To Bezel or Not?

[Taylorbug!]

Do you prefer a bezel or not?
If you do prefer a bezel is it on specific diamond shapes?

 

[vespergirl]

I prefer no bezel, but many people really like them. Good examples of bezels done well are James Meyer and Tiffany Bezet.

 

[Lula]

Date: 3/18/2010 11:01:49 AM
Author: vespergirl
I prefer no bezel, but many people really like them. Good examples of bezels done well are James Meyer and Tiffany Bezet.

Yes, "bezels done well" is key. On a fancy shape like a marquise, I would only bezel the stone if I could find an expert craftsperson.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I like bezels very much if they are well done and look fluid. My faves are chunky cushions and OECs in James Meyer bezels, Neatfreak''s E-W bezel cushion, and most of the Tiffany bezet collection (though I prefer how other vendors can make them even slimmer and more fluid). I don''t like the bezels that look like a chunk of metal on top of the shank.

My fave eternity bands are bezel as well: tiffany jazz, an alternating E-W bezel pear and round bezel band, and E-W bezel marquise band.

I love bezel pendants and earrings.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

For rings, I do not prefer bezels. Mainly because I love to see through the pavilion of diamonds in my rings and also, I find the faceted girdle of my eng. ring shoots out sparkles of fire.

I have two pendants with diamonds of approx the same size and the bezel one seems to frame the diamond in such a way that it stands out more than the prong-set diamond I have. I don''t like the way the bezel is attached to the chain though, so for that reason, I usually only wear the prong style.

 

[Hest88]

I like thin, antique-y bezels. My favorite bezels are with asschers or odd cushion shapes where prongs would obscure the shape of the stone.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Depends on what you hope to achieve. Do you want to potentially add the illusion of size? How about the illusion of added sparkle? Hoping to enhance the outer shape of the stone? Protect the diamond from the elements (or yourself

)?

I prefer bezels simply because of my nature to be a bit of a klutz

. If I had to do it over again, I'd thin out the height of my bezel a bit so I could see more of the pav. of my diamond. But othersise, I'm absolutely in love with my ring. It gives added size, sparkle, and definitely enhances the shape of my asscher, but many prefer to see most of their diamond, much of their girdle, and so it comes down to what you want your ring to achieve.

If you do choose to bezel, please make sure you use a benchperson/jeweler who has loads of examples of bezel work to view at your request. I've seen/had some bezels go horribly wrong in the past, and had I seen previous work examples, I might not have worked with them.

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 1:51:58 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
Depends on what you hope to achieve. Do you want to potentially add the illusion of size? How about the illusion of added sparkle? Hoping to enhance the outer shape of the stone? Protect the diamond from the elements (or yourself

)?

I prefer bezels simply because of my nature to be a bit of a klutz

. If I had to do it over again, I''d thin out the height of my bezel a bit so I could see more of the pav. of my diamond. But othersise, I''m absolutely in love with my ring. It gives added size, sparkle, and definitely enhances the shape of my asscher, but many prefer to see most of their diamond, much of their girdle, and so it comes down to what you want your ring to achieve.

If you do choose to bezel, please make sure you use a benchperson/jeweler who has loads of examples of bezel work to view at your request. I''ve seen/had some bezels go horribly wrong in the past, and had I seen previous work examples, I might not have worked with them.

I love this bezel on Chrono''s ring.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 3/18/2010 1:51:58 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
Depends on what you hope to achieve. Do you want to potentially add the illusion of size? How about the illusion of added sparkle? Hoping to enhance the outer shape of the stone? Protect the diamond from the elements (or yourself

)?

I prefer bezels simply because of my nature to be a bit of a klutz

. If I had to do it over again, I''d thin out the height of my bezel a bit so I could see more of the pav. of my diamond. But othersise, I''m absolutely in love with my ring. It gives added size, sparkle, and definitely enhances the shape of my asscher, but many prefer to see most of their diamond, much of their girdle, and so it comes down to what you want your ring to achieve.

If you do choose to bezel, please make sure you use a benchperson/jeweler who has loads of examples of bezel work to view at your request. I''ve seen/had some bezels go horribly wrong in the past, and had I seen previous work examples, I might not have worked with them.

