Replica antiqu setting

[NY SPARKLE]

These are pictures of the setting that is being made for our engagement ring.

 

[NY SPARKLE]

This another view.

 

[NY SPARKLE]

The prongs are being made differently, so they don't look so thick, but more antique.

 

[Mara]

Hey did you get that on antiquenegagementring.com or a similar site? I think we were considering that same setting. Very pretty! I too like the idea of smaller prongs. Did you consider a small elegant claw shaped 8 prong setting to replace the boxy head? Could be pretty!

 

[Hest88]

Very pretty. I think I've seen that setting and I really liked it when I saw it. Good choice!

 

[glitterata]

I have that setting! Antiqueengagementrings.com, right? (Actually, mine's the slightly bigger version, for a 1.5 ct stone rather than a 1ct, so it's a bit more detailed.)

It's lovely in person. Very dainty. He snips the wide prongs in half before setting the stone, so it comes out as a double-claw look. It looks especially good with antique cuts.

When I was picking out my setting (I went in person and spent a long time trying on everything), he showed me a gorgeous ring with a 2 or 3 carat light yellow cushion-shaped old mine cut in that setting. Yum!

 

[dancingmelimel]

So, Kellbee, Glitterata, you've both worked with Antiqueengagementrings.com and had good experiences with them? Can they customize their settings somewhat, and if so, are they still reasonably priced? Do you like the look of one of their settings with a modern round brilliant stone?

This site is my most promising lead right now, but they're out til July 14th, and I can't wait to ask questions!

-Melissa

 

[glitterata]

I had a very good experience. Leigh was patient & accommodating. I don't know how much he customizes (or charges for customizing), since it didn't come up with me, but I'm sure if you ask him he'll give you a straight answer.

Have you seen the settings in person? They're extremely delicate, so if you're used to chunky modern rings you might find them disturbingly light. And they're casts of antiques, so the patterns aren't as crisp as they would be on hand-engraved originals. If you look, I'm sure you can find higher quality--but if you do, you'll pay much, much more for it. Leigh's prices are extremely reasonable.

I have to say, though, I liked the larger version of the setting you're considering better than the smaller version. In the larger version, the two little dots in shoulders next to the gallery (visible in the side view) are actually empty circles, which looks more graceful to me.

I don't know how the settings would look with modern stones, since I was resetting an heirloom Old European Cut. But lots of modern couples choose vintage style settings these days, so I'm sure it won't look all that odd. And I bet 999 out of 1000 people you meet wouldn't see a difference between an OEC and a modern brilliant anyway.

 

[dancingmelimel]

Thanks Glitterata! I quite often find that even modern "Antique-Style" settings are too chunky for me. The daintiness of these settings is one of the things I love about them.

Does the lack of crispness in the engraving bother you?

I actually can't find a 1 carat version of this setting on their site. Hmph.

Kellbee, hopefully you're still around. Are they customizing anything for you? And what size stone are you having set? Mine will actually be a 6mm, but I understand a 1ct setting should work for me, and anyway would like a setting that will accommodate an upgrade to a 1ct later.

Glitterata, what style of wedding band do you wear with your ering? Does it sit flush, and if not, does it bother you?

, Melissa

 

[glitterata]

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On 7/10/2003 3:26

4 PM dancingmelimel wrote:

Does the lack of crispness in the engraving bother you?...

I actually can't find a 1 carat version of this setting on their site. Hmph....

Glitterata, what style of wedding band do you wear with your ering? Does it sit flush, and if not, does it bother you?

, Melissa
----------------

Melissa,

The lack of crispness only bothers me when I'm inspecting the setting obsessively through a loupe, and then only very slightly. With naked eyes (or, in my case, eyeglasses), it looks lovely.

I believe Leigh may not have put all his settings on his website. It's worth asking him when he gets back from vacation. Are you anywhere near NYC? I'm glad I went to see the settings in person. I was having trouble deciding from the website, but once I saw them I knew immediately which I liked best. (Of course, I still had to try them all on.)

Actually, this ring isn't my ering-- it's my grandmother's, or rather, the diamond from it. She had it reset for me in a necklace when I graduated from college. (Before that it spent many years as a pinky ring on my grandfather's finger.) But I don't really wear necklaces, so after I got married, I had it reset. I chose a setting from the period when Grandma got engaged--I wish I had her original setting, but it's long gone. (Nobody in my family even remembers what it looked like.)

Sometimes I wear the diamond ring with my own wedding band, which is plain beveled platinum, 3mm wide, but it looks a little too thick and modern next to the old style setting. Sometimes I wear the diamond ring on my right hand with Grandma's wedding band, a more delicate, 2mm engraved platinum band with a couple of tiny diamonds in it--they go together very well. Which is one of the reasons I chose that particular setting in the first place. And sometimes I wear it on its own. I think it looks happiest with Grandma's wedding band.

No, it doesn't sit completely flush with a straight band, but I actually like that. It's still pretty close to flush, and it looks much more authentic this way. Back in the 1920s they didn't make rings fit together like puzzle pieces. I find today's obsession with flushness kind of silly. If I wanted my rings to look like one ring, I'd go ahead and wear just one ring. To me, the symbol of the marriage is the wedding band; I want it to stand up proud and tall on its own. (That's how I see it, anyway. No offence meant to all you flush-ringed ladies.)

 

[glitterata]

Hey, Melissa, I just realized it's Kellbee who's considering the small version of my setting, not you. Well, anyway, he has lots of nice stuff and he seems like a sweetheart & a man of honor. I'm sure you'll be happy if you decide to buy from him--I was.

 

[dancingmelimel]

I am also considering the smaller version of the setting......although you never know!

