Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

[LD]

If you really want a unique piece, then I think a hidden inscription is a lovely thought.

BTW, I have loved MariedTiger's mother's ring forever, and that is one of the most unique pieces I've seen on this board. I would love to copy it one day, but it's so very unique, I don't think I could ever get an "exact" copy of it, but I love to draw inspiration from it.

I also love LD's multi-diamond brooch, but I don't wear brooches, so she doesn't have to worry.

Okay, I better stop while I'm ahead, but I just draw so much inspiration and the love of sharing on this board, that I didn't realize it upset as many people as it does to have a copy made. This is an eye opener for me.

It's a pendant! Everybody thinks it's a brooch but it's not!!!! Thank you for the compliment TL.

 

[T L]

If you really want a unique piece, then I think a hidden inscription is a lovely thought.

BTW, I have loved MariedTiger's mother's ring forever, and that is one of the most unique pieces I've seen on this board. I would love to copy it one day, but it's so very unique, I don't think I could ever get an "exact" copy of it, but I love to draw inspiration from it.

I also love LD's multi-diamond brooch, but I don't wear brooches, so she doesn't have to worry.

Okay, I better stop while I'm ahead, but I just draw so much inspiration and the love of sharing on this board, that I didn't realize it upset as many people as it does to have a copy made. This is an eye opener for me.

It's a pendant! Everybody thinks it's a brooch but it's not!!!! Thank you for the compliment TL.

It would be lovely as a brooch too. Don't worry though, I don't wear pendants either!! Love that design though, just gorgeous.

 

[faegrace]

On a final note, I when I joined PS I remember being surprised at the intensity (and yes, the humor too) that occasionally came attached to various subjects and frankly, posters. I think I have a better grasp of that now. I want to say that I deeply appreciate the information and wisdom shared here. It's been precious to me.

I honestly don't feel comfortable posting anymore and since that, to me, is akin to a social visit while wearing duct tape over my mouth, it's probably best I express my gratitude here and now and try to exit graciously (read: with gratitude minus the dramatic flair of some of my predecessors).

Take good care, All, and thank you again.

~ faegrace

 

[Pandora II]

On a final note, I when I joined PS I remember being surprised at the intensity (and yes, the humor too) that occasionally came attached to various subjects and frankly, posters. I think I have a better grasp of that now. I want to say that I deeply appreciate the information and wisdom shared here. It's been precious to me.

I honestly don't feel comfortable posting anymore and since that, to me, is akin to a social visit while wearing duct tape over my mouth, it's probably best I express my gratitude here and now and try to exit graciously (read: with gratitude minus the dramatic flair of some of my predecessors).

Take good care, All, and thank you again.

~ faegrace

I'm very sorry to hear you say this and I hope you will rethink. A similar thing happened regarding the incident I referred to earlier.

People's feelings are what they are whether others would feel the same way in the same position or not. The sad thing is that on a public forum even by asking for advice on things you run the risk of having someone swipe the idea or even the very stone from under you! When I was designing my e-ring, I was influenced by the Pokey Special and I even contacted the guy whose ring it was to ask if he minded my using it for my inspiration. I received a very nice email with lots of helpful advice and saying he was quite happy if I even wanted to copy it exactly - which was very generous of him but not something I would have ever done.

My take on the whole imitation thing is:

a) by posting a piece you risk having someone copy it either known or unknown. This doesn't mean that you can't feel pretty miffed if someone does so, but it is a risk. It does sadden me that people might not post things or even ideas because people might copy them.

b) if you wish to have a piece made that is not some generic design - ie a tiffany style 6-prong - and is pretty much an exact copy or extremely similar to a piece belonging to another poster, then be aware that they may well not feel all warm and fuzzy that you have liked their piece so much and if it really means a lot to you to have this piece then it might be best just to have it made and enjoy it in your RL and not post it here to avoid hurt feelings all round.

I do notice a lot of things on PS suddenly becoming the 'in thing' that everyone wants to have. It is part of the reason that I rarely post pictures of anything of mine anymore (don't want to drive those prices up ) - main part is that I never get round to photographing the buggers!

Anyway, I really don't want to see this thread go the same way as previous ones on the same topic did. People have a right to feel whatever way they feel and however childish or ridiculous it may seem to some people, to others it seems perfectly reasonable.

