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Thin halos with 1 pointers....how big of a difference did it make to the overall look of your center

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dianne

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Ok, I admit it...I love halos, not only for the gorgeous look but I am attempting to make the center stone look bigger. I call it my bling-on-a-budget look.
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I am currently working on the perfect design. My bf has purchased the cushion center stone from Mark Turnowski at Engagement Rings Direct and we love it. While I am wanting to add to the bling factor, I don''t want the ring to scream out my intent to make it look larger...I want the result to be more blingy but in a subtle way. So, I had considered a halo with 1 pointers. I think I will mostly want diamonds and sparkle to show from the top view(pave?)and not a lot of the platinum. I will want the halo to hug more around the girdle where it can be seen and not sit so much underneath the stone. I am also going to have a split shank with 1-pointers, as well, as I thought a delicate shank would make the center look bulkier; therefore, larger.

My question is...if you added a thin halo to your center stone, what size difference did it make? If you know the difference in millimeters, that would be great. I have seen some before and after halo pics on here that made a stunning difference. For example, my stone is a cushion cut, 1.31 ct, with a length of 7.13 mm and a width of 6.28 mm. If I have the setting made where you would mostly see the 1 pointers and not a lot of metal filler, how much extra millimeters could I expect to get?

My ring size is 6.5, my fingers are not that long, and I feel need some extra oomph to get the look I want. Plus, I have a very blingy emerald/diamond and a sapphire/diamond that I wear often on my right hand and that has got my bf nervous that my engagement ring won''t live up to what I am used to wearing. Let me also add that I don''t intend to wear a separate wedding ring with the engagement ring. I want a fairly severe split shank so it will have the look of two bands but be one ring.

I appreciate any suggestions, comments, and pictures you wonderful Pricescopers would be willing to share with me. This ring design stuff is more difficult than I thought it would be.
 

kcoursolle

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I don''t have any personal experience with halos. However, looking at others'' pictures here, a halo with 1 pointers will probably make your stone look substantially larger, but still maintain delicacy. I personally perfer very thin halos to larger halos, because I think the thicker halos detract from the center stone and make the ring look more like a RHR or a cocktail ring.
 

aljdewey

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I can actually help with that.

You can count on a 1-pointer halo adding approximately 3mm total diameter to your stone dimensions. 1-pointer stones average about 1.3mm each, so it adds 2.6mm in diameter plus a few tenths more for metal to hold them in.

These are my pendants. Both are .75 stones; the halo has 1-pointers.

The .75 stones are both in 5.88mm range. The halo ends up being closer to 9mm.

75 halo and no halo2.JPG
 

aljdewey

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....another from more "real life" viewing distance
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75 halo and no halo.JPG
 

aljdewey

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last one.....

75 halo and no halo1.JPG
 

Ellen

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Alj, thanks for posting that. Quite a bit of spread there for such little guys!

*wheels turning*
 

aljdewey

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Date: 2/19/2007 1:59:46 PM
Author: Ellen
Alj, thanks for posting that. Quite a bit of spread there for such little guys!

*wheels turning*
Well, since the wheels are turning......
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Here is the halo (which measure close to 9mm) next to my e-ring (1.24 ct .center stone is 7.00mm), which is next to my .75 solitaire stone (5.8mm).

In this instance, the cost to go from the .75 to the 1.25 is about $4K difference - maybe $4.5K now. The cost to go from the solitaire to the halo is about $1K diff.....stone and metal.

You''d have to add likely another 1K for the metal if you were to factor in the shank for a ring, but still.......you can get twice as much spread for less money by halo-ing.
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sizecomparison.JPG
 

Ellen

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Date: 2/19/2007 2:56:25 PM
Author: aljdewey

you can get twice as much spread for less money by halo-ing.
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Seriously.
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dianne

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What can I say except OMG! How amazing is that! I had no idea it would increase the size by that many millimeters! It''s a huge size difference, isn''t it?...especially for the money. Thank you so much for those pics. The side by side was perfect for me to visually compare the difference with and without the halo. Beautiful diamonds, by the way, both with and without the halos....lucky you to have both! I''m jealous!
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Stone Hunter

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Date: 2/19/2007 2:56:25 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 2/19/2007 1:59:46 PM
Author: Ellen
Alj, thanks for posting that. Quite a bit of spread there for such little guys!

*wheels turning*
Well, since the wheels are turning......
11.gif


Here is the halo (which measure close to 9mm) next to my e-ring (1.24 ct .center stone is 7.00mm), which is next to my .75 solitaire stone (5.8mm).

In this instance, the cost to go from the .75 to the 1.25 is about $4K difference - maybe $4.5K now. The cost to go from the solitaire to the halo is about $1K diff.....stone and metal.

