thoughts on this design

[diannec18]

I'd really like to get some thoughts on this design. To me, something about it just looks awkward, but I can't put my finger on it. Please help, I really want to love my ring, as it will be the only nice thing I own, but right now, I just don't

 

[Tekate]

I think it is very nice...

 

[kmarla]

I really like it too and don't see anything awkward myself. It's very classic in style and looks very well done. I know you had talked before about wanting a couple of small diamonds inset in the shank. Do you think that's what you're missing? You could take a look at Jeff Cooper settings, especially the Classic collection. He has some examples that seem close to what you originally wanted (cathedral with inset diamonds in shank) that otherwise are very close to what you have. You need and deserve to be really happy with your ring. Good luck!

 

[Acinom]

Personally I would remove that diamond, create a real donut and set the stone a bit lower. I would set the surprise diamond in the gallery instead. Otherwise, I love the look. Especially from the top.

 

[diannec18]

Personally I would remove that diamond, create a real donut and set the stone a bit lower. I would set the surprise diamond in the gallery instead. Otherwise, I love the look. Especially from the top.

Not sure I know what create a real donut means. Does setting the surprise stone in the gallery mean up higher near the top of the diamond? Sorry for my ignorance...
Can you post a pic as an example?

 

[diannec18]

Yes, Im pretty happy with the look from the top, aside from the prongs, which seem a bit chubby to me. And of course I'd like it thinner, but that option has already been vetoed. It's the profile that's throwing me off.

I feel like maybe the surprise stone is a bit too small, looks disproportionate? And something about the way the head starts at the top of the stone seems odd to me also, like it would look better if it started on the sides of the surprise stone? If that makes sense.

 

[Acinom]

The litte 'round' under the diamond is the donut. And this is what I would do with the surprise diamonds (in this case surprise rubies). The result is that the diamond can be lowered.

I personally love the width as shown in your CAD design. But what matters most is that you love it since you will be the one wearing it every day. Opinions can be very useful to sharpen your own mind, but in the end you have to make the final choices.

 

[JDDN]

I agree with Acinom on the placement of the surprise diamond. It will look more integrated and less one on top of the other. You could do a google image search of "surprise diamonds" to see some more examples of placement that you like. It's helpful to have photos as a reference.

I haven't followed your whole thread, so I apologize if this has been addressed already, but the jeweler cannot do claw prongs?

Also this is a preference thing, but some cathedral's swoop up to the center stone which gives a different effect than yours. I think yours is beautiful, but they are just different looks.

 

[diannec18]

The litte 'round' under the diamond is the donut. And this is what I would do with the surprise diamonds (in this case surprise rubies). The result is that the diamond can be lowered.

I personally love the width as shown in your CAD design. But what matters most is that you love it since you will be the one wearing it every day. Opinions can be very useful to sharpen your own mind, but in the end you have to make the final choices.

Would this cause problems with a wedding band sitting flush? Bc that is a big requirement of mine.

 

[diannec18]

Also, would you say the width on this design is 2mm? Because it seems wider to me. Either that, or the woman at the jewelry store I tried on rings at was lying to me about the width of the various settings...

 

[diannec18]

I agree with Acinom on the placement of the surprise diamond. It will look more integrated and less one on top of the other. You could do a google image search of "surprise diamonds" to see some more examples of placement that you like. It's helpful to have photos as a reference.

I haven't followed your whole thread, so I apologize if this has been addressed already, but the jeweler cannot do claw prongs?

Also this is a preference thing, but some cathedral's swoop up to the center stone which gives a different effect than yours. I think yours is beautiful, but they are just different looks.

I'm not a fan of the swoop, I actually would like it to be straighter than it is from the profile view. And I thought I wanted it curved but now I'm not sure.

 

[diannec18]

This ring was posted on another forum and I really love the shape and proportions of it...

Idk, I'm so confused about what I actually want.

