Working with Leon Megé and a local jeweler?

[pixley]

Has anyone here ever worked with Leon Megé via your local jeweler? I live in western Canada and am in love with his classic solitaire engagement ring: http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=315 but there is a big difference in the variations on this design and my local jeweler does magnificent drawings which would illustrate the graceful curves of this particular variation. I’d also like to consider adding a single row of micropave to either the basket or the shank. I’ve read on other threads that LM doesn’t do illustrations and I would be afraid that I would end up with one of the more angular versions of his classic solitaire which are ALWAYS stunning but not what I would prefer on my size 4.25 finger. Please let me know if anyone out there has benefited from having a local liason to coordinate the process. Thanks in advance!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I am not sure I understand what you are asking. Is it that you want LM to assist your local jeweller to recreate one of LM own designs? Why not just have LM do the work for you?

cheers--Sharon (also in Western Canada)

 

[pixley]

No, I would definitely like to have the work done by Leon Mege but I would like my local jeweler to place the order for me and coordinate the design and stone selection with Leon Mege. My local jeweler works with another jeweller in NYC and only does the designing in-house. I guess the biggest reason that I''d like to have this coordinated through my local jeweler is so that they can coordinate the shipment of the diamond and so they can articulate the modifications on my behalf. I live so far away and cannot visit his studio in person but I want to make sure that someone more qualified than me can assist me with the stone selection and drawings.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Why don''t you call LM and ask his protocol for design see if your plan would suit?

cheers--Sharon

 

[Pandora II]

I''m not sure that you will find Leon will be that happy having another jeweller coordinate his designs.

To be honest, you would be better doing it yourself I think. It shows more trust in Leon''s talent.

If you just want a modified Leon design, you''d be better off finding a good benchman.

 

[surfgirl]

Having spoken to Leon several times when I was going to originally have him make my ring, I highly doubt he''d take kindly to your local jeweler submitting a drawing to him for him to execute. On the other hand, you could pay your local guy to draft some drawings, pay him for them, and then go to NYC and meet with Leon and show him your drawings and see if he''d do it that way? I know people give him input on the designs...But honestly? I''m not evens sure what you mean by his work being too "angular" because to me, his design flow is pure perfection, not angular at all.

 

[cara]

Date: 11/12/2007 5:11:17 PM
Author: pixley
No, I would definitely like to have the work done by Leon Mege but I would like my local jeweler to place the order for me and coordinate the design and stone selection with Leon Mege. My local jeweler works with another jeweller in NYC and only does the designing in-house. I guess the biggest reason that I''d like to have this coordinated through my local jeweler is so that they can coordinate the shipment of the diamond and so they can articulate the modifications on my behalf. I live so far away and cannot visit his studio in person but I want to make sure that someone more qualified than me can assist me with the stone selection and drawings.

Leon is a designer so I don''t think he would take kindly to somewhat else reworking his design, sending him a CAD drawing, and then asking him to manufacture it as if he were only a highly-skilled benchman.

However, he does custom work and should be amenable to modifying one of his previous designs, and his pave work is renowned. He might have some aesthetic opinions about the modifications, which I gather is what you are concerned about? Or are you just concerned about your ability to convey what modifications you want?

I can see a local jeweler being useful if you are concerned about your own ability to communicate your wishes long-distance. But of course you always risk them mucking up the communication between you and the designer, or not properly serving your interests if they are trying to angle for you to use their designing services.

Have you tried talking to Leon, maybe using emailed pictures to convey your preferences? It should be clear pretty quickly if he understands what your concerns are. Except that you are not yet 100% sure of what you do want, so you have to be aware of that!

 

[pixley]

I will definitely give him a call this week and find out what I can about how this process would work long distance. On the LM website, it mentions that he accepts commissions from dealers and private parties, so I was simply wondering whether anyone had gone this route. In one of the other threads, it mentions that his gorgeous Ashley Judd ring was bought through Martin Katz jewellers which is in LA. The biggest problem I''m having is finding the right stone, so I''d probably need to work with a local jeweller either way in order to have the opportunity to see it in person before I send it off to be set. I would absolutely defer to LM''s aesthetic expertise on what modifications would and wouldn''t work.

 

[Sharon101]

I think it sounds like a great idea. Your jeweller`s drawings would be much more effective than you trying to describe what you want. And at the end of the day, Leon either takes commisions or he doesnt....and he either wants the business or he doesnt. The way you are planning to organise this should not be considered offensive to Leon in the least. Im sure he doesnt expect everyone to take his designs with no imput of their own if they are wanting custom and happy to pay for it.

 

[surfgirl]

Date: 11/12/2007 6:57:09 PM
Author: Sharon101
I think it sounds like a great idea. Your jeweller`s drawings would be much more effective than you trying to describe what you want. And at the end of the day, Leon either takes commisions or he doesnt....and he either wants the business or he doesnt. The way you are planning to organise this should not be considered offensive to Leon in the least. Im sure he doesnt expect everyone to take his designs with no imput of their own if they are wanting custom and happy to pay for it.

Heh...You've never spoken to Leon have you? He's an artiste. Not in a bad way, but let's just say he has visions and a specific aesthetic. And you either like that, and let him create a ring, or you dont.

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 11/12/2007 6:23:25 PM
Author: pixley
I will definitely give him a call this week and find out what I can about how this process would work long distance. On the LM website, it mentions that he accepts commissions from dealers and private parties, so I was simply wondering whether anyone had gone this route. In one of the other threads, it mentions that his gorgeous Ashley Judd ring was bought through Martin Katz jewellers which is in LA. The biggest problem I''m having is finding the right stone, so I''d probably need to work with a local jeweller either way in order to have the opportunity to see it in person before I send it off to be set. I would absolutely defer to LM''s aesthetic expertise on what modifications would and wouldn''t work.

I think you will get a wonderful result as you are respectful of his opinion and design skills. I should think he would be quite flattered that you would engage so much effort to get him to do your ring. Im sure he does work for many people with a go between to take care of the details. It is a huge compliment to him and the standard of his work that you would get a jeweller to `meet` him. I mean, at the end of the day its all business, referals, reputation etc. If he didnt want or need ongoing clients he wouldnt need to have pop up ads here on this site!!!!

Good luck, your ring sounds beautiful, and Leon is a master at what he does.

 

[pixley]

Thanks for the feedback ,everyone. I had a chance to speak with him this morning and he was quite open to my modifications. He advised me that he has made the ring as I invisioned, so it appears I may not need to go through my jeweler for the illiustration process after all. Now all I have to do is pick the stone!

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 11/13/2007 12:51:55 PM
Author: pixley
Thanks for the feedback ,everyone. I had a chance to speak with him this morning and he was quite open to my modifications. He advised me that he has made the ring as I invisioned, so it appears I may not need to go through my jeweler for the illiustration process after all. Now all I have to do is pick the stone!

HI:

So far so good! Glad you called--it was the easy thing to do. Are you still planning to buy the stone locally or use Leon? Please feel free to bounce stone parameters around here, folks are always glad to help! (ETA: looks like you've done that already!)

cheers--Sharon

 

[surfgirl]

Glad to hear your phone convo went well...!