Adwar settings?

[ImpatientOne]

How is the quality of these settings? Any others you would recommend? I prefer not to go custom and would like to find a local jeweler to order a setting and then set the stones.

The background: My husband recently gave me a 5 stone 1ctw band for our anniversary. Unfortunately, it is 18k white gold and is starting to yellow some after only two months.I would really like to have the stones reset into platinum as I have had problems in the past with white gold. I wear the ring every day and don''t want to have to re-plate every few months.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Camille]

Hi ImpatientOne,
I own two Adwar pieces, the first one is plat with 5% ruthenium [wear resistant] no scratches so far, then my jeweler ordered a halo in14k white, at a great price, so far no signs of yellow ...but the piece is only 6mo old.
I'd also look for gold settings with little palladium alloy, I know J. Albrecht has the best recipe out there , his piece is 2 years old, looking new. Good Luck.

 

[ImpatientOne]

Thanks for the reply, Camille! I hadn''t thought of Palladium, but I might have to consider that as well!

 

[WinkHPD]

Adwar settings, like any casting can have minor defects that you may or may not see, such as very minor pitting. Adwar makes a good product and the quality of the finish is normally dependant on the quality of the jeweler doing the work.

I recommend that you get your jeweler to bring in die struck heads from Stuller or another parts house when ever possible as the die struck heads will be a better quality than cast heads (normally).

We sell many of the Adwar peices as they have a very wide range of available settings. They should cost you only a fraction of what a custom made piece will cost. You are lucky to have a good local jeweler that you know and trust, so discuss this with him, I am sure he can both order the piece and do the work for you!

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

P.S. The more I use palladium the more I dislike it. I have had some rings crack and break after only a year or so of wear. It is a britle metal and does not take well to sizing. We are very close to the decision to "just say no" to palladium and let others worry about whether or not this is the ring that will drive you nuts.

Wink

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 5/25/2009 4:14:44 PM
Author: Wink
Adwar settings, like any casting can have minor defects that you may or may not see, such as very minor pitting. Adwar makes a good product and the quality of the finish is normally dependant on the quality of the jeweler doing the work.


I recommend that you get your jeweler to bring in die struck heads from Stuller or another parts house when ever possible as the die struck heads will be a better quality than cast heads (normally).


We sell many of the Adwar peices as they have a very wide range of available settings. They should cost you only a fraction of what a custom made piece will cost. You are lucky to have a good local jeweler that you know and trust, so discuss this with him, I am sure he can both order the piece and do the work for you!


Wink

what Wink said.

 

[shimmer]

Date: 5/25/2009 4:17:10 PM
Author: Wink
P.S. The more I use palladium the more I dislike it. I have had some rings crack and break after only a year or so of wear. It is a britle metal and does not take well to sizing. We are very close to the decision to 'just say no' to palladium and let others worry about whether or not this is the ring that will drive you nuts.


Wink

Hi Wink,
Does your experience with palladium extend to palladium-alloyed white gold as well?

Thanks!

 

[Camille]

I''ve seen/own a custom pieces w/pitting..... to be completely honest

I personally dislike Palladium jewelry bc alone isn''t bright enough to my eye + my jeweler of 21 years doesn''t work with it, now.....when there''s little of it added to white gold, we are talking wow! But again, not all white gold ''recipes'' are equal.

 

[WinkHPD]

To be honest I am not a bench jeweler and I am not sure what alloys are being used when we ask for palladium. I am just more and more convinced that it is a lousy metal for jewlery and I now actively discourage my clients from ordering it. As I said earlier I am very close to the decision to "Just say NO" regardless of what my clients might want to order when it comes to palladium.

Wink

 

[strmrdr]

palladium-alloyed white gold is fine.

900 or 950 palladium can be very brittle

 

[shimmer]

Thanks Wink and Karl!

 

[kittybean]

I just recently had Whiteflash make an eternity band in platinum for me with an Adwar cast, and it looks beautiful! Thus far, I have not noticed any quality issues. It really made the ring much more affordable for me, and I am very pleased with the end result.

 

[Jelly]

I have earrings and a pendant made from Adwar and then finished off at Whiteflash. I love it and have had no problems so far with the setting.

I love looking through the catalogue for ideas.

Definitely a more affordable option.

 

[ImpatientOne]

Thanks, Wink and Karl! Actually, Wink, I don''t have a local jeweler, but will be relocating soon and looking for one once we get moved.

Jelly and Kittybean, thanks, I didn''t realize Whiteflash did that kind of work. I will have to consider them!