New (to me) Michael B design

[Ann]

I tried this ring on today here in Houston at Zadok''s. They were having a trunk showing of Michael B and Stardust. I liked some of the Stardust, but they didn''t blow me away like I thought they would. Now the Michael B was a different story. Though in the past I''ve never been attracted to it. I tried on so many different rings, this is the first time I''ve tried on that many.
Michael B''s wife was there. Her set was nice (but dirty!) 5ct. radiant with a tiny halo and side stones, smallish traps, medium width shank with pave. Very nice. But this new Trois Riviera is nice. This ring had a 3.02 F Yellow radiant, the shank was a graduation of nice rb''s. The rb''s started about 3/4th''s the way back and graduated to larger stones towards the front. I liked the heft and width of the shank. The price on the setting alone was $25,000. I think the setting had close to 3ct of diamonds on the shank and halo. If I recall correctly, the entire ring was $94,000.

 

[Ann]

Ok, what do you guys think of that in an oval or cushion?

 

[mrssalvo]

Ann, I just went to Michael b's store last week in Studio City. I met his wife too and got to try on her e-ring. He's got a bunch of new pieces that aren't anywhere on the net yet but are truly stunning. I have found too that the rings that are on the net are way prettier in person than any pics I've found. I think both rings are stunning but he does come with a price premium. I'd suggest calling Pearlman's for a quotes too. there isn't much wiggle room in designer settings but it never hurts to ask.

I was also surprised at how much they will customize, i'd always thought you pretty much had to order as it but they said you can change sides stones, halo's, shank widths, pave/no pave.

A lot of their settings were packed away for a trunk show in Atlanta that was last tuesday so I didn't get to try on everything but I too found a couple of rings that really blew me away!!

 

[KimberlyH]

I think the Trois Riviera is beautiful. I'm not in love with the band with the oval it looks more antiquish to me and the band has a modern feel to it, if that makes sense?

 

[Ann]

MrsS - was his wife''s ring the one with the radiant? It was not only filthy, but
IMHO, a crappy center stone. I liked the setting, but wow was it ever dirty. She did say they would customize anything for me. We talked about a 3-4ish center stone (Oval, Cushion & EC) with or without the halo, and also side stones (like hers) and then diamonds on the shank. A lot going on, but she said they have done it many times. I wish I could see pictures. They had lots of jewelry there, but not so many ER. Lots of fun stuff!

Kimberly - not sure if I understood you correctly, but both bands on the rings I posted are the same. Is that what you were referring to? It surprised me that I like the bands, I usually like smaller stones on the shank and 3-sided at that!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ann, I may be totally off base, but I was thinking that Dee Jay''s Jack Kelege setting was somewhere around $10,000...or at least one I saw here was about that amount. I do not like these enough that I''d pay $25,000. I think I''d really prefer a more delicate shank.

 

[Ann]

diamondseeker - yeah I thought that was a little

high myself! 25 grand for the setting, whoa.

But I probably wouldn''t buy their setting anyway - I''d be high tailing it to Leon for whatever I wanted. I was just bouncing ideas off them.

I don''t know what DeeJay''s setting cost or what the carat weight was for the setting, but it was stunning, no doubt.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, good! I was sitting here thinking I''d rather have a Leon setting for a 3 ct. stone!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 4/28/2007 8:02:26 PM
Author: Ann
MrsS - was his wife''s ring the one with the radiant? It was not only filthy, but

IMHO, a crappy center stone. I liked the setting, but wow was it ever dirty. She did say they would customize anything for me.

Ann, yes it has a radiant. the day I saw it it looked clean and the center looked nice to me but I was in jewelery store lighting so and am no expert on radiants so I can''t say if the stone was great or not. I thought the settings was gorgeous though.

I do believe I remember reading here that dee jays ring was around 10K. I agree 25K for just a setting is

...but those settings do look so much better in person and are a lot more delicate than the pics represent. anyway, it''s nice to see you on the ring hunt again, do you think you''ll get something soon?

