Poll: Ritani Halo vs. Eli Jewels Halo

[diamondseeker2006]

I actually like that one better than the first one, because I prefer cut corners on the halo.

 

[Gypsy]

Oh I like the new one.

It''s got those graduated rounds I''ve just been drooling over every time I see them and the cut corners too. Very lovely.

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/7/2007 4:29:16 PM
Author: 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).

LOL

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/7/2007 7:32:52 PM
Author: sera
The pic you posted is so small, it''s not a split shank like parkerj''s, is it?

I love this pic...

oh man, that is gorgeous! i LOVE that one too! the only one i''ve seen in person is the one i originally posted.

i called eli for vendors in my area and they gave me two. i went to both, and both only carried their fashion line, not their bridal (and i called one, shreve crump & lowe, to confirm they had pieces i could view and told them i was looking to reset my diamond. when i got there, lo and behold they had NONE of eli''s bridal. the salesman there was QUITE snotty, i might add, and kept trying to steer me from their designer collections to their house settings. ugh.... that''s a whole ''nother story.)

anyway, i was originally eyeing a jane taylor from pearlman''s that had cut corners (which he sent to me to try out!!) and the same ritani but with the rounded corners (also sent to me, it held an asscher but supposedly you can do those corners with a princess too). and i thought that''s what i wanted, a softened square shape. but then i went back to the square (afraid to lose too much diamond to it) and now seeing THIS eli....

of course, now i''ve found the ''bezel and light optics'' threads and am worried these settings will reduce the sparkle and brilliance of my non-ideal cut stone. aaarrrrgggghhhh....

oh somebody just slap me. i am all over the place. and i DID have it all figured out!! i am actually at the point where i am quite fed up with this and with myself.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, honey, believe me, so many of us have been there...and some still are! Choosing a setting is very difficult. I thankfully have mine set in something simple I can wear, but I haven''t ever decided on the permanent, dream setting either!

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/7/2007 10:11:54 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Oh, honey, believe me, so many of us have been there...and some still are! Choosing a setting is very difficult. I thankfully have mine set in something simple I can wear, but I haven''t ever decided on the permanent, dream setting either!

thank you for the kind words..... honestly it REALLY was easier choosing my DH!!!!

 

[Gypsy]

Oh honey, trust me we understand. I''m just days away from getting the custom setting that, after 4 years of indecision, I decided to have made... and my stomach is in KNOTS, absolute KNOTS, dwelling on whether or not I should have agreed to the 2 mm halo side width, or gone with the 1 mm side view halo width.

It''s quite ridiculous how HARD the setting decision is, as many of us well know. Frankly I''d ask the companies if they could get the Eli settings in on memo for you to look at. GOG did that for me and Pearlmans was about to when I decided on the custom route. I know it''s going to be lovely no matter which of these you decide on as they are quite stunning.

 

[rainydaze]

thank you gypsy!!

wow, four years!!! whew, you have nerves of steel!! i''ve been at it six months or so and i am just about at wits end! i am so excited for you...... your design looks like it will be nothing short of spectacular and we are all on pins and needles waiting to see it! i hope you LOVELOVELOVE it - i''m sure you made the right decision on the width and you had an amazing designer whose eye & experience i''m sure you trusted for a reason. ugh, those knots though, i hear ya...... hang in there. i have a feeling tomorrow they are just going to melt away when you open that box!

 

[Gypsy]

Thank you Rainy! It''s finished tomorrow or Tuesday, but then it goes to Wink, then Neil... then FINALLY it gets here. LOL. And I don''t want to see pics of it till it''s here, truth to tell. But hopefully by next Monday I''ll have that puppy HERE!

Best advice I have to offer is to take your time, breathe, post as often as you like-- and find a vendor you trust!

 

[rainydaze]

ACK! you got me so excited to see your ring LIKE SOON!!

i don''t think i would want to see pics either, seeing these rings 30x their size really messes with your head. the last thing you need in addition to those knots are nightmares brought on by giant man-eating custom-by-ocean rings!

hey, was just perusing pearlman''s site for the 18 millionth time and found this (see pic below). it''s pretty much the same design as the one i saw and posted, and you can see the profile.

