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My custom design project with Yvonne Raley

lilmosun

Ideal_Rock
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As I wind down collecting, I've been on a mission to get things checked off my list with a lot of help from Yvonne Raley (of Cecile Raley Designs on etsy). Until now, most of my stones are set in inexpensive stock settings with my only custom settings coming from Yvonne's stock designs (or variations of). After working quite a bit with Yvonne the past year, I finally decided to embark on my first fully custom designed ring.

Apologies for the long post but I was admittedly too nervous to post this as it progressed. I was doing enough second guessing on my own without soliciting more opinions. (I can't imagine what those of you who do bigger more expensive projects go through.). Yvonne's patiently guided me along. In the end, at each step, I pretty much just took deep breaths and said "I trust you...go for it".

Well, I can breath now (and so can Yvonne) as I am thrilled with the outcome. So here it is - from beginning to end.

First, we matched up the stones and decided on the arrangement. I had the concept of a flower ring - a spessartite, surrounded by mint garnets. Yvonne wasn't sure until she arranged the bright neon pink spinels on the outer edge. While I thought it would be a fun "summer" ring, I then worried that because it was out there, it might look too fake. And at the end, I started questioning doing anything with a spess since orange is not usually a good color for me (At which point, Yvonne even suggested scrapping the idea...but I decided to just bite the bullet since she thought it would look good)

Then came the first drawings and decision. We both agreed to go with the scalloped edges. Easy decision.

spess_layoutoptions__2_.jpg

Then the CAD drawings with a note that millgrain and beads are added by the setter later. (At this point, I admittedly panicked even while giving my approval).

spess_drawing.jpg

I started to relax when I saw the casting. While not a fan of rose gold with my skin, we both agreed that it was the way to go with the color combination of the stones.

spessmintringcasting.jpg

And today...pictures of the final project with a note "we all love it". When I responded "I do too!" She replied "Glad...Phew!"

spessmint_finished.jpg

spessmint_onhand.jpg
 

_lovesvintage_

Brilliant_Rock
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May 8, 2014
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Your ring turned out beautifully!!! I am so happy for you! Congrats on your first entirely custom piece. I love the scalloped edges and the color combo. Please post more pics. I would love to see a profile one too.
 

amyek

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Aug 17, 2014
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LOVE! :appl: I especially like the color combo. And..... those mint garnets are to die for. Whomever sold those to you must be a real saint. :saint: ha ha Love you. Congrats!
 

Acinom

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Amazing color play :love: :love: :love:
Stunning stone combination and I love love love your choice for RG!!
What a beauty
 

Lovinggems

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Beautiful, such a happy looking ring.
 

elle_71125

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I agree that custom projects can be terrifying...I just can't visualize the end product and it makes me uneasy. :errrr:

Your ring turned out gorgeously. I love the play of colors and the entire design.

I'm sure everyone will agree when I say more pictures! :D
 

lovedogs

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Love the color combo!! What a gorgeous piece! Can't wait to see tons more pics....congrats on a wonderful outcome! :appl:
 
S

SparkliesLuver

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How fun!! I'm proud of you for going the custom route. It's not without its challenges, but it's so worth it in the end. And I feel everyone should do it once, if they can. :) The colors of your ring make me smile as they are happy and cheerful. The arrangement worked out very well and I don't think it's fake looking at all. Well done, lilmosun! And yeah, of course we need more pictures! ;-) When do you receive it? Cause we'd love to see it on your hand too. :D
 

chrono

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Wow, it looks great! :appl: Fun, light and so warm to wear. I love it!
 

woofmama

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Beautiful ring! I love the color combo!
 

Sungura

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Oh Wow lilmosun. This ring is beautiful. I am so glad you took the plunge and did a custom design. These are beautiful gems that deserve to be set in something special. The colors are so "you" saturated and bright. It reminds me of a mandala, specifically one that I have on a cloth (attached). The details in milgrain are well placed and not overdone and I like the substantial band. Like everyone else I lok forward to pictures on your hand, lots of them

_36243.jpg
 

apacherose

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May 19, 2014
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Well, that is a completely amazing ring and I love it. I hope she makes a few to sell!

Well done, all around!
 

Lisa Loves Shiny

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It's beautiful. Congrats!
 

GlamMosher

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I love this! The colours are great! I am happy to see it actually as I have my pink (peach really) tourmaline and the mint garnet pears with the jeweller at the moment for setting. Haven't had CADs or anything yet, but it is good to see the colour play on your ring!
 

dk168

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It's pretty, thanks for sharing!

DK :))
 

lilmosun

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Thank you all for sharing in my excitement (in fear of missing someone, I am refraining from naming names). The kind words from so many here who's projects and ability to visualize I've envied means a lot (bigger sigh of relief, lol).

elle - I know what you mean...I have ZERO visual aptitude...I had the basic idea and Yvonne really did the rest. At each step, instead of giving her an opinion, I basically said "what do you think?" and went with it. Not sure I could ever have the courage to do an expensive project...leave that to others here for me to enjoy.

