Problem With Diamond Hoop Earrings

[FancyDiamond]

Scalloped look - see photo below.

I modified the left earring to show you the scalloped look. Be careful not to push inward the prongs by too much, because there may be durability and safety issues.

 

[FancyDiamond]

I will contact Whiteflash about the metal and, I think, ask that they switch to a six and four diamond configuration.

Just saw your thread asking for feedback on CAD. I have some comments regarding the weight and 5/5 vs 6/4 diamond placement configuration.

1. Weight -
I think the weight depends on the metal type, size of earring, and amount of metal (diamonds are lighter than metal). My huggies are of the same size, 0.75-inch in diameter, as yours. They are in 14K gold metal. Guess both the size and metal are comparable, so I think you should have no issues. Besides, you populate the earrings with more diamonds (so less metal and thus less weight). The weight of my huggies is comfortable, but it is the limit I would have without risking my earlobes being stretched. Glad that WF eliminated some metal in the back by putting a fancy pattern there instead of solid metal. I can feel the presence of the huggies (more so than studs) when I put them on initially, but as I wear them I forget I have them on. In your case, I expect no weight issue.

2. Diamond Configuration -
When I saw your CAD without having read all your comments/posts, I thought you might be able to do with less diamonds. I am not sure you can see all five diamondss in the back (one may be hidden behind your ear all the time). I am tempted to do 5 in the front and 4 in the back. However, I need to know where the hinge is before making the decision. If I do not want to guess and risk, I would do 6 in the front (just to be sure that I do not see any metal from the front) and 4 in the back.

In order to be sure, I would first ask WF about the exact position of the hinge (drawing would be preferred). Next, I would compare that new drawing with photos of my huggies, to determine the corresponding locations of the 10 (or 9?) 25-pt diamonds.

For your reference, I am posting some photos of my huggies here and in my original thread (so others can reference if they want to get huggies). The photos below are for you to figure out the positions of your 25-pt diamonds. The photos in my thread are ear-shots from various angles. They are to help you imagine how your huggies would look on you.

 

[FancyDiamond]

For completeness, here is a photo of the other side of my huggies.

 

[Rosebloom]

Sorry I didn't see your question until now, Deb! FD's picture is a great representation (I'm amazed at your photoshop abilities, FD!). If you like the scalloped look (I do too!) I would just ask them to pinch the prongs together as much as they can while still be structurally sound.

An extreme example of the scalloped edge is this pair of single prong hoops. I'm sure this wouldn't work for stones as large as yours though.

http://www.whiteflash.com/gallery/diamond-earrings/single-shared-prong-diamond-earrings-9607.htm

 

[AGBF]

Wow! I just returned to this thread with the answers Whiteflash gave me to my e-mail about the CADs and saw that you two, FancyDiamond and Rosebloom, had replied with all this information since I last saw this thread! (I had been checking it obsessively, then left it and...here is all this info!)

In the meantime, Whiteflash replied to my questions-the ones that posters here had said I should ask-via e-mail. I will post what they said to me. Having now read your postings above, though, I think I know some of what I should reply.

Here is our correspondence:

AGBF:

First, I would like the placement of the diamonds to be six together and four together as they were in photograph I sent you of the earrings sold at Betteridge. In the CADs they are grouped five and five. Unless there is some compelling reason that you changed this? (No one informed me that it would be changed.) I am afraid that metal will show.

Whiteflash:

We divided the diamonds into 5 per section so that we can achieve a balance between the front and back. This also allowed us to place a functional hinge in the lower middle section of the earring. The sample image you provided shows 6 diamonds in the front and 4 in the back section however the front diamonds are much larger than the ones in the back. It is possible to arrange 6 diamonds in the front however that will make the earring oval in shape instead of a balanced round. Let me know which you prefer

AGBF:

Second, I want to be sure that no metal shows when the earrings are being worn. Right now, looking at the CAD, I would not be sure no metal would show.

Whiteflash:

The design currently has minimal metal with large opening under the culets. The metal will be further reduced during the finishing phase of manufacturing however please know that all CAD rendering always appear much larger in scale than the actual piece

AGBF:

Third, I read your disclaimer that the CADs generally show more metal than the actual jewelry, but I wanted to reiterate what I said to you when I first wrote to you: I want to see very little metal. I don't want to look at the earrings and see a bar of prongs. I want to see a scalloped edge of rounded diamonds because the prongs are pinched and/or very small. I am including two photos. One is of my solitaire and its jackets. As you can see, the prongs on my solitaire are tiny and the jackets appears to have "scalloped" edges. The other is of the New Moon earrings which have 14 diamonds in total. The look is very scalloped. That is what I want. Can you achieve that?

Whiteflash:

I can further reduce the seats (metal under the girdle of the diamond) by lowering the profile however I have a question before I make that change. My question is do you want the seat to be round with a straight rail or do you want it to form a U shape. I’ve attached a sample image to help illustrate the U shape gallery rail (see link)

AGBF

 

[DiamondBrokersofFlorida]

There are also some that twist slightly to the side where you can see all the diamonds from the front and back. No wasted bling.

