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Odd gap between emerald stone and platinum ring setting??

Pinkmartini87

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Hi, stupid question here, but are you supposed to see a gap between the stone and setting from the side? (This gap is not seen head on from top, only when viewed from the side, and even then only on the two long sides of the emerald’s rectangular shape, and not the short sides).

Is this just the style with raise prongs?

BF46269C-3FF0-4DA0-88DA-5860B061D392.jpeg 795817B9-8215-49D7-AD2B-FCEF7225BECF.jpeg
1772179C-D475-4024-9544-19C5C6AD0522.jpeg
59197918-5C3B-40FC-8A8B-5846393501B4.jpeg
 

LilAlex

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The gap looks pretty generous to me but it may just reflect some hard knocks -- the upper left prong in the second pic is wonky and the stone does not sit "flat" in the basket when viewed from the side (third pic). Also, the side emeralds do not match the center stone so I'm wondering if it was swapped out -- the present one looks almost like an aqua to me.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@LilAlex Thanks for your sharp eye re the left top prong—now that you’ve pointed it out I see it’s a bit lopsided.

I’ve only owned bezel rings/settings before so didn’t know if this is a normal gap or not.

Also agree with you that the color in the photos above isn’t great.

Here are some more vendor photos under diff light as I’m just trying to learn what makes a good emerald. To me it looks like a very light emerald without a lot of glow, but what worries me a little is that it’s SUPER clean for an emerald, no? I think aquamarine beryls tend to be more clean/without inclusions.

Do paler emeralds tend to be less included? Does this emerald have the “look” of an Indian emerald? (Does not look like the classic sought after Muzo color to me).

I would like to eventually buy an emerald of this size (around 3 carats-I like the large finger coverage) and I’m ok I guess with the lighter color like this one if it comes within budget, but wonder if I could get a better quality emerald in an authentic antique ring with my budget (hoping to slowly put away $10,000 for this project).

A second option is to replicate this ring—find the stone first then commission a setting like the one above which I love, hence why I’m asking if there should be a gap or not lol, since I would prob show these photos to my local bench to make a setting just like it if I went with this approach.
8D3A6887-BB14-4666-B6AF-202F51E62075.jpeg 55F596C3-5E15-4E45-A64D-1575B6DD3928.jpeg
 
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Arcadian

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I will say that I don't feel its normal. Not only is it a gap, its not a straight one. who knows what else is really going on.....

If its cheap enough, it might be worth a bother. But then again, you may be better off just getting your stone separately and commissioning a setting made for it, simply to avoid a weird setting job like this..

Because Emeralds are Type III stones so inclusions will be the norm. I've seen lighter ones and they can be just as included. If you're looking for less inclusions but not pay too much, are you OK with treatments like Opticon?
 

LD

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Are you sure that's a gap? It looks to me like it could be light bouncing off the side OR bad photoshopping (not sure why it would need photoshopping though). However, in the 3rd photograph, the emerald looks like it's sloping to the left (ie higher on the right). If it is doing that then that could be creating a gap and could be to do with the prongs. If you look at your last photo the emerald face on appears to be sitting in the setting of the basket. Can you ask the vendor for another photo from that angle?
 

Pinkmartini87

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@Arcadian Thank you for taking the time to help! I’d be ok with opticon, given my budget I would rather have a nice looking larger emerald with treatment than a much smaller emerald without.

I feel like emeralds are some of the hardest gems to buy. I’ve heard of shady practices where the oiled emeralds are cleaned thoroughly of their oil in order to then quality for a “no treatment detected” report, THEN reoiled to make the emerald attractive again aka to attract a buyer, THEN sold to an unsuspecting buyer with the untreated report.

I’ve also seen emeralds certified as nontreated but look like they sure could use some treatment lol.

In a nutshell, I don’t think $10,000 will get me a good looking AND investment grade (aka minor or no oil) sizable (1.5 carat plus) emerald, so I’ll stick to the good looking only as long as the treatment does not “come off” easily (ie does not require routine upkeep) or is blatantly dishonest (ie using colored oil or dye).
 

Pinkmartini87

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@LD Great sleuthing! I think it’s not a reflection given I can see the backside of the setting clearly (see circled part below). I think you are right that maybe something is lopsided aka causing the stone to slant and opening the gap. Although, there’s a gap on each side, not just one side, so I think something more than a slight slant is responsible.
4B41B339-8F14-4F1C-B0C1-985E905158E9.jpeg

I’m just trying to understand how this emerald is sitting in place. It seems the 4 prongs are holding it and helping to “sandwich” it against the backside of the open work gallery on the two short sides of the emerald, but the two long sides and bottom are completely empty/suspended (I can tell the photos below show the ring from both the right and left because the smaller green stones on the side are both are the bottom and the smaller white stones are on the top).

