Memoire Purity Collection - insights?

[starryeyed]

We have begun the wedding band search - we LOVE the Memoire Single Prong Full Eternity Band from the Purity Collection. Image below.

The Memoire site appears to be down right now, so I need help with a few concerns:

1. The Purity Collection is 99.9% pure platinum. My e-ring is 95%. Can the 99.9% plat. abrade the less pure 95% plat. of my e-ring? Are there any issues with wearing differing platinum alloys?

2. Memoire says they "Micro-Grade" the diamonds, but I didn''t read if they used all ideal-cut stones??

3. Will the eternity ring diamonds from this setting scratch my e-ring prongs? If so, how badly? Is it enough of a reason to keep looking?

Any thoughts about the design, quality, etc. of Memoire would be great! Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

According to my jeweler, Memoire makes the best eternity rings available. I have one of the shared prong wedding bands. At the time I was looking, he pulled out the Memoire's for me to try on and said he didn't recommend the others they carry! They are made so that the stones do not scratch a ring sitting beside it unlike many others. Now mine is not the same model you are showing, but I would assume that they make all their rings to not scratch the ring next to it. They are also set very low so that the diamonds would not hit the prongs of the e-ring even if they could.

I don't know a thing about the 99.9% platinum, but I would not hesitate to put it next to a 95% platinum ring.

Oh, and they use well cut diamonds. My band is very sparkly and beautiful!

 

[starryeyed]

Hi Diamondseeker. Thanks for your input!

Yes, I like how the ring is set low on the finger, too. It seemed like a very well-made ring, but sometimes it's hard to tell the true craftsmanship of a piece until you wear it awhile. I'm glad to hear you are pleased with yours!

That's interesting too that they are designed not to scratch. Sounds ideal!

 

[mrssalvo]

i just looked at those last week and agree with diamondseeker. also memoire guarantees the diamonds in the single prong rings to never come out and will replace them for free for life if they do. Bill pearlman told me that they actually tested the rings with a hammer

and they are very strong as well as being very safe for the ultrasonic which is something that is important to me. I am actually planning on purchasing a memoire ring myself very soon...

 

[starryeyed]

Hi MrsSalvo. I read that you were planning to get one soon when trying to research Memoire threads - that's great!

What drew you to them initially?

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/25/2007 10:11:05 PM
Author: starryeyed

What drew you to them initially?

well, i am very picky and when I started researching eternity bands I realized like so many things, all are not created equal. the first thing was that the prongs were all perfectly evenly spaced b/t the stones. I had seen bands that had uneven prongs and little tiny things like that drive me crazy. Also, memoire had a way where the girdles of the eternity rings didn't touch or scratch the ring it sits next too and I was looking at an eternity set at the time and didn't want girdles rubbing and chipping. I also read up on the technique they use to make them and knew they are extrememly well made so that was a huge plus. Lastly, they have a low profile which I love.

 

[starryeyed]

Any idea who owns Memoire? Is it a privately held company or part of a public consortium?

 

[Gothgrrl]

Mrs.salvo, do you still have the WF eternity band?

 

[Sundial]

Date: 3/25/2007 10:46:21 PM
Author: starryeyed
Any idea who owns Memoire? Is it a privately held company or part of a public consortium?

Hearts on Fire purchased Memoire but I believe the original owners stayed on with the company. That should insure that they use decent diamonds!

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/25/2007 10:55:34 PM
Author: Sundial

Date: 3/25/2007 10:46:21 PM

Author: starryeyed

Any idea who owns Memoire? Is it a privately held company or part of a public consortium?

Hearts on Fire purchased Memoire but I believe the original owners stayed on with the company. That should insure that they use decent diamonds!

That''s an interesting tidbit - thanks!

 

[Harriet]

I thought my favourite enabler / voice of conscience had gone missing!

 

[starryeyed]

Hi Harriet! Thanks for posting here - nice to see you.

