Newby needs help with DK cads for cushion halo + band

[auburngirl06]

Hey PS! I’m fairly new and learned about DK through hours and hours of reading these forums. I am working on a e-ring reset plus new band and have a second set of cads here and I feel very overwhelmed looking at them.

I told DK I wanted a tight halo with no airline and minimal metal showing. We agreed on 1 pointers for the halo and around 2mm width for the shank. I’ve sent pictures and he’s assured me the halo will look as I want it. The gallery is inspired by the tacori dantela 2620. I don’t like the halo or the bead set diamonds on the actual tacori so I decided to go custom with DK.

I think this looks good but I have zero experience reading cads and am petrified I will not love it when it comes in. He said after this round of cads he could send me plastic models to make sure he’s getting the proportions correct.

I also have an alternating diamond and sapphire band that I will be stacking with these. I am sending it to him to engrave the back and to make sure the height and all aligns with these rings. I attached a picture of that along with my inspiration halo.

Can anyone give me input on these cads? Does the metal look too thick where the shank comes up to meet the basket? Is it too tall? Help! I’ve waiting a long time for this and I feel like going custom was way out of my league and I don’t know what I’m doing!

 

[whitewave]

Cads exaggerate metal prominence.

These look great to me.

 

[Kim N]

The inspiration halo has the center stone prongs each positioned between two halo melee. I'm not an expert, but I believe that's more structurally sound than the way CAD has the halo melee positioned.

 

[Rfisher]

I also have an alternating diamond and sapphire band that I will be stacking with these. I am sending it to him to engrave the back and to make sure the height and all aligns with these rings.

I’d suggest DK having your current band in hand before making tweaks to CADs, especially if you are wanting heights aligned. Profiles too?
Speaking of heights aligned - the cad as it is, from the top down view, doesn’t appear to me as the two rings are the same height - IDK- but maybe there’s something he’s taken into consideration. I’d ask tho to confirm if you were particular about this detail.
Plus - have the discussion with him about possibility of a rings diamonds eating into each other?

He’s got a good amount of halos very similar on his IG. Both variations of where prongs are between melee, and not. We’ve seen here examples of structurally compromised prongs when not set between melee- but I don’t think any coming from DK.
You’ll also see the center stones girdle set at different heights above the halo. - if that detail matters to you - ask him about it.

Height of setting above your finger is a hard one to comment on. Personal preferences and all that.

 

[auburngirl06]

Thank you! I was also thinking I needed to go ahead and send him my sapphire band. It’s pretty low profile and there is no use trying to tweak this cads now if when he gets this ring we will have to do it again. I do want the profiles to match.

I was kind of just freaking out looking at these cads with my inexperience and just wanted to be sure there weren’t any obvious things I may be missing. I still feel like maybe the metal on the shoulders needs to be thinned out some as it meets the basket. Then the basket kind of looks squatty? I can’t put my finger on it.

As far as the integrity of the setting with the location of the prongs, I trust David on that. I have looked at tons of his halos and it looks like he does change up the location of the prongs on them.

 

[ZestfullyBling]

CAD does exaggerate metal, halo and shank look good imo in regards to your metal question. But the hight, maybe okay if DK has actual band shown.
But honestly you will not know for sure on height in relation to your band until you get the wax model.

 

[caolsen]

CADs really do exaggerate the metal. Aa for height on the bands, bear in mind, that when you wear rings, the inner dimensions are what determine how even they are, not the otter edge.

Case in point, a 3 mm wide and deep stone eternity and a 2 mm wide round plain band will never have the same profile. With a design like this, one band plain and one not, it’s a balance of the two - inner and outer width and depth. Being the same height and having the same profile on the hand aren’t the same thing.

And your finger will have variances day to day that will impact how exactly even the two are. Only way to get a steady state is to solder, which I am not a fan of.

 

[auburngirl06]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I asked for the gallery to be tweaked a little and I think that was a mistake. I’m sure I did a terrible job explaining. It’s so hard to envision what the real thing will look like. I just want to send him my diamond and say ‘do what you think looks best’ ahhhh.

Right are the changes. What do you think?

 

[whitewave]

I like the right… it will be easier to clean. I’m unsure of what the diamond halo is doing though

 

[Rfisher]

Ask them to show you side view examples of similar styles with the center stone and ring size similar to yours.
That will help you envision the proportions / what to expect with finished product, and help to make decision of what you like better.
***Edited to add*** so you are looking at finished product, instead of CAD, to make your choices.

