IRINA - Need your design/photoshop talents!

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 12:04:45 AM
Author: 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.

okay forget what I said if you want a support bar.... and I''m giggling here over your arch - I used architectural arches (gothic) for my ring LOL

 

[Cehrabehra]

just for refresher here is the lockes-like KD JA 4 prong ring - which I *love* the airiness of....

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 12:57:31 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

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

Precisely - her stone is 3.5 ct! Since my stone is smaller, I have to factor that in when figuring out what will preserve the spready look with less total circumference real estate.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 1:05:36 AM
Author: Cehrabehra
just for refresher here is the lockes-like KD JA 4 prong ring - which I *love* the airiness of....

EXACTLY - that is precisely the feel I am trying to preserve........in fact, it''s the head of a locke''s solitaire that I used to show the swoop. LOL

That''s EXACTLY the look I want......want it to look like the diamonds are just floating and UBER visible.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 1:07:30 AM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/17/2007 12:57:31 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

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

Precisely - her stone is 3.5 ct! Since my stone is smaller, I have to factor that in when figuring out what will preserve the spready look with less total circumference real estate.

oh I hear ya! my stone being the size it is is allowing me to indulge my 8 prong fantasy AND have naked stone views hehehe

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 1:10:44 AM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/17/2007 1:05:36 AM
Author: Cehrabehra
just for refresher here is the lockes-like KD JA 4 prong ring - which I *love* the airiness of....

EXACTLY - that is precisely the feel I am trying to preserve........in fact, it''s the head of a locke''s solitaire that I used to show the swoop. LOL

That''s EXACTLY the look I want......want it to look like the diamonds are just floating and UBER visible.

its a tough balance to maintain the swoops and the airiness.... what if the prongs were straight up and down with the swoop between them? Or *almost* striaght up and down... kd''s in this ring are fairly up and down, but the more up and down they are the farther from the pavillion they are which gives the stone its air.... and granted you won''t need the prongs to hold a 3.5 carat stone, but I''d make them ust a wee bit thicker because the angle is a bit awkward for support wthout a bar other than the swoop.... this is all fun to talk about but I just really want to see what irina comes up with!!!!

 

[TravelingGal]

What a fun project! I''ll be keeping my eye on this one.

I LOVE the bellerina leverback earrings...those are exactly what I would love in platinum, so it''s nice to see it can be done pretty easily!

 

[pricescope]

Date: 5/16/2007 10:37:45 PM
Author: 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.....

Al i made this moke up of what you described 4 U-shaped prongs for you to use when ordering. If it's what you want well here you are

, if not tell me how and what to change.

I see conflict here though, that's why i made it dangle the way it WOULD because of mass center. See the red line, it's how it will always hang if "jump ring" will be as in your peridot earrings - on top and the dangling part hanging freely.
Now please see the red arrow - if that's the point where the lock part attached to the circle as on the left Leon's picture you posted - then forget dangling freely.

The beauty of your peridot's earring balance is that "jump" is in the plain of the girdle, therefor is aligned with the mass center. That's how i am going to design your dangles. please let me know if i managed to explain myself.

I also can give fun paper model exercise for those who have kids very clearly demonstrating what mass center is for a plain figure. Do you know that mass center of a body can be outside that body?

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 9:41:08 AM
Author: Pricescope

I see conflict here though, that's why i made it dangle the way it WOULD because of mass center. See the red line, it's how it will always hang if 'jump ring' will be as in your peridot earrings - on top and the dangling part hanging freely.
Now please see the red arrow - if that's the point where the lock part attached to the circle as on the left Leon's picture you posted - then forget dangling freely.

The beauty of your peridot's earring balance is that 'jump' is in the plain of the girdle, therefor is aligned with the mass center. That's how i am going to design your dangles. please let me know if i managed to explain myself.

