Need MAJOR help -- trying to design earrings using colored gemstones

[about2begin]

Hi everyone. I used this board to get up to spped on diamonds and I was able to get a great ER made by Leon Mege. I couldn''t be happier. Now I''m on to trying to create a wedding gift for my bride to be. I kicked around diamond studs, but for my budget ($2000-$2500), I didn''t like the size/color/clarity I''d have to live with.

I want to create earrings that look like some of Leon''s work. I might use Leon again, but his quotes seemed rather high. I wonder if I can save money by buying the gemstones myself. I am also considering Maytal to make these. Is there any other source of custom or premade gemstone earrings? I could wimp out and go David Yurman, but that''s not what I''d prefer.

I''m looking for a blueish stone with diamond pave around the stone. I''d love a round stone on the ear and then a pear drop.

HELP! I wish I could be more specific, but I don''t know where to start. I guess I''d love some recommendations on gemstone sellers.

 

[innerkitten]

Did you see that the double halo ring with pink sapphires and an asshcer that was made by an etsy seller? It may be that you want to go with leon or someone else but it was a similar type of look ( lots of pave around a center stone) and at a very good price. I would check her work out. The asscher ring was beautiful. I think the seller is Laurie Sarah? Or maybe Sarah Laurie?

 

[about2begin]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Michael_E]

I have a feeling that if you want a nice matched pair of light blue pears in that long thin shape, that you''re going to need to have them cut specifically for this project. For that I would contact some of the cutters that people here like and see if they can do some or all of these stones.

You don''t mention sizes, but you should keep in mind that the larger the center stones, the more diamonds will be required to fill up the halo''s surrounding them. I doubt if you can do this in matched sapphires at your budget level, but could probably do it in some nice aqua''s or zircons and definitely with blue topaz. A large part of having custom work done is in the time required to make the settings. The settings that you''ve shown can easily be made up from stock parts as long as you''re not too particular about how they are made and don''t expect the same quality level as with custom. If you are very particular about how these are made and require top quality custom work, then you should expect it to cost more than using stock parts and should probably look for smaller center stones so that the total cost doesn''t go over budget.

I would recommend talking to both the bench jeweler and the cutter, (or just the jeweler if they can source the stones), prior to getting any part of this made, just so that everyone is on the same page and you don''t bite off more than you wanted to.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

There is a lovely pair of earrings that another poster had made for his fiancee. Concave cut aquas (Richard Homer), with removable drops, in a pave setting. Gorgeous work by Ocean, if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately, the search is broken, otherwise I would link it for you.

 

[SB621]

Date: 5/3/2010 5:07:14 PM
Author: Lady_Disdain
There is a lovely pair of earrings that another poster had made for his fiancee. Concave cut aquas (Richard Homer), with removable drops, in a pave setting. Gorgeous work by Ocean, if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately, the search is broken, otherwise I would link it for you.

I don''t have a picture of the finished product but here it is the planning stage. I love that the bottom of the earring can detach so it can be worn several different ways.

 

[Indylady]

If you''re looking for a custom project like the picture you posted with large, elongated matched pears under $2,500, I''d recommend looking at untreated topaz. Its relatively inexpensive, but really beautiful.

Anyone have vendor ideas? Gemline Inc carries untreated topaz on a pretty regular basis, I would ask them if they could source and cut a pair of pears for you.

Ocean Pearlman and Maytal Hannah do great work with pave. Besides that, I would also contact Brian Gavin Diamonds and Whiteflash for quotes. If these vendors don''t come in within budget, you could consider putting this design (round stud with an elongated pear dangle) in a double bezel, similar to the double bezel on this ring.

 

[PumpkinPie]

Date: 5/3/2010 6:20:49 PM
Author: Sarahbear621

Date: 5/3/2010 5:07:14 PM

Author: Lady_Disdain

There is a lovely pair of earrings that another poster had made for his fiancee. Concave cut aquas (Richard Homer), with removable drops, in a pave setting. Gorgeous work by Ocean, if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately, the search is broken, otherwise I would link it for you.

I don''t have a picture of the finished product but here it is the planning stage. I love that the bottom of the earring can detach so it can be worn several different ways.

how did I miss these? they''re lovely !

 

[CharmyPoo]

Maytal is not a whole lot cheaper than Leon so I don''t know if they will fit your budget.

Have you seen CCL''s earrings for his wife by Ocean - really flexible design.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/suite-of-aquas-from-richard-homer-on-the-way.126730/

 

[chrono]

My concern is that while your budget is healthy in general, the design you have chosen is probably going to be expensive, especially considering that you seem very particular about workmanship. Maytal is not inexpensive and costs as much or sometimes more than Leon. With the number of melees and the labour to set them, they will eat up almost all your budget leaving you very little to spend on any gemstones, let alone decent looking ones.

 

[about2begin]

Thanks for all the amazing tips. I''m not married to the idea of sapphire. I actually prefer the pale aqua''s or topaz. Thanks so much!

 

[Gailey]

Whereas CCL''s custom aqua earrings from Ocean Pearlman are beautiful, I doubt your budget will even come close for custom diamond halos from her. Hopefully CCL will chime in and give his opinion.

I also think that buying two matching pairs in two different shapes but uniform colour might be a tall order off the shelf, but I will have a look to see what is out there for you. Just confirm that pale blue is what you are after.

If pale blue is the colour you are after, I know that Lisa Elser has some very nice blue topaz, which is what I think will fit in your price range. She may not have much on her website, but it would be worth your while e-mailing her to see what she could do for you.

I also suggest you contacting Michael E, who posted earlier in this thread. Michael is one of those rare individuals who can not only cut gems, but also makes the jewellery they sit in.

 

[Gailey]

Lisa''s new catalogue is out fairly soon I believe. If you e-mail her, she will put you on her mailing list and you will receive a .pdf copy of it.

She has these 8.71mm² Aqua cusions available. She may have more of the same rough to be able to cut a corresponding pair of pears.