Some clearer pics of my stone - going to Leon today!

[CKinNYC]

Good morning Pricescopers!

I managed to take a few clearer pics of my stone - some blurry ones from my iPhone are here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-2ct-rb-is-here-sorry-blurry-pics.87255/. These new ones are better - but nowhere NEAR the kind of pics that many others here can take! Plus I took them in my horribly-lit office - not a shred of natural light to be seen. I am going to have to practice/get a new camera!

It''s a 2ct I Si1 (totally eyeclean), GIA EX-EX-EX, 1.5 on the HCA (EX-EX-VG-VG)
Table 57
Depth 61.6
Crown 34
Pavillion 41
My finger is a size 5.

I''m going to drop it off with Leon today, and plan/design the setting with him - very exciting!

CK

 

[CKinNYC]

And another.....

 

[CKinNYC]

...and another... with just a hint of arrows there perhaps?!

 

[CKinNYC]

Sparkles!

 

[CKinNYC]

Here''s the side view of the holder thingy it came in - my fake ring!

 

[CKinNYC]

one more

 

[CKinNYC]

...yet another, similar photo!

 

[CKinNYC]

...and finally, the last one!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Beautiful!!!! I can''t wait to see what Leon does!

 

[aggiebling09]

beautiful stone!!!! I cant wait ''til you get your masterpiece

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Wow, it''s gorgeous!

I can''t wait to see the waxes, etc. as it goes through the setting process!

 

[Lorelei]

Beautiful and HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Anna0499]

Wow it looks beautiful now, I can''t imagine what it''ll look like when you and Leon are through with it!

Thanks for posting these pics - I also wear a 4.75-5 and alway want to see how different carat sizes will look. I am definitely leaning towards a 2-3 ct. & the 2 looks huge on your hand!

 

[pixley]

WOW! What a knock-out stone! It's going to be even more wonderful once Leon works his magic with a setting!

 

[CKinNYC]

Tacori - thank you! Hopefully Leon will think along the same lines as I am!

Aggie - Thanks! I will be sure to post lots of pics then too!

Lauren - Me too - does Leon do waxes? Hmm, for some reason I think that I''ll hand over my stone, tell him what I"m thinking of, and then not see anything until I pick up the finished ring - but am I wrong?! The control freak in me would love to have some check-ins along the way!

Lorelei - aw shucks, thanks!

Anna - Wowsers, a stone that big will be MASSIVE on your fingers! I must say, I do love this size - it''s plenty big, but not TOO big!

Pixley - thank you! I can''t wait to get it set - I''m sure he''ll do a fab job!

 

[gemgirl]

Wow CK, gorgeous stone! I love it and I can''t wait to see it set, and in a Leon.........>

 

[Linda W]

Beautiful stone. Lucky lady you are, having Leon set it. I can''t wait to see what he comes up with. His designs are to die for.

 

[mom2twogirls]

Add me to the list of those who can''t wait to see what Leon does!!!

Will you come back and post an update after your meeting today??!

 

[IrishBreakfast]

Ooooooo! HELLO! That is beautiful! Itching to see what Leon comes up with!

 

[Bliss]

I am so excited for you!!!!

 

[Burk]

Beautiful stone. I''m sure you are so excited to see what masterpiece Leon creates. Looking forward to the finished piece!

 

[CKinNYC]

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words!! It''s really adding to my excitement - and it''s GREAT that I have this fabulous forum to post to, where everyone else also is as into the details as I am!

ANYHOO! So would you like to hear about my visit with Leon?!

His office is on the 14th (top) floor of a building near the corner of 47th St, and it''s really like stepping back in time - the front door is this huge wooden thing that would look more in place in a medieval castle than midtown NY! I was shown to his office, which is spacious, cool (a miracle in hot hot NY) and old-fashioned - lots of wood. Leon came in, introduced himself, and we started talking designs.

