setting advice

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Well I feel like I am posting too many new threads on this forumn recently, but here I go again. My girlfriend said that she just wants a normal style ring, nothing fancy, just average in appearance, average height, all of that. So I am assuming that the classic four prong from JA with a platinum head should work just fine, four prongs are more popular than six in Japan as well.

But after seeing the legato sleek (which is out of my price range) i was considering looking around and seeing what other options are available. Any great options in the sub 500 dollar range that I should consider? Also, since I will be getting the platinum head added I imagine there is a good variety of prong styles, any ideas on that?

 

[JulieN]

can you downgrade your diamond to get a setting that's better than average?

There are differences between /average/ and something more along the lines of "often imitated, never duplicated."

 

[Stone Hunter]

No he needs to keep the diamond ''cause his other threads talked about how important color and clarity are in Japan.

If she really wants a plain setting that''s what I''d go for. The diamond may be more important than the setting for her. It was for me.

HTH

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Yea, thanks for your replys guys. I have decided to just stick with the reliable classic solitaire, probably the thinner one, 2.2 mm. Now my question is just whether to spring for the platinum or not. I do plan to upgrade to a 3 stone one day, but that will be six or ten years from now before I get that one complete (I will have to buy a matching side stone for this one before I go for the big center), and knowing how plans go it could end up being longer. So I am thinking the platinum would be nice! but I don''t know...200 bucks more (but no longer the need to pay for re-plating it) anyway, once they answer my questions about what composites their gold and platinum are made of then maybe I can make that decision! give some advice if you want!

 

[whatmeworry]

Japanese fiance? Stick with platinum.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

The worst part is I asked her a long time ago, and she said white gold. HOWEVER that was before I knew ANYTHING about jewelry. I don't even think I said platinum, but if I did say platinum then I have the answer, but at the time I didn't have any idea what platinum was, lol...and she said a few months ago she wouldn't talk about it at all anymore.

My own fears are that the platinum will look scratched and dull and it will be hard to buff off, but if it can be maintained to look beautiful and shiny with less maintenance than the gold I would probably do it. At the same time, I don't want her ring turning yellow. Knowing her she will probably be too busy to go fix it (she is generally on the bus to go to work at 830 and getting home off the bus at 1030-1100

) so I am trying to keep it as low maintenance as possible for her and still keep it as beautiful as possible. Once I find the composite of the platinum it should be an easier decision (or if the wg has nickel in it, which I'm sure it won't). However, if anybody has any clear information to give on maintanance of gold verses platinum and, cost and reasonable expectations of keeping it looking as close as possible to brand spanking new, let me know!

Also, if you know about Japanese--my gf's Japanese ring size is 11. I asked her if that is 11-12 (since Japan doesn't do partial sizes) or 10-11, she hesitated for a second and said 10-11. which I understand to generally translate into 5.75 us ring size...but I am a bit nervous as I am not sure about ring sizes and fitting--you think i should do the 5.75 or do the 6?

 

[gladyskristen]

I say do the US 5.75, or mayb even US 5.5. I wear a Jap size 8.5 for 3.5mm bands, but when it comes to thinner bands (2.5 - 2mm), I wear as small as Jap 7.5 or even 7. I bought my w-band in platinum in a Jap size 8, and the gold smith was able to size it up to 8.5 with just a few knocks on this metal rod thingie.

 

[rainydaze]

after 5 years my platinum solitaire and 3mm platinum band were pretty dull. i took them to my jeweler and for free (some charge, ~$25 USD) they polished up. it took about 15 minutes, they did it while i waited. the result was UNBELIEVABLE. so shiny and smooth and beautiful. it''s been about 2-3 months and they are beginning to lose the perfect lustre, but are still plenty shiny and pretty. personally i would much prefer to polish every couple of years than to replate. and i prefer the ''patina'' effect as they call it of platinum to the yellowing effect of wg.

check out this thread discussing well-worn platinum with pics
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-well-worn-platinum.63538/

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Hey, well I am not sure I am a big fan of the worn platinum look myself. I am thinking that the best route to go might be to get the white gold and then buy the wedding bands from a local jeweler. That way he will be there to take care of the bands and the engagement ring, hopefully for free, and regardless of platinum or white gold! I am sure if i ask I can find someone willing to do so, and just make it part of the band purchase. However I would like to hear from PSers on how the James Allen white gold holds up, specifically, I am just not sure if it violates rules to specifically limit the focus to James Allen! off to the PS rule book!

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Date: 6/17/2007 4:05:05 AM
Author: gladyskristen
I say do the US 5.75, or mayb even US 5.5. I wear a Jap size 8.5 for 3.5mm bands, but when it comes to thinner bands (2.5 - 2mm), I wear as small as Jap 7.5 or even 7. I bought my w-band in platinum in a Jap size 8, and the gold smith was able to size it up to 8.5 with just a few knocks on this metal rod thingie.

Thank you for the size advice. I will probably go for the 5.75 then, however, if it was too large how do they go about resizing for a smaller size with the white gold? From what you are saying here It might be more logical to go smaller as it is probably easier to resize up a little bit than down? or, would still still be able to wear a 5.75 if she was a 5.5? I don''t want it slipping off her finger on the beach! I guess I should have stolen one of her rings last march....

 

[gladyskristen]

My jeweler got it sized half a jap size up with no problem at all. I personally don''t like rings to be resized with WG, cos the WG part will yellow after some time, spoiling the platinum look. I think since your band is so narrow, she might just be able to wear a 5.5.

Does she usually wear skinny bands or thicker bands? If she wears thicker bands, it''s likely that she got her size from those, and a skinny band will need to be a smaller size.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

On reading your comments I went back to do some research. It seems as though I got some missinformation somewhere along the lines. Apparently a Japanese size 12 is actually a US 6, and a Japanese 11 is US 5.75, which means you are def right! I guess I will get the 5.5. As to the width of the ring she wears. I think hers are pretty thin, but as of last march I didn''t know ANYTHING about rings. And she didn''t know her ring size when I asked, so she tried on her mom''s ring to determine her own ring size. I guess I will have to browse some pictures and see if I can guess as to the width of the ring she used, but I think you are right, 5.5 is probably the way to go. Thanks for your comments! Now I still have to decide about the patina and money in a platinum band...

 

[gladyskristen]

Perhaps it will be good if you can actually go to a local jeweler who can show you how unplated white gold looks like. I had a hard time deciding too, but after seeing some unplated WG, I decided tt the colour of unplated white gold is not as yellow as I thought it will be, and even after the rhodium plating wears off a little, it won't bother me much.

In most parts of asia, jewelers are more familiar working with 18k white gold, so if the slight tinge of yellow doesn't bother you to death and ur FF has no nickel allergy, I think WG will do the job for you. And let's not forget the fact that it can easily be replated.