You''d have to add likely another 1K for the metal if you were to factor in the shank for a ring, but still.......you can get twice as much spread for less money by halo-ing.
9.gif
WOW thanks for posting these. Your pictures really show the difference.

And thanks for the mm stats. 3mm is very impressive.
 

aljdewey

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Date: 2/19/2007 12:06:02 AM
Author:dianne

My ring size is 6.5, my fingers are not that long, and I feel need some extra oomph to get the look I want.
Should have noted this earlier......I could have done it this way.

My ring finger is also 6.5, and my fingers are fairly short, too. You can see how much presence the halo adds in terms of presence and "real estate" coverage on the finger. The halo is close to 9mm on 6.5 finger. Your cushion would be like 10.1mm x 9.2mm if you were to do a halo - so a touch wider than the halo looks on my finger and longer north/south.......

First the .75 (5.8mm); then the 1.24 stone (7 mm if you can visualize just the center stone), and the halo (9mm)

hand dimensions.JPG
 

dianne

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Ok, Alj, now you have done it....I am so-o-o gonna halo! You have been incredibly nice to make these great visuals for me. I am very excited to know that 1 pointers can make such a difference. I''m now confident I will get the bling factor I am looking for and stick to the budget, as well. This is so helpful and I can''t wait to show my bf your postings. You take great pictures and your 3-stone is beautiful and looks great on your hand. Thanks, again!
 

aljdewey

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Hee hee.....I can see my job here is done!
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Seriously - glad the photos helped. Now you have to pay it forward by posting pics of your ring when it''s done, ok!?
 

TravelingGal

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What a helpful series of posts alj!
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I''m not a halo girl, but it definitely made me want to go out and get it done!
 

kcoursolle

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A, what amazing pictures!! This was an awesome demostration. I''m really impressed with the girth that the halo gives your stone. It really looks about the same size as you 1.25 e-ring!!!
 

dianne

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Yes, Alj, and what a great job you did, too!
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Many, many thanks! I promise to post pics. If I get the camera figured out I may try to post pics of the loose stone, as well. I cannot thank you enough for your responses!
 

treysar

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treysarsringb4nftr.JPG


Here''s a before and after of mine - 1 point stones in the halo...
 

treysar

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Spread1.jpg


one more, on the hand
 

aljdewey

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KCourselle, Dianne, and TGal, thanks so much! *blush*

Really glad the pictures could help. Taking these pics got me started yesterday, and I went on a creative photo bender. Had a great time and got some shots I think are pretty cool that I put over in the SMTR thread.

So, thanks for inspiring me!
 

aljdewey

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TGal, funny thing: you mentioned not being a halo gal. I didn''t really think I was either, until it came to my pendant.

I came to be a halo owner for 2 reasons, really. First, I wanted a noticeable pendant, but there was a HUGE markup to go from the .75 up to a 1.25 stone, and I couldn''t justify it. Going halo gave me a way to get a pendant that would stand out within my budget.

Second, I found that when I went from solitaire to 3-stone with my e-ring, it totally changed the bling factor. More stones means more facets, and that means more little reflections and sparkles. Halos so that same thing....although more subtly since the stones are very small. It''s just a little touch of sparkle.

Oddly enough, my husband is fonder of it than I realized. Recently, we went to the post office at lunch so I could ship back a .74 J stone that I was trading for a .75 H. When he asked what I was sending, I told him I was returning my pendant. He said "OH, not the one with the circle around it, is it?" (hahah - the ''one with the circle'' - VERY technical lingo
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). I told him no, I was sending the solitaire back to exchange stones.

When I asked why he would exclaim over the halo, he said he likes it because it''s very different and unique.

I think we forget being on PS that what we see here isn''t necessarily widely available in the real world, so that was a nice reminder.
 

Ellen

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Alj, that''s what was making my wheels turn, the pendant. And for the same reason as you did it.

Question, does the halo pendant look good both with both casual and dressy? or better with just one of those?
 

aljdewey

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Date: 2/20/2007 10:23:00 AM
Author: Ellen
Alj, that''s what was making my wheels turn, the pendant. And for the same reason as you did it.

Question, does the halo pendant look good both with both casual and dressy? or better with just one of those?
Ellen, it really does look good with both. I worried about that initially....that it would look too dressy. I work in an office that''s five-day casual, so in the winter, I''m usually in jeans and a shirt (LL Bean button front corduroy or button-front velour shirt, for example), and it looks just as good with casual as with dressy.

In fact, the year after I did the halo, I also picked up a solitaire .56 pendant figuring that there would be days I''d want a simpler look. I''ve found, though, that I don''t ever wear it - I love the halo, and I end up wearing that one all the time. So, I''m recycling the solitaire - I found a matching stone, and I''m going to make dangle leverback earrings with them sometime this spring, I hope.

