Please help me choose a solitaire setting...

[zomby woof]

Hey there. I am new to this forum (and the world of getting engaged!!) I''m planning on surprising my sweetheart with a ring very soon. I''ve got the rock already picked out (2.02 ct, RB, F, VS2) but now I need some help with the setting. She is a very modest girl, so I don''t want anything gaudy... just something classic and beautiful to show off the stone. I''ve looked at the Tiffany setting, and although it meets the requirements, I''d like something just slightly more unique and special without going overboard. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[somethingshiny]

Welcome to PS!

What is your budget and metal preference? Do you want any sidestones? What is the intention for the wedding band-something that will be plain or with stones, sits flush with e-ring?

to get you started, here are some that I think are beautiful...
Legato
Divisi
Niceice collections
Vatche Swan

With more info, we can narrow down the search.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 12:13:17 PM
Author:zomby woof
Hey there. I am new to this forum (and the world of getting engaged!!) I''m planning on surprising my sweetheart with a ring very soon. I''ve got the rock already picked out (2.02 ct, RB, F, VS2) but now I need some help with the setting. She is a very modest girl, so I don''t want anything gaudy... just something classic and beautiful to show off the stone. I''ve looked at the Tiffany setting, and although it meets the requirements, I''d like something just slightly more unique and special without going overboard. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If you want unique and special, take a look at Mark Morrell''s solitaire settings. They are custom made for each stone and look like the traditional 6-prong Tiffany-esque style but from the SIDE they are spectacular (especially the Torchiere, in my opinion

).

The Torchiere on his website: http://www.mwmjewelry.com/T_M_Torchiere/

If the fluidity of his work appeals, have a look around for other settings of his on his website. Soooooo gorgeous!!!

 

[zomby woof]

Metal preference is definitely platinum. No side stones, so I guess budget isn''t an issue. The wedding band will be plain. I guess what I am looking for is a very subtle, yet special, diversion from the standard 6 prong Tiffany setting.

 

[somethingshiny]

The rings I linked are available in platinum, did you like any??

 

[KCCutie]

How about this:

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/-Flush-Fit--Cathedral-Style-Ring_1065.htm#

or something with surprise diamonds or sapphires even....I thinkthe surprise stones are a nice touch.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 12:38:28 PM
Author: zomby woof
Metal preference is definitely platinum. No side stones, so I guess budget isn''t an issue. The wedding band will be plain. I guess what I am looking for is a very subtle, yet special, diversion from the standard 6 prong Tiffany setting.

Awesome! That all sounds like Mark Morrell to me!

 

[zomby woof]

Out of all the suggestions so far, the Torchiere is closest to what I am looking for. My only problem with it is that it seems like the prongs are more pronounced on the top of the diamond compared to the Tiffany. Is that just my imagination?

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 12:54:51 PM
Author: zomby woof
Out of all the suggestions so far, the Torchiere is closest to what I am looking for. My only problem with it is that it seems like the prongs are more pronounced on the top of the diamond compared to the Tiffany. Is that just my imagination?

Well, I have two answers to that.

1. Everything looks HUGE when shot in macro, and people who own Mark's rings say that they're much less noticeable in real life than how they look in the photos. I believe them.

HOWEVER!

2. I am hoping to get the Torchiere myself, and have already contacted Mark to see if he can minimize the prongs for me because I too think they are a bit too chunky (even if they are smaller in real life). Specifically, I asked for claw prongs (instead of the heart-shaped ones he normally makes). He said he would be happy to do that for me, although no one else had asked that so he didn't have any pictures to show me of how it would look.

After reading up on all the very pleased clients he's got here on PS and seeing how beautiful ALL his work is, I trust him completely to make the prongs less bulky while still keeping the beauty of the ring fully intact. Whether you would feel as comfortable, I don't know. There are designs out there that are reasonably similar (the Vatche Swan comes to mind), but I don't think the craftsmanship will be anywhere near the same, so I will stick with Mark and see what he makes for me.

 

[zomby woof]

So Gwendolyn, when will he finish your ring so I can see what it looks like???

Are you getting the version with the hidden stones? How much does he charge, if I may ask...

 

[Skippy123]

The Legato by Whiteflash is beautiful; I love the pave one a la LynnB. hehe

 

[Kaleigh]

I love the Legato myself. Mark Morell does amazing work, so does Leon Mege. www.theartofplatinum.com

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 1:07:04 PM
Author: zomby woof
So Gwendolyn, when will he finish your ring so I can see what it looks like???

Hahah, in all likelihood, you will have your ring and have proposed before I get mine. I'm not going to be able to get it for at least 6 months--I just like to explore all my options, and after looking at (literally) hundreds and hundreds of solitaire settings, I've found the Torchiere to be my favourite. Like you, though, I had some minor reservations about the prominence of the prong tips, so I contacted him to see what the options were and (I had hoped) to see pictures of those options. Hey, I don't mind if you want to be the first person to get claw prongs on the Torchiere instead of me.

