DK/BGD Custom Setting...The Home Stretch

[rockysalamander]

Sorry to threadjack, but I have a question about this. I just received a setting from James Allen that doesn't have any holes on the underside of the band. In the recently sold images, all of them have the holes. I chatted with JA about it and they said that the holes are only used "if necessary". Should I request that it be remade with the holes?

If it was me and they won't charge you, yes. I have tiny holes on my Etoile band and its a pain. You really want to be able to get the bottom of those diamonds clean.

 

[sledge]

Thank all you for the comments. I've been tied up today, but absorbing the info as I can read it. I plan on putting together a narrative with pics tomorrow about the desired changes.

Also, I think I am going to level with Amy and let her know my patience is wearing thin. As @blueMA pointed out, I feel like they have received some great info and I feel we aren't progressing far enough. I'm sure some of this is because the clock is running out and I'm feeling anxious. There is a part of me that almost wants to just say scrap what we've done and start over and REPLICATE the ring identically.

Either way, I will sleep on this. And I will probably throw up the pics and verbiage I plan on sending back tomorrow. I do want to get it wrapped up before the weekend though so they can have it so if you guys can keep an eye out for my update tomorrow I'd appreciate fast feedback if your schedule allows.

Thanks for being patient with me as we continue this journey.

 

[Mturgeon05]

Thank all you for the comments. I've been tied up today, but absorbing the info as I can read it. I plan on putting together a narrative with pics tomorrow about the desired changes.

Also, I think I am going to level with Amy and let her know my patience is wearing thin. As @blueMA pointed out, I feel like they have received some great info and I feel we aren't progressing far enough. I'm sure some of this is because the clock is running out and I'm feeling anxious. There is a part of me that almost wants to just say scrap what we've done and start over and REPLICATE the ring identically.

Either way, I will sleep on this. And I will probably throw up the pics and verbiage I plan on sending back tomorrow. I do want to get it wrapped up before the weekend though so they can have it so if you guys can keep an eye out for my update tomorrow I'd appreciate fast feedback if your schedule allows.

Thanks for being patient with me as we continue this journey.

Hang in there. I know it’s frustrating, but it will all be worth it it. Not many people can say even half as much thought went into their engagement ring.

 

[blueMA]

Also, I think I am going to level with Amy and let her know my patience is wearing thin. As @blueMA pointed out, I feel like they have received some great info and I feel we aren't progressing far enough. I'm sure some of this is because the clock is running out and I'm feeling anxious.

Try to elaborate that you're getting worried and that you're running out of time. That's generally a much better strategy than saying that you're running out of patience on someone who's working on your ring...

 

[KirstLWA]

You have to let your soon to be fiancé read these posts! She needs to know how much thought and effort you have put in for her as that is what is going to be magic about this ring!

 

[tyty333]

Thank all you for the comments. I've been tied up today, but absorbing the info as I can read it. I plan on putting together a narrative with pics tomorrow about the desired changes.

Also, I think I am going to level with Amy and let her know my patience is wearing thin. As @blueMA pointed out, I feel like they have received some great info and I feel we aren't progressing far enough. I'm sure some of this is because the clock is running out and I'm feeling anxious. There is a part of me that almost wants to just say scrap what we've done and start over and REPLICATE the ring identically.

Either way, I will sleep on this. And I will probably throw up the pics and verbiage I plan on sending back tomorrow. I do want to get it wrapped up before the weekend though so they can have it so if you guys can keep an eye out for my update tomorrow I'd appreciate fast feedback if your schedule allows.

Thanks for being patient with me as we continue this journey.

Hi sledge...Just wanted to say you are so close. Hang in there. I know its been what seems like a long journey but this ring was not a simple ring to replicate.
I'm not surprised that it has taken several rounds. You are being diligent and have shown a level of dedication to this ring (and making your GF happy)
that is above and beyond. So, just want to say "hang in there".

You said you were going to write a narrative with pics. That sounds great. You might want to number each item (or delineate them somehow) so
they make sure they cover each item and dont skip anything.

