ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo rings?

[MGP]

So, I just got my setting remade and asked to get it as close to the Tiffany Oval Soleste as possible. The jeweler did a great job other than the fact that there is a visible gap between the halo and the center stone. He told me that this is impossible to avoid, and that this gap is "as small as humanly possible". I can't imagine that this is the truth, considering of the ring at the actual Tiffany store has no noticeable gap that I can see with the naked eye. I will attach pictures, and please let me know your thoughts!!

 

[m-2-b]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

Welcome to PS! I think you have a beautiful Tiffany inspired oval Soleste halo ring!

But to answer your question, no, there does not have to be a minimal airline gap in all halo rings. I own 2 custom hand forged micropave halo rings, neither of which have any visible airline gaps:

 

[whitewave]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

Blue nile is another one with airline gaps in their halos. It's common, but I have seen plenty with no gaps so that tells me maybe skill comes into play?

 

[WillyDiamond]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

No

 

[Rivendell]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

I see what you mean. Halos can be done without an airlime. If the diamond sat a bit lower in the setting would there still be a gap? I suspect it's maybe less exacting and easier to make halos with a gap.

 

[kenny]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

In manufacturing, the tighter the tolerance the higher the cost.

Perhaps zero gap increases the chance of the setter chipping the girdle.
If so it would make the work riskier, requiring a more skilled & experienced bench (IOW expensive?), and maybe even higher insurance premiums.
You'd have to give higher quotes to customers, who don't understand why higher cost is justified so you'd lose business.

Just speculating.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

It's probably a skill issue for a custom piece. For stock halos, it's more common since the setting may not be the exact right size for the stone.

 

[MGP]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

Yeah, I think it might be a cost issue. This was a remake of a setting that they did not do well and were redoing for "free" so he probably did not want to have extra cost. So frustrating. This was supposed to me made for the exact measurements of my center stone which took over 1.5 months to complete. I'm so disappointed that they can't get it right and they are not willing to do any more at this point. Any recs for a Chicago jeweler (city or suburbs) that is capable?

 

[whitewave]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

Who did it? Did you talk to Ilya at Ivy and Rose (formerly mydiamondzone)?

 

[ecf8503]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

Who did it? Did you talk to Ilya at Ivy and Rose (formerly mydiamondzone)?

wait - they changed their name?

 

[MGP]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

It was Ethan Lord in downtown Chicago.

 

[whitewave]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

The still have Mydiamondzone listings on Ebay, but their website is Ivy and Rose vintage. He is resetting my original engagement ring.

 

[bunnycat]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

I had this issue in one halo ring and when I compared it to another halo setting I had that I knew had no gap, it was clear part of the airline came from how the prongs were built in the one that did have a gap. They sat fully inside the halo portion, as opposed to being constructed between two Melee stones as in the other one I have. Add to the fact that the stone I had in it was too small for it and I had a considerable airline where there might have only been a small one.

I would say skill was a consideration (and surely it is to some degree) except that the old halo that my oec was in looked like it had been set by a kindergartener..... I seriously don't know how the stone stayed in it was that bad, and it had no gap.

 

[Skhii]

Re: ALWAYS have to be a minimal airline gap with all halo ri

Yeah, I think it might be a cost issue. This was a remake of a setting that they did not do well and were redoing for "free" so he probably did not want to have extra cost. So frustrating. This was supposed to me made for the exact measurements of my center stone which took over 1.5 months to complete. I'm so disappointed that they can't get it right and they are not willing to do any more at this point. Any recs for a Chicago jeweler (city or suburbs) that is capable?

Hi MGP.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Ethan Lord. As WhiteWave mentioned, Ilya from Ivy and Rose (known as MDZ on PS) is in Chicago. There is also a PSer named Haven who had a completely hand forged ring made by Burdeen's Jewelry in Buffalo Grove. If you contact Burdeen's, request to speak to Matt Burdeen directly. In my experience, an employee did not know they made hand forged jewelry, or even what hand forged means. Please let us know what you decide to do!

http://ivyandrose.com/
https://www.burdeens.com/