Vatche on the inside - Photos!!!

[LesleyH]

I visited Vatche last week as is my habit every couple of months, and asked him permission to take a few photos to share with you all. I did not have my digital camera with me, so the quality is not the greatest, but they will give you a feel of the place and the people.

Here is Vatche sitting on his "throne" - it it literally a throne - hand carved and beautifully stained. Vatche is a very friendly and approachable man, who always makes time for us, even with his busy schedule.

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[LesleyH]

Laying on the leather couch in Vatche's office is a genuine bear skin with the full head attached!! I decided not to share the couch!!

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[LesleyH]

RJ oversees our production. He is also Vatche's personal pilot (yes Vatche has a private plane). This is RJ showing off the "beverages" that we sent him for the holidays!!

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[LesleyH]

This is just a handful of the jewelers who work on your precious Vatche settings. I got into trouble when I took this picture as I disturbed them when the flash went off! These guys work VERY hard.

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[Mara]

I know it's D.Vatche but what is the D for?!

Are the guys working on the settings actually jewelers?!

 

[KittyTiger]

I think it means: "designs by Vatche"?

 

[Patty]

Thanks for the pictures, Lesley. It's nice to see the people and the place that made my ring.

When I see the jewelers hunched over working, all I can think of is how they must have sore necks and backs at the end of the day!

 

[rockupied]

It's nice to put the faces and place into real perspective. My stone was shipped to them on the 8th. I'm very excited about seeing the finished product!

 

[LesleyH]

Here is more of the technical side of Vatche. This is Lorena, one of the jewelry designers, working on ring designs.

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[LesleyH]

Once she has completed the design, she sends the file to the Envision machine pictured here. This machine uses ultraviolet light to grow the plastic model. Each ring takes about 5 hours to "grow". I was not allowed to photograph the machine with a flash camera during the process as it affects it!

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[LesleyH]

Once the process is complete, the tray is removed with the fully formed plastic ring model ready to go. The ring is then cast in either platinum or gold....fascinating!!!!

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[LesleyH]

Mara:

To answer your questions:


I know it's D.Vatche but what is the D for?!

I believe that the "d" was added for the website URL www.dvatche.com because www.vatche.com was already taken...there is no other significance to the "d"

Are the guys working on the settings actually jewelers?!

These guys are not designers, they work with the cast rings and set the diamonds. There has to be at least 25 of them!!

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[Nicrez]

Hey Leslie, thanks for the nice insight into D.Vatche (who thakfully is not the scary guy at www.vatche.com!)

Now here's the real question I am dying to get answered. Does Vatche make the Tiffany Lucida setting (ala X-prong) currently? They are similar enough, but vary too much to be the one and the same...please please help!

 

[Kay]

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On 3/2/2004 3:47:34 PM Nicrez wrote:


Hey Leslie, thanks for the nice insight into D.Vatche (who thakfully is not the scary guy at www.vatche.com!)

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LMAO. I had to go check out www.vatche.com after seeing your post -- I definitely would not let that guy set my stone!

 

[phoenixgirl]

Wow, fascinating!

I wonder if the guy on the end has some kind of seniority to have gotten the primo seat in front of the window.

I love Vatche's settings, and as I mentioned in the diamond hangout, I hope to get one of my own someday soon. Now I know who will set it, unless my boyfriend gets it set locally.

 

[icelady]

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On 3/2/2004 3:47:34 PM Nicrez wrote:


(who thakfully is not the scary guy at www.vatche.com!) ----------------

Whoa, very scary.

Thanks for the pics Lesley, very interesting!

 

[pqcollectibles]

Neat pics, Lesley!! Thanks for sharing a bit of the inside with us. Definitely not the scarey guy at the other website!! HeeHee!! Hummm.... A machine that grows plastic rings. That is too kewl!!

 

[LadyJ]

Hey thaks for posting the pics it's very cool to see them. The setting I want is a Vatche setting. I have not been able to find anthing I like as much and I have tried to find others so I would have a few to pick from. I will probably be going with the Vatche one.

 

[LadyJ]

lol Nicrez I saw that scary guy at www.vatche.com too!! lol I started laughing when I read that!! ha ha ha !!!