It's arrived! How do I set this little beauty?

[Hounddog]

I'm so excited now it's arrived! I'd agonised over this little Blue-Green Zircon as I'd only seen the photos, which were acknowledged to not do it justice, but IRL it's beautiful
It's 2.17ct, Cushion cut with additional pavilion facets like a 'windmill', dimensions 6.73 x 6.72 x 4.56mm Eye Clean, Cambodian, heat treated as most are I believe.

After seeing so many gorgeous Zircons on PS I really fancied one, thank you PSers for sharing so many stunning stones.
I'm just not sure how to set it, I love cushions!!
I'm thinking with a halo or maybe two diamond side stones.....any ideas and photos would be a great help. I think this little beauty has now leapfrogged over my Doug Menadue Asscher Natural Blue Topaz and my Yellow Beryl to be set. Oh dear!
Here are some photos, any black blobs or dark patches are reflections from my gadget.
What do you think, do I set it in White Gold/Platinum or Yellow Gold?....the colour deepens nicely against yellow gold.

It's so exciting

 

[Hounddog]

Here it is in a yellow gold holder. Here with its friends it's leapfrogged over! This is with a 0.40ct Diamond Marquise I got a while ago...still no idea what to do with it either!

 

[elle_71125]

Gorgeous!!!
I'd love to see it set with diamonds.

 

[Matthews1127]

BEAUTIFUL!!! I second that, Elle_71125!! Diamonds & white gold!!!

 

[marymm]

Sweet cushion, and love its color especially in the yellow gold, so that gets my vote FWIW.

 

[Bluegemz]

Beautiful, congratulations! I vote diamonds and yellow gold.

 

[T L]

Pink side stones. Very nice stone.

 

[Acinom]

Gorgeous!!! Such an amazing colour. It's stunning in YG! I vote however for a halo and white metal (platinum) or a YG bezel solitaire.

 

[Hounddog]

Thank you so much for your kind words, Elle_71125, Matthews1127, Marymm, Bluedemz, TL and Acinom. It's so exciting reading you comments and choices of gold. At the moment I'm still thinking towards yellow gold as the white seems to wash out the colour a little but with Diamonds...yes I want diamonds...big smile maybe I'll change to the white gold/Platinum as I normally prefer it.

Thank you Acinom for sharing this to the Zircon link and asking people to help me find a setting I like, your help is much appreciated and your jewellery is just fabulous, you have great taste.

I've been looking for inspiration images and so far the only one that I really like is a halo of diamonds around a similar stone....it's from Pinterest but maybe a PS ring originally. Apologies for not being able to reference it properly!

I've always liked Cushion cut Diamonds with side stones ie. Traps or even French cuts in a row, but I'm not sure I can afford that for this ring at the moment.
I'd love to see some inspiration photos if you can think of any, I'm also open to doing something a little more unusual with it as it's a right hand ring...maybe combining the Marquise in an asymmetrical way....open to ideas.
Thanks for your help.

 

[dkata]

Maybe you are goung to think I'm crazy, and you haven't listed this opportunity, but I would set it in rose gold, and possibly in a halo.

 

[Matthews1127]

Sone hijacked ideas from Pinterest:








You can mix & match any of these ideas, and even use pears or marquise as side stones! Any metal would look beautiful!! Blue Zircon is gorgeous!!!

 

[Acinom]

I love the designs @Matthews1127 posted. Especially the last two.

I dipped my zircon in diamond sugar. It is an Asscher cut, but it will also work with a cushion.

 

[mochiko42]

I'm so excited now it's arrived! I'd agonised over this little Blue-Green Zircon as I'd only seen the photos, which were acknowledged to not do it justice, but IRL it's beautiful
It's 2.17ct, Cushion cut with additional pavilion facets like a 'windmill', dimensions 6.73 x 6.72 x 4.56mm Eye Clean, Cambodian, heat treated as most are I believe.

After seeing so many gorgeous Zircons on PS I really fancied one, thank you PSers for sharing so many stunning stones.
I'm just not sure how to set it, I love cushions!!
I'm thinking with a halo or maybe two diamond side stones.....any ideas and photos would be a great help. I think this little beauty has now leapfrogged over my Doug Menadue Asscher Natural Blue Topaz and my Yellow Beryl to be set. Oh dear!
Here are some photos, any black blobs or dark patches are reflections from my gadget.
What do you think, do I set it in White Gold/Platinum or Yellow Gold?....the colour deepens nicely against yellow gold.

It's so exciting

That is a beautifully cut cushion and the color is fabulous, too!! Which vendor did you get it from?

My vote would be for a halo or 3 stone (half moons).

 

[Arcadian]

Yellow or RG would be my choices.

 

[Matthews1127]

What about two-tone? Platinum head/prongs/halo with RG shank...pave diamonds or tapered baguettes...or perhaps, pears on the shoulders?..depending on the head style?

 

[Hounddog]

Thank you for all the new comments

'Thank you' Dkata ( and you're not crazy at all you may even be inspired! ) I really like the idea of Rose Gold, I haven't got any at all. I'll have to try some on somewhere and see if it suits me, I do like the idea of the warmth of it.

