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What to do with an inherited ~ 3.8 ct marquis diamond??

clairebc

clairebc

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 19, 2022
Messages
88
Hi all! First time posting in this forum, I usually post in Antique, and Colored Stones!

I have a ~ 3.8 ct marquis diamond ring, it was my great-grandmothers upgraded engagement ring, currently set in a mid century platinum ring. It measures about 16.0 mm x 8.6 mm. This is VERY approximately - I need to go back to the safe deposit box with calipers...

IMG_5082.PNG

IMG_5081.PNG

I want to transform it into something I can wear in my day to day life! Maybe a pendant? I plan to keep the setting of course, in case I want to put it back to its original state. If I had a second one, I'd do earrings :lol-2:

I don't think I like pendant styles like this with marquis cuts (image 1 below), and probably don't want a diamond halo either. Maybe calibre cut rubies/sapphires/emeralds (images 2-4 below). I think I like when the calibre cuts are more squarish (image 2), but most of the larger center stone examples of this have rectangular calibre cuts (image 3-4).

But its hard when there are so few pics (or maybe I just haven't found them!) of worn larger sized marquis jewelry. Since I'm really struggling to find hand/neck images of larger sized marquis diamonds set in pendants/rings/etc., please post here if you have any! Thank you!

Image 1: probably want something a bit more detailed than this
1694388334599.png

Image 2: Unknown size, but I'd guess under a carat
1694388454005.png

Image 3: 3.03 ct
1694388646566.png

Image 4: 6.48 ct - much bigger than mine
1694388973974.png
 
Oh what a fun project! Do you want the pendant N/S or E/W? E/W would be very chic.
 
Oh how fabulous! I love the idea of a caliber cut halo, but a pendant set East / west - platinum with a gold chain
 
I love that stone and I love that idea of a calibre-cut colored-stone halo! I am trying to do the same for a pendant with a much smaller diamond that's been in the family. I guess it could make a phenomenal clasp for your six-figure pearl strand -- which I think is the ruby-haloed example above.

If you have not done so, I would start with a GIA or similar report so you know what you are dealing with (and can have confidence that the same thing is coming back to you after you "have work done"). There is always the slim chance that it is not what it appears to be -- or even what the gifter thought it was.

If you go with the target motif, and I love that idea, I would make sure you use top-quality colored-stone material. Inken (at Enhoerning) is doing ours because I know she is very sensitive to hue and tone in colored stones and, for us, the target needs to be vibrant. Each stone will need to be custom calibre-cut (ours will be French cuts) down from regular step cuts. This is an expensive process (and wasteful, too, depending upon the width of your halo and the geometry of the stone placement) but a no-brainer for a center stone of that caliber. You will probably be confined to treated material, whether you go with emerald, ruby, or sapphire. We are using heated sapphire because that is the only way we can get well-matched, vivid material without leaving five (?) figures of expensive dust on the lapidary floor. I would also accept heat-only ruby halo. A little trickier for emerald -- I know what I would accept in a center stone (e.g., F1) but not sure what I would tolerate in a halo.

What a lovely stone and exciting project! Can't wait to see how this evolves. I think it will make a spectacular N/S pendant!

Edit: be careful with the proportions -- I'm thinking a slim and uniform-width halo lest it look, um, obstetrical.
 
What a gorgeous diamond to inherit! I'm partial rings so that third option really appeals to me but I loving the suggestion of a two tone pendant also. Looking forward to seeing how you repurpose this beauty!
 
What a beautiful and sentimental stone and ring! I personally LOVE the setting and would probably wear it as is. However, I understand wanting to set the stone into something you would be able to wear more often. The size of the stone will have a generous presence as a pendant!

The colored stone halo is an amazing idea to offset the shape. My most recent project has been with marquise stones (in my avatar photo) and now I am obsessed with the shape. I LOVE east west marquise pendant settings but they have to be fixed. I posted last week asking pros and cons and the consensus was sliding pendants were preferred if keeping the pendant centered is important to you.


Can be sliding pendant
IMG_8926.jpeg

Has to be a fixed pendant
IMG_8927.jpeg
 
LilAlex said:
I love that stone and I love that idea of a calibre-cut colored-stone halo! I am trying to do the same for a pendant with a much smaller diamond that's been in the family. I guess it could make a phenomenal clasp for your six-figure pearl strand -- which I think is the ruby-haloed example above.

If you have not done so, I would start with a GIA or similar report so you know what you are dealing with (and can have confidence that the same thing is coming back to you after you "have work done"). There is always the slim chance that it is not what it appears to be -- or even what the gifter thought it was.

