Is this a good quality Custom ring? (attach.)

[antiqueasscher]

Not the best pictures, but here are a few that I took with my digital and sent to the jeweler to show him problems with the 1st ring. These show major problems with the little bands at the midpoint of the ring. These also show what the head will end up looking like on the 2nd ring. Keep the opinions, thoughts, etc. coming. Thanks

 

[antiqueasscher]

another pic of the 1st ring

 

[mrssalvo]

well, the second does look better than the first from what we can tell from the pics. lots of factors go into the quality of custom. I'm curious as to what the cost of the ring is b/c depending on how much the setting is would determine my tolerance for what is acceptable. there is truth to getting what you paid for. If for example you paid 4-5K for this setting then it should be as close to perfect as you can get. whereas, my expectations would have to be lower on the quality if I were paying much less. I also agree that sending out pics before it's done probably isn't the best idea either. Good luck, I'm sure there will be outcome you can be happy with whatever you decide and work out with the vendor. The ring has a very pretty design to it.

 

[antiqueasscher]

I know many are mentioning not sending out pictures until the ring is done, but in this case a majority of the ring is done. I have been told the only part still being worked on is the head/basket of the ring and all other parts are done.

I do hope that the ring is correct as a finished product, but the many comments have made me feel more uncomfortable about the craftsmanship. From people''s comments do most think that this ring design is just out of this jewelers league in terms of being able to make this ring correctly or that they are just not giving this their best work/effort? Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/18/2007 8:29:25 PM
Author: antiqueasscher
I know many are mentioning not sending out pictures until the ring is done, but in this case a majority of the ring is done. I have been told the only part still being worked on is the head/basket of the ring and all other parts are done.

I do hope that the ring is correct as a finished product, but the many comments have made me feel more uncomfortable about the craftsmanship. From people''s comments do most think that this ring design is just out of this jewelers league in terms of being able to make this ring correctly or that they are just not giving this their best work/effort? Thanks again for all your help.

I personally couldn''t/wouldn''t answer that until you have Finished pictures of the second attempt.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

I think that many, like myself, who would feel compelled to reply do not truly have enough information or experience to give an accurate analysis. I think you should wait and have a short slow video and/or some clear pictures from several different angles sent to you before sending yours back. Then you can evaluate it yourself and decide, noting whether any of the comments given here have any merits (like my silly little line that PS can feel free to delete or edit).

 

[strmrdr]

yea wait, but seeing the first one and how the second is going I think the benchman bit off more than he can chew.
Time will tell....

 

[antiqueasscher]

Alright I have more pictures that I was sent of the ring. The head/crown is still not done, but the 2 pictures are of either side of the ring. Let me know what you think from the new pictures. They appear to show that the 1st "petal" does not touch on either side, rather than the 1st pictures showing what appeared to be 1 touching and 1 not.

Thanks again for all replies, advice and comments.

 

[antiqueasscher]

2nd picture, other side of the ring.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/21/2007 12:49:43 AM
Author: antiqueasscher
Alright I have more pictures that I was sent of the ring. The head/crown is still not done, but the 2 pictures are of either side of the ring. Let me know what you think from the new pictures. They appear to show that the 1st ''petal'' does not touch on either side, rather than the 1st pictures showing what appeared to be 1 touching and 1 not.

Thanks again for all replies, advice and comments.

I may be able to find things that aren''t *perfect* but you know, this is still bracelet sized and I think it looks beautiful as it is.

 

[surfgirl]

The second batch of photos look better than the first. Like they filed out some of the smaller side spaces to make them more equal. Having said that, it''s a handmade ring so I wouldn''t expect exact symmetry because it''s not being carved out by a machine (or is it?)...

 

[strmrdr]

I see several more issues with the ring in the new pics.
Id rate the workmanship a C grade at best.

 

[antiqueasscher]

Storm would you mind being more specific again? I really value others opinions (especially from the knowledgeable members of PS) and want to know what they see problem wise. I would like to know what flaws others may be seeing in the ring. This applies to everyone, point out the specifics for me if you can. Thanks again everyone.

 

[strmrdr]

Worst of the new ones....
red arrows point too where it is mashed down on this side...

 

[mrssalvo]

I don't have photo shop but in this picture, the pattern and detail is just wonky, espeically on the left side.

ETA: i do want to say, I agree with storm on the workmanship, but also I'm am one of the super picky folks here so many details bother me that wouldn't bother others. Also, pricing will also factor my level of acceptability..