I went through a busy spell. Have you chosen your wedding band yet?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I was able to get on the Memoire site..just in case you haven''t tried again:

http://www.memoire.com/catalog/collections.aspx

 

[Harriet]

Good to "see" you too!

I have chosen my wedding band. It will basically be identical to the band of my e-ring. But, for days when I don''t want to wear the whole set, I''ll have the channel-set white gold Cartier Trinity.

Have you seen what Irina created for me on my "Wedding pendant/necklace" thread?

Don''t forget to let me know when you''re in town.

 

[risingsun]

Date: 3/25/2007 10:55:34 PM
Author: Sundial

Date: 3/25/2007 10:46:21 PM
Author: starryeyed
Any idea who owns Memoire? Is it a privately held company or part of a public consortium?

Hearts on Fire purchased Memoire but I believe the original owners stayed on with the company. That should insure that they use decent diamonds!

That's very interesting. I was noticing that the prongs on my HOF wedding set looked very much like the Petite Prong collection from Memoire. Maybe my HOF jeweler will start to carry the Memoire trinity rings now

Please excuse the threadjack

 

[crown1]

i was doing some research on memoire and saw hearts on fire had acquired them but that the couple who had owned it was remaining to run the company and it would be a separate intetity. i think that was maybe in 2005, not sure. i did hear from a jeweler that hearts on fire was sold but can''t confirm that. the same jeweler was very complimentary of memoire and spoke of them perfecting the setting of the eternity bands like you are considering. i have found no complaints with their product and the band is lovely.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/25/2007 11:19:56 PM
Author: Harriet
Good to ''see'' you too!
I have chosen my wedding band. It will basically be identical to the band of my e-ring. But, for days when I don''t want to wear the whole set, I''ll have the channel-set white gold Cartier Trinity.
Have you seen what Irina created for me on my ''Wedding pendant/necklace'' thread?
Don''t forget to let me know when you''re in town.

Hi Harriet, I will check out your wedding pendant thread for sure. So many projects, so little time!

I thought you purchased the tri-colored Cartier Trinity already? Are you going to get a second one? That''s a nice idea to get a different band to wear on its own. For me, in all honesty, I can''t imagine not wanting to wear my e-ring. I feel lonely or something without it!

No plans just yet for a trip to NYC - maybe sometime after tax season! Ugh.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/25/2007 11:19:45 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I was able to get on the Memoire site..just in case you haven''t tried again:
http://www.memoire.com/catalog/collections.aspx

Thanks Diamondseeker! Yes, the site seems to be working for me now.

The heat extrusion process and the prong lasering sound pretty high-tech. The band is definitely comfortable - more comfy than anything I''ve tried on so far, including Tiffany bands.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/26/2007 1:00:18 AM
Author: crown1
i was doing some research on memoire and saw hearts on fire had acquired them but that the couple who had owned it was remaining to run the company and it would be a separate intetity. i think that was maybe in 2005, not sure. i did hear from a jeweler that hearts on fire was sold but can''t confirm that. the same jeweler was very complimentary of memoire and spoke of them perfecting the setting of the eternity bands like you are considering. i have found no complaints with their product and the band is lovely.

Hi Crown. Yes, I looked that up too after Sundial pointed out who the new owners were - interesting, makes me feel better about the diamond quality because the salesperson never said they use "ideal" stones. They were sparkly, but who jewelry stores are always so glitzy.

From what I understand, it sounds like Memoire has struck a good balance between functionality and design.

 

[risingsun]

Was HOF sold or did they buy Memoire or both...I'm a little confused

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/26/2007 2:14:30 PM
Author: risingsun
Was HOF sold or did they buy Memoire or both...I'm a little confused

Hi risingsun. I believe HOF, a Boston-based company, bought Memoire, based in upstate NY. Since you asked, I tried a Google to see if HOF was sold, but didn't see anything about that. I think I read that HOF is part of the "Eurostar companies" - I believe Eurostar (or a subsidiary) is a DTC (i.e. - DeBeers) sightholder.