ETA: I wanted to congratulate you on beating your cancer, I wish you well for the future and your ring is going to be a fabulous memento of such a huge milestone! Wear it in good health.

 

[LD]

On a final note, I when I joined PS I remember being surprised at the intensity (and yes, the humor too) that occasionally came attached to various subjects and frankly, posters. I think I have a better grasp of that now. I want to say that I deeply appreciate the information and wisdom shared here. It's been precious to me.

I honestly don't feel comfortable posting anymore and since that, to me, is akin to a social visit while wearing duct tape over my mouth, it's probably best I express my gratitude here and now and try to exit graciously (read: with gratitude minus the dramatic flair of some of my predecessors).

Take good care, All, and thank you again.

~ faegrace

I think I must be having a dumb day because I'm surprised that this thread has made you feel uncomfortable. I actually thought your thread was really interesting and before reading all the posts I had (incorrectly) assumed that most people would feel as I did! I now realise that actually I'm in the minority! So I'm grateful to you for starting it.

I'm still not sure what has promoted you to want to leave and feel uncomfortable and I do hope you reconsider. Anyway, on that note I'll stick duct tape over my mouth and slope off but how about just taking some time out rather than just leaving us?

 

[NKOTB]

My previous comment was more related to PSers. Imitation by someone you know and interact with in person on a regular basis might be more annoying. When I was in grade 8, I coloured my hair bright red, to be different. Then my friend did the same thing, then her friend did. So there were three of us - suddenly it looked silly instead of funky and original. There's a reason the movie "Single White Female" was creepy. However...I recently, after years of looking for a nice cherry red winter coat, found the perfect one. My sister really liked it too, so we both got one. Now, we are not children, so we might look funny walking down the street wearing our coats at the same time, so we may try to avoid that when possible. Or, we may go all "Doublemint Twin", throw on red lipstick, and see if we can still turn some heads, lol.
In terms of jewelry...My husband's friend's wife has a jacket wedding band around her e-ring. Since my original e-ring was my grandma's, who got married in the 1930s, the band was really thin, so I thought a jacket band was a great idea, to protect it and stop it from spinning. Even though the end product looked nothing like hers IMO, I later heard through the grapevine that she was miffed that I had "copied" her (never my intention, just thought it was a practical idea). Recently, someone posted a ring of theirs that was done by an Etsyan - I did mark it as a favourite for future consideration, but couldn't honestly tell you now who had posted it, so if I were to copy it, I would have to figure out who it was in case it bothered her/him. If this took place in a year or two, I might not even know where to start. My point is that sometimes it's not even intentional, or it's not meant to steal any thunder, but I guess you can't write an essay with "someone once said to me..." without a proper reference so perhaps this is something for me to consider.
Or, y'all could stop having such darn good taste.

 

[Aoife]

Faegrace, I'm so very sorry that this thread made you unhappy or uncomfortable. I do hope that at some point you might feel able to come back to CS, but ultimately your peace of mind and well-being trumps everything else. Sending you PS dust and well-wishes.

 

[bright ice]

Faegrace,

I would hate to see you leave the PS community because of this thread.

Please forgive me If I have mistaken your feelings. If I had known, I would have just kept my Aqua to myself because I had no intention of spoiling things for you.

I know that I don't contribute much expertise to this forum but I really enjoy coming here to learn and share with everyone.

 

[PrecisionGem]

I got that E show with Joan Rivers wrong.... the segment is called "Bitch stole my LOOK"
So I guess we could use the saying here and it would fit. (Just for fun of course)

 

[VapidLapid]