Here's hoping your next round of CADS is your final round of CADS!

tyty

 

[farrahlyn]

Thank all you for the comments. I've been tied up today, but absorbing the info as I can read it. I plan on putting together a narrative with pics tomorrow about the desired changes.

Also, I think I am going to level with Amy and let her know my patience is wearing thin. As @blueMA pointed out, I feel like they have received some great info and I feel we aren't progressing far enough. I'm sure some of this is because the clock is running out and I'm feeling anxious. There is a part of me that almost wants to just say scrap what we've done and start over and REPLICATE the ring identically.

Either way, I will sleep on this. And I will probably throw up the pics and verbiage I plan on sending back tomorrow. I do want to get it wrapped up before the weekend though so they can have it so if you guys can keep an eye out for my update tomorrow I'd appreciate fast feedback if your schedule allows.

Thanks for being patient with me as we continue this journey.

@sledge don't let the wax ring make you feel like you're far off from a completed piece. First of all, the wax mold is just not going to show dainty details and is just going to look clunky and rough. It's pretty underwhelming, i get it but your finished setting is going to be so much more refined. don't let that throw you off. And secondly, remember that this is an intricate piece, i'm actually quite surprised that it's looking this good so far. sure, there are some changes to be made that will affect how the piece looks in its entirety but really, some big items i think have been hammered out. I know it's stressful because you have a deadline looming but hang in there and you will have a STUNNING finished product very soon.

 

[sledge]

Thank you everyone for your encouragement & vote of confidence. I was feeling pretty down about this project the other night. I'm still nervous but have tried to readjust my outlook so I can power us through this to the finish line.

Here is what I have composed to send back to Amy. I have not sent yet and would greatly appreciate your comments before I hit the send button.

I'm sure I missed a few of you but...
@rockysalamander, @farrahlyn, @blueMA, @KirstLWA, @tyty333, @TreeScientist, @Mturgeon05, @mrsgreeneyes, @Matthews1127, @ringo865, @ashjade, @msop04, @bludiva

===============

Amy,

Thank you for sending out the plastic model. I greatly appreciate your efforts and hard work to this point. That said, I think we have a few more hurdles to overcome before we can call it a day. Below is a detailed list:

Issue #1
As we previously discussed, I plan on proposing 6/30, so I need this ring in my hands no later than 6/29. Because we still have some design elements to sort out I am beginning to feel anxious as the clock is running out. What can we do to expedite and stay on-schedule? Would more verbal conversations via phone be helpful? Do I need to fly to LA? I can commit to quicker email responses as well. Your responses have been fast already, but can you commit to an even higher priority level given the situation? Can your work bench commit to expediting once the designs are done?

I can only imagine how busy you are during this time of year and with DK’s solid reputation. I want you to know I am very happy with you and DK and have the utmost faith & confidence you can push this project through to the end and within our time constraints. In the big picture, I realize we still have 2 weeks. I just want to make sure we put some measures in-place now so we are successful.


Issue #2
Looking at the wedding band, I feel there are several issues that need addressed. To simplify both our lives, I’d prefer to focus on the e-ring as that is what I need by 6/29. So let’s focus on getting that right and then we can start tinkering with the w-band again. Are you okay with that?


Issue #3
We started talking about this last week, but we need to address the “halo opening” that is created by the two swirls. Simply stated, my girl does NOT want the diamond to overlap the halo/swirl diamond melee. I mention this because when shopping and we found the inspiration piece my girl was (and still is) convinced a smaller 0.50 carat stone is all she needs. At this point I had already bought the larger BGD stone (unknown to her) so I had the jeweler place in a 0.90 carat stone. She loved the way the 0.50 fit but didn’t like the 0.90 because it was larger. So we definitely need to open up those swirls/halo to accommodate the dimensions of the actual BGD stone I have purchased so it replicates the look she liked with the smaller 0.50 carat stone in the store. See attached image.




