IRINA - Need your design/photoshop talents!

[aljdewey]

You know that I have been slowly working on stones for a leverback dangle earring project.

I''m hoping you can help me visualize a few options so I can narrow down my project. (Anyone else who''d like to contribute suggestions, photoshop expertise, etc.; please feel free, too!)

So, let''s start with a baseline photo. This is a photo of my peridot dangle leverback earrings on my ear. For size scale, the small stud in my second hole is a 16-pointer. The peridot measure 8mm x 8mm x 8mm without the halo - just the peridot itself.

The stones I''m using for this project are .75s.....about 5.8mm.

 

[aljdewey]

Here are two more pics of the leverback earrings for different views on the upper portion of the finding.....also a good illustration of how the dangling portion of the piece attaches to the hinged leverback portion.

This particular earring has that diamond-shaped melee area; the new earrings won't have that. I'd ideally like to see it flare out similar to teardrop style in just metal. (in another thread, I posted a picture of the dangle earring, and one of the gals suggested this modification. I can't find the thread for it now, but maybe you know which one I'm speaking of? It was within the last 3 months, I think.

 

[aljdewey]

......

 

[pricescope]

Sure Al, let''s clarify peridot''s measurements - 8mm is form prong to prong, right?

 

[aljdewey]

Yes, it''s 8mm from prong to prong....without the melee halo. And thanks, Irina - you''re the BEST.

I''ve been DYING to work on this with you since we spoke on it briefly, and this is probably the most excited I''ve ever been about a custom project because of it.! YAY!

 

[aljdewey]

One possibility is to use the Bellerina form for the drop portion of the earring.....but if I did that, it would have to be in yellow gold to match the top, and I'm not sure how that would look.

Also, I wonder how it would look if I were to forgo the melee and have the side swirls be either 1) open circles, or 2) filled in with yellow gold as well - more swirls, if you will.

I get the feeling this might look a bit more substantial than the look I'm going for, but if there's a way to photoshop/mock it up, I'd be interested in seeing it visually.

 

[aljdewey]

Another possibility: I've always loved the openness of the head in this collage, and I wonder about a way to make this head the dangling portion of the earring.

Now, this stone pictured measures 8.42 mm.......in a 6-prong setting. Since my stones will be smaller, I would only want either 3- or 4-prongs to preserve the profile look of this head. I like that scoopy line of the "u" shape in the prongs, and I like that the dip in the prong comes almost down to the culet of the stone, leaving most of the stone showing. If I had 6 prongs, there wouldn't be as much space between the prongs, and it would defeat the open, wide scoopy look that appeals to me about this head.

 

[aljdewey]

This mark-up shows a bit better what I'm thinking of.......I don't want the upside-down portions below the U swoop of the prongs.

The blue arrow shows just how low the prong swoops down, leaving the sides of the stone very visible (and cleanable!).

Essentially, I want to see everything to the left of the red line in the close-up picture. I think one possibility is to leave the melee as it's shown between the prongs; another would be to have an open diamond cutout there. However, in order to have this structurally sound, it would likely need a 'base circle' or support below the red line. That's where the next picture comes into play......

 

[aljdewey]

Here is one way to achieve that.....

The left picture shows what I'm thinking.....a circle or rim circumference that the prongs are built from. I don't want it to be especially thick......thinking thinner, much like the base circle on the bottom of the piece on the right.

I envision that circle is where the little loop will be placed to connect this dangling piece to the leverback piece.....

 

[aljdewey]

On this next part, I''m really looking for input and opinions from several. ....

I wear mostly yellow gold.....most of you have seen pics of my e-ring, which is a yellow shank with platinum heads. Same with my wedding ring.

However, I think it might look a bit too disjointed if the entire hanging portion (head) was white, connected to the yellow leverback.

I wonder if it might look ok to make the base circle yellow gold, and to only make the swoop prongs that rise from it in white? So, essentially, in the picture with the red line above, everything to the right of the red line would be in white gold, and the base circle that it sits on could be yellow? Would like to get a sense for how this would look.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/16/2007 10:23:51 PM
Author: aljdewey
One possibility is to use the Bellerina form for the drop portion of the earring.....but if I did that, it would have to be in yellow gold to match the top, and I'm not sure how that would look.

Also, I wonder how it would look if I were to forgo the melee and have the side swirls be either 1) open circles, or 2) filled in with yellow gold as well - more swirls, if you will.

I get the feeling this might look a bit more substantial than the look I'm going for, but if there's a way to photoshop/mock it up, I'd be interested in seeing it visually.

I don't know how formal you want to go - but aquamarines or topaz or colored blue diamonds might be really pretty in the waves/swirls (if you don't want TOO formal)

ETA oops sorry, you're still presenting LOL ::bows out of the way:: do carry on

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/16/2007 10:47:32 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 5/16/2007 10:23:51 PM
Author: aljdewey
One possibility is to use the Bellerina form for the drop portion of the earring.....but if I did that, it would have to be in yellow gold to match the top, and I''m not sure how that would look.

