Sapphire Ering Upgrade-HELP:-)

[Bella_mezzo]

Long time no see

I have been hanging out mostly in the PS Cafe/Family threads for the past few years, having kids and juggling being a busy mom with a busy career as well, but finally have a fun new project.

DH has agreed to an upgrade of my ering (yay!) so now I am trying to make the most of our limited budget (and figure out what the budget should be ). He's pretty emotionally connected to my ering and this will likely be my only upgrade as it took many conversations to get to this point. Plus, I have learned that I am pretty much a one and only ring kind of girl, so I want to get this right. I have a five stone that I wear as well but that's it.

DH got exactly what I love when he picked out my ring, but due to very limited budget and shopping at The N@tur@l S@pphire Company he may have paid a premium for what he got. The ring is lovely, and I like it very much and love what it represents, but aesthetically I would like to tweak some things.

My goal is an emerald cut sapphire that is glowy and lively and blue, blue, blue set in a fluid three stone setting (think liquid metal with well proportioned G/VS or better step cut diamond side stones and perfect claw prongs.

I have inquiries in with Jeff White and several other sapphire vendors and think I have some good contenders. I am exploring several options and will check-in later re the final picks once I narrow it down and finalize our budget.

But in the meantime, as I try to figure out the budget we have and the best way to maximize value for this project I am having some sticker shock looking at settings online. It seems like they have dramatically gone up in the past few years?

The settings I love are all classic, gorgeous Leon settings, but I need to find a similar aesthetic at a lower price point.

I found this http://www.uniquesettings.com/products/show/20928 which looks promising, but would love to hear if there are sources for other settings that might fit the bill and be reasonably priced.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Oops! Sorry the pics are so big, clearly I am out of practice posting here

 

[Niel]

Your pics are a great size on my mobile lol.

As for a setting like you described on a budgi, I couldn't recommend David klass more. He did a Leon mege style ring for me, now rizcos....

I got my own side stones which I think saved a bit on the setting, but I dont know as I didn't have him quote me the setting with stones.

Funding your own sides can be a crap shoot though, and I know he's gotten sides for people here

If youre particular about your setting, like I was, if takes a lot of cads before you get it exact.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Amazing! Thanks Niel, I am off to look at his work

 

[chrono]

Brilliantly Engaged has an eye for ECs and do reasonably priced setting work, so I would like to recommend them in addition to David Klass. BE was formally known as ERD.

 

[Niel]

Brilliantly Engaged has an eye for ECs and do reasonably priced setting work, so I would like to recommend them in addition to David Klass. BE was formally known as ERD.

Yes they do marvelous work. I would note, sense its a question about budget, that I quoted them the same setting as the above done by David klass and it was 3x the quote I got from DK

 

[chrono]

Even for cast/CAD work? Patience is also strongly required when working with David so it's not for people under a tight timeline. Otherwise, DK does well priced work!

 

[Acinom]

I find the quality of David'd work really good, his prices are very reasonable, his customer service perfect and his turnaround time amazingly quick.
He s quite the PS darling at this moment however and I notice that people have to wait long before they receive a reply to emails. He usually replies within just a few hours (we are in different time zones).

 

[Niel]

Even for cast/CAD work? Patience is also strongly required when working with David so it's not for people under a tight timeline. Otherwise, DK does well priced work!

Yes for his cad/cast work. And sans any stones.

I found trying to contact them annoying as I emailed them, got no response, called them and they said send another email- sent them an extremely detailed email of what I was looking for, and they asked me "why I'm not just buying a stock setting"

As for patience, I think he produces things relatively fast, compared to other people however, I agree you need to know exactly what you want, how to read cads, and expect a few rounds of cads-which can take time.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Thanks so much ladies! I emailed David and am waiting to hear back.

I have plenty of time, so that's not an issue for this project. My priorities are quality (namely proportion, fluidity, claw prongs), budget, helpful customer service, timeline in that order, with timeline being a very distant forth.

My husband is SUPER attached to my ring, especially the sapphire. I would love to reset the existing sapphire at some point, maybe now maybe later, so am going to piggyback on this thread to ask your advice for that too

The sapphire is about 1 ct radiant cut dark blue sapphire. This is the vendor pick, but honestly I am not sure it has ever looked this good It looks its best in the subway and outside in full sun. Inside it is quite navy blue.

I have a diamond pendant and earrings that I wear pretty much 24/7, so would likely reset in another ring.

Any setting ideas to help get more light through the stone?

I would love a deco halo something like this, but am worried that a bezel or halo would further darken it?

Apologies in advance as I have these pics saved but have no idea whose they are...

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Here are some RL pics of my current ring--the top one is what it like most of the time indoors. In looking at these pics and the ring more, I think the diamonds (which are pretty dark and lifeless) are a big part of the problem.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

It is a pretty stone in many lights, but has a half and half zoning thing that can drive me crazy. If there is a way to minimize that as well that would be fab!

 

[Niel]

How about setting it e/w in a semi bezel, with or sans pave

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Thanks Niel, I think E-W could be a great option!

So I was looking at Brilliantly Engaged....they have this three stone with trap sides. I like it, but it's not quite what I want, but I can't explain why.

1. Can you help me describe what is different between this and Leon and David settings which I love?

2. Is it possible for a good bench to adjust things like this on a stock setting?

 

[Niel]

I think it's the curves that you like, curves to the shank, a rounded band, delicate prongs. I think it's a mater of making things more curvy to get that liquid fluid look you're after.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

We are going to leave my ering as is as DH is very attached to it.

But, the wheels are in motion for my new ring...

Jeff has a lovely piece of rough on hold for me to create a chubby 1.25 l/w emerald cut. I am hoping it will veer more towards an old fashioned cut and am going to talk to him about that, but obviously don't want to get in the way of what he does best.

I may have to get the sapphire and then wait a bit until setting so that I can save up the funds (I am still waiting on the quote from David), but I think I have settled on a setting I would use step cut traps though, and my stone will be a little more rectangular than square.

I am going to play around with it a bit as I may want a fleur de lys detail (like the Sophie solitaire) under the center stone basket and some kind of engraving on the sides of the bezels, or perhaps I will try to have it stick with the fluid, curved liquid metal look that I love so much...opinions...?

 

[chrono]

If you plan to bezel the stone, make sure it is medium in tone. Anything medium dark risks going into dark territory once enclosed.

 

[Niel]

id suggest if you do the bezels just to bezel the sides.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Yes and yes Great minds think alike. Here is a pic indoors and oudoors (he would be recutting into an old fashioned-esqe emerald) and said it will likely be a little lighter when cut and that the violet color indoors is not quite as pronounced in person.

 

[Niel]

Yes and yes Great minds think alike. Here is a pic indoors and oudoors (he would be recutting into an old fashioned-esqe emerald) and said it will likely be a little lighter when cut and that the violet color indoors is not quite as pronounced in person.

How do you feel? It seems to have some grey in person.