Paging Phoenix!

[Alexiszoe]

Do you have anyone to recommend for custom settings in Singapore? I fell in love with a 3 stone setting - trillions flanking a nice fat pear( never thought I would consider something like that, but when i saw it on my hand i was in love

). However, the cost of a custom piece is pretty steep. I might be going back to Singapore again some time this year and was hoping to get custom work done there instead.

P.S: sorry I couldn''t meet up when i was back there to see your lovely bling. work was absolutely crazy!

 

[Phoenix]

Hi there Alexis!

It was a shame we didn't get to meet up. No worries though.

I do not have anyone that I would recommend. I usually use a jeweller in Lucky Plaza though their work is not great (ok but not great). Am thinking of using another one that came highly recommended by a colleague for a smaller resetting project. Not sure of their quality yet. Will let you know. The big minus with these people is that they would keep your ring for about 3 weeks and I just don't trust them enough to do that, at least not yet.

I'd just send my stone to Leon if I were you. IMO, there's no substitute. He's a little more expensive than the local setters but well worth the money, particularly if your stone is more substantial/ more expensive.

Does this mean you've changed yr RB to a pear already? I like your description: "nice fat pear" - sounds delicious, he he! Do you have pics yet, wanna share with us?!

. Details/specs?!

 

[Alexiszoe]

Hi Phoenix,

I know Leon does exceptional work, but I have also heard his temperament, and I don''t think I will work very well with him lol!

I understand not wanting to have your stone kept somewhere for several weeks - i don''t think I will be able to do that too. I read somewhere before that you can actually order a cz custom cut to your specs - how about getting something like that and leaving the cz with them so they can size the head for proportion, and having your diamond set on the spot once the piece is ready?

I am looking at a nice pear right now - a 3.02 G, SI2 pear at a local B&M jeweler. The cut is exceptional, but the clarity is not that great - i can see some flaws at the corner of the stone with the naked eye, so I am hesitating. Finding a fancy shape is pretty hard work!!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/7/2009 1:13:13 AM
Author: Alexiszoe
Hi Phoenix,

I know Leon does exceptional work, but I have also heard his temperament, and I don't think I will work very well with him lol!

I understand not wanting to have your stone kept somewhere for several weeks - i don't think I will be able to do that too. I read somewhere before that you can actually order a cz custom cut to your specs - how about getting something like that and leaving the cz with them so they can size the head for proportion, and having your diamond set on the spot once the piece is ready?

I am looking at a nice pear right now - a 3.02 G, SI2 pear at a local B&M jeweler. The cut is exceptional, but the clarity is not that great - i can see some flaws at the corner of the stone with the naked eye, so I am hesitating. Finding a fancy shape is pretty hard work!!

Yes, I've read about Leon's temperament too, though I have to say I've not had any issue dealing with him. I rememer reading that if you want some custom work, that might be a bit problematic. I just went with an existing style on his website, so that was pretty straight forward. I've been wanting to send my RB to him for resetting though at the back of my mind, I am still yearning for an upgrade to a larger size, so that'd have to wait for a while.

In the meantime, I may still want to reset my RB at the local jeweller's. Knowing there's an option really helps. I didn't know you could order a custom CZ. Do you have the link to that somewhere?

Yes, finding a fancy shape can be hard work. In my case, though, I totally relied on Jim Schultz to do the legwork for me. If you can see the flaws in a B&M stone with yr naked eyes, I'd totally say pass. A three carat G colour stone does sound yummy though.

ETA: can those flaws be covered up with prongs?

 

[Alexiszoe]

I did some internet sleuthing for the custom cut cz - i believe this jeweler from www.gemshoppe.com offers such a service, and maybe www.freecz.com. I think this can definitely be done since I recall an ebay vendor for semi mounts describe doing this in order to fit the head to the customer''s stone.

Unfortunately the visible flaw can''t be covered up with prongs, although it''s tiny. However there are also some other carbon spots in the diamond - it''s not visible to the naked eye, but under magnification it looks terrible, and I am worried

the jeweler has assured me it doesn''t affect the brilliance, and it is a beautiful stone but some part of me just don''t know if this is the right move.

What made you decide to go with Jim over other vendors though? and do you think you can give me his email address? you have such a pretty pear, so he must have a good eye for fancies!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/7/2009 10:41:29 PM
Author: Alexiszoe
I did some internet sleuthing for the custom cut cz - i believe this jeweler from www.gemshoppe.com offers such a service, and maybe www.freecz.com. I think this can definitely be done since I recall an ebay vendor for semi mounts describe doing this in order to fit the head to the customer's stone.

Unfortunately the visible flaw can't be covered up with prongs, although it's tiny. However there are also some other carbon spots in the diamond - it's not visible to the naked eye, but under magnification it looks terrible, and I am worried

the jeweler has assured me it doesn't affect the brilliance, and it is a beautiful stone but some part of me just don't know if this is the right move.

What made you decide to go with Jim over other vendors though? and do you think you can give me his email address? you have such a pretty pear, so he must have a good eye for fancies!

Hi Alexis,

Thanks for that infor. I will check them out.

You know, if you have reservations about the stone, then it's probably not "THE ONE" for you, IYKWIM?

I had Jim made me a pair of dangly halo'ed pear jackets and they came out beautifully and at a very decent price too. When it came to my second online project (ie. my fat pear), I did not hesitate, I knew I would go to him. I've always found Jim to be honest, to the point and he will tell you as it is, everything that I value in a person. He always answers my emails promptly (and if he doesn't, he will follow up and let me know why, like it was a Jewish holiday that I'd missed etc) and will go to great length to please you (he has provided me with various pictures that I ask for, for example, pictures of my stone and comparable ones on someone's hand who has the same ring size as me, he helped me a lot with the Leon project too, including having someone take over the stone and collect the ring from Leon, provide ID in the way that I requested for safety reasons etc.). I just cannot say enough kind words about Jim. In fact, I recently bought something (or should I say "things", LOL) from someone else and still regret not having gone with Jim for that project.

Oh, and their prices are *very* competitive and I love their magnified images!! A picture tells a thousand words (or whatever the saying is, LOL).

Jim's email address is: [email protected]. I hope Jim won't mind!

Good luck with finding your new stone.

 

[Phoenix]

Hey Alexis,

I was just surfing the JA website (as you do, he he) and came across this stone. Not sure how colour-sensitive you are but I think it has potentiall and it might be worth your while to take a look:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Pear-Diamond-1201714.asp

If you ask Jim for his advice how warm or white the stone is face-up, I am sure he'll tell you his honest opionion, but of course at the end of the day, you'd have to decide whether you'd be comfortable with an "I".

Have fun looking!

 

[Alexiszoe]

Phoenix, you are a big bad temptress, lol! there i was trying not to think about diamonds too much and you show me this!

are you on the hunt for a new project again?

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/8/2009 11:31:58 PM
Author: Alexiszoe
Phoenix, you are a big bad temptress, lol! there i was trying not to think about diamonds too much and you show me this!

are you on the hunt for a new project again?

He he, I think PS''ers love to enable!!

I am not, alas, on the hunt for anything at the moment. These difficult economic times are putting paid to all my ideas and wishes. I still love to surf the various diamond websites though. Nothing like a bit of bling eye candy to keep me happy!