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What do you think of custom settings??

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IluvEmeralds

IluvEmeralds

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Messages
317
Hello all. First of all I want to say that after being a lurker for quite some time, this forum has helped me and my soon to be finacee settle on a ring puchase!! (After almost 6 years, I was ecstatic!!) SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
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My question to all of you is how do you feel about custom settings? After much thought and searching both online and in town shops we settled on a jeweler here in town that has a great reputation and will do the job for a great price. With that said I am VERY picky about what I''m looking for.

For the center I settled on:
1.56 Emerald cut (I can''t live without one!!)
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VVS2
F color

I don''t have the exact dimentions but it falls within a 1B from what I have read. (It is the most beautiful thing I''ve ever seen!!)

Has anyone had experience with custom settins that they can give me advice on what to watch out for?? I have the design already in mind. 2 side .35 EC set in channel princess, with a matching princess channel wedding band. But....with such an intricate process what should I watch for?? My concern is that I''m so ecstatic to have a ring on my finger in about 6 weeks that I will miss something. We have already placed a deposit so the process is well underway.... ADVICE please??
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Like this? That''s beautiful! There''s nothing wrong with going custom, but I wouldn''t be surprised if you could find a similar ring as a stock setting with a little searching.
 

Yes, like that.....but the band is a little thicker since I wanted a wide look with my wedding band. (I wear a size 6 and have long fingers).



I decided on the custom because I didn''t want extras..filligree, millgrain, etc. and I wanted to have control over what I will wear for the rest of my life. BUT with that said, I''ve heard it can be a difficult processs...so I''m looking for pointers.



Ideas anyone??

 
Date: 8/13/2008 9:29:27 PM
Author: IluvEmeralds

Yes, like that.....but the band is a little thicker since I wanted a wide look with my wedding band. (I wear a size 6 and have long fingers).




I decided on the custom because I didn''t want extras..filligree, millgrain, etc. and I wanted to have control over what I will wear for the rest of my life. BUT with that said, I''ve heard it can be a difficult processs...so I''m looking for pointers.




Ideas anyone??

Click to expand...

Well, WF did such a great job with my custom ring that I don''t really have pointers, since nothing went wrong! I would just suggest to stay informed every step of the way. Make sure you approve the CADs, the wax molds, etc. Don''t be afraid to ask even the silliest of questions. Try to negotiate on prices if you can. Good luck!
 
Custom settings, I hate them
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If you're interested in custom, I HIGHlY recommend these guys - GLJW.com
 
My advice is to get together a lot of pictures that incorporate the design aspects you like and take them to your jeweler. Also, have you tried on a setting like that? I ordered my custom setting with the round sidestones in channel set, but after it was made decided that I preferred the stones to be bead set. If I had been able to try something similar on before the purchase, I wouldn''t have had that issue. You may think you like something from pictures, but it''s invaluable to try it on. Basically, try rings on and get as much detail about what you want before you order.

Will the jeweler make you a wax? Mine didn''t show me the wax, which would''ve been very helpful for picking out the design aspects I wasn''t crazy about.

Finally, ask what they will do if you don''t like the ring. Like I said, there were a few things about mine that I wasn''t crazy about, but they were happy to remake the ring from scratch until I loved it. I would make sure that your jeweler will offer to fix anything you don''t like.

Good luck with the process! I love the setting and I think it will be beautiful!
 
Thanks Elrohwen! That''s really great advice. So far they have let me know a lot and I have been called in for each step of the process, on the computer, picking out the stones, wax molds, etc. I already sent back 1 center stone, and 1 set of side and band stones because they weren''t perfect. The store was happy to work with me to find what I''m looking for. The owner is very accomodating and lets me stay for hours asking questions. So far I''ve been very happy. As far as returning it, I can change it during any time of the design process, but once it''s finally done it''s mine. Does that make sense?

Thanks again..

Anyone else have suggestions? I''ve tried it on in pieces but never seen it all put together....does anyone have anything similiar that they could post?
 
