What color gold for alexandrite?

[LD]

Somebody mentioned that yellow gold might suit an Alex that has a stronger/excellent colour change? Actually in my experience it's the other way around. My "best" Alex is in white gold and (admittedly with diamonds) it looks phenomenal in any light no matter what colour the gemstones changes to and from. Another piece I have with superb colour change in yellow gold doesn't really have the same impact. What I would say is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE bright white diamonds next to the Alex.

One other thing to mention, even with the best Alex, there are some lighting conditions for example, early evening when the light is neither here nor there, that the colour of the Alex can look a bit strange - neither one or the other and a colour all by itself! In white gold, it looks great because it seems to compliment all colourways.

JStar - here are my two favourite/best pieces up close and personal. I hope this helps to make up your mind (if it's not already)!

Yellow gold:

White gold:

Photo from Vendor (I can't capture the green on camera)!

 

[chrono]

LD,
We''ll have to disagree then. Looking at the pictures you posted, I still prefer the yellow setting with the Alex.

 

[LD]

Date: 6/30/2009 2:49:07 PM
Author: Chrono
LD,
We''ll have to disagree then. Looking at the pictures you posted, I still prefer the yellow setting with the Alex.

Fair enough Chrono!!! Maybe I just love the Diamond/Alex combo

 

[jstarfireb]

Very interesting LD! Thanks for the pics. It''s interesting...the pic of the pendant on the right almost looks like rose gold, and again I''m seeing what originally drew me to rose gold. However, I don''t think I''d like the green next to it. Brandy, I think that''s what it comes down to - the shades of green that show up in alexandrite aren''t really suited to rose gold.

 

[chrono]

How about an alex with yellow diamonds combo?

 

[LD]

Date: 6/30/2009 3:07:24 PM
Author: Chrono
How about an alex with yellow diamonds combo?

Strangely I have a photo of this combo somewhere and I didn''t like it.

JStar - I posted that particular photo because I thought it looked like rose gold too (it doesn''t in real life of course)! You''re right, the green would look strange with rose gold unless you like a clashing look. However, for me, an Alex should take centre stage and so often I''ve seen rose gold settings that just take over and detract from the gemstone. I guess that''s my main problem with rose gold.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks ladies for all your help!

Right now I''m leaning toward the two-tone idea, with a yellow gold lotus head but a white gold shank. I did a search and found this thread with examples of two-tone settings. This would be a similar look (obviously a different ring, but anyway):

What do you all think?

 

[chrono]

Date: 6/30/2009 3:11:22 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds

Date: 6/30/2009 3:07:24 PM
Author: Chrono
How about an alex with yellow diamonds combo?

Strangely I have a photo of this combo somewhere and I didn''t like it.

JStar - I posted that particular photo because I thought it looked like rose gold too (it doesn''t in real life of course)! You''re right, the green would look strange with rose gold unless you like a clashing look. However, for me, an Alex should take centre stage and so often I''ve seen rose gold settings that just take over and detract from the gemstone. I guess that''s my main problem with rose gold.

That''s interesting. If you ever come across it again, I hope you''ll post it on CS. I''d love to be able to see it instead of imagining it.

 

[SparkleSparkle]

I have a synthetic alex that I bought in a yellow gold setting. It had great color change - burgundy to teal to purple. I recently had it reset in a white gold setting. Now the burgundy barely comes out at all! It mostly shows that blue/teal/purple all-in-one color now

I guess it would depend on what colors you prefer to see coming out of the stone...

 

[jstarfireb]

Chrono, that would be interesting to see. I can''t really picture it in my mind.

Sparkle, sorry that the reset didn''t turn out as nicely as the original! I would most certainly prefer to see the full color change.

I decided to do the yellow gold head and white gold shank. Hopefully it will end up being a good choice! I could always rhodium plate the head if I regret going with YG, right?

 

[ma re]

LD,

I don''t think you''re comparing apples with apples there, cause the white color that you''re refering to, is not a result of the choice of metal, but that of melee diamonds. And I''d say that probably 90% of people would say they prefer a fancier setting with diamonds, than the one without them. How about if that setting would be white from a frosted matte finish of white gold or platinum and have no diamonds, would you still like it more than a yellow gold one?

 

[jstarfireb]

Interesting point, ma re...is it the diamonds or the whiteness that creates the appeal of LD''s awesome ring?

Anyway, last question for you all. You sick of me yet?

So I''ve decided to go with the two-tone idea, with a WG band and YG head. I''m doing 14k instead of 18k because Sally''s 14k is a lighter yellow than her 18k, and it will work better with my skin tone. However, there are 2 little cathedral-esque shoulders on the ring that I''m not sure what to do with. Originally I was going to do yellow gold to match the lotus head, but now I think maybe white gold will help tie the head into the band better. What do you all think?

 

[D&T]

love the two tone idea - I just love yellow with purple and green even some blues. so I vote yellow head, and white gold shank (if you wear more wg pieces)

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks D&T! What do you think about the parts that the arrow on the right is pointing to - white or yellow?

