WishfulThinking
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
- Messages
- 1,437
Hey everyone,
I've only been a posting member of PS for a very short time, but I've lurked for a ridiculously long time before registering to join... warning: if I say things that a PSer [especially a years-long lurker] should know better than to suggest, feel free to intervene... Low-budget plea for help warning ahead!
My girlfriend and I [we're both girls] are looking for suggestions for settings for a matched pair of Rhodolite Garnets that we purchased recently from AJSgems. They're gorgeous! I am trying to make two separate rings with these stones. They are meant to serve as a token of the love between my girlfriend and me -to symbolize a commitment to one another and to enjoy something that sparkles in the process! I suppose it's sort of a "promise ring" type thing, but we don't really refer to it that way. Since this is a very meaningful purchase, We'd like to get something that is beautiful and of a good quality, though we realize that on our budget it may not be what many here would consider to be the "best" quality. We're both undergraduate students, and the money is a little tight. Our expenses will only increase throughout graduate school, so we are hoping to make this purchase now and work the best we can with the money we have saved. Hopefully you can all help us navigate this process!
We are both girls, just to eliminate any confusion about settings or the project in general. We are not looking to purchase two identical settings, as each of us have our own distinct taste in jewelry, and probably could never agree on one thing.
At this point we would love to see what ideas PSers have for what sort of settings to put these lovely garnets into that fall within our price range. We think seeing what may be available to us will give us a better idea of the styles we like- really, anything is welcome!
THE STONES: 1.96 ctw
measure 5.70 x 5.70 x 4.10 mm each according to AJS.
Do you all think that since they were sold as a matched pair that the measurements given [which are supposed to apply to both stones] are accurate, or should I have them measured by a professional?
To be honest, we are really disappointed with the level of service [rather, lack thereof] that we've received at local jewelers... the fact that we live in an EXTREMELY rural area makes it even more tricky, as there are only a very two B&M jewelers and a Kays. Frankly, we'd prefer to not be "mauled"
by Kays, but it's possible they may be one of the only pitifully limited options that we have to work with, especially in our price range. Bluntly: jewelers seem to be unwilling to work with us because either they are homophobic and unwilling to work with a same sex couple, or because we are not the most lucrative clients. They dismiss us as not having realistic expectations or not being worthwhile due to our smaller budget, or just not being human beings, I guess. I am not necessarily sure we are being unrealistic in our budget expectations, as we are very flexible. However, being treated rudely makes mus not want to pursue those options with the B&M jewelers we have available to us in person.
Thus, the internet!!!
OUR BUDGET: $500 total for both rings- so two settings.
Some ideas of what we are looking for:
Nothing insanely intricate or busy- obviously we are realistic about what we expect with this project.
-Settings with sidestones/accents- nothing too fancy, since our budget will likely not allow it.
-Affordable but pretty: the possibility [hope?] that very small accent diamonds may be able to pass with lower quality than we would choose for a project with a higher budget and larger stone.-Nothing with entirely plain bands, but engraving is an option we may consider
Those are the ideas we have so far, and we are open to suggestions.
Sorry to write a novel- we look forward to seeing what you all come up with for suggestions, and we will be so happy and grateful to have your input, so we hope people respond!!
ETA: I hope it's okay to post in this forum regarding a setting for a colored stone- I mentioned this topic in the colored stone forum and someone suggested we might find more people to help us here. Sorry if that's in violation of any rule- we thought since it's about settings it would be okay.
I've only been a posting member of PS for a very short time, but I've lurked for a ridiculously long time before registering to join... warning: if I say things that a PSer [especially a years-long lurker] should know better than to suggest, feel free to intervene... Low-budget plea for help warning ahead!
My girlfriend and I [we're both girls] are looking for suggestions for settings for a matched pair of Rhodolite Garnets that we purchased recently from AJSgems. They're gorgeous! I am trying to make two separate rings with these stones. They are meant to serve as a token of the love between my girlfriend and me -to symbolize a commitment to one another and to enjoy something that sparkles in the process! I suppose it's sort of a "promise ring" type thing, but we don't really refer to it that way. Since this is a very meaningful purchase, We'd like to get something that is beautiful and of a good quality, though we realize that on our budget it may not be what many here would consider to be the "best" quality. We're both undergraduate students, and the money is a little tight. Our expenses will only increase throughout graduate school, so we are hoping to make this purchase now and work the best we can with the money we have saved. Hopefully you can all help us navigate this process!
We are both girls, just to eliminate any confusion about settings or the project in general. We are not looking to purchase two identical settings, as each of us have our own distinct taste in jewelry, and probably could never agree on one thing.
THE STONES: 1.96 ctw
measure 5.70 x 5.70 x 4.10 mm each according to AJS.
Do you all think that since they were sold as a matched pair that the measurements given [which are supposed to apply to both stones] are accurate, or should I have them measured by a professional?
To be honest, we are really disappointed with the level of service [rather, lack thereof] that we've received at local jewelers... the fact that we live in an EXTREMELY rural area makes it even more tricky, as there are only a very two B&M jewelers and a Kays. Frankly, we'd prefer to not be "mauled"
Thus, the internet!!!
OUR BUDGET: $500 total for both rings- so two settings.
Some ideas of what we are looking for:
Nothing insanely intricate or busy- obviously we are realistic about what we expect with this project.
-Settings with sidestones/accents- nothing too fancy, since our budget will likely not allow it.
-Affordable but pretty: the possibility [hope?] that very small accent diamonds may be able to pass with lower quality than we would choose for a project with a higher budget and larger stone.-Nothing with entirely plain bands, but engraving is an option we may consider
Those are the ideas we have so far, and we are open to suggestions.
Sorry to write a novel- we look forward to seeing what you all come up with for suggestions, and we will be so happy and grateful to have your input, so we hope people respond!!
ETA: I hope it's okay to post in this forum regarding a setting for a colored stone- I mentioned this topic in the colored stone forum and someone suggested we might find more people to help us here. Sorry if that's in violation of any rule- we thought since it's about settings it would be okay.
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