Also, I wonder how it would look if I were to forgo the melee and have the side swirls be either 1) open circles, or 2) filled in with yellow gold as well - more swirls, if you will.

I get the feeling this might look a bit more substantial than the look I''m going for, but if there''s a way to photoshop/mock it up, I''d be interested in seeing it visually.

I don''t know how formal you want to go - but aquamarines or topaz or colored blue diamonds might be really pretty in the waves/swirls (if you don''t want TOO formal)

ETA oops sorry, you''re still presenting LOL ::bows out of the way:: do carry on

Hi, Sara:

No, I''m not still presenting.....that''s it so far.

Yanno, I thought about putting blue diamonds into the swirls....and that''s possibility. Aquas wouldn''t really work; although I love them and really want them in some future piece, they would likely be too small here to show blue enough, and they don''t do well in ultrasonic cleaning. U/S cleaning is a must for these earrings.

Here''s the thing: I''m not a huge ''dress-up'' person. My company is 5-day casual, and there are many times I wear jeans and a corduroy shirt or a sweater, and I want something with simple lines. I love those green earrings, but I don''t wear them as often as I''d like because they really look a bit "too much" with some more casual daily wear.

Some of that is likely a function of their size and the halo melee, I''m sure. It would be interesting to see how that would look - the blue.

 

[pricescope]

Wowh...whowhooo! slow down girl! i am not following have a mercy on my English.
Bellerina was made for the dangles long time ago so here it''s with your size diamond in yellow gold, the rest i need to think over

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/16/2007 11:03:05 PM
Author: Pricescope
Wowh...whowhooo! slow down girl! i am not following have a mercy on my English.
Bellerina was made for the dangles long time ago so here it''s with your size diamond in yellow gold, the rest i need to think over

Hehehheehe - no problem, Irina. Just wanted to get as much info out there as I could so that you''d have everything to play with.

Also, I figured that knowing what kind of look I''m trying to get to and what I like might help spur other ideas in you that I hadn''t thought of.

Thanks for the visual on the Bellerina - that helps!

 

[pricescope]

So would you prefer 3 or 4 prongs? Personally i don''t think you should limit to 3 for such diameter.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/16/2007 10:54:14 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/16/2007 10:47:32 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 5/16/2007 10:23:51 PM
Author: aljdewey
One possibility is to use the Bellerina form for the drop portion of the earring.....but if I did that, it would have to be in yellow gold to match the top, and I''m not sure how that would look.

Also, I wonder how it would look if I were to forgo the melee and have the side swirls be either 1) open circles, or 2) filled in with yellow gold as well - more swirls, if you will.

I get the feeling this might look a bit more substantial than the look I''m going for, but if there''s a way to photoshop/mock it up, I''d be interested in seeing it visually.

I don''t know how formal you want to go - but aquamarines or topaz or colored blue diamonds might be really pretty in the waves/swirls (if you don''t want TOO formal)

ETA oops sorry, you''re still presenting LOL ::bows out of the way:: do carry on

Hi, Sara:

No, I''m not still presenting.....that''s it so far.

Yanno, I thought about putting blue diamonds into the swirls....and that''s possibility. Aquas wouldn''t really work; although I love them and really want them in some future piece, they would likely be too small here to show blue enough, and they don''t do well in ultrasonic cleaning. U/S cleaning is a must for these earrings.

Here''s the thing: I''m not a huge ''dress-up'' person. My company is 5-day casual, and there are many times I wear jeans and a corduroy shirt or a sweater, and I want something with simple lines. I love those green earrings, but I don''t wear them as often as I''d like because they really look a bit ''too much'' with some more casual daily wear.

Some of that is likely a function of their size and the halo melee, I''m sure. It would be interesting to see how that would look - the blue.

Oh good - then I put a firm vote in for blue diamonds (and actually for this I''d like the colored ones with the slightly teal look to play off the waves... yum!!!) If you were going for really dressy then I''d just do all diamonds, but if these are for every day earrings I think the bellarina with blue diamonds would be just awesome!!!!!!!! I want a pair too! LOL

 

[Kaleigh]

Love the thoughts so far!!! Only thing I''d like to add is to make the french lever back more rounded than linear. Not totally round, but swoopy, as the Bellerina has a swoopy feel to it. Fun project!!!

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/16/2007 11:11:46 PM
Author: Pricescope
So would you prefer 3 or 4 prongs? Personally i don''t think you should limit to 3 for such diameter.

My first inclination was a preference for 3 prongs, but I have to admit I don''t really care how many prongs there are. I''m more concerned with preserving the spready/scoopy wide look of the U line of the prong, so if I could get that and still fit 4 prongs, I''m good with that.

What I''m trying to get at? Obviously, more prongs around a smaller stone means less space between the prongs, and the thing that appeals to me about this head is the W I D E open view of the pavilion between the prongs.