Irina, I LOVE the line of the prongs in your mock-up - that captures the look I'm trying to keep. I didn't realize KD's ring was similar to the Locke setting lines, and I actually prefer KD's lines even more, so that's perfect.

Regarding the hanging.....if I understand you, you're saying that if the jump ring is attached to the support circle, the earring cannot help but tip forward/down a bit because of the stone's center of gravity? Is that right? This has been my fear/concern from the outset, and it's part of my dilemma. I want the open, airy, swoopy prong look, but it's hard to have a proper place on such a design from which the diamond can hang.

What if the jump ring were moved closer to the girdle? On one of the prongs, for example? I've mocked with a red square and a blue square two possible places to attach it, but I can't determine if there would be enough room on a prong like this to have the jump ring?

If the ring were to move to a prong, it would change the orientation of the prongs in a face-on view, too. They would be positioned at N-S-E-W instead of at NE-SE-NW-SW. I don't necessarily mind that, but I realize the in the side view, it would mean the prong would sit in the middle of the view (------I-----) and wouldn't show the pure arch from the side. This might be the compromise I have to make, though, to make the design work.

From the mock-up, I suspect that this would look too odd if the diamond housing was white gold with the dangle being yellow. I'd like to see what it would look like if the whole thing was yellow.

We are DEFINITELY on the right track, though - if there is a way to resolve the mass center puzzle.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 9:41:08 AM
Author: Pricescope
Do you know that mass center of a body can be outside that body?

Hmmmm......

I wonder the way to balance the center of gravity on the hanging part of the stone lies in perhaps counterbalancing by adding weight to the rear part of the leverback portion?

 

[pricescope]

Date: 5/17/2007 10:27:41 AM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/17/2007 9:41:08 AM
Author: Pricescope
Do you know that mass center of a body can be outside that body?

Hmmmm......

I wonder the way to balance the center of gravity on the hanging part of the stone lies in perhaps counterbalancing by adding weight to the rear part of the leverback portion?

let's clarify first are we going to 1. "dangle freely" - peridot model OR 2. leverback's lock - part placed on the dangling part (left Leon's earring picture)?
My understanding is that you want 1 model (and i would too if it was for myself), in this case it does not matter if we "adding weight to the rear part of the leverback portion" - it's just NOT the part of that "body".

ETA: i don't see jump attaching to a prong as a solution, it's just not nice imho.

I don't feel we need to straggle with a traditional basket, it's not necessary, it's just how it was made for centuries, we are the modern girls, aren't we?

 

[strmrdr]

balance issue could be solved by a swoppy arm like this except better looking.
The chain links from the dangle would then connect to the arm.
Irina could do a 100000% better job at it but this gives the idea....

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 11:05:34 AM
Author: Pricescope

let''s clarify first are we going to 1. ''dangle freely'' - peridot model OR 2. leverback''s lock - part placed on the dangling part (left Leon''s earring picture)?

I definitely want them to swing freely. That''s an enormous piece of the design criteria for me.....well-cut stones come alive with movement, so I want them to swing freely.

Here''s a picture that gives some more idea of the overall look I see.....and these, too, swing freely.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 11:19:23 AM
Author: strmrdr
balance issue could be solved by a swoppy arm like this except better looking.
The chain links from the dangle would then connect to the arm.
Irina could do a 100000% better job at it but this gives the idea....

Storm.....a heartfelt THANK YOU!

I hadn''t even thought of that. A distinct possibility.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 10:27:41 AM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/17/2007 9:41:08 AM
Author: Pricescope
Do you know that mass center of a body can be outside that body?

Hmmmm......

I wonder the way to balance the center of gravity on the hanging part of the stone lies in perhaps counterbalancing by adding weight to the rear part of the leverback portion?