 

[AGBF]

There are also some that twist slightly to the side where you can see all the diamonds from the front and back. No wasted bling.

Jan-

I had to go look up a picture to see what you were talking about! That is wild!

Deb

 

[AGBF]

If you like the scalloped look (I do too!) I would just ask them to pinch the prongs together as much as they can while still be structurally sound.

An extreme example of the scalloped edge is this pair of single prong hoops. I'm sure this wouldn't work for stones as large as yours though.

I do like a scalloped look and have it on the jackets for my solitaire. I think that look just happens naturally when one asks for as little metal as possible, which I always do!

Now Whiteflash asked me about U-prongs. I have attached some photos of them below. I had never considered them. When I see them with small diamonds (no pictures of them with small diamonds are posted), I don't like them. With larger diamonds they are OK. I don't know that they are better than regularly set diamonds, however. I think they have a lot of metal. What do you think?

Deb

 

[FancyDiamond]

I personally like U-prongs, because
1. you can see more of the diamonds (girdle and cutlet), and
2. you can clean the diamonds better (can access the cutlet).

I think U-prongs shows less metal and more of diamonds. However, you have to like the style first.

 

[AGBF]

I personally like U-prongs, because
1. you can see more of the diamonds (girdle and cutlet), and
2. you can clean the diamonds better (can access the cutlet).

I think U-prongs shows less metal and more of diamonds. However, you have to like the style first.

I think your earrings are magnificent, but that is because the stones are huge in proportion to the metal. Sometimes-most of the time-I dislike regular (non-U) shared prong earrings because there is too much metal compared to stone. I like to see diamonds.

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

In order to be sure, I would first ask WF about the exact position of the hinge (drawing would be preferred). Next, I would compare that new drawing with photos of my huggies, to determine the corresponding locations of the 10 (or 9?) 25-pt diamonds.

For your reference, I am posting some photos of my huggies here and in my original thread (so others can reference if they want to get huggies). The photos below are for you to figure out the positions of your 25-pt diamonds. The photos in my thread are ear-shots from various angles. They are to help you imagine how your huggies would look on you.

FD-

I am not good on figuring things out spatially. I have to see something I like and say, "That's the type of thing I want!" I mean I have to see how something looks and ask someone else to figure out how it is made.

I wouldn't have a clue where a hinge should go, even though you have very thoughtfully taken so much time to point out to me that I can figure it out myself using clues from your drawings and placing hand-drawn arrows in the drawings for me! It amazes me that I am good at packing the trunk of a car or a suitcase (I am really quite good at those things) given how poorly I visualize something like a piece of jewelry!

I can ask Whiteflash to do a four and six placement of the diamonds. I am not sure what I can ask them to do to manage the hinge given my own limitations, however. Do you have any advice? Is there any one piece of advice I could give to them that would have the hinge placed well?

Thank you!

Deb

 

[FancyDiamond]

Let me try to guess position of hinge based on the first CAD and WF's response to your question. I included the area of metal and diamond being blocked by your ear. Ask WF if this sketch is correct interpretation.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree with Fancy Diamond that it would be better to have 6 stones in the front and then move the hinge back a little and only put 4 stones max on the inside.

 

[FancyDiamond]

Now, I am marking up a photo of my own huggies, to determine

1. if you will see metal in the frontview,
2. where the exact position of the hinge is,
3. where the five backside diamonds are located, and
4. if any of the five backside diamonds be blocked by your ear.

For the first item, I am guessing that you will not see metal. The linear length of my diamonds is about 0.5mm longer than yours. Based on my earshot photos, I think 0.5mm is not enough to show metal in front.
The last two items are for determining if you can go for 5-4 to save a total of two diamonds for next projects.

Use this marked-up photo to ask WF to generate a similar sketch for YOUR OWN huggies, and ask WF to comment on the four items/concerns listed above.

May as well ask WF to genearte a sketch for the 6-4 configuration. This way, you can compare the look of the two configurations to decide
option 1- 5-5,
option 2 - 6-4, and
option 3, 5-4.

 

[canuk-gal]

Aloha!

Ducking in from the sunshine to check on your progress....

cheers--Sharon

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

Ladies, I am bookmarking this thread and saving every one of these pictures,
as these are my DREAM huggies and I hope to have a pair one day too !!!

If that's ok.

I have a pair of the standard WF Hoops and they are perfect for me for everyday.
And they do look very scalloped, which pleases me.
I can certainly understand wanting the scalloped look, Deb !!!!

 

[Rosebloom]

FD - not only do you have an impeccable, envy-inducing collection, you are a treasure trove of helpful information! I'm so glad you're on PS - I have much to learn from you!

 

[AGBF]

Thanks very much, FD. I feel like e-mailing the whole thread to Whiteflash!

Hugs,
Deb

 

[AGBF]

This thread is continued here:

Continuation Thread About AGBF's Diamond Hoop Earrings...[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/quick-feedback-on-revised-cads-needed-now.192043/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/quick-feedback-on-revised-cads-needed-now.192043/[/URL]

Deb/AGBF
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend