What metal for setting for an OMC?

[LibbyLA]

I've set up a poll so y'all can help me decide what metal to choose for a custom setting for a .8 ct. OMC. This is for my backup/travel/everyday ering so I want something fairly low set and relatively plain. I was going to put it in a fishtail solitaire setting but fell in love with this inspiration ring. Please vote, and if you have a comment about why you chose what you chose, I'm happy to get input.

First, a picture of my pasty, middle-aged hands with rose gold and unplated white gold spacers. Almost everything I have is white metal and the inspiration ring is white gold so I'm very comfortable with white metal (either unplated white gold or perhaps platinum), but part of me is thinking that I might like something a little bit different, hence the rose gold. Fiancé and a friend have voted for rose gold.



Will post info on the probable diamond (which I will get tomorrow) in a followup post.

Dreamer_D found the inspiration ring for me. It's not my usual style but I fell in love with it. She said it was overpriced and was coaching me through getting more info before making an offer but the ring sold immediately. I don't regret not getting it because it was overpriced and the setting was damaged, but I haven't found anything I like nearly as well so I'm going to have the ring replicated. The inspiration ring has an approximately .75 ct. OMC and the ring is a size 8, exactly the size that I need, so the proportions in these pictures are pretty close to what my ring will be. I like the low setting, the head that protects the girdle, the slightly concave shoulders, and the general shape of the setting. I don't care if the motifs are identical and I may see if the "basket" can be a little more open so I can see the diamond's profile.







liz

 

[LibbyLA]

the diamond:



short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haNvAuaWHEQ&feature=em-share_video_user

liz

 

[Enerchi]

Yum Yum YUMMY! that is a gorgeous inspiration ring! AWESOME call Dreamer & LibbyLa!

I hear you about something different - going for the RG. I'm feeling the same way - I have a lot of white metal rings and there is something so endearing about the warmth and softness of the RG that works so well with almost all skin tones! AND... if this is a 'back up' ering - it could be a great option to go for the RG...

but my 2nd choice would be the unplated WG - yet - would it blend too closely with the diamond colour (NOT A BAD THING, by any means) but the RG helps to make the diamond appear whiter...

Hmmmm. I don't think I'm any help on this!! sorry --- I meant well!

 

[ericad]

LOVE the rose gold with your skin tone! I voted rose!

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

Your input IS helpful! I don't feel so bad for being so darned indecisive now.

I have been obsessed with that inspiration ring since Dreamer_D sent me the link. I wouldn't have given it a second glance had I seen the thumbnail, but she e-mailed it to me and raved about it. I dismissed it initially because it's "not my style" but I kept going back to it and looking at it to see what Dreamer_D saw in it and I quickly fell in love with it. Dreamer_D had some other possibilities for me, but nothing made my heart go pitty-pat like that one did.

I really don't mind that I lost it because I don't think the seller would have taken any kind of reasonable offer and the setting looks like it took a good thwack at some point. I'll have a new, undamaged ring a nice diamond with a pedigree for less money than that ring probably sold for.

I'm blaming this on Dreamer_D . She has AWESOME taste!

liz

 

[Enerchi]

Darn that Dreamer and her awesome good taste.... LOL!!!

I really love the RG on your hand - the spacer up top - and it is kind of nice to have something out of your comfort zone as a 'fun' ring.... Yup, I'm going to commit to RG as my choice!!

I just adore all of the gorgeous RG pieces that have been posted lately - they really seem to make the diamonds POP and its just so unique and a nice alternative to the "usual suspects" of the white metals!

I'm sure that you'll find something incredible!! (in RG... just sayin'!! )

 

[SMC]

I voted for unplated WG because I think stones with brown modifiers look better in RG and stones with yellow modifiers look better in WG. Your stone looks more yellow to me. You should definitely just get whichever one you can imagine wearing on your hand for the rest of your life. Do you think that you'll regret not getting rose gold? I always think about what I think I'm going to regret later - and then do the opposite of that (does that makes sense?).

 

[maccers]

I voted rose gold because it looks good on your skin. Your setting is substantial enough that there will be a fair amount of rose gold which I think will look great. Sometimes rose gold goes wrong with people's skin tones when there isn't enough metal...you're left with a setting that kind of disappears into the skin. I think you have the right skin tone and setting to carry it off!

 

[junebug17]

I voted rose gold because I think it looks lovely with your skin tone, and I think it will be fun to have something a little different from your other pieces.

I think that OMC is really pretty - can't wait to hear what you think!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think you should wait to see your OMC. For me, a yellow toned stone will not look so great in rose, I prefer yellow tones stones in yellow and brown tones stones in rose.

When you replicate the inspiration I think you will need to simplify the profiles a lot to make sure that it comes out well. I would perhaps consider removing the cut outs in the baskey and the cathedrals and instead using engraving on the face and even sides of the shank to make it more "antiquey" while keeping the desired end product in line with the fabrication method. The engraving could be added later by a skilled engraver perhaps. Smooth would look nice too. But I am afraid those cut outs on the face and in the gallery and shoulders could go horribly wrong.

 

[ariel144]

I voted rose gold...it would be really dreaming...wow that M sure is white!

 

[yssie]

I agree with seeing your stone first - she looks super cute in the pic

I've seen peachy rose gold and "cooler", bluer rose gold - I think a peachy RG or unplated would show off a yellower stone beautifully, but I would err against choosing a cooler RG for a yellow M. Is there any way your vendor can get you some samples of his 14k/18k rg?

 

[LibbyLA]

Yssie,

Diamond should be here by 10:30 tomorrow a.m. FedEx usually gets to my place around 9:30 or 9:45.

Comments on the board that shall remain nameless seem to indicate that the rose gold used by Amcor is very pink. Photos seem to show warmer rather than cooler, but who knows what the lighting is.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

sortmom,

I'm not sure whether I'd regret not getting any particular metal. I would probably be happy with any of my choices. I'm considering the rose gold because it's different.

maccers, junebug, and ariel, thanks for your comments and input.

Dreamer_D, I'm going to suggest some other motifs and see what happens with the CADs. The shape and proportions of the setting are what's most important. The engraving idea is a good one. I probably do want that basket somewhat open but I'll just see what the CAD designer does.

liz

 

[yssie]

Yssie,

Diamond should be here by 10:30 tomorrow a.m. FedEx usually gets to my place around 9:30 or 9:45.

Comments on the board that shall remain nameless seem to indicate that the rose gold used by Amcor is very pink. Photos seem to show warmer rather than cooler, but who knows what the lighting is.

liz

I think we're allowed to talk about other boards on here now?

It does look very *pink* in those pics - even through the lighting, which I agree with you seems to be warmer, but pics are just so difficult to judge anything by! How do you feel about two-tone? I'm thinking of something like Haven's, her pale yellow stone looks fantastic in a plat basket on a RG shank. She has mentioned a couple of times that her RG is more peachy than neon pink.

Please tell us what you think of the stone when you get it!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Dreamer_D, I'm going to suggest some other motifs and see what happens with the CADs. The shape and proportions of the setting are what's most important. The engraving idea is a good one. I probably do want that basket somewhat open but I'll just see what the CAD designer does.

I really agree with the bolded. The lines and shape of the basket are most important. One thing to think about is that with casting the bezel/basket will likely be a little thicker. For example, on my ring the bezel is about .7mm thick. I suspect that with casting it won't be as thin, but there may be a way to create the illision of the thinness -- by cutting the bezel edge at a 45 degree angle perhaps.

 

[LibbyLA]

Yssie,

Those photos may be of stones-that-shall-not-be-named...

I have thought about asking for the very top of the head (the seat for the diamond and the prongs) to be in white gold (or platinum) but I don't think I want the whole head/basket to be white. I do like two-tone more traditional style rings where the head is white and the shank is yellow or rose gold but I don't think I'd like that with this one.

I will try to take pictures of the diamond tomorrow but my jewelry photo skills are awful. Maybe I can at least get a picture of it in one of those ring-shaped stone holders. It's tiny compared to so many of the beautiful diamonds that people here have but it should be the perfect size for this project. I hope I love it.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

Dreamer_D,

I don't mind if the outline around the top of the basket is a tiny bit wider, I just don't want a bezel. I like the prong setting and the illusion of a rounded-corner square shape (which is really funny because I don't like diamonds with corners).

I'm just going to see what the CAD guy comes up with. I have quite a few example motifs that I like. I don't have to have a perfect replica of this ring.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

FedEx driver had a vehicle breakdown so it was 11 before the diamond arrived and I had to open the package, glance at the diamond, and run off to class. The OWD box looks like a candy box and the diamond was in a very nice "locking" plastic box with a clear lid so I can see it when it's boxed. I am tickled with Adam's choice for me and it doesn't hurt a bit that it was the least expensive of the three I asked him about.

It's a beauty! Loved it immediately. It is amazingly silvery white most of the time. When it shows color, it's more like a creamy metallic white gold rather than lemonade yellow. It's a little firecracker or fireball. Absolutely LOVE it. The only thing I'd change is I wish that it had a larger culet. The table is TINY but the crown doesn't look like a muffin.

I'm now leaning toward mounting it in rose gold. I think there will be more contrast in color between the diamond and rose gold than white gold.

My picture-taking skills are horrible and I don't have time to mess around. Have a bunch of papers to grade but had to post an update.

Very, very horrible picture of several rings. On the left is 2.06 GIA J oval. Next to it, .75 ct. OEC (est.) I-J, then .79 ct. EGL-USA G antique oval, and then the .81 ct. EGL-USA M. Wish the diamonds were in focus, but you can see that the M isn't that much different from the others in color.



Here are some photos of the diamond. At least they're mostly in focus. The diamond holder is silver metal so these photos may be a little on the warm side.







liz

 

[SMC]

It looks so white to me! I think that it will look amazing in RG.

 

[tyty333]

Very pretty stone...I voted rose to switch it up a little. I love the setting you picked out.

 

[junebug17]

Oh, it looks lovely Liz! Looks white and bright in the pics. I think it will look great in RG.

 

[Enerchi]

The diamond looks so white on your hand - I'd def go for the RG and help it to *stay* white! You have a gorgeous OMC! Any decision made yet?

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

Keeping the diamond, setting it in RG. Will be shipping the diamond off next week, have already sent tons of photos of the inspiration setting, similar settings, settings with motifs I like, and plenty of comments to the CAD guy. I don't care if I get an exact replica, as long as the shape and proportions are the same. I don't know whether it will have openings in the design or not since it's cast, but I don't really care.

Was kind of hoping to get an OMC with a larger culet and a taller crown, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. The taller crown probably goes with much more depth and there can be performance problems with that. I'm very happy with the size, color, sparkle, and price of this diamond and I might not get so lucky with performance if I try to satisfy those two wants. It has a tiny table, which is kind of cool.

junebug, tyty, and sortmon, I agree with y'all. I think the RG will set the diamond off better than WG and it will be a little bit different. I don't think there will be enough metal to be overwhelming. I'm thinking that the head will be no wider than 8mm (if that) and the shank maybe 2.5-3 mm at the bottom.

liz