I''ve had more people comment on the halo; it really is a nice piece. I had it designed for my 40th birthday, so it''s quite the sentimental piece for me. Whiteflash created it for me, and they''ve subsequently made it one of their inhouse pieces. Mine was done two-tone (yellow and platinum), but I know they do it in all white gold now too.
 

Ellen

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Excellent, that''s what I needed to know. Thanks!

And I can''t wait to see those new earrings.
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whatmeworry

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Alj,
Thanks for your inspiration for the halo and having WF make it a stock piece. I just received a twin halo to yours (0.75 ct too!) from WF for my FMIL. The halo makes it look HUGE !
 

TravelingGal

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Date: 2/20/2007 10:16:07 AM
Author: aljdewey
TGal, funny thing: you mentioned not being a halo gal. I didn''t really think I was either, until it came to my pendant.

I came to be a halo owner for 2 reasons, really. First, I wanted a noticeable pendant, but there was a HUGE markup to go from the .75 up to a 1.25 stone, and I couldn''t justify it. Going halo gave me a way to get a pendant that would stand out within my budget.

Second, I found that when I went from solitaire to 3-stone with my e-ring, it totally changed the bling factor. More stones means more facets, and that means more little reflections and sparkles. Halos so that same thing....although more subtly since the stones are very small. It''s just a little touch of sparkle.

Oddly enough, my husband is fonder of it than I realized. Recently, we went to the post office at lunch so I could ship back a .74 J stone that I was trading for a .75 H. When he asked what I was sending, I told him I was returning my pendant. He said ''OH, not the one with the circle around it, is it?'' (hahah - the ''one with the circle'' - VERY technical lingo
2.gif
). I told him no, I was sending the solitaire back to exchange stones.

When I asked why he would exclaim over the halo, he said he likes it because it''s very different and unique.

I think we forget being on PS that what we see here isn''t necessarily widely available in the real world, so that was a nice reminder.
I actually agree...I would halo a pendant in a heartbeat. I think it looks gorgeous and feels more casual than a halo on a ring IMO. But that is probably because I wouldn''t wear a pendant everyday. It might look somewhat off with my daggy sweats and tees....
 

mrssalvo

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Al and treysar, this is a great thread to demonstrate the effects of a halo. I''m going to remember this so I can link it when necessary.

thanks gals!!!
 

dianne

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Date: 2/20/2007 10:16:07 AM
Author: aljdewey

I think we forget being on PS that what we see here isn''t necessarily widely available in the real world, so that was a nice reminder.
Alj, I think this comment is so true. I have never really thought about how many people I personally know that have a halo. I think none! I am so used to seeing them here on this site that they seem to be the norm but, for my area, I rarely even see them in local jewelry stores...hence the reason I started this thread. I didn''t have a point of reference with which to answer my own question. Most wedding sets here are yellow gold round solitares with plain gold bands. Nothing wrong with that but the assumption is if someone has something fancier, they must be rich!!

And, come to think of it, I went to a more upscale mall last weekend and figured they would have more to offer than the smaller mall near my home. (I just wanted to try on some rings) I asked if they had any split-shank halos and the saleslady said she didn''t know what a halo was.
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When I explained, she said, "Oh, you mean vintage." Oh, OK....And then they only had one to show me.
 

treysar

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Date: 2/20/2007 1:29:58 PM
Author: dianne

Date: 2/20/2007 10:16:07 AM
Author: aljdewey

I think we forget being on PS that what we see here isn''t necessarily widely available in the real world, so that was a nice reminder.
Alj, I think this comment is so true. I have never really thought about how many people I personally know that have a halo. I think none! I am so used to seeing them here on this site that they seem to be the norm but, for my area, I rarely even see them in local jewelry stores...hence the reason I started this thread. I didn''t have a point of reference with which to answer my own question. Most wedding sets here are yellow gold round solitares with plain gold bands. Nothing wrong with that but the assumption is if someone has something fancier, they must be rich!!

And, come to think of it, I went to a more upscale mall last weekend and figured they would have more to offer than the smaller mall near my home. (I just wanted to try on some rings) I asked if they had any split-shank halos and the saleslady said she didn''t know what a halo was.
23.gif
When I explained, she said, ''Oh, you mean vintage.'' Oh, OK....And then they only had one to show me.
So true! When I got my halo e-ring, I was on of the first on p-scope to have it - I was really bummed that EVERYONE seemed to be getting halos! Then I realized it was just on here - not in the real world - in "real life" i have only seen 2 others, and they are few and far between.
 

dianne

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Treysar, Wow! That side-by-side says it all. It looks amazing....and thanks for the link, too. I feel like I am copy-catting all these halos but I hope everyone will be flattered that I love the look so much.
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Having a reference to all of your rings is helping me create a setting that will be so different than what is seen in my area. So, while I may be copy-catting on here I may start a new trend here at home. Thanks to you all for being so kind and sharing.
 
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