Setting Comparison Question! Same or not??

[Cinna]

Hello!

I've been talking to Brian Gavin Diamonds and Whiteflash to see my options on my setting. And I chose a top setting from each one and have been discussing with them my options on it. I've been waiting to hear back from Brian Gavin about a particular setting and I realized that their stock setting looks exactly the same as the one I had chosen from Whiteflash.

I assume that there is a good chance that the setting is the same setting from the manufacturer that they get it from, espeically due to their history together. If it is the same setting, it is about $300 less to get the same setting done by Whiteflash than Brian Gavin... What are your thoughts on the matter? I know Brian Gavin does top notch work and Whiteflash is pretty good. Is it worth the $300 more to get it done by Brian Gavin? If I knew he was personally going to set my ring, I think I would.

Or is it a different setting? What do you think/know about it?

White Flash:

 

[Cinna]

BRIAN GAVIN: (linked since I can't seem to resize it on this computer)




Brian Gavin's Setting

 

[bgray]

the prongs on the brian gavin setting are more rounded and the spaces under the bridge to the head look a little longer. I dont think its the exact same. I could be wrong. (i think the BGD setting looks better finished....)

 

[Cinna]

I think so as well, but then again they are computerized pictures which could definintely have minute differences. I am still waiting to hear back from Brian Gavin on if they are able to place my diamond in their setting.

But I've been researching on if platinum or 18k wg and since I have nickel allergies I would like the platinum... If I go with Whiteflash, I could def afford it without going through too much trouble and would be even more okay with it if they turned out to be the same setting anyway. I believe BrownEyedGirl got this setting from Brian Gavin for her mother and in her pictures it looked absolutely stunning. I'm hoping it'll look as stunning on my EC.

 

[bgray]

both companies do solid high quality work. If possible I would do platinum. It really has no comparison.

 

[yssie]

Ditto - a couple of small differences which I honestly don't think would be appreciable IRL.



I think the BGD may have a slightly rounded shank, the WF is definitely flat. BGD's diamond sits a bit lower, but the diamond could be a bit bigger too, which helps with that impression. The WF prongs may be a little smaller, but I've noticed that wg prongs are generally a little thinner than plat - the vendors could be using models of different metals.



WRT setting itself - pretty sure brian gavin isn't doing the setting himself

. They both have very good benches, so I don't think quality control - or fixing problems - is an issue with either vendor.

 

[Cinna]

Hmm, I''ll have to look into more of the policies that Whiteflash have but they are definitely a contender now due to the price, waiting for another call back from the contact there I have been corresponding with for a week now.

 

[Dreamer_D]

That style is pretty common, I suspect many vendors have a version -- basket head, cathedral, bead set shank. The two you posted do not look identical to me. If I had to guess I would guess that the WF one is a stock casting and the BGD one is "custom" or made in house, it just has that look to it, and that would explain the price difference.

FWIW, since you have an EC, if it is a stock piece from either vendor they may need to cast it themselves anyway if the setting does not come with a head for an EC, thus increasing the price. Something to bear in mind.

 

[Cinna]

I am extremely unfamiliar with settings no matter how I try and research them... so with stock casting and such I am still unsure about what that pertains. It's when they already have a mold for the ring and work from that?

I've given both of them my budget and Brian Gavin thinks it's definitely possible that my measurements would fit in his beadset ring but needed to double heck on the gap, and Whiteflash had mentioned that they would be able to use a different head or the same one if needed be so I was thinking it was a peg head setting initially somewhere in the earlier stages?

I haven't seen too many irl pictures of the Whiteflash one to compare. I'm just worried about how to implement a wedding band. I think I'll just have to wear it on my right hand since Brian told me it wouldn't sit flush especially with an EC and that would cost extra to have it made that way.

 

[Dreamer_D]

When we refer to a stock setting it means that there is a casting company who will produce the casting of the ring and give it a rough finish, and then the jeweler will set the stone and give it the final finish and polish. This is a much less expensive way to get settings because the casting companies produce them in volume. This is in contrast to a setting that is made in house, where the jeweler will cast the setting themselves from a mold they created. Higher cost for those settings generally. So I am suggesting that it is possible the price difference is due to one being a stock setting from a casting company and the other being made in house, but maybe not. Hard to say from photos. You can always ask the jewelers if it matters to you.

I do know in either case that the finished product will be very well done, but check out the finer details if you can, since there may be subtle differences between the settings . Maybe you can see some more photos of the settings if you ask the vendors?