Show me some Van Craeynest!

[Love in Bloom]

Wow that date is coming up soon...GG classes sound really exciting!

I know what you mean about being all over the map

. The designs VC has are all so different in their own ways, and each one I absolutely L.O.V.E . So much so that I change direction a lot too. Maybe one day I''m sure I want a bangle (I''m so lovin'' 813 too) and others I want to save all my pennies and go for the honkin'' pierced ring of my dreams! I swore I would leave my Umbalite garnet unset for a while just to let the ideas for it simmer in my head, but everytime I take a look at that stone my mind flourishes with new ideas

.

It''s like the angel and devil on the shoulder thing...
Angel says, "Must.Take.Time" (that''s you!

)
Devil says, "You know what you want, so do it now darn it!"

 

[thekinglives]

Sorry it''s taken so long ladies!
Here''s a few more for you:

 

[thekinglives]

And:

 

[Love in Bloom]

OMG thekinglives...I''m in

L

V E

!!!

 

[thekinglives]

Thanks for your lovely comments, it''s
great to see your reactions!

Love in Bloom, it''s all your fault
woman (hehe), god knows how much of a
good turn you''re doing for Larry with
your posts. I have another project in
the works (to be ready in 3 or so weeks),
all will be revealed! Can''t help doting
on Larry, what an old-fashioned gentleman
he is. I didn''t think it was possible to
have ears and not love The King

!

Diamond Seeker, I don''t think you could
go wrong with any piece of VC, and especially
with your eye for quality the stone and setting
combination would be a winner, I''m sure.
Just as a note of interest, I hear this
particular die was carved in 1926 by
a French artisan!

Coatimundi, glad you''re enjoying them. Your
present rings have a similar (gorgeous) air
to them, I hope these inspire you to give
it a try.

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 5/9/2008 7:33:24 PM
Author: Love in Bloom



OMG thekinglives...I'm in

L

V E

!!!

Me too! Oh so beautiful!

Thekinglives, Thank you for posting more photos. Inspirational indeedy!

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 5/9/2008 3:19:01 PM
Author: Love in Bloom

It's like the angel and devil on the shoulder thing...

Angel says, 'Must.Take.Time' (that's you!

)

Devil says, 'You know what you want, so do it now darn it!'

You know it!

ahem..

 

[Love in Bloom]

Saw this the other day and thought it was interesting:

ETA - PS won't let me post the links (???) I'll download the pics and post them...

 

[Love in Bloom]

These were some pics on flick r (I know that's not the correct spelling, but apparently it caused a posting error when I tried to type the correct name) :

 

[Love in Bloom]

matching band

Looks like both rings might have been polished so the milgrain no longer shows on the shields...

 

[Love in Bloom]

If you search for Van Craeynest on flick r these pics will come up.

I love this shot

 

[pjean]

Has anyone ever inquired about having custom work done? I know in advance that it would be wayyy expensive, but I can''t manage to dismiss the idea. Does anyone have any idea *how* expensive? I''d like a chased wedding band, but I''d like a specific pattern.

(I know. Yikes, right?)

 

[thekinglives]

Love in Bloom, great pics: I think
a reset with the flower and shield
ring might happen at some stage, after
the self-imposed jewellery moratorium
that is going to follow my next VC
aquisition is over

BTW the date
on the next has been moved forward
to *this week* muah hahah. Pictures will
be forthcoming as soon as the blue wrap
comes off

Pjean, you might be very suprised by the
quote you might get from Larry. I would
make a relatively uneducated guess at
somewhere between 1 and 3K. A chat with
Larry VC wouldn't hurt in any case

 

[pjean]

Oh, thekinglives, that''s so exciting! I can''t wait to see hand shots.

Maybe we will be calling Larry. For my ering we went to a cousin of a friend. I''m very happy with the ring, but he wasn''t very communicative, and it took several tries to get him to understand the kind of detail I wanted. And to do the kind of elaborate chasing I have in mind, well... I''m a little concerned. FI and I have talked about giving up that idea and just going with a plain band.

So once we move (6 weeks, yikes!), maybe we''ll give him a call. Until then, I''ll just drool over your pretties.

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 5/18/2008 11:00:25 PM
Author: thekinglives

Love in Bloom, great pics: I think
a reset with the flower and shield
ring might happen at some stage, after
the self-imposed jewellery moratorium
that is going to follow my next VC
aquisition is over

BTW the date
on the next has been moved forward
to *this week* muah hahah. Pictures will
be forthcoming as soon as the blue wrap
comes off

This week

? I'm dying to see your new acquisition, TKL

!

Also, don't you just love that blue wrap stuff? What the heck is it anyway? After the rough lead of my heart was sent to me in about 50 layers of that tissue-y stuff, I asked Larry what the blue stuff was. He chuckled and told me it was made by spiders

. I don't think so...

Date: 5/18/2008 8:20 PM
Author: pjean
Has anyone ever inquired about having custom work done? I know in advance that it would be wayyy expensive, but I can't manage to dismiss the idea. Does anyone have any idea *how* expensive? I'd like a chased wedding band, but I'd like a specific pattern.

(I know. Yikes, right?)

I can only echo what thekinglives said; just call and ask. I don't think it could hurt when the time comes ...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Fabulous pictures, thekinglives! Your rings are gorgeous!!!

 

[thekinglives]

Pjean, LiB and DS: thank you ladies!

The spider paper (LOL) has been consigned
to the bin! - and here are some captures that
just cannot do justice to Van Craeynest
no. 958: art deco hand-chased band with 7.5mm
width and .25 of diamonds in 18K antiqued
gold.

 

[AnitaT]

OMG! How beautiful! The detail is incredible.

 

[Love in Bloom]

Ohmygosh!