What is going on in this thread? I guess I just dont understand the issue ,and so the drama is even further beyond me still. There are very few pieces on PS that are original custom designs created from a collaboration of buyer and maker. Chrono's spess from whiteflash would be one. klewis' Phoenix ring another. Even then I would expect the design copyright for those goes with the maker. Fashion, films, literature, music, the differences between plagiarism and quotation are dismayingly imprecise. Many musical "compositions" are nothing but collages of other's original material. And even then the source material has often been inspired by someone else's original work. I think it is a stretch to think that someone seeing a nice stone you had cut for you in a very well executed but still quite ubiquitous shape should leave you to conclude that that person copied YOU if they contacted that same cutter for a similar stone. But even if that person were to be copying you, rather than your stone, you could then only be proud that another has acknowledged your good taste, and regarded it enough to want something like it as well. You would then have to acknowledge their good eye, for they saw the goodness of your taste for what you then must believe it is...that is "good taste". I do not think it is good manners for Cindy Sue to whine about it if Sugarplum Faery sees her in her Halston pants suit and then goes out to all the vintage shops she can find in a 150 mile radius to get one herself. WTFC? But even if, suppose, one does care about all this and on this level, It is hard for me to understand someone not choosing to be the better person and be charitable and gracious. Especially after soliciting ideas from all forum members over a period of months for designs for a ring with the aforementioned stone. Any of those ideas offered up in a public forum are orphaned ideas, free to be adopted by any or all or none. Im not saying you're wrong, just that I dont get it. Also, I cant wrap my mind around the playing of the "Good-bye Cruel World" card. Doesnt that just turn Pathos into Campy Comedy? It is an impossible card to play, because if you play it, and you get called on it, you have to follow through. Still, I dont get it.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Vapid, as men, there are some things we will never understand. Let's just be glad we can understand the remote control on the TV and stereo.

 

[VapidLapid]

And isnt that the problem with understanding? I can use the remote fine, but without it I cant even turn the thing off.

 

[TristanC]

There is a little nub found usually at the back of the TV or at the bottom that would turn it off if you ever lost the remote.

I have NO idea why this thread has any drama at all, because to me everyone seems to be playing nice.

I personally feel it would be pretty silly for a person to post ANYTHING on a public forum with pictures and specs, and price ranges, and where you got it from and then thinking that nobody in the world would go out and copy what you just did. Isn't the idea to inspire others with your jewelry and to lead them to where they can pursue a certain style?

There are obviously ways to make something entirely your own that come to mind:
make it so difficult that only one person in the world would be able to craft it reliably.
Set a 2ct red diamond in it, so that even if anyone goes for it the piece would be an obvious imitation and a pale one (unless multimillionaires frequent PS forums)
Make something so hideous that nobody would ever want one.

Off note, when I was 19, I ran into 3 people who walked up to me in the space of 1 month mistaking me for this ONE particular person from a different school than I was. Apparently he was the same age, build and look to the extent that his former classmate friends thought I was him and started speaking to me. One of them actually thought I was pulling his leg when i said i wasn't the guy.

So even God makes copies.

 

[jstarfireb]

Is it possible that we're over-interpreting things, and faegrace was just departing from this thread rather than PS as a whole? (Time will tell.)

 

[Pandora II]

There is a little nub found usually at the back of the TV or at the bottom that would turn it off if you ever lost the remote.

I have NO idea why this thread has any drama at all, because to me everyone seems to be playing nice.

I personally feel it would be pretty silly for a person to post ANYTHING on a public forum with pictures and specs, and price ranges, and where you got it from and then thinking that nobody in the world would go out and copy what you just did. Isn't the idea to inspire others with your jewelry and to lead them to where they can pursue a certain style?

There are obviously ways to make something entirely your own that come to mind:
make it so difficult that only one person in the world would be able to craft it reliably.
Set a 2ct red diamond in it, so that even if anyone goes for it the piece would be an obvious imitation and a pale one (unless multimillionaires frequent PS forums)
Make something so hideous that nobody would ever want one.

Off note, when I was 19, I ran into 3 people who walked up to me in the space of 1 month mistaking me for this ONE particular person from a different school than I was. Apparently he was the same age, build and look to the extent that his former classmate friends thought I was him and started speaking to me. One of them actually thought I was pulling his leg when i said i wasn't the guy.

So even God makes copies.

Not for a lot of people and certainly was never something I had in my mind.

I saw PS as an educational forum and somewhere with people who understood my obsession with stones that my friends IRL don't.

I guess I just always presumed that no-one would actually want a copy of something that someone else has... bizarre kind of behaviour to me - why would people want to be so totally unoriginal?