Yes, for sure look at examples of work. Also, providing photos helps tremendously. With the bezel pendant I had made, it was taken to a local jeweler who provided numerous examples and then also made sketches of the pendant based on the images I brought in. The bezel turned out perfect and is very even all the way around the diamond.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I love chonos ring too.

You need to try bezels on to see if you like it. I loved photos but then tried the style on and it didn''t do it for me.

 

[Firestone]

I personally don''t like the bezel look. I assume you are asking about adding a bezel to your marquise. I don''t think that would be an improvement.

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 2:20:31 PM
Author: Firestone
I personally don''t like the bezel look. I assume you are asking about adding a bezel to your marquise. I don''t think that would be an improvement.

I really do like my ring with the exception of the chevrons on each end of the marquise. I think that looks to "plain" for the rest of the ring. Other suggestions besides bezel? I like the look of the bezel especially with the milgrain. I think it would give the ring a more "uniform" look.

 

[Firestone]

I know you have been struggling with this. Your ER is not plain in any respect. There is a lot going on there plus it has a substantial width. I honestly think if you try to add anything to it that it would be overkill. The more you add the more you take away from your center stone. In other threads you said you wanted to make a change to try to make it look more modern. I know you said that you love the setting and the style of your 2 weddings bands confirm that. If you want to keep the setting, I would leave it alone. If you want a more modern setting, I would have the stone reset in a more modern simpler setting. If you tire of it, you can always go back to your original. If you are still determined to go for a change to your original setting, perhaps you can play around in photoshop to see what it would look like. Bezels can go out of style like everything else. Do you know if there is any risk of damage to your stone if you add a bezel and then want to remove it? Another alternative is to gut the setting. Pull out the stones there and put in lots of pave stones.

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 2:52:49 PM
Author: Firestone
I know you have been struggling with this. Your ER is not plain in any respect. There is a lot going on there plus it has a substantial width. I honestly think if you try to add anything to it that it would be overkill. The more you add the more you take away from your center stone. In other threads you said you wanted to make a change to try to make it look more modern. I know you said that you love the setting and the style of your 2 weddings bands confirm that. If you want to keep the setting, I would leave it alone. If you want a more modern setting, I would have the stone reset in a more modern simpler setting. If you tire of it, you can always go back to your original. If you are still determined to go for a change to your original setting, perhaps you can play around in photoshop to see what it would look like. Bezels can go out of style like everything else. Do you know if there is any risk of damage to your stone if you add a bezel and then want to remove it? Another alternative is to gut the setting. Pull out the stones there and put in lots of pave stones.

The bands are fine...I actually have 3 different ones that I wear at different times. I was thinking that the bezel would actually "enhance" the marquise more. Which I guess is mainly what I am trying to do. When I look at this ring, I feel like the marquise sort of gets lost!

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 3:00:18 PM
Author: Taylorbug!

Date: 3/18/2010 2:52:49 PM
Author: Firestone
I know you have been struggling with this. Your ER is not plain in any respect. There is a lot going on there plus it has a substantial width. I honestly think if you try to add anything to it that it would be overkill. The more you add the more you take away from your center stone. In other threads you said you wanted to make a change to try to make it look more modern. I know you said that you love the setting and the style of your 2 weddings bands confirm that. If you want to keep the setting, I would leave it alone. If you want a more modern setting, I would have the stone reset in a more modern simpler setting. If you tire of it, you can always go back to your original. If you are still determined to go for a change to your original setting, perhaps you can play around in photoshop to see what it would look like. Bezels can go out of style like everything else. Do you know if there is any risk of damage to your stone if you add a bezel and then want to remove it? Another alternative is to gut the setting. Pull out the stones there and put in lots of pave stones.

The bands are fine...I actually have 3 different ones that I wear at different times. I was thinking that the bezel would actually ''enhance'' the marquise more. Which I guess is mainly what I am trying to do. When I look at this ring, I feel like the marquise sort of gets lost!

Also, remaking "this " ring is totally out of the question. Got too much $$$ invested in it. I could take the marquise out and put it in a different setting, but then I wouldn''t be using all the other diamonds that I have in this mounting. Decisions, Decisions....

