setting success stories (photo thread)

[ma re]

Would anyone like to show examples of how they managed to make a stone appear much better by a great setting choice? You know, the times when you have a nice (not necessarily amazing) stone that you like, but just find yourself speachless once you see it set, as it seems even better. A pre-setting photo would also be nice. This could be a fun and educational thread!

 

[chrono]

What a great idea! Unfortunately I have nothing to contribute because I''ve only 2 gemstones set.

 

[T L]

Well, I think in my case I proved that the more pricey the mount, doesn't mean that it's always better. I put this champagne pink diamond in a pricey Tacori sytle semi mount and the color died. I put it in a rose gold halo in a relatively inexpensive two tone mount and the color popped.

 

[T L]

I have this 1.5 carat cuprian that is very included, but the color is great, and it's very neon. Well, I keep wanting to set it, and when I threw it in this rose gold mount, it popped even more. I might just get one for this stone even though it was an ebay find and relatively inexpensive (that was a long time ago). These pictures were taken in the same exact light source (diffused dim sunlight). In incandescents, it really pops.

 

[redfaerythinker]

Great thread! I have a sunstone that I think could really benefit from an artful setting. I will be taking notes.

 

[LD]

What a great thread - thank you mr ma re!

I''ve had some successes and some horrible disasters! I''m posting a few that have surprised me (in a good way)!

1. Umbalite Garnet. The loose Garnet had quite large areas of extinction and I was worried that when set, it would darken. I had a cheap(ish) LOGR setting and asked my local jeweller to set it. When I picked it up, I literally did a double take. Although you can''t see from the photos, the setting made the gemstone come alive and you no longer notice the extinction! I think the contrast of the white diamonds really helped with this.

2. Aqua. I bought this as a loose stone and was "oh, ok, it''s ummmm ok". When I set it, the blue just jumped out!

3. Black diamond. I really don''t like black diamonds but this one is 4.1ct and was an absolute bargain so I decided to buy it. Again, it''s in a cheap LOGR setting BUT I wear this all the time. I love the black/white contrast.

4. Red/Pink irradiated diamond. I bought this diamond loose and was bowled over by the colour. I''ve not seen one the same colour since and it''s my baby! I put it in a temporary setting (middle photo) which was AWFUL! It''s now just been re-set and oh my, it''s a disco ball of loveliness!

 

[LD]

This one was christened Houdini by TL!

This is a tri coloured sapphire - the cut (if you can even call it that) speaks for itself!!! The window is more of a door. I was bored one day and popped a few gemstones into this setting to see what they looked like - hey presto, the window (almost) disappeared!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 4/26/2009 3:12:14 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
This one was christened Houdini by TL!


This is a tri coloured sapphire - the cut (if you can even call it that) speaks for itself!!! The window is more of a door. I was bored one day and popped a few gemstones into this setting to see what they looked like - hey presto, the window (almost) disappeared!

Yours was the first I thought of when I saw this thread LD. I love how this turned out!

 

[CharmyPoo]

Date: 4/26/2009 5:49:10 PM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 4/26/2009 3:12:14 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
This one was christened Houdini by TL!


This is a tri coloured sapphire - the cut (if you can even call it that) speaks for itself!!! The window is more of a door. I was bored one day and popped a few gemstones into this setting to see what they looked like - hey presto, the window (almost) disappeared!

Yours was the first I thought of when I saw this thread LD. I love how this turned out!

Me too!

 

[LD]

Awwwww thanks MonkeyPie and Charmy. You guys are so sweet.

 

[T L]

LD,
I think you just have the most awesome luck with gems and settings. I think the gemstone setting gods are looking down on you!! LOL!!

I remember Houdini and how that window disappeared. That was a better trick than most of David Copperfield's magic.

Mr. Ma Rae,
Thanks for the great thread.

 

[CravingDiamonds]

LovingDiamonds.. I am so in love with your aqua ring. It is just beautiful to me and I also really like the Umbalite Garnet. It''s great how you took OK stones and made them look sop great.

 

[ma re]

Date: 4/26/2009 3:12:14 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
This one was christened Houdini by TL!

This is a tri coloured sapphire - the cut (if you can even call it that) speaks for itself!!! The window is more of a door. I was bored one day and popped a few gemstones into this setting to see what they looked like - hey presto, the window (almost) disappeared!

Thanks for a nice laugh to start of the day

Not sure why, but I have a feeling that halos help "close down the windows" (or doors...). It''s probably due to an additional darkening of the pavillion.

Glad others also find this thread idea interesting. The only thing I wasn''t thinking of when starting it, is that lighting conditions in most photos won''t match, so sometimes it might be difficult to capture the real change.

P. S. The improvement of aqua is obvious, even from the photo, LD.

 

[Icce]

Wow setting them made them all more beatiful! I really love how the 1.5 carat cuprian POPS now. It is stunning. The black diamond also dressed up way nicer than I would expect if I had just seen that stone alone.


thanks for sharring

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I love how my malaya looked after bezeling, I think it brought out the faceting more, and it white bezel contrast makes the colors seem more intense I just love the malaya now even though I was iffy at first.

 

[cushioncutnut]

What a great thread! MTG, I can''t get over how the malaya looks so peachy in that setting!! LD, that sapphire took on a whole new life in that setting!!!