Thoughts on these garnet pears for side stones?

[hobbitfancier55]

I've posted before I have this spinel I'm wanting to set, preferably into a ring.

.51ct
4.40 x 3.21 mm

Do you think these garnets would work well as side stones? Either using only two, or potentially more for a different design. I could always use the leftovers for earrings or something like that. They are a tad smaller than the dimensions of the spinel. Do you think they would overwhelm?

3 x 4 mm
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ..._Parcel_28_stones_5_32_tcw-Gem.php?FromPage=1


I also liked these tsavorites and tanzanites. The apatite could be fun, but I worry it's too soft.

Tsavorite
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...rite_melee_Parcel_2_17_tcw-Gem.php?FromPage=1

Tanzanite
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...ite_Matched_Pair_0_63_tcw_-Gem.php?FromPage=1

Apatite
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...illiant_cut_melee_5_85_tcw-Gem.php?FromPage=1

I think these are too large, but I like:

Mahenge Garnet
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...ahenge_Garnet_Lot_1_91_tcw-Gem.php?FromPage=1

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

I like the pear shaped garnets the best, but that might just be me. I prefer the square shape to the actual rounds, but is the square going to match corners okay? You might try copying the pictures in...you'll get more responses. I like your pretty stone!

 

[hobbitfancier55]

Thank you! Let's try with the images.

Spinel I own is 4.4x3.21mm


Pear Garnets (3x4mm)
Tsavorite (2 to 2.7mm)
Tanzanite (3.8mm)
Apatitie (2.5 to 3.5mm)
Asscher Garnet (4mm)

 

[hobbitfancier55]

Spinel I own is 4.4x3.21mm


Pear Garnets (3x4mm)

Tsavorite (2 to 2.7mm)

Tanzanite (3.8mm)

Apatitie (2.5 to 3.5mm)

Asscher Garnet (4mm)

 

[Arkteia]

Honestly - I would buy neither. The spinel has excellent cut. To-die-for cut, I might say. Most of the side stones you chose, while of beautiful colors, are not matching in cut. Just my opinion, but neither would look good with the spinel - the cuts, not the colors, will clash. I would either ask the original vendor of the spinel to create something similar for side stones, some pale pinks cut in a super-precision way, or look for brilliant cut tiny pink sapphires or even pink diamond melee, if you won't find it too expensive, for a halo. Then your stone will look stunning.

P.S. I just looked at the size of the stone - it is not large, is it? A halo might work better. Or perhaps you could find two very small pale brilliant cut sapphires (i recently saw such)?

 

[Arkteia]

Maybe something like these?
http://www.africagems.com/calibrated-p-cut-p-sapphire-round-aa.html

Or even spinels

http://www.africagems.com/calibrated-round-spinel.html

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

Wow, Arkteia is right! The cut on your spinel is really fantastic! Who did the cutting?
Looking at the pictures you posted makes me think a half eternity band of square tsavorites in a 1.5 to 2 mm size would be pretty. I like that color contrast.
I also love Arkteia's idea to highlight the shape of your center stone with a halo. If you did that, I'm not as big a fan of the green contrast. Maybe something in the same color family like she suggests.
Do you know who's going to do your setting?

 

[hobbitfancier55]

Honestly - I would buy neither. The spinel has excellent cut. To-die-for cut, I might say. Most of the side stones you chose, while of beautiful colors, are not matching in cut. Just my opinion, but neither would look good with the spinel - the cuts, not the colors, will clash. I would either ask the original vendor of the spinel to create something similar for side stones, some pale pinks cut in a super-precision way, or look for brilliant cut tiny pink sapphires or even pink diamond melee, if you won't find it too expensive, for a halo. Then your stone will look stunning.

P.S. I just looked at the size of the stone - it is not large, is it? A halo might work better. Or perhaps you could find two very small pale brilliant cut sapphires (i recently saw such)?

I think you are right I'm just in that anxious to get it set and wear it stage As much as a perfectionist as I am, the poorer cutting probably would bother me. You are right that it's not a large stone at all, so a halo might look quite nice.

 

[hobbitfancier55]

Wow, Arkteia is right! The cut on your spinel is really fantastic! Who did the cutting?
Looking at the pictures you posted makes me think a half eternity band of square tsavorites in a 1.5 to 2 mm size would be pretty. I like that color contrast.
I also love Arkteia's idea to highlight the shape of your center stone with a halo. If you did that, I'm not as big a fan of the green contrast. Maybe something in the same color family like she suggests.
Do you know who's going to do your setting?

It's a Jeff Davies. I may have to reach out to him and see if he has any melee, or just stalk his page until something new comes along As for the setting, I honestly have no idea at this point. Open book, but wanted to find the rest of the stones before deciding that.

 

[Arkteia]

I actually had an item bought from Jeff and set by him. A blue tourmaline set in WG. I know that other people ordered settings from him as well. Even if you already got the spinels, he must know the dimensions of his stone and probably does not need it for CADS.

Seriously, it will probably be done quite well, I had no problems with the way the pendant was made. Doesn't Jeff have a son who is a jeweler? I know other people used him, too.

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

You might want to look at JuliaB's Etsy page too. She has a lot of pretty halo variations (and will set customers' stones, which not everybody will do).

 

[GliderPoss]

I'm loving the asscher garnets but only if they perfect line up with the flat side facet of the spinel YWIM?

 

[Arcadian]

I love that stone but I have to admit I don't know about adding pears to it? I think those would depend on placement but you'd have to be careful not to take too much attention from the center stone.

 

[Katesimone]

Ohh I think the pear garnets would look incredible as sidestones!!!

Your spinel is beautiful and I think sidestones would really set it off perfectly