 

[suzi]

I don''t know if this helps you to put things in perspective or not, but remember you are looking at this ring from a highly magnified view right now, not finished, and without the stone. IMO, these flaws that others are pointing out are very difficult to see, even under magnification. I''ve had to really look, and then only after others have pointed them out. I would say, if you can''t see these "flaws" except under this kind of magnification, and they do not affect the integrity of the ring, I would not be worried about them.

This ring is a hand made design, right? It''s not going to be "perfect", especially since it''s got soooooo much going on with the milgrainig, the engraving, and the cut out work. Also bear in mind once it''s actually worn by someone, it''s going to get scratched, and things will get a little smushed and out of round to some degree, anyway.

My own ring looked perfect when it was brand new, but when I look at it under maginfication now after wearing it for a year, it looks like a train wreck! LOL! But that''s ONLY under maginfication. With the naked eye, from a viewing distance of a few inches away, it still looks perfect.

Think of this setting in the way that you would think of an "eye clean" diamond with SI inclusions. Do these "flaws" really matter if you can''t really see them? Or do you require a setting that is "mind clean"? Maybe that will help you decide how you feel about the ring. At any rate, I think the setting is gorgeous!

 

[aljdewey]

Honestly, this is just patently ridiculous.

People who want perfection......measureable to thousandths of a decimal point and aligned dead tap on.....should NOT NOT NOT be seeking a hand-made product.

Handmade means 'made by hand', folks. Not calibrated 17 ways from Sunday. Either you want handmade and you understand what it means, or you want perfection. And if you want perfection, don't go handmade!

This business of blowing something up to FORTY TIMES it's original size-----and then having the audacity to have amateurs who aren't even in the trade grading the work of someone who is is just unfair. Plain and simple.

There is not a single person alive who could survive that kind of scrutiny and absolutely unreasonable expectation.

It's pathetic what's going on in this thread....especially from some of the regulars who've been around long enough to know that a bazillion-times magnified picture of something IS NOT how it looks in real life.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 6/21/2007 12:05:39 PM
Author: aljdewey
Honestly, this is just patently ridiculous.

People who want perfection......measureable to thousandths of a decimal point and aligned dead tap on.....should NOT NOT NOT be seeking a hand-made product.

Handmade means ''made by hand'', folks. Not calibrated 17 ways from Sunday. Either you want handmade and you understand what it means, or you want perfection. And if you want perfection, don''t go handmade!

This business of blowing something up to FORTY TIMES it''s original size-----and then having the audacity to have amateurs who aren''t even in the trade grading the work of someone who is is just BS. Plain and simple.

There is not a single person alive who could survive that kind of scrutiny and absolutely unreasonable expectation.

It''s pathetic what''s going on in this thread....especially from some of the regulars who''ve been around long enough to know that a bazillion-times magnified picture of something IS NOT how it looks in real life.

I agree with Alj. I was reading this last night and thinking I was blind and stupid because I couldn''t see what was wrong with the first one.

And Cehra''s comment about the initial pic being as big as a tiara made me laugh. C''mon folks...we don''t go nuts when we can actually see inclusions in diamonds in those WF 40mag pics...why should we be so harsh in this case?

There is a difference between terrible craftsmanship (like Glady''s first xprong) and this.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/21/2007 12:05:39 PM
Author: aljdewey
Honestly, this is just patently ridiculous.

People who want perfection......measureable to thousandths of a decimal point and aligned dead tap on.....should NOT NOT NOT be seeking a hand-made product.

Handmade means ''made by hand'', folks. Not calibrated 17 ways from Sunday. Either you want handmade and you understand what it means, or you want perfection. And if you want perfection, don''t go handmade!

This business of blowing something up to FORTY TIMES it''s original size-----and then having the audacity to have amateurs who aren''t even in the trade grading the work of someone who is is just BS. Plain and simple.

There is not a single person alive who could survive that kind of scrutiny and absolutely unreasonable expectation.

It''s pathetic what''s going on in this thread....especially from some of the regulars who''ve been around long enough to know that a bazillion-times magnified picture of something IS NOT how it looks in real life.

Alj, the OP DID ask for comments, and if people see things they don''t like, or think could be bettered, are they not to say anything?

I agree that manified pics show things one won''t always see in real life, but some they will. For instance, on the butchering of my OMC, you couldn''t see the areas at 12, 6, and 9 in real life. But, I could see the gouge at 3 easily, and the extra bead dropped on top of the milligrain edge.

I would also venture to guess I could also see that the right side isn''t rounded correctly, and that would definitely bug me. My question would be, if they can get it right on the left side, why not on the right? I don''t think that''s expecting too much myself....