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

What is going on in this thread? I guess I just dont understand the issue ,and so the drama is even further beyond me still. There are very few pieces on PS that are original custom designs created from a collaboration of buyer and maker. Chrono's spess from whiteflash would be one. klewis' Phoenix ring another. Even then I would expect the design copyright for those goes with the maker. Fashion, films, literature, music, the differences between plagiarism and quotation are dismayingly imprecise. Many musical "compositions" are nothing but collages of other's original material. And even then the source material has often been inspired by someone else's original work. I think it is a stretch to think that someone seeing a nice stone you had cut for you in a very well executed but still quite ubiquitous shape should leave you to conclude that that person copied YOU if they contacted that same cutter for a similar stone. But even if that person were to be copying you, rather than your stone, you could then only be proud that another has acknowledged your good taste, and regarded it enough to want something like it as well. You would then have to acknowledge their good eye, for they saw the goodness of your taste for what you then must believe it is...that is "good taste". I do not think it is good manners for Cindy Sue to whine about it if Sugarplum Faery sees her in her Halston pants suit and then goes out to all the vintage shops she can find in a 150 mile radius to get one herself. WTFC? But even if, suppose, one does care about all this and on this level, It is hard for me to understand someone not choosing to be the better person and be charitable and gracious. Especially after soliciting ideas from all forum members over a period of months for designs for a ring with the aforementioned stone. Any of those ideas offered up in a public forum are orphaned ideas, free to be adopted by any or all or none. Im not saying you're wrong, just that I dont get it. Also, I cant wrap my mind around the playing of the "Good-bye Cruel World" card. Doesnt that just turn Pathos into Campy Comedy? It is an impossible card to play, because if you play it, and you get called on it, you have to follow through. Still, I dont get it.

Yes, this.

And no, jstarfireb, that was a true farewell, I'm thinkin'
Hope I'm wrong.

I wanted to stay completely out of this thread, only because I couldn't write down my
feelings as succinctly as VL
I am married to a great DH and have 4 SONS, so there is very little real drama in my house.
(Just lots of stinkiness )
So the evolution of this thread kind of makes me go "Huh ?!?!?!?!? ".

 

[y2kitty]

Faegrace, if you read this sorry to see you go. I enjoyed your posts.

The great thing about internet drama is you can turn off your computer and move on.

 

[T L]

Vapid, as men, there are some things we will never understand. Let's just be glad we can understand the remote control on the TV and stereo.

I don't even understand women sometimes, and I am one.

Gene, you're on a roll lately.

 

[T L]

Faegrace, if you read this sorry to see you go. I enjoyed your posts.

The great thing about internet drama is you can turn off your computer and move on.

Ditto!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Here's my take - I have no problem with someone taking inspiration from something I might have. However, I am not made of money like many of the lucky ladies here, I would have to save for a LONG time to get something I really wanted. So if I saved for a year to get a perfectly designed piece that I worked really hard to have, and that I designed from scratch myself with the help of a talented smith, I would be FURIOUS if I showed that piece here and had a bunch of replications show up the following week by people that have no concept of the meaning behind my piece/how hard I worked to have it. I ain't gonna lie, here. Whether anyone thinks that selfish or not is their business.

 

[bright ice]

I personally think the OP that began this thread was P***** that I chose to have a lapidary cut a gem for me of the same type and cut style as she. IMO I am in no way copying her design. I have been looking for several specific gems in general. After no success at finding an aqua ready cut, I chose to go forward with the lapidary that I was currently working with on another project. Mine will be a slightly different color and size.

I in no way had intention of this type situation. Her intent with this thread may have been to seek opinions for a check/balance type thing which is totally fine with me.

 

[karpouzi]

It just seems so petty to post pictures of your ring/stone/whatever and then get bent out of shape when some stranger who you'll never see in your life copies it. What was the point of posting pictures in the first place, then? To say, "neener-neener-neener, you can't have this!"? IMO if you post pictures all over the place because you want people to admire your new bling, you have to accept the fact that someone may admire it so much that she gets one for herself.

 

[Aoife]

Here's my take - I have no problem with someone taking inspiration from something I might have. However, I am not made of money like many of the lucky ladies here, I would have to save for a LONG time to get something I really wanted. So if I saved for a year to get a perfectly designed piece that I worked really hard to have, and that I designed from scratch myself with the help of a talented smith, I would be FURIOUS if I showed that piece here and had a bunch of replications show up the following week by people that have no concept of the meaning behind my piece/how hard I worked to have it. I ain't gonna lie, here. Whether anyone thinks that selfish or not is their business.

and

Bright Ice said:

personally think the OP that began this thread was P***** that I chose to have a lapidary cut a gem for me of the same type and cut style as she. IMO I am in no way copying her design. I have been looking for several specific gems in general. After no success at finding an aqua ready cut, I chose to go forward with the lapidary that I was currently working with on another project. Mine will be a slightly different color and size.

