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New Mexico PSers!!

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FrekeChild

FrekeChild

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
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I''m wondering what jewelers you New Mexico PSers go to or would recommend?

I''m in Albuquerque but even Santa Fe would work. I''m stumped as to who to tell BF to go to when he looks for the e-ring and because I have a project I want to start thinking about and getting estimates for. For the BF I''d really prefer to think locally. And if anyone else has any recommendations that would be wonderful!

Thanks!
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~Liz
 
What type of project and style do you want? I bought my ring from WF. I would try to buy online.
 
I''m just looking for a basic 14kt WG 2mm band with plat head and blue zircon for the e-ring and I''m looking online for a stone for the other project. I''m thinking WG for the project but wouldn''t object to silver either...
 
Well, I would just look around the higher end B&M and write down what you like and see if a PS vendor could get it for you. Have you talked to Wink Jones (Winefield's) for a stone and ring??

eta: Let me think about this one for a bit.
 
Okay, I thought about it. Have you checked out Gertrude Zachary's or Shelton's (I guess it depends on your style but they have a large selection)?? GOG and Wink carry stock rings (like Stuller and Ingwar) I think; you might want to check them out. Hope that helps
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eta: nice to see another NM PS'er!
 
I''ve checked out the maul jewelry stores (bleh!) and I''ve checked out Butterfields because my parents have used it before. I''ve been in Shelton''s before looking with my dad, but they seemed really overpriced, but I might go back because it''s relatively close to where we live and I might as well look at what they''ve got. I went to Jared at Uptown and was totally unimpressed even though all they did was try to impress me. I''m wondering if Gertrude Zachary does custom pieces? I''ve got a silver/tanzanite ring of hers on right now, along with 2 rings from Lilly Barrack, but she doesn''t seem to do a ton of jewelry to begin with. I wear a Mati bezel set sapphire all the time, but they always look at me snottily when I go in there, mostly because I refuse to dress up to go to school or to a dang jewelry store.

I would really like to stay away from the internet for now, just because I''m very much a hands on person. Having said that, I''m really digging the Krikawa designs and am looking into getting one of their rings for a w-band. Ugh.

Have you used any of them personally or do you just order over the internet?

And how many NM PSers are there? I was taking a little bit of a shot in the dark assuming that we were decently represented on here.
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I mostly lurk, but my friends father owns a jewelry store on the westside near coors/montano. They did a custom job for me, and I thought they did a wonderful job. I just brought them a picture of what I wanted and they recreated the look for me. That was about two years ago, but I always stop by for ring cleanings and tightening of prongs. I usually recommend them to my friends and family. They are a "mom and pop" store, so they don''t have a huge selection of settings or loose stones, but I bet they can order either and are able to do custom jobs. Oh, I forgot, we even bought my husbands wedding band from them. I hope you enjoy NM! One more thing, there is a jewelry expo this weekend at the fair grounds, you could go look around there and see if you find anything interesting!

Melly
 
Melly-Do you have any pics of the stuff they did? And NE corner of Coors/Montano in the shopping center? I can''t remember any jewelry stores in the area but I haven''t spent much time over there for about 8 years...I need to find someone to go with me to the jewelry expo now. Heh. I love NM, I''ve lived here 25 years out of the 25 years and 9 months that I''ve been alive. I''ve never seen the same kind of sunsets, blue skies, mountains or balloons like I have here. Unfortunately I''ll have to leave in a few years.
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I too love the sunsets, skies, balloons, and the food! Here is a picture of the work they did. I really enjoy the ring and think they did a good job at taking the picture I brought in and making it come to life! Yes, the store is on the NE corner of coors/montano, near the KB home design center and the MVD express.
Melly

bezel1245.JPG
 
Wow, sorry that is so big! I am not that computer savvy, so I unfortunately won''t be able to resize that!
 
Awesome! It''s gorgeous! And I love your wedding set! What are the specs on the ring that you got made? And how''s the price point?
 
