shape
carat
color
clarity

Please help me break this down...

Bahari05

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2015
Messages
5
Oh what would I do without this forum? You all have been so helpful and full of knowledge for my last 2 questions so here comes another one for you.

We are getting a custom made ring and I want it to be pretty much a replica of this steven kirsch ring. When I show the pic to the jewlers we have been going to they say oh, no problem, we can make this and show me pics like the other one I posted. They say we can tweak it to how i want it and all I know is I like the steven kirsch one better. I can't pinpoint why I like the steven kirsch one better so I'm hoping someone with more knowledge can tell me why so I can guide the jeweler.

Is the steven kirsch one lower set? Are the diamonds on the prongs/basket set differently? Is it the angle of the prongs? Anything else?

Thanks in advance for your help with putting what I can see but not describe into words!

_35005.jpg

french_under_halo_ring__2_0.png

_35006.jpg
 

Bahari05

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2015
Messages
5
As a follow up. The diamond will be a 2.7 round cut. I like the basket bc you can't see it from above but it is pretty to me when I look at it from my angle while typing or whatever else. Some jewelrs say the basket will "take away" from the diamond. Thoughts on that?
 

kb1gra

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
1,118
Well the 3rd one is not nearly as elegant. Different sizes of pave, unattractive head attachment, the struts are unattractively shaped.

Okay, I'm going to come out and say it. When jewelers start saying things like "that will take away from the diamond" they usually mean "I am not sure I can do that and have it look good."

many, many jewelers do not have skilled enough people to do this kind of tiny pave work. They will guide you away from detailed design items because they know it won't be great when it comes out. Consider between the lines when someone talks to you about a design choice that YOU prefer. Maybe I'm wrong and you're working with someone excellent. I would think with the cost of a 2.7ct diamond that the original ring would be in your reach and might be a better choice as then you'd be getting exactly what you want.

Personally, I really like the second one, I think it is actually more sleek and elegant than the original. The only difference really there is that the kirsch ring has what we call a "donut" in the shank, which is a stylistic choice. And it doesn't have double claw prongs, but splitting prongs is not difficult.

This is my personal opinion, but the giant-diamond-on-tiny-skinny-diamond-crusted-band look to me doesn't look balanced.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,239
If you want the SK why not get the SK?

You are not going to "get the look for less". The devil's in the details, and all the reasons your eye prefers the SK are in the details - proportions, melee style, the concave curves that fluidly extend from one design element to the next, the exceptional workmanship... You are a consumer. You are unable to pinpoint why you like the SK better. Going to a jeweller - someone who is supposed to be more attuned to nuances in aesthetic - who is unable to see or explain the differences, and hoping you will be able to guide him, is a doomed venture.

Get the SK.
 

telephone89

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
4,221
The 2nd one is quite nice. I would agree, if you like the SK you should get the SK (or at least go for another custom designer, maybe DK). HOWEVER, some things you can bring up to your jeweller to make it look similar: Curve the bar between the prongs, add a donut (the sk has pave on the donut which isnt usually rec'd because it will eat any band next to it), bring the pave slightly higher on the prongs.
 

LLJsmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
12,631
Yssie|1445724429|3941746 said:
If you want the SK why not get the SK?

You are not going to "get the look for less". The devil's in the details, and all the reasons your eye prefers the SK are in the details - proportions, melee style, the concave curves that fluidly extend from one design element to the next, the exceptional workmanship... You are a consumer. You are unable to pinpoint why you like the SK better. Going to a jeweller - someone who is supposed to be more attuned to nuances in aesthetic - who is unable to see or explain the differences, and hoping you will be able to guide him, is a doomed venture.

Get the SK.

+1000

Why spend $2k (just assuming here) less to get something that is not exactly what you want? How does paying less for something you don't want saving you money? If you are already noticing the details here, in pictures, you're gonna notice them a lot more IRL. Unless you know you can live with close, but not quite...
 

VRBeauty

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 2, 2006
Messages
11,209
kb1gra|1445722396|3941738 said:
Personally, I really like the second onel. The only difference really there is that the kirsch ring has what we call a "donut" in the shank, which is a stylistic choice. And it doesn't have double claw prongs, but splitting prongs is not difficult.

The donut actually provides additional strength by providing a slightly larger platform for attaching the prongs.

I particularly like the way the melee diamonds are set in the SK ring - the picture provided for the second option isn't clear enough to be able to tell whether that pave style is as elegant.

The diamonds extend continue up a bit higher on the SK prongs.

The other apparent differences might have to do with the size of the center stone and the angle at which the photo was taken.

I agree with Yssie and LL(Cool :wink2: )Jsmom - I'd spend the extra money and get the ring made by SK. He's a master at what he does. You'll get a hand-forged ring, and you won't have to worry whether someone else (who probably doesn't make dozens of these rings each year) can replicate the look and quality you want. BTW I also agree with telephone89 re diamonds on the donut - I'd ask for the donut to be plain, not frosted ( ;)) ) which, when the donut is highly polished, looks very elegant even without the additional diamonds.
 

solgen

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 10, 2015
Messages
563
The basket can detract from the diamond as it obscures the side view. Depending on the color of the diamond this can be a very helpful aspect. It really comes down to personal preference though. It's kinda like pave on the band. I think plain bands tend to make the diamond pop more from your finger as it doesn't have to compete with anything. But the pave adds additional scintillation to the whole presentation. Just depends on whatever feature you like.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
Your ring will not be a replica of that. I can pretty much guarantee you that.

I can't tell you the number of times people have to have their local jewelers try to copy the elite handforged settings made by Victor, Steven, or etc.

But I can tell you that 99.9% of the time those people post afterward with some awkward poorly cast setting and complaining that "it's not right." Inevitably they have to go through a second edition. Which also fails. And then get a refund. Or their pave loses stones like salt from a salt cellar and they are horrified at the number of times their ring is in the shop for repairs. :wall:

So please spare yourself that. That setting A) is going to be more fragile than wearing paper thin crystal on your finger B) is going to be a nightmare if done in any fabrication method other than handforged by a VERY elite jeweler and C) is not a good design choice for anyone who wants to wear their ring 24/7 and not baby it.

Here's a PSA about CAD work. I DO NOT RECOMMEND CAD FOR THAT DESIGN, except perhaps by Brilliantly Engaged. So if your jeweler is proposing CAD and CAST, they have NO IDEA what they are doing. But the jist of what I posted here applies to you too.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/custom-jewelry-work-cad-and-cast-psa.175834/#post-3202426#p3202426']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/custom-jewelry-work-cad-and-cast-psa.175834/#post-3202426#p3202426[/URL]


Here's another helpful thread about pave. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/which-online-retailer-for-a-custom-setting.203660/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/which-online-retailer-for-a-custom-setting.203660/[/URL]


So. To summarize.

That is a seriously bad design choice.
Especially if someone other than Steven or Victor or other pave expert is making it.
Don't do it.

If you want that made, more affordably, contact Brilliantly Engaged.
 

Bahari05

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2015
Messages
5
Wow, that's a really discouraging post but I thank you for your honesty. Maybe we will go the Steven Kirsch route but even with that your review sounds like this will be a hard ring to wear.

The main reason I like this ring is because I hate how normal prongs look and break up the diamond so it looks so metal, diamond, metal, diamond when looking at a side view. Do you have any suggestions for a head that would be more durable but less metal-heavy looking?
 

Bahari05

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2015
Messages
5
Would something like this where the diamonds seem to be more channel set be more durable?

94355789a0826b0cb58a149c958d8358__1_.jpg
 
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