I love your description of your grandmother's diamond ring with her wedding band. Actually, the band sounds very much like what I'd like, and I don't think a little space will bother me, (having seen a very thin non-flush wedding band on my own grandmother's hand

). I do worry about a big space however.

Unfortunately I'm in Los Angeles, not NY, but I may be there in mid-August. I don't think I can stand the suspense til then, however, so perhaps I'll have to purchase several of them and have them shipped to me so I can choose, then return them all and have my diamond set in one of them. (My poor credit card! Think I'll earn a frequent flyer ticket in time for the trip to NY?

)

-Melissa

 

[NY SPARKLE]

Hi,
I am having the setting custom made by a jeweler in ny. I am altering some parts of this setting to my taste, but I loved the daintiness and classy look of this setting. The diamond being put in the setting is a modern 1.2 f vs1 and side diamonds to match. The jeweler suggested that the underside of the ring be 2mm instead of the 1mm as shown. I agreed because I don't want to risk cracking it yrs. down the road. I have seen the model of the ring and I am more than happy with the detail work and daintiness. I would recommend having the setting custom made. It is a worthwhile experience and it didn't cost as much as I thought.

 

[dancingmelimel]

Kellbee,

Thanks for the info! Would you mind sharing the actual cost of having the setting made? Are you having it made in platinum? Did you ever ask Antiqueengagementrings.com whether they could customize it for you? (Sorry so many questions!)

-Melissa

 

[NY SPARKLE]

Hi,
I never called or inquired from antiqueengagementrings.com. I figured going that route would have cost more. I knew I wanted to have the prongs changed to a more delicate looking 8 prong and a bit more detail. The jeweler I worked with is someone who my family as well as myself have used many times before. I decided to go custom with him because he had made me a custom ring last year and I had seen his other custom work. He told me he would give me a great price because he knows my family. He charged me $1000 for the platinum setting.

 

[dancingmelimel]

Would he give me a great price because I "know" you?

Can you put me in touch with him so I could find out what price he'd charge me? Ooooh, and how long did it take to get it?

-Melissa

 

[glitterata]

Melissa,

In case you want to see how flush the setting sits, here's a picture of the ring with my grandmother's wedding band. Next, I'll try to post one with my own wedding band.

 

[glitterata]

Here it is with my wedding ring.

 

[Hest88]

Glitterata, that's gorgeous!!!!

 

[dancingmelimel]

Glitterata,

That's lovely! Thank you for posting pics! (So much more fun!) Do you know the color of your grandmother's stone? (I'm wondering how much lower in color I'd be happy going in order to get a larger, possibly older cut stone. I'm already at an I in an ACA H&A. My husband and I really love this stone, so I don't know if I'll want to switch, but I like to know my options!) You're grandmother's stone actually looks on the whiter side of older cut stones.

I love when everyone's on at the same time....Responses come so quickly!

-Melissa

 

[dancingmelimel]

You have nice fingers too, btw!

 

[NY SPARKLE]

Hi again,

The ring is still in the process of being made---almost done--just some fine tuning. Then there is still the proposal that I have to get through.

I had the basket slightly redone so a wedding band would fit a bit closer(i know my gf would want it that way). My jeweler is in the process of opening his new store, so when it is opened I will give you the info. It should be open within the next 3 weeks. Right now he is working with me privately.

 

[glitterata]

Believe it or not, it's a K/L. Its specs are: 1.65 ct (but it looks smaller--more like 1.5--since OECs are cut deep), SI2 with the inclusion hidden away beneath a prong. I kind of regret hiding the inclusion, a reddish crescent moon cloud. I miss looking for it.

Sometimes the stone really does look as white as it does in these pictures, but sometimes it looks a lot yellower, especially next to my F/G. (The split grades are because I had the stones appraised while they were in settings.) When I haven't worn the K/L for a while I think of it as yellow, but then when I get it out again I'm surprised at how white it is.

It's also much fierier than the pictures show. More colored flashes than the F/G, which is a newer cut (a transition cut).

 

[dancingmelimel]

Thanks Kellbee......And good luck with the proposal! I'm an old married lady, so I forget sometimes about the circumstances surrounding these rings for most people on this forum.

-Melissa

 

[dancingmelimel]

Hmmmm, K/L huh.....I think I need to go try on some older, yellower stones to see how I like them on Me.

(I'm a pale redhead with kinda pink skin.) I know they can be quite beautiful on other people. Hmmmmm.......

-Melissa

 

[glitterata]

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On 7/11/2003 11:50:48 AM dancingmelimel wrote:

You have nice fingers too, btw!

----------------

Aw, thanks. I'm a little teapot (short and stout) & always gaze with admiration at the long, slender-fingered damsels whose imaged hands grace these pages, so the compliment cheers me.

 

[glitterata]

...actually, I guess I'm gazing at the imaged hands of the slender-fingered damsels, not the damsels themselves.

Yes, Kelbee, good luck with the proposal, and best wishes for many diamond-spangled years of happiness to follow!

 

[glitterata]

...or do I mean many years of diamond-spangled happiness?

 

[glitterata]

I thought you might want to compare colors, so here's a picture of both my rings--F/G (in the deco setting, on the left) and K/L (on the right). Sorry the 2nd one's so blurry.

 

[Mara]

glitter those rings are beautiful! Is the more delicate one on the right from antiqueengagementrings.com? I considered that setting, but it looks so much more beefy online!

btw the price on the antiqueengagementring.com site is something like $600 for the setting that was originally the topic of discussion, don't recall if its plat or white gold, but that should help when you compare the $1000 setting custom made against the ready-made one. I would also call to see if you can have the prongs modified if you are interested. Doesn't hurt to ask!