Best Setting for Antique Pear?

[lexcaliber]

Hello!

You lovely people helped me choose a stone, and I still love it, but am experiencing “shrinkage.” I have it set in a signet style so a little of the stone’s size and shape is covered with the bezel. I reached out to my amazing jeweler to get her opinion on resetting it to maximize the face-up size and she suggested a collet. I love this because it is an antique stone and collet rings always look older to me. But will this make the stone appear larger?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Begonia]

That's a beautiful ring!! I'd pair it with a thinner band and call it good.

 

[maryjane04]

I love this collet setting by Andria Barbone:



The outer metal edges will make it appear bigger similar to a bezel.

 

[Grymera]

IMO a collet is not going to make it look any bigger. A bezel will already do that, and not only do you have one, you’ve got thick side shanks which will also help the size. If you’re experiencing shrinkage, a halo will help the overall size. However, an easier option is to swap your e ring for a diamond band, or just wear your wedding band for 2 weeks. When you put your ering back on, it’ll feel huge again. Works every time for me.

 

[lexcaliber]

IMO a collet is not going to make it look any bigger. A bezel will already do that, and not only do you have one, you’ve got thick side shanks which will also help the size. If you’re experiencing shrinkage, a halo will help the overall size. However, an easier option is to swap your e ring for a diamond band, or just wear your wedding band for 2 weeks. When you put your ering back on, it’ll feel huge again. Works every time for me.

Thank you for this great advice. You just saved me $2k !

 

[Lookinagain]

First of all, your stone looks pretty darn big to me and I like the setting.. And secondly, no, it won't look any larger. I like the ideal of a diamond band, or just wearing you wedding ring for 2 weeks by itself. Maybe a diamond band that hugs the curve of the bottom of the stone and fits flush with your ring? Just a thought.

 

[Dreamer_D]

The only thing I have found to make a diamond look bigger is a bigger diamond lol

Jokes aside I agree that variety and switching things up helps a lot.

 

[winnietucker]

Seconding a halo setting instead for a bigger look. I’d do this if I was stuck on a reset. But your wedding set looks good as is IMO.

 

[dk168]

This my inspiration ring for a pear for the stones to be bezel-set as I don't like prongs and claws.



The other designs that I like are Chaumet's Joséphine collection:

https://www.chaumet.com/gb_en/jewellery/collections/josephine

DK

 

[Pomelo]

Hi @lexcaliber , your ring is beautiful!!

I’m going to go against the grain here and say that I think a thicker collet can make your diamond seem larger. I guess it’s not that the diamond looks bigger, but a wider collet will give more presence on the hand, and thus seem like a bigger ring.

I haven’t created an SMTB thread for my new ring yet, but here is a pic - the wide collet (patina’ed silver) pretty much spreads across the whole of my finger.

The diamond in the collet setting is a similar size to my existing two-stone (this one is just over 3.5cts whereas the one in my two-stone ring is 3.48ct) but I think it looks bigger.

Of course, it is slightly bigger (can’t remember the exact dimensions now but it’s shallower than my 3.48ct) but that it’s a minuscule difference in terms of how it appears to the eye.

So, I think a wide collet setting can give the impression of a bigger ring (but I don’t know whether the diamond itself necessarily looks bigger!)

 

[lala646]

Hello!

You lovely people helped me choose a stone, and I still love it, but am experiencing “shrinkage.” I have it set in a signet style so a little of the stone’s size and shape is covered with the bezel. I reached out to my amazing jeweler to get her opinion on resetting it to maximize the face-up size and she suggested a collet. I love this because it is an antique stone and collet rings always look older to me. But will this make the stone appear larger?

Thanks for your advice!

Your setting is perfection. Please don't change anything!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Hi @lexcaliber , your ring is beautiful!!

I’m going to go against the grain here and say that I think a thicker collet can make your diamond seem larger. I guess it’s not that the diamond looks bigger, but a wider collet will give more presence on the hand, and thus seem like a bigger ring.

I haven’t created an SMTB thread for my new ring yet, but here is a pic - the wide collet (patina’ed silver) pretty much spreads across the whole of my finger.

The diamond in the collet setting is a similar size to my existing two-stone (this one is just over 3.5cts whereas the one in my two-stone ring is 3.48ct) but I think it looks bigger.

Of course, it is slightly bigger (can’t remember the exact dimensions now but it’s shallower than my 3.48ct) but that it’s a minuscule difference in terms of how it appears to the eye.

So, I think a wide collet setting can give the impression of a bigger ring (but I don’t know whether the diamond itself necessarily looks bigger!)

I completely agree that setting with more substance add visual size. My engagement stone was in an octagonal faux bezel and it looked like a 2.5ct in that setting. It’s 1.89ct.

But I wonder if there is much room to take advantage of that effect since it’s already in a bezel which usually also adds visual heft.

 

[Pomelo]

I completely agree that setting with more substance add visual size. My engagement stone was in an octagonal faux bezel and it looked like a 2.5ct in that setting. It’s 1.89ct.

But I wonder if there is much room to take advantage of that effect since it’s already in a bezel which usually also adds visual heft.