I noticed what irina was talking about before I even read her post and I thought about your idea of putting it on a prong before I read yours and I thought about what you''re saying here and I see it as problematic all the way round. I don''t have any solution other than doing the bellaraina Anyway... it would tip forward.... the problem with putting the loop on the prong would be the risk of it being pulled if it caught on anything and bending the prong out of shape, especially without the support bars, even though its an earring I do see that as a problem. As for the adding weight, you''d have to add as *much* weight to the back as to the front, or more if you wish it to take up less volume - but it would definitely have to stick out the back... and other than sticking another equally sized diamond facing the other way, I''m not sure what you could do that would be *attractive* and still give enough to balance it. Also comfort... you couldn''t just add weight to the back of the setting because it would be too close to the center of gravity, you''d have to extend it out somehow like a wire cage that was as heavy as the front and the profile you''re going for gets very distorted - not the front part but then you''d have this ball or whatever hanging on the back end of it that would IMO distract something fierce, moreso than you would gain from a naked stone look.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 11:05:34 AM
Author: Pricescope

Date: 5/17/2007 10:27:41 AM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 5/17/2007 9:41:08 AM
Author: Pricescope
Do you know that mass center of a body can be outside that body?

Hmmmm......

I wonder the way to balance the center of gravity on the hanging part of the stone lies in perhaps counterbalancing by adding weight to the rear part of the leverback portion?

let''s clarify first are we going to 1. ''dangle freely'' - peridot model OR 2. leverback''s lock - part placed on the dangling part (left Leon''s earring picture)?
My understanding is that you want 1 model (and i would too if it was for myself), in this case it does not matter if we ''adding weight to the rear part of the leverback portion'' - it''s just NOT the part of that ''body''.

ETA: i don''t see jump attaching to a prong as a solution, it''s just not nice imho.

I don''t feel we need to straggle with a traditional basket, it''s not necessary, it''s just how it was made for centuries, we are the modern girls, aren''t we?

ha - you''re right! I didn''t catch the leverback part correctly - I was invisioning adding bulk to the back of the stone''s setting LOL (which would just be unattractive IMO)

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 11:19:23 AM
Author: strmrdr
balance issue could be solved by a swoppy arm like this except better looking.
The chain links from the dangle would then connect to the arm.
Irina could do a 100000% better job at it but this gives the idea....

that could work

 

[belle]

i have no design talent whatsoever to offer but i just wanted to say that THESE ARE GOING TO BE AWESOME!

 

[pricescope]

Date: 5/17/2007 11:58:49 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 5/17/2007 11:19:23 AM
Author: strmrdr
balance issue could be solved by a swoppy arm like this except better looking.
The chain links from the dangle would then connect to the arm.
Irina could do a 100000% better job at it but this gives the idea....

that could work

sorry strm, Al and Cehra, but it couldn''t. My picture, very sketchy though, is almost ready...

 

[surfgirl]

FWIW, I love the Ballerina setting on the other page. This recent one, not as much. The Ballerina setting is more unique as I never see that one around...if that''s what you''re going for. Has an almost antique look but with clean lines.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 12:58:49 PM
Author: surfgirl
FWIW, I love the Ballerina setting on the other page. This recent one, not as much. The Ballerina setting is more unique as I never see that one around...if that''s what you''re going for. Has an almost antique look but with clean lines.

yeah if I was in alj''s place I''d do the bellarina with the blue diamonds - oh wait, how many times have I said that now?

 

[pricescope]

Honestly i don''t like bellerina as is for the dangle earrings, here is the concept of what i tried to make, not happy with photoshop maybe the front view will be better.

 

[chrono]

Wow! Such a minimalistic design.

Will the metal hold up/ be strong enough though?

ETA
Looks like I'll need to start a thread for Irina to help with ideas on setting my red spinels: earring, ring and pendant set.

 

[pricescope]

Yes Chrono, i believe there is no construction weakness if those wires will be thick enough not to bend themselves (but that''s the demand for any construction, basket or not). As for support of the diamond i see no problem, it''s an earring not a ring and 3-prongs martini were holding up just fine for some time now.

