Is this setting design too busy?

[Lizzrd02]

Hi everyone,
This is my second post but I have been lurking for a year and a half now! (When I used to read that I would think, "Dang! That''s a long time to lurk and not post"...but there is so much good information in this forum that I can''t get enough!)
Anywho, my hubby gave me the go ahead to upgrade my wedding set and I have some design ideas I wanted to get a second opinion on. Sometimes I get so many details in my head that I lose site of whether it looks good or not.
I have not purchased a diamond yet, but I am thinking I''ll be getting something like a 2-2.5ct RB and have Leon Mege make the setting.
For the setting, I was super inspired by Rouffian''s deco asscher ring but wanted to modify it to a round. I found Scintillating''s LM ring the other day and these are my attempts at combining the two. Also, I LOVE Slammie''s ring as well so I copied and pasted from all of those to get a picture that I could send Leon. What do you think? Is there too much going on? Do you think it will translate into real life without looking weird? Thanks for looking!
First, here is a few pictures of Rouffian''s ring:

 

[Lizzrd02]

Pic of Rouffian''s ring...

 

[Lizzrd02]

Another

 

[Lizzrd02]

Forgot to mention that I hope no one minds me using their pics!
This is Scintillating''s ring with my attempt at editing.....the weird things on the side are supposed to be the deco fan details you see on Rouffian''s ring

 

[Lizzrd02]

Andy finally, here is my REALLY bad photoshop (I was getting antsy by then) of what I want the ring to look like head on. I pasted Slammie''s beautiful diamond onto Rouffian''s ring. Hopefully you get the idea. I want to be able to see the tiny bit of milgrain around the diamond like a slight halo that is not always visible. My concern is that this will make it look too complicated or contrived when coupled with the other details of the ring. What do you think?

 

[Lizzrd02]

Also, I forgot to add that if you guys have any ideas or suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated! I went with this profile design because I wanted a way to incorporate the under diamond halo to the shank of the ring while still keeping the deco feeling. I wanted it connected somehow. I do worry that it will end up looking too tall or pyramid-like. That''s why I think Leon...he has such an eye for proportion!

 

[gwendolyn]

Hey there!

I am by no means an expert, so take what I say with lots of salt, but many people here on PS have commented that Leon doesn''t seem to work well with anyone who has a very specific idea of what they want because he needs/wants a bit of artistic freedom to have a vision of his brought to life based on some general things you tell him you want. Just wanted to mention that, in case you hadn''t heard the same thing. I''ve never worked with Leon myself, so it''s just based on things I''ve picked up from other posters here.

For what it''s worth, I think your ring will be lovely!

 

[neatfreak]

I''m not 100% sure that I know what you want-but to me with the double halo (diamonds at the bottom and milgraining on top right?) and the side stones AND the wraps...I think it might just be too much.

I also think that art deco setting looks is made for an asscher...I don''t love the super angular shank with the round stone.

BUT that being said-I do think that Leon could take some of the things you like and mold them into a gorgeous ring. But I think there might just be too many elements here that don''t quite go together.

 

[Lizzrd02]

Thanks for the input.
I do have that fear about Leon. I have contacted him before with a setting redesign for my original e-ring diamond (before the upgraded diamond was an option)that was quite nitpicky and he surprised me as he was receptive to my ideas and friendly. I have heard that is not always the case. His emails were concise but he had nice things to say about the setting I wanted. But that was then and there is no accounting for his temperment the next time around...
Neatfreak, I see what you mean about too much going on. I think that is why I posted it in the first place. Normally I am pretty decisive about what I like even when it isn''t other people''s tastes. But for some reason....I can''t seem to get it quite right with this one.
I agree that a honking asscher would probably suit this setting best, but I can''t get over the size lost with an asscher compared to a RB. Plus, I have a RB in my current e-ring and I am pretty sure I would miss the sparkle. I even wore a cz asscher in the size I could afford for about a week to try it out and it just didn''t do it for me!
It was hard to convey with my poor photoshopping skills what I was wanting but basically it would be just like rouffian''s ring (with the boxy edges and such) but with a RB head similar to scintillating''s, which is a leon. I do think I would want the shank sides to meet the ring a little lower on the diamond than I showed, but I couldn''t get that right with all my copying and pasting. I was going to given Leon the basics and let him decide what looks best from there. I do think I will scrap the milgrain underhalo thing....might help the ring look a little more architectural and deco too.

 

[Lizzrd02]

Another option I was considering would be a basket like this ring, with the straighter lines. (Minus the other details in the basket.) I was hoping to have the ring allow a band to sit pretty close to it though so that might be tricky too. I have very short fingers! hehe
Thanks again for looking.

 

[arjunajane]

Hey Lizz,
I will admit upfront I haven''t read 100% of the posts and am not *exactly* sure what you''re after,
but your photoshop did remind me of a pic I have saved - this is a deco ring from Lang''s antiques - is this kinda close? I really love this ring.
I have a sideview too if you''d like..?

 

[DiamondFlame]

I agree with the view that the geometric style favors the Asscher better than the round. And AJ highlighted a fine example from Lang''s Antiques (I love many of their pieces!). But let''s see what are the features you might have found attractive in those designs. I''m pretty sure we could find a gorgeous setting somewhere without resorting to Photoshop.

Am I correct to say you like channel-set/paveset sidestones with milgrained edges?

 

[Lizzrd02]

Thanks everyone for your input!
Arjunajane I have that ring saved on my computer for inspiration also! I love art deco jewelry. It is so glamorous!

I had another thought last night. How do you think it would look to put 2 non-tapered baguettes where the bead-set melee is on the shanks? Probably bezel set with milgrain edges. That might help make it look a little more architectural. Plus, I love the contrast of a glassy baguette next to a fiery RB. I think that is part of what makes Rouffian''s ring so nice is the contrast between the RBs and that awesome asscher.

As far as the profile view goes, I think plain is the way to go, no under halo or anything. What do you guys think about that? I can''t even tell anymore...you know how sometimes you stare at something so much that you lose your perspective of it? I think that is what is happening here. I need to just put the computer down for a week or two and then come back to it. Haha...easier said than done! How else would I feed my pricescope addiction?

 

[Lizzrd02]

Diamondflame, I forgot to add that what I LOVE LOVE LOVE about Rouffian''s ring are the wraps on the shank. (Not sure if that is the proper term. I am referring to the step details right next to the melee).

 

[Lizzrd02]

I am excited! I actually found this ring being made for a round. It has 6 prongs, though, which I am not a huge fan of in this case. Once again, I am guilty of photoshopping! lol
What do you think?
This is the setting that I found online

 

[Lizzrd02]

Another...
The round in this is too small for the proportion of the ring, I think.

 

[Lizzrd02]

And this is my photoshopped version to have 4 prongs. I like it!

 

[Lizzrd02]

And here is my cut and past job to have a four prong diamond on the ring and make the center stone a little larger.....ok, a lot larger! lol I think that is the size of stone for my dreams! Does this look better than the original do you think?

 

[CravingDiamonds]

I actually think that the last cut and paste photo you just posted looked the best. I like it with the bigger diamond better also.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 6/2/2009 12:47:00 AM
Author: CravingDiamonds
I actually think that the last cut and paste photo you just posted looked the best. I like it with the bigger diamond better also.

Ditto, the best by far... I can''t wait to see what you end up with.

 

[Lizzrd02]

Thanks for your input Cravindiamonds and Kaleigh! This thread has really helped me figure this out.