Issue #4
In conjunction with issue #3 above, one thing my girl specifically stated was that she liked the height of the stone in the inspiration piece. Both myself and that jeweler had mentioned she may want something lower. She did not. Her reasoning was that the height kept it from looking like every other halo she had seen. Right or wrong, that is her preference so while we need to open up the halo swirl/opening, we need to keep the height of the stone up as well. The bonus is that if she changes her mind later on the height, then maybe it makes it easier to modify – who knows. See attached image. Early on I asked you to lower the stone slightly while still keeping it elevated. I *think* the current CAD revision has the desired modified height (still keep it high w/o being too high like the inspiro) so I don’t necessarily want to change the height from where it is now. The caveat being if it interferes with some of our other changes that I will be mentioning then maybe we need to alter it slightly.




Issue #5
I still think the alignment of the ring is still off. I have taken a picture of the inspiration piece and overlaid your last CAD revision at various levels of transparency to try and articulate what I am a talking about. One side seems like it fits very close. The other side is still off by quite a bit. Also, notice how the CAD drawing has a little “curve back tail” when you get near the edge of the ring that the original inspiro doesn’t have. See attached images.

 

[sledge]

Message to Amy continued....

============
Issue #6
While on the CAD I actually prefer the side view that you put together, the inspiro has more of a gap and less of a curve. When looking at the inspiro my girl actually mentioned that she liked that gap so I don’t want to lose it. On the CAD’s it appears there is a gap but with the plastic model, it is essentially non-existent. To fix, it appears you need to shallow the angle from the halo down to the shank (red line; arrow). Basically the two shanks need to be separated for longer. My guess is this may require we thicken the bottom to make it look right and if so that is okay. Essentially I think we need a wide split shank look. See attached images (gap is highlighted in yellow on original inspiro).




Issue #7
I think the channel set band needs to be a smidge wider and less twisty. Look at the picture for issue #6 and you should see what I am talking about. While their channel set band is a little clunky looking, there is something not quite right on the CAD/plastic model.

As mentioned before, I have a few friends on PriceScope that have been helping me with this, and I think a copy/paste of her comments will be more meaningful than if I tried to re-word it:

“I think the channel shank is fine, but as I noted before does look different than the inspo still. If you add the graduated stones back (likely upper 3-4), that will give it more visual impact. But, you want to be clear that you want the extra width to be added to the non-pave side to give the wider stones room (i.e., don't increase the width along the centerline of the channel shank, add all the necessary width to the non-pave side only, and then re-center the lower part of the shank). That will increase the twist that your girl loved and give more presence to the channel band and widen the gap a bit. One of her "love" settings had a very significant offset of the shanks.”


Issue #8
Because we are adjusting the size of the halo to fit the BGD stone, I wonder if we should also use a bigger melee on the halo/wrap to give it more of the presence of the original and look more like what I had in mind? Maybe increase the size melee around the black line by about 0.5mm more (+/-). The thought is maybe it would be a good way to get the more distinct look of the inspiro and make the twisted halo more visible. See attached image.



Issue #9
Using the picture above from issue #8, refer to the red circle. I’d like to maintain the taper, but have it in physical contact with the shank to the remove the gap.

Issue #10
From the side view, it appears the inspiro is rising at a higher angle and terminating higher up on the prongs. I tried to illustrate this using the pink lines on the original and then throwing a purple line on the model. It’s exaggerated but I think you can see the difference. Also, look at the red circles. You will see there is less prongs sticking above the pave band on the inspiro piece than the model. See attached images.




Issue #11
I would like to put cleaning holes below the pave band. As big as possible. Not sure if they can be square or round, but would like all the holes (like on the channel set) to match. Also, am I correct to assume these will be super smooth? I only ask because I know she likes the feel of a comfort fit band unlike some of the bands where they have sharp edges from cut outs or hollowed out pieces. See attached images.

 

[blueMA]

Looks like you've covered the base. I'm not so sure about the issue #7 because the channel band width looks correct to me, and will look much better once the diamonds are set. However, you notice something is off as you see the mold in person, so I'll leave that up to you.

