Would you use these?

[LD]

Ok, apologies that I'm starting a new thread. I started one the other day about the possibility of making earrings using some FCDs. I managed to find ones last night that I could use and took a few quick pictures. The lighting was horrible so they really do look better than in this photo!

However, my question is, would you make a pair of earrings from these? They're not laid out in any particular design so ignore the "look". If I do go ahead with this project, I will have a single w/gold bar leading down to these stones that will all be bezelled and then set haphazardly (like the inspiration photo below).

So do I bother or not? If not, what else could I do?

 

[baby nurse]

I love the inspiration earrings and think the colors you've chosen would look great!

 

[Aoife]

I'm so excited to see that you finally were able to access your FCD's, and the photo of them is wonderful. I think these would make really spectacular earrings, and I love the combination of colours and shapes.

But I'm a huge fan of earrings, as you have probably already guessed.

Are you having second thoughts, and if so, what are your concerns?

 

[T L]

Ok, apologies that I'm starting a new thread. I started one the other day about the possibility of making earrings using some FCDs. I managed to find ones last night that I could use and took a few quick pictures. The lighting was horrible so they really do look better than in this photo!

However, my question is, would you make a pair of earrings from these? They're not laid out in any particular design so ignore the "look". If I do go ahead with this project, I will have a single w/gold bar leading down to these stones that will all be bezelled and then set haphazardly (like the inspiration photo below).

So do I bother or not? If not, what else could I do?

Let me get this straight. You're asking a group of gem and jewelry junkies if they would make earrings out of a bunch of lovely colored diamonds? Yes, I heard that right.

I think the question should be more like, "what design would you use for these diamonds for earrings?"

I love them, and I'm excited to see what you'll do with them. I don't think you could do anything with them and go wrong.

 

[LD]

TL - Errrrr ok, maybe I was asking the wrong question to the wrong people! When you put it that way, I can see how daft it was!!!

Aoife, yes, you've guessed correctly and I've got reservations which are (1) will they look good (2) the diamonds are quite small - overall it will be between 1.25-1.50ct per earrings - and if I bezel them will they be swamped by the metal and lose the colour? (3) I like the design but just keep wondering if perhaps there's another better design that I haven't thought of!

BabyNurse - thank you!

 

[rubyshoes]

Wow, gorgeous! You've gotta use these to make earrings, they'll be spectacular! I'd suggest looking at plenty of jewelry catalogs for design ideas before you take the plunge, esp estate pieces.

 

[LD]

I have been looking at earring designs but am really struggling with this project!

Here's something else that may be something to think about:

 

[coati]

Hi LD,
I love the idea of doing something a bit fun and different like Aoife suggested. Here are some additional examples on that theme from Todd Reed. Good luck! (ETA - just saw your last post!)

http://www.toddreed.com/product-detail/3/5/1775/details.html

 

[Aoife]

I like the design you posted, LD, as well as some of Coatimundi's suggestions, and think something along those lines would be amazing. IMO, it's always about the design serving and enhancing the stones, not trying to shoehorn stones into a particular design "just because." Could you take a photo of your stones in the configuration you drew out?

 

[LD]

Coati - I love two of those designs. Thanks very much for the ideas. I've put two mock-ups together!

 

[minousbijoux]

I love those colors together and think you have chosen very well. But since you also mention they are quite small, could you give us a size reference? Perhaps a grain of rice or some such that would help with the scale? I too would want to make sure that the metal was delicate so that they were not overwhelmed

 

[LD]

I like the design you posted, LD, as well as some of Coatimundi's suggestions, and think something along those lines would be amazing. IMO, it's always about the design serving and enhancing the stones, not trying to shoehorn stones into a particular design "just because." Could you take a photo of your stones in the configuration you drew out?

I agree! Yes, I'll do that. I'll post photos in a few minutes. I've got to remember - just don't sneeze!!!!!

 

[coati]

I'm really looking forward to seeing what you do with these fcds! Agree with what Aoife wrote about creating a cohesive look from stone to design.

Here's an example to help you visualize different combos of setting styles. You could mix bezel with prong settings, for example. This pair is by Lorenz Baumer. I'm just focusing on the top section outlined in red, but some of the bottom dangles might help you visualize a line style as well.

 

[minousbijoux]

threadjack for a moment: those earrings are wild and stunning - can you imagine wearing them?!!

 

[coati]

threadjack for a moment: those earrings are wild and stunning - can you imagine wearing them?!!

haha yes, I could! LD?

LD-I love the idea of that larger (dangled) cluster from the mock-up you made. I think the cluster will give you that extra oomph, though the line idea is very clean. The cluster is just so fun!

 

[ZestfullyBling]

Gorgeous diamonds!! Fun bezel dangle earrings are a wonderful idea! Here are few more examples for you.

http://www.jewelsbyericagrace.com/earrings

Hope this helps

 

[LD]

Oh WOW - you guys are brilliant. Thanks so much for the inspiration.

