Poll: Ritani Halo vs. Eli Jewels Halo

[rainydaze]

hopefully this works, never posted a poll before.

which do you prefer for my 1.02ct princess ..... the ritani endless love halo with matching band OR the eli jewels halo?

i think most of you are familiar with the ritani as a few here have it already. while the ritani is delicate and offers that gorgeous shimmer-sparkle and you can see the culet the eli is more bold sparkle and flash. also, with ritani i would have the traditional two rings, which i like. the eli has a lot of presence and can/should be worn alone (though i may still pair it with a very thin halo), is hefty, has a low profile, and handengraving all around the solid/enclosed basket and the shank (except where there are 3-4 diamonds going down just the top).

pics to follow.

 

[rainydaze]

eli jewels

 

[rainydaze]

ritani endless love halo

 

[poshpepper]

Are there any more pics of the Eli jewels ring? Honestly I cant see much from the small pic...

 

[rainydaze]

unfortunately i don''t have another picture. this one is a very poor representation. if i had seen the pic first i would have dismissed it, it does not do the piece justice or even close!! the eli packs some major sparkle punch, yet the halo or diamonds on the shank don''t take away from the center.

 

[Kaleigh]

Have you seen the Eli setting in person?? I voted for the Ritani, as I love their work and their quality. I''m not familiar with Eli Jewels. Tell us more about them....

 

[shminbabe]

it''s such a matter of personal preference. the two pictures aren''t similar in presentation which makes evaluating them on a level playing field, somewhat difficult. if i could try them on my hand i''d know in a minute. so having said that, just based on the picture alone and since you want an answer, i''ll go for the eli. i like delicate very much and like the idea of wearing two rings as you mentioned. i still think you could, with the eli, though. how wide is the eli? of course i also love the ritani. but i''ll say eli as i like that too and it''s a bit heftier so maybe it would be "more bling". i''ll go over and punch in my answer on your poll.

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/5/2007 9:57:14 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Have you seen the Eli setting in person?? I voted for the Ritani, as I love their work and their quality. I''m not familiar with Eli Jewels. Tell us more about them....

yes, i saw it in person. i didn''t search them out and i didn''t see this image until after i had been to a jeweler looking at something else, and happened to see this setting. tried it on and really loved it, so i found out who it was by and came home to learn more. then went back and asked a few more questions, and tried it on again, and compared it to the ritani, and still loved both.

the jeweler didn''t know much about eli. i''m not sure he was even really familiar with them, and when i asked him to find out if they were the eli from new orleans, he reported back that no, it wasn''t the same eli, that the eli of the ring i was looking at was from new jersey and not the same company i was thinking of. however, eli from new orleans, as their site still indicates, had the very same ring featured on their site. so i dug around a bit and turns out they were located in new orleans but were displaced by the hurricane and are now located in new jersey. the eli of the ring i had tried on was in fact the eli i had found online with a reputation for high quality and hand engraving.

when i asked about the manufacture of it, he said the ring was cast with cast engraving. if i wanted it without the engraving, i could do that but they would have to cast the ring with the engraving and then it would have to be rubbed off to the lowest point of the engraving. thus i''d lose that metal/weight. however, my understanding after digging around was that the engraving is hand done. everything i read, and two other jewelers have since confirmed this, is that their rings are die-struck with hand engraving.

they are russian emigrants, with six generations going back making jewelry (according to their site).

i did a search here on PS and only found good things said about them, much confirming a very high quality reputation. but so far, that is about all i know. the diamonds used in the halo and along the shank made for a stunning show, and when i blocked the jewelry store lighting they still ''did their thing'' quite well. even detected some arrows in the larger stones on the shank. i looked at it under a loupe and every detail was spot on. the milligrain, to my eye and under the loupe, was perfect. the only concern i had was the bezel was a bit uneven, but the jeweler said they had set the diamond themselves (and wanted to take it out and put mine in, rather than have a new ring made to fit my diamond. mine is a 1.02, it had a 1.10 in it. plus, he said with ritani, ritani would want my diamond so they could set it first and then set the melee, to make sure the melee is as secure as can be. so why then, with the eli, would i want them to take a setting where they''ve already put a diamond in, would have to take it out, and set another diamond of a slightly different size and shape - my princess is more rectangular - and give that to me as opposed to a brand new one, made to fit my diamond and my finger, where they could set the melee after setting my diamond? anyway, i digress......)

final note: my understanding is that pearlman''s used to carry eli but as they did not keep up with internet technology, it made it more difficult to effectively offer them. he can, however, still special order from them.