You covered #3 perfectly - basically do not impede the swirl from the top view! Work the swirl flared out for the diameter of the stone.

I would also finish the email with a plea for Amy to give you a call as soon as she finishes reading it - there's nothing better than talking it out to clarify everything so that you're both on the same page.

I'd remove the flying out to LA part - reads sarcastic...

 

[farrahlyn]

Great feedback, i think you articulated everything every well! #10 is exactly what was bugging me about the setting and i think that raising that swirl as it wraps will make it look LESS like a halo. it still felt too halo-ish too me and i was hoping that bringing the swirl out would fix it but looking at it, i think that will correct the problem.

my thoughts.... You sound very very anxious in your issue#1 paragraph, you're rambling and you're beating around the bush. you want reassurance, straight up ask for it:

"Issue #1
As we previously discussed, I plan on proposing 6/30, so I need this ring in my hands no later than 6/29. Because we still have some design elements to sort out I am beginning to feel anxious as the clock is running out. Is 6/29 a realistic goal given the details to be sorted out? Is there anything we can we do to expedite and ensure we stay on-schedule such as phone calls or even my making a trip to LA? I would appreciate some reassurance that this wont get hung up somewhere in the process."

@blueMA makes a great point. ask her to give you a call when she's read it over. sometimes that does so much more to resolve things than back and forth email. Just be sure to recap with an email if any design changes are made while discussing on the phone.

 

[TreeScientist]

Great feedback, i think you articulated everything every well! #10 is exactly what was bugging me about the setting and i think that raising that swirl as it wraps will make it look LESS like a halo. it still felt too halo-ish too me and i was hoping that bringing the swirl out would fix it but looking at it, i think that will correct the problem.

my thoughts.... You sound very very anxious in your issue#1 paragraph, you're rambling and you're beating around the bush. you want reassurance, straight up ask for it:

"Issue #1
As we previously discussed, I plan on proposing 6/30, so I need this ring in my hands no later than 6/29. Because we still have some design elements to sort out I am beginning to feel anxious as the clock is running out. Is 6/29 a realistic goal given the details to be sorted out? Is there anything we can we do to expedite and ensure we stay on-schedule such as phone calls or even my making a trip to LA? I would appreciate some reassurance that this wont get hung up somewhere in the process."

@blueMA makes a great point. ask her to give you a call when she's read it over. sometimes that does so much more to resolve things than back and forth email. Just be sure to recap with an email if any design changes are made while discussing on the phone.

I like @farrahlyn's edits to the first paragraph. I agree that it's probably better to talk this through on the phone. That's a lot for her to digest in an e-mail, and responding to each of those points in her response e-mail may be difficult. I think discussing each and coming to a concensus over the phone would save a lot of time.

 

[sledge]

Thank you @blueMA and @farrahlyn for your vote of confidence and suggestions. I did leave the part about flying out to LA in the email, but I reworded as @farrahyln suggested. The intent was not to come off negatively, which it may have the first way it was written. I thought the re-write came off okay.

FYI I am serious about flying out and didn't mean it in a bad way. Getting this done right is important and I'm such a visual guy that I think a day in their shop would produce miracles (for me anyhow, might make them pull their hair out, lol).

I really do think fixing #3 and #10 might fix a lot of the other issues. Speaking of #10, I was looking back and I think as that swirl wraps around the diamond it continues to climb in elevation. Also, I think the swirls are at different elevations on the inspiro and on this ring they are in the same plane making it look more like a traditional halo. I added this in my email but wasn't sure how to draw it.

And thank you @TreeScientist, I think you are right -- talking it out over the phone should help. I've made myself available and given her my cell phone so now I'm just anxiously staring at it wondering why I don't have a call from LA incoming yet.

 

[farrahlyn]

Thank you @blueMA and @farrahlyn for your vote of confidence and suggestions. I did leave the part about flying out to LA in the email, but I reworded as @farrahyln suggested. The intent was not to come off negatively, which it may have the first way it was written. I thought the re-write came off okay.