Blue zircon is going to be really soft for an e-ring. Could you consider something more durable such as sapphire? Also, a spinel would be a good choice with a hardness of 8. I am just saying this because I saw a Tiffany ring on ebay last night with an aquamarine that was only a year old, and it already had wear on the table facets. You really need more durable stones for an e-ring unless the wear would not bother you.
 
i'm all about shopping locally but i've been to all of them and the astronomical prices and condescending attitudes were not worth it to me. the only jeweler that i found remotely palatable was shelton's. so...i guess that would be my rec
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ps, skip...i LOVE your new avatar! it's so bright and full of love
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Date: 1/25/2008 9:14:23 AM
Author: belle
i'm all about shopping locally but i've been to all of them and the astronomical prices and condescending attitudes were not worth it to me. the only jeweler that i found remotely palatable was shelton's. so...i guess that would be my rec
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ps, skip...i LOVE your new avatar! it's so bright and full of love
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Ahhh Belle, thanks! I thought I would get ready for that little holiday dedicated to love.
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Belle, I have had good luck at Shelton and have not bought anything. When I actually bought my stone from WF and it was set I wanted to see it magnified and also wanted to size it so I went to Shelton's close to closing time. Some guy helped me and he was very nice and stayed with me past closing time, very classy and they told me to bring my ring in to have it cleaned and prongs checked from time to time.

Freke, I am still on a quest to find a wedding band but the closest one that I like was at Mark Diamonds; they were pretty nice and helpful and seemed a little less expensive than the rest. Freke, the only places I have bought from in town were Mati (during a sale), Butterfield's, LB, GZ, and Ohhh Ah. There is a jewlery expo at the fair running 3 days; I plan to go look for fun this weekend. hehee
 
Date: 1/25/2008 1:42:22 AM
Author: FrekeChild
Awesome! It''s gorgeous! And I love your wedding set! What are the specs on the ring that you got made? And how''s the price point?
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I actually did not purchase the diamond from them, I already had the stone. They basically charged me for "labor" and the price of the white gold. They are extremely nice and always helpful. I want to go to the jewelry expo this weekend also, just to take a gander at what they have. I am too broke right now to buy anything! But it never hurts to look.
 
Date: 1/25/2008 8:46:42 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Blue zircon is going to be really soft for an e-ring. Could you consider something more durable such as sapphire? Also, a spinel would be a good choice with a hardness of 8. I am just saying this because I saw a Tiffany ring on ebay last night with an aquamarine that was only a year old, and it already had wear on the table facets. You really need more durable stones for an e-ring unless the wear would not bother you.
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Diamondseeker-I''m totally open to suggestions. I originally wanted blue topaz, but was told it would cleave, so that took it out of the running. It''s not the first time I''ve heard about blue zircon and I''ve debated it, but I love the color. I''ve looked at sapphires and can''t find the color I want there either. And truly I''m not being that picky about color, I''d prefer to have a lighter/medium blue with just a hint of green to it-obviously like the zircon or the topaz. I also want an oval, and I want around 7x5mm. So if you have some suggestions-or could find some stones that could qualitfy, that would be fantastic and I''d be forever in your debt. Honestly I''m frustrated with the e-ring as a whole and tempted to tell BF to go with a plain band, because I can''t find anything that I like that''s suitable for the wear an e-ring would have to endure.

I like this spinel, but it''s just a bit too dark and a bit too green. If you could find something like what I''m looking for, or have any other suggestions, I''m totally willing to check them out.
 
Here''s a sapphire that I love the color on, but it''s got a wonky cut, it''s enormous, and way out of the budget.

NSC-blue green sapphire
 
We got our wedding bands at Fairchild & Co in Santa Fe. They were really wonderful with our custom order and working with our budget.
The band I wanted was too expensive for us so they made a custom copy for me in palladium. DH loves his band as well and he was extremely fussy when it came down to it.
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They have great selection of the sort of thing you can''t find in maul stores. They''re not cheap, but I felt very satisfied with the quality and the price.
 