Coati - love the bit in red you highlighted above. I guess my only reservation is that I have enormous earlobes that don't suit clusters. So I'd need to add something above the red bit so they dangle a little. I could turn them into a dangly pair of earrings though!

Minoux - sorry I've only just seen your post. The diamonds vary so much in size but in one of the photos below is a ruler so you can get an idea of size.

Here are my promised mock ups Aoife. This took ages as these diamonds are SO fiddly!

It looks like if I join the diamonds up so they touch, I'll get a drop of about 3cm plus metal - so probably 3.5cm.

If I have diamond, then a tiny chain, then diamond, then chain etc., it'll probably be about 4.5cm maybe even 5cm.

 

[Arkteia]

They are beautiful, but I noticed many times that bezeled diamonds lose some of their sparkle. Maybe I am too paranoid about lights and stones, and perhaps since colored stones are light, bezeling could intensify the color, but I'd think about putting at least some of them in prongs or halos...

 

[LD]

They are beautiful, but I noticed many times that bezeled diamonds lose some of their sparkle. Maybe I am too paranoid about lights and stones, and perhaps since colored stones are light, bezeling could intensify the color, but I'd think about putting at least some of them in prongs or halos...

Crasru I agree. However, these are so small that the prongs may be as large as the diamonds themselves! If I bezel then I at least get a bigger look (do you remember my FCD bracelet?). If I used a halo of diamonds the diamonds would have to be miniscule themselves and the cost of setting would probably outweigh the overall cost.

I have got some bigger FCDs that I could use but I'm holding onto them because I've got a multi-FCD ring project that's been in the pipeline for around 3 years. I keep buying FCDs until I've got the perfect look - so these are all off-shoots of that project!

Zestfullybling - thank you for the suggestions. The bottom photo looks a little like the one that Coati posted doesn't it but with a bigger top and bottom.

 

[coati]

Yep, that's what I was thinking-as I prefer the dangle as well. Something akin this, but designed for your stones. I also really love that mock-up you made of the dangling bezeled cluster!



But, after seeing your last images, I'm loving them in them in a line! I love that they are all different shapes, and if you do chain in between, the 4.5 to 5cm length would be gorgeous. (very delicate halos would be gorgeous too, but I understand the cost parameters) A simple bezeled line would be clean and chic.

 

[pregcurious]

I didn't fully appreciate before how small the diamonds were. I absolutely love the cluster earrings in the 2nd picture, but am wondering if the gemstones would also look good in a ring where the small scale would be an asset. How about setting them haphazardly in a tapered shape, on either side of a center stone? I couldn't find anything like this, but imagine the M&M Flame Ring with your stones as the side stones.

 

[LD]

Thanks for the suggestion. I did consider a ring and found a design that I liked but I really want a pair of earrings because I've got too many rings and not enough earrings!

Here's a ring I thought might work:

 

[minousbijoux]

Another vote for earrings - the only thing stopping me now is inspiration, so since you are so motivated, I say go. I also like the cluster. I'm afraid if you were to have them all in a line, they would be too small to really shine. Clustering them would accentuate the colors and hopefully the sparkle?

 

[LD]

I keep coming back to the cluster as well. Especially when I go back to the first photo I posted in this thread. Having them together really seems to make the best of their different colours and sizes.

 

[pregcurious]

LD, do you have long or short hair? If you have short hair and bezel the stones in a straight line/chain, the light would show through them, which would be very cool. If you have long hair, you could wear it up for a dressy look with the earrings.

 

[LD]

Shoulder length hair but it's longer at the front than at the back - so I can't put it up - but I do tuck it behind my ears so earrings will be seen.

 

[Aoife]

It seems as though it is the petite size of the stones that presents the challenge, then. I like the ring idea, but if you really want earrings...?

How about something along these lines, where the FCD's are set in a larger, unifying earring?




Are the stones in that closer to the size of your FCD's?

 

[pregcurious]

Aoife, I love this idea!

 

[momofive]

Loving Diamonds,

I like your #4 (or the second pic from Coatimundi) pic above. I'm thinking you could make something like that dangle and if you want to, use either some small (same color and size) unifying stones, or some small white, yellow or rose gold- small designed shapes to go in between. That will add to the size of the earrings. If you keep those small, (I mean the little square ones) I don't think they will take away from the main focus - those diamonds. This is sort of a combination of Coatimundi's and Aiofe's pics. As long as you keep the gold work delicate, you could arrange your diamonds and then build the rest of the earring around that. I personally like the cluster better than the line.

 

[LD]

Ok one last question (and I apologise if I'm boring you all).

I mainly wear white gold BUT I realise that these earrings would look better in yellow. So I don't want to comprise that much so what do you think if I mix the bezel metals so for example, yellow gold for the yellow diamonds, rose gold for the pinks, white gold for something (not sure what).

Thoughts?