 

[sera]

Date: 10/7/2007 10:09:04 PM
Author: rainydaze
oh somebody just slap me. i am all over the place. and i DID have it all figured out!! i am actually at the point where i am quite fed up with this and with myself.

Well, if it makes you feel any better... I'm all over the place too and have had it all figured out a many times! Tacori. Yellow diamond accents. No, Simon G. Pink diamond accents. Custom. Simon G. Asscher center. Something-squarish-center. Pear sides. Half moon sides. Trap sides. Solitaire. Halo. No halo. Simon G. Leon Mege 3-sided pave set. Leon Mege 1-sided pave set. Ritani shared single prong. Simon G. Leon Mege 3-sided pave. Stacking rings. Maytal Hannah. Leon Mege 5 stone. No, I don't like it with a square center. Simon G. Leon Mege something. Hmmm... I really like the Eli with those stones set in that split shank."

 

[sera]

Date: 10/7/2007 10:24:02 PM
Author: Gypsy
Oh honey, trust me we understand. I''m just days away from getting the custom setting that, after 4 years of indecision, I decided to have made... and my stomach is in KNOTS, absolute KNOTS, dwelling on whether or not I should have agreed to the 2 mm halo side width, or gone with the 1 mm side view halo width.

It''s quite ridiculous how HARD the setting decision is, as many of us well know.

Ok, well that makes me feel a little better.

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 10/8/2007 12:32:21 AM
Author: sera

Date: 10/7/2007 10:24:02 PM
Author: Gypsy
Oh honey, trust me we understand. I'm just days away from getting the custom setting that, after 4 years of indecision, I decided to have made... and my stomach is in KNOTS, absolute KNOTS, dwelling on whether or not I should have agreed to the 2 mm halo side width, or gone with the 1 mm side view halo width.

It's quite ridiculous how HARD the setting decision is, as many of us well know.

Ok, well that makes me feel a little better.

LOL. Glad to be of service. One millimeter and it's driving me batty... so no worries about three sided pave until you actually find yourself in a dream about a millimeter! There are more of us than you would think, who have had a very very hard time deciding on a setting. Some ponder it to death while wearing a simple and 'temporary' setting(me), others just switch settings and stones frequently until a) they've found it... or are so financially invested in a setting or stone that they have to give it a rest... for a while. Plus there are the lucky ones (not that we aren't all lucky, we truly are) who can have multiple diamond rings... a round, a princess and an emerald for example... etc, so that they can enjoy variety to their hearts content-- especially if they upgrade abilites on those.

We are a unique bunch, and you fit RIGHT in.

Rainy, first, I bet Pearlmans can get you Eli still, and I would totally check with him and see if he can cause I would in a heartbeat, prefer him to any of the vendors you've mentioned. Sorry you got excited about my setting, after four years the week seems like tomorrow for me, but I understand it's not like that for everyone. As for the giant pics.. EXACTLY. I want to see it 'realtime' before I examine in under a huge magnifying lens. I know it's going to stand up... but since delicacy is the hallmark of my setting... seeing it huge might make me more anxious about that, and I want to avoid it at all costs. I can't wait though. But for now... will the 2 mm bright cut side be just right, or should I have gone with a 1 mm highpolish.
ROFLMAO.

ETA: Rainy I've been drooling over that Pearlman's setting. I want it for a colored stone center... or for someone who posts and says they want an affordable east west halo for a smaller oval.

 

[sera]

Date: 10/8/2007 12:44:56 AM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 10/8/2007 12:32:21 AM

Author: sera

Date: 10/7/2007 10:24:02 PM

Author: Gypsy

Oh honey, trust me we understand. I''m just days away from getting the custom setting that, after 4 years of indecision, I decided to have made... and my stomach is in KNOTS, absolute KNOTS, dwelling on whether or not I should have agreed to the 2 mm halo side width, or gone with the 1 mm side view halo width.

It''s quite ridiculous how HARD the setting decision is, as many of us well know.

Ok, well that makes me feel a little better.

