Your jewelery buying personality.

[Gypsy]

So my pendant project made me realize that I am definitely the type that appreciates watching a project unfold and who gets a kick out of having input on the final result. But I know what there are other people who just prefer to walk into a store and pick out a piece and much prefer that. I had a choice between my project and something ''off the rack'' so to speak, and well... I chose a project. Which made me wonder... where is your jewelry buying personality on the spectrum between walking into a store (a nice store with good quality merchandise, or a PS seller) and starting a project?

 

[musey]

I think I like the idea of both equally, but all of my jewelry items happen to be "off the rack" (with the exception of my e-ring, which is BARELY a ''project'' in that the setting was designed for a princess stone and putting an asscher in it was a sight-unseen kinda gamble).

I think the next large-ish jewelry purchase I make will be something of a project, but not something totally original like your beautiful pendant

 

[iluvcarats]

I like both. I have realized now that I am better off buying the designer pieces I like instead of having them copied. For instance if I had my heart set on a Tiffany ring, I wouldn''t have it copied because it would bug me that the stone wasn''t cut the same as a Tiffany. I have had pieces made in the past and have been disappointed. But thinking something up from scratch like your pendant

is fun.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I like doing projects. Since being on PS I''ve thought of more projects for existing pieces than I ever thought possible

For Christmas a few years ago my mom had a pair of citrine bezel set earrings made for me. I just happen to have a citrine stone that''s set in a solitaire-type setting, from my grandmother, and I think it would be so cute to have that stone put into a bezel set ring for my right hand to match the earrings.

Right now, DH and I are working on something for my wedding set. I''ve been unhappy with the workmanship for a while now and we''re going to have my stone re-set for our 4th wedding anniversary, Mother''s Day and my 27th birthday. When it gets closer to being done I''ll post in SMTR or RT about the issues I''ve been having with my current set.

I have the setting ordered at a local jeweler and it should be in in about 2 weeks. I''m saving the four sidestones from my ering and five stones from the wedding band, plus I have three loose diamonds of the same size (from another project) and I''m going to have those set into some type of bezel band - like the Tiffany Jazz or Danielle by WF - but this will have to wait until funds allow. My new ering setting allows for a band to sit flush so I''ll just wear my 2mm Lucida or eternity band until we can get the other stones set. I may try to convince DH that the 3mm Lucida would look better with the new ering than the 2mm so maybe we''ll add that into the mix as well

 

[princesss]

I just like projects in general. I find so many things inspirational and beautiful, that I want something that reflects that. Like I have a dream of having a pendant modeled after the amazing rose window in Notre Dame. And something peacock feather-inspired. There are a lot of "off the rack" things that I love, but given the choice, I''d design my own.

 

[Miscka]

Good question. I am a control freak. So much so, that sometimes I will be sorely tempted to just buy ready-made to avoid all the over-thinking I will do about a project I control. Sad, I know.


That said, I also love love love design in general, and am always thinking up designs that I would like to have made. Some day!

 

[lyra]

I tried custom once, I had my original wedding set remade and hated it ever after.

I think that made me think I was better off just picking off the rack. The custom work was non-returnable, and I would hate to be stuck with something like that again. Had I been able to have waxes made, I would have known that the idea I had put forth was not being executed properly at all, and that my stone was just too small for all the sidestones I had envisioned. I''m just not a risk taker I guess. But I sure love all the custom pieces I see here! Everyone *else* seems to have good taste and great ideas.

 

[upgrade]

Oh I love a project! I would way rather search and search for ideas that I love and select stones individually and put things together than buy 'off the rack.' I love a lot of off the rack things, but half the fun for me is the selection and design process.

 

[Stone Hunter]

If I''m on vacation I enjoy buying "off the rack," so many cool things are available. But in the last few years here in the US I''ve found that I like the projects.

 

[brooklyngirl]

I tend to like buying things that are already designed, but are made to order, so I can modify them slightly.

While I like the idea of designing something unique, from scratch, I don''t have the patience for such a process, as I a stickler for details. It would take forever before I was content enough to actually have the piece made.

 

[IloveAsschers13]

I like both. When I was in high school, I took jewelry every year, so I know some of what goes on behind the scenes- the process of making the jewelry and all the hard tedious work that has to be done.

That being said, I like projects, but if I have an idea in my head, I''m not happy till the jeweler has something EXACTLY to my specifics and liking. Me and my BF almost had a ring made for our 4 year anniversary for me (it ended up being too expensive) and I was already not happy with the idea that the jeweler was drawing...

On the other hand, some pieces are pretty when I just go into the store and find them. I love all my tiffany''s necklaces (I have gotten a few in the past few years) and I really like some rings I have picked out from art fairs and jewelry stores

 

[geckodani]

Date: 5/1/2009 10:52:47 PM
Author: lyra
I tried custom once, I had my original wedding set remade and hated it ever after.

