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Need *more* advice on band/setting

CSpan

CSpan

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2016
Messages
1,387
I have been loving all the great advice on stones, settings, and styles that comes from such a depth of knowledge. Hopefully, I can get some better ideas before my jeweler kills me and my husband cuts me off.

My DH has been promising me a diamond band to compliment my ering for a few years. As I mentioned in another post I went through 2 jewelers and finally had a setting ordered. Of course once it was set it was rather uncomfortable and despite everyone's best efforts is never going to be. Time to cut my losses. Now I am experiencing a bit of paralysis since I don't trust myself to chose something complimentary to my ring and comfortable. And added difficulty, my center stone is L-M, faces up white, but still lower color so buying off the shelf G-H isn't an option. Even I-color makes it look dingy. Getting the right colored stones is actually the easiest part of this process.

Ering is in my avatar and here for reference. I'm a size 7
3.22 L-M Transitional cut VVS2
Platinum w/ lighter emeralds
Circa 1929
20190803_183525.jpg

So browsing PS I saw this gorgeous number belonging to @asscher_girl. And from the same era!

Screenshot_20190828-204740_Pinterest.jpg
One look at those perfect octagons and round diamonds and I was smitten. I have convinced myself the octagon shaped bezels mirror my emerald octagon and the rounds my center. Do they? Maybe. So I set out to try and find a similar band to try on, alas no one carries anything like it, but they all offered to make me one. Lovely but I don't want to go through this again -buying sight unseen and hating it. I have even tried finding a cheap copy to at least try and see if I like IRL. I thought I had a line with Debebians but they don't stock the band.
Screenshot_20190915-080930_Instagram.jpg
Do I take a leap? Is there anywhere in SoCal I can try this style?

And if I do go with it how thick would be ideal? The ring above is smaller/smaller thinner than @asscher_girl's. As I think she posted her band was 1.20 carats. I have 8 point stones on hand, but they can easily be swapped out (it's just money right?) I'm also not sold on the milgrain, my ring has the most subtle tiny milgrain and from any distance it looks smooth so I'm thinking no...
 
What a gorgeous ring!

I think you might be better off with single cuts or even French cuts... than full brilliant stones which are commonly offered by modern makers. It would make for a better match with your beautiful eRing. Have you looked at antique shops such as Lang? Or maybe Walton’s? If you like French cuts, some of the PS vendors can create a band with them to your specifications.

There’s always rubylane too. What size band are you comfortable with? Do you plan to wear the band solo or always with your eRing?
 
Hi, your e-ring is a stunner. I didn’t come across anything that looked like your inspiration wedding ring, but I wonder if you should buy something synthetic or less expensive to see if they “go” together, even if the bezels are different. To help with scale and overall style. I would be concerned about damaging your vintage ring with corners or prongs on the wedding ring. Have you considered a channel set ring? Here are some less pricey things you could try.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/715261...allery-1-3&organic_search_click=1&pro=1&frs=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/658434...llery-1-22&organic_search_click=1&pro=1&frs=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/617117...ique-moissanite?ref=shop_home_active_17&frs=1
 
And, here is a curved, channel set diamond platinum ring that would be less likely to damage your engagement ring. Rings like yours were probably never meant to be worn with a wedding band. If it lasted 90 years you would hate to ruin it with a straight textured band now. It will gradually act as a serrated edge knife or a saw and going the underneath of your beautiful ring.... and I just looked at the Stuller band you had made. It would be unwearable to me. Ouch. You should move on from that IMO. The diamonds are neat but the setting... That one is for the recycling pile!
 
Thank you all!

@PreRaphaelite I hadn't thought about other cuts, although I do have a square, maybe princess, cut sapphire band. I tried an asscher band which I liked but I think I wanted the metal around it.

@lydial the original jeweler who sold it did say it likely was never worn with a band and I would like to have a band to wear solo. I was concerned about the rubbing on the bottom of the ering and am looking at a plain band spacer a tad taller so it won't slip under to set it off a bit. The platinum has held up pretty well but I don't want to chance it. I cut my losses with the other band, my jeweler is willing to switch out the stones for whatever I may need. Here is the backend view, I love that it hugs my finger is low profile
20190924_211216.jpg
 
the_mother_thing said:
Berricle has a ton of straight, curved, bezeled, channel, milgrain/no milgrain, etc. band styles that you could order a few to try them to see if you like the look/feel of them, take note of measurements & what you like/don’t like, then return them. Below is one that is kind of close in style to what you posted above.

https://www.berricle.com/sterling-silver-round-and-princess-cz-eternity-band-ring-r262.htm
Click to expand...

Thank you so much. I was searching ebay for cheap bands to play try on with, didn't occur to me I could buy, try, and return. I have been able to try a round bezel, but it wasn't doing it for me-what do you think?
20190821_165405.jpg
And there was the slipping under issue. I love a little gap.

Here is what I have been wearing
20190925_164514.jpg
I need to get a lot better at taking photos!
 
CSpan said:
How big do you think those stones are? I am terrible at visualizing. I need to order a set of bands of varying widths.
Click to expand...

With CVB, I’m sure they could make it with whatever overall width or stone size you wanted.
 
