Sapphire RHR finally coming together - setting??

[gailrmv]

hi! Some of you may have been following my story - I've been looking for a blue sapphire for a RHR for quite a few months now! I've gotten to see some very pretty stones and speak with some very nice people along the way.

Here were my parameters:
- Square cushion (first choice), or rectangular cushion or oval
- Medium blue (purplish undertones OK)
- Great cut, no window
- Under $1500
- Preferably >= 6 mm square or around 1.5 carat

I didn't think it would be that hard to find, but it has been! Most of the stones I've seen have either had windows or lots of extinction.

I'm working with a great vendor (I'll wait til the end of the process before saying who, but they've been wonderful). They sent me a 1 carat cushion, that is perhaps just a touch darker than is my ideal, has just a bit of extinction, and is a bit smaller than I was hoping for (5.5 mm). It's well within budget and overall I like the stone very much.

I plan to visit my appraiser soon, but in the meantime wanted to get your thoughts.

Should I keep a sapphire that's very good or hold out til I find one that's perfect? (What if the perfect one just does not exist in my budget?)

I hope that this will the RHR I have forEVER, so I really don't want to settle... but I also don't want to be unrealistic. I've looked pretty extensively online and in local stores, and my vendor has looked at many stones on my behalf, and this is among the best that either of us has seen in my specs.

Keep it or keep looking?

 

[gailrmv]

Part II of my question concerns settings! I will post my "inspiration ring" (the Tiff Legacy) and then the two settings I'm thinking of.

I forgot to say - I WISH I could post pics of my sapphire, but my camera is away being repaired!!!! So no pics!!!!

having trouble posting the legacy - you can check it out here:

legacy with sapphire

 

[gailrmv]

OK, I'll start with the settings I like.
#1 Vatche Grace.

Only drawbacks: It is about $500 more than I wanted to spend. The other rings are within budget. Also I could not work with my preferred vendor as they do not carry Vatche. ALSO, don't think I'll easily be able to try it on first - local vendors do not have it.

Advantages: Looks the most like the Legacy, especially the side profile (which you can't see in this pic, sorry!)

 

[gailrmv]

Here is the Ritani Endless Love for cushion/asscher.
I know it has a very different side profile from the Legacy, but I really like it too. It also sits nicely with my eternity band in case I want to wear them together. I love the sleek modern lines, and I know Ritani has a great reputation. Also, it is available in Palladium, so that's a plus. I believe it is right in budget. Tried it on and really liked it. The DH liked the modern lines and unique profile.

Drawbacks: Less like the legacy

 

[gailrmv]

And here is one of the BeverleyK rings that I like. They have several that are similar, but this is the general idea.

Pros: seems like you get a LOT for the price, with hand engraving, milgrain, etc. I like the antique style. It's different from what most people have, and unique. When I tried on two similar BeverleyK rings (this one was not available) I really liked them. I can tell the workmanship is great.

Cons: will I get tired of the antique look? My style in general is modern and simple. This is more ornate than the legacy - especially some of the side profiles. DH thinks it's too frilly (but hasn't seen it in person).


THOUGHTS? Thank you guys!

 

[gailrmv]

Oh, and I should say as of today (assuming the appraiser and DH like the stone too) I am leaning towards keeping this sapphire and setting it in the ritani endless love, assuming I can still get the setting within budget!

But... my mind changes all the time!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I have always loved the Ritani Endless Love, especially that unique profile. My vote is for that one, simply because you mentioned you were more modern and simple, as am I, and I quickly get bored of my engraved rings (wearing them everyday, I usually have to take a "break" with those), and find myself always coming back to the shiny metal 3 stones or just plain diamond pave bands that I have for my right hand.

I can''t wait to see pics of the sapphire you''ve found - it sounds lovely!

 

[gailrmv]

Thanks Lauren! You have great taste, so I really appreciate your feedback. I look forward to seeing your new RHR! love that setting that you posted the other day!

I can;t wait to take pictures too! Our camera is being repaired under warranty (hooray!) but it will take up to 3 weeks!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 8/15/2008 4:28:45 PM
Author: TanDogMom
Thanks Lauren! You have great taste, so I really appreciate your feedback. I look forward to seeing your new RHR! love that setting that you posted the other day!

I can;t wait to take pictures too! Our camera is being repaired under warranty (hooray!) but it will take up to 3 weeks!