 

[Ann]

ha, ha I have never really stopped looking. But with the incredible rise in stone prices,
I know I''d better do something soon. But honestly I cannot decide what shape! I love the cushions, but it seemed after a long search with Mark that what I wanted just wasn''t going to be found, then the EC''s - love ''em, but I think I want some more flash in the stone, the radiant - not so sure about, not crazy about the X in the center. I tried on some larger rounds and they didn''t look so hot on me. I have long thin fingers and a round just "sat" there! Ugg decisions decisions. Ovals are nice, but the dreaded bowtie puts me off. And DH is not crazy about the ovals - he prefers squareish stones, but hey, he''s not wearing it. At this point he doesn''t care what I get as long as I get something.
I''m just too dang picky.

 

[mrssalvo]

well, many of us here can understand the picky part. now that some time has passed have you been in touch with Mark to see if anything new is out there? I know you''re looking for a larger size which seem to be slim pickin''s in cushions but there has got to be something out there. I think Leon sourced a fairly large cushion for someone here not to long ago. also, did you check out any of the daniel K cushions, they are all cut ex/ex, I know NiceIce, pearlmans, GOG and I''m pretty sure Mark T too can get them. I LOVE cushions and if I could get one in the size you''re looking at I''d take it over any other shape...

 

[Ann]

I looked at at a 5.66ct. cushion at Zadock''s - wow! But besides being too large and expensive, it had chunky facets, which I don''t care for. I know I''m in for a tough time finding what will finally satisfy me.

 

[mrssalvo]

ann, have you though about the square H&A''s. they have the sparkle of the round but the shape of the cushion without the chunky facets...maybe something like that would appeal to you?

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 4/28/2007 8:02:26 PM
Author: Ann
MrsS - was his wife''s ring the one with the radiant? It was not only filthy, but
IMHO, a crappy center stone. I liked the setting, but wow was it ever dirty. She did say they would customize anything for me. We talked about a 3-4ish center stone (Oval, Cushion & EC) with or without the halo, and also side stones (like hers) and then diamonds on the shank. A lot going on, but she said they have done it many times. I wish I could see pictures. They had lots of jewelry there, but not so many ER. Lots of fun stuff!

Kimberly - not sure if I understood you correctly, but both bands on the rings I posted are the same. Is that what you were referring to? It surprised me that I like the bands, I usually like smaller stones on the shank and 3-sided at that!

What I was attempting to say, and cleary didnt!, was that I prefer the setting with the radiant cut center stone. The oval stone with the halo looked more antique-ish to me and it just didn''t mesh with the shank. Now am I making sense? So sorry, I''m terrible with terminology!

 

[Ann]

Date: 4/28/2007 10:45:57 PM
Author: KimberlyH

Date: 4/28/2007 8:02:26 PM

Author: Ann

MrsS - was his wife''s ring the one with the radiant? It was not only filthy, but

IMHO, a crappy center stone. I liked the setting, but wow was it ever dirty. She did say they would customize anything for me. We talked about a 3-4ish center stone (Oval, Cushion & EC) with or without the halo, and also side stones (like hers) and then diamonds on the shank. A lot going on, but she said they have done it many times. I wish I could see pictures. They had lots of jewelry there, but not so many ER. Lots of fun stuff!


Kimberly - not sure if I understood you correctly, but both bands on the rings I posted are the same. Is that what you were referring to? It surprised me that I like the bands, I usually like smaller stones on the shank and 3-sided at that!

What I was attempting to say, and cleary didnt!, was that I prefer the setting with the radiant cut center stone. The oval stone with the halo looked more antique-ish to me and it just didn''t mesh with the shank. Now am I making sense? So sorry, I''m terrible with terminology!

KimberlyH - no worry.
I too prefer the radiant after trying it on, but the oval w/o the halo would be nice too.

mrssalvo - I''ve requested info on a stone, an oval, so we''ll see!