Setting Coloured Stones

[Harriet]

I''d love to have LM set my fledgling collection of coloured stones, but that''s not going to happen for a while. What are my alternatives? Widget, what''s your secret?

 

[Miranda]

Good thread Harriet. I love colored stones and would like to get a few, but, I don''t want to spend thousands setting a $100 or $200 stone. Even a good solitare can get up there in cost.

 

[Kismet]

I think (but don''t know for certain since I''ve never requested a quote) that your least expensive setting option would be a stock setting from a place like Stuller or Adwar or Leo Ingwer. This is assuming that your stone is a calibrated size or very close to a calibrated size.

I have had custom work done by Bostonian Jewelers, Michael E. and Peter Lees with prices ranging from $800 to $1200. The AGTA Spectrum Awards is a nice place to looks for jewelers who work with colored stones and for ideas of what to do with your colored stones.

 

[sundragon]

Kismet, Gees you are a fount of information. I have saved all those sites. Thanks to you. As a matter of fact I had been looking for the Shuller website (I was unsure of the spelling) because I picked out a setting from their catalogue that I am having a Heliodor put into. I am using a new stone setter and I am crossing my fingers on this one. May I ask...when you use these other sites to set stones do send them your stones or buy their stones. I get the feeling that some places are reluctant to set stones that have not been bought from them. Sundragon

 

[Kismet]

For my 3 custom pieces I had purchased the stones elsewhere and none of the jewelers batted an eye about using them. The Michael E. and Peter Lees pieces were done entirely through mail/email. The Bostonian piece was discussed in person and follow-ups through email/phone.

 

[Harriet]

Thanks, Kismet. I''ll look up all those sites.