i''m new--Michael B advice please!

[reena]

 

[valeria101]

The style of the Icestore setting is not uncommon - you can find close matches at NiceIce and Diamonds by Lauren but also at Precisionset and Richard Landi. Neither of these options seems to take shortcuts on quality, as far as I know.

You may find the refferences on THIS older thared useful. And yes, all these are pave. It would be quite a bit harder to set those little diamonds on prongs around the center stone

 

[reena]

Thanks--the reason I asked about prong set is that I remember reading posts where people said that they had opted for a sort of mini-prong set that looks a lot like pave but which is sturdier. Am I going crazy?

 

[valeria101]

That is an option for the band of the ring, I think.

I have yet to see the type of setting applied for the frame surrounding a diamond - like in the settings you have pointed out. This does not mean there is no such thing, of course! Just not the examples I know of (and hinted at)....

For example, THIS is a bezel surrounded by prong-set dimaonds to me. Quite different, I would think.

 

[reena]

ah, yes, i see. agreed. i would imagine that the pave would not be as troublesome (in terms of stones falling out) around the stone as they would be on the band, so perhaps that should be my concern. still, i would think that with a quality setting like a michael b, i would be fine as long as i brought the ring to be checked semi-frequently.

still wondering, though, if i could have the michael b setting copied by a jeweler for substantially less. any advice?

 

[valeria101]

Pave does not have to be fragile. No idea about ordering a setting - it would depend on the maker. But, I would think that the price already varies among the other look-alike models. MB is supposed to be among the more expensive - so perhaps another ready made model could be worth it?


Just a thought, of course

and two pages of rings at Niceice and the Framed rings at DBL...

 

[reena]

those links are great--thanks.

i loved the framed rings at DBL. I also ADORE this one (second row down, all the way to the right). What do you think?

http://www.artofplatinum.com/frames/thumbs.htm

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On 7/13/2004 3:48:15 PM valeria101 wrote:


Pave does not have to be fragile. No idea about ordering a setting - it would depend on the maker. But, I would think that the price already varies among the other look-alike models. MB is supposed to be among the more expensive - so perhaps another ready made model could be worth it?


Just a thought, of course

and two pages of rings at Niceice and the Framed rings at DBL...


----------------

 

[musette]

Hi!

I'm new too. I just posted a response to another Michael B. retailer question, so I apologize in advance for the duplication of information.

I have a customed designed bezel-set round brilliant sapphire (1.67c) surrounded by pave diamonds on a pave diamond basket on a Michael B. 2mm pave (single row) diamond band (1c tdw). I wear it everyday, have two very active kids, and own an arts & crafts shop where the ring takes a constant beating. I am really hard on my jewelry, and so far no signs of loose diamonds, etc., and I've had the ring for several months. The pave band feels as solid and smooth as a plain platinum band. I find the ring extremely comfortable--the pave band is slightly rounded at the edges, so it just glides on and off. However, I did try the Michael B. three-sided diamond rings from the Trois Collection, and I found those to be a bit bulky for my hands because the diamonds above and below add a little depth to the ring. I'm also a pianist, and although I take off all my rings when practicing/performing, the Michael B. single row pave band is so thin and comfortable that I can actually play with it on. Would be too distracting to the audience though!

Deborah

Hope this info helps. I love my Michael B. setting. I spent so long looking for the perfect ring that it was a year late for my 10th wedding anniversary!

Deborah

 

[Mara]

I think someone else already posted the Precision Set rings but if not, check out their website, they have similar pave and prong set styles to the Michael B line. Also A Jaffe has a nice non-eternity similar style prong set thin set.

I was in love with Michael B's items but our jeweler noted that it may not be safe long-term for such a thin band with relatively little metal protecting those pave stones from daily wear. Since I am hard on my hands and wear my rings all the time, we decided to go custom with a similar style to MB rings in terms of the pave look, but we got prong-set stones, a thicker band, and a Stuller Solstice head. The look is very similar to the MB row of diamonds...but it was done with more platinum and I have more total carat weight on a slightly thicker band. I had my wedding ring custom done as well with H&A stones in a prong-set eternity style to sit flush with my e-ring.

My ring set is similar to the MB one, it really looks a bit more like the Precision Set wedding sets, but I didn't even know about those when we were looking. However, I have never seen a ring set EXACTLY like mine, the closest was in a store in Carmel but the head was different. So it's kind of fun having something different. My pictures are in the Show me the Ring forum.

When you are talking pave and prong-set eternity, there are so many styles out there that are so similar, that I don't know how copyrights of this very popular and common style even works. If you end up not being able to find something that works for you in terms of style and budget, I highly recommend going custom and piecemealing all the things you like from what you have seen into one design that is your own. It may be cheaper as well than going with a designer if they don't have EVERYTHING you want in one setting..which is what we were finding (aka one had thin band but pave with too little metal, or too much metal and not enough stone, etc).

Good luck!

 

[reena]

Thanks. I just found a jeweler in NYC who makes beautiful micropave settings, and he says he does do rings with the pave around the stone as well as on the band. (Before anyone jumps on me, I didn't ask him to copy the Michael B, or any other, setting! I just asked about that general style.

) He estimated that it would run around $3k--less than half than that of the Michael B setting--so that was good news (more for the BF than for me)!