LOL. Glad to be of service. One millimeter and it''s driving me batty... so no worries about three sided pave until you actually find yourself in a dream about a millimeter! There are more of us than you would think, who have had a very very hard time deciding on a setting. Some ponder it to death while wearing a simple and ''temporary'' setting(me), others just switch settings and stones frequently until a) they''ve found it... or are so financially invested in a setting or stone that they have to give it a rest... for a while. Plus there are the lucky ones (not that we aren''t all lucky, we truly are) who can have multiple diamond rings... a round, a princess and an emerald for example... etc, so that they can enjoy variety to their hearts content-- especially if they upgrade abilites on those.

We are a unique bunch, and you fit RIGHT in.

OY... well, good to know I''m not alone.

I dream about *the ring* at night and stare off into space thinking about at work. Glad you have your decisions made, Gypsy... I can''t wait to see it! And hopefully those of us like me and rainydaze here will be there soon!

 

[parkerj]

I''m like you all....I flip-flopped over what setting for weeks (although not years, thankfully. whew). I went from Christopher designs, to a Simon G, to a vintage piece, and finally settled on the Eli jewels. I went back to the store numerous times to wear it around. Finally, my DH said "that''s the one! It''s just perfect" and he was right. My jeweler had it in a little envelope in the back for me because I had been in so many times to see it!

I''m sorry you''re having such a difficult time finding an Eli vendor that you love. I''m sure they would be horrified to know that their dealers are not being friendly and accomodating. The Eli rep was such a nice guy...told me all about the Katrina tradgedy and how the family decided to move to NJ. All of their pieces are handmade in the US.

Here''s a trick that I do when I need to decide on something: write down the settings you are thinking of on pieces of paper and fold them over. close your eyes and choose one. If you are excited about the one you chose, then that''s it. If you are disappointed by the one you chose, then it''s not it! Crazy, but it helps me to get to the core of my feelings. ha.

Parker

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/8/2007 12:31:14 AM
Author: sera

Date: 10/7/2007 10:09:04 PM
Author: rainydaze
oh somebody just slap me. i am all over the place. and i DID have it all figured out!! i am actually at the point where i am quite fed up with this and with myself.

Well, if it makes you feel any better... I''m all over the place too and have had it all figured out a many times! Tacori. Yellow diamond accents. No, Simon G. Pink diamond accents. Custom. Simon G. Asscher center. Something-squarish-center. Pear sides. Half moon sides. Trap sides. Solitaire. Halo. No halo. Simon G. Leon Mege 3-sided pave set. Leon Mege 1-sided pave set. Ritani shared single prong. Simon G. Leon Mege 3-sided pave. Stacking rings. Maytal Hannah. Leon Mege 5 stone. No, I don''t like it with a square center. Simon G. Leon Mege something. Hmmm... I really like the Eli with those stones set in that split shank.''

ROFLMAO....... birds of a feather!!!

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/8/2007 12:44:56 AM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 10/8/2007 12:32:21 AM
Author: sera

Date: 10/7/2007 10:24:02 PM
Author: Gypsy
Oh honey, trust me we understand. I''m just days away from getting the custom setting that, after 4 years of indecision, I decided to have made... and my stomach is in KNOTS, absolute KNOTS, dwelling on whether or not I should have agreed to the 2 mm halo side width, or gone with the 1 mm side view halo width.

It''s quite ridiculous how HARD the setting decision is, as many of us well know.

Ok, well that makes me feel a little better.

LOL. Glad to be of service. One millimeter and it''s driving me batty... so no worries about three sided pave until you actually find yourself in a dream about a millimeter! There are more of us than you would think, who have had a very very hard time deciding on a setting. Some ponder it to death while wearing a simple and ''temporary'' setting(me), others just switch settings and stones frequently until a) they''ve found it... or are so financially invested in a setting or stone that they have to give it a rest... for a while. Plus there are the lucky ones (not that we aren''t all lucky, we truly are) who can have multiple diamond rings... a round, a princess and an emerald for example... etc, so that they can enjoy variety to their hearts content-- especially if they upgrade abilites on those.

We are a unique bunch, and you fit RIGHT in.

Rainy, first, I bet Pearlmans can get you Eli still, and I would totally check with him and see if he can cause I would in a heartbeat, prefer him to any of the vendors you''ve mentioned. Sorry you got excited about my setting, after four years the week seems like tomorrow for me, but I understand it''s not like that for everyone. As for the giant pics.. EXACTLY. I want to see it ''realtime'' before I examine in under a huge magnifying lens. I know it''s going to stand up... but since delicacy is the hallmark of my setting... seeing it huge might make me more anxious about that, and I want to avoid it at all costs. I can''t wait though. But for now... will the 2 mm bright cut side be just right, or should I have gone with a 1 mm highpolish.
ROFLMAO.