Thanks for the images Matthews1127, they're all interesting in different ways. The first is a little traditional but I do like the Bezel and the fact the diamonds are two different sizes. Do you think a Bezel is good for Zircons as it's more protective? Would it dramatically change the colour of mine?
I like no 2, which surprises me as I normally go for more simple designs!
The yellow gold and details on the third are great, if maybe I could take some of the details but simplify them in some way..would be unique
The last two are very pretty and more simple styles.. which I like...goodness how am I ever going to choose!!

Thanks for the photos of your ring Acinom, it's a sugar delight and it looks beautiful on you. I am amazed by the craftsmanship, it's incredible! My budget is likely to be a bit limited, so a simpler route is probably best for me. I really like the halo and the diamonds down the face view of the shank.

Thanks for all the ideas and photos....I'm actually enjoying the thinking process of this

 

[Hounddog]

Hi Mochiko42, Thank you that's really good to know and means a lot to me. I thought it was lovely and it was advertised as a 'precision design' but I'm just an enthusiastic novice and having read many of your great posts I know you're very knowledgable.

It's from Johannes Orstradius in Sweden, but cut by his contact also in Sweden. The photos he took really didn't do it justice, made it look quite dark, so I asked for more images and he sent me two videos of it which were slightly better but made it look rather light! There was just something about it that kept 'tickling' me to give it a try and the size was what I wanted.
He has been very easy to deal with and really helpful, although he takes a couple of days to reply to messages.
Thanks for the suggestions Mochiko I hadn't thought of half moon side stones, I'll have to look at some images.
At the moment, before I know any prices and see any other designs, the halo idea is edging it for me

Hi Arcadian, thank you for your comments, I really do need to try on some rose gold now

Hi Matthews1127, thank you again, two-tone sounds good, also it works like a compromise although it's lovely in itself. Would the shank colour still make the colour of the Zircon look richer or would the Platinum head keep it cooler?
Re the tapered Baguettes, do you mean as side stones on either side or as some sort of 'skirt' halo? I have always liked Pears! So many good suggestions...it's difficult!

I have remembered a ring design I tried on last year, it might work and be better on my budget! On that ring the centre stone was an ?OEC but the bit I really liked was like a little curved 'barrel' at either side of the stone made up of maybe three or four small stones curving around the shank...it had a ?1920's feel to it. I'll try and find a photo.

Thanks for all your suggestions it's so difficult to decide, I hope I get that sudden "Yes, that's it" feeling soon, although I suspect my budget will help me to decide...once I've worked out what it is!

 

[Hounddog]

Please excuse the over-magnification as I've cropped it dramatically to remove my podgy dry fingers...hand cream needed! This was a divine pre-loved ring, it looked so much better in person...I SO SO wish I could have bought it. The first diamonds either side of the main one were French cuts, followed by three square cut ones...maybe square step cuts or Asscher cuts, I can't remember! Loved this ring.

 

[Arkteia]

Beautiful stone!
I see it in YG semi-bezel with granulations.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JanishJewels?ref=pr_shop_more

 

[kgizo]

Its gorgeous! I would do a buttery 18K yellow gold.

 

[Matthews1127]

Hi Mochiko42, Thank you that's really good to know and means a lot to me. I thought it was lovely and it was advertised as a 'precision design' but I'm just an enthusiastic novice and having read many of your great posts I know you're very knowledgable.

It's from Johannes Orstradius in Sweden, but cut by his contact also in Sweden. The photos he took really didn't do it justice, made it look quite dark, so I asked for more images and he sent me two videos of it which were slightly better but made it look rather light! There was just something about it that kept 'tickling' me to give it a try and the size was what I wanted.
He has been very easy to deal with and really helpful, although he takes a couple of days to reply to messages.
Thanks for the suggestions Mochiko I hadn't thought of half moon side stones, I'll have to look at some images.
At the moment, before I know any prices and see any other designs, the halo idea is edging it for me

Hi Arcadian, thank you for your comments, I really do need to try on some rose gold now

Hi Matthews1127, thank you again, two-tone sounds good, also it works like a compromise although it's lovely in itself. Would the shank colour still make the colour of the Zircon look richer or would the Platinum head keep it cooler?
Re the tapered Baguettes, do you mean as side stones on either side or as some sort of 'skirt' halo? I have always liked Pears! So many good suggestions...it's difficult!

I have remembered a ring design I tried on last year, it might work and be better on my budget! On that ring the centre stone was an ?OEC but the bit I really liked was like a little curved 'barrel' at either side of the stone made up of maybe three or four small stones curving around the shank...it had a ?1920's feel to it. I'll try and find a photo.

Thanks for all your suggestions it's so difficult to decide, I hope I get that sudden "Yes, that's it" feeling soon, although I suspect my budget will help me to decide...once I've worked out what it is!