THREE weeks? Three weeks. Can you borrow one in the meantime? /typical PSer

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Endless love is my favorate! I tried it on and loved it. Also, have you looked at the bela vita? I am hoping to set my sapphire in the next 6 mo, and I am going to look at that collection from ratini, as well as the endless love. The other thing I am looking at is something from WF if it is not too expensive. They have had some beautiful pieces from their recently, but their custom stuff can be expensive.

BTW, make sure you love your sapphire. As I am wearing mine more and seeing it in different lights, I love it more and more. It is not perfect, but a great stone for me. Make sure you feel that way about yours. The one you descirbe seems nice, I would love pics .

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 8/15/2008 8:44:56 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
Endless love is my favorate! I tried it on and loved it. Also, have you looked at the bela vita? I am hoping to set my sapphire in the next 6 mo, and I am going to look at that collection from ratini, as well as the endless love. The other thing I am looking at is something from WF if it is not too expensive. They have had some beautiful pieces from their recently, but their custom stuff can be expensive.

BTW, make sure you love your sapphire. As I am wearing mine more and seeing it in different lights, I love it more and more. It is not perfect, but a great stone for me. Make sure you feel that way about yours. The one you descirbe seems nice, I would love pics .

Hello TanDogMom!

I am happy to see that you are enjoying your quest for the perfect Sapphire RHR! How exciting!

You may find it interesting to have WF quote you on one of the settings you posted above: I have found their pricing to be extremely fair and competitive. They may have something *similar* that with minor modifications can be made up for you at reasonable cost. It's also kind of fun if you can get something made especially for you.

DITTO LtlFirecracker's notes above about loving the stone. For my own project, I kind of went through a few stones before *the one* spoke to me. And even then, I hesitated for over a month because I was second guessing myself. I had in my head, a very specific size and shape. But when *the one* was shown to me, it kind of turned my preconceptions upside down and I needed to seriously rethink what I REALLY wanted. And I haven't regretted it since.

There are lots of sapphires out there, and if you are second guessing this one, keep looking. What helped me resist buying to quickly was to imagine if the perfect one were in my hands at that very moment, what would it look like? Would I take the one that was available in that moment, or would I visualize another? Or, was I just anxious to get *something*?

Sorry to blabber on like this: it is just so exciting to see someone else going through this process! I hope you are thoroughly enjoying yourself, and that you end up with the PERFECT combination of colour/cut/shape/stone and setting.

LS

ETA: I just re-read your original post. Please bear in mind that once the stone is set, it will face up darker because much less light is coming in from the back.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 8/15/2008 8:44:56 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
Endless love is my favorate! I tried it on and loved it. Also, have you looked at the bela vita? I am hoping to set my sapphire in the next 6 mo, and I am going to look at that collection from ratini, as well as the endless love. The other thing I am looking at is something from WF if it is not too expensive. They have had some beautiful pieces from their recently, but their custom stuff can be expensive.


BTW, make sure you love your sapphire. As I am wearing mine more and seeing it in different lights, I love it more and more. It is not perfect, but a great stone for me. Make sure you feel that way about yours. The one you descirbe seems nice, I would love pics .

hi Ltlfirecracker! I am soooo happy to hear that you are falling more and more in love with your sapphire. That's exactly how I hope to feel about mine.

Thanks for another vote for the Ritani! I saw the Bella Vita online and liked it, but haven't seen it in person. That is a great idea to check with Whiteflash, since they do such great custom work (did you see the mint tourmaline legacy-style ring they did for Katebar??!!) I don't know though, I am really wary of custom - not that I doubt Whiteflash at all, but I doubt my ability to communicate my ideas and not nitpick, especially since I like several things that are ready-made... and would probably be around the same price point (basing this off the Whiteflash halo ring)... I'm excited to see your sapphire in its ultimate home!

I wish I had pics! Maybe I will get one of my friends to take some... they will think I am nuts but oh well! Horrible timing with the camera breaking.

The most important thing is loving the sapphire. This one has a lot going for it... the only drawback is the extinction and the fact that it is a little dark. It just seems to be really hard to find that perfect sapphire in my size, shape and price... I've been looking for about 4 months now? Yikes.

I am so glad you saw this thread, I was really hoping you would!

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 8/15/2008 8:55:39 PM
Author: LostSapphire

Date: 8/15/2008 8:44:56 PM

Author: LtlFirecracker

Endless love is my favorate! I tried it on and loved it. Also, have you looked at the bela vita? I am hoping to set my sapphire in the next 6 mo, and I am going to look at that collection from ratini, as well as the endless love. The other thing I am looking at is something from WF if it is not too expensive. They have had some beautiful pieces from their recently, but their custom stuff can be expensive.