I''d brought some pictures of settings that have elements I like - the Tiffany Novo, and a few of Leon''s designs - and discussed the bits of each that I liked. Now, the most discussion centered around cathedral or no cathedral - I meant "cathedral" being how the shank rises up a bit at the top to meet the stone - like the profile of the Tiffany Novo. But he said that his cathedral rings are always split - so the shank rises up from the round "ring" bit (eek I don''t know the technical terms!), and forms a "V". He doesn''t recommend a solid metal "cathedral" (in my terms!) because he feels it can look too heavy in fine jewelry. But I really was unsure that I wanted a split cathedral - or that we both were on the same page in terms of how high up the cathedral would come. I only wanted it raised a bit, whereas I got the impression that he was thinking much higher - raised up to near the girdle.

ANYHOO! (sorry, I am long-winded!) He then brought in a (lovely) ring that he''s working on to show me the split cathedral style he mentioned, and that was REALLY helpful, because seeing it in person confirmed for me that that is NOT what I want! The shank was coming up too high, and I''m not wild on the split cathedral. Leon was very gracious in accepting that I wanted what he initially didn''t recommend, and, I think, even came around to my way of thinking (or maybe I''m fooling myself?!).

We then talked the angles of prongs, how high I wanted the stone set (he recommends "as low as possible" for most rings, and I was happy to accept his reco here - I don''t want it to sit up high off my finger), and the width and style of the shank. We decided on about 1.9mm for the shank, consistent width the whole way around (no tapering), V-prong pave from 8 o''clock to 4 o''clock, and a more squared off cross-section (versus a more rounded comfort fit style).

Seriously, he went into SO much detail, discussed every possible aspect, which I really appreciated, because I am obsessed with minute details (aaah poor fiance, always having to put up with my perfectionist nagging - sorry my love!

), and could really see that he is too - an utter perfectionist. I''m totally confident now that he knows EXACTLY what I''m looking for in my dream ring, and will take care to execute that.

I know that other posters here have found Leon difficult to work with, but I must say that my experience has been the complete opposite. He was so patient and thorough, and really did care to make sure that what we put down on the work order is exactly what I would like in my ring. I found him totally gracious and charming, and am SO excited to get my ring!!

Now, on that, unfortunately he''s going on holidays in July, so I won''t get my ring til the end of July (am already steeling myself for early August, just in case.....). Seeing as we got engaged in April, that''s, I guess, quite a wait.... but I do have a beautiful Tiffany platinum band (my "proposal ring" - clever boy!) to wear in the meantime.

Oh, and last thing. I talked to Leon about incorporating an "M" into the design, because it''s my fiance''s initial (first and last - so if I change my name it will be my last initial). However, we decided that, in such a simple, delicate setting, it would be overpowering to put it in the prongs (as I''d thought - thanks to seeing CrookedRock''s AMAZING ring), but had the brainwave to make sure that his logo (a lovely stylized "M") is stamped inside the ring, so it will fulfill two purposes - Leon Mege, and my DF''s name!

Sorry for SUCH a long post - but hopefully it will be helpful or interesting for some of you.

I will be back here with a bazillion pictures when it''s done!

CK

 

[ahappygirl]

Love the stone - it''s a beauty! Thank you for posting about your visit with Leon! Great info and I am so happy for you!

 

[MoonWater]

Oh wow, I can''t wait to see what Leon does with it.

 

[IronMikey]

WOW -- that''s an I? Looks super white!

 

[CKinNYC]

Yes, IronMikey, it''s facing up SO bright and white - it''s true testament to going for a diamond with a great cut. I saw a few higher color stones (Fs - Hs) that didn''t face up quite so white and sparkly, because their cuts weren''t on par.

Thanks Pricescope, for educating me!

When you turn this stone upside down, on white paper, you can see a slight tint - in fact, the JA gemologist, when comparing this I with a 2ct H (upside down) said that some might even think this is a low I (I think a strict appraiser may even call it a J - but maybe I''m being pessimistic!). Well, it''s an I on the GIA cert! And of course, there is one real I that matters - I love it, haha!