FYI I am serious about flying out and didn't mean it in a bad way. Getting this done right is important and I'm such a visual guy that I think a day in their shop would produce miracles (for me anyhow, might make them pull their hair out, lol).

I really do think fixing #3 and #10 might fix a lot of the other issues. Speaking of #10, I was looking back and I think as that swirl wraps around the diamond it continues to climb in elevation. Also, I think the swirls are at different elevations on the inspiro and on this ring they are in the same plane making it look more like a traditional halo. I added this in my email but wasn't sure how to draw it.

And thank you @TreeScientist, I think you are right -- talking it out over the phone should help. I've made myself available and given her my cell phone so now I'm just anxiously staring at it wondering why I don't have a call from LA incoming yet.

you're exactly right on #10. i could not put my finger on what was bugging me until you put the pictures of the wax model and the inspiration ring together. those two in itself i think are a lot of what sets it apart from a halo setting. anxious to see the next set of CADs!

 

[blueMA]

Speaking of #10, I was looking back and I think as that swirl wraps around the diamond it continues to climb in elevation.

I noticed the lower swirl top on the cad earlier on, but I didn't comment because most women who have been married for a long time tend to prefer lower sitting stones for comfort and practicality. However, I understand your girl likes the feature. As far as the swirl elevation you mention, it does look like the swirl starts to decline right away, so slightly raising the start of the swirl will probably accomplish what you want, but be sure the issue #9 will be handled properly because the beginning of the swirl will sit higher than the declining pave band.

 

[rockysalamander]

I think you did a great job pulling things together and I think the rising wrap is a huge detail to pickup on. Kudos to you for seeing that. This is a particularly hard setting with a lot of movements along many planes. If it is any consultation, I took 4 CADs for me to be satisfied with a much simpler design.

One note of clarification that you can ask about. In the CAD, it looks like the channel stones are smaller than the pave. I think that is throwing off the proportion. You want the lowest channel stone to be the same size or slightly bigger than the lowest pave stone. Then, you want the channel stones to graduate up from there (it looks like the lowest channel is in a 1:1.3 ration to the highest in diameter). I get about 6 stones, but it could be more or less depending on what melee they use.

I had this in my head, but I think it did not come out when I was describing the channel band suggestion.

I tried to draw this below. I made the lowest channel melee the same as the lowest pave melee . Then, graduated up. The yellow line is showing that the extra width for the graduated stone will go on that side. The will make the "twist" of the channel from the top view a bit more pronounced, which is what she likes. {the red line and blue arrow are left-overs}

 

[rockysalamander]

Ok. Because I have a serious case of wanting this right and tend to obsess over things that bug me, I keep coming back to this ring. The proportions have been bothering me. I think I figured it out and I'm gob-smacked that I missed this. I seriously apologize @sledge .

The halo/wrap is not round. It is oval. If you imagine that the two orange arrows are the largest diamonds, then the diamonds between these are graduating down between each pair or red arrows. The halo/wrap stones have to be graduated!


Just to make this super-clean...
Fusia - A & B. Once the diamond gets to the point of contact with the wrap coming from the left, they are bumped in size. See the A. That diamond is much bigger than the one below it. Its a big jump, but the stones keep graduating until the "orange" arrows in the above image. At that point, A is rotated more to the right than B, but on a flatter plane -- if they were the same size, A would look closer in size to B. That is not the case.

Yellow - 1, 2, 3. If you look at 1, 2 and 3 -- you can see that they are graduating down. At the end of the taper, 3=B (or close to it).

 

[sledge]

Thank you for the kind words @rockysalamander. And once again, I must say....you just freakin' rock!

I had caught on the channel stone size quantity and difference this last go round when I was going back and trying to figure out the difference. However, I just totally failed to say anything about it, and my thoughts weren't at the same level as detail as yours. Mine was more cave man -- grunt, point...diamonds bigger & less of them, lol.

