Mara
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2002
- Messages
- 31,003
Many of you might remember I upgraded my ER to a 3.33c OEC last summer from OWD. I had it set into a basic temp 6 prong setting, which served my purposes quite well. I actually loved how the temp came out as the prongs were super amazing and the whole thing was light as a feather and really put the focus on the awesome stone.
Originally I'd planned to have a custom setting much like the Vatche RC created for the stone, in rose gold and platinum. I have always loved that look, and PreciousJewels 3c in the Vatche RC has haunted me for many many years on PS as the perfect holy grail of the setting/stone combo for classic.
But when I got my basic setting I was unsure what direction I wanted to take. So I just wore it. And wore it. And wore it. Finally I realized, what I really wanted to complement my stone was a truly vintage setting vs a replica. I love me a good replica but for this stone I just wanted something authentic, assuming I could find it.
Some of you may also remember that way back when, my first love, the reason that I came onto PS was because I'd found a vintage stone (OEC!) in a replica edwardian setting at a local store in Carmel. So this idea had always haunted me, I love a regal crown-like head on a plain solitaire band. Having had eternity for so many years, I really was hoping to stay simple with no stones in the setting.
Armed with my idea, I set off to search. Now I'm a dedicated researcher, like most obsessed PS'ers. I pinned a ton of settings. Emailed vendors. Trolled eBay. Finding vintage settings for stones this size turned out to be a huge challenge. First off not that many people actually sell simple settings for old stones, many of them have already been melted down when the stones were taken out. I found many with diamonds but none with only a few or none. If they did not have diamonds, they weren't a crown-like head. Then there was the donut. I love my stackers, LOVE THEM, in fact I have about 15+ and wore them with my ring all the time. The idea of having a huge donut where my rings couldn't sit flush was not appealing. I found 8mm settings, 11mm settings. But not a whole lot in between. If it did fit, it was WAY too expensive when I inquired. Not only did I need this extensive list of 'must haves, but the bargain hunter in me needed to be satisfied as well. I stalled. Everything I found seemed to have at least one element I didn't love. Hemmed, hawed. Took a break from the search. Bought some more bands.
Until one fateful day, when... I couldn't even really say why but I decided to go on eBay (after a particularly awesome day where I managed to find the last pair of Tory Burch boots anywhere in the whole of Nordies in my size) one evening and check out my search. Up popped up not the usual drivel of crappy looking stuff, but 3-4 amazing looking empty settings. Mouth hanging open, I clicked. And purchased 2 of them. They were super affordable. Vintage. Platinum.
The wait for them to arrive was interminable. The descriptions and pics were ok but they both were reputed to only hold 11mm'ish stones. My stone is 9.5mm on average. I was pretty sure at least one of them would work based on the size/shape of the head, but the other one would probably be too big, but it was too beautiful and affordable to pass up. Plus I have lots of colored stones!
They arrived. They were rustic and needed some work but as expected. I loved them. Now a bit more waiting had to occur. I was heading to NYC a week later (paid rush to make sure they got to me on time so I could take with!) and seeing Adam to discuss setting my stone into one of the settings. It seemed to take forever, but finally the day arrived, and he said what I thought--that one of the settings could work great--the other was too big. I had a tall order of things I wanted for the ring. Could it be shaved down on the sides, it was 3mm and I wanted 2mm. Could the prongs be tiny claws. Could it be polished. Could it be sized. He showed me a setting that they are now producing, vintage-style, super beautiful, very similar to what I purchased. My find seemed even more amazing.
I left my stone (sob) and the setting with his amazing bench and he said it would take a week. I thought he was joking but he said you don't rush perfection. I waited. It seemed like forever. Finally the ring was ready, he was kind enough to send me pics and ship it next day. The pics arrived and, they were amazing.
Then the ring came and, it was amazing. ALL SO AMAZING. The ring looked better than I ever ever could have expected. Honestly I was floored. Buying an empty, scratched up old setting and thinking you can see the beauty and glory it can be was a gamble but I am so glad I took it. My stone was meant for this setting. It looks ridiculously at home in here. So regal. I absolutely puffy heart the profile. I was and am so over the moon about it. I stare at it all the time. It makes me think of the RC and I think may even be a bit of a pre-cursor to a RC. The donut is not that big and many of my stackers fit well with it. I think it may be..GASP..my forever setting. Best part is that it can be stretched a little bigger for that 5c that you all know I"ll eventually have... HA!
