- Joined
- Sep 15, 2013
- Messages
- 1,103
Closing out 2013, the yellow sapphire ring transformation is FINALLY complete!
In re-cap of this very long, whirl-wind to get the stone and ring where it is no (so very fitting that it's completed on the last day of the year)...Thank you to everyone who has offered their feedback throughout my sapphire search, re-cut, and lastly re-homing the stone into a, yep, new and improved setting!!! In selecting the stone, the yellow sapphire as I originally found it was horribly windowed but had a great size, and I couldn't let go of the sunny big-bird yellow it possessed. All of you were beyond supportive talking me through potential make-it-work setting fixes and finally through discussing a potential re-cut.
Enter Jerry Newman of Gemart Services (whom I never would have found without this forum), who beautifully re-cut the stone and saved both the face-up size and color while also resolving the window. I couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous stone, and if I had started from scratch, I would have been searching for exactly the stone that he provided to me through the re-cut process. The stone went from 3.4 carats to 2.88 carats (14-15% difference) and retained its 10.5mm x 8.1mm face-up size - quite a feat, given the result! Sparkles like crazy...
Then, fast-forward to the re-set…what you didn't hear about was…in re-sizing the originally setting, it completely crapped out for lack of better words. The platinum was both hollow and had been heated too much then cooled too fast, so when it came time to work with it again, it basically disintegrated, for lack of better words. After working with the original for 4 days, my jeweler starting from scratch to fashion a new ring. It retained its 18k yellow gold prongs, which he re-furbished, but the ring itself now solid platinum with rhodium plating (for that extra bright, white), far sturdier and weighty, and absolutely stunning. He told me over the phone that I would be over the moon with the result, and absolutely, positively, I am. The difference in the setting is not as apparent as the stone from the pics, but without a doubt, the craftsmanship is amazing.
Best of all - the stone came back as eye clean and vivid yellow post re-cut! Flipping amazing!
Soooooo…here are all of the pics (to avoid everyone having to reference back through the play-by-play posts) - Starting with pre- and post- loose stone shots and then pre- and post- shots of the completed ring!
In re-cap of this very long, whirl-wind to get the stone and ring where it is no (so very fitting that it's completed on the last day of the year)...Thank you to everyone who has offered their feedback throughout my sapphire search, re-cut, and lastly re-homing the stone into a, yep, new and improved setting!!! In selecting the stone, the yellow sapphire as I originally found it was horribly windowed but had a great size, and I couldn't let go of the sunny big-bird yellow it possessed. All of you were beyond supportive talking me through potential make-it-work setting fixes and finally through discussing a potential re-cut.
Enter Jerry Newman of Gemart Services (whom I never would have found without this forum), who beautifully re-cut the stone and saved both the face-up size and color while also resolving the window. I couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous stone, and if I had started from scratch, I would have been searching for exactly the stone that he provided to me through the re-cut process. The stone went from 3.4 carats to 2.88 carats (14-15% difference) and retained its 10.5mm x 8.1mm face-up size - quite a feat, given the result! Sparkles like crazy...
Then, fast-forward to the re-set…what you didn't hear about was…in re-sizing the originally setting, it completely crapped out for lack of better words. The platinum was both hollow and had been heated too much then cooled too fast, so when it came time to work with it again, it basically disintegrated, for lack of better words. After working with the original for 4 days, my jeweler starting from scratch to fashion a new ring. It retained its 18k yellow gold prongs, which he re-furbished, but the ring itself now solid platinum with rhodium plating (for that extra bright, white), far sturdier and weighty, and absolutely stunning. He told me over the phone that I would be over the moon with the result, and absolutely, positively, I am. The difference in the setting is not as apparent as the stone from the pics, but without a doubt, the craftsmanship is amazing.
Best of all - the stone came back as eye clean and vivid yellow post re-cut! Flipping amazing!
Soooooo…here are all of the pics (to avoid everyone having to reference back through the play-by-play posts) - Starting with pre- and post- loose stone shots and then pre- and post- shots of the completed ring!