treatment/price preferences, if you want to buy there, or you can know what you want when you look online.

And do the same thing for settings, though for this you can also go to a mall jeweler. Try them all on! What you like while looking at online may not be what you like while looking at it on your hand. And do know that just about all jewelers will be able to have the setting made for you in yellow gold, even if the display one is white gold.

Just remember that it will take some time and effort, but you'll end up with an amazing ring.
 

Imdanny

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
6,186
mademoiselle|1319491303|3046846 said:
(Why does it seem like no one likes yellow gold anymore?!)

It probably seems like that because white metals are so "in" right now but that doesn't mean no one likes yellow gold anymore!

Plenty of people do! Please see my avatar and "the gold thread" in the Jewelry Pieces forum and so on.

Yellow gold actually went above the price of platinum during this recent run up in gold prices! I don't know if that was only for a few hours or whether it actually closed on a given day above platinum but the price did surpass it!

People have used gold in jewelry for millennia. It's truly timeless for engagement rings and anything else. I'd say don't worry about that. Let that one go!

Plenty of people here get yellow gold for engagement rings. All the PS vendors offer it. For many of us it is and always will be our favorite precious metal.
 

distracts

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
6,131
Imdanny|1319524385|3047116 said:
Yellow gold actually went above the price of platinum during this recent run up in gold prices! I don't know if that was only for a few hours or whether it actually closed on a given day above platinum but the price did surpass it!

Gold closed above platinum on at least two days. I can't say offhand if it did on more because I don't check the prices every day. :???: Once was in August, once was more recently.

eta: oh, haha, gold is above platinum right now, actually.
 

Lady_Disdain

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
3,988
While gold is higher than platinum right now, per gram, that doesn't mean that a platinum ring will be cheaper than a gold one. There are three reasons:

- Density - platinum is denser than gold, so a platinum ring would be heavier than a similar ring in gold and, therefore, the raw materials would be more expensive
- Alloy - 18k gold is 75% gold, 25% other metals (traditionally, copper and silver but all sorts of exotic metals can added nowadays, for different characteristics such as tarnish resistance, richer color or better working properties, specially for casting). Platinum is usually alloyed at 95% platinum. So, the platinum ring would have more precious metal than a gold ring
- Working properties - gold is easy to work with. Any studio with basic equipment can alloy gold, roll it out to sheet and wire, shape it and solder it. Platinum requires much higher temperatures to alloy and solder, with more specialized know how and equipment.
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
What do you think about this ring? It is a custom piece from my favorite vendor! She would be happy to make something in 14k yellow gold that would perfectly fit whatever stone you find. This listing includes the moissanite, so I'm sure the mount itself would be less than $1000. That still leaves $1000 for the sapphire. I'm sure it could be done!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75763415/14k-rose-gold-moissanite-diamond
 

LD

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
10,261
Most of the settings you linked to have ovals as centre stones - are you leaning towards that shape?

I would highly recommend looking at www.simplysapphires.com for blue sapphires. There are some really good pictures and the owner is super nice. He will help you, especially if you tell him you're new to buying gemstones! He has all different colours, shapes and sizes AND he also discloses treatments so you know what you're getting.

I wouldn't recommend that you look at settings until you see THE stone! I made this mistake when I first started collecting and ended up with stones that didn't fit/match settings etc! A setting for an oval may look very different (and not so lovely) with a square stone.

Once you've found your stone you should contact DanielM (Etsy) and Sally (HeartofWater on Etsy) as both are very reasonable and do custom work. I can vouch for Sally's work as she's made a number of pieces for me and I've been super impressed by the quality. Yellow gold is possible with both.

Also, if you want to see settings and get an idea for what you like, many of us buy from Lanbo4 and Lordofgemrings (LOGR) both of whom have Ebay shops and sell semi-mounts. Most of their settings can be made in yellow gold and to fit a stone (although be warned that some settings cannot be adjusted).

Hope that helps.
 

NKOTB

Ideal_Rock
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stargurl78

Ideal_Rock
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Messages
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LD

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Messages
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stargurl78|1319567039|3047381 said:
Upgradable said:

I looovvveeee this ring!!!! I saw it a few weeks ago and saved it to my watch list but I'm trying to be good since I'm saving up for some diamond studs... To the OP, if you like pink, this ring is STUNNING!


The setting and diamonds are lovely BUT there is no information on the sapphire at all. In all honestly buying an antique setting with Old Mines/European diamonds of what looks like fairly good quality is probably worth the money alone - and consider the central sapphire almost free! However, if you are somebody who worries about treatments then I would definitely ask lots of questions before buying. It may be that the vendor can't answer though.
 

stargurl78

Ideal_Rock
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3,296

mademoiselle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
4
Whoops! I didn't mean to abandon the thread. It's nice to see that y'all are more interested in helping a poor newbie out than I would've thought! Thank you, again, for your kind advice.

I have been looking around town for a ring/stone I might like, and hoping I can find a jeweler I feel comfortable with, who's willing to give up some time holding my hand. It feels like it might be a lot to ask.

I have a few questions regarding ebay vendors: Is it unwise to trust someone who only lists stock photos? Stock photos normally set off my "They're going to take my money and run!!!" alarm most frequently. :lol: What should I look for when deciding whether or not to trust an ebay vendor? I'm mostly writing off anybody who refuses to allow someone to return items, is that wise? I ask because at this point, I'm leaning toward doing everything through a jewelry store, because it seems like a good portion of the ebay sellers make listings that could work in their favor, were they to choose to be dishonest. Obviously, though, I'm missing out on a lot, since there's a million times greater selection of items on the web. I'm very grateful to have PS as a resource for figuring out who to trust.

Thank you for the LOGR's ebay store recommendation. I'm finding it very helpful for getting ideas. I am not at all a fan of pink sapphires, but whoever suggested this Etsy sapphire: http://www.etsy.com/listing/6309626...phire&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5308472 has me right on the money! I'm just not as easily wooed by channel-set stones, and halos. However, I think the little Mr. will like the price tag. ;-)

My initial idea was to find a piece or someone to re-create a piece that looks more early-victorian or baroque. I soon found a lot of original pieces at estate jewelers to be out of my price range, so I was hoping for a historically-inclined jeweler to help me re-create a piece. Now, I'm thinking that this project is starting to drag on into Christmas, and I can get an actual antique piece, combining the two into an "early Christmas present"... :naughty: I am still searching for my perfect piece, however.

When I think of baroque, I think of heavy, intricate metalwork, scrolls and curls, natural/organic shapes taken from nature, and heavier stones set together. http://www.1stepbuy.com/en/all-jewe...ue-bijou-baroque-gem-necklace-gift-charm.html This is kind of close, but everytime I go to a jewelry store, I end up looking at something entirely different. The search continues!

Thank you, again, for your kindness in sharing your resources. I might have bought a Wal-mart diamond if it weren't for PS!
 
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