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

[Pandora II]

I am super picky and perfectionist myself. However, I wouldn't go more than x10 magnification. My parameters are that I want to look down at my ring and not see things that bother me, and I'd like to know that if another jeweller was to look at my ring through a loupe he would put it down as impressed as they were just seeing it with their eyes.

This for me means - no porosity holes, straight edges to channels etc, nice shaped prongs and a very high standard of finish. I expect all areas to be polished and a really top polish on the most visible sides. No metal tags or messy solder anywhere.

Because of my extreme pedantry I do not lean towards large amounts of milgrain, pave or complicated shanks - there is just way too much scope for me to find faults.

I'm also happy to accept minor flaws as longs as they are not critical to the design or safety of the piece. Like inclusions in coloured stones they make my piece unique.

My feeling is that the OP is probably feeling as if they are being overly obsessive and is wanting other people to point things out so that they can test whether they are "normal" in their perception rather than being unreasonable. I think this is actually a reasonable thing to do. I know when I felt unhappy about a few things with my e-ring I spent hours searching for magnified photos so I could see if I was being completely OCD about my ring or not.

I was interested to see the above comments on stmrdr's pendant: The lack of polish on the sides of the prongs would not upset me in a cheap everyday piece, but I do consider it unacceptable in a custom e-ring setting and it helps to see that other people have pointed out that this is an easily rectified "fault" and not just normal.

In a situation where you might have to have a less than ideal conversation with a vendor it makes sense to confirm if you have a valid complaint or not before you end up in an unreasonable confrontation.

Finally, just wanted to add that you don't have to be able to do something yourself in order to be knowledgeable or make criticism. Brian Sewell makes his living being rude about art - not sure I've ever seen him paint! I also think craftsmen should know their strengths, establish their customers expectations in advance and say no if they cannot guarantee a happy outcome.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/21/2007 9:50:50 PM
Author: 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'.

Difference is I didn't ask your opinion on the setting, I knew what I was doing when I got it.
The prongs are fine the basket and the rabbit ears could have used some work.
It also needed a good cleaning at the time the pics were taken.
To properly polish all the nooks and crannies of that setting to A-B standards is about a 30 min job and I needed to save that money for other things.

 

[pricescope]

Whatever reasons are for accepting a job is irrelevant in this thread, judging magnified pictures of those jobs differently depending on your personal preferences and not even taking into consideration that you did pointed wrong "fugly" bar, wrong "spacing issue", "tilted" head - all wrong, is relevant.

You last red arrows on the new picture do no make any sense either.

I would also ask posters note that lighting in all the pictures posted by PO was the least flattering for jewelry.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/21/2007 8:09:43 PM
Author: 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

I do see your point about bringing the other ring in, but I think it is a good example of how it doesn''t have to be *perfect* to be *beautiful*. Kinda like faces. Most faces are not symmetrical. Noses are crooked, jawlines are dropped... some of the most beautiful models in the world have "flaws".

Also, and this one is the real kicker for me... here we scrutinize EVERYTHING, but out in the real world you rarely get a good look at someone else''s ring and if you hold it to get a close look you''re probably offending them (think of how many times people here have been bothered by fingerprints, looking from the side, tapping etc.) and most people give a 1-2 second cursory "here now you''ve seen it" and then its gone. I barely get an idea of whether the stone is set in a basket or tiffany head at most... there''s no way in hell I''d notice that there is a .3mm gap on the left but not on the right of a ring on a finger. There isn''t ONE shot of the face up view of this ring... and that would concern me WAY more than the side view. I dunno, ultimately I have mixed feelings on this, but I do think scrutinizing a ring blown up to 10" in diameter is over the top.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/21/2007 10:28:13 PM
Author: Pricescope
Whatever reasons are for accepting a job is irrelevant in this thread, judging magnified pictures of those jobs differently depending on your personal preferences and not even taking into consideration that you did pointed wrong 'fugly' bar, wrong 'spacing issue', 'tilted' head - all wrong, is relevant.

You last red arrows on the new picture do no make any sense either.

I would also ask posters note that lighting in all the pictures posted by PO was the least flattering for jewelry.

1: it was posted while I was working on the photo that the bar was going to be changed.
didn't see it.
2: there is a spacing issue present in each of the photos to some extent.
3: I still think the head is off center.
4: that side of the ring is mashed in its plain as day.

Is this a consumer forum or isn't it? If you and Alj the only ones allowed to make comments on what is likely a advertisers workmanship/sale then put that in the rules please.

 

[pricescope]

You don''t need to agree with moderation but then please do not use this forum, THAT is in the Policies.
No need to bring up old "consumers and advertisers" whining - it''s always used when someone is out of RELEVANT arguments.