ETA: Rainy I''ve been drooling over that Pearlman''s setting. I want it for a colored stone center... or for someone who posts and says they want an affordable east west halo for a smaller oval.

hi gypsy - i can''t tell you how many times i''ve drawn out 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm and tried to figure out how each looks. funny how such a minute detail can seem to make or break something! well, you are being incredibly patient. i hope this week goes by fast and you can go back to pleasant dreams having NOTHING to do with millimeters!!

oh, and i did contact bill pearlman. he said he can still order an eli for me, which is good news. i''m actually awaiting his price on the eli. i think, though, he said that he can''t get their pieces in for customers to view. i''m just a wee bit worried whether or not their working relationship could be strained due to his discontinuing carrying them. i''ve been trying to think of a classy way to ask him if this project would be compromised at all, and of course i don''t wish to put him in the position of working with someone that is uncomfortable for him. agh, it''s never easy!!!

and then sera goes and finds THAT eli beauty, i would love to see that in person.... if i go with pearlman''s i just have to dive in and hope for the best. if i go and ask one of the other local jewelers to bring in some eli bridals for me to see, they''ve then earned my business and i can''t go prancing off to order from someone else. think the eli rep makes housecalls?!?

 

[parkerj]

Hi Rainy-

I just called my jeweler and asked him if he had the Eli piece in his store that was in the picture (or the one with a squared corner halo). He said he was familiar with that ring and thought he had something similar in the store. If you email him, he can send you a picture of what he has. He also said he could order any piece you wanted but because they are all custom made, once its ordered its yours. If you''ve seen it in person and love it, there are no worries. He''s an honest guy and his family owns the store. His prices are fair and he''ll tell you the truth. I know he works with clients all over the country for the same reasons you have. Would you like his name and email?
Parker

 

[parkerj]

I forgot- he''s having an eli trunk show with all of their bridal and fashion pieces on November 8th.....

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/8/2007 9:08:16 AM
Author: parkerj
Hi Rainy-

I just called my jeweler and asked him if he had the Eli piece in his store that was in the picture (or the one with a squared corner halo). He said he was familiar with that ring and thought he had something similar in the store. If you email him, he can send you a picture of what he has. He also said he could order any piece you wanted but because they are all custom made, once its ordered its yours. If you''ve seen it in person and love it, there are no worries. He''s an honest guy and his family owns the store. His prices are fair and he''ll tell you the truth. I know he works with clients all over the country for the same reasons you have. Would you like his name and email?
Parker

sure! my goodness, that was so nice of you to call - thank you!!

 

[parkerj]

His name is Darryl Mackley and the store is Mackley jewelers in Knoxville, TN. His # is 865-693-3097. They sell a large amount of estate jewelry as well as new pieces such as Eli. They have a website, but it''s not a good indicator of what they have. I think only Darryl, his mom and dad work at the store. His dad is some sort of expert gemologist--like there are only 40 with his credentials in the country. It''s worth a call, anyway! good luck.

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/8/2007 8:04:37 AM
Author: parkerj

Here''s a trick that I do when I need to decide on something: write down the settings you are thinking of on pieces of paper and fold them over. close your eyes and choose one. If you are excited about the one you chose, then that''s it. If you are disappointed by the one you chose, then it''s not it! Crazy, but it helps me to get to the core of my feelings. ha.

