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What to do? or nothing at all..

R

RMOO

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 12, 2020
Messages
1,651
This being March, the month of aquamarine, I have been mulling what to do with this ring. I purchased it a few years ago from the "estate" selection, on sale, at a local B&M jewelry store. It was an impulse buy, I admit. I was wowed by the finger coverage (size 6.5.) I am aware that a lot of aquamarines have windows, but the more I wear it, the more they bother me. So, my question is: are they worth a recut? The setting is the most basic of basic settings: should I separate them and reset them as a ring and earrings, maybe in white gold? Add some small diamonds? or a cup to enhance the color? Center stone is approx. 10 x 8mm, and sides are 6mm square.

Aqua in store.jpeg

Aqua profile.jpg
Aqua 2.jpg
 
The color is a very pale aqua so unless that is your sweet spot for Aqua color to me the cost to recut three stones and have a new setting made wouldn't be worth it.

You say it is the windows that bother you -- have you tried folding a piece of aluminum around your finger the width of the center stone, then sliding the ring onto the foiled finger? That will give you a very rough idea of what cupping might do.

changing the setting, adding diamonds, all of this can be hundreds of dollars and likely quite a bit more ... perhaps you want to consider starting over, with a beautifully cut Aqua either bought loose or perhaps you find preloved in a setting you like ... just an idea ...
 
marymm said:
The color is a very pale aqua so unless that is your sweet spot for Aqua color to me the cost to recut three stones and have a new setting made wouldn't be worth it.

You say it is the windows that bother you -- have you tried folding a piece of aluminum around your finger the width of the center stone, then sliding the ring onto the foiled finger? That will give you a very rough idea of what cupping might do.

changing the setting, adding diamonds, all of this can be hundreds of dollars and likely quite a bit more ... perhaps you want to consider starting over, with a beautifully cut Aqua either bought loose or perhaps you find preloved in a setting you like ... just an idea ...
Click to expand...

You may be right. I will say that I do favor the powder blue or pale blue/green Aqua, albeit, maybe not quite this pale. Thanks.
 
I'd think new settings or recutting would cost more than the stones are worth. So it would probably make more sense to just start over, unless you are especially attached to it.

I used to have a light colored stone that I didn't like that much until I painted the underside of it with black watercolor paint just for funsies. I was surprised at how much more I liked it that way. So now I'm wondering if you could somehow treat the back of the middle stone (or all three stones) to make the window less noticeable and add color. The mention of putting foil on the back to see how it would look cupped just reminded me of it.
 
No to a recut, too expensive and you’ll end up with half or less the size.
Plus having a ring remade with much smaller gems costs $$$.
If you love the ring, consider white gold / silver cups behind the gems, that will help disguise the window.
Windows and Aquamarine tend to go hand in hand, unless buying a modern precision cut.
If you aren’t in love with the ring it might be more cost effective to sell it to a new loving home and then find another more to your taste.
 
Yes agree with others above. The stones are supper pale so inherently it may be a bad trade to spend excessive amounts of money recutting and then resetting them. If you recutt to eliminate the window then they will not fit that setting any more, and you will need a new setting.

I would either have a piece of metal plate put under the ring to disguise the window (as others have said check first by putting some tin foil under neath the ring.) Or just try to sell to recoup some of the money, or gift it to a friend or family member who isn't really subscribed to the mindset of 'needing PS quality stones'. Take the money (it'll be more than 1000) you would have spent recutting and resetting and buy something else more satrated.

To give you some ideas






www.gemstore-24.com

Emerald - 1,91 ct - GemStore24 | GemStones and Services

The product picture is approximately the same magnification as a view trough the 10x loupe. ATTENTION: The camera has some issues to get the correct hue of Emeralds. In person the green is more vivid than at the photo.
www.gemstore-24.com www.gemstore-24.com


Lots of options in the colour palet youre looking at. If you were to look for a couple of days youd probably generate a bunch of options which might make you more satisfied in the long term.
 
marymm said:
The color is a very pale aqua so unless that is your sweet spot for Aqua color to me the cost to recut three stones and have a new setting made wouldn't be worth it.

You say it is the windows that bother you -- have you tried folding a piece of aluminum around your finger the width of the center stone, then sliding the ring onto the foiled finger? That will give you a very rough idea of what cupping might do.

changing the setting, adding diamonds, all of this can be hundreds of dollars and likely quite a bit more ... perhaps you want to consider starting over, with a beautifully cut Aqua either bought loose or perhaps you find preloved in a setting you like ... just an idea ...
Click to expand...

Agreed! I also just wanted to add that with the softer blues, I definitely prefer a white metal. Yellow gold really seems to muddle the delicate color. Pretty ring though... good luck!
 
I personally do not believe the window in the main stone is that bad.

I like pale Aquamarines, and believe the ring is nice as it is, may be reset in white metal as I only white metals.

DK :))
 
Thanks everyone! Common sense wins out. Could this setting just be rhodium plated? Would the Aquas need to be unset-plate-reset?
 
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