Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for stone!

[Logan Sapphire]

I purchased a beautiful amethyst recently and have a quote for a solitaire setting (with a little oomph) that I think I'll proceed with. I'm just nervous because out of the total cost, the stone was 10% and the setting was 90%.

Am I crazy for putting 90% of the total cost into the setting with such an inexpensive stone?? This is fairly common with colored stones, correct?

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

I'm not sure I'd say it's fairly common. It really all depends on the individual person, to be honest. It's all up to you and what you desire with your budget and for the overall project.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

I should add, the project itself is not an expensive one. The stone was $100 and the setting is $900. This is my first foray into colored stones after an aborted attempt a few years earlier, and my first project with a semi-precious stone. It's all new to me!

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

Some choose to spend most of their budget on the stone as opposed to the setting; I did this with my green-blue tourmaline. Some do the opposite. But sometimes we don't have much control over it when we want what we want (and it all fits within budget).

I see what you mean about the major difference in the split of money, but I'd say for $1k budget that sounds fine to me. Can't wait to see your finished ring!

 

[missy]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

I know your ring is going to be gorgeous Logan Sapphire and as long as you LOVE the whole ring I say the breakdown of cost doesn't matter between the setting and the stone (especially) at that price point. If I were setting a 10K stone in 90K setting that would seem foolhardy however it comes down to a personal decision and what choice makes the individual happy so even then I would say it depends. Cannot wait for you to get the ring and share it with us.

 

[nojs]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

If you like the stone, I'd say go for it I think a nice setting makes the stone look a lot more expensive. Sometimes there is not a big difference between a 100 and a 400 dollar stone, but the setting can make a difference.

 

[chrono]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

If you love it, why not? Setting prices are so high these days that it is more common now to have the setting cost more than the stone.

 

[Acinom]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

Oh yes: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/low-cost-stones-in-high-cost-settings-poll.212074/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/low-cost-stones-in-high-cost-settings-poll.212074/[/URL]

In this case, there is no way you will find a gold setting for less than what you paid for the stone. For me it's all about the (subjective) beauty of the stone and not about the price. I have set my blue zircon in an expensive Victor Canera setting and I am thrilled with the result. No regrets.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

Oh yes: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/low-cost-stones-in-high-cost-settings-poll.212074/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/low-cost-stones-in-high-cost-settings-poll.212074/[/URL]

In this case, there is no way you will find a gold setting for less than what you paid for the stone. For me it's all about the (subjective) beauty of the stone and not about the price. I have set my blue zircon in an expensive Victor Canera setting and I am thrilled with the result. No regrets.

Good thread- thanks for posting it! And your VC ring is to die for.

I could, of course, lower the cost by going with 14kt, but I think my amethyst demands 18kt Actually, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get a quote for 14kt.

I'm excited! I purchased loose amethysts in Korea back in Oct. and had them put into martini settings for earrings, so I'm sort of on an amethyst kick lately.

 

[theredspinel]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

I completely agree with everyone in that I'd totally set a cheap stone in a much pricier setting. For me, it's not really about the cost of the stone but how much I love it. I have a really cheap amythest that gives flashes of red and blue (got in a seasonal sale price) that I'm planning to set in 18k gold and thinking about diamond sidestones.

I have an even cheaper yellow danburite (a lot smaller too) that I love for the deep almost golden colour and the fact that it's such a rare stone. Even though I paid practically pennies for it (because of its small size) I can't imagine setting it in a setting thats 'cheap' purely because it's a cheap stone...I'm thinking a pale yellow diamond halo in the future for that stone haha.

 

[dk168]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

I got told off by my mum for wasting money when I visited her recently, for spending a lot more on ring settings than the main CSs themselves.

Such as life I said, it's my hard earned money and I'll spend it the way I see fit!

It depends on the CS, of course, as some are a lot more expensive than others, depending on size, cut, colour, clarity and rarity,

I have spent more than 10x the cost of the centre stone on ring settings on the less expensive CSs I have purchased so far.

The ratio will be less when it is time for me to set the nicer stones in my collection.

DK

 

[NKOTB]

Re: Reassure me re: paying much more for setting than for st

Since amethysts aren't generally very expensive, chances are either way that you'll spend more on a setting for it, unless maybe it's in silver. Sometimes, you can get lucky finding something preloved, but even that will cost you more than 100 dollars! I'm with the others, just create something you'll enjoy wearing.