Milgrain bezel studs vs. milgrain bezel leverbacks?

[Circe]

I found earring stones! I contacted a whole bunch of vendors about my earring project, and Yekutiel at I.D. Jewelry found me the perfect pair: 1.43 tcw, H&A H SI2, and strong blue fluor. Working with him is a wonderful experience. These will be my first ideal stones! I'm psyched. So now I just have to decide on the setting ....

I'm torn between having them set as classic milgrained bezel studs, vs. having them set in milgrained bezel leverbacks.

As I see it: pros for studs are:

- classic

- in a year, when I embark on the next part of my Long-Term Jewelry Plan (getting another pear to match my pendant and occasionally wearing them as dangles), it'll be easy to adapt the settings slightly

Cons are:

- getting dirty

- the possible concern of them not looking huge on my ears (I'm not Dumbo or anything, but the Good Lord saw fit to bestow upon me a pair of lobes to match my size 9.5 feet)

Pros for the leverbacks are:

- I know I love dangly earrings

- a more open back for play of light

- less dirty/easier to clean

Cons:

- I'm sure the bezels will look awesome, but in my experience the typical leverbacks look a little ... well, cheap/mass-produced (though I suppose I could always have them swapped out)

- I'd have to have the settings changed in a year if I wanted to dangle pear drops from them

- I am not sure if .70-ish stones would have enough presence to make for effective dangles

Your thoughts, guys?

 

[decodelighted]

I'd vote bezel studs .... (and have a mini pair myself with inside rim only miligrain). I've worn them 95% of the time for a solid year. Mine are vintage stones but still look pretty sparkly even when YUCKY. My only complaint is that about 10% of the time I find them a bit uncomfy to sleep in. I wear tiny plastic tube thingies on the posts to help prevent the posts from pricking my "behind ear" skin". But I do that with all posts & even french hooks (to keep them from falling out).

*IF* you do opt for leverbacks -- I'd suggest getting the kind that dangle -- as opposed to the fixed kind of lever .... and being REALLY picky about the lever design. I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY that many look "cheap" and flimsy and too "wirey". The ones that my eye likes best are the curvier, huggy kind of loops that just fall right under the lobe. Not IN FRONT of the lobe -- but curve to hug it and fall underneath the lobe. They are like "baby levers" or something. And hard to find folks who don't just order the stock ones everyone has.

Am also a big advocate of the inside-rim-only miligrain. Mine were done by BGD and they did an excellent job with it. I love how it looks a bit antique and a bit modern. I was inspired by Widget's WHOPPERS which are done the same way -- and my DREAM earrings for sure. (When I'm not dreaming of Cartier.)

Anyway -- that's my vote. Good luck deciding & can't wait to see your new earrings!

 

[LGK]

Studs. I had some leverbacks and they never hung right- the stone was always inclined to tilt down. Dunno if all of them do that but I found it very irritating. I had them reset as studs and I like the look of them better all the way around that way.

Maybe higher quality leverbacks would've changed my mind- I was just using the basic Stuller setting. But frankly I just don't love the look of the leverback setting in general.

I would say if you want dangly earrings, maybe get them set a different way other than leverbacks? Like a very small diamond with a post, then the larger as bezel millgrain dangles? That'd be my vote, actually, now that I think about it. But just between leverbacks and studs, studs for sure.

 

[coati]

Studs-especially since you are matching that pear to make dangles in the future. Studs are practical. I have a pair of bezel studs and I wear them every day. They will get dirty. I clean mine every two days or so. Just a quick super hot water rinse and light toothbrush scrubbing with dish soap-no big whoop.

 

[Andelain]

I'd go with studs as a first pair, then add the danglies later. Studs can be worn with anything, every day.

 

[yssie]

studs.

for all the reasons listed above


I also just really don't like the way leverbacks usually look - with that gigantic back-hinge so clearly visible.If doing danglies I would much rather ear-wires or motile drops hung from a post-back stud, so you don't see wire everywhere..

