Which stone to reset?

[MakingTheGrade]

Ok, so I have a platinum Van Craeynest ring with a 5.77mm diamond that is ear marked for a pendant.

Question is what to reset into the gorgeous setting. My top two contenders are either my original ering diamond (6.2mm, F color, Ex/ex/ex) or a blue spinel that I also love and that is 5.6mm.

Arguing for the diamond is that if I make this setting my new ering, I will probably wear it much more often. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the setting, and it does look pretty smashing with a diamond in it. And the blue spinel might be a bit small, and I might not wear it as often as a result since I have so many colored RHRs. Also, I do find my current ering setting a little dull sometimes (it's a simple solitaire, my hubby picked it out), so I wouldn't mind resetting it into something fabulous.

Arguing for the spinel is that it's already so close in size to the diamond that I probably won't have to have them put on a new head and risk messing up the ring. And I am a total colored gem fiend, and adore this blue. Also, my wedding band is a mokume band that's 3mm and doesn't at all go with the VC, so if I made that my new ering, I wouldn't really ever wear them together as a set. Also, I wouldn't have to ship two diamond across the country, which honestly makes me a little nervous!

So what would you do? Reset the diamond for a new ering? Or set in the blue spinel for an opulent right hand ring?

Here are some photos of the blue spinel in question next to the VC.





And here it is next to my current ering


And with my mokume band

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I vote the bigger diamond if you can find a head and jeweler that you are confident in. It's a gorgeous setting. The spinel is smashing, but the diamond in the setting is so

 

[natascha]

I voted the diamond based on that the ring would get the most wear then. I just adore that setting

However it would depend on if you could wear the band on a separate hand and if you feel the need to wear it everyday.

Regarding changing the head, I would actually like it since I would do a different head for two reasons.
1. I like the feeling of having something that nobody else has.
2. I enjoy more intricate heads, that setting with fishtail prongs would be dreamy in my opinion.

 

[redfaerythinker]

I vote for the spinel because that blue is dreamy.

 

[tsavvy]

That is a beautiful ring! VC's flower patterns are amazing. While your blue spinel is very nice, I think the VC setting would look better with a diamond or lighter stone.

I went back and read your previous threads for context -- it sounds like you wouldn't wear it with your w-bands. Would that bother you or would you just wear it along and your w-band on the other hand? I really, really like Natascha's idea for fishtail prongs. That would be gorgeous.

Of course, you might then need a VC wedding band...

 

[VapidLapid]

I voted for the spinel over the diamond even though I really think you should set the diamond and send the spinel to me! Sometimes the only cure for covetousness is having.

 

[mrswahs]

The Spinel is beautiful! I vote spinel. I think the contrast is lovely.

 

[tyty333]

I vote diamond (more wear) but that blue spinel is gorgeous!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

The other downside to the diamond reset is that it'll be about an extra 500 or so I'd imagine for the new head in platinum. So I'd have to wait longer.

I might just put the spinel there now, and reset it with a diamond down the road if I decide I'm not wearing it as much as I'd like..

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You'd have VC replace the head and set your diamond, right? I'd definitely set the diamond. And I would hope it would be less than $500 for a new head! What kind of setting are you doing for the pendant? Love the spinel, but I wouldn't put it in a solitaire setting.

 

[baby nurse]

I would set the diamond because you'll get to enjoy your VC more since you'd be wearing it so much and you've mentioned that your current wedding set isn't as interesting as it used to be. I love the blue of that spinel but you could always use it in another special project.

 

[jstarfireb]

If it were me, I'd keep the Lazare diamond in the VC setting and wear that as your engagement ring, set your original e-ring diamond into the pendant, and find a different setting for the spinel. But if you don't want to do that, I'd swap the diamonds and still find a different setting for the spinel.

 

[Dreamer_D]

You'd have VC replace the head and set your diamond, right? I'd definitely set the diamond. And I would hope it would be less than $500 for a new head! What kind of setting are you doing for the pendant? Love the spinel, but I wouldn't put it in a solitaire setting.

Ditto this. Replacing a head should not cost that much, have you called them for a quote?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Yeah, the quote was from a VC rep.

 

[Circe]

If it were me, I'd keep the Lazare diamond in the VC setting and wear that as your engagement ring, set your original e-ring diamond into the pendant, and find a different setting for the spinel. But if you don't want to do that, I'd swap the diamonds and still find a different setting for the spinel.

This would be my solution too, I think ....

 

[gemgirl]

I vote for the blue spinel. I think your diamond diamond looks perfect in the mounting it's in next to your Mokume band. It's modern with modern. The spinel would look positively lovely in the VC mounting.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks gemgirl.

Yeah, while I like the VC more than my current ering setting on its own...I like how my current set looks together. And I really do love my mokume band and it would make me kind of sad to not wear it with my ering as my wedding band.

Hehe, I think I'll put my spinel in the VC...and maybe a future sholdt setting for my ering.

 

[motownmama]

Good - I think the spinel will be awesome in it!!!