Tapered baguettes on the shoulders, one on each side...horizontally set...for an Art Deco/Gatsby style. I think the Platinum head will be subtle, and protect the stone. A bezel will protect the stone from any scratching on the girdle, and near the face of the stone. You can forego the bezel, and keep the stone low to the finger, instead of raised on a cathedral. The rose gold will show off nicely, and the side baguettes will definitely pick up a hue of the rosey glow! Simple is good...and with the two stones set on the shoulders of the shank, and the two toned gold/platinum, it will seem so elegant! You can even have some simple engraving along the profile to give it some character, and a vintage flair!! I love the windmills that were integrated in the cut of the stone! It's not an Asscher, but it's not a Cushion, either! It's kind of both!! The color is gorgeous, and I don't think platinum with rose gold will look cold, at all! I can't wait to see what you finally decide!!!

 

[Hounddog]

Hi Arkteia, thanks for the link and comments, its really interesting to see such different designs and it's given me a lot more to consider.
I do like some of their simple Bezel setting and the way they combine them with different stones, I'm wondering if I could try that or maybe some sort of stacking thing where I keep the Zircon simply set with say one or two small accent diamonds and then get my Marquise set similarly to stack with it, good to have a bit of variety I've seen stacking rings on here but I don't have any and don't see them often here in the U.K. I do still like the yellow gold and rose gold ideas.

Thanks Kgizo, 'buttery gold' sounds so nice....I wonder how I am ever going to decide!

Hi Matthews1127, Thank you so much for explaining everything, you make the baguette options and two tone metals sound so great. I also know that I like rings to sit fairly low so that's a good point for me to remember. I'm definitely going to have to go on a 'window shopping' visit very soon to a variety of jewellers to try and see some examples of these and to try on some rose gold.
I'm really pleased that you like the colour and it's mixed cut nature too. I love Asschers and Cushions, so it didn't bother me when I read that it was a cushion with additional 'windmill' facets. Your excitement is delightful, thank you.
I'm so glad I took the plunge with it, I just need decide on a setting, work out my budget and hope that the two match!!!

Thanks, hope you all have a great weekend.

 

[rockysalamander]

Maybe a bit out there, but I was thinking that a modern two-stone would be great. Maybe put the zircon on top, kite set, and put something tone-on-tone or contrasting as the little round. Maybe a little old cut diamond or even another zircon. You could add pave to the band here.

Spinel, this color but smaller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CUSTOM-CUT-5MM-64ct-SPINEL-TANZANIA-/322604887793?hash=item4b1cbfeef1

OEC: https://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-diamond/dot-47ct-k-vs1-oec

 

[rockysalamander]

 

[marymm]

Maybe a bit out there, but I was thinking that a modern two-stone would be great. Maybe put the zircon on top, kite set, and put something tone-on-tone or contrasting as the little round. Maybe a little old cut diamond or even another zircon. You could add pave to the band here.

Spinel, this color but smaller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CUSTOM-CUT-5MM-64ct-SPINEL-TANZANIA-/322604887793?hash=item4b1cbfeef1

OEC: https://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-diamond/dot-47ct-k-vs1-oec

^ rockysalamander, who is the vendor for this setting? Really really like it, and it may work for one of my round stones...

FWIW, not sure this particular design flows as well with a kite-set cushion but that I think is personal preference.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

So many setting styles to choose from and I am excited to see how you set this beauty. My advice- if you prefer white gold and platinum then go with that. I find I do not wear my yellow gold rings no matter how pretty they are.

 

[rockysalamander]

^ rockysalamander, who is the vendor for this setting? Really really like it, and it may work for one of my round stones...

FWIW, not sure this particular design flows as well with a kite-set cushion but that I think is personal preference.

The vendor is on Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/523333...a_search_query=iolite&ref=shop_items_search_1

 

[marymm]

^ thank you - unfortunately the Canadian vendor VanRaay does not accept customer-supplied stones, but the designs and execution are certainly inspirational.

 

[rockysalamander]

That's a bummer. But, I've seen a lot of variations of this basic design. I bet OneGarnetGirl of MountainSpiritJewels could make a great rendition. I know OGG will take outside stone, I'm not sure about MSJ.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/mountainspiritjewels
https://www.etsy.com/shop/onegarnetgirl?ref=l2-shopheader-name

 

[Hounddog]

Hi Rockysalamander, Thank you for the great images and suggestions, not 'out there at all' as I really do want to consider both Classic and modern alternatives along with the more unusual or asymmetrical too. So I'm really pleased with your suggestion and the 'mock up' ( it's great thank you ) of my Zircon with the diamond....I've now got so much to think about..it's wonderful... but so many choices! I think it's definitely got to be with a diamond or diamonds though. I love spinels and other stones...but diamonds can't be beaten and I just see this Zircon with diamonds Thank you for your help.

Hi LisaRN, that's a good point. I do wear a yellow gold wedding ring and engagement ring but otherwise everything else seems to be white metal, even though I have a lovely yellow gold necklace/collar and bracelet which sadly don't see the light very often!
I think that might give more support for the combination idea by Matthews1127. Thanks for your help.

I'm away from home for a few days but once I get back I'm going to look in some jewellery shop windows and visit my 'friendly' jewellery workshop for prices and practicalities.

Thanks again everyone, your help is much appreciated.