Would I expect total symmetry on the entire ring, with everything? No, because it IS handmade. But I honestly wouldn''t find that out of round part acceptable. Maybe others would.

JMHO

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 6/21/2007 12:05:39 PM
Author: aljdewey

People who want perfection......measureable to thousandths of a decimal point and aligned dead tap on.....should NOT NOT NOT be seeking a hand-made product.


Handmade means ''made by hand'', folks. Not calibrated 17 ways from Sunday. Either you want handmade and you understand what it means, or you want perfection. And if you want perfection, don''t go handmade!

we''ve gone around this topic many times here but for the purpose of this thread I will just say I disagree. I have louped the handmade ring I''m getting and it is pretty darn close to perfect and I am overly picky as everyone knows here. I did choose to go with a designer piece over custom b/c I will know the exact outcome of my setting. Yes, I realize handmade won''t have the same perfection as a caste piece but handmade surely shouldn''t look worse than a cast ring or have excuses made for imperfections because of that fact. Just my opinion.

Date: 6/21/2007 12:05:39 PM
Author: aljdewey


This business of blowing something up to FORTY TIMES it''s original size-----and then having the audacity to have amateurs who aren''t even in the trade grading the work of someone who is is just BS. Plain and simple.


There is not a single person alive who could survive that kind of scrutiny and absolutely unreasonable expectation.

I do agree that when something is magnified to that size it can be an unfair judge but the original poster did ask our amateur opinions. He could have waited and taken to an appraiser for a trained eye opinion if he wanted. I can grab a picture of a handmade piece blown up to this size that could handle the scrutiny if anyone would like.

 

[mrssalvo]

ok, here's a ring with a similar design. Is is perfect? no, but the spacing is even with things being symmetrical. Of course someone won't see in person what these giant pictures show but in my opinion a handmade ring should be at least eye-clean perfect.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/21/2007 4:38:01 PM
Author: mrssalvo
ok, here''s a ring with a similar design. Is is perfect? no, but the spacing is even with things being symmetrical. Of course someone won''t see in person what these giant pictures show but in my opinion a handmade ring should be at least eye-clean perfect.

I can find flaws in the ring you''ve posted, and its only bracelet sized, not tiara sized. I agree that it should be "eye clean" but again, what does that mean? Does it mean you can see it with your eyes at all? or from 8"? I think this and the other ring are EQUALLY good/flawed. No one has drawn red circles around this one yet though.... and really, is it necessary to do so? To each their own... I agree about price points though... if this were a 10k ring I think I''d hold it to a different standard than a 3k ring.

 

[mrssalvo]

For me, price points are the main issue of my expectations. I was able to track down an old thread about how perfect custom should or shouldn''t be. If anyone is interested some very good points are made here:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/when-custom-is-not-perfect.46216/

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 6/21/2007 2:15:33 PM
Author: Ellen

Alj, the OP DID ask for comments, and if people see things they don''t like, or think could be bettered, are they not to say anything?

I agree that manified pics show things one won''t always see in real life, but some they will. For instance, on the butchering of my OMC, you couldn''t see the areas at 12, 6, and 9 in real life. But, I could see the gouge at 3 easily, and the extra bead dropped on top of the milligrain edge.

I would also venture to guess I could also see that the right side isn''t rounded correctly, and that would definitely bug me. My question would be, if they can get it right on the left side, why not on the right? I don''t think that''s expecting too much myself....

Would I expect total symmetry on the entire ring, with everything? No, because it IS handmade. But I honestly wouldn''t find that out of round part acceptable. Maybe others would.

JMHO

Ladies, I''m not saying that opinions shouldn''t be shared. OP did ask for opinions about the ring, and I''m categorically ALL FOR constructive observations that are framed as opinions.

To me, that''s vastly different than some of the remarks offered. (Not saying this is either of you, but you know what I''m getting at).

It''s fine to say "I''d ask if there is a way to tighten the symmetry of the spacing in the shank", or "the rings appears to dip in on the shank---is that how it appears IRL?" That''s VASTLY different from comments suggesting that the job is beyond the skill level of the benchman or making remarks like "I''d give it a C at best" ----from someone who isn''t a jeweler, a benchman, and doesn''t himself possess any of the skill he thinks he''s qualified to sit in judgment on.

It''d be like me thinking I actually have any basis to ''grade'' the work my mechanic has done when I''m not qualified myself to do anything beyond changing the oil! Sure, I can tell from driving the car that it might not feel right, but that doesn''t give me ANY basis to overreach and malign his capabilities!