 

[diannec18]

I really like it too and don't see anything awkward myself. It's very classic in style and looks very well done. I know you had talked before about wanting a couple of small diamonds inset in the shank. Do you think that's what you're missing? You could take a look at Jeff Cooper settings, especially the Classic collection. He has some examples that seem close to what you originally wanted (cathedral with inset diamonds in shank) that otherwise are very close to what you have. You need and deserve to be really happy with your ring. Good luck!

Thanks, that makes me feel better. I've decided against the inset diamonds primarily bc the jeweler thought it was a bad idea, but after thinking it over, I think I want to stay with a more classic look from the top down.

 

[diannec18]

I don't really like claw prongs, but these just look kinds large and chunky relative to the stone size, right?

 

[diannec18]

I think it is very nice...

Thank you

 

[Lookinagain]

The litte 'round' under the diamond is the donut. And this is what I would do with the surprise diamonds (in this case surprise rubies). The result is that the diamond can be lowered.

I personally love the width as shown in your CAD design. But what matters most is that you love it since you will be the one wearing it every day. Opinions can be very useful to sharpen your own mind, but in the end you have to make the final choices.

Would this cause problems with a wedding band sitting flush? Bc that is a big requirement of mine.

yes, a donut can prevent a completely flush fit. I like rings that sit perfectly flush as I'm not a fan of any gap, so I avoid donuts.

If it were me, I'd also lower the cathedral part too. It looks like it goes up a bit too high. Maybe since you are getting rid of the small stone the head can be lowered along with a lowering of the cathedral.

 

[motownmama]

I like it! Can you take a profile shot straight on - not angled?

 

[diannec18]

I like it! Can you take a profile shot straight on - not angled?

I don't have the ring yet, these are just CADs. These are the only two angles the jeweler sent me

 

[JDDN]

I don't think you could accurately tell if it's 2mm from the pictures. You'll have to reiterate it with the jeweler to be sure. It doesn't look like it's not 2mm though.

When you say you would like it to be straighter and that you thought you wanted it curved but now you're not sure….do you mean the taper? Ie, it's getting slimmer as it heads to the stone? If so, you could revise it to stay the same mm all the way to the center stone.

It looks like a wedding band would obscure the surprise stone in the CAD. Is that okay with you?

I think the prongs look absolutely fine and not chunky, but that is my opinion only. Overall, I think it's quite lovely. Maybe some minor tweaking is all you need to do to make it what you want.

 

[JDDN]

This ring was posted on another forum and I really love the shape and proportions of it...

Idk, I'm so confused about what I actually want.

One more thing….as someone who has also agonized over a custom ring because it never felt right, allow yourself to take a break from it if you are unhappy with the design. I have made decisions because I didn't really know what I wanted and felt rushed and it has turned into several revisions which are expensive and time consuming. Maybe you don't have the time to take a break, but just try and take a deep breath and relax. I think your ring will be spectacular!

 

[danielxlin]

Agreed, no swoop. Classic is better.

The prongs in the CAD will always look a little chunky. In real life they will be fine, just ask the jeweler to make them as delicate as possible.

I think you should stick to your original intention and get that sub-2.0 mm shank. A 1.8 mm shank won't kill anybody.

Have some fun with colored surprise stones. Consider colored diamonds--yellow diamond melee shouldn't be any more expensive than regular white diamonds.

 

[diannec18]

I don't think you could accurately tell if it's 2mm from the pictures. You'll have to reiterate it with the jeweler to be sure. It doesn't look like it's not 2mm though.

When you say you would like it to be straighter and that you thought you wanted it curved but now you're not sure….do you mean the taper? Ie, it's getting slimmer as it heads to the stone? If so, you could revise it to stay the same mm all the way to the center stone.

It looks like a wedding band would obscure the surprise stone in the CAD. Is that okay with you?

