Original eRing needs a new Stone

[radiantbeauty]

Hi PS! I really need your help in choosing a stone for my original erring. I recently removed a 5.0 carat radiant stone with measurements of 9.46 x 9.17 and placed it in another setting. I am looking for input on what type of CS or diamond would best suite the setting. I would like for the stone to sparkle as close to a diamond as possible. I think a round shaped stone would look best in the setting, although I am open to other shapes.

I am open to modifying the setting slightly to accommodate the new stone. It is extremely important to maintain the same characteristics of the setting as it is now as it holds a lot of sentimental value. I would lower the center stone a little – and still allow the floating affect. I would also modify the prongs to a double claw prong setting. If you have any other suggestions on how to make the setting more delicate without changing the style of it, please share!

My questions for the CS stone:

What shape?
What color?
What type of cut?

Who would be the best vendor to achieve maximum sparkle and brilliance on the stone?
Anything I should I be aware of or look for?

My Questions for the Diamond stone:

It would take a relatively large round stone to accommodate the existing setting. While it is not in my budget to purchase such a large stone, I was thinking I could purchase a much smaller diamond and then halo it. I would want it to be as delicate as possible.

What would be the smallest and biggest center stone I could use based on the current measurements of the previous set stone?

What size melee would you place around the center stone to make it appear as delicate as possible?

What vendor would you use?

What do you think would look better as the center stone, a CS or a halo?

If you can photo shop a stone you’re thinking of with the pictures provided, please do! Visuals would be awesome!

I have attached pictures to show the ring with and without the center stone

 

[radiantbeauty]

Center Stone Removed.....

 

[SB621]

For a colored stone you should repost this in the CS forum.

Do you plan on wearing this ring every day? The experts over there will need to know as certain gemstones are brittle and shouldn't be worn on a daily basis.

If you want maximum brilliance and sparkle you will probably want a precision cut stone vs. a native cut. You will need to contact lapidarys and see what rough they have available that would be able to be cut into 9-9.5mm CS (gemstones go by a different weight then diamonds so it helps to know the mm size vs. ctw).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You really need to significantly reduce the height of the prongs. I would leave them in the same style but just much lower. Doing a halo would change the design too much and probably not achieve your purpose of having him think you love the original setting. I think if they cut those prongs, it may take a smaller stone since it would be set lower where the prongs taper in more. So be very careful about the size.

Something like an aquamarine is going to be most economical. As long as you don't wear it daily, it will be fine. Just to give you an idea of pricing...(and I don't recall the mm measurements of your current stone)

http://www.paraibainternational.com/products.php?category=5

 

[radiantbeauty]

Sarahbear621 - I definitely plan to wear the ring everyday.

I will definitely create a post in CS too. And I do note that gemstones are different in carat weight vs mm size. Thanks!

Diamondseeker2006 - I would definitely reduce the height. I still want to maintain the curve/flare of the front side of the ring. I think if I lower it too much, I will loose that effect. And that's where I need the help. I don't know the mm size stone to put it in the setting once the prongs are adjusted.

Since I do plan to wear it every day, what other stone would you recommend? The halo was only for the top down view of the ring. The setting would remain as it is now. Do you think it would be too much to have a halo as the *center* stone (and I would use a very delicate halo so the effect looks like one stone) and leave the rest of the setting as is.

 

[SB621]

Sarahbear621 - I definitely plan to wear the ring everyday.

I will definitely create a post in CS too. And I do note that gemstones are different in carat weight vs mm size. Thanks!

Diamondseeker2006 - I would definitely reduce the height. I still want to maintain the curve/flare of the front side of the ring. I think if I lower it too much, I will loose that effect. And that's where I need the help. I don't know the mm size stone to put it in the setting once the prongs are adjusted.

Since I do plan to wear it every day, what other stone would you recommend? The halo was only for the top down view of the ring. The setting would remain as it is now. Do you think it would be too much to have a halo as the *center* stone (and I would use a very delicate halo so the effect looks like one stone) and leave the rest of the setting as is.