 

[Firestone]

Date: 3/18/2010 3:00:18 PM
Author: Taylorbug!


The bands are fine...I actually have 3 different ones that I wear at different times. I was thinking that the bezel would actually ''enhance'' the marquise more. Which I guess is mainly what I am trying to do. When I look at this ring, I feel like the marquise sort of gets lost!

I agree with you that your center stone is getting lost but I think it is getting lost because the setting is so wide and has so much to it. I think if your stone was in a narrower and simpler setting that it would stand out more. My concern is if you keep adding to it that it will get more lost.

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 3:04:07 PM
Author: Firestone

Date: 3/18/2010 3:00:18 PM
Author: Taylorbug!


The bands are fine...I actually have 3 different ones that I wear at different times. I was thinking that the bezel would actually ''enhance'' the marquise more. Which I guess is mainly what I am trying to do. When I look at this ring, I feel like the marquise sort of gets lost!

I agree with you that your center stone is getting lost but I think it is getting lost because the setting is so wide and has so much to it. I think if your stone was in a narrower and simpler setting that it would stand out more. My concern is if you keep adding to it that it will get more lost.

Firestone...help me find a mounting that would "better" enhance the marquise...simple with maybe some side stones, in platinum. Maybe a colored stone for the current mounting (that would show up better on the wider band). Any ideas?

 

[Firestone]

OK. I''ll look around.

 

[Firestone]

http://www.ritani.com/products/view/506

I would go simpler than this.

 

[D&T]

here is a setting that is bezel, if you like bezel and slightly simple that I have been fond of. from Greenlake Jewelry. I tend to agree with others, that by you adding more and more, the center will just get lost so a rebirth might make more sense? get a colored stone to wear in your current setting, and if you are very sentimental about keeping all the diamonds, you can definitely reuse those diamonds for another project or anniversary down the road.

 

[Firestone]

I''m looking for an example of a thinner shank with micropave diamonds -- could even be 3 sided.

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 3:54:15 PM
Author: Firestone
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/506

I would go simpler than this.

Don''t really care for the halo. For some reason, I really like this one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-2806.asp

and it has a matching band.

 

[purselover]

Date: 3/18/2010 4:09:40 PM
Author: Taylorbug!

Date: 3/18/2010 3:54:15 PM
Author: Firestone
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/506

I would go simpler than this.

Don''t really care for the halo. For some reason, I really like this one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-2806.asp

and it has a matching band.

The James Allen one is really pretty! It''s the best of both worlds with the bezel accents.

 

[Firestone]

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/sold/settings-with-sidestones/1701/Diamond-Ring-With-Sidestones.html

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/18/2010 4:21:53 PM
Author: purselover

Date: 3/18/2010 4:09:40 PM
Author: Taylorbug!

Date: 3/18/2010 3:54:15 PM
Author: Firestone
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/506

I would go simpler than this.

Don''t really care for the halo. For some reason, I really like this one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-2806.asp

and it has a matching band.

The James Allen one is really pretty! It''s the best of both worlds with the bezel accents.

I liek that ring, can they make it for a marquise?

A colored stone could go in your current setting and it would not be wasted.

 

[Taylorbug!]

Date: 3/18/2010 4:24:35 PM
Author: dreamer_d

Date: 3/18/2010 4:21:53 PM
Author: purselover

Date: 3/18/2010 4:09:40 PM
Author: Taylorbug!

Date: 3/18/2010 3:54:15 PM
Author: Firestone
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/506

I would go simpler than this.

Don''t really care for the halo. For some reason, I really like this one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-2806.asp

and it has a matching band.

The James Allen one is really pretty! It''s the best of both worlds with the bezel accents.

I liek that ring, can they make it for a marquise?

A colored stone could go in your current setting and it would not be wasted.

Yes, if you click on the picture, you get the option to choose which stone shape. I just couldn''t get that picture to upload.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I quite like that JA setting with the marquise, esp. if they can thin out the prongs, and then you can get a colored stone cut for your current setting and you''ll have a huge RHR