If you go with the target motif, and I love that idea, I would make sure you use top-quality colored-stone material. Inken (at Enhoerning) is doing ours because I know she is very sensitive to hue and tone in colored stones and, for us, the target needs to be vibrant. Each stone will need to be custom calibre-cut (ours will be French cuts) down from regular step cuts. This is an expensive process (and wasteful, too, depending upon the width of your halo and the geometry of the stone placement) but a no-brainer for a center stone of that caliber. You will probably be confined to treated material, whether you go with emerald, ruby, or sapphire. We are using heated sapphire because that is the only way we can get well-matched, vivid material without leaving five (?) figures of expensive dust on the lapidary floor. I would also accept heat-only ruby halo. A little trickier for emerald -- I know what I would accept in a center stone (e.g., F1) but not sure what I would tolerate in a halo.

What a lovely stone and exciting project! Can't wait to see how this evolves. I think it will make a spectacular N/S pendant!

Edit: be careful with the proportions -- I'm thinking a slim and uniform-width halo lest it look, um, obstetrical.
Click to expand...

Wow I’m dying to see this btw!!!!
 
Congratulations on inheriting such a beauty! Tbh I am of the opinion that marquise diamonds make stunning rings and I’d keep it as a ring if it were up to me (though reset as the current setting isn’t my jam); but a pendant EW would also be amazingly chic. I would love to see a target halo with calibre cuts - either yellow sapphire in yellow gold; or emeralds in white gold, or rubies in rose gold.
 
What a lovely piece to inherit! I, personally, would keep it the way it is and wear it but if you think you'd get more wear
as a pendant I love that N/S first picture that @luckygreen317 posted. You could also have the bezel engraved if you
want it more decorative or you could have it put in a collet-type setting or bezeled (like these rings but in a pendant).

collet
milgrain bezel
 
LilAlex said:
I love that stone and I love that idea of a calibre-cut colored-stone halo! I am trying to do the same for a pendant with a much smaller diamond that's been in the family. I guess it could make a phenomenal clasp for your six-figure pearl strand -- which I think is the ruby-haloed example above.

If you have not done so, I would start with a GIA or similar report so you know what you are dealing with (and can have confidence that the same thing is coming back to you after you "have work done"). There is always the slim chance that it is not what it appears to be -- or even what the gifter thought it was.

If you go with the target motif, and I love that idea, I would make sure you use top-quality colored-stone material. Inken (at Enhoerning) is doing ours because I know she is very sensitive to hue and tone in colored stones and, for us, the target needs to be vibrant. Each stone will need to be custom calibre-cut (ours will be French cuts) down from regular step cuts. This is an expensive process (and wasteful, too, depending upon the width of your halo and the geometry of the stone placement) but a no-brainer for a center stone of that caliber. You will probably be confined to treated material, whether you go with emerald, ruby, or sapphire. We are using heated sapphire because that is the only way we can get well-matched, vivid material without leaving five (?) figures of expensive dust on the lapidary floor. I would also accept heat-only ruby halo. A little trickier for emerald -- I know what I would accept in a center stone (e.g., F1) but not sure what I would tolerate in a halo.

What a lovely stone and exciting project! Can't wait to see how this evolves. I think it will make a spectacular N/S pendant!

Edit: be careful with the proportions -- I'm thinking a slim and uniform-width halo lest it look, um, obstetrical.
Click to expand...

I love target rings!

Dying over your obstetrical comment.

Several years ago this marquise target halo was for sale and I always thought it was gorgeous.

IMG_6356.jpeg
 
I'm swooning over that amazing diamond!

Have fun with this project. I think no matter how you set it, it will be gorgeous.
 
What a nice inheritance!!!

My first thought is a solitaire bangle, which is what I did with an unloved 1.94ct G/H VS MRB diamond that my mum gave to me as I don't like MRBs as rings.

With a bangle I can see it more than a necklace.

If I were to have it set as a necklace, I would probably go bold and set it East-West in the middle of a pair of bright red Ruby lips, or something equally as bold.

Enjoy wearing it, whatever you will decide.

DK =)2
 
clairebc said:
Hi all! First time posting in this forum, I usually post in Antique, and Colored Stones!

I have a ~ 3.8 ct marquis diamond ring, it was my great-grandmothers upgraded engagement ring, currently set in a mid century platinum ring. It measures about 16.0 mm x 8.6 mm. This is VERY approximately - I need to go back to the safe deposit box with calipers...

IMG_5082.PNG

IMG_5081.PNG

I want to transform it into something I can wear in my day to day life! Maybe a pendant? I plan to keep the setting of course, in case I want to put it back to its original state. If I had a second one, I'd do earrings :lol-2:

I don't think I like pendant styles like this with marquis cuts (image 1 below), and probably don't want a diamond halo either. Maybe calibre cut rubies/sapphires/emeralds (images 2-4 below). I think I like when the calibre cuts are more squarish (image 2), but most of the larger center stone examples of this have rectangular calibre cuts (image 3-4).