BTW, make sure you love your sapphire. As I am wearing mine more and seeing it in different lights, I love it more and more. It is not perfect, but a great stone for me. Make sure you feel that way about yours. The one you descirbe seems nice, I would love pics .

Hello TanDogMom!


I am happy to see that you are enjoying your quest for the perfect Sapphire RHR! How exciting!


You may find it interesting to have WF quote you on one of the settings you posted above: I have found their pricing to be extremely fair and competitive. They may have something *similar* that with minor modifications can be made up for you at reasonable cost. It's also kind of fun if you can get something made especially for you.


DITTO LtlFirecracker's notes above about loving the stone. For my own project, I kind of went through a few stones before *the one* spoke to me. And even then, I hesitated for over a month because I was second guessing myself. I had in my head, a very specific size and shape. But when *the one* was shown to me, it kind of turned my preconceptions upside down and I needed to seriously rethink what I REALLY wanted. And I haven't regretted it since.


There are lots of sapphires out there, and if you are second guessing this one, keep looking. What helped me resist buying to quickly was to imagine if the perfect one were in my hands at that very moment, what would it look like? Would I take the one that was available in that moment, or would I visualize another? Or, was I just anxious to get *something*?


Sorry to blabber on like this: it is just so exciting to see someone else going through this process! I hope you are thoroughly enjoying yourself, and that you end up with the PERFECT combination of colour/cut/shape/stone and setting.


LS


ETA: I just re-read your original post. Please bear in mind that once the stone is set, it will face up darker because much less light is coming in from the back.

hi LostSapphire! I am SO excited to see your project come to fruition!!!

Thanks very much for your thoughtful post. I've been asking myself the very same questions - am I settling because I just want *something*? I was getting to that point a while ago, so I took a short break from the project. Luckily, I've never been in a hurry with the project, and am rather enjoying the process (it's exciting to have sparkly gems arriving at your house!) so I don't think I'm jumping just to be done. I'm trying to enjoy the process and not to stress too much, and there's no time limit since it's for myself

What I am really starting to wonder is, does the *perfect* stone exist (at least in my price point), or am I on a wild goose chase? If it's not one thing it's another. I've spent a lot of time with 6 now (and countless others seen briefly at stores). None of them was perfect. A little too light, a little small, too dark with visible inclusions. Windows, windows, windows. Too dark with extinction. And now this one. If anything, it's a hair too dark with extinction. But I think once it was in my ring, I would stop thinking about the *quest* and just enjoy it.

so is this just how it is? Does every stone have something not perfect about it? I feel like diamonds are a lot easier. When I started this project, I really was not that into the sapphire. I was all about the ring setting. I assumed it would be easy to find a pretty blue sapphire to pop into my dream setting. Now I'm all about the sapphire! I guess once you start learning, you really can't go back.

A nice thing about the Endless Love halo is that it lifts the stone up and has an open back. So, it may not darken the stone as much as a typical bezel would.

I am starting to wonder if I should contact Jeff White again. When I contacted him before, I was more focused on size (6 mm and up), so he told me it would need to be a fairly light sapphire to stay in my price. Maybe I should revisit going lighter or smaller and having Jeff cut it.

So much to think about, and sorry for rambling on and on!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Hi TanDogMom! (as a total aside, do you own a tan dog? My family has a little tan Chihuahua back home that I adore!)

Good luck with your sapphire quest! I love your potential settings - that was actually my first choice for my own sapphire RHR project (a Tiff legacy inspiration) but I found the settings to be out of my budget so another time. I am looking forward to seeing what you end up with though! (living that Legacy dream vicariously through others...

)

I''m glad LS gave you the WF suggestion already - I LOVED Katebar''s new ring (how gorgeous!), but no matter which setting you choose, I''m sure it''ll be to die for.

Unfortunately, I can''t add much in the way of constructive help on finding your perfect stone, but I wanted to stop by and say good luck!

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 8/16/2008 6:47:27 AM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
Hi TanDogMom! (as a total aside, do you own a tan dog? My family has a little tan Chihuahua back home that I adore!)


Good luck with your sapphire quest! I love your potential settings - that was actually my first choice for my own sapphire RHR project (a Tiff legacy inspiration) but I found the settings to be out of my budget so another time. I am looking forward to seeing what you end up with though! (living that Legacy dream vicariously through others...