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/5/2007 10:22:44 PM
Author: shminbabe
it''s such a matter of personal preference. the two pictures aren''t similar in presentation which makes evaluating them on a level playing field, somewhat difficult. if i could try them on my hand i''d know in a minute. so having said that, just based on the picture alone and since you want an answer, i''ll go for the eli. i like delicate very much and like the idea of wearing two rings as you mentioned. i still think you could, with the eli, though. how wide is the eli? of course i also love the ritani. but i''ll say eli as i like that too and it''s a bit heftier so maybe it would be ''more bling''. i''ll go over and punch in my answer on your poll.

it is definitely a more bling look!

i don''t know exactly how wide it is, and the band tapers anyway. but cetainly a lot wider than the ritani.

i tried it on with the thin ritani band and i did like it, but it definitely does not NEED anything else. because the basket is solid, there is a big gap, which i actually like, but it pushes the eli up closer to my knuckle when worn with a band, even a very thin one. the only issue i have with that is the finger sausage effect, but i would get it big enough to hopefully avoid that. when worn without the band, it falls just right on my finger and has a nice loosely fitted biggish-ring look and just gives great blingy coverage.

 

[Gypsy]

Hi Rainy, I voted for the ritani because I''ve seen it in person and it''s my favorite setting for a princess. I think the shimmer of the halo highlights the flashes from the princess, and I was worried that the larger flashes on the Eli might compete with the princess. That said, it''s a LOVELY setting, I don''t think you can go wrong with either. If I had seen both in person, perhaps my answer would be different, it''s hard to pick a setting you haven''t seen over on you have seen, and liked.

 

[kellyfish]

www.elijewels.com I'm from outside New Orleans & have been eyeing their collection, too.

 

[sera]

I voted for the Ritani because I trust their craftsmanship and I prefer the thinner band. If the craftsmanship on the other ring can be trusted as well, then it would just be a matter of what you prefer- a thicker band or thinner band.

The jeweler wants to make your diamond fit into a bezel that was for a diamond .08ct larger? I don''t know how noticeable the difference would be, but I would certainly prefer it to be made for my diamond. Really, that would be a determining factor for me in favor of the Ritani if I liked both rings.

 

[mrssalvo]

I voted for the Ritani too. but''s that''s b/c I have seen it in person as well so it''s hard to compare when it''s not a level playing field.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am familiar with Eli and their pieces certainly are very fine. The Eli ring will be heavier and more substantial looking, so it could work as a stand-alone ring. I''ve tried on Ritani, too. I like both, but they are different looks. My guess would be that the Eli costs more. But I would not buy from the jeweler who knew less than we do about the company!!!

 

[parkerj]

I vote for the Eli jewels piece. I have an Eli RB with a halo and LOVE it. It is handmade and has quite an heirloom heft to it! I would recommend the Eli without reservation.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/6/2007 11:21:31 AM
Author: parkerj
I vote for the Eli jewels piece. I have an Eli RB with a halo and LOVE it. It is handmade and has quite an heirloom heft to it! I would recommend the Eli without reservation.

Hey, parkerj! We need to see pictures of your finished ring! I am dying to see it!

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/6/2007 1:43:44 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 10/6/2007 11:21:31 AM
Author: parkerj
I vote for the Eli jewels piece. I have an Eli RB with a halo and LOVE it. It is handmade and has quite an heirloom heft to it! I would recommend the Eli without reservation.

Hey, parkerj! We need to see pictures of your finished ring! I am dying to see it!

i second that..... i was going through your threads the other day looking for pics!!! you chose a beautiful setting!


thank you to everyone who has voted and posted!!

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/6/2007 3:46:39 AM
Author: sera
I voted for the Ritani because I trust their craftsmanship and I prefer the thinner band. If the craftsmanship on the other ring can be trusted as well, then it would just be a matter of what you prefer- a thicker band or thinner band.

