options for re-setting solitare

[kasumaki]

i''ve been doing a lot of research on this site, but still in need of more advice...
anyone...
please.....

my fiancée got me an e-ring set in a "tiffany" 6 prong solitaire setting (1.14ct, G, SI2, sz 3.75). i love the setting by itself and love how the diamond really stands out. i know he put a lot of effort into the decision of what to buy (setting and stone) and i totally adore him for it! i''m a little torn contemplating re-setting the ring, but think i should. here''s a sample picture of what my setting looks like now (from bluenile''s site):
http://www.bluenile.com/product_details.asp?oid=2&page=1&col=2&row=1&pos=2&set_shape=

i saw pics on Tiffany''s website of their 6 prong solitaire with a shared prong eternity band together and i thought they looked really nice together. i thought my 6 prong ring and any low prong setting would fit nice & snug together (yes, i am a total idiot.) here is a sample picture of the settings together on the Tiffany site:
http://www.tiffany.com/expertise/diamond/rings/combination_tiffany_ring.aspx?ring=shared&

i proceeded to get a half eternity wedding band custom made --low shared/common prong setting, 7 stone, .10ct each stone, E-F, VS1-VS2, ~3.3mm thick all around-- and of course the two rings don''t sit well together (huge surprise for me -- didn''t realize how common this is). i love the wedding band, but now i''m not so happy with the solitaire setting (when worn together). ideally, i''d like to wear the 2 rings together most of the time, and want something that sits better together. (attached a picture of my rings together, as of right now.)

but what settings would sit better together with my prong wedding band??? would a slightly thicker (2.5mm), flat band (flat on the sides) match better? i saw this on solomon brothers (michael b design) and it has flat edges (side):
http://www.solomonbrothers.com/Search/JewelrySearchDetails.asp?sSKU=89178
is there a similar setting without the accent prongs? looks like it would fit better than what i have right now...

i saw a "knife edge" on diamondsafe that looks like it might also fit well with my band and not stray too far from the 6 prong i have right now:
http://www.diamondsafe.com/Engagement-Rings-Settings_11.asp?setID=868
but does this sit higher on my finger than what i already have? (this one is high enough!)

would the # of prongs make a difference on how the 2 rings would fit together (4 vs 6 prong)? i saw a 4 prong similar to my 6 prong on diamondsafe:
http://www.diamondsafe.com/Engagement-Rings-Settings_11.asp?setID=187
but not sure i like it any better than the 6 prong, not to mention there''s the added "risk" associated with 4 prongs.

someone mentioned a "basket" setting by vatche, but my fiancée hates the x prong. i saw their "surprise" setting (solitaire, surprise setting, style #150):
http://www.dvatche.com/eclipse/new_catalouge.htm
is there a similar setting without the "surprise" diamond on the side? but i’m not that fond of how high the sides come up towards the center stone.

i saw a basket-like setting on Solomon Brothers that I really like, but don''t know how well the pave would look or how this would fit with my prong wedding band:
http://www.solomonbrothers.com/Search/JewelrySearchDetails.asp?sSKU=78331-1
would such a skinny band look ok next to my 3.3mm thick wedding band with 10pt stones? or is there a similar setting without the pave diamonds – would that work better? the side diamonds (eternity band) looks like a channel setting, which I don’t think would go well with my band. but i do like how it looks like it sits lower (closer to my finger) than my current solitaire and i like how the sides do not come up as far towards the center (compared to the vatche).

i contemplating getting a matching band for my solitaire, but my jeweler did not recommend it because the stones on each ring would rub and i would risk chipping the diamonds (and i don''t want them stuck permanently together, so that i can still wear them separately if i want).

any pictures of what people have paired with a similar prong wedding band or suggestions or comments on what i could do would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

 

[mrssalvo]

Hi and welcome

there is a solitaire thread going on right now that might be very helpful. you can check it out here. lots of options for you to look at..

 

[kasumaki]

thanks!

 

[FacetFire]

Some of my favorite settings that are designed to sit flush: http://www.precisionset.com/

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Well, I like the two rings together just like they are! They are beautiful!

I posted a Vatche setting on that solitaire thread that might work. But I don''t think you''ll be able to just order a setting. I think you will have to go to some jewelry stores and try on settings with the diamond band.

 

[kasumaki]

Date: 7/24/2006 8:09:34 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Well, I like the two rings together just like they are! They are beautiful!

I posted a Vatche setting on that solitaire thread that might work. But I don''t think you''ll be able to just order a setting. I think you will have to go to some jewelry stores and try on settings with the diamond band.

they are beatiful...feel slightly guilty re-setting it, but i know they could look even better together. i hope...

i was looking for the ring you posted on the vatche website and couldn''t find it -- is it on a different website somewhere? looks similar to the basket setting from solomon brothers i liked, without the extra pave diamonds.

i''ll post to the other thread and see if anyone else has any suggestions.

thanks!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I found that setting at Excel Diamonds. Vatche doesn't have all their settings on their site apparently. However, I have seen this exact setting on another site, and it said it was in the 2mm range for width, so I'd ignore what this link says for width. Someone on PS is getting that setting within the next couple of weeks, so we'll know more then.