I think your latest post is HUGE! One of the things that been bugging me is that the ring overall feels more twisty than the original, and I think that's saying a lot because of the design. But it does and part of it is because the CAD's have the halo in an oval shape and to keep the entire curve right w/ the same size melee it changes the twist/curve.

Having looked at many sets of schematics & drawings the best way I can describe this is that a curve is sometimes created by using one or more different radii. Something similar to this (notice how the radius starts at 4.20 and then on the right transitions to a 1.00? And then the upper portion uses a 6.00 which makes this shifter level appear to be graduated in size as well. So here, you have two different things going on -- the size is graduating between the top & bottom pieces and then on the right the radius changes for that last little curve to tie into the round 1.50 diameter piece.

If I'm laying the ring out, I think the same thing has to occur to accommodate those larger stones. You can keep a smoother and larger radius in the main part of the swirl but when it graduates, it has to change but because it's wrapping, on a different plane & angle it just isn't super obvious.

Again, this is an excellent catch and something I will update DK with immediately! Thank you...thank you...thank you!!!

 

[sledge]

Also, I wanted to post back and give everyone a quick update w/ DK in general. So yesterday after sending the email, I had a date with a baseball suite, some work buddies and our girls. So I left a smidge early and on the way home I called and left a message for Amy. About 6:30pm PST, which is a few hours later where I am, I get a call and excuse myself from the game. It was Amy @ DK and she wanted to confirm she got my email and we went over a few details. She gave me her cell phone number and we started talking priorities, and other details to maintain the schedule.

I was rather impressed she was working late on a Friday, and sounded like she may be working through the weekend as well and would have new CAD's for me sometime Monday afternoon. I made myself totally at her disposal as well.

Understanding we all need time to unwind & relax, it was a bittersweet moment as I didn't want to be the cause of Amy not doing that, but another part was very happy & relieved she was putting in the extra work to get this project done. Again, showing why DK is a good vendor.

 

[blueMA]

I assumed that the stones are already graduating in size, and the cad looked so on the revision after I pointed out earlier that the swirl needed to be egg shaped. I couldn't tell from the photos if the stones are indeed larger past the long side of the oval, but I'd just make sure the oval shape won't be affected by the larger graduating stones before the taper, which means they may need to make the stones even larger on the long side of the oval.

 

[sledge]

I think I see what you mean @blueMA. In the top view, there is a point where it looks like the stones get slightly larger and then begin to taper down. I'm not sure if what I'm perceiving as larger stones is actually larger or a visual illusion because of the way it twists and changes planes. The lower right view of the CAD does not appear to be graduating but it could be that it's just not catching far enough into the swirl as it goes around the diamond.

I did go ahead and send @rockysalamander's comments, and I asked DK if they would confirm the graduating stones in the melee.

I need to re-look at the actual plastic model to see if I can tell any differences in size. I do remember focusing on it and confirming it had the oval/egg shape to it.

 

[sledge]

So I grabbed the model and was looking it over. I don't know. If it graduates up in size, it's minor. Or I'm blind.

I do see the taper down in size as it meets with the other swirl.

Here are some more pics:

 

[16ocean]

Such an interesting thread!
Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

 

[Acinom]

You have such a great eye for detail! Your GF will be thrilled once the ring is finished. And she will love it to read how much effort you have put into this together with some fabulous Pricescopers.

I have quite some custom settings made but never ever would I have been able to pull off this one. It’s such an intricate setting with so much detailing. I have been reading your thread in awe and admiration.

Hang in there! You are almost there. Looking forward to see the new CAD’s.

 

[sledge]

Such an interesting thread!
Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

You have such a great eye for detail! Your GF will be thrilled once the ring is finished. And she will love it to read how much effort you have put into this together with some fabulous Pricescopers.

I have quite some custom settings made but never ever would I have been able to pull off this one. It’s such an intricate setting with so much detailing. I have been reading your thread in awe and admiration.

Hang in there! You are almost there. Looking forward to see the new CAD’s.

