Questions for jewelers about shank - should it be shaped like this? etc.

[Odilia]

This may be bad timing as the professional jewelers may be gone for the weekend, but another thing about my ring that is odd is the shape. I wanted a hinged shank because of my huge knuckle, but I was surprised that the ring is not round. It almost looks to me that the FingerMate portion is smaller than the top of the ring. Is this normal?

Also, is it normal to have the non-smoothness at the hinges at 3:00 & 9:00, and also that little notch-like thing sticking out at 6:00?

 

[Odilia]

Also, is there any reason that the mechanism for a FingerMate shank should affect the ring at 2:00 & 10:00, where the ''ribs'' start & then the diamonds? In other words, how much room is there at the top of the ring to work freely, before the hinge mechanism starts to interfere?

 

[Odilia]

Also, is there any reason that the semi-bezel holding the last diamond needs to cover so much of the diamond?

 

[mrssalvo]

i''m not a jeweler, but my grandmother had a hinged shank on her antique e-ring and other than the small place where the ring actually opening it was smooth and even. your ring doesn''t look right to me, but I''m not a professional and don''t really know for sure. are you planning on having it appraised? the appraiser would be able to tell you if it''s normal or not.

 

[Ellen]

I''m no jeweler either, but that profile really doesn''t look right.

And I don''t know why the diamond on the end is so covered up either.

Hopefully some in the biz will chime in soon, but you may need to give this a bump or two to get them.

 

[mrssalvo]

I didn''t really notice the diamond on the end until ellen pointed it out but that doesn''t look right either. shouldn''t there be prongs on the stone and then the 2 rows of metal like this scott kay ring?

 

[mrssalvo]

ok, i checked out jade's set that yours was inspired by and her stone is set similarly. her MM just doesn't seem to cover quite as much stone. pics are crazy though so i'm hoping you are ok with it in person and I didn't add to your troubles

 

[tberube]

Oh gosh...I''m so sorry you''re having this much trouble with your beautiful ring. I don''t have any advice, just wanted to share my sympathy.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/25/2008 9:18:37 PM
Author: mrssalvo
ok, i checked out jade''s set that yours was inspired by and her stone is set similarly. her MM just doesn''t seem to cover quite as much stone. pics are crazy though so i''m hoping you are ok with it in person and I didn''t add to your troubles

Yes it is, I guess it''s more normal than one would think.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/25/2008 8:29:04 PM
Author: mrssalvo
i''m not a jeweler, but my grandmother had a hinged shank on her antique e-ring and other than the small place where the ring actually opening it was smooth and even. your ring doesn''t look right to me, but I''m not a professional and don''t really know for sure. are you planning on having it appraised? the appraiser would be able to tell you if it''s normal or not.

Thanks, mrssalvo. I hope some of the professionals will chime in. I do want to have it appraised, but I didn''t want to invest in a full appraisal until Quest (hopefully) fixes some of these issues (like obviously the diamond that fell out, but hopefully the quality of the side diamonds, which don''t seem to meet my specs). I have to turn the ring sideways to get it over my huge knuckle, and there are these little thingys that stick out and scratch my knuckle as it passes it. And now that it''s getting warmer, it seems like it''s getting that much harder.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/25/2008 8:52:04 PM
Author: Ellen
I'm no jeweler either, but that profile really doesn't look right.

And I don't know why the diamond on the end is so covered up either.

Hopefully some in the biz will chime in soon, but you may need to give this a bump or two to get them.

Thanks Ellen. 2 Jewelers in person commented on the shape of the shank. (they thought it odd) It didn't bother me too much before, but it is strange that it's oval, and I can't believe how hard it is to get over my knuckle still, even though that's the whole point of the thing. Maybe I'll attach a photo of it fully open to give the idea of how it digs into my knuckle:

See how those thingys at 3:00 & 9:00 go inward, which digs into my knuckle as it passes. I did not ever feel that or notice that when I tried on the Fingermate sample or sizer.

(ugh; this whole thing could have been so much easier if not for my enormous knuckle)

 

[iheartscience]

Another non-pro here-I think if you're unhappy with the ring, you should just take it back and have the original jeweler fix it!

The shank definitely seems odd to me, and I don't see why the diamond on the side needs to be covered so much. A little bit would be fine, like in the picture someone posted, but it does seem like the diamond is covered too much.

But the bottom line is, you're unhappy, the ring doesn't fit you correctly and there are other issues as well. I would just take it back and get it fixed or remade!

ETA that I just saw that you said Quest made it. I've heard good things about them here on PS, so hopefully they'll do their best to make you happy.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:05:48 AM
Author: thing2of2
Another non-pro here-I think if you're unhappy with the ring, you should just take it back and have the original jeweler fix it!

The shank definitely seems odd to me, and I don't see why the diamond on the side needs to be covered so much. A little bit would be fine, like in the picture someone posted, but it does seem like the diamond is covered too much.

But the bottom line is, you're unhappy, the ring doesn't fit you correctly and there are other issues as well. I would just take it back and get it fixed or remade!

ETA that I just saw that you said Quest made it. I've heard good things about them here on PS, so hopefully they'll do their best to make you happy.

Thanks for the feedback!

Date: 4/26/2008 9:05:48 AM
Author: thing2of2
I don't see why the diamond on the side needs to be covered so much. A little bit would be fine, like in the picture someone posted, but it does seem like the diamond is covered too much.

