Setting a 3 carat cushion

[Zooey Z]

Hello All! Long-time lurky-loo here who has been diligently reading and learning from all you wonderful posters. I’m ready to ask for some opinions. My future fiancé is putting together an engagement ring for me. I have given him my diamond specs wishlist and two ideas for settings. He is totally open to all my wishes and welcomes my very specific requests because I will not lay eyes on any part of this ring until he puts it on my finger. So, I do know that I will be getting somewhere in the neighborhood of a 3 carat cushion and that it will be in a platinum setting with split/claw prongs

Setting idea #1:
Super thin band with single cut melee set east-west a la tiger007g - see link https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/leon-mege-and-antique-cushion.42904/=

Setting idea #2:
Plain platinum cathedral setting, Harry Winston-like- again super thin band - how thin can I go? (ring size 4)

One major question I have is, if I choose to go with the plain cathedral setting, I’m not sure that I would it set east-west. I love this look with pave, as it gives a very vintage feel, but am not sure it reads as well in a more modern setting. What do you think? If it’s not great, then I may be better off requesting a more square cushion. I have tons more questions but will not hog too much time on my first post. Thank you in advance for any replies.

Z.Z.

 

[Gypsy]

I love the east west thing like the Leon ring... so stunning. I don''t really think they looks best set ''the right'' way... so I''d either do the east west Leon or get a squarer cushion for the catherdral if you can''t east west.

 

[Snooper]

I like the particular link you submitted above and really like that look for cushions. Are you going to work with Leon specifically or are you looking for different styles for your cushion? If you''re choosing Leon, I''d ask for his honest opinion. He''s a joy to work with, and I am working with him long distance (ring will be here next week).

 

[Zooey Z]

Yeah, that is a great Leon ring! My boyfriend has kind of said he''s not crazy about pave, so I''m trying to not get too set on that idea. If he does go for it, I don''t know who he will have make it. He is doing the whole thing through a family friend who is in the business - we are in NYC, so you never know, it could be Leon after all.

Can anyone comment on the band thickness question? What is the absolute minimum I can get away with on either the pave or the plain platinum band?

Again, thank you for reading and commenting.

Z.Z.

 

[Mara]

I will be the voice of dissention and say that I'm not a huge fan of the E/W setting with the cushion. I think that it looks kind of like someone accidentally set it the wrong way. I'm a cushion traditionalist I guess. That said, if you love E/W then it doesn't really matter....but on the band thing, I also have to throw in a vote for a thicker band/substantial setting. Some of this super thin melee pave stuff is beautiful to look at but think about it on a daily wear basis. A 3c cushion could be kind of a biggie, I'd just make sure it's protected and you also won't get the 'fall over' thing from a too thin band and a heavy stone. I love a thin pave band with a big stone as much as the next diamond obsessed PS'er but I always try to think about daily long-term wear and I would put a little thicker band on a cushion like that, not just the 'minimum' that someone tells you. I would say 2.5mm at LEAST with really secure pave and enough metal to ensure they are in there for good.

Just my two cents!!

 

[KristyDarling]

A 3-carat cushion would be stunning on a simple pave band. A plain cathedral setting would be nice too but the bigger facets on a cushion give it a more vintage feel and so it seems it would look better in a more antique-y looking ring. Just my opinion. I have to agree with Mara that although the E-W look is novel and interesting, my eye prefers the aesthetics of the traditional N-S direction.

Are you planning to wear this ring daily? If so, I agree with Mara that a slightly thicker shank (2.5mm....still VERY dainty) would be more secure.

 

[mrssalvo]

I love tiger's setting and think pave with a cushion is yummy. I agree that for an e-ring I prefer the N/S over the E/W as well.

 

[Zooey Z]

"I would say 2.5mm at LEAST with really secure pave and enough metal to ensure they are in there for good"

Oh my...this a is good 7mm more than what I''d had in mind! I have to admit, I have read a lot of discussions about safety of pave in relation to band width but have been of the opinion, as related to my own life, that it wouldn''t be the worst thing in the world to replace a stone here and there once in a while. Because I work exclusively with my hands/fingers, I will not be wearing any kind of ring for work - I know, so sad! So my ring time will be pretty much for leisure and socializing. So now can I have a thin band?

What about for a non pave band? And what''s the "fallover thing"?