The jeweler wants to make your diamond fit into a bezel that was for a diamond .08ct larger? I don''t know how noticeable the difference would be, but I would certainly prefer it to be made for my diamond. Really, that would be a determining factor for me in favor of the Ritani if I liked both rings.

yeah.... the first time i saw the eli, i asked a couple of times if he would send my diamond in and have eli set it. even though he didn''t seem too familiar with eli, he said sure, sure, we wouldn''t want to go fitting a square peg into a round hole - you definitely want them to make it to fit your diamond perfectly OR we would take all the info about your diamond, have them build you a new ring, and when it arrives here you can take a look and make sure it looks perfect. so there are no surprises. then we''ll have OUR jeweler set your diamond, and you won''t be without your diamond for more than a day or two. (i don''t care about this, it''s loose anyway. but they selectively forget that i tell them i want it sent in and i DON''T mind waiting).

then, when i went back in the next day to look at it again and compare it to the ritani, his story changed. this time he was saying they''d take out the diamond they had in there (1.1ct) and put my diamond right in (1.02ct) and it would be GREAT, i wouldn''t have to wait! um, huh? yesterday you were all for getting me a brand new setting to fit my diamond perfectly. and i told you this is what i wanted to do, more than once. and NOW suddenly your pushing THIS setting? ugh. AND he had given me pricing the first time, with the understanding i would be ordering a brand new setting made, but again his story changed. on the second day when i said ''well, i would still prefer a new setting be made.'' he acted surprised and a little put out and said ''oh, well i didn''t PRICE it THAT way.'' in other words, his pricing was subject to change now and he was using that angle to ''scare'' me into the sale. whatever, i was still deciding what i even liked, so i wasn''t even getting into the nitty gritty of his pricing. it was in the ballpark, at that point that was all i needed to know if i could consider the eli or not.

no, my intention is to have the designer make a new setting to fit my stone. this guy pretty much talked himself out of my business by changing his story and wanting to fit my (rectangular princess) into a space already occupied by another stone that is a different size AND looked to be square. not to mention my concerns about disturbing the melee with all this in and out of center diamonds. there are two other jewelers locally who can get eli and would have to special order the setting anyway as they only carry eli''s fashion line in-store. and i spoke with bill pearlman and though they don''t offer them anymore, he can also still get it for me. i''m just waiting for his pricing.

on that note: pricing doesn''t help me make this decision either. the ritani set (halo and matching band) together cost about the same as the eli (which can be worn alone) so it''s pretty much a wash in that regard.

i should have added one more choice to the poll: let my husband choose which one and surprise me.

 

[parkerj]

I would post a pic, but I can''t figure out how to make the file small enough! I have iphoto...

 

[diamondringlover]

Ritani, I just love that halo, I would love to have my 1.01 princess set like that

 

[parkerj]

Ok, I think this might work. Here's a sideshot of my Eli. Sorry it's a bit dark--it's an inside shot. The two diamonds in the split shank really do sparkle like crazy, they just don't look like it in this pic.

 

[rainydaze]

parkerj that is BEAUTIFUL!! we definitely need more pics!!!!

the eli i am looking at has a different profile, and i can''t find any other pics of it online than the one i have posted. the diamond is bezel set and the shank connects with the middle of the basket, not twoard the bottom as yours does, so it sits very low. the detailing on the one i saw seemed impeccable, and seeing your picture confirms they do exquisite work. i''m glad you said the diamonds sparkle like crazy, i only got to see it under jewelry store lighting and i held it under the counter to block the light. oh, and i blocked it with my hand, and it still looked like they would be beautiful. but you just never know until you get it out into the world..........

 

[parkerj]

Here are some more pics of my Eli. I don''t think you could go wrong with the princess one! My jeweler called me when the Eli rep was there with his cases to choose from. There was one emerald cut halo set east/west that will be my next RHR!

 

[parkerj]

Outside from the side....

 

[parkerj]

keeping me company....

 

[diamondseeker2006]

parkerj, that is exquisite! Gorgeous! Please rename those photos and start your own thread on Show Me the Ring. You have a ring that is unique here and it deserves a thread of it''s own! Lucky girl to be there when the Eli rep was there!!! Wow!