Sungura - I think you know how I struggled on whether to do this...in fact, had Yvonne put this off for last in case I changed my mind..now I need to have my son look for something like your mandala when he goes to India next month :)

GlamMosher - can't wait to see your ring...I know what you mean on how seeing other rings like your project help as you wait. I remember seeing dk's christmas ring and OTL's spess/mint ring which added to my confidence that this would come out okay.

apacherose - Yvonne did tell me she was adding the setting to her shop

...and oh yes, amyek, you are a saint :angel:

It should be here by the weekend and will post more pictures (although I recall the spess is not camera friendly).
 

apacherose

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May 19, 2014
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limosun, your ring is seriously beautiful- the colors are unreal. And, at least for me, the 'realism' of the green petals makes this floral ring just botanical? if that makes sense- in any case this is a fantasy ring. I hope you love wearing it.
 

lmcriss

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This is absolutely gorgeous!!! Thank you for sharing!! :D
 

ilovegemstones

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I really love it!
 

katharath

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Mar 5, 2013
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It is a lovely ring. One of the things I love best about it is simply seeing that many matched, nice sized mint garnets, all in one ring!! Looks like a great size overall; a nice statement piece but not TOO much, if that makes sense - I would wear it all the time, I think you could easily wear it with dressed up clothes or with very casual. Fun piece!!!
 

arabella

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Aug 13, 2015
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I saw this on her Facebook the other day and fell in love!! I'm so happy to see that it is another PSer's ring. I can't wait to see more pictures once you receive it [emoji4]
 

Tekate

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Unique and totally beautiful.. thank you for sharing.
 

Coralkey

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You had me at the setting. The color combo is so beautiful!
 

lilmosun

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katharath and apacherose - so glad you agree as the mint garnets were what started this ring..wanting to keep the nicely matched set together in something flower-like. Separately, I love garnets but didn't own a spess ring. It was Yvonne's addition of the pink spinels that totally brought it together as one project and created the eye popping color combination that everyone is admiring. One reason I think I keep going back to Yvonne, is here eye for color combinations and ability to put colored stones together - creating one of kind rings that you can't easily do with a stock setting. (Actually, there are many reasons, but I think that is what differentiates her from my other vendors).

The wonderful comments are adding to the anticipation...thank you all... I've been home all morning anxiously awaiting delivery (but alas, afraid I need to leave soon and if so, no pictures this weekend).
 

minousbijoux

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Sungura|1454005568|3983088 said:
Oh Wow lilmosun. This ring is beautiful. I am so glad you took the plunge and did a custom design. These are beautiful gems that deserve to be set in something special. The colors are so "you" saturated and bright. It reminds me of a mandala, specifically one that I have on a cloth (attached). The details in milgrain are well placed and not overdone and I like the substantial band. Like everyone else I lok forward to pictures on your hand, lots of them

It is remarkable in its color combo likeness to your mandala, Sungura. How lovely and cool that two PSers have things so different in nature/use but that have such similarity in terms of colors and pattern! Great minds think alike - or great minds have great taste!
 

lilmosun

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Jun 30, 2014
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It's here and I am doing a major happy dance.

Tried to take some pictures, but my cell phone isn't doing it justice. Really needs a video. The spess is a glowy orange fireball...and my neighbor immediately commented that the mints almost looked like cuprians. Definitely a sparkly fun happy ring. I never thought a rose gold ring with an orange center stone would be for me..but I can see this one easy becoming one of my go-to rings.

Here are a few I took while at my neighbors (my house has CFL bulbs...my husband saves so I can spend, lol)

spess_ring_ros.jpg

spess_broom2.jpg

Requested profile shot:

spess_profile.jpg

Her formal dining room with only light coming from the room kitchen.

dim_light.jpg

Hopefully, I can get some better shots in the daytime.
 

kgizo

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Such a pretty and happy ring!! I love the color combo, too. Enjoy it!
 

lilmosun

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While I always tell Yvonne that her photos don't do her stones/pieces justice, I have to admit that her indoors shots are better than mine this time. Here are a couple more she had sent me when it was done. Will try to snap some better ones outdoors.

spessmint_finished_d2.jpg

spess_mint_profile.jpg
 

lilmosun

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ugh...probably not worth posting but in a rush and won't be available to take more until later in the week...somehow the stones keep reflecting back any light making direct pictures impossible to take with my phone camera :wall:

indoors_cactus.jpg
outdoors_on_grass.jpg
outdoors_handshot.jpg

The cool thing is that if the light hits it a certain way you see a 1/2 extinction effect...but instead of looking bad, it' looks intentional - giving it either looks like an inner halo (when the blue comes out) or a natural gradient effect of leaves (when green)
outdoors2_handshot.jpg
 
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