I did discuss with my boyfriend last night the two setting choices. Again, he''s not fully on board with this whole pave thing anyway, so this could potentially be a moot point. I suggested he let the diamond selection guide the setting choice, i.e., that if the better diamond is available is a more square shape, we go simple platinum. If it is slightly elongated, we go pave. Please forgive my coming fit of insecurity/anxiety, but a couple of you, whose taste and knowledge I admire, have expressed less enthusiasm for the east west thing. My thinking is that it has more "flavor", that it''s a little more unique. I''m slightly quirky and non-traditional, so I thought this would suit me. But I don''t want my ring to look fadd-ish or foolish either. Now I''m confused

Z.Z.

 

[KristyDarling]

Zooey -- have you gone ring-shopping yet? Of course the best advice is to try on as many cushion styles/settings as you can. PS opinions are interesting and all but you''ll be the one to wear and it and love it every day.

Sure, if you don''t bang your hands hard and you''re not gonna wear the ring on a daily basis then pave could be perfectly fine! And the e-w vs. n-s decision is so personal...best to just see it in person on your hand to make sure it''s what you want. Either way, you can''t lose. Cushions are yummy no matter what!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 5/21/2006 9:07:11 AM
Author: Zooey Z
''I would say 2.5mm at LEAST with really secure pave and enough metal to ensure they are in there for good''


Oh my...this a is good 7mm more than what I''d had in mind! I have to admit, I have read a lot of discussions about safety of pave in relation to band width but have been of the opinion, as related to my own life, that it wouldn''t be the worst thing in the world to replace a stone here and there once in a while. Because I work exclusively with my hands/fingers, I will not be wearing any kind of ring for work - I know, so sad! So my ring time will be pretty much for leisure and socializing. So now can I have a thin band?

What about for a non pave band? And what''s the ''fallover thing''?


I did discuss with my boyfriend last night the two setting choices. Again, he''s not fully on board with this whole pave thing anyway, so this could potentially be a moot point. I suggested he let the diamond selection guide the setting choice, i.e., that if the better diamond is available is a more square shape, we go simple platinum. If it is slightly elongated, we go pave. Please forgive my coming fit of insecurity/anxiety, but a couple of you, whose taste and knowledge I admire, have expressed less enthusiasm for the east west thing. My thinking is that it has more ''flavor'', that it''s a little more unique. I''m slightly quirky and non-traditional, so I thought this would suit me. But I don''t want my ring to look fadd-ish or foolish either. Now I''m confused

Z.Z.

I have a daniel K cushion/split crown setting that I am considering for my upgrade. the band is probably about 2mm and pave. I love it. I have read up on all the potential problems and am willing to take the risk and baby the ring a bit if needed. also, handmade rings which will cost more do a better job of keeping the stones in than cast rings which can have porosity issues. Seriously though, 2mm is sooooooo thin, I really wouldn''t want to go any thinner than that. Go try on some different styles if you haven''t, many times what we see on here look completely different on our hands.

 

[Mara]

zooey you can do whatever you want

....but i speak from visual experience on these forums, 3+ years of it. 2mm is VERY THIN and some vendors don't even like to work that thin when working with pave. then plunk a 3c rock on it, and i think you could be asking for trouble. honestly 2.5mm is NOT that thick at all, but i would talk to some vendors re: what they think. i just have seen people on here who wanted 2mm who got 2mm who had trouble with their pave and it's so frustrating to me to see these questions time and time again with people asking how low or thin can i go and knowing what the potential for issues are.

i love thin bands very much but honestly i am really happy that i have some substantial width going on with my rings. sometimes it's too much metal but others i am really happy i have it!! just think about it this way, how much do you want to be able to wear your ring? sure you won't wear it to work but i would hate to baby a ring, what a drag!! i just don't think that's a realistic long-term solution for getting a thinner band. but that's just my thoughts and i say this all the time in threads like this. in the end obviously you can do whatever you want, but you asked for the advice and my thoughts are having seen a bunch of rings on here for years, i would go 2.5mm with a 3c rock and pave. if you absolutely must play with fire get 2.3mm.

also, i don't really love the look of a super super super ginormous rock on a 2mm band. i think it looks better with another w-ring the same mm or something to kind of beef up that band. lastly i totally notice that my new rock in my 2.8mm ring tends to get a little top heavy sometimes and i can't imagine how floppy it'd be if it was suspended on a 2.3 or 2mm band. as for the E/W thing, if you love it do it. but i do think that it's a little more unique and could be trendy, i am a total traditionalist when it comes to some things, though i do love an E/W marquis but i don't really like them N/S. but it's your ring, get what YOU love. people are just throwing out ideas and suggestions. good luck!

oh and for comparison, my toe rings are 2mm! these things are so thing! i stare at them sometimes and am amazed that people expect something that small to carry around a precious huge stone. but i guess it happens.