Thank you both @16ocean and @Acinom for the kind words, they are much appreciated. This has definitely been challenging as it's the first time I've ever designed a custom ring or picked a diamond of the caliber I got.

I've had some excellent help from the wonderful people here at PS, and had the opportunity to work with some great vendors. In my past I've had an opportunity to serve under some great leaders, and one of the things I learned early on was those guys surrounded themselves with people better & smarter than them. I've tried to mimick that in all areas of my life and it has paid dividends, especially here with this project.

Hopefully when the ring is complete, it will live up to the expectations. But honestly as long as it makes my girl smile and be proud to wear it everyday, that is all that matters.

On a side note, I spoke with Amy @ DK and had a few updates:

• She recommends the WG/palladium mix for strength, etc. Platinum is only $100 more. My girl and I had a conversation about this, and she said she realizes that our chemistries bond together and she had become worried about how white gold might react to her as a result. LOL, I never thought of it from that POV, but was curious if you all had any input? I need to finalize the metal choice.
• Issue #11: Holes under the pave band isn't going to happen. Amy said with them being a U-shaped pave that there just wouldn't be enough structural integrity unless she did small holes like I told her I didn't want.

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

What DK is using isn’t ordinary white gold. I think you can safely take Amy’s advice. I would treat some of this as an engineering problem, where the strength of the materials contributes to the durability of the design. The jewelers have to balance integrity with aesthetics. Understanding those things is part of what makes DK such a good shop.

I am a cat person so I think I recognize some of your sweetheart’s personality. She might not “do change” well. She is immensely loyal, which is a lovely quality. She needs to not be overwhelmed with choices. If she knew all you had pondered and thought about, she would agree that you had made the best possible choices.

One of my hobbies is working with fabric. My husband makes things out of wood. Sometimes I think, “Why couldn’t he get that straighter? It’s a mess.” Well, some of the lumber grades are a little warped. Wood isn’t as flexible as fabric. I tried working on some of this stuff with him and I quickly found out why it wasn’t coming out “perfect”. I have a better respect for my husband’s craftsmanship now. There is a lot of growing together that happens in a marriage. Trusting in each other’s best intentions—which is what I see in both of you—is a great foundation. Bless you and your sweet bride always.

 

[blueMA]

So I grabbed the model and was looking it over. I don't know. If it graduates up in size, it's minor. Or I'm blind.

I do see the taper down in size as it meets with the other swirl.

The start of the swirl stones are definitely smaller than the longer side of the oval, and the side bands gaps probably got tighter with the abrupt pave bend as Amy tried to exaggerate the egg shape as requested. As she widens the gap, the egg shape will probably get a bit compromised if you don't enlarge the stones on the longer side and graduate down toward the taper junction. I definitely wouldn't want the rest of the pave stones get smaller for an attempt at a faithful reproduction. Also, small holes underneath is better than no holes, so be sure to get as large of holes as possible without compromising the structure.

As far as the metal choice, it seems you're leaning towards the white gold for your girl and I've seen DK produce some very nice looking crisp pieces with it. My personal preference is always platinum for longevity and durability but it's probably not the best metal for intricate work, and the ultimate choice is up to you. One thing, as dense and strong platinum is, the metal also scratches easily and develop patina rather quickly so if that's not what your girl wants and want to keep the shine as long as possible, then go with the gold.

 

[blueMA]

Holes under the pave band isn't going to happen.

looking at the metal flow and shape, the holes may not be possible for all stones especially on top, but if small holes can be made for the rest where possible, then at least ultrasonic cleaner has a chance to clean the underside of the stones. Ask Amy what the chance of gunk building up under the pave stones would be in the long run.

 

[sledge]

What DK is using isn’t ordinary white gold. I think you can safely take Amy’s advice. I would treat some of this as an engineering problem, where the strength of the materials contributes to the durability of the design. The jewelers have to balance integrity with aesthetics. Understanding those things is part of what makes DK such a good shop.