Parker

lol.... you have NO idea. first i decided i would have my husband decide which one and i would be surprised, since i seemed to love them equally. i said i would do this as much as to take a load off as to see if i found myself hoping he''d order one over the other. sure enough, once i decided to handle it this way i found myself feeling like ''oh, i hope he orders the eli!'' ok, so my decision was made then. nope, the next day i was feeling like ''oh, but you can see the culet on the ritani, and more light can get in, i hope he orders THAT one!'' and so it went. scratch the ''DH choosing'' idea.

so then i did just as you suggested, put my choices in a bag, shook it up. chose. three times, all three times i got the same choice (ritani). ok, that''s a sign. so how am i feeling about the results? happy? disappointed? um, both. urrrrggghhhhh.

so then i thought, hey i''ll put up a poll. it''s fun and maybe i''ll gain some insight. AND maybe i''ll find myself rooting for one over the other.........

the ritani has been in the lead, which i expected, but i must say i''ve been very pleased at how well the eli is keeping up, considering. i think i''ve been rooting for the eli, i just wish i could have spent more time looking at it and trying it out in different lighting. and i''m scared the enclosed basket will make my diamond look funky, or take some of its beauty away. but from what has been said here and in speaking with bill pearlman who IS actually familiar with their pieces and their work, i think i would be very happy with the final result. sooooo............

it''s like everyone is saying. i can''t go wrong either way. THEREIN lies the problem!

 

[mrssalvo]

hey rainydaze, have you asked Bill his opinion? there have been a couple of settings I've emailed Bill about and he told me quite honestly that no, that wouldn't be a good choice for you b/c .....whatever the reason was at the time. Of course, I have spent some time at Pearlmans so he's got a pretty good idea of my tastes which helps, but i'd bet he'd give you some pretty good information that might just help make your decision easier. Let him know your lifestyle, how much you want to wear the ring, how you want it to appear to others etc. and just see if he might be able to tip the scale for you.

believe me, I have agonized over settings the exact same way, even giving the job to hubby and then taking it back, giving it to him again etc. at some point you're going to have to accept that there are hundreds if not thousands of gorgeous setting out there, there may not be the perfect one because you love so many (me included). you're just going to have to decide and then stop looking b/c seeing all the new stuff is just torture. believe me, I so feel your pain....

 

[parkerj]

I absolutely agree with MrsSalvo! There are probably thousands of settings that would thrill you to own! I thought I had THE one and only for me until I saw the OMC from Ari at Singlestone recently posted that I think I would love just as much as mine! You can''t make a bad choice here....

By the way--I listed two rings that I was considering here- the Eli that I chose and one by Christopher designs. I found myself rooting for the Eli in the back of my mind, too.

Parker

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Date: 10/7/2007 7:32:52 PM
Author: sera
The pic you posted is so small, it''s not a split shank like parkerj''s, is it?


I love this pic...

that one is perfect. at least to my eyes.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Date: 10/7/2007 10:23:45 PM
Author: rainydaze

Date: 10/7/2007 10:11:54 PM

Author: diamondseeker2006

Oh, honey, believe me, so many of us have been there...and some still are! Choosing a setting is very difficult. I thankfully have mine set in something simple I can wear, but I haven't ever decided on the permanent, dream setting either!

thank you for the kind words..... honestly it REALLY was easier choosing my DH!!!!

If they ever start selling husbands on the internet that might change. I can just see everybody talking about James and Howards IS images

and discussing how various Length length to Arm length to Shoulder width ratios will impact performance.

and then of course if you call in for a reservation to choose between a couple of prime candidates in person you can't just make a decision based on how they will look in the store suit. You would have to try to see them in various clothing and postures, in pajamas, bathing suit, khakis and loose shirt, laying down, picking up boxes, etc etc...

lots of studying.

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/8/2007 3:39:11 PM
Author: WorkingHardforSmallRewards

Date: 10/7/2007 10:23:45 PM
Author: rainydaze

Date: 10/7/2007 10:11:54 PM

Author: diamondseeker2006

Oh, honey, believe me, so many of us have been there...and some still are! Choosing a setting is very difficult. I thankfully have mine set in something simple I can wear, but I haven''t ever decided on the permanent, dream setting either!

thank you for the kind words..... honestly it REALLY was easier choosing my DH!!!!

If they ever start selling husbands on the internet that might change. I can just see everybody talking about James and Howards IS images

and discussing how various Length length to Arm length to Shoulder width ratios will impact performance.

and then of course if you call in for a reservation to choose between a couple of prime candidates in person you can''t just make a decision based on how they will look in the store suit. You would have to try to see them in various clothing and postures, in pajamas, bathing suit, khakis and loose shirt, laying down, picking up boxes, etc etc...

lots of studying.