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/1/2009 9:35:01 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Thanks D&T! What do you think about the parts that the arrow on the right is pointing to - white or yellow?

lol... oh I didn't read it carefully, you mean the middle transition I go with white, so it doesn't look like she just solder it on to the shank...

ETD...

ETA: maybe we need some photoshopping assistance here? I keep changing my mind to white to yg.... though

 

[jstarfireb]

Well, I mean keep the full lotus head yellow and the whole shank white, but those little "side support" or "cathedral" or "shoulder" pieces are what''s in question. Does that help?

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/1/2009 9:55:15 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Well, I mean keep the full lotus head yellow and the whole shank white, but those little ''side support'' or ''cathedral'' or ''shoulder'' pieces are what''s in question. Does that help?

yep, I just realized ,hence my second post i first liked yellow, then looking at it, the whole head with the cathedral shoulder piece would look like it was just stuck onto a wg circle band. so then I said wg to help bring the two together and less noticeble on the solder part if that makes sense.... what does Sally think?

 

[jstarfireb]

Yup, definitely makes sense, and I think that''s what I''ll do, but I''m just not sure, ya know? I''ve asked Sally for her opinion and am awaiting her reply from across the time zones!

 

[LD]

Date: 7/1/2009 10:51:29 AM
Author: ma re
LD,

I don''t think you''re comparing apples with apples there, cause the white color that you''re refering to, is not a result of the choice of metal, but that of melee diamonds. And I''d say that probably 90% of people would say they prefer a fancier setting with diamonds, than the one without them. How about if that setting would be white from a frosted matte finish of white gold or platinum and have no diamonds, would you still like it more than a yellow gold one?

Understand your point mr ma re but the question I was trying to answer was "if you have a strong colour change Alex, does it look better in yellow or white gold?". Somebody had said they thought yellow gold. If you look at the collage of my Alex at the beginning of this thread you''ll see I have other white gold rings (some with only a few diamonds) and I can honestly say my preference is marginally for white gold with Alex because it compliments all the colourways. However, my overall preference is for diamonds as accents!!!!!!!

 

[LD]

jstar - Lotus setting ......... I would go with all white gold apart from the two side supports to the head. Otherwise, I would stick with all one colour either all yellow or all white.

 

[chrono]

Date: 7/2/2009 2:23:51 AM
Author: LovingDiamonds

Date: 7/1/2009 10:51:29 AM
Author: ma re
LD,

I don''t think you''re comparing apples with apples there, cause the white color that you''re refering to, is not a result of the choice of metal, but that of melee diamonds. And I''d say that probably 90% of people would say they prefer a fancier setting with diamonds, than the one without them. How about if that setting would be white from a frosted matte finish of white gold or platinum and have no diamonds, would you still like it more than a yellow gold one?

Understand your point mr ma re but the question I was trying to answer was ''if you have a strong colour change Alex, does it look better in yellow or white gold?''. Somebody had said they thought yellow gold. If you look at the collage of my Alex at the beginning of this thread you''ll see I have other white gold rings (some with only a few diamonds) and I can honestly say my preference is marginally for white gold with Alex because it compliments all the colourways. However, my overall preference is for diamonds as accents!!!!!!!

LD,
My reasoning for yellow gold is that the blue green component of the alexandrite often isn’t a pure colour (unless it costs extra $$$$) and shows the gray undertone which gets highlighted by the white gold.

 

[chrono]

I’m with D&T in that you don’t want the ring to look like the top was just plunked atop the white gold shank so I’d have the 2 side swoops white gold too with only the basket in yellow gold.

 

[D&T]

I was just browsing my local B&M site oh you know to pass the time

anyhow I ran across this picture with two tone but with diamonds around the alex. just to give an idea of the opposite look.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

My father has a pair of alexandrite cufflinks that are done in yellow gold and the stones look great. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of them.

I never thought of pink gold for an alexandrite. I think that would look great especially given the color of the stone you are getting.

 

[jstarfireb]

Chrono - that is in fact what I''ve decided to do! So all the decisions are now finalized. I can''t wait for Sally to put up a listing so the production process can start!

D&T - thanks for the pic! Most of my two-tone pieces are of that configuration. I like that too, but since I wanted to "frame" the alex with YG after hearing all the opinions here, I stuck with the white band and yellow head. Hopefully it will turn out how I envision it!

Diamante - That''s too bad about the photo; I''d love to see them! I can still see rose gold working with my stone too. However, given what everyone has said, I didn''t want to take the chance that it could turn out horrible!

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/2/2009 6:43:56 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Chrono - that is in fact what I''ve decided to do! So all the decisions are now finalized. I can''t wait for Sally to put up a listing so the production process can start!

D&T - thanks for the pic! Most of my two-tone pieces are of that configuration. I like that too, but since I wanted to ''frame'' the alex with YG after hearing all the opinions here, I stuck with the white band and yellow head. Hopefully it will turn out how I envision it!

Diamante - That''s too bad about the photo; I''d love to see them! I can still see rose gold working with my stone too. However, given what everyone has said, I didn''t want to take the chance that it could turn out horrible!

Yay! ok how exciting Can''t wait for the final product

 

[Indylady]

Wow, I love all of these alex''s!!