Yes, I would have expected it to be more like JadeLeaves' ring (as well as some of the detailing; I realize Quest is not MWM, but still was hoping for a little more of the definition in her side view), so I was surprised that the bezel covers almost all of the crown, and sometimes almost even looks to me a bit like it covers some of the table, although I think that may be an optical illusion. Still..

Date: 4/26/2008 9:05:48 AM
Author: thing2of2

ETA that I just saw that you said Quest made it. I've heard good things about them here on PS, so hopefully they'll do their best to make you happy.

Yes, I hope so too...

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 11:24:55 AM
Author: SanDiegoLady

Date: 4/26/2008 9:05:48 AM
Author: thing2of2
Another non-pro here-I think if you''re unhappy with the ring, you should just take it back and have the original jeweler fix it!

The shank definitely seems odd to me, and I don''t see why the diamond on the side needs to be covered so much. A little bit would be fine, like in the picture someone posted, but it does seem like the diamond is covered too much.

But the bottom line is, you''re unhappy, the ring doesn''t fit you correctly and there are other issues as well. I would just take it back and get it fixed or remade!

ETA that I just saw that you said Quest made it. I''ve heard good things about them here on PS, so hopefully they''ll do their best to make you happy.

I rather agree.. I''m surprised with how the ring has turned out, I hadn''t heard anything negative before.. no one''s perfect but I feel badly you''ve had so many problems..

Thanks, SDL. Yes, I hadn''t heard anything negative either. The other day I saw a thread (by Dave Mus?) where he said how Pete had used the utmost care in picking out his 44 10pt diamonds, with the scope etc... and I thought, "then why didn''t he use care in picking out only 4 diamonds for me?!"

It is frustrating for so many reasons. I really wanted the hinged shank, so that the ring would fit properly etc., but now I am leery, and wonder if I will just have to get a ring that''s 2+ sizes too big and have one of those horseshoe thingys in there, and never have it truly fit my finger.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Aw, I am sorry that you are not happy with your ring. Not that you have not had enough feedback, but I will add that it doesn''t look right to me, either. Again, not a pro jeweler, but I am a bling lover!

Good luck, I hope that it all works out with the jeweler and repairs.

 

[mrssalvo]

OFG- in the second pic you posted you ring really doesn''t look right at all. i can totally see how that would be painful to wear with those little things poking into your had. it almost looks like the wrong size hinge was ordered and put on. definitely not right. i''d insist they fix it. my grandmother''s ring opened on the bottom with a hinge, much like a bracelet clasp, when the ring was closed it was smooth and round, not the oval shape you have there. it''s not right and along with the many other issue''s I think they owe you a remake if you have the patience or a refund. you might have to get an independant appraiser involved but it might help prove your *poor quality* case and worth the money you spend to win the refund arguement. Although Quest is not a PS vendor they have gained consumer popularity b/c of their customer service and the quality of work they do. I hope they will live up to their reputation and make things right with you. otherwise they will feel some of the negative side of living in the PS fishbowl

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 3:33:41 PM
Author: mrssalvo
OFG- in the second pic you posted you ring really doesn't look right at all. i can totally see how that would be painful to wear with those little things poking into your had. it almost looks like the wrong size hinge was ordered and put on. definitely not right. i'd insist they fix it. my grandmother's ring opened on the bottom with a hinge, much like a bracelet clasp, when the ring was closed it was smooth and round, not the oval shape you have there. it's not right and along with the many other issue's I think they owe you a remake if you have the patience or a refund. you might have to get an independant appraiser involved but it might help prove your *poor quality* case and worth the money you spend to win the refund arguement. Although Quest is not a PS vendor they have gained consumer popularity b/c of their customer service and the quality of work they do. I hope they will live up to their reputation and make things right with you. otherwise they will feel some of the negative side of living in the PS fishbowl

Fortunately the little things don't poke into my finger when it's on and shut; it's just when trying to get it over my knuckle; that's when the ring is open but those things jab into my knuckle in any case. I will attach the link to the FingerMate site. Their illustration doesn't show it doing that. I am anxious to go to another store around here that has the FM shanks sample. I have tried it on many times, and don't ever recall something jabbing my knuckle. Even a size 4.5 fits on my rt. ring finger. I ordered a size 5 for this ring, because I didn't want to risk it being too tight, and except for those thingys scratching my knuckle -less so in March, but now painfully so - it has fit perfectly for both hands.

http://www.fingermate.com/fmpage3.htm

I have thought of that too, about the appraiser; maybe I should do that, just to have more of a case.

I was always leery of going custom, and am starting to think I need to be in your "must be an off-the-shelf ring that I've seen IRL" camp! (That's one of the frustrating things about this; even though it wasn't perfect, the scott kay ring that looks like a fan was available for a good price the same day I went to get this done, and I really considered getting it, simply because it was a known entity that met most of the criteria. Most likely the price has gone up since January. Oh well....)

{{{Although Quest is not a PS vendor they have gained consumer popularity b/c of their customer service and the quality of work they do. I hope they will live up to their reputation and make things right with you. otherwise they will feel some of the negative side of living in the PS fishbowl}}}}

Yes, I am hoping that is the case!!

Well, I better get myself going; DH will be home and then on to a nice dinner and leaving tomorrow. (Our "weekends" aren't always the standard days...

)

oh, yes, I did e-mail Pete about the diamond falling out, and let him know that I would not be able to get to him right away...