You already have a lot going on with that ring. To add a halo on top would not be complimentary. Even if it were delicate it wouldn't match the rest of the ring. I think with your ring less equals more. I would definitely reduce the prongs as DS said. Give it to your jeweler and see what mm size you would need. For a ring for everyday use I would stick with Sapphires or Spinels. Both are suited for everyday wear. I'm sure the CS ladies can give some additional types, but those are the only 2 popping into my mind.

 

[chrono]

Expect to pay at least $20k for a 6 to 7 ct heated sapphire IF you can even find one that fits the setting. Worse yet, finding the right coloured stone is far more difficult than a diamond and I've seen posters take more than a year to find a stone that fits a specific setting.

 

[Niel]

Expect to pay at least $20k for a 6 to 7 ct heated sapphire IF you can even find one that fits the setting. Worse yet, finding the right coloured stone is far more difficult than a diamond and I've seen posters take more than a year to find a stone that fits a specific setting.

if it were me id probably but a really pretty aquamarine or amethyst with a stunning color but cheap. I feel like anything in that setting as is would be chipped, id rather only wear the ring on special occasions, get a stone thats cheaper with a lovely color but easily replaceable after the inevitable chip

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree. You are talking about sapphire or spinel if you want to wear it daily because even if you reduce the height of those prongs by half, the stone is still going to be set very high. A sapphire will be hard to find and very expensive. Spinels are less expensive (other than red) but finding one in a large size will be challenging and expensive. You could always do something like a blue topaz and just replace it as needed. That would probably just cost a few hundred to have one custom cut for your setting.

 

[AprilBaby]

I would love to see a tsavorite in there for contrast.

 

[Circe]

How would you feel about a cabochon instead of a faceted stone? If you were to get a sugarloaf or maybe even something with a fat belly AND a high crown, I feel like you'd be making the most of the design's proportions, and the contrast would be visually pleasing: I think it would make the ring look a little less busy if instead of more scintillation, you just got a brilliant pop of uninterrupted color. And, bonus, cabs are frequently more affordable since the clarity is less of an issue ....

 

[chrono]

Circe,
I don't think a cabochon or sugarloaf will fit shape wise since many are flat bottomed and domed on top, unless she purposely looks for one that is bottom heavy. Such a stone equates to paying a lot for size you don't see. With the setting being a 'V' and cabochon being the inverse, the setting has to either be modified greatly or the stone sits super high. Am I missing something?

AprilBaby,
A 7 ct tsavorite (has to be bigger to look the same size as a diamond) runs close to $20K.

 

[Niel]

maybe like a zircon?

 

[Circe]

I'll admit, I was thinking bottom-heavy ... almost the profile of an acorn-cut, to make the most of the current shape of the prongs. Yes, you wind up paying for weight you don't see top-down ... but with a setting that height, I'm guessing part of the pleasure is the 3-D profile view? And if we find her a more affordable stone - amethyst, garnet, moonstone, what have you - the cost shouldn't be prohibitive.

Love2Sparkle ... do you have a favorite color, just to help narrow the playing field?

 

[Niel]

I'll admit, I was thinking bottom-heavy ... almost the profile of an acorn-cut, to make the most of the current shape of the prongs. Yes, you wind up paying for weight you don't see top-down ... but with a setting that height, I'm guessing part of the pleasure is the 3-D profile view? And if we find her a more affordable stone - amethyst, garnet, moonstone, what have you - the cost shouldn't be prohibitive.

Love2Sparkle ... do you have a favorite color, just to help narrow the playing field?

i agree an acorn would be neat because it would fill up the profile with color

 

[radiantbeauty]

Expect to pay at least $20k for a 6 to 7 ct heated sapphire IF you can even find one that fits the setting. Worse yet, finding the right coloured stone is far more difficult than a diamond and I've seen posters take more than a year to find a stone that fits a specific setting.

if it were me id probably but a really pretty aquamarine or amethyst with a stunning color but cheap. I feel like anything in that setting as is would be chipped, id rather only wear the ring on special occasions, get a stone thats cheaper with a lovely color but easily replaceable after the inevitable chip

I was thinking aquamarine at first too. It has a really nice pale color and is transparent. Is it possible to have it cut with facets like a diamond?

I agree. You are talking about sapphire or spinel if you want to wear it daily because even if you reduce the height of those prongs by half, the stone is still going to be set very high. A sapphire will be hard to find and very expensive. Spinels are less expensive (other than red) but finding one in a large size will be challenging and expensive. You could always do something like a blue topaz and just replace it as needed. That would probably just cost a few hundred to have one custom cut for your setting.

Yes, I saw the price quoted earlier for a sapphire. Wow! I think blue topaz is another stone with a clear, transparent look to it. I'll take a look at some of those stones in a local store.

I would love to see a tsavorite in there for contrast.

The tsavorite is very pretty. I am wondering if it will be too much of a contrast. It will give the stone a completely different look than what the ring was intended for. I think FI will look at the ring differently with a deep saturated stone in it. I think I want to stay away from a complete *cocktail* ring look since the original setting was meant as an ering. That might be tooo much change for FI.

Chrono, Neil and Circe - Thanks for the suggestions! I tried to google an "acorn" like stone and I don't see what you mean. Do you have a picture of what that would look like?

For the color of the stone, I was thinking of a transparent color like aquamarine, a pale pink (that shows like a pink diamond) or a stone with color, like a yellow stone that shows like a FCD.

The key is, I want the stone to look as close to a diamond as possible (reflect light, no dark color).

 

[radiantbeauty]

Sarahbear621 - I definitely plan to wear the ring everyday.

I will definitely create a post in CS too. And I do note that gemstones are different in carat weight vs mm size. Thanks!

Diamondseeker2006 - I would definitely reduce the height. I still want to maintain the curve/flare of the front side of the ring. I think if I lower it too much, I will loose that effect. And that's where I need the help. I don't know the mm size stone to put it in the setting once the prongs are adjusted.

Since I do plan to wear it every day, what other stone would you recommend? The halo was only for the top down view of the ring. The setting would remain as it is now. Do you think it would be too much to have a halo as the *center* stone (and I would use a very delicate halo so the effect looks like one stone) and leave the rest of the setting as is.

You already have a lot going on with that ring. To add a halo on top would not be complimentary. Even if it were delicate it wouldn't match the rest of the ring. I think with your ring less equals more. I would definitely reduce the prongs as DS said. Give it to your jeweler and see what mm size you would need. For a ring for everyday use I would stick with Sapphires or Spinels. Both are suited for everyday wear. I'm sure the CS ladies can give some additional types, but those are the only 2 popping into my mind.

That's what I was concerned with was seeing if adding a halo would make it too much or if I could get it to go with the design. I will check with my local jeweler and see what mm size would best fit the setting with the current stones. Thanks for the suggestion. I really want the stone to be transparent as close to a diamond as possible. If the stone has too much color, it will loose the affect of what it was intentionally meant to wear.

 

[radiantbeauty]

Expect to pay at least $20k for a 6 to 7 ct heated sapphire IF you can even find one that fits the setting. Worse yet, finding the right coloured stone is far more difficult than a diamond and I've seen posters take more than a year to find a stone that fits a specific setting.

Whooooaah . I do not want to do that. Yikes! I did not realize some CS stones are just as much as diamonds. I could purchase a diamond stone for that price. Perhaps I should stick with trying to fit a smaller diamond and have the setting reworked to fit that stone.

 

[radiantbeauty]

What do you think about a low colored OEC or OMC stone? Do you think that would go with the setting? or do you think those type of stones are best suited for antique type of settings?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

No, an antique style stone would be awful in an ultramodern setting like that. Plus they are usually low color and the contrast would just not work. Stick to shapes such as radiant, princess, emerald/asscher.

 

[Niel]

I think you could get a nice well cut blue zircon and the color would be really complimentary.

 

[Circe]

Expect to pay at least $20k for a 6 to 7 ct heated sapphire IF you can even find one that fits the setting. Worse yet, finding the right coloured stone is far more difficult than a diamond and I've seen posters take more than a year to find a stone that fits a specific setting.

Whooooaah . I do not want to do that. Yikes! I did not realize some CS stones are just as much as diamonds. I could purchase a diamond stone for that price. Perhaps I should stick with trying to fit a smaller diamond and have the setting reworked to fit that stone.

Colored stones CAN be expensive, but aren't necessarily - since you specify that you want something that's pale with a high refractive index, you're actually probably looking at a fairly affordable zircon or spinel. You say you want round - would you be open to something like a concave cut? That might look cool with your setting ....

 

[VRBeauty]

I'd stick with a square-ish stone - I think that would complement the setting the best. And as much as I love a delicate claw-shaped prong, I'd go with a prong style that better captures the architectural feel of the setting... maybe tabs of a corner-style prong, depending on the shape of the stone. That said, the double claw would be a good option if you go with a soft cornered square such as a cushion.

As for the stone - if you go colored stone, the choices are almost infinite! Personally I think a nice aquamarine would look terrific in that setting - I think it would give it a nice deco feel. Since you don't need a very large stone and aquamarine is fairly inexpensive, you could really concentrate on getting great color, cut, and clarity. Blue sapphire would also look great, and it's a very durable stone. I also like the idea of a light bright green, like maybe a good peridot. Another consideration is whether a birthstone (for you, your hubby, or your anniversary date) might work. If one concern is to get a lot of use out of your new ring, you might also think in terms of which color or stone would work best with your wardrobe. (To my mind, a blue sapphire "goes with" almost anything, and the further you cut the prongs down, the smaller the replacement stone !)


ETA: I'm so glad you're at the point where you can consider a new stone for your old setting!

 

[SB621]

Stick a BE treated ruby in there. Or just an ebay find that is around the mm size that your jeweler recommends. If you dont' really care about color or treatment then BE treated will be cheap and you will find it in large sizes.

I would NOT do an antique stone. That would truly be awful in that setting because of how modern and contemporary it is.

 

[distracts]

Stick a BE treated ruby in there. Or just an ebay find that is around the mm size that your jeweler recommends. If you dont' really care about color or treatment then BE treated will be cheap and you will find it in large sizes.

I would go a step further and recommend a lab-created stone, actually. If she wants to wear it everyday, that's a quick way to get a sufficiently durable but not expensive stone in a nice color.

I think the best way to source whatever stone you want, since you seem to not be terrifically picky about treatment, is actually to go through whatever jeweler you're using. That way you can get the right size and look at some stones in person.

 

[chrono]

Acorn cut.
http://www.bespoke-gems.com/SacredGeometrics_Gemstones_Designs_Rounds_Acorn.php

 

[Niel]

Stick a BE treated ruby in there. Or just an ebay find that is around the mm size that your jeweler recommends. If you dont' really care about color or treatment then BE treated will be cheap and you will find it in large sizes.

I would go a step further and recommend a lab-created stone, actually. If she wants to wear it everyday, that's a quick way to get a sufficiently durable but not expensive stone in a nice color.

I think the best way to source whatever stone you want, since you seem to not be terrifically picky about treatment, is actually to go through whatever jeweler you're using. That way you can get the right size and look at some stones in person.

Lab growth we can't talk about on here so all I'll say is +10000

 

[SB621]

Acorn cut.
http://www.bespoke-gems.com/SacredGeometrics_Gemstones_Designs_Rounds_Acorn.php

I have to say I think the acorn cut would be pretty cool in this particular setting. However is the OP ok with this? I would think an acorn cut would really make it look like a RHR and way more cocktail in nature.

OP As some of the later posters have said. I would contact your jeweler and have them source something. I really doubt you will get a precision cut anything to fit in there and since your jeweler will be making the changes to the ring you should probably take your direction from him.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Stick a BE treated ruby in there. Or just an ebay find that is around the mm size that your jeweler recommends. If you dont' really care about color or treatment then BE treated will be cheap and you will find it in large sizes.

I would go a step further and recommend a lab-created stone, actually. If she wants to wear it everyday, that's a quick way to get a sufficiently durable but not expensive stone in a nice color.

I think the best way to source whatever stone you want, since you seem to not be terrifically picky about treatment, is actually to go through whatever jeweler you're using. That way you can get the right size and look at some stones in person.

Lab growth we can't talk about on here so all I'll say is +10000

Yep, I won't talk about it, either, but that is the best way to get a durable stone (as in sapphire) that will serve the purpose.

 

[chrono]

Yes, definitely talk to your jeweller first to find out what can and cannot be done to the setting. However, I would not source a coloured stone from a local jeweller unless it is a synthetic stone because you are more likely to end up with a lower quality natural stone.