 

[mercoledi]

Yea Irina! I saw this thread this morning and had sketched something similar (though wayyy less elegant) but didn''t have my camera cable to share it. I was hoping you would beat me to it! That''s sooo lovely.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 5/17/2007 1:54:06 PM
Author: Pricescope
Honestly i don''t like bellerina as is for the dangle earrings, here is the concept of what i tried to make, not happy with photoshop maybe the front view will be better.

Wow, this is beautiful! So open and airy! It would make a gorgeous pendant as well.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 1:05:36 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 5/17/2007 12:58:49 PM
Author: surfgirl
FWIW, I love the Ballerina setting on the other page. This recent one, not as much. The Ballerina setting is more unique as I never see that one around...if that''s what you''re going for. Has an almost antique look but with clean lines.

yeah if I was in alj''s place I''d do the bellarina with the blue diamonds - oh wait, how many times have I said that now?

Guys, I appreciate your enthusiasm for the Bellerina possibility, but that''s more of a default for me...i.e. if nothing else works.

It''s not that I don''t agree with your appreciation of it, but I''m not striving for ''total uniqueness'' here......that''s not the goal for me.

One major drawback to the Bellerina for me is putting that much yellow metal around the stone. As I think I noted earlier, I wear mostly yellow gold, and my finer pieces have been in yellow but with white metal surrounding the diamonds. When I did the halo, it was white metal on the inside (melee, bezel) and yellow surrounding.

On earrings, though, not sure it will be possible to go 2-tone without looking a bit odd, and if I end up having to go all yellow, the Bellerina isn''t my first choice.

Cehra, I''ve heard you (repeatedly

) about the blue diamonds, and I think it might be a great idea to some extent, but it''s not the look I have in mind right now. I know you''re a fan of it, and I think it could be lovely, but it''s not what''s calling to me (at least right now) for this project. I hope you understand. That''s not ruling it out, but I''m not at the "THAT''S IT" moment yet, and repetition isn''t really the key to getting me there.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 5/17/2007 1:54:06 PM
Author: Pricescope
Honestly i don''t like bellerina as is for the dangle earrings, here is the concept of what i tried to make, not happy with photoshop maybe the front view will be better.

WOW. I''d be interested in seeing a front view of that.

I like it.....very much, but it''s hard to visualize it with a blue diamond. Can you do it with a regular white stone from the side and front?

I like the line - it''s very different. It''s not the line I had in mind, but it''s a possibility.

This is precisely WHY I''ve dragged my heels on this project. In my heart of hearts, I knew that the look I want to see (u-shape AND swingy) was going to be inherently a poor marriage of elements for the design, and I hate having to compromise to get it.

I could elect to have the head fixed/stationary (not swinging), but if I''m gonna do that, I may as well get an off-the-shelf basic pair of leverback diamond findings. What''s missing in that for me is the lack of swing/free movement.

However, to get the swing/movement, it seems I can''t have the deep u-prong side profile that so appeals to me.

HATE it when I get something so specific in mind, and it doesn''t work. Blech.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 5/17/2007 3:49:02 PM
Author: aljdewey

Cehra, I''ve heard you (repeatedly

) about the blue diamonds, and I think it might be a great idea to some extent, but it''s not the look I have in mind right now. I know you''re a fan of it, and I think it could be lovely, but it''s not what''s calling to me (at least right now) for this project. I hope you understand. That''s not ruling it out, but I''m not at the ''THAT''S IT'' moment yet, and repetition isn''t really the key to getting me there.

LMAO!!!!!

I see my blatent attempts to be pesty have paid off hehehe... I actually think a lot of options could be gorgeous, I just like that one BEST so far but if this one of Irina''s pans out, that could seriously change my mind, blue diamonds or no

 

[pricescope]

Some of the variations of not too much of a bellerina, i will make front view without frills, just plain prongs so you would not worry about yellow gold being all over your diamonds.