My halo setting is dull and sparkless

[LittleSesame]

Hello,

I have a 1.01 carat round brilliant diamond in a cushion cut halo setting.

Something doesn't feel quite right about my ring. The center rock is whiter and sparkles more than the dull, lifeless halo that surrounds it.

Do you know why this is? I wanted my halo to blend in with the diamond.

 

[bunnycat]

Hello,

I have a 1.01 carat round brilliant diamond in a cushion cut halo setting.

Something doesn't feel quite right about my ring. The center rock is whiter and sparkles more than the dull, lifeless halo that surrounds it.

Do you know why this is? I wanted my halo to blend in with the diamond.

HI LittleSesame. The picture is too dark and far away to say anything particular. Would you be able to post something more close up? Bright diffused light- no flash.

General comments from what I can see is that you have an airline around your stone (either the prongs are built inside the halo setting, or the setting is meant for a slightly larger stone). That is one reason they do not blend.

As for sparkle, it could be they are single cut melee rather than full cut? It's impossible to know without a close up.

Do you know what brand the halo setting is? That would give a better idea of the quality of melee being used.

 

[LLJsmom]

Hello,

I have a 1.01 carat round brilliant diamond in a cushion cut halo setting.

Something doesn't feel quite right about my ring. The center rock is whiter and sparkles more than the dull, lifeless halo that surrounds it.

Do you know why this is? I wanted my halo to blend in with the diamond.

HI LittleSesame. The picture is too dark and far away to say anything particular. Would you be able to post something more close up? Bright diffused light- no flash.

General comments from what I can see is that you have an airline around your stone (either the prongs are built inside the halo setting, or the setting is meant for a slightly larger stone). That is one reason they do not blend.

As for sparkle, it could be they are single cut melee rather than full cut? It's impossible to know without a close up.

Do you know what brand the halo setting is? That would give a better idea of the quality of melee being used.

Hi little. The airline will make it look "off" if you are looking for a the halo to blend with the center stone. Also, there is quite a bit of metal as well.

The melee are likely NOT single cuts because those generally are not used unless a custom halo was made by certain PS vendors (Victor Canera, Steven Kirsch, LAD, Grace, Caysie) or if you specified single cut melee. AND single cut melee would not be dull. They shoot bigger sparkles, maybe fewer, but you will clearly see the outline of your melee and they will sparkle very well, assuming they are well cut. Either way, the halo you have will not look like these because you will need the setting custom made to get this kind of fluidity and this minimal metal look.

This is one of the most beautiful round in a cushion halo rings on PS, IMHO.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...t-eternity-band-for-double-row-emilya.188383/

Check out this thread on rings done by Victor. He does some of the best halo work. All hand forged and custom made.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/

Look up Steven Kirsch, LAD, Caysie van Beber (on this forum) who also create some beautiful halos as well. Lots of threads on these artisans. All of these are custom, and some hand-forged as well.

These may help you identify what you like and don't like about your setting.

 

[whitewave]

How old is the setting and can you give a hint where it came from?

 

[bunnycat]

Hello,

I have a 1.01 carat round brilliant diamond in a cushion cut halo setting.

Something doesn't feel quite right about my ring. The center rock is whiter and sparkles more than the dull, lifeless halo that surrounds it.

Do you know why this is? I wanted my halo to blend in with the diamond.

HI LittleSesame. The picture is too dark and far away to say anything particular. Would you be able to post something more close up? Bright diffused light- no flash.

General comments from what I can see is that you have an airline around your stone (either the prongs are built inside the halo setting, or the setting is meant for a slightly larger stone). That is one reason they do not blend.

As for sparkle, it could be they are single cut melee rather than full cut? It's impossible to know without a close up.

Do you know what brand the halo setting is? That would give a better idea of the quality of melee being used.

Hi little. The airline will make it look "off" if you are looking for a the halo to blend with the center stone. Also, there is quite a bit of metal as well.

The melee are likely NOT single cuts because those generally are not used unless a custom halo was made by certain PS vendors (Victor Canera, Steven Kirsch, LAD, Grace, Caysie) or if you specified single cut melee. AND single cut melee would not be dull. They shoot bigger sparkles, maybe fewer, but you will clearly see the outline of your melee and they will sparkle very well, assuming they are well cut. Either way, the halo you have will not look like these because you will need the setting custom made to get this kind of fluidity and this minimal metal look.

This is one of the most beautiful round in a cushion halo rings on PS, IMHO.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...t-eternity-band-for-double-row-emilya.188383/

Check out this thread on rings done by Victor. He does some of the best halo work. All hand forged and custom made.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/

Look up Steven Kirsch, LAD, Caysie van Beber (on this forum) who also create some beautiful halos as well. Lots of threads on these artisans. All of these are custom, and some hand-forged as well.

These may help you identify what you like and don't like about your setting.

My comments relating to single cuts had to do with the kind you would find in a setting in a box chain jewelry store which are definitely used (I had a halo ring with them in it pre PS from a box chain), as opposed the the kind VC would use, which are another beastie altogether.