ROFLMAO....... seriously! my DH called out from the other room ''what is so funny?!?'' thank you for that!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/8/2007 7:27:44 PM
Author: rainydaze

Date: 10/8/2007 3:39:11 PM
Author: WorkingHardforSmallRewards



If they ever start selling husbands on the internet that might change. I can just see everybody talking about James and Howards IS images

and discussing how various Length length to Arm length to Shoulder width ratios will impact performance.

and then of course if you call in for a reservation to choose between a couple of prime candidates in person you can''t just make a decision based on how they will look in the store suit. You would have to try to see them in various clothing and postures, in pajamas, bathing suit, khakis and loose shirt, laying down, picking up boxes, etc etc...

lots of studying.

ROFLMAO....... seriously! my DH called out from the other room ''what is so funny?!?'' thank you for that!

I hate to say it, but that idea brought to mind all kinds of other thoughts about performance, etc. But I am too conservative to post it.

 

[rainydaze]

Date: 10/8/2007 2:26:05 PM
Author: mrssalvo
hey rainydaze, have you asked Bill his opinion? there have been a couple of settings I''ve emailed Bill about and he told me quite honestly that no, that wouldn''t be a good choice for you b/c .....whatever the reason was at the time. Of course, I have spent some time at Pearlmans so he''s got a pretty good idea of my tastes which helps, but i''d bet he''d give you some pretty good information that might just help make your decision easier. Let him know your lifestyle, how much you want to wear the ring, how you want it to appear to others etc. and just see if he might be able to tip the scale for you.

believe me, I have agonized over settings the exact same way, even giving the job to hubby and then taking it back, giving it to him again etc. at some point you''re going to have to accept that there are hundreds if not thousands of gorgeous setting out there, there may not be the perfect one because you love so many (me included). you''re just going to have to decide and then stop looking b/c seeing all the new stuff is just torture. believe me, I so feel your pain....

heheh - yes i have come very close to doing just that a few times. but bill has been so patient and good with me, i felt like i needed to see a few more things and have my act together just a little bit more before taking yet more of his time. then i came upon this Eli which pretty much had all the features i wondered if i wanted, that were making me question if the ritani was the right ring for me. i knew i had it down to the two that, whichever i chose, would make me very happy and would suit my lifestyle, as i realized how important that was. in fact, the eli that sera posted is amazing and i have stared at it quite a bit, but i know it is not for me for the very reason that it has more for me to worry about. and i think it''s more than twice the price of the one i am looking at, so that helps tuck it out of mind!

i am very much a practical girl..... and frivolous. no, i''m not a gemini but you might think so! i was always a wee bit worried the ritani would be just delicate enough to make me worry, despite my favorite reference by bill that it is indeed ''a moose''. but if i FELT like it was delicate..... and the pave going pretty much all the way around concerned me as i am always banging my hand against something. i am one to wear my wedding rings pretty much full time, and my hands are constantly busy, so i had to consider that. i just am not one who can worry about my jewelry. but i still want drop dead pretty (at least to me). enter the eli - if the ritani is a moose, the eli is a herd of moose. or an elephant. and that is one of the things i like about it. yet, it is still a beautiful, pretty, eye catching elephant. it has some pave, but not so much that i would be parnoid, and almost all of the shank is metal, not melee/pave, so i can bang the underside of the ring and not freak out. a definite plus for me.

i could go on and on and on but the more i do the more i realize i know which is the right one for me, i just have to let go and dive in, just as you say. bill called me today with a price that i am comfortable with and our conversation cleared up any concerns i had. afterward i was dancing around the house and have had a smile on my face since, soooooo, by golly i think i may have made me a decision!!! tune in tomorrow to see if an ACTUAL ORDER has been placed!

and once again

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

to all of you who took the time to vote and to post here, offering me advice, information, support, empathy, good laughs and your opinion. i''ve wanted to pull my hair out many times and your posts have kept me sane. i think.

 

[mrssalvo]

rainydaze, it's obvious you've thought a lot about the pros and cons and based your post I think for some reason you think you *should* want the Ritani but deep down in your heart you really want the Eli and make a great case for why it's the better choice. I'm glad your quote from Pearlmans is something you feel good about and you know you couldn't be in better hands than going though them. i'm so looking forward to tomorrow to hear what your final choice is and most of all, can't wait to see pics of your new ring...