Advice on settings for red garnet and spinel gemstones

[voce]

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on and off the PS CS forums for a couple weeks. You all have such fantastic jewelry! My gemstone obsession officially started when my boyfriend and I started looking at engagement rings at the end of March.

Last week, I was looking around on Ebay and bought some loose gemstones. They're both native cuts, I think, and comparable in color. The pear-cut rhodolite garnet on the top is 11.70 Ct with approximate dimensions of 16.2mm x 12.5mm x 7.9mm. The cushion red spinel on the bottom is 4.76 Ct with approximate dimensions of 10.5mm x 8.5mm x 6.3mm. They're both en route from Thailand, so I'm using the photos that the seller posted.


I don't have a lot of money at the moment, but I can work and save up however much it will cost to set these stones in rings/pendants. I just started wearing rings recently, and I am not yet used to having one on all the time. I love that with rings, you can see the bling yourself, as opposed to pendants and earrings where you can't see it yourself. Still, I'm worried about rings distracting me, as some of the striking CS from Precision Gems almost definitely would.

As a newbie, I would like to get your opinions on a bunch of questions--
1. Should I set either one as a pendant instead of as a ring?
2. On a limited budget, which should I set and wear first?
3. If setting them in a ring, I would probably want to wear them as right hand rings. Which finger(s) should I wear them on? Each finger on my hand is unfortunately a different ring size.
4. If I want an understated look, what are my options apart from a solitaire setting?
5. How much should I spend on a setting? Should I feel uncomfortable paying more for the setting than I paid for the gemstone itself? Do any of you have a certain ratio in mind when you think about how much the loose gem should cost compared to the setting?

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

Hi, @voce
Did your garnet and spinel arrive? Did you decide on the settings yet? I am not the best on settings, but I’m sure others have some great ideas. We would love to see pictures of your stones in real life.

 

[voce]

@MissyBeaucoup No, I haven't received them yet. It's been almost 2 months, and Thai Post tracking doesn't show anything after it left for overseas shipping on May 16. At this point I think the package could be lost , and I'm going to initiate a refund on the parcel through Ebay or Paypal.

If they do arrive, I'll be sure to post hand shots of the gems. After looking through more PS posts, I have decided that if I can get the gems I would set the large garnet in a pendant and the spinel in a ring, 3-stone setting. But there is no point discussing this if the gems don't arrive.

 

[qubitasaurus]

I would hold off until you get them. You can feel remarkably different about a stone once you see it in real life (you might find them too big for your fingers, or too dark for that enclosed setting you had your heart set on), and this may drastically alter any plans you have for setting them. More fun to wait and see them first.

 

[molecule]

@voce I admire your profile picture every time you post. Could you list some additional details?

 

[voce]

@molecule Thanks! It's the first compliment I've gotten on it on PS and not in person.

It's a 1.38 ct untreated sapphire from Thailand, dimensions 7.6 x 6.18 mm, 3.57mm deep, set in 14k yg. I bought this as a present to myself because once I knew I was getting a ruby engagement ring, I wanted to have blue sapphire as well. (Looked at sapphire rings first before I fell in love with the ruby.) I got it as a solitaire so I can wear it more often and not feel like I wear too much bling.

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

@MissyBeaucoup No, I haven't received them yet. It's been almost 2 months, and Thai Post tracking doesn't show anything after it left for overseas shipping on May 16. At this point I think the package could be lost , and I'm going to initiate a refund on the parcel through Ebay or Paypal.

If they do arrive, I'll be sure to post hand shots of the gems. After looking through more PS posts, I have decided that if I can get the gems I would set the large garnet in a pendant and the spinel in a ring, 3-stone setting. But there is no point discussing this if the gems don't arrive.

Oh dear! I’m sorry you’re waiting so long. I ordered something from Thailand and it took a month at the most. I hope your package didn’t get lost.

Your blue sapphire is so pretty! I love the elegant setting. The color looks like the color of bluebirds, which symbolize happiness and marriage bliss. Do you have hand shots posted somewhere? I think this ring deserves its own thread.