Need recommendation for a UK jeweller to make a vintage style platinum ring

[paragon1234]

I have a sapphire that I would like to be set into a custom platinum ring in a vintage or antique style. Something like the photo below. I want bezel set stones, milgrain, and high quality workmanship.

I'm not going to ship my stone abroad, and it's not a calibrated size so I don't want to risk buying a mount, so I'm looking for a UK jeweller that would work with my stone. Any recommendations? @dk168 I saw that you worked with Simon Wright. Do you think he'd be able to do something like this and do you think his prices are reasonable? My budget is around £2000.

 

[dk168]

I would definitely recommend Simon Wright for this type of work for his ease of contact and professionalism.

However, I have had just one piece of jewellery made by him which was to repurpose my mum's MRB in a platinum open bangle with no millgrain.

Therefore I cannot vouch for his millgrain work, sorry!

Hope this helps.

DK

 

[paragon1234]

I have heard back from Simon and he can do it. I need to decide what size stones I want for the halo since it affects the price. Fyi my finger size is US 3.5. I mocked out how it would look with sellotape and some stones I had available. The real thing will have diamonds.

This is with 2.5mm halo and 3mm stones on the shoulders:


This is with 3mm halo and shoulders:


Which looks better? Or should I lose the shoulder stones completely?

 

[meely]

Both lovely, I like the second one but I tend to like the ‘bigger’ option . Does Simon do a cad or is it handforged?

 

[dk168]

Good to hear Simon can make the ring for you.

I prefer the smaller version as the halo is less likely to outshine the centre stone.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK

 

[paragon1234]

Both lovely, I like the second one but I tend to like the ‘bigger’ option . Does Simon do a cad or is it handforged?

He does both. But I am also leaning towards the second one. I wouldn't want halo DSS.

 

[meely]

Ok well if you go with cad you will get a good idea. I think the second one will be a lot more blingy, I like the shoulder stones.
However your inspiration ring is Edwardian style and they did tend to use smaller diamonds and pave shoulders. The bigger diamonds and one on the shoulder feels more Victorian or mid 20th century to me. Both styles are lovely. Is the inspiration ring to show just diamond placement and shape or the overall style you are after as well?

 

[Tartansparkles]

My eye is also being drawn to the first one (smaller halo) but I'm wondering if that's because the stones are a different colour and it's the contrast I'm being drawn to (not that that will matter with the diamonds). Good to hear you found somone in the UK.

 

[Austina]

I really like the smaller stones too.

 

[AnastasiaBeaverhausen]

As much as I love clusters, my preference is for #1. I feel like the center stone stands out more (looks larger).

 

[paragon1234]

My husband chose the smaller stones too. Maybe I should go with the majority opinion. It would be cheaper too!

I'm not too fussed about exactly which era I'm copying - anything with a vintage feel is fine.

 

[paragon1234]

Update: my ring was finished last month but I've been too busy to post photos. On a rare free evening here is my summary of the experience:

I liked working with Simon. He suggested some design elements, I suggested others. He sent me cads and revised them until I was happy. Then he sent me a plastic mould of the ring. This was really helpful because I felt the shank was too thin compared to the head of the ring, so the shank was made thicker and the shoulder design had to change with it. We ended up with 16 2.3mm diamonds - 14 in the halo and 2 on the shoulders. As I said before, the sapphire is from a fellow PSer, and measures 7.55 x 6.82 and weighs 2.52 carats. Standard heated. This is the photo from loupetroop:


I went to London to Simon's workshop to pick up the ring as insured shipping was too expensive. I made a day of it and went to Kew Gardens afterwards .

Simon let me look around his workshop and showed me the tools and gadgets. I really enjoyed that part. He explained that he does all designs in CAD now, and the pieces are cast, not hand forged, because that takes too much time. He sends them off to someone else to do the stone setting, and another person to do the engraving.

I think in this case the stone setter was a bit untidy with the bezel around the sapphire, but it doesn't bother me too much. I'm clumsy anyway so the ring WILL end up with dinks.

I'm not a stickler for millimetre precision (some of the threads on PS about alignment make me cringe because I don't have anything that is perfect), and based on his portfolio which are mostly modern in style, I think this intricate vintage design is not his usual bailiwick. The engraving is lovely though.

The ring is made in platinum and weighs 10 grams. It's US size 3.5 so the face of the ring looks massive on me. I wonder if people assume it's costume jewellery. Where I live, people wear small modest rings.

 

[paragon1234]

The ring:


I wanted to see if it was really similar to a cornflower, hence:


Close up of the engraving:



It fluoresces under UV light:


And looks violet in certain lights:

 

[paragon1234]

The sapphire in my engagement ring unfortunately looks almost black in dim light. I wanted a blue sapphire that didn't look black in such conditions, and now I have it.

Compared to my wedding ring set in sunshine:


In shade while riding in the car. Husband must have been rolling his eyes at me, taking endless photos.


In very dim lighting. This is where I needed it to perform.


All in all, I love the sapphire - it changes colour depending on the lighting, and to have cornflower blue, a darker blue, and violet in 1 stone is awesome.

I also love the ring, which is my biggest purchase yet. I don't think I would ever spend more on a ring. I'll consider this my treat to myself for having a shitty 2 years of it, where I've had Covid twice and had to work from home with 2 small children around me when nursery was closed.

 

[paragon1234]

Btw the diamonds are F/G and VS and weigh 0.75 CTS.

 

[MillieLou]

Oh wow that is absolutely stunning! Such a gorgeous ring. It looks wonderful on you!!

 

[lissyflo]

It looks lovely on you! I really like the size of the halo/cluster stones you went with.

Would you consider doing a SMTB thread on this @paragon1234 ? This forum doesn’t seem to get many views and there’s a steady churn of people asking about U.K. jewellers.