Yep absolutely, the comparison should be made between the bezel and the collet!

I’m currently travelling so don’t have my two stone ring with me and thus don’t have a direct comparison between the two, but hopefully the montage below helps!

L-R: new 3.77ct / 7.5ct I tried on at an auction / 3.48ct

The new 3.77ct almost “feels” like the 7.5ct I tried on with the thick collet giving it lots of finger coverage.

 

[lavenderdragonfly23]

Perhaps a halo?

I will attach one of my top three favorite antique rings I have tucked away in my “future projects” album, which happens to be a pear set in a halo…. For whatever reason I LOVE this ring, and I’m not a big halo person.

If you love your diamond, I say go for a new setting! Settings are fairly easy to switch up vs the expense of buying a new diamond.

 

[Dreamer_D]

A three stone a la that classic antique with small round OECs would also be divine. I agree that halos and three stones add wonderful “substance” to the piece. I think OPs diamond is already very large and the right setting would go a long way.

 

[lavenderdragonfly23]

Well, I’ve spent the last three days hyper fixating on antique pears now … so thank you! Lol!

I’ve sense added this gorgeous setting to my “future” album. It was an original antique sold by Andria Barbone… see attached pics. She has made a remake she calls “Lucy”…. Here’s the links

Original Lucy:

Antique Pear Cut Diamond Engagement Ring Circa 1910 | Victor Barbone

This antique pear cut diamond engagement ring features a gorgeous 2.32ct diamond in a bezel setting surrounded by 24 diamonds in a bold, one-of-a-kind design.

andriabarbone.com

AB Inspired Lucy (a bit too wide for my liking):

Vintage Inspired Pear Shaped Engagement Ring

Vintage-Inspired Pear Shaped Engagement Ring The Lucy 1.51 ring is a vintage-inspired design made right here in NYC. The ring centers a GIA-certified 1.51-carat pear cut diamond of L, Faint Brown color, SI1 clarity. The stone is bezel set in an intricate platinum setting set with 26 small old...

andriabarbone.com

Caysie, CVB has also done a rendition of this ring too… and it turned out beautifully:

CAD: Sneak peek of the creation of Lilliana (1.55ct pear)

Some of you may recall I had my 1.55ct E-S1 (1A cut) pear up for consignment. After not receiving any bites, I started searching Goggle images for “vintage pear halo” designs for inspiration. I kept seeing similar designs over and over. I knew I wanted a graduated halo that was more like a...

www.pricescope.com

Sako has also done a version of this setting:

#JOTW - Aurelia: Dinner ring of my dreams centering a 1.78ct chubby pear

This ring was not really planned ahead and started out as a bit of an impulse purchase. I am certain that I am not the only PSer that has different folders on their phone with saved pictures of various jewelry pieces (please tell me I’m not the only one lol). I have many pictures and quite a...

www.pricescope.com

 

[lavenderdragonfly23]

And now I want one

 

[Smith3]

Hi @lexcaliber , your ring is beautiful!!

I’m going to go against the grain here and say that I think a thicker collet can make your diamond seem larger. I guess it’s not that the diamond looks bigger, but a wider collet will give more presence on the hand, and thus seem like a bigger ring.

I haven’t created an SMTB thread for my new ring yet, but here is a pic - the wide collet (patina’ed silver) pretty much spreads across the whole of my finger.

The diamond in the collet setting is a similar size to my existing two-stone (this one is just over 3.5cts whereas the one in my two-stone ring is 3.48ct) but I think it looks bigger.

Of course, it is slightly bigger (can’t remember the exact dimensions now but it’s shallower than my 3.48ct) but that it’s a minuscule difference in terms of how it appears to the eye.

So, I think a wide collet setting can give the impression of a bigger ring (but I don’t know whether the diamond itself necessarily looks bigger!)

Who made your collet setting? It’s stunning

 

[Smith3]

Perhaps a halo?

I will attach one of my top three favorite antique rings I have tucked away in my “future projects” album, which happens to be a pear set in a halo…. For whatever reason I LOVE this ring, and I’m not a big halo person.

If you love your diamond, I say go for a new setting! Settings are fairly easy to switch up vs the expense of buying a new diamond.

I love how thin the bezel is on this, they used to be able to make things so delicate and strong. I don’t know why jewelers can’t do this nowadays, looking at pictures of remade jewelry that was inspired by an antique. It’s never as good,They just look so thick and clunky.

 

[Smith3]

Hello!

You lovely people helped me choose a stone, and I still love it, but am experiencing “shrinkage.” I have it set in a signet style so a little of the stone’s size and shape is covered with the bezel. I reached out to my amazing jeweler to get her opinion on resetting it to maximize the face-up size and she suggested a collet. I love this because it is an antique stone and collet rings always look older to me. But will this make the stone appear larger?

Thanks for your advice!

This is beautiful, I think the diamond would look bigger if it was just bezeled with smaller shoulders.

 

[Pomelo]

Who made your collet setting? It’s stunning

Thank you, it’s a British jeweler called Pragnell