I think the prongs look absolutely fine and not chunky, but that is my opinion only. Overall, I think it's quite lovely. Maybe some minor tweaking is all you need to do to make it what you want.

I think the way it's designed currently is considered comfort fit? How the band itself is very circular/rounded? Now I'm thinking I'd prefer it more boxy edges like the ring I posted above.

 

[diannec18]

This ring was posted on another forum and I really love the shape and proportions of it...

Idk, I'm so confused about what I actually want.

One more thing….as someone who has also agonized over a custom ring because it never felt right, allow yourself to take a break from it if you are unhappy with the design. I have made decisions because I didn't really know what I wanted and felt rushed and it has turned into several revisions which are expensive and time consuming. Maybe you don't have the time to take a break, but just try and take a deep breath and relax. I think your ring will be spectacular!

Thank you. Sometimes I think Google images and ring threads are more of a curse than a blessing, lol. When this whole process started, I knew exactly what I wanted, but after seeing all the different options and variations out there, it's harder to figure out what I really like, what's actually "me".

 

[diannec18]

Agreed, no swoop. Classic is better.

The prongs in the CAD will always look a little chunky. In real life they will be fine, just ask the jeweler to make them as delicate as possible.

I think you should stick to your original intention and get that sub-2.0 mm shank. A 1.8 mm shank won't kill anybody.

Have some fun with colored surprise stones. Consider colored diamonds--yellow diamond melee shouldn't be any more expensive than regular white diamonds.

Even tho the jeweler doesn't want to do it? He's worried t integrity and the impression I got was that he wouldn't stand behind the ring if I insist on thinner... But yes, I think it would be totally fine personally, it's not like I'm getting pave. Also he was saying that I won't be able to fit surprise stones if I go thinner, I'm actually afraid he's going to tell me that the current surprise stones are as large as can be for a 2mm band, which I find hard to believe based on other rings I've seen.

Colored stones are an option I've kept open and will be letting my SO decide on. Been thinking pink garnets bc that is SOs birthstone and I love pink...

 

[diannec18]

Does anyone have any thoughts on heart prongs? I really like the idea of adding hearts to an engagement ring, but I don't want it to look juvenile or cheap...

 

[tyty333]

I'm not big on the prongs coming out of the top of the surprise diamond. I think the prongs need to come off more of the sides
of the surprise diamond to make it look more integrated and to lower the setting a bit. I* would not do heart prongs. Too cutsy
for me (but I am older)!

You are getting there!

 

[danielxlin]

On second thought, I looked at a bunch of 2mm shanks, including my wife's ring, and I think it's going to be fine for a 0.70 carat center diamond. It's just the CAD mockup making the metal look chunky. 2mm is thin! In real life it's going to look delicate and proportional.

(Just to make sure you've considered the option, have you looked at the 6 prong cathedral solitaire settings? Can be beautiful for a smaller stone.)

 

[diannec18]

Want to thank everyone for their input on this design,but it looks like I'll be starting over here soon. Hope you all are willing to help me brainstorm on the next one as well. I went to speak with the jeweler yesterday and left the shop almost in tears, so after talking it over with my mom, I decided that working with that jeweler just wasnt the right choice for me. This experience should be fun and exciting, not scary and disappointing. So I've contacted David Klass, and it looks like I'll be going with him instead.

 

[danielxlin]

It's going to work out better in the end with Klass. You'll get a truly unique and diamond-flattering setting.

 

[EvangelineG]

Want to thank everyone for their input on this design,but it looks like I'll be starting over here soon. Hope you all are willing to help me brainstorm on the next one as well. I went to speak with the jeweler yesterday and left the shop almost in tears, so after talking it over with my mom, I decided that working with that jeweler just wasnt the right choice for me. This experience should be fun and exciting, not scary and disappointing. So I've contacted David Klass, and it looks like I'll be going with him instead.

I am so glad on your behalf! That jeweler sounded like a total PITA. You are going to end up with a beautiful ring going with DK!