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/-Engagement-Rings-5/Ideal-Round-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-1092.html#

 

[kasumaki]

Date: 7/24/2006 8:59:15 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I found that setting at Excel Diamonds. Vatche doesn''t have all their settings on their site apparently. However, I have seen this exact setting on another site, and it said it was in the 2mm range for width, so I''d ignore what this link says for width. Someone on PS is getting that setting within the next couple of weeks, so we''ll know more then.

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/-Engagement-Rings-5/Ideal-Round-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-1092.html#

thanks DS! i saw this one over the weekend, but since Excel didn''t actually label as a Vatche, i wasn''t sure (but it says so in the picture). i didn''t like it as much as the solomon one -- i think with this one, the sides come up higher towards the diamond, the "v" (holding the diamond) is much more prominent, and the metal looks thicker.

in your post on the solitaire thread (i haven''t learned how to do links yet!), you said:
"i was thinking the same thing DS. 3mm would be a touch too wide for our stones I thinkThe Vatche setting Mrs Darling Joy is getting is a thinner Cartier looking ring similar in style to this one."
where did Mrs Darling Joy find the Cartier looking one (and what does this look like)?

i''ll attach my favs thus far -- the solomon one with the pave is the top pick (which i''m not sure if i actually want)...

 

[kasumaki]

variation of the cathedral with a knife edge (diamond safe) -- this one looks very similar to the 6 prong i have already, but looks like there''s more metal in the middle (fit flush-er to my prong band) and has the metal (cathedral) coming up the sides toward the diamond (but not too high up)...hope that made sense. i like it because it doesn''t completely change what my fiancee got me originally....

 

[mrssalvo]

I like that solomon brothers one a lot, but i''m not sure the pave will look good with your shared prong wedding band..

 

[kasumaki]

and the Vatche one from Excel...but i already mentioned i think it looks like there''s too much metal for my 1.14ct diamond...something out there more delicate like the solomon one?

 

[kasumaki]

Date: 7/25/2006 2:39:13 PM
Author: mrssalvo
I like that solomon brothers one a lot, but i''m not sure the pave will look good with your shared prong wedding band..

i love diamonds...but do agree the pave might not look great together. i''m sure i can get it custom made without the pave at my local jeweler (they made my prong band). but which style do you think would look the best together?

 

[mrssalvo]

well your wedding band is very substanial on it''s own. I think a plan solitaire is the direction I''d go. I think the vatche is only 2.5 mm which is not very wide and i think it would look great with your band. if you have a vatche dealer near you it might be a good idea to go and try it on with your e-ring. Also Ritani makes a really pretty solitaire that has a thin band too. you can see more pics here

 

[kasumaki]

i do like the plain solitaire next to the more substantial band, so i''ll probably keep it relatively simple. 2.5mm is just what i had in mind, so i''ll check out another Vatche dealer to see if they have the Excel version. i''ve already tried on the Vatche with the x-prong and it actually fit fairly flush, but my fiancee didn''t think the prongs matched well. with the Ritani, i''m not sure about the slight buldge at the base of the crown (not sure it would sit as flush with the band) -- thinking Vatche might be a smoother fit. i''ll be sure to look into it...

 

[mrssalvo]

Mara tried on the Ritani solitaire with her wedding band and said it fit perfectly flush. Ritani is currently working on a patent for their "flush fit" rings meaning any of there rings should fit flush with the wedding band so your would work fine. i was actually thinking about doing the ritani solitare with my upgrade stonea and an eternity band of 10 pointers just like you''ve got

. good idea to go and try some on though..

 

[kasumaki]

LOVE the 10pt stones!!! highly recommend them! i thought they might be a little large for my center stone, but the bigger diamonds are so beautiful i could not resist! and they do look lovely together. i was also worried i the stones were too "white" (E-F) next to my center (G), but i realize they look fine together as long as i keep the center clean...somewhat of a challenge as soap is great for the hands, but not so much for the diamond.

i''ll try to post more pics tonight of how they fit together.

anyways, i tried on Tiffany''s shared prong setting with my e-ring before having mine custom made (T = 7 stones at 8pts each, G, VS). it''s very very nicely made and actually fit ok together with my e-ring -- it''s actually where i got the idea to get 7 stones rather than 5, but i prefer a low-shared prong setting, as opposed to T''s low open-gallery prong setting -- couldn''t find one i really liked, so i had one custom made with my specs.

i was looking at the Ritani website for the flush fit thing and noticed they said it will fit with "any staight wedding band". does that mean bands with stones too? the prong setting isn''t perfectly straight, but pretty close. i''ll have to take a closer at BBB to to see what makes them so special...i was thinking it must be as simple as having a smoother edge where the crown holding the diamond connects to the band, but that sounds too easy...

 

[kasumaki]

ok, i think i got a good pic of what i don''t like about my combo -- the prong that sits closest to the band creates a small gap and they sound bad when they rub together. i think the plain Vatche is growing on me and i think it would work nicely...going to show the fiancee to see what he thinks....