Pave Engagement Rings- Issues with quality or my taste?

[Tosstoss28]

I'm struggling in my ring search so I thought it might be best to ask some unbias experts.

My boyfriend and I have been actively searching for a ring for almost two months now and I'm starting to get a little nervous that we aren't going to find anything. I fell in love with the Jean Dousset Chelsea ring (https://www.instagram.com/p/BSt0gXJDD0m/) several years ago. While the ring is in our budget we've decided against it as we feel the price for the quality of the stone is not what we're looking for. Since I love that style of ring we've been looking for a pave setting with a hidden halo that sits lower to the finger, I have no idea what the technical term would be but something like this photo- https://www.instagram.com/p/BBa9Es5JR6o/.

I haven't been able to find a single ring anywhere near this style that I like. We started with big box stores just to look around and have moved on to local jewelers. I've found a decent amount of settings that I really like online but the few we've gone to see in person come across as cheap-looking and fall extremely flat. I'm not sure if I just don't like the style that I think I do or if we've just had bad look only seeing poorer quality rings. My boyfriend is starting to warm up to the idea of having a custom setting made but I'm terrified that whatever we have made is going to look cheap to me like everything else.

Does anyone know of a good quality ring that would be similar to the style and quality of the Chelsea (with only one single row of pave) that I would be able to take a look at in person or that has non-professional quality photos online? I really can't decide if I don't like what I thought I did or if I'm just having a run of bad luck. Any and all help would be much appreciated.

 

[elizat]

I would ask David Klass for a quote. You may want to use his higher end/more expensive bench for that work though I'd you are concerned about the pave quality.

 

[lovedogs]

I would call ID jewelry in NYC. They are great and do high quality work. Tell them you want "pricescope quality" pave stones.

 

[cokitty]

Steven Kirsch. http://stevenkirsch.com

 

[Rfisher]

Since your major concern is whether or not the pave look you think you love, might look cheap in real life -
I’d travel to any PS recommended vendor to view what they have before starting to think about a custom project.

Congratulations on your engagement!

 

[Miss Marple]

Maytal Hannah and Victor Canera also do very nice pave work. Like Steven Kirsch, the create hand forged rings.

 

[Rfisher]

Is Brilliantly Engaged still a viable option for pave?

 

[yssie]

This sort of work and style is easy... for some jewellers. My personal go-to recommendations, in no particular order:

Leon Mege
Steven Kirsch
Victor Canera
Diamonds by Lauren
Maytal Hannah

 

[cokitty]

My little baby sapphire was a halo project. But the thread has some decent pictures of the pave. I like that pave is smooth there is no roughness when I rub my finger across it. I've had it for about 8 years now and with regular cleaning and ultrasound baths I've never lost a stone.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...sapphire-pear-in-micropave-halo-by-sk.163663/

My pave rings from Leon Mege are bands, but the pave on them is also excellent.

 

[LightBright]

I’m not as familiar with Jean Dousset but looking at his rings, he has both mastery of stylistic form as well as pave. If his rings are what you love, I would try to find a diamond from him that you love and get a setting from Jean Dousset.

I agree with Cokitty, I’ve seen comparable style and pave from Steven Kirsch. Leon Mege also has very similar style and pave. Both have numerous threads here on Pricescope showing their work. One other new designer I’ve noticed seems to have a really good mastery of form and seems to do good pave is Alex Parks, Parks Fine Group (see his Instagram). They are all in NYC.

 

[distracts]

I am not surprised that the settings like this you're seeing in person are underwhelming... anything at a large chain jewelry store that you can walk into will be, until you get to the very expensive designers. Fwiw the Jean Dousset one looks to be good quality. I don't know anything about them - is it not possible to provide your own stone?

Also just FYI, the way the ring is shown in the second picture with a diamond band right next to it is NOT a safe way to wear it. The diamonds on the engagement ring and the diamonds on the wedding band will chip each other and wear away the metal, unless they are soldered together so they can't move. You will want to wear a plain metal band next to it and then any diamond band you want to wear on the other side of that.

The jewelers recommended by others above are also who I'd recommend... though if you like the Jean Dousset setting most, sometimes it's worth it just to have the one you like even if you're paying more.