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I vote 100% leverbacks. I have bezel leverbacks (with jump rings so that the diamonds dangle off the leverbacks) I them! LOVE< LOVE< LOVE!

Mine are babies compared to yours (each are .25 WF ACA ideal). They are sooooo comfy and look great and are really visible, even when I had super long hair. I sleep in them all the time and they are just fantastic. I can't say enough good things about them! and the setting is great, so pretty and elegant. I agree that some leverbacks can look cheap (just like some stud settings can look cheap) ine from WF are amazing.

I was worried my .25s would be too small, but they are so sparkly and the movement off the jump ring really helps!) The .7s will have amazing presence!

 

[geckodani]

Studs! I think that they are more versatile than leverbacks.

 

[sphenequeen]

Studs-especially since you are matching that pear to make dangles in the future. Studs are practical. I have a pair of bezel studs and I wear them every day. They will get dirty. I clean mine every two days or so. Just a quick super hot water rinse and light toothbrush scrubbing with dish soap-no big whoop.

I'd like to see these!

 

[Amys Bling]

I voted studs. I think they will get more wear, and when you find your pair of pears you can adpt the studs for the pears to dangle.

 

[Circe]

Y'all ROCK! I am definitely leaning towards the studs now.

Deco - you make a number of excellent points. The best point you made is the one you didn't link to, as I went and raided your back-posts and found your earring thread, and YOWZA!, woman! Those are gorgeous. Looking at those babies, and a few others in the Earring Sticky made me remember why I fell so madly in love with that design in the first place.

LGK - do you know, it never occurred to me to worry about the drooping issue? But you're totally right: that's precisely the sort of thing that would drive me nuts. My cheapie earrings don't to it, but my cheapie earrings tend to run more towards the 5-10 carat range than the .70. So, when I look at it as "My huge new studs!" vs. "My smaller-than-average dangles (which may or may not droop) ...." it becomes kind of a clear choice.

Coati - hah! Good point. I tend to run towards instant gratification, but if I'm getting the dangley option in the near future anyway ... why complicate my life in the meantime? And, P.S., I too would love a link to these glorious earrings - I don't believe I've had the pleasure of coming across them!

Andelain - ditto on the excellent point. And from the lady with the lovely dangles I've been admiring from afar, I'll take it as holy writ!

Yssie - yes! It's that bizarre mouse-trap design that drives me batty. I'd want a closed version so as to not risk loss with something mobile ... and yet, the majority of available options are so deeply unappealing. Wonder if anybody out there does hand-made leverbacks ....

Bella - WhiteFlash, you say? While I may be leaning towards studs now, this is good to know. I went and looped up your earring thread, too, and damn! I would never have guessed those as .50 tcw. They make such a statement on your ears!

Gecko - noted and appreciated!

Sphene - ditto!

Amy - you, like those above, are a *practical* woman. They always say "a price more than rubies," but I can't help but think that's the holdover of a world that hadn't learned the joys of faceting ....

 

[yssie]

Studs, woman. Studs.


Studs.



Studs studs studs.


Studsssssss......




I have a vested interest in your project. So do post lost of pictures, as your results may just convince DH that *I* need bezeled 70pter studs for my birthday - that's my dream size. And when you get your pear danglies be sure to post those too, so I can further my copycat career.

 

[Circe]

Studs, woman. Studs.


Studs.



Studs studs studs.


Studsssssss......




I have a vested interest in your project. So do post lost of pictures, as your results may just convince DH that *I* need bezeled 70pter studs for my birthday - that's my dream size. And when you get your pear danglies be sure to post those too, so I can further my copycat career.

Heheheheh - it's like Gollum met up with Voldemort! I feel like you're luring me to the Dark Side in Parseltongue.

Studs it shall be! I'm going to see Yekutiel tomorrow to look at the mounting options - wish me luck!

 

[yssie]

Good luck!

 

[tigian]

Studs! I think they are more versatile. I love your polls! I can see your project coming to a wonderful ending soon...Can't wait for the pics!!!