 

[pricescope]

I got it, then bellerina is out and i need to sleep on your earrings (hehehe tiny pun), what do you think of making the "support ring" bigger? Imagine it's just bit smaller than the girdle...you will see all the pavilion then.

ETA: I agree with you Kaleigh aesthetic wise but the important part of the engineering is to take into consideration balance of the whole piece - mass center and all that math. So it's better be left for the makers of the earrings to curve after the diamond part is made.

 

[aljdewey]

As a basis.....here is my current .55 stud (5.40 mm) in a 3-prong setting......

 

[aljdewey]

Here is one of the actual stones I''ll be using (5.8mm), temporarily set in a 4-prong basket setting.

I think you''re right, Irina.....I think the 4-prongs are spaced enough to still get the look from the side that I like. Thoughts?

 

[aljdewey]

Here''s how the prongs look spaced from the top view down in the 4-prong setting right now.......I''m happy with this look, provided it looks open from the side.

 

[pricescope]

Al, i just made a design in my head i am very exited about, need time to make a picture. It has all you want - pavilion open, modified 3 prongs, bellerina part and tear drop overall shape i think is the best for dangle earrings too. Photoshopping will take time though, is it urgent?

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/16/2007 11:29:51 PM
Author: Pricescope

I got it, then bellerina is out and i need to sleep on your earrings (hehehe tiny pun), what do you think of making the ''support ring'' bigger? Imagine it''s just bit smaller than the girdle...you will see all the pavilion then.

So if I understand you correctly, you''re saying that support ring would be almost as wide as the diameter of the stone? Do I have that right?
Honestly, I think that would be fine as long as it didn''t change the look of the graceful line between the prongs. That swoop reminds me of the same architectural line of the Gateway Arch pictured below. THAT''s the line I want to see in the head that cups the diamond.

If a wide support circle runs underneath, that''s fine.

 

[aljdewey]

No, Irina - not urgent. Just finished picking out the matching stone, so I can move on this project any time, but I''m not pressing or hurrying to get it done for immediate use. The only important date on the horizon that I''d like to have them for is an early October wedding.

I''d rather get the design right and not rush it, so take whatever time you need to ponder it.

 

[aljdewey]

This might help illustrate what I''m trying to preserve....

The top photo is the head of my e-ring. It''s beautiful, and I love it......but it looks more V-like than sweeping U-like.

I''m sure part of that is a function of the stone size. Both are 6-prong settings, but mine houses a 7.00mm stone and the other one holds a 8.4mm stone......big difference. So, there is more room to accommodate the ''swoop'' on the larger stone. My thought was ''the only way to maintain the swoop is the reduce the number of prongs, hence restoring the spacing needed to get that spready look.

However, it looks as though the spready looking one occurs partly because the bottom of the head tapers in (almost peg-like). I''m wondering if the larger support ring will diminish that spready/swoop feel?

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/16/2007 11:29:51 PM
Author: Pricescope

ETA: I agree with you Kaleigh aesthetic wise but the important part of the engineering is to take into consideration balance of the whole piece - mass center and all that math. So it''s better be left for the makers of the earrings to curve after the diamond part is made.

Yes, the balance of this is important. One thing I like about the green earrings is they are balanced to face perpendicular to the floor.....they don''t slant downward or tilt toward the floor.

That''s a concern for me, too. I know most diamond leverbacks are done on a stationary back (welded to it), and that prevents tipping/dipping. However, it also prevents the diamond from swinging freely, and that''s something I want. I want the stones to move.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/16/2007 11:21:44 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/16/2007 11:11:46 PM
Author: Pricescope
So would you prefer 3 or 4 prongs? Personally i don''t think you should limit to 3 for such diameter.

My first inclination was a preference for 3 prongs, but I have to admit I don''t really care how many prongs there are. I''m more concerned with preserving the spready/scoopy wide look of the U line of the prong, so if I could get that and still fit 4 prongs, I''m good with that.

What I''m trying to get at? Obviously, more prongs around a smaller stone means less space between the prongs, and the thing that appeals to me about this head is the W I D E open view of the pavilion between the prongs.

that ring in 4 prongs sounds like kristydarling''s custom james allen (before her leon) .... exactly like that actually. Of course she has a big stone too LOL

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/16/2007 11:43:23 PM
Author: aljdewey
Here is one of the actual stones I''ll be using (5.8mm), temporarily set in a 4-prong basket setting.

I think you''re right, Irina.....I think the 4-prongs are spaced enough to still get the look from the side that I like. Thoughts?

KD''s ring wasn''t sound and the prongs kept getting loose.... 4 swoopy prongs without a support bar will need to be fairly thick.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 12:59:55 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

KD's ring wasn't sound and the prongs kept getting loose.... 4 swoopy prongs without a support bar will need to be fairly thick.

Good points, but in response to both of them.....

* I wasn't proposing 'no' support bar so much as saying I don't want the width of such a bar to negate the arch look.
* A ring endures far more abuse and is subject to far more strenous conditions than a dangly earring, so the earring may not have to built to withstand an 8.0 earthquake.....if that makes sense.