Moral of the story, patience can pay off in a crazy way. BUT enough about that.... onto the pics. I admit to not taking as many pics of this beauty as I might in better weather but it's been kinda gray and rainy this month. I do have a few though. Enjoy!
Originally I'd planned to have a custom setting much like the Vatche RC created for the stone, in rose gold and platinum. I have always loved that look, and PreciousJewels 3c in the Vatche RC has haunted me for many many years on PS as the perfect holy grail of the setting/stone combo for classic.
But when I got my basic setting I was unsure what direction I wanted to take. So I just wore it. And wore it. And wore it. Finally I realized, what I really wanted to complement my stone was a truly vintage setting vs a replica. I love me a good replica but for this stone I just wanted something authentic, assuming I could find it.
Some of you may also remember that way back when, my first love, the reason that I came onto PS was because I'd found a vintage stone (OEC!) in a replica edwardian setting at a local store in Carmel. So this idea had always haunted me, I love a regal crown-like head on a plain solitaire band. Having had eternity for so many years, I really was hoping to stay simple with no stones in the setting.
Armed with my idea, I set off to search. Now I'm a dedicated researcher, like most obsessed PS'ers. I pinned a ton of settings. Emailed vendors. Trolled eBay. Finding vintage settings for stones this size turned out to be a huge challenge. First off not that many people actually sell simple settings for old stones, many of them have already been melted down when the stones were taken out. I found many with diamonds but none with only a few or none. If they did not have diamonds, they weren't a crown-like head. Then there was the donut. I love my stackers, LOVE THEM, in fact I have about 15+ and wore them with my ring all the time. The idea of having a huge donut where my rings couldn't sit flush was not appealing. I found 8mm settings, 11mm settings. But not a whole lot in between. If it did fit, it was WAY too expensive when I inquired. Not only did I need this extensive list of 'must haves, but the bargain hunter in me needed to be satisfied as well. I stalled. Everything I found seemed to have at least one element I didn't love. Hemmed, hawed. Took a break from the search. Bought some more bands.
Until one fateful day, when... I couldn't even really say why but I decided to go on eBay (after a particularly awesome day where I managed to find the last pair of Tory Burch boots anywhere in the whole of Nordies in my size) one evening and check out my search. Up popped up not the usual drivel of crappy looking stuff, but 3-4 amazing looking empty settings. Mouth hanging open, I clicked. And purchased 2 of them. They were super affordable. Vintage. Platinum.
The wait for them to arrive was interminable. The descriptions and pics were ok but they both were reputed to only hold 11mm'ish stones. My stone is 9.5mm on average. I was pretty sure at least one of them would work based on the size/shape of the head, but the other one would probably be too big, but it was too beautiful and affordable to pass up. Plus I have lots of colored stones!
They arrived. They were rustic and needed some work but as expected. I loved them. Now a bit more waiting had to occur. I was heading to NYC a week later (paid rush to make sure they got to me on time so I could take with!) and seeing Adam to discuss setting my stone into one of the settings. It seemed to take forever, but finally the day arrived, and he said what I thought--that one of the settings could work great--the other was too big. I had a tall order of things I wanted for the ring. Could it be shaved down on the sides, it was 3mm and I wanted 2mm. Could the prongs be tiny claws. Could it be polished. Could it be sized. He showed me a setting that they are now producing, vintage-style, super beautiful, very similar to what I purchased. My find seemed even more amazing.
I left my stone (sob) and the setting with his amazing bench and he said it would take a week. I thought he was joking but he said you don't rush perfection. I waited. It seemed like forever. Finally the ring was ready, he was kind enough to send me pics and ship it next day. The pics arrived and, they were amazing.
Then the ring came and, it was amazing. ALL SO AMAZING. The ring looked better than I ever ever could have expected. Honestly I was floored. Buying an empty, scratched up old setting and thinking you can see the beauty and glory it can be was a gamble but I am so glad I took it. My stone was meant for this setting. It looks ridiculously at home in here. So regal. I absolutely puffy heart the profile. I was and am so over the moon about it. I stare at it all the time. It makes me think of the RC and I think may even be a bit of a pre-cursor to a RC. The donut is not that big and many of my stackers fit well with it. I think it may be..GASP..my forever setting. Best part is that it can be stretched a little bigger for that 5c that you all know I"ll eventually have... HA!
Moral of the story, patience can pay off in a crazy way. BUT enough about that.... onto the pics. I admit to not taking as many pics of this beauty as I might in better weather but it's been kinda gray and rainy this month. I do have a few though. Enjoy!
but if you do I know that it will look amazing too! 
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