Perhaps you could try a slim sterling silver band as well, in your adventures. It may sound counterintuitive but as silver is softer than platinum it may be helpful as part of your stack. Just a thought.

Anyway the undercarriage is stunning! :love:
 
20190926_215618.jpg
 
Your ring is beautiful - does it have its own SMTB thread? I’d love to see the side view cos it looks like there’s emeralds on the side as well? The underside view is just lovely too. I have nothing useful to contribute sorry, just had to say how gorgeous it is.
 
My fav is the pic where you indicate that it's what you've been wearing. That's the most eye catching to me!
 
foxinsox said:
Your ring is beautiful - does it have its own SMTB thread? I’d love to see the side view cos it looks like there’s emeralds on the side as well? The underside view is just lovely too. I have nothing useful to contribute sorry, just had to say how gorgeous it is.
Click to expand...

I haven't done one, I feel like I am lacking some info on it, but I guess I could.
 
motownmama said:
My fav is the pic where you indicate that it's what you've been wearing. That's the most eye catching to me!
Click to expand...
That's my favorite look too :kiss2:
 
I got the render back on what my jeweler thought I was going for. And.. I'm disappointed. Here are my 1st three issues if you have any input or suggestions as to how to phrase things I would appreciate it. I get frustrated and flustered and end up not asking for what I want.
1. There isn't much differentiation between the bezels, it sort of looks like someone took a slice out of the top but they aren't well defined
2. The angle on the corners looks sharp. I wanted that soft art deco rounded corner. This feels too modern maybe?
3. I don't have much experience with renderings so please feel free to correct me. The prongs look like they are sticking out and the diamonds are set back way too far. After my last debacle I am SUPER sensitive to this. I want the diamonds front and center, maybe even the table protruding a tad but not the prongs. Is this just the optical illusion with the drawing?

I feel guilty bringing it up even but this isn't what I want at all.

IMG_0878.jpg
I rather like the debedians (photo) below but if I change jewelers I am out the entire cost of the 1st ring save 4 stones. I'm trying to get as close as possible to asscher girl's vintage band.
Screenshot_20190915-080930_Instagram.jpg
Screenshot_20190828-204740_Pinterest.jpg
I'm starting to feel like I should can this design, I'm not sure they can do this as delicate as I am thinking. I did ask to see examples of milgrain work, I have no idea if they are any good at it and now that I know a little more from PS I can at least ask if it is hand done or cast(?)
 
Re your points:

1. There’s about as much differentiation as there is in the example bands you showed? But if you want them more octagonal shape, then mention that.
2. Not at all sure what you mean
3. The prongs will stick up in CADs because that is how they are cast. Go check my thread about setting my paraiba and compare the cads to the finished - most jewelers do not have the fancy renders that show how everything will look when it is done. I do think however that the stones are set too far back AND are too small. I’d want to see bigger diamonds without changing the sizes of the bezels.

I don’t think this CAD is unsalvageable if you and your jeweler are willing to do a few rounds.
 
distracts said:
Re your points:

1. There’s about as much differentiation as there is in the example bands you showed? But if you want them more octagonal shape, then mention that.
2. Not at all sure what you mean
3. The prongs will stick up in CADs because that is how they are cast. Go check my thread about setting my paraiba and compare the cads to the finished - most jewelers do not have the fancy renders that show how everything will look when it is done. I do think however that the stones are set too far back AND are too small. I’d want to see bigger diamonds without changing the sizes of the bezels.

I don’t think this CAD is unsalvageable if you and your jeweler are willing to do a few rounds.
Click to expand...

Thank you! Re the CAD I suspected it was a learner's curve. But I just don't trust myself.

Good point on the octagonal. That was exactly it.

In the last picture of the render, ring from the side, it looks sort of like it is straight up and down. I'm not describing it well. I looks to me like a channel set band, one continuous line versus the little pie pieces taken out.

Thank you so much. DH doesn't want to hear it plus he can't discern any of the things I am talking about. My expectations may be too high.
 
Can I throw you a curveball?
I’m not one for quickly canning a CAD design, but what do you think of this?
I do not know, however if she will source lower colored melee. So that may quit this idea real quick, but I think it complements your ring very well!
EW’s Imogen via a ratty paste job.
E70311EA-046C-4FFA-9785-1B75E211899C.jpeg
 
Ah, then your point 2 will be fixed if you get it more octagonal, I think. It may help if you draw out a picture of your ideal shape for it to be, that way the jeweler can copy it rather than just guessing at what you want, since it looks to me like what is in the CADs is fairly close to what is in the inspiration pictures.

Every ring I’ve had done with CADs has taken 3-4 rounds. So don’t worry about it yet. If the jeweler isn’t willing to do several rounds of CADs or t he CADs aren’t getting closer to what you want with each round, THEN worry. But so far you are still well within the realm of what is normal for the process. The CAD is mostly right, it is just details that need tweaking. If you haven’t seen my thread on setting my paraiba, go look at it and all the different versions of my CADs so you can see that this is just how the process works.
 
Singlestone makes a similar band, called Stella.
They are located in LA.
 
Brilliantly Engaged made me a larger graduated 5 stone ring of this style so perhaps they might be a potential vendor too?
 
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