But its hard when there are so few pics (or maybe I just haven't found them!) of worn larger sized marquis jewelry. Since I'm really struggling to find hand/neck images of larger sized marquis diamonds set in pendants/rings/etc., please post here if you have any! Thank you!

Image 1: probably want something a bit more detailed than this
1694388334599.png

Image 2: Unknown size, but I'd guess under a carat
1694388454005.png

Image 3: 3.03 ct
1694388646566.png

Image 4: 6.48 ct - much bigger than mine
1694388973974.png
Click to expand...

First, this is beautiful. I am sorry though, obviously, about the loss of your Great Grandmother. I once saw an EW pendant, with a large marquise like this, and it was stunning. It had baguettes around it. I assume it was really hard to do but was beautiful. In any case, stunning ring (and diamond).
 
For me I’d use the existing bags, turn it east west, and set it in a very similar setting. I think you’d be surprised how wearable something like that is.
If you really don’t want to wear it as a ring and you don’t like a necklace than I agree with others who have said bracelet/ bangle
 
What a gorgeous diamond to inherit! I like the idea of a pendant or bangle but given the size of the diamond, I honestly might try an east-west setting for a right hand ring. No matter what how you set it, it surely will be a substantial piece of jewelry! Wear it with pride and remembrance!
 
Hi all, thank you for your comments and sorry for my LATE reply!! It’s been a *super* crazy few weeks at work and time got away from me.

I’ll be reading through all your replies later tonight, thank you again!
 
(I also just got in a nice pair of ~1.6 ctw antique dormouse earrings, but will be posting those in a separate thread in the antique forum, so excited about them though!! :D)
 
First off, here's my current general plan:
1. Get the ring out of the safe deposit box!
2. Be with it for a few days before I send it to GIA. I know I said I want to do pendant, but now I'm not sure if I should do that or a ring. Or bangle?? Or maybe even keep as is...
3. Send to GIA, get it appraised/insured
4. Decide what I want to do!! Spending some time with the ring/stone will really help me narrow it down I hope.

@lulu_ma @Cerulean @AllAboardTheBlingTrain I thinkkkk I'm leaning towards an N/S setting if I go the pendant route, but not totally sold either way. Ideally, I'd like a pendant that can do both, but not sure if that's possible! Yes doubt its possible, I see @luckygreen317 examples show E/W has to be fixed. I'd likely want mine sliding to keep it centered.

@LilAlex Yes!! I remember your thread on the pendant. Good thought on GIA, I've added in into the plan. And thanks for the advice on the target motif, and I'm dying laughing at your edit, but very true :lol-2:

@tyty333 Thanks for the inspo pics, I do love collet settings! Also CVB's designs are so great.

@JV36912 @RunningwithScissors @Begonia Thank you, I'm so excited too!

@Tonks WOW! that is a beautiful example, but I don't think it would fit in stylistically with the rest of my pieces. And the bangle -- crossed my mind too!! Could be really fab. And thanks for that target ring example, went straight into my pile of inspo pics!

@MissGotRocks @Niel I'm def concerned about the wearability of E/W ring / if it would fit with my other pieces, but open to it!! Can't have all my pieces being TOO similar stylewise.
 
@dk168 @canuk-gal More mentions for bangle! It would be a pretty kick-a** (not sure if its against forum rules to type that last word out hahaha) freaking bangle!!

@Neptune Oh my gosh using my gemstones opens up a whole new line of possibilities, plus I have WAY too many still unset.

Sorry if I missed replying to anyone - thank you all for your ideas/comments!! Some REALLY good stuff here that helps me out a lot in terms of which direction to take.
 
Last edited:
Sanderson44 said:
First, this is beautiful. I am sorry though, obviously, about the loss of your Great Grandmother. I once saw an EW pendant, with a large marquise like this, and it was stunning. It had baguettes around it. I assume it was really hard to do but was beautiful. In any case, stunning ring (and diamond).
Click to expand...

Thank you for your thoughts, she passed a bit back, and using this stone will be a nice reminder of her.

The ring went from my great grandmother, to my grandmother, about 20 years ago, when she passed. Then my grandmother (still alive and fairly well!!) gave it to my mom about 10 years ago. It had been sitting in the safe deposit box ever since. My mom decided to give it to me a bit early, and let me do what I want with it, since she's not a jewelry person!

So a bit of a winding path from my great grandmother to me =)2
 
Ohhh-I change my vote to ringdant!
 
I am late to the party, but what a beautiful diamond and ring! I'd wear it in the setting it is in because it's classic and I like it! I think it is too large for setting E-W. It's the perfect shape for N-S as it is currently set. A bezel might be a good option if you want it to look less like an engagement ring. It's such a significant stone that I just can't imagine it not in a ring (if it was mine). But I look forward to seeing what you decide to do with it!
 
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