I just woke up out of a deep, deep sleep and moved instinctually to my computer...now I understand why. Isn''t it weird how stuff like that happens? We need some handshots lady

 

[thekinglives]

Thanks Anita and LiB! You were drawn in
by the Van Craeynest fundamental frequency
LiB!!! That makes two of us

I'm totally handshy and especially
these days with the heat in Tejas
(I'm in Austin), but maybe I'll get
over it, I will try LiB

A bit of background on this one: it's the
last design that Larry and his father worked
on together; there are only five other
copies of it ever sold, and the standard
is 10mm in width (not 7.5). The highest
points of every leaf is milgrained so
finely that I had to take a magnifying glass
to it to see it. As you say, Love in Bloom,
a visual and tactile delight - the only
thing that bothers me about it is how
hard it is to capture accurately: it's
not a shadow of itself in the pictures
above, but ah, I love it anyway

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Wow, another beautiful ring!!!!

I know exactly what you mean about the camera not capturing the details. The rings I saw were amazing. You really have to see them to appreciate them fully.

 

[AnitaT]

Date: 5/21/2008 7:11:13 PM
Author: thekinglives


A bit of background on this one: it''s the last design that Larry and his father worked on together; there are only five other copies of it ever sold.

The highest points of every leaf is milgrained so finely that I had to take a magnifying glass to it to see it.

As you say, Love in Bloom, a visual and tactile delight

I love how VC pieces have history. It really makes the rings meaningful in addition to being beautiful. I mean, you can just feel how proud Larry is of the pieces.

TKL, I know exactly what you mean about the fine details. My bf and I got a loupe and were just amazed with the level of detail. LIB''s statement captures it perfectly.

Ladies, can I tell you how badly I want to find "the" stone so I bring home my ring already--LOL!

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 5/21/2008 7:11:13 PM
Author: thekinglives
Thanks Anita and LiB! You were drawn in
by the Van Craeynest fundamental frequency
LiB!!! That makes two of us

I''m totally handshy and especially
these days with the heat in Tejas
(I''m in Austin), but maybe I''ll get
over it, I will try LiB

A bit of background on this one: it''s the
last design that Larry and his father worked
on together; there are only five other
copies of it ever sold, and the standard
is 10mm in width (not 7.5). The highest
points of every leaf is milgrained so
finely that I had to take a magnifying glass
to it to see it. As you say, Love in Bloom,
a visual and tactile delight - the only
thing that bothers me about it is how
hard it is to capture accurately: it''s
not a shadow of itself in the pictures
above, but ah, I love it anyway

Hehe, frequency tuned!

Totally handshy? I have never heard of a shy Texan before and am hoping you will soon give handshots a try

.

Oh and thanks for the history about your ring. Does yours happen to spin?

 

[thekinglives]

Thank you DS, Anita (I can't wait
to see your project when it's done,
beautiful choices and amendments).
The history is a special part for
me too, instant heirlooms.

Ah, LiB, sadly I'm not Texan, or I
might be able to cope with the heat
around here

Irish bodies don't
come with proper heat-conduction
capabilities, apparently!

This one doesn't spin at all (does
it look like it should?) Apparently
I have to wait a few weeks for the
antique finish to lighten a
bit, should be interesting (pictures
are likely to follow

)

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 5/22/2008 10:30:43 PM
Author: thekinglives

Ah, LiB, sadly I''m not Texan, or I
might be able to cope with the heat
around here

Irish bodies don''t
come with proper heat-conduction
capabilities, apparently!

This one doesn''t spin at all (does
it look like it should?) Apparently
I have to wait a few weeks for the
antique finish to lighten a
bit, should be interesting (pictures
are likely to follow

)

AWw TKL ... I''m technically asian, but my last name is Irish, and I can''t stand the heat either.

I was just curious if your ring spins because the one I saw in person (the 10mm version) was red gold and it was a spinner ring

. The antique finish on hubby''s band has lightened beautifully and I can''t wait to see yours!

 

[IrishBreakfast]

I am so glad I opened this thread. The detail on these pieces is exquisite. I don''t think I''ve ever seen anything like it. Seriously, my jaw is all agog.

 

[Love in Bloom]

Thanks for stopping by Irish

! I have never seen pieces quite like 'em either, so I'm happy others are willing to share. Speaking of which, I hope TKL brings some more pics of her amazing band soon...

 

[Love in Bloom]

Thekinglives ... hopefully my post in my Heirloom stacking thread will bring you here!

About the antique finish ... I had no idea my husband's wedding band would have the antique rose finish (he has band 1918, but it is incorrectly listed as 918 on the website). Since I didn't know much about it, I called VC to see if there was anything hubby needed to do to maintain it. Larry said to avoid chemical cleaners (as they may completely remove the oxidation), but putting the ring in a US is fine. He also made some recommendations on how to expedite the lightening process:

- make a paste of baking soda and water
- apply paste to the outside surfaces
- using a cotton swab or turkish towel, rub the paste into the detail with the thumb and some pressure
- clean the ring as you normally would

We decided to leave hubby's band to lighten on its own and his band has become only slightly lighter albeit even more beautiful IMO

. Just sharing the idea in case you are wanting a more subtle antique finish and don't want to wait. I still want to see some more pics of your beauty!

 

[thekinglives]

Hehe, I made it over!!

Ahhh, just the information I needed,
you *star* LiB. I think it was a
good move to let your DH's
band evolve naturally, the tone
gradation is just perfect. I'm
wondering if I should do the same!

Off to stock up on baking soda
shortly -- something tells me I
won't be able to resist doing it

,
though I might still try.

Pictures will be fresh on your table
when the deed is done and the sun
is a bit stronger (most likely tomorrow).

Thanks again!

 

[AnitaT]

Looking forward to it!