Is that normal?? I need someone to help me with the physics of how this stone is staying in place lol.
A0223310-FA70-4D81-BC17-69AC4AAB19B5.jpeg 9F19A543-F721-4868-8F7B-F0174729661B.jpeg
 
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Pinkmartini87

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Me thinks maybe this stone was not original to the setting? That the original stone was a taller stone? That this new center stone is too shallow for this setting?

Ie I feel like this stone needs to be “lowered” into this current setting so the long sides sit flush against the left and right of the setting, and the prongs shortened?

D99CD1A0-710A-4EB8-AA6D-278279A96781.jpeg
Calling some more antique jewelry experts also @PreRaphaelite @YadaYadaYada @Bron357 @prs
@JPie
@stracci2000
 
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JPie

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It'd be really odd if that gap was an intentional part of the design. If you have this custom made, I'd suggest getting it without the gap for aesthetic and practical reasons.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@JPie Thank you for weighing in! Helps me a great deal knowing I’m not the only one who found the gaps a bit odd, although I’m still learning the ropes of antique jewelry so wasn’t sure if the gaps were typical of that Art Deco era or a style unto themselves.
 

2Neezers

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It looks like the seats that hold the stone in place were cut higher than usual. When a stone is set, the person setting the stone cuts a tiny wedge out of the prongs, or “seats” for the girdle of the stone to rest in, and once the girdle is set in the seats, the prongs are bent over and that’s what holds the stone in place. Most jewelers will set the stone lower, which gives the illusion that the stone is being held in place by the setting and not by the seats and pressure of the prongs. Some jewelers choose to set the stone up higher, with the thinking that more light can enter the stone if there is a gap between the stone and the setting and it will be easier to clean. I’m guessing that is what we are looking at here, but there could possibly be something else going on.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@2Neezers Wow, thanks for the detailed technical explanation, just what I needed!

Based on your info, I went on YouTube and watched a Stuller video on how they make the little “seats” in the prongs. So awesome!

Hmm, maybe they chose to set the emerald higher up in this case then? I wonder if that’s common for emeralds, to let a little light in on the bottom to help the emerald perform?

I guess the structural integrity of a raised setting like is pretty sound! Like you said, it’s the seats on the prongs that’s doing the work, not the actually framework.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@2Neezers

Just curious, what kind of setting is this (2 tab prong setting? Bezel setting? Both?):

B76573B9-7AC4-45D6-A6B5-511DADA51D36.jpeg 240F594D-C507-49AC-B42C-E5DDA15C9B8B.jpeg
 

2Neezers

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I’m glad I could help! I bet the Stuller video you watched is where I learned that info myself :). I hope to try my hand at setting a stone someday, but haven’t tried it yet. I’m not sure what type of setting that is, but it’s very pretty! It looks like it only has the two tabs holding the stone in place, but I‘m hoping there is something else holding it in the setting. I wouldn’t trust just two prongs myself!
 

YadaYadaYada

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I’m not an expert (thanks for the compliment though!) but I wonder if whoever set it did that to let in more light? It’s just kind of peculiar. If I was buying this ring I would want the stone lowered to sit more appropriately in the setting, that gap would bother me.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@2Neezers You are a GREAT help. I’m also keenly interested in the nitty gritty of how a piece is assembled. Would love to volunteer at my local bench just to satisfy my curiosity!

I own the violet ring with the 2 tabs—the stone feels quite secure to me without any rattling/movement even when I run my finger vigorously from side to side of the stone. I’ve always wondered how two tabs manage to do the job. I do notice a tiny row of little milgrain “beads” running along the entire long edge of the sides of the basket so wonder if they are contributing at all...prob not and may simply be decorative.

373D40F2-92B0-4D3B-8028-4222915496D1.jpeg
 

Pinkmartini87

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@YadaYadaYada Thanks for stopping by—I do consider you an antique jewelry expert based on all the pretties you’ve shared and all the great deals you’ve scored!
 

YadaYadaYada

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Aw, well thanks @Pinkmartini87, you happen to have one of my favorite sapphire rings and I hope you find your dream emerald as well, I know it will be fabulous :wavey:
 

2Neezers

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@2Neezers You are a GREAT help. I’m also keenly interested in the nitty gritty of how a piece is assembled. Would love to volunteer at my local bench just to satisfy my curiosity!

I own the violet ring with the 2 tabs—the stone feels quite secure to me without any rattling/movement even when I run my finger vigorously from side to side of the stone. I’ve always wondered how two tabs manage to do the job. I do notice a tiny row of little milgrain “beads” running along the entire long edge of the sides of the basket so wonder if they are contributing at all...prob not and may simply be decorative.

