Would you be upset if a PS'er copied your ring design?

[Indylady]

Would you be upset if a PS'er copied your ring design? Or a friend?

Truthfully, I don't know. For something simple, like a colored stone in a stock setting, no I wouldn't be upset at all. If someone copied my studs, or my solitare, etc. again, no, I wouldn't be upset and I'd probably be flattered. But, I do have a pair of earrings I posted a long, long time ago, with round and pear shaped rubies and a pearl dangle. I drew out the design, worked on tweaks and proportions, collected the stones, commissioned the jeweler..I have a different feeling of attachment towards it. If I could go back, I'd use diamonds as well and use smaller stones, but I do still love the earrings and I think I might be flustered if someone copied the design.

What about you?

 

[elrohwen]

I wouldn't post pictures of anything I wouldn't want people to copy. If I had something that was so special and unique that I couldn't handle someone copying it, I just wouldn't post it.

I personally think it's silly to put pictures of something out into the world wide web, then be upset if someone likes it so much that they want one for themselves. Isn't the whole point of Show me the Ring/Bling to look at other people's jewelry and get ideas for your own?

 

[Nashville]

No. If I was really so worried that someone on the internet (who I will likely never meet) was going to copy my ring, I'd keep it to myself and not post it.

If I posted my engagement ring, custom made, and someone copied it, I'd be totally flattered! Maybe I'd like a little credit if it was a really unique design, maybe not.

What would bother me is if a close friend copied my ring. That would not sit well with me, I have to say...

 

[iheartscience]

Nope, I wouldn't care if a stranger on the internet copied my ring. Actually, not too long after I got my e-ring (custom made at WF) someone got a fairly similar ring from Whiteflash made and I didn't care at all.

Someone I know in real life copying it would annoy me but I'd let it go eventually.

 

[MissMina]

Not a PS er
But in RL I wouldn't want to be "ring twins".

 

[Catmom]

No, I think I would be very flattered if someone thought enough of my ring that they copied the design. It would bother me though if they didn't acknowledge that my ring was the inspiration.

ETA: If it was a friend that I saw often then I might feel differently but maybe not.

 

[Tuckins1]

No. It would be very naiive of me to think that my ring is the only one like it in the whole world. Even when being creative and designing something from scratch, i'm sure that at least one other person in the world has had a similar design, or at least though about it.

I would feel proud that someone liked my ring enough to copy it!

 

[Maisie]

No, I think I would be very flattered if someone thought enough of my ring that they copied the design. It would bother me though if they didn't acknowledge that my ring was the inspiration.

ETA: If it was a friend that I saw often then I might feel differently but maybe not.

This is good to know because when I win the lottery I am going to copy every piece you have

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind someone copying my ring (if I had one). I would be flattered too.

 

[Indylady]

I feel similarly in that I'd be much less likely to mind if a PS'er copied my design than if a friend did. My reasoning would be that most PS'ers share a common interest, or rather, passion in jewlery, so I'd be flattered if someone who knows their stuff really likes my piece. Plus, I'd have the added bonus that other PS'ers live far away and my piece would still be "unqiue" for me.

 

[missydebby]

My knee jerk reaction? Hells naw.

I think it's absurd to get worked up. I mean even very very unique rings are sure to have a twin out there.

But I am not a very proprietary person. Great artists always riff off contemporaries and artists/craftspeople from throughout history.

Regarding fairness: I'm no lawyer, but within the riffings, there are rules. As many PS'ers know, if you hire another jeweler to make a copied Leon, they will change some elements so that it's not an exact replica in design. On Flickr, people post their photos with restrictions on their use. In one area called the Creative Commons, you can find photos that the photographer allows you to use, even for monetary gain, as long as you give them credit for the original. On such things like The Daily Show, there is a concept employed called "Fair Use" which allows them, to a point, to use snippets from other sources for commentary and such. When it comes down to it, I think it's up to the actual designer to police how the art is being fairly or unfairly used. If you have a specific hand in actually designing your piece (and I don't mean just ok'ing and assembling already designed elements in the creator's repertoire) and have a specific written agreement with your jeweler on any reproductions, then by all means, get in a huff. Otherwise, I think having unreasonable expectations of exclusivity is only setting yourself up for unneeded hurt feelings.

Besides, what makes the jewelry piece? The specific stones and the execution. Why do people drool over Leon Mege and line up to work with him? His flawless execution, exquisite proportions, and superbly matched and often unique side stones.

Lastly, if I ran into someone with my same exact ring style, either made by Leon or copied, I'd be super happy!!! It's like I found my ering sistah. I mean, dayum, I'll know right off the bat the girl's got great taste!!!

 

[Winks_Elf]

If a PS'er copied a design that I spent years dreaming of, months planning and tweaking, and weeks waiting on...I would be beyond flattered.