Date: 8/17/2008 11:44:45 PM
Author: Skippy123
Hi there and welcome to PS! How about something like this from Leon Mege; his work is custom http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=454&sessionid=adccb849b9b81590b70e3352d247da01
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Wow Skippy!! That ring is beautiful! Thanks for sharing...for an EC lover like me, I''m still drooling. I am looking to do something similiar with my local jeweler. (I''ve actually already started with them) the price was in our budget and I still get complete design control. What I''m looking for now is stories from other PSers about their custom jobs.

I know there are some out there....so PSers...SHARE PLEASE! The more info I can take with me the better I will feel. Pics too please!!

Thanks for sharing Skippy! I''m going to have to save that pic!! :)
 
Loverocks..I agree...does anyone have this one that they could show us pics??????
 
Well, custom is a bit of a crap-shoot. If you've seen the designer's custom work portfolio, had the chance to examine their work closely and even better, had a chance to get it independantly appraised before buying. And if you have a guarantee of the process (design, CAD, wax, cast for example) and something in a signed writing that says that if you aren't happy with the quality or if they don't listen to you, then jeweler will re-make the setting or refund you go for it. You should also have something that says that if in independant appraiser finds flaws, they will fix them... regardless what that entails (re-casting, etc).

I've gone through the process once. And while I WOULD go through it again, my advice is to SERIOUSLY avoid it if it all possible. There is a high risk of being unhappy with the results. It's an artistic collaboration. Jewelers, designers, aren't telepathic. They can't see what is in your head. No matter how many pics or things you provide, sometimes miscommunications occur. And you have to have the temperment, and the faith in your jeweler to see them through.

There is a reason good custom work frequently costs more than stock work. It's labor and time intensive. My own setting had the most major part of it completely re-done from scratch because of communication problems. And even though I love my setting, there are a few VERY MINOR things that even now, I'd tweak. I won't tweak, I just don't want to deal with the process again (though my deisgner Ocean was a complete sweetheart, and Wink is great), but I COULD if I were really to be picky about it. And it's not as a result of anything anyone did wrong, but just a transalation, from my mind to Oceans, issue.

Good luck.
 
Date: 8/21/2008 8:12:38 PM
Author: Gypsy
Well, custom is a bit of a crap-shoot. If you''ve seen the designer''s custom work portfolio, had the chance to examine their work closely and even better, had a chance to get it independantly appraised before buying. And if you have a guarantee of the process (design, CAD, wax, cast for example) and something in a signed writing that says that if you aren''t happy with the quality or if they don''t listen to you, then jeweler will re-make the setting or refund you go for it. You should also have something that says that if in independant appraiser finds flaws, they will fix them... regardless what that entails (re-casting, etc).

I''ve gone through the process once. And while I WOULD go through it again, my advice is to SERIOUSLY avoid it if it all possible. There is a high risk of being unhappy with the results. It''s an artistic collaboration. Jewelers, designers, aren''t telepathic. They can''t see what is in your head. No matter how many pics or things you provide, sometimes miscommunications occur. And you have to have the temperment, and the faith in your jeweler to see them through.

There is a reason good custom work frequently costs more than stock work. It''s labor and time intensive. My own setting had the most major part of it completely re-done from scratch because of communication problems. And even though I love my setting, there are a few VERY MINOR things that even now, I''d tweak. I won''t tweak, I just don''t want to deal with the process again (though my deisgner Ocean was a complete sweetheart, and Wink is great), but I COULD if I were really to be picky about it. And it''s not as a result of anything anyone did wrong, but just a transalation, from my mind to Oceans, issue.

Good luck.
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Hi Gypsy,

Thanks for the advice. You guys are really helping me revise what I need to ask my jeweler for. We''ve alredady agreed on the CAD models, the wax and any changes within but with all the talk on here, I''m working on gettin to put something in wrting about getting "exactly" what I ask for and remakes, and have it appraise correctly.

Thanks again for the advice...I can''t tell you how much it helps! Anyone else want to chime in?? Good or bad?
 
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