 

[sera]

Date: 10/6/2007 5:37:41 PM
Author: rainydaze

Date: 10/6/2007 3:46:39 AM

Author: sera

I voted for the Ritani because I trust their craftsmanship and I prefer the thinner band. If the craftsmanship on the other ring can be trusted as well, then it would just be a matter of what you prefer- a thicker band or thinner band.


The jeweler wants to make your diamond fit into a bezel that was for a diamond .08ct larger? I don''t know how noticeable the difference would be, but I would certainly prefer it to be made for my diamond. Really, that would be a determining factor for me in favor of the Ritani if I liked both rings.

yeah.... the first time i saw the eli, i asked a couple of times if he would send my diamond in and have eli set it. even though he didn''t seem too familiar with eli, he said sure, sure, we wouldn''t want to go fitting a square peg into a round hole - you definitely want them to make it to fit your diamond perfectly OR we would take all the info about your diamond, have them build you a new ring, and when it arrives here you can take a look and make sure it looks perfect. so there are no surprises. then we''ll have OUR jeweler set your diamond, and you won''t be without your diamond for more than a day or two. (i don''t care about this, it''s loose anyway. but they selectively forget that i tell them i want it sent in and i DON''T mind waiting).


then, when i went back in the next day to look at it again and compare it to the ritani, his story changed. this time he was saying they''d take out the diamond they had in there (1.1ct) and put my diamond right in (1.02ct) and it would be GREAT, i wouldn''t have to wait! um, huh? yesterday you were all for getting me a brand new setting to fit my diamond perfectly. and i told you this is what i wanted to do, more than once. and NOW suddenly your pushing THIS setting? ugh. AND he had given me pricing the first time, with the understanding i would be ordering a brand new setting made, but again his story changed. on the second day when i said ''well, i would still prefer a new setting be made.'' he acted surprised and a little put out and said ''oh, well i didn''t PRICE it THAT way.'' in other words, his pricing was subject to change now and he was using that angle to ''scare'' me into the sale. whatever, i was still deciding what i even liked, so i wasn''t even getting into the nitty gritty of his pricing. it was in the ballpark, at that point that was all i needed to know if i could consider the eli or not.


no, my intention is to have the designer make a new setting to fit my stone. this guy pretty much talked himself out of my business by changing his story and wanting to fit my (rectangular princess) into a space already occupied by another stone that is a different size AND looked to be square. not to mention my concerns about disturbing the melee with all this in and out of center diamonds. there are two other jewelers locally who can get eli and would have to special order the setting anyway as they only carry eli''s fashion line in-store. and i spoke with bill pearlman and though they don''t offer them anymore, he can also still get it for me. i''m just waiting for his pricing.


on that note: pricing doesn''t help me make this decision either. the ritani set (halo and matching band) together cost about the same as the eli (which can be worn alone) so it''s pretty much a wash in that regard.


i should have added one more choice to the poll: let my husband choose which one and surprise me.

Glad to hear you won''t be going with that jeweler, rainydaze. He talked me out of your business as well! If the Eli is what you decide on (and btw, parkerj, that ring is gorgeous! I couldn''t see the beauty of their rings in that first pic), then there are plenty of places, like Pearlman''s, where you could bring your business.

Hopefully a larger pic of the ring you''re interested in can be found. Going by parkerj''s pic, it is very detailed and looks unique.

It looks like either would be a great choice... I should vote again so I have one vote for the Ritani and one for the Eli

which is no help to you lol. Those who know of Eli seem to trust their craftsmanship, the cost of either is not a determining factor, so it really is about what you prefer (or your hubby if you let him choose).

 

[parkerj]

thanks diamondseeker and sera! Everytime I look at it, it makes me smile. I would find another jeweler that is familiar with the Eli if you love the craftsmanship of it, but don''t care for the seller. I chose the Eli settting because it''s handmade and VERY sturdy because I am really hard on my jewelry. Let me know what you choose!
parker

 

[sera]

The pic you posted is so small, it's not a split shank like parkerj's, is it?

I love this pic...

 

[parkerj]

OOHH, I love that one, too! It''s like the cousin to my RB setting.