#TBT Meet Water Lily, my art deco love!

[pandabee]

It all started with a zircon that lived on this old brooch...


and this inspiration from Tiffany...(that top ring is also on my list of possible future projects... )


So I sent it off to get unset and matched up with some traps. This was the first layout that showed its true yummy color:


This picture shows the trap layout a bit better as the stones were secured in some gum:

 

[Acinom]

Yay

 

[pandabee]

So here come the first round of CADs.



Unfortunately I was SO not a fan of the hearts. This was my fault though as I gave Chris at ERD rather free reign and just told him I wanted something swirly and delicate. I originally wanted there to be engraving on the shank like those on antique wedding bands but he convinced me not to. So we moved on to this after I suggested something like fleur de lis as a motif.


Even though he said there would be finishing touches and engraving on the middle piece of the gallery, I was still not happy. We decided to change it up again to this pattern (which I have always like the idea of having petals open up and I did have an inspiration photo of a gallery of this sort).

 

[pandabee]

After I okayed this CAD, I didn't hear from Chris for a while as they went on holiday and whatnot. Anyway, I got surprised by these photos in my email one day!

 

[GemFever]

I'm probably interrupting the flow pics, but I have to say WOW wow wow! Love being able to follow the whole process. And what a ring!

 

[pandabee]

Oh I was so giddy. However, I noticed the prongs were a little off centered on the facets...I showed it to a few people and apparently not everyone could see it. So I guess that means I'm a true nit-picky PSer Here is a nice diagram that a dear friend was able to help me out with so that I could explain to Chris about the slight misalignment.


So no big deal, after a day I got this revised picture. Bottom left still seems ever so slightly off to me...but I can live with it.


First real life hand shot...


Sized for my middle finger...

 

[pandabee]

But I made it 6.5 so I could wear it on my ring finger just in case

 

[pandabee]

And finally, a perspective shot. No, this isn't my favorite color...


Oh yeah, check out this pic I took with my phone case while it was set in the brooch hehehe


Alright kids, that's all I got (for now!) Enjoy!!

 

[GemFever]

I loooove it! I love your phone case, too

The ring is just TDF!

 

[Acinom]

Absolute gorgeousness. I love the look of the ring as well as all the details. The colour of the center stone is stunning and it pairs so nice with the side stones. And the gallery! It looks so sophisticated and delicate in the real life pics absolutely stunning and high quality.

 

[Farleysmom]

GORGEOUS!

 

[pandabee]

I loooove it! I love your phone case, too

The ring is just TDF!

Thanks Gem, Acinom, and Farleysmom!! Unfortunately the picture quality on these is poop. I even took them on HDR on my phone but it got compressed still. They look decent when I zoom in on them! Oh well. Another thing, I do have to say that I *love* the knife edge. It is so incredibly comfortable and it doesn't seem to get scratched up quite as easily too.

Lastly, ERD has been awesome through this whole journey. We didn't even establish a limit of CADs that they would do, and while he gave me a quote early on, I considered it quite generous especially in comparison to a similar trap setting they have listed as a stock piece that does not have the modifications mine does. An invoice was not sent until I was completely happy with the ring. Working with them was a very easy process and I would be excited to do it again sometime, once my bank account has recovered a bit

 

[lorrissey]

WOW

I love love love love love EVERYthing about this! It's gorgeous!

 

[arkieb1]

I LOVE it!!! How big are all the stones?

 

[pandabee]

Thanks lorrissey!

I LOVE it!!! How big are all the stones?

OH gosh I am a terrible PSer. I can't believe I forgot to say. The center is an approximately 2.5ct zircon with dimensions 8.2x6.8x5.75mm. The traps are 0.4tcw H VS2 5x2.7mm. Setting is 18k.

 

[minousbijoux]

Love it! When you said: "It all started with a zircon that lived on this old brooch..." I felt a little like Dory from Finding Nemo when she says: "Oh, this is gonna be good," when Marlin starts telling the story - the story she has heard before, lol!

I love this ring. I love your stone. I love your inspiration pieces. I love the fact that iirc, you had little experience with colored stones but ended up making one of the most beautiful rings ever!

 

[missy]

Love it! When you said: "It all started with a zircon that lived on this old brooch..." I felt a little like Dory from Finding Nemo when she says: "Oh, this is gonna be good," when Marlin starts telling the story - the story she has heard before, lol!

I love this ring. I love your stone. I love your inspiration pieces. I love the fact that iirc, you had little experience with colored stones but ended up making one of the most beautiful rings ever!

I am going to huge ditto Minou's post!!! Everything she said!
Beautiful beautiful beautiful! And that is my favorite color!

 

[pandabee]

Love it! When you said: "It all started with a zircon that lived on this old brooch..." I felt a little like Dory from Finding Nemo when she says: "Oh, this is gonna be good," when Marlin starts telling the story - the story she has heard before, lol!

I love this ring. I love your stone. I love your inspiration pieces. I love the fact that iirc, you had little experience with colored stones but ended up making one of the most beautiful rings ever!

awww thank you honey you are too sweet!!! Yes, I have learned quite a bit about CS along the way (although way more to learn of course) but thanks to some lovely ladies (ForteKitty, FrekeChild who have held my hand along the way) and the input of you and lots of other ladies over in CS, I have learned to be able to look for what I love. As I briefly mentioned above, I do have a round tourmaline that is similar to the round ring in the Tiffany inspiration so I'm looking forward to just having a whole collection of ocean colored rings hehe. It's fun to look down and feel like I have a bit of the ocean with me!

missy I'm glad you like it! I think there are quite a few of us blue-green CS fans here

 

[pandabee]

oh gawsh I feel like I am spamming my own thread haha. My favorite thing about it is that it always shows the greenish hint of blue and because of the refractive properties, it gives off those rainbow flashes. At the same time, it's quite translucent and doesn't remind me of the nuked blue diamond look either! Win-win!

 

[MissGotRocks]

It is a gorgeous color and a gorgeous ring! Kudos for you for making something new and beautiful from old and loved!

 

[ForteKitty]

I love this ring!! The color, proportions, details are all so perfect.

What are you going to do with the brooch?

 

[SandyCheeks]

I'm in love with that pretty color!! You nailed the design it's just perfect!

 

[derbygal]

I'm certifiably in love with your new ring! The color on the zircon is hypnotic!

 

[pandabee]

Thanks missgotrocks, FK, SandyCheeks, and derbygal. FK, I haven't decided yet...my original plan was to set it with a cheapie gem (or something else) and string it on a chain and wear it as a pendant vertically. We'll see if I ever get around to doing that lol. Or I might just take the easy way out and sell it. Haven't decided yet!

 

[Mico]

Yaaaaaaaay!!! This looks absolutely amazing! Love love love love

 

[Laila619]

It's absolutely gorgeous!!

 

[woofmama]

Beautiful ring, Pandabee! The setting is perfect. And the color of your Zircon is such a beautiful shade of turquoise blue!

 

[movie zombie]

nicely done!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That is about my favorite color, too (I love all blues, though!)! So beautiful!

 

[yennyfire]

It's perfect! I like it even more than the inspiration piece! What are your plans for the brooch?