I am a cat person so I think I recognize some of your sweetheart’s personality. She might not “do change” well. She is immensely loyal, which is a lovely quality. She needs to not be overwhelmed with choices. If she knew all you had pondered and thought about, she would agree that you had made the best possible choices.

One of my hobbies is working with fabric. My husband makes things out of wood. Sometimes I think, “Why couldn’t he get that straighter? It’s a mess.” Well, some of the lumber grades are a little warped. Wood isn’t as flexible as fabric. I tried working on some of this stuff with him and I quickly found out why it wasn’t coming out “perfect”. I have a better respect for my husband’s craftsmanship now. There is a lot of growing together that happens in a marriage. Trusting in each other’s best intentions—which is what I see in both of you—is a great foundation. Bless you and your sweet bride always.

Thank you for the very sweet & kind words. Also, I think I am in agreement about the white gold mix. While I personally prefer platinum, there is this little knot in my stomach telling me I should trust Amy and DK with the metal decision. Having taken some strengths of materials classes, I can certainly understand and appreciate what you are saying about this being a small engineering challenge.

You did a very good job describing her personality. And I do think regardless of what happens she will be happy. I think I have put a lot of stress on myself to make this thing "perfect" as I know she can be so soft spoken & sweet that she may never say anything if there is something out of whack. She will just learn to live with it. While that is cool, I truly want the best for her and to make sure this setting meets her dream vision.

The start of the swirl stones are definitely smaller than the longer side of the oval, and the side bands gaps probably got tighter with the abrupt pave bend as Amy tried to exaggerate the egg shape as requested. As she widens the gap, the egg shape will probably get a bit compromised if you don't enlarge the stones on the longer side and graduate down toward the taper junction. I definitely wouldn't want the rest of the pave stones get smaller for an attempt at a faithful reproduction. Also, small holes underneath is better than no holes, so be sure to get as large of holes as possible without compromising the structure.

As far as the metal choice, it seems you're leaning towards the white gold for your girl and I've seen DK produce some very nice looking crisp pieces with it. My personal preference is always platinum for longevity and durability but it's probably not the best metal for intricate work, and the ultimate choice is up to you. One thing, as dense and strong platinum is, the metal also scratches easily and develop patina rather quickly so if that's not what your girl wants and want to keep the shine as long as possible, then go with the gold.

You bring up some great points @blueMA. I think much of the design issues was created from her trying to mimick or fix other things. I think once a few of the corrections get made, it will get the alignment correct and the use of graduated stones is required to make it all work. I will be sure to keep an eye out for the egg shape.

I am anxious for this evening to get here, as I am supposed to have a new CAD revision to review. I will be sure to post. I am hoping many of the issues being discussed gets picked up. She had quite the scrub list so I am afraid to introduce any more information to her until I get the new CAD's.

In regards to the metal, it's a $100 difference, so it almost feels wrong to NOT choose platinum. What I find odd is that several people here, including yourself, has suggested platinum is the stronger metal choice. Amy @ DK has a difference of opinion on the strength. I find that odd. She doesn't mention cost or the shiny factor when we've spoken, but strength & durability.

looking at the metal flow and shape, the holes may not be possible for all stones especially on top, but if small holes can be made for the rest where possible, then at least ultrasonic cleaner has a chance to clean the underside of the stones. Ask Amy what the chance of gunk building up under the pave stones would be in the long run.

I will hit her up again when we talk this evening. When we last spoke, she made it sound like it was a structural issue to put the holes in there and that a steamer would be able to reach the pave stones because of the U channel.

 

[blueMA]

she made it sound like it was a structural issue to put the holes in there and that a steamer would be able to reach the pave stones because of the U channel.

I don't own any diamond pieces without holes underneath, so it would be so helpful if other PSers could chime in on how the U paves with no holes hold up in the long run.

I'm not sure what type of "steamer" Amy mentions, but I hope she doesn't mean the expensive ones only carried by jewelers... Just remember, nothing ruins diamond shines like dirty/soapy diamonds, so you want to be able to clean it one way or another.