Suggestions for a custom engagement ring maker?

[inheritedring1234]

Frequent reader, infrequent poster here.

Does anyone have suggestions for a great custom ring maker I could work with to recreate my engagement ring shown in the pictures below? I'm in Boston so someone local would be great but I'm flexible.

Unfortunately, I had an apartment break-in recently and my engagement ring was stolen. It's a family heirloom - my grandmother's (upgrade!) engagement ring from the 1950s with a white gold illusion setting, 1.25 carat brilliant cut diamond, and 3 small diamonds on each side.

Do you pricescoper experts generally recommend getting the stone and custom setting from the same jeweler? Do most jewelers require that? I'm a totaly newbie here - I was so in love with my grandmother's ring that all me fiance and I did was get it resized.

Thanks for your help!

 

[liaerfbv]

That's devastating - I'm so sorry to hear about your ring.

Are you working with insurance or paying out of pocket? If insurance, I don't believe they'll let you use a different vendor for stone and setting (at least mine did not). Otherwise, I would get a loose stone from James Allen or Whiteflash and use Brilliantly Engaged or Love Affair Diamonds to recreate the setting. BE or LAD could also source you a beautiful stone if you wanted to use the same vendor for everything, though LAD specializes in antique cut stones.

One thing to mention, it's VERY difficult to 100% replicate a setting without having it in hand. We've seen so many people here trying to get the exact same specs off of a picture and sometimes it's just impossible to do that. Please try and have realistic expectations that the original is gone and the best you might be able to do is an inspired version.

 

[inheritedring1234]

Thanks so much for the response, liaerfbv.

Luckily, the only easy part of this has been dealing with my insurance company: I have a check on the way for the appraised value of the ring. Which gives me a lot of flexibility.

And thank you for the warning on recreating a ring. Definitely understand - and need to keep my expectations realistic!

 

[VRBeauty]

Have you considered a true antique replacement? You could see whether Lang's or Oakgem have a close replacement. Here's a similar (but not identical) setting on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ant...005?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ec67cf8d

 

[rubybeth]

I would also check these sites for a look-alike:

http://antiqueengagementrings.com
http://erstwhilejewelry.com
https://www.etsy.com/shop/pebbleandpolish

I will also add that I recently contacted David Klass about a quote for a similar antique style setting, and it was very reasonable. You could choose a stone from wherever you like (a modern round brilliant or maybe an antique stone?), and have him set it in a similar setting.

 

[diannec18]

I would also check these sites for a look-alike:

http://antiqueengagementrings.com
http://erstwhilejewelry.com
https://www.etsy.com/shop/pebbleandpolish

I will also add that I recently contacted David Klass about a quote for a similar antique style setting, and it was very reasonable. You could choose a stone from wherever you like (a modern round brilliant or maybe an antique stone?), and have him set it in a similar setting.

A word of warning based on my experience with David Klass. Do not count on working with him unless you are extremely tolerant of communication delays. It was taking at least a week for him to respond to my emails, and considering that designing a ring takes a lot of back and forth discussion and collaboration, had I continued the process with him, it would likely have been many months before we even had a finalized design. My last email to him was actually never even answered, and I didn't follow up as by then I was already completely fed up.

So if youre a patient person with no time restrictions, I've heard great things about his work, but I just didn't have the time or patience to deal

 

[UrsTx]

I just saw a similar setting on etsy. It's handmade so they may be able to alter it to your design.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/198613888/made-to-order-vintage-fishtail-prong?ref=shop_home_active_5

 

[therainbowradish]

I would also check these sites for a look-alike:

http://antiqueengagementrings.com
http://erstwhilejewelry.com
https://www.etsy.com/shop/pebbleandpolish

I will also add that I recently contacted David Klass about a quote for a similar antique style setting, and it was very reasonable. You could choose a stone from wherever you like (a modern round brilliant or maybe an antique stone?), and have him set it in a similar setting.

A word of warning based on my experience with David Klass. Do not count on working with him unless you are extremely tolerant of communication delays. It was taking at least a week for him to respond to my emails, and considering that designing a ring takes a lot of back and forth discussion and collaboration, had I continued the process with him, it would likely have been many months before we even had a finalized design. My last email to him was actually never even answered, and I didn't follow up as by then I was already completely fed up.

So if youre a patient person with no time restrictions, I've heard great things about his work, but I just didn't have the time or patience to deal

I am working with David too but I agree that he definitely works better over the phone. I like that he always answers when I call and he is really pleasant to speak with. He said my ring would be completed within 10-14 days. Pretty dang fast!

 

[inheritedring1234]

Thanks for all the suggestions!!
Unfortunately, I likely won't be able to find a true antique replacement. My grandmother and I both have larger than average fingers so almost all antiques would be too small.

I'm already in talks with Erica at Love Affair Diamonds and will be reaching out to the other jewelers soon.

I'm sure I'll be back for guidance on diamonds, CADs, etc.

 

[rubybeth]

Thanks for all the suggestions!!
Unfortunately, I likely won't be able to find a true antique replacement. My grandmother and I both have larger than average fingers so almost all antiques would be too small.

I'm already in talks with Erica at Love Affair Diamonds and will be reaching out to the other jewelers soon.

I'm sure I'll be back for guidance on diamonds, CADs, etc.

If you found a true antique, resizing may be possible, or re-shanking. Good luck!

 

[liaerfbv]

Thanks for all the suggestions!!
Unfortunately, I likely won't be able to find a true antique replacement. My grandmother and I both have larger than average fingers so almost all antiques would be too small.

I'm already in talks with Erica at Love Affair Diamonds and will be reaching out to the other jewelers soon.

I'm sure I'll be back for guidance on diamonds, CADs, etc.

That's great - Erica is amazing.

 

[Acinom]

I would also check these sites for a look-alike:

http://antiqueengagementrings.com
http://erstwhilejewelry.com
https://www.etsy.com/shop/pebbleandpolish

I will also add that I recently contacted David Klass about a quote for a similar antique style setting, and it was very reasonable. You could choose a stone from wherever you like (a modern round brilliant or maybe an antique stone?), and have him set it in a similar setting.

A word of warning based on my experience with David Klass. Do not count on working with him unless you are extremely tolerant of communication delays. It was taking at least a week for him to respond to my emails, and considering that designing a ring takes a lot of back and forth discussion and collaboration, had I continued the process with him, it would likely have been many months before we even had a finalized design. My last email to him was actually never even answered, and I didn't follow up as by then I was already completely fed up.

So if youre a patient person with no time restrictions, I've heard great things about his work, but I just didn't have the time or patience to deal

I am working with David too but I agree that he definitely works better over the phone. I like that he always answers when I call and he is really pleasant to speak with. He said my ring would be completed within 10-14 days. Pretty dang fast!

David just finalised my 3rd and 4th ring and I have a totally different experience. He is great and responsive over email and it seldom takes him more than 24 hours to respond (please note that I am in Europe; so in a totally different timezone). He is very pro-active with creating CAD's and has an astonishingly short lead time.

I can really recommend reaching out to him as his pricing is great too.

 

[liaerfbv]

I've never actually worked with DK, but I've emailed him for several quotes and he's always been very responsive and his quotes were very reasonable.