You absolutely can get a "stock" halo that will flush fit with the diamond (it does have to be ordered for your size stone). You just have to be very aware how the halo is built to avoid designs that would cause gaps.

My original halo ring was Simon G, and the stone I had in it flush fit with the halo with no airline.

OP- Melee are TINY, and they do not perform in the same way a larger stone does no matter whether they are single or full cut. They are too small but well cut ones (single or full) should shine.

Simon G- no airline....



And the no name halo that my OEC came in:

 

[AdaBeta27]

As with larger diamonds, cut is everything. And quality varies. I've bought some settings online that I returned because they weren't the quality that I wanted to use for a high-quality diamond. There was ring in particular that had absolutely the most dead and lifeless diamonds that I have ever seen. I kept a couple settings that didn't quite make the grade for the superideal diamond, but I put a colored stone or a diamond simulant in them. The diamonds in your ring may be dirty. Or poorly cut. Or possibly badly included, but even badly included melee will generally still sparkle if well cut. There are some settings made in China that do not have the greatest quality of melee in them and have the stones molded into the metal when the ring is cast, too. A jeweler can probably tell you why the performance is bad.

 

[LittleSesame]

Thanks for your input guys.

My fiancé got this from a small local jeweler and I am so disappointed. I did not want a poor quality halo. I'd rather have a simple solitaire than a life-less metallic looking poorly made halo.

Can I go to a jeweler to fix it?

Here's a picture where it gets shiny at Whole Foods.

 

[PintoBean]

How often do you clean your ring? How do you clean it?

 

[LittleSesame]

Not very often. Maybe once in a few months?

 

[whitewave]

The first thing you need to do is clean it or have it professionally cleaned. You could bring it to the jeweler who sold it and ask that person what the oslutions could be, and also have him clean it.

Most of us clean our rings daily. i started doing this several months ago when my asscher started looking dull and once I looked at it under magnification, it was filthy! It took 3 days to get the grime off. I make a solution of water, blue dawn and ammonia. I put my rings in at night (just diamonds and platinum, no colored stones, etc) and use a baby toothbrush in the morning to do a quick scrub before putting them on.

Diamonds attract dirt, oil, grease etc.

Clean it first.

 

[Laila619]

The small pave diamonds are probably not well cut. And they look really tiny, which doesn't help. You need ideal cut, larger pave stones to sparkle more.

 

[Rivendell]

I think it's the airline that isn't helping. I had a halo with an airline and I just didn't like it and eventually changed to a solitaire. How long have you had the ring?

 

[LittleSesame]

I've had it for 3-4 months.

I requested a halo setting because I thought it would sparkle more. I do not like the gap between the halo and the center diamond. I also dislike how the little diamonds are dull and the whole ring looks metallic.

 

[whitewave]

For a couple of hundred dollars, you should be able to get it into a solitaire setting and then you can try to sell that setting on loupe troop or eBay, etc.

But first I would talk to the jeweler and see how he/she can help. I don't think any jeweler would want an unhappy client, but that isn't saying that he/she will do free work. It's the place to start to begin to assess your options.

You shouldn't keep a setting that bothers you.

 

[Rivendell]

I've had it for 3-4 months.

I requested a halo setting because I thought it would sparkle more. I do not like the gap between the halo and the center diamond. I also dislike how the little diamonds are dull and the whole ring looks metallic.

I totally understand how you feel. You're never going to be happy with it so you need to figure out what to do. Maybe you could go back to the shop and see what they can suggest. Good luck.

 

[rubybeth]

Definitely, DEFINITELY clean the ring first. I use a soft toothbrush and some dish detergent on my rings pretty regularly, and it really helps. A lot of build up happens just from the oils from your skin, let alone hand lotion and other things like makeup, etc. If that doesn't do the trick/satisfy your need for bling...

You need a different halo that doesn't leave an airline around the stone, has better cut quality melee (tiny stones), maybe larger stones in the halo and on the shank (part that goes around your finger), and better done prongs so that you see less metal and more diamonds. I'd see if your jeweler can let you put into a solitaire setting while you decide, or possibly just let you switch halos--see what they are willing to do for you first to make sure you are happy.

Do you like the cushion shaped halo? Or would you be okay with a round halo? Also, what would the budget be for a new setting?

 

[msop04]

I agree that you should clean your ring first... but I've seen similar settings like yours, and it's just got too much metal and not enough sparkle.

Here are some that are similar.


Gabriel & Co. can be ordered from your jeweler, so hopefully they'd give you a credit toward a new setting.

https://www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER6872W44JJ

https://www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER8152W44JJ

https://www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER7525W44JJ <----- I like this pave much better

If you're open to a round halo...

https://www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER7524W44JJ

https://www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER7259W44JJ

https://www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER7524W44JJ <----- I like this best of the rounds

 

[LittleSesame]

Thank you everyone!

i actually love my diamond! it shines quite nicely. Its the halo that is dull and metallic. I think if I got a halo setting with less metal and larger, better quality diamonds, it will look perfect.

thanks!!

 

[Tourmaline]

The halo is way too big for the diamond. You have dead space in the air line. That is something your jeweler should have done better. Maybe you can talk to him about that.