I in no way had intention of this type situation. Her intent with this thread may have been to seek opinions for a check/balance type thing which is totally fine with me.

I may be totally wrong, but for those who don't understand where this thread went spinning off track, my guess is that these two posts touch on why Faegrace was upset. The aqua she referenced was for a project that was obviously deeply personal and emotional. It was a great deal more to her than the acquisition of a lovely gemstone and gorgeous piece of bling. If my memory serves me (which it probably doesn't , so someone feel free to correct me) Bright Ice mentioned the commissioning of her aqua right after Faegrace described her project to commemorate her victory over cancer--I can't remember if it was on her own thread or not. My read of this is that it was that sequence which upset Faegrace rather than her expecting no one to ever again buy a cushion cut aquamarine from Jeff White. Just a guess, but I suspect I'm close.

 

[bright ice]

Here's my take - I have no problem with someone taking inspiration from something I might have. However, I am not made of money like many of the lucky ladies here, I would have to save for a LONG time to get something I really wanted. So if I saved for a year to get a perfectly designed piece that I worked really hard to have, and that I designed from scratch myself with the help of a talented smith, I would be FURIOUS if I showed that piece here and had a bunch of replications show up the following week by people that have no concept of the meaning behind my piece/how hard I worked to have it. I ain't gonna lie, here. Whether anyone thinks that selfish or not is their business.

and

Bright Ice said:

personally think the OP that began this thread was P***** that I chose to have a lapidary cut a gem for me of the same type and cut style as she. IMO I am in no way copying her design. I have been looking for several specific gems in general. After no success at finding an aqua ready cut, I chose to go forward with the lapidary that I was currently working with on another project. Mine will be a slightly different color and size.

I in no way had intention of this type situation. Her intent with this thread may have been to seek opinions for a check/balance type thing which is totally fine with me.

I may be totally wrong, but for those who don't understand where this thread went spinning off track, my guess is that these two posts touch on why Faegrace was upset. The aqua she referenced was for a project that was obviously deeply personal and emotional. It was a great deal more to her than the acquisition of a lovely gemstone and gorgeous piece of bling. If my memory serves me (which it probably doesn't , so someone feel free to correct me) Bright Ice mentioned the commissioning of her aqua right after Faegrace described her project to commemorate her victory over cancer--I can't remember if it was on her own thread or not. My read of this is that it was that sequence which upset Faegrace rather than her expecting no one to ever again buy a cushion cut aquamarine from Jeff White. Just a guess, but I suspect I'm close.

You are right about most of this but I believe her original post was when she joined in February.

 

[Aoife]

You are right about most of this but I believe her original post was when she joined in February.

Thanks, Bright Ice, I couldn't remember, and didn't feel like going back to look it up. I was just trying to connect the dots yesterday after the thread went spinning off into "wait, wait, what am I missing?" territory.


ETA: I suspect it was this thread dated a couple of days ago which prompted Faegrace to start this current thread: https://www.pricescope.com/forum/colored-stones/sos-aqua-setting-help-t162461-30.html

 

[PrecisionGem]

Isn't this whole thing about vanity and coveting thy neighbors stones?

 

[bright ice]

Isn't this whole thing about vanity and coveting thy neighbors stones?

Maybe so, but I surely would not consider anyone on PS to be a neighbor. It's not like any of us will most likely ever run into each other.

 

[VapidLapid]

I think Jeff would be rightly P***ed at the implication that he now should not cut cushion aquas for other PS members. And the X number of lurkers who contacted him for the same after seeing one here who ARE copying are getting off scott free. I think this entire discussion is sillier than putty.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

It would bother me more if it was my friend who lived down the block and she didn't ask me. Someone on the internet who liked it for whatever reason and wanted one, no, it wouldn't bother me.

If it was something that was so special and meaningful to me that I wouldn't want anyone else to have it, I wouldn't post it on the internet.

Oh, this has come up before, pretty in depth as it is....anyone remember this?

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/imitation.103965/

 

[bright ice]

I think Jeff would be rightly P***ed at the implication that he now should not cut cushion aquas for other PS members. And the X number of lurkers who contacted him for the same after seeing one here who ARE copying are getting off scott free. I think this entire discussion is sillier than putty.

Agree