373D40F2-92B0-4D3B-8028-4222915496D1.jpeg

Your ring is beautiful :love:. It’s the perfect shade of violet! I'm glad the stone feels so secure in the setting and there’s no rattling. It looks like two tab prongs are all that’s needed to hold the stone in place in this case. I hope I didn’t offend you when I mentioned I wouldn’t trust just two prongs. I am just an overly cautious person by nature, but your setting is clearly doing a great job holding that beautiful stone in place!
That would be a lot fun to volunteer at your local bench. Rio Grande has a bunch of videos that you might find interesting too :)).
 

Pinkmartini87

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@2Neezers Thanks for the tip—I’ll check those videos out!

No offense at all, it’s just a ring, not my mother lol, so totally open to all thoughts and commentaries on it as I love to learn. Like you I was a bit wary re the tiny two tabs too, but so far so good!
 

stracci2000

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I don't care for the gap either.
The setting is really beautiful, and a competent jeweler can easily lower the stone for you.
Then you will feel confident wearing it that the stone is secure.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@stracci2000 Thank you for stopping by and offering your help! I feel the same way that the light return is likely not doing much for the emerald in this case.

I have seen in the past some foil backed emeralds that were amazing. I suspect the closed back settings work better to concentrate the emerald color than an open setting seen here.
 

Pinkmartini87

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Aw, well thanks @Pinkmartini87, you happen to have one of my favorite sapphire rings and I hope you find your dream emerald as well, I know it will be fabulous :wavey:

Many thanks friend for your kind compliments and wishes! Hope you and your loved ones are doing well! Know that your posts over in the Antique Jewelry section is one of my favorite go to places to read/relax after a long day’s work! Thank you for helping me get through COVID boredom!
 
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LilAlex

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I own the violet ring with the 2 tabs—the stone feels quite secure to me without any rattling/movement even when I run my finger vigorously from side to side of the stone. I’ve always wondered how two tabs manage to do the job. I do notice a tiny row of little milgrain “beads” running along the entire long edge of the sides of the basket so wonder if they are contributing at all...prob not and may simply be decorative.

In that ring, the stone is sitting in/on a custom "pan" and does not need a bezel. The two tabs at 12:00 and 6:00 just keep it from falling out when the ring is inverted; they don't need to keep the stone from moving laterally. Not as elegant a design, imo, but it's less intrusive than a bezel (wastes less visible "real estate") and is something I had never thought of...
 

LilAlex

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To me it looks like a very light emerald without a lot of glow, but what worries me a little is that it’s SUPER clean for an emerald, no? I think aquamarine beryls tend to be more clean/without inclusions.

That is more in line with a "green beryl" or closer to an aqua. I think of green beryl designation connoting more yellow but it also applies to a less saturated green. I hardly ever see that term anymore because everything is pretty much just "emerald" now. Spouse has one that walks the line between emerald and green beryl -- it's blue-green, not intensely saturated, but still very pretty.
 

Pinkmartini87

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@LilAlex Thanks for the additional info! If you have time I would love a photo of the “almost green beryl” you spouse has, just so I can learn how to tell the two apart visually! I agree that most lighter greens now days prob just get lumped into the emerald category, prob due to price!

I just snatched this photo off a different vendor’s instagram this morning. To me this looks like a green beryl, not emerald (but I’m sure others may disagree and say it’s a light emerald. Vendor is selling it as an emerald):
6F4CD7E1-DC98-4DEF-8D2C-392ADECE0BD2.jpeg

To be frank, I’m on the fence on how to label the ring in my original post. I feel like maybe dark enough for many to call it an emerald, rather than the even lighter one I just posted above.

It’s hard to know for me at least where to draw the line between beryl and emerald. I’ve posted before about this and gotten good tips from other PSers also, and I know it’s just semantics for most folks, and that everyone sees color differently so hard to all agree on colors, but IMHO I think the almighty dollar is playing a role also in the labeling of these gems (just like how I’ve seen some very pink sapphires labeled as rubies by certain vendors).
 
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LilAlex

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I just snatched this photo off a different vendor’s instagram this morning. To me this looks like a green beryl, not emerald (but I’m sure others may disagree and say it’s a light emerald. Vendor is selling it as an emerald):

Yes, I think this is about the hue of my spouse's and hers is maybe even a hair lighter in tone. It sits in the safe deposit box because it's too fragile for her lifestyle. And it's crazy-clean apart from one "bad" corner, which also makes it seem less emerald-y. And I think it has a big window because I was unburdened by knowledge (!) and just wanted something beautiful...and it still is.

I would not get hung up on whether it's trade-ideal emerald or not -- unless you are paying an insane price for a true trade-ideal. Much more important that it's pretty than "ideal," imo.
 

MidModMin

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Not sure what the gap is, and I think it looks a bit odd, but the setting aside from that is quite beautiful.
 
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