I spoke with someone at Memoire today about my questions. The rep wasn't sure about 95% plat. against 99% plat., but didn't suspect there would be a problem. The rep also told me that "ideal" cut stones would be a special request. Lastly she told me she has never heard of a Memoire band causing any damage to adjacent rings. She did not say anything about it being a specific design goal - rather she just said she never heard of a problem.

So it sounds stupid, but I'm wondering if asking for "ideal" cut stones is a good idea? I thought I remember reading (maybe on the Leon Mege site) that in smaller stones, "single cut" or "eight cut" stones are better that full cut stones because they product larger flashes of light. I'm not clear if Memoire is using full cut (58 facet) stones only? Hmm...

 

[crown1]

hearts on fire purchased memoire. this info from archive of pjm july 2004. i muddied the water by posting that i had been told hof had been sold but i could not confirm it. i can find no evidence that it is true so disregard the statement. i have no good knowledge on the subject. sorry if i caused confusion.

 

[risingsun]

Thanks starryeyed and Crown1...I am easily confused

 

[Harriet]

Date: 3/26/2007 9:06:26 AM
Author: starryeyed

Date: 3/25/2007 11:19:56 PM
Author: Harriet
Good to ''see'' you too!
I have chosen my wedding band. It will basically be identical to the band of my e-ring. But, for days when I don''t want to wear the whole set, I''ll have the channel-set white gold Cartier Trinity.
Have you seen what Irina created for me on my ''Wedding pendant/necklace'' thread?
Don''t forget to let me know when you''re in town.

Hi Harriet, I will check out your wedding pendant thread for sure. So many projects, so little time!

I thought you purchased the tri-colored Cartier Trinity already? Are you going to get a second one? That''s a nice idea to get a different band to wear on its own. For me, in all honesty, I can''t imagine not wanting to wear my e-ring. I feel lonely or something without it!

No plans just yet for a trip to NYC - maybe sometime after tax season! Ugh.

I did purchase the basic Trinity, but am having so much fun with it that I''m coveting the diamond version. It''s my new nervous habit.

Let me know.

 

[dianne]

That is a beautiful band!

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 3/26/2007 10:03:21 PM
Author: dianne
That is a beautiful band!

ditto!

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/26/2007 10:20:24 PM
Author: kcoursolle

Date: 3/26/2007 10:03:21 PM
Author: dianne
That is a beautiful band!

ditto!

Thanks dianne and KC- I thought so too. Do you think it''s worth it to ask for "ideal" cut stones? Sounds like a dumb question perhaps, but "ideal" doesn''t necessarily ensure great light performance, as we all know. I''d rather ask for stones that score below 2 on the HCA, but that probably wouldn''t fly!

Thoughts?

 

[mrssalvo]

starry- i'd just ask the vendor your working with what type stones memoire uses, however I'm almost positive they are ideal, using the PS defintion. Memoire also will allow you to chose b/t f/vs or g/si or something like that so you'd have some say in the color clarity combo too. i

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/27/2007 9:49:19 AM
Author: mrssalvo
starry- i''d just ask the vendor your working with what type stones memoire uses, however I''m almost positive they are ideal, using the PS defintion. Memoire also will allow you to chose b/t f/vs or g/si or something like that so you''d have some say in the color clarity combo too. i

Thanks MrsSalvo. What do you mean by "ideal, using the PS definition"? 2 or less on HCA?

I ask because when I spoke to the rep at Memoire in upstate NY, she told me "ideal" cut stones would be a special request. This is Memoire saying this, not a retailer. The retailer just said they use well-cut stones - they did not use the words "ideal" or "premium" to describe cut, so I felt unclear.

I know what you mean about color/clarity levels too. As it was explained to me, in Memoire lingo, AA+ is F VVS minimum, A+ is F VS min., etc.

So do you think it would be in my best interest to ask for "ideal"? I''m thinking it couldn''t hurt, right? But is it necessary to ensure screaming diamonds?

 

[mrssalvo]

starry, are you buying the ring though pearlmans or someone else?