I think that made me think I was better off just picking off the rack. The custom work was non-returnable, and I would hate to be stuck with something like that again. Had I been able to have waxes made, I would have known that the idea I had put forth was not being executed properly at all, and that my stone was just too small for all the sidestones I had envisioned. I''m just not a risk taker I guess. But I sure love all the custom pieces I see here! Everyone *else* seems to have good taste and great ideas.

Heh. Sometimes even with wax it doesn''t go so well, LOL!

After my failed original custom reset... I try to go for things that are already made, or at least mostly made (adwar etc.). I like the idea of desigining something.... but I''m a bit of a chicken, LOL!

 

[violet3]

i like to see it and try it on before i buy it, so i suppose it''s off the rack for me. i like the idea of a project, but only in theory for me - i don''t have a ton of creative vision i suppose.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I love the hunt for the perfect diamond/piece. Granted, I haven''t had many projects at all: my own rings, a project for my mom, a project for my sister, but I love finding the *perfect* piece. I''m very patient and absolutely love a good bargain, so I will hunt for months. I had my eye on my own e-ring for at least six months and DH was able to snatch it up as it was going to auction (in fact he had to have it fedexed back from the auction house) and he was able to get it for $10K less than it was originally listed when I first saw it. I hunted for my mom''s WF diamond for months until I thought the perfect one popped up. I helped my sister with a ring project for several months and found an absolutley beautiful 65 point tranny in an original art deco setting for $1K and she is head over heels for it. I''m one of those people would be content to spend days looking through pawn shops if it meant I might be able to pick up an amazing stone for an amazing price.

 

[bee*]

Date: 5/7/2009 9:05:37 AM
Author: violet3
i like to see it and try it on before i buy it, so i suppose it''s off the rack for me. i like the idea of a project, but only in theory for me - i don''t have a ton of creative vision i suppose.

yeah I''m the exact same. I''m not hugely creative at all and I do like the idea of a project but I wouldn''t have the patience for it.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I like a little of both, but I just attempted my very first completely custom ring project this month, and I''m anxiously awaiting the results.

My husband was the one who had to deal with my e-ring, which was completely custom, so he knows how much of a pain it can be.

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/1/2009 10:29:28 PM
Author: Miscka
Good question. I am a control freak. So much so, that sometimes I will be sorely tempted to just buy ready-made to avoid all the over-thinking I will do about a project I control. Sad, I know.


That said, I also love love love design in general, and am always thinking up designs that I would like to have made. Some day!

This is a difficult question for me. I think Miscka answered it best from my POV.

 

[Elmorton]

Project, hands down. It''s so much more fun to find a stone, find a setting, make modifications, etc. I like planning things almost more than having them - seriously, I had more fun helping my mom design a setting for her RH tourmaline than I have with any other jewelry project, my e-ring included.

 

[LadyBlue]

I love the idea of chose the stones, but I rather to be able of see the design in a picture, I don''t like risks.

 

[Cind11]

I like both but probably prefer projects a bit. I am not that creative though. I have to be able to see an example to know I like something. I enjoyed buying my loose sapphire and having James Meyer make the setting for it. But I didn''t have to come up with the design, I already knew I liked the setting. I have a Malaya garnet I''m trying to figure something out for so I am hunting for pictures of settings. I certainly wouldn''t want to ever try to draw a setting like some people do!

 

[Burk]

I like both, but my patience gets tested during projects. I want it NOW!

My last few pieces have been off the rack. I''ll probably tackle a project next...but that unfortunately won''t be for a while because DH says I''m on a spending freeze until our house is done.

 

[mrscushion]

Date: 5/7/2009 9:52:00 AM
Author: bee*

Date: 5/7/2009 9:05:37 AM
Author: violet3
i like to see it and try it on before i buy it, so i suppose it''s off the rack for me. i like the idea of a project, but only in theory for me - i don''t have a ton of creative vision i suppose.

yeah I''m the exact same. I''m not hugely creative at all and I do like the idea of a project but I wouldn''t have the patience for it.

That''s true for me, too.

 

[Rhea]

I''ve never had the budget to do a real project. My biggest project has been matching up OEC stones for simple stud earrings. I love the idea of doing a true project, but the hunt of finding the perfect item is so satisfying.

 

[Kelli]

I enjoy saving up for a while and then buying "off the rack" or just pointing and clicking as to what I want. Or I''ll order a stone online and then go into a local guy and order a Stuller setting to put it in. I haven''t done anything custom yet. So far I''m just interested in buying classic pieces I don''t have yet. It''ll be a while before I''m spending enough money on something that I''ll feel the need to go custom.