Summer In the City

[MissAva]

So yesterday FFF and spent the day looking at settings. She was an absolute angel, especially when you take into consideration that she is having hers custom done. For the most part we window shopped and people watched. It was soo fun!
We went into Facets just as they were opening. I saw the eternity setting and it was really lovely and not over busy. It looks much better in person then it does on any picture I have seen on line. I also saw the half eternity there and it went far enough down that you could not tell it was just a half. Hmm…one more thing to consider.
We went into Michael C. Fina. And I looked at the Rina Limor ring again and after seeing it for the second time. Well it just is not for me. Though if anyone is looking for a single prong eternity setting this one would be worth considering. I just didn’t like the slight upsweep as it went towards the stone. (They promised an e-mail with the pictures of the setting taken from different angles but sent me something that was entirely different from what I had seen. I will post the pictures of the correct setting if they come.)
The last store we went into was Lockes Diamonds. I liked the atmosphere here the best. And FFF and I both thought their solitaire was absolutely stunning. If I go for a solitaire it will almost definitely be theirs…it is divine.
A local jewelry store (Romans Jewelers) has had the Ritani ring I have been eyeing brought in for me. I am going to go and look at that one as well.

 

[Mara]

Mata what is the solitaire setting in that first picture? I love the head!

 

[MissAva]

That is the new Lockes Diamantaries (ownde and operated by DeBeers) signature solitaitre. I adored it as well.

 

[caligal]

Mata-

This solataire is gorgeous love it!

 

[ammayernyc]

Oh, I''m so jealous!!! You''ll have to let me know next time you''re in town!

 

[denverkat]

MMmm, yes, that one''s going in my ideas file. Question, though- would that head look out of proportion on a 1ct stone or would it look okay? I''m always trying to visualize what the more decorated heads would look with my stone in them (though I should probably stop looking for a reason to upgrade a diamond I don''t even have yet!)

 

[Buena Girl]

Oh how fun!! You got to try on some fabulous sparkly shinies you lucky girl!!!

That solitaire is fantastic

So is the Lockes store similar to the DeBeers store?

 

[MissAva]

Denver Kat, they brought out trays of rings. And yes IMO they looked quite nice on the 1ct. If you get a chance I would defiantely go there. (They will bring in any stone you want...they showed us a color tray with real diamonds to see how color sensitive I am.)
AP- I am only here for a little while longer (I think until the 20th) but if you want to meet up sometime before I head back to AL I am defiantely up for that.
BG- No not at all like the DeBeers store. Well...it was all diamond and Platnium but that is it. It is small only two rooms and very well laid out. The girl who sat with us, Karina, was very nice and said basically what I have heard here about color, clarity and CUT. The store is up on the 4th floor of Columbus Circle and jsut had a nicer feel to it. Less foced I guess. It was quiet and simple and more to my taste. It also avoided jewlery store lighting at all.

 

[fountainfairfax]

Yes, we had A lOT of fun yesterday, looking at all the pretty shineys

The Lockes solitaire setting that Matatora posted above was DIVINE, so delicate but so well-made. It would look great with a large range of ct weights. I loved the detail of the little diamonds.....the Lockes experience was one I would''ve normally been intimidated by, if it were not for Matatora. A beautiful little 2-room salon, you tell them what you would like to see and they bring it on out. Very individualized service but there was no pressure, no snobbery, just a very pleasant experience. And I fell in love with these tiny full pave eternity bands they have- they were about 1.5mm of pure sparkle

I could see one on either side of a solitaire......such perfection!

We had a lot of fun chatting it up at the Facets booth, of course I was the evil influence and told Matatora that should she go with their shared-prong full eternity e-ring, she must also get 2 matching eternity bands

! Her BF will never forgive me.....and I decided that my next bonus must be spent on a Facets sapphire-diamond eternity band for moi! yummy!!!!

We went full-force for hours and simply had a blast!

 

[Blue824]

Matatora - That Lockes one is delicious looking...i''ll admit, the solitaire with a plain band is a classic, but i never really thought it would be for me, but I could see trying that one on. Very pretty head on that one.

FFF - you should definitely treat yourself to the eternity band, I''ve been eyeing one myself and emailed them for a quote one something a little different, so thats my next thing to save for because I''ve already just treated myself to something pretty nice.

Thats cool that you guys can meet for fun ring shopping trips, maybe next time I''m up there I can join you one day

 

[Mara]

Gosh I love that Lockes ring, is there a link or anything to more info on it?? I want to see a top down view!

 

[curlygirl]

Oh, that solitaire is just scrumptious. I may have to go over there and check it out in person. Glad you''re enjoying your last few days in the northeast, Matatora.

 

[MissAva]

That picture is the only one they have on their web page. To be honest with all the knock offs that get made I dont blame them. That is the first truely diffrent solitaire that I have seen in quite sometime. It is also the first that I really liked other then the Tiffany knife edge. I think they are limiting the pictures to avoid people trying to copy it.

 

[blake]

Matching studs:

 

[fountainfairfax]

Matatora-

If Katrina had busted out those studs when we were there I bet she would've made a sale that day

ETA: THANKS, BLAKE!!!!!!

 

[Croí]

"up there" ?? "northeast" ??#

where are you girls ?

C, happy in Boston - going to Fenway for my first ever live baseball game tonight ! whoo-hooo !

 

[MissAva]

Umm I cant figure out who you are asking...but to me up there is anywhere north of home. So Atlanta could be up there. I think it was prolly meant as NYC or a part there of. Have fun at the game tonight....though I am Braves fan and always will be!

 

[MissAva]

This is the single prong setting from Rina Limor set with a 1.5ct cz. Spiffy isnt it?

 

[nytemist]

BF and I will be going to NY for a weekend in the next month or so... maybe I should try to ''guide'' him into the shop!!

Croi- we''ll probably walk right by each other! I work right on Brookline ave, down the street from the park, though I try ro run away form work early when there is a game before it get too crowded in the area.

 

[Mara]

WOW those matching studs are just divine. I''ve now got two more pictures to drool over daily...

 

[teebee]

Oh my, I love those studs!!! Divine indeed Mara! Gosh, my wish list is getting way too long...

 

[Mara]

Date: 8/12/2005 3:19:02 PM
Author: teebee
Oh my, I love those studs!!! Divine indeed Mara! Gosh, my wish list is getting way too long...

I hear ya gal! I feel like a kid with my list for Santa. The best part is that you don''t have to be ''good'' to get the baubles. Hee!

 

[MissAva]

Well I went to see the Ritani setting today...feeling really let down

. It was okay. But it was also 1000$ more then the facets setting. I just dont think I can justify that. The store also carries a nearly identical setting...just a little bit more lovely. But the band was about 4300$. I just dont think I can ask him to spend that kind of money. Why is this soo stressful

I thought finding the perfect man was supposed to be the hard part.

 

[fountainfairfax]

Date: 8/12/2005 3:47:16 PM
Author: Matatora
Well I went to see the Ritani setting today...feeling really let down

. It was okay. But it was also 1000$ more then the facets setting. I just dont think I can justify that. The store also carries a nearly identical setting...just a little bit more lovely. But the band was about 4300$. I just dont think I can ask him to spend that kind of money. Why is this soo stressful

I thought finding the perfect man was supposed to be the hard part.

Oh, no

! Don''t be discouraged- you really did seem to like the signed pieces one & the Lockes solitaire... and there must be a million more shared prong e-rings out there, not to mention going the custom route. I''m going to start looking for you!

 

[icekid]

Matatora- WOW, i love that Lockes solitaire. just beautiful!! wish I had seen it before... yummmmy. and the matching studs...