At this point it’s personal preferences

 

[lovedogs]

I like the right… it will be easier to clean. I’m unsure of what the diamond halo is doing though

Agree completely. The right will be so much easier to clean, and I think its overall a nicer and more "readable" design from the side.

 

[auburngirl06]

Thank you all. I will ask him for pictures of completed rings similar … such a great idea. Im sure I’m not the only one who has asked for a tacori inspired gallery lol. I’ve been all over his Insta so I have a general idea of what his finished work will look like. I know it will be beautiful. Im just caught up in the details. I really appreciate everyone’s input. I’ll keep you updated!

 

[auburngirl06]

Well I naively *thought* I wanted to be involved in every single detail and after this I realize it’s too much. I’m not a designer. DK is so amazing, he just makes a change every time you request it but the problem is I don’t know if I these are good changes. I’m so overwhelmed and almost wanting to throw in the towel. Here is the latest. I did change the wedding band and I’m good with that. It’s this dang halo. If I’ve seen 1000 cushion halos in person, I highly dislike 995 of them. There is that one gem of a cushion halo that makes my heart patter and I’m desperately trying to create it. What do we think about this halo experts?? Stone is approx 1 carat with 1.2mm melee.

ETA: I have asked for photos of completed rings but he has not yet provided any so I’m just trying to do my best ‘envisioning’. He’s going ahead and making a plastic model of these just to get started since I’m all over the place. That way I can try them on with my band.

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

Hi! I’m working with DK on a setting as well and everything you’re saying I totally connect with!! The CADs are really hard to interpret and I think David wants to make all his clients happy and so asks about any changes, which is both a blessing and a curse. I also asked him for some finished product examples of what the gallery on my ring will look like since the CADs don’t show that level of detail.

For your design, I also like the one on the right. It’s more open and I feel like the design is more open and crisp. I think the halo should be as delicate as possible as to not detract too much from the center stone.

It might take a while but I’m confident you’re going to get a beautiful product!

 

[msop04]

Well I naively *thought* I wanted to be involved in every single detail and after this I realize it’s too much. I’m not a designer. DK is so amazing, he just makes a change every time you request it but the problem is I don’t know if I these are good changes. I’m so overwhelmed and almost wanting to throw in the towel. Here is the latest. I did change the wedding band and I’m good with that. It’s this dang halo. If I’ve seen 1000 cushion halos in person, I highly dislike 995 of them. There is that one gem of a cushion halo that makes my heart patter and I’m desperately trying to create it. What do we think about this halo experts?? Stone is approx 1 carat with 1.2mm melee.

ETA: I have asked for photos of completed rings but he has not yet provided any so I’m just trying to do my best ‘envisioning’. He’s going ahead and making a plastic model of these just to get started since I’m all over the place. That way I can try them on with my band.

DK will do better if you just show him as many photos of what you like and dislike about whatever part of it you want him to incorporate. I would browse his IG and look for cushion halos... he has done a ton of them. Also, any other photos you can find will help as well.

 

[auburngirl06]

DK will do better if you just show him as many photos of what you like and dislike about whatever part of it you want him to incorporate. I would browse his IG and look for cushion halos... he has done a ton of them. Also, any other photos you can find will help as well.

Thank you! So I’ve had a change of plans…. I received the wax models and they were beautiful. I wore them around for about a week and then came to the decision that adding a halo to my 1 carat was not going to cure my desire for a bigger diamond. So…. I have upgraded my stone and am working with DK on a non halo setting. I’m probably driving him crazy but he has been nothing but kind and accommodating about the whole thing. I’m sure I’m not the first one of his clients to change their mind

 

[pinkjewel]

I like that you went from 1.3 mm halo stones to 1.2. It actually looks pretty good to me, but take that with a grain of salt. I am certainly no expert on reading CADS. However, I have had DK make 3 rings for me and I am working on a fourth and they have always turned out beautifully. He has more than one bench that makes his rings so since you want minimal metal you might want to ask him for his Uber bench to make your ring.

 

[msop04]

Thank you! So I’ve had a change of plans…. I received the wax models and they were beautiful. I wore them around for about a week and then came to the decision that adding a halo to my 1 carat was not going to cure my desire for a bigger diamond. So…. I have upgraded my stone and am working with DK on a non halo setting. I’m probably driving him crazy but he has been nothing but kind and accommodating about the whole thing. I’m sure I’m not the first one of his clients to change their mind

Now this is what I like to hear... upgrade that thing! Don't worry about David... he just wants to make his clients happy! I've been "bothering" him with a three stone project for a year, and he's just as sweet about it as he was the first time! LOL

...and I'll go out on a limb here with your screen name and say, "WAR EAGLE!"