Now if someone I am friends with IRL copied my ring, I'd be kinda ticked off.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Not too long ago I saw a ring here that had majorly used parts of my ring in the head and I had never seen it before (I was on hiatus when it happened) and I thought it was flattering - I always figured no one would ever use any part of my ring because it was too weird, but when I saw (they say she's the same but she's not the same) it I felt silly that I'd not seen it earlier and hoped they didn't think I was mad.

I think it is really silly to get worked up about things that happen on the internet when you will likely never meet the person anyway. Even if two best friends have the same ring who cares!

 

[Catmom]

No, I think I would be very flattered if someone thought enough of my ring that they copied the design. It would bother me though if they didn't acknowledge that my ring was the inspiration.

ETA: If it was a friend that I saw often then I might feel differently but maybe not.

This is good to know because when I win the lottery I am going to copy every piece you have

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind someone copying my ring (if I had one). I would be flattered too.

Awww Maisie, that's so nice of you to say!!!

 

[PinkTower]

No. I would be flattered and try to help them with any questions.

 

[Burberrygirl]

Probably not, I'm sure I'd be extremely flattered.

 

[slg47]

interesting, I just read through the ~20 pg thread on this earlier. I would be extremely flattered!

When I was searching for setting inspirations I found a really interesting design and then found several others similar...so I think it's really hard to imitate ONE ring unless it is a very specific/unique design.

there are so many lurkers on PS...how would you even know if one of the others copied your ring? would it bother you then?

Anyway if anyone wants to copy my ering go ahead! Jewelry is meant to be enjoyed!

 

[Sizzle]

I also read the other thread and cracked up when people thought others should ask for "permission". I think that's a bit much. Anything posted on here, especially with intracate photo details is fair game. I also thought it was odd that someone on here demanded that no one copy her photos without permission. Reallly? On an open site? It's because this site is open that I haven't posted face photos of myself or my family, I would not begin to think I had to right to restrict someone in their own home from copying somehting I put out there for all to see.

 

[slg47]

ooh burberrygirl your ring is sooo pretty!!!!!!! if i had a lot of $$ I would want to copy it! (no, seriously!) do you have more pics?

 

[Burberrygirl]

ooh burberrygirl your ring is sooo pretty!!!!!!! if i had a lot of $$ I would want to copy it! (no, seriously!) do you have more pics?

Thank you! I have some old pictures I've posted before. I really need to take some better pictures but emeralds can be so hard to photograph.

 

[Kismet]

I wouldn't care. I wouldn't care even if someone I saw every day got the same ring as me. Although, maybe it's different with colored stones than with diamonds. I would think finding (or cutting) two diamonds that look alike would be a lot easier than someone finding a colored stone that looks exactly like one of mine.

 

[Burberrygirl]

interesting, I just read through the ~20 pg thread on this earlier.

What thread? Do you have a link to it? There's so many PSer's rings I would love to use as inspiration...

 

[slg47]

here it is...get ready for lots of drama!

hangout/imitation-t103965.html

your ring is gorgeous! I love that color and the setting really sets it off thanks for sharing pics!

 

[Haven]

I would be flattered if a PSer or a real life friend decided to copy my ring design.
As long as they don't want my actual ring, it's all good.

 

[AGBF]

I learned long after I stopped posting on another diamond website that someone else had copied my solitaire after seeing a photo of it posted there...and that others who posted there had asked about my setting. Since I had not visited that site for years, I hadn't known. Eventually I saw a photograph of the other poster's ring. I have to say that I was flattered that she wanted to copy my ring. I was also flattered that people had been asking about my ring for all those years even though I hadn't been anywhere near the website!

Deb/AGBF

 

[Burberrygirl]

Thanks slg47! This should be an interesting read.

Kismet, I agree and I'm glad to hear that you wouldn't mind because I love all your jewelry.

 

[kenny]

If a PS'er copied a design that I spent years dreaming of, months planning and tweaking, and weeks waiting on...I would be beyond flattered.

Now if someone I am friends with IRL copied my ring, I'd be kinda ticked off.

WE, I totally respect you, am not trying to change your mind, and am not picking on you, but may I ask why?

 

[Dee*Jay]

Not only wouldn't I be upset or offended, I would also hope they had learned from my mistakes and ended up with a new and improved version!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Not at all on PS. I did not design the ring. I am sharing photos on a public forum. I think it is beautiful. Life is too short to care about the small stuff. However, I might think it was odd if someone close to me got the same ring. I wouldn't be angry but it would make me wonder.

 

[lucyandroger]

Not at all in PS or real life. In fact, when I saw that my setting had been made a stock setting, I sent the link around to a couple close friends that I knew would think it was cool. Anyone can go to the BGD site and buy my ring so it would be pretty silly for me to get upset about it.

 

[waterlilly]

Not at all!

If the jeweler asked you if they could start producing/selling your pear earrings and name them after you, you would say no?