I can post pictures of the type of prongs I'm looking for him to make, if you are thinking about maybe asking him to do the same thing?

Are you getting the version with the hidden stones? How much does he charge, if I may ask...

I would definitely get the version with the surprise stones on the side. For me, the profile is what really makes a ring--they all look gorgeous head-on but the profile/side view is what really makes or breaks a setting for me, and those little diamonds are just such a beautiful little detail--oh, I love them. If you aren't sure, there are other settings like the Sunburst (we have a few here, like ladyciel's) which are very elegant and fluid but don't have the surprise stones.

The quote I got a couple of months ago for price wouldn't be honoured now because metal prices have, alas, gone up since then and he honour his price quotes for I think 3 days after he makes them? But I think that setting with the surprise diamonds will run about $2000, maybe a bit more depending on the ring size, center stone size and how much plat is now. Many platinum settings are going to run a lot--probably not quite as high, but (in my opinion) the quality won't be quite as good.

Another favourite around here is Leon Mege, who Kaleigh just mentioned in the post above this one--he does a lovely classic solitaire setting. It is his prongs that I would like Mark to emulate as much as possible when he makes my Torchiere, so I can kill two birds if I find a shot of Leon's classic (which has no surprise stones and will run a bit less than the Torchiere).

 

[gwendolyn]

Same setting from the back. I think a 2ct stone would look very lovely in this setting. What ring size is your girlfriend?

 

[smooleys]

How difficult is finding a band to go with a MM sunburst/torchiere? I have read about concerns of it not lining up flush with the ering and that makes sense. I''ve seen on his page his custom version that does make it flush, although I wonder how comfortable that is not being fully round.

Any opinions on bands for a MM would be appreciated!

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 7:17:47 PM
Author: smooleys
How difficult is finding a band to go with a MM sunburst/torchiere? I have read about concerns of it not lining up flush with the ering and that makes sense. I've seen on his page his custom version that does make it flush, although I wonder how comfortable that is not being fully round.


Any opinions on bands for a MM would be appreciated!

I wish I could remember the username off the top of my head but I can't....someone had MM make a plain platinum band (I think 3mm wide--plain as in not fitted, to be able to be worn alone) to go with one of his solitaire (I think the Flame?), and there was only the tiniest of tiny gaps if there was any gap at all. I think there was a very very small one. That's the look I'm going for--my plan is to have MM make the wedding bands for my boyfriend and I at the same time he's making the ring, for ease of shipment (I'm in the UK) and whatever else. I will have a search and see if I can find the pictures of the set I'm talking about.

Also, it'd probably be worth sending him an email asking if there's a way to modify the setting so anything would sit flush, although I doubt there's much he can do. But it's worth asking! Or maybe he could point you towards a solitaire design of his that does lend itself to being paired with a band that sits flush.

Are you against custom bands? I know personally I'd rather have the option of wearing the band alone sometimes so I don't want a custom and would rather deal with a little gap, but everyone's different!

I'll see if I can find those pictures for you now.

ETA: Ahah!! It was Quash! Scroll down to about 3/4 down the page and you will see the series of pictures MWM took of the set Quash had made for his girlfriend. It will show you how a non-fitted band with look with the engagement ring (which is a Flame): https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/mark-morrell-flame-gog-diamond-atlas-appraisal-pt-3-the-pics.71313/

 

[gwendolyn]

Here''s one of the pics that shows the small gap (it looks almost invisible in some of the pics, but I think that''s more the lighting and angle than anything else). If you think the gap would be bothersome, then your best bet would be to have MWM make a fitted band while he''s making the e-ring.

For anyone interested in the Torchiere who''s not very familiar with MWM''s work, I believe the Flame is identical except that the band isn''t knife-edged. So pretty!!

 

[smooleys]

To be honest, I''m not the one wearing the the two together, but I would suppose some women want it to lie flush. I will ask MM when the time comes. The petite sunburst is growing on me every day. I wonder if most settings have this problem of lying flush.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/10/2008 10:49:26 AM
Author: smooleys
To be honest, I''m not the one wearing the the two together, but I would suppose some women want it to lie flush. I will ask MM when the time comes. The petite sunburst is growing on me every day. I wonder if most settings have this problem of lying flush.

No doubt some do--I''ve seen lots of lovely custom bands that make the rings sit nice and snug next to each other. You should probably ask your girlfriend which look she prefers, because MM will be able to make whichever style you prefer.

As for flush setting in general, there are some engagement rings that are sold as part of a set with the wedding band. Some people even solder their engagement ring to their wedding band because they will always wear them together as a unit. If you mean you wonder if most MM settings have the problem of lying flush, I would yes, probably most of his solitaires do because of the base of the head. Same with Leon Mege solitaire--there is that small doughnut at the base that makes it impossible for a band to sit completely flush with it.

Another option (which Leon recommends for his more intricate designs so they don''t get damaged) is that the rings can be worn on different hands. Not the usual, but certainly an option if the gap is bothersome and a fitted band is not desired.