Mrs. S---I understand your basic point, but if you''re going to offer that in the context of this thread, you should blow it up to the same size the other pictures were. However, even having not done that, I can look at that second picture and see areas that don''t look symmetrical to me. The bottom of the heart isn''t fluid or even. The tops of the hearts aren''t similar in spacing...more on the left than the right. The spacing line on the right doesn''t match the one on the left. The four detail areas on the right shank vary in size (thicker) from those on the left.

That''s exactly what I''m talking about----hand made isn''t DEAD on symmetrical. AND, if you WERE to blow that picture up, it would exaggerate those details I just mentioned even moreso.

That doesn''t mean I''d remotely have the balls or lack of class to suggest that the jeweler wasn''t up to the job or that the piece isn''t a sound quality piece.....as has been done here.

What most people seem to overlook---and Irina tries to point it out regularly---is that pictures are the result of a device that records the way subjects react to LIGHT! With light, folks, comes SHADOWS, too. Shadows that can make things appears as they are NOT!...and this was clear in further pictures of that ring. The "huge space" wasn''t so huge when the picture was taken from a different angle.

Everyone seems totally able to grasp that a stone''s symmetry may appear wonky strictly because the stone was tilted during photography, but those same people cannot seem to apply the ame concept to understanding that what you think you see MIGHT be a function of the way the camera captured the light AND shadows in a 2D rendering of a 3d object.

NOPE....it MUST be that the jeweler did a piss-poor job and was an imbecile, and folks think they are able to make suggestions like that based solely on a few pictures on a website.

THAT is what ticks me off, and it happens far too frequently on here.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/21/2007 5:55:55 PM
Author: aljdewey

That''s VASTLY different from comments suggesting that the job is beyond the skill level of the benchman or making remarks like ''I''d give it a C at best'' ----from someone who isn''t a jeweler, a benchman, and doesn''t himself possess any of the skill he thinks he''s qualified to sit in judgment on.

Want too be an apologist for poor workmanship that''s your right.
Don''t like my posts don''t read em.
Whats your qualifications other than a mean keyboard to say there is nothing wrong with the ring?

 

[pricescope]

Date: 6/21/2007 6:13:58 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 6/21/2007 5:55:55 PM
Author: aljdewey

That's VASTLY different from comments suggesting that the job is beyond the skill level of the benchman or making remarks like 'I'd give it a C at best' ----from someone who isn't a jeweler, a benchman, and doesn't himself possess any of the skill he thinks he's qualified to sit in judgment on.

Want too be an apologist for poor workmanship that's your right.
Don't like my posts don't read em.
Whats your qualifications other than a mean keyboard to say there is nothing wrong with the ring?

srtmdr would you please find same magnification photo of the pendant you posted ones?

I guess Al was saing that we all can find things on someone else's pictures.

And yes Cehra, i agree with you, i can easily pull out MY photoshop and paint all over lovely MS's ring, but i wouldn't because it's ridiculous.

 

[mrssalvo]

oh goodness. I should not have posted the other pricescopers ring in this example b/c it''s unfairly being judged when she did not ask for it and in my rush to find something quick that was similar really did this thread a disservice and my point was missed. I apolgize.

I do think there is a difference when someone is asking if others see things wrong b/c the orignial poster did and came here for advice and picking apart someone''s ring who didn''t ask such a question (which is my fault for bringing it into this thread.)

anyway, I hope antiqueasscher can come to a happy conclusion with the vendor so he is content with the quality and workmanship of his ring

 

[Ellen]

Alj, I hear what you''re saying.

In a perfect world.....

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/21/2007 7:53:37 PM
Author: Pricescope

srtmdr would you please find same magnification photo of the pendant you posted ones?

I guess Al was saing that we all can find things on someone else''s pictures.

This one?
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/eye-candy-red-flash-amethyst.54327/
Its a C-- or there abouts because I didn''t have him go over it too save some money.
But for $30 set it looks nice enough there is a huge difference between expectations with a cheap stuller setting and a several thousand dollar custom piece.
Actualy I find Alj''s comments to be very insulting but if that floats her boat thats kewl I can take it :}

 

[pricescope]

Date: 6/21/2007 6:13:58 PM
Author: strmrdr
Want too be an apologist for poor workmanship that''s your right.

Want too be an apologist for poor workmanship that''s your right. All those prongs needed was a quick polish, not expensive if not free. But i bet this gorgeous pendant does NOT look like it needs it in real live.

I changed Al''s "BS" to "unfair".