)


I''m glad LS gave you the WF suggestion already - I LOVED Katebar''s new ring (how gorgeous!), but no matter which setting you choose, I''m sure it''ll be to die for.


Unfortunately, I can''t add much in the way of constructive help on finding your perfect stone, but I wanted to stop by and say good luck!

hi Brown.Eyed.Girl! Thanks for your post! Do you have pics of your sapphire RHR posted, or is it "in progress"? Is that your sapphire in your avatar? It looks lovely, and I''d love to see your ring.

In fact we do have two tan dogs! They are mixed breeds, medium sized, and very very sweet. They are both from the animal shelter and are great dogs.

 

[E B]

The Ritani! I love that it has an antique look, but is a modern shape. I just love it, and think it''d frame a sapphire beautifully.

 

[gailrmv]

So... new day, new lighting conditions, and I am feeling even better about this stone. It looks great indoors and out. I'm really digging the color! I want to get my appraiser's opinion on the extinction. If she thinks it's a non-issue, I am going to buy this stone!!!

I followed Lost Sapphire's very good suggestion to think, if I had my ideal stone right here, how would it compare with the one I actually do have... and to be honest... it would not be much different.

I think I'm good with the size too. While I'd love a bigger ring, the halo is going to give it a lot of impact. This is what my budget allows right now, and I may also get a biiiig ring of a less expensive gem for those times when I want something big. (Way down the road!)

So I realized, duh, I have the photo that the vendor sent me! It looks darker in this photo than in real life. What do you guys think? Do you see the extinction and do you think it's a problem?

 

[gailrmv]

trying again to post the pic. It's all the same stone, different angles. Again it looks a bit lighter in real life, the black background doesn't help it much. Do you think the extinction is a problem?

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 8/16/2008 11:37:47 AM
Author: EBree
The Ritani! I love that it has an antique look, but is a modern shape. I just love it, and think it''d frame a sapphire beautifully.

Thanks Ebree! I''m thinking Ritani too - it''s such a classic, I don''t think I could ever tire of it.

 

[vita*dolce]

the stone looks beautiful! can''t wait to see the finished product! (i don''t know if you''re still taking votes, but i''d go with the beverly k!!)

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I think that is a really pretty stone myself. The shape is nice, and the color seems really nice. So far, that is the prettiest stone I have seen you put up. I think without real pics in a normal background, I can''t say much elce about it. Why does you camera need to break when you need it most????

Some more thoughts abut the setting - ritani, open bottom, may help keep the stone from getting darker, but it is more modern than the legacy.

Bev K - pretty, but you have to like the antique look, and you probably won''t see the side of the stone. That is a feature of the legacy I fell in love with.

Princess grace. Love that ring. The only thing is that the surprize diamond seems really big to me. But I have been looking at that ring too and want to see it in person.

Keep us up to date!!!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 8/16/2008 11:36:04 AM
Author: TanDogMom

Date: 8/16/2008 6:47:27 AM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Hi TanDogMom! (as a total aside, do you own a tan dog? My family has a little tan Chihuahua back home that I adore!)



Good luck with your sapphire quest! I love your potential settings - that was actually my first choice for my own sapphire RHR project (a Tiff legacy inspiration) but I found the settings to be out of my budget so another time. I am looking forward to seeing what you end up with though! (living that Legacy dream vicariously through others...

)



I''m glad LS gave you the WF suggestion already - I LOVED Katebar''s new ring (how gorgeous!), but no matter which setting you choose, I''m sure it''ll be to die for.



Unfortunately, I can''t add much in the way of constructive help on finding your perfect stone, but I wanted to stop by and say good luck!

hi Brown.Eyed.Girl! Thanks for your post! Do you have pics of your sapphire RHR posted, or is it ''in progress''? Is that your sapphire in your avatar? It looks lovely, and I''d love to see your ring.


In fact we do have two tan dogs! They are mixed breeds, medium sized, and very very sweet. They are both from the animal shelter and are great dogs.

There''s a "Show Me Your Pets" (or something like that) thread in hangout - stop by with pics of your dogs!

And as for settings, I''m split on the Ritani or the Vatche. I love the Vatche and it seems the closest to your ideal if your ideal is the Tiff Legacy. But on the other hand, it seems like going with Ritani makes things MUCH easier in terms of price and convenience and being able to try it on. But I think either will look great with a sapphire - and that stone you showed us is lovely! A little dark in places, but the color itself is gorgeous.

(And yep! That''s the stone I''m going with in my avatar - but mine is a work in progress too - we can be sapphire RHR twins!

)