Freke, did any of those suggestions help???

Indie, those rings are beautiful!!!
 
Well, I have a serious lack of money at the moment so I won''t put any of the info you lovely ladies have given me until I get my tax return or this stimulus rebate thing. But I''ll probably go check out Sheltons, maybe next weekend or the weekend after just to get a feel for the place. So I guess I''ll just have to keep all of this info in a filing cabinet until I can actually use it.

I found a gorgeous sapphire that I would love to have for my e-ring, I''ve never seen anything like it before. But the thing is, I don''t think the BF is too keen on purchasing something from the internet and I don''t think he''s ready to start really shopping yet. Which is just fine, except I''m not sure that we could find a stone like this one again. My only problem is that it''s a bit bigger than I was originally wanting-but some might say, "How is THAT a problem?
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" I also know that some of the e-ring budget is coming from BFs tax return- which he doesn''t have yet either. So I''m stuck between a rock and a hard place on that topic at the moment. Pun totally not intended.

As for my project, I''m in the design phase of things right now and have a smaller budget and no ideas really for what I want. Here''s the stone I''m thinking about:Spinel and I want to do something to really show off the color-because it''s so unusual. And I''m thinking that I''ll have to go with a ring (RHR) because I wear a light blue sapphire pendant just about everyday (from the BF). He''s told me that if I buy the stone, he''ll buy the setting for my birthday present (April). So that''s where I am right now.

I appreciate everything ladies! And did any of you go to the jewelry expo?
 
Date: 1/27/2008 2:58:05 PM
Author: FrekeChild


I appreciate everything ladies! And did any of you go to the jewelry expo?
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Yes, I went and it was awful, lol! Hubby went w/me; my friend was sick so she could not make it. I guess the one in Chicago is better, oh well.

I understand; you will find something nice a little later
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Date: 1/27/2008 3:09:49 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 1/27/2008 2:58:05 PM
Author: FrekeChild


I appreciate everything ladies! And did any of you go to the jewelry expo?
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Yes, I went and it was awful, lol! Hubby went w/me; my friend was sick so she could not make it. I guess the one in Chicago is better, oh well.

I understand; you will find something nice a little later
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Skippy, I went too and thought it was awful! I took the hubby and he really just wanted to get out of there, although he looked at those watches for a while. They made it look a lot better on the commercials, but you live and learn I suppose.
 
What made it so bad? I''m glad I didn''t go then...
 
Date: 1/27/2008 3:24:28 PM
Author: mellyjm


Date: 1/27/2008 3:09:49 PM
Author: Skippy123

Yes, I went and it was awful, lol! Hubby went w/me; my friend was sick so she could not make it. I guess the one in Chicago is better, oh well.

I understand; you will find something nice a little later
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Click to expand...
Skippy, I went too and thought it was awful! I took the hubby and he really just wanted to get out of there, although he looked at those watches for a while. They made it look a lot better on the commercials, but you live and learn I suppose.
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I didn't see the commercials but I thought it would be better than it was, lol!! There was actually two rings I liked; one was a sapphire and the other a burmese ruby. I just did not feel comfortable buying one of those rings w/out knowing too much about the stones and also not being able to go back to the store if there was something wrong w/the ring, yanno.
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Freke, there were lots of beads. There was one vendor w/concave cut stones which was cool to see irl but not much stuff there I would want to buy, oh well.
 
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Forget I mentioned Fairchild! I just looked at their website and DH''s wedding band is more than twice the price it was a year ago!
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I really should have bought gold a couple of years ago
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Lol Indie! Ok, I''ll forget Fairchild if you insist. Heh.

Really, Skippy? Beads? Wow. Glad I didn''t go...
 
I see Fairchild & Co has already been mentioned. I would add The Golden Eye in Santa Fe. They always have some of the most unique things....
 
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