Embassy Emeralds- anyone out there?

[ShinyPink]

Ooh! Those look spectacular! Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Wow that's gorgeous!!! Lots of pics when you get them please!

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

I have been following your posts! So happy you purchased from JR! Did you get 3+ carats for your earrings? And was the price per carat fair? Did you negotiate? I can’t wait to hear more about this! Happy New Year indeed!

-C4C

Happy New Year Indeed! ; )
The earrings are a little over 4 carats and the pricing was fair, about $1k a carat, which was my budget for this piece. JR has stones for all budgets it seems and I'm sure a 4 carat pair at "gem quality" would be 3x's (or more) per carat. They did a great job locating what I was looking for in their inventory. They also offered to re-set them for me into the setting I wanted.

I can't wait to see these in person : )
I spent all afternoon thinking and decided to have this pair re-set from the yellow gold bezel into 4 claw-style prongs in white gold, which will match the rest of my jewelry collection. All of my fine jewelry pieces are set in white gold or platinum and it was making me sad to think "well I can't wear the emerald earrings with anything, I'll have to wear just them, when I wear them." I think I made the right decision to change them and know I can wear them with anything : )

I'll keep everyone posted!

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

Sooooo I just purchased a gorgeous pair of earrings from JR. I cannot say enough good things about working with JR.

Will keep everyone posted once I receive them!

Just a quick update: JR is going to reset into a white gold setting with claw prongs like these:

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

Emeralds have been set and are enroute to me. It could just be the photo provided, but the prongs look thicker in some places and the stones themselves look different, murkier?
Emeralds can be difficult to photograph for sure, but the 2 photos the vendor provided this week of the stones look different to me.


The first photo is the finished product, set. The second photo is one of the emeralds resting in the setting to show me the setting.

Want to see them in person to see for sure.

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

Posting one more comparison photo of the earrings- original yellow gold bezel setting and then new white gold prong setting.

 

[qubitasaurus]

I get the impression that one setting is much more open than the other and as a result a lot more light is getting in and scattering of the internal inclusions. Hence why it is looking much murkier. If you look at the patterns of light and dark areas then they look like they are the same pair (only they've swapped the left <--> right members of the pair in the yellow gold photos vs. the white gold photos).

If you get a chance to try them with some daimond eating jackets at some stage, then this will cut a lot of the light. Alternatively simply tin foil wrap the white gold studs all the way up to the girdle of the emeralds and see if it looks like the yellow gold pictures.

 

[T L]

Emeralds can look more included and murky in photos than IRL. I would wait to see them in person. Most benches set stones with slightly different looking prongs. It’s far more noticeable in up close photos. If you want it perfect, I would have them reset by a bench that specializes in fine workmanship, like David Klass. My main concern would be that the prongs seem secure. I would prefer double prongs if they’re larger or deep cut stones.

 

[Polabowla]

The difference in prongs would make me crazy

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

I get the impression that one setting is much more open than the other and as a result a lot more light is getting in and scattering of the internal inclusions. Hence why it is looking much murkier. If you look at the patterns of light and dark areas then they look like they are the same pair (only they've swapped the left <--> right members of the pair in the yellow gold photos vs. the white gold photos).

If you get a chance to try them with some daimond eating jackets at some stage, then this will cut a lot of the light. Alternatively simply tin foil wrap the white gold studs all the way up to the girdle of the emeralds and see if it looks like the yellow gold pictures.

I was able to get a photo with a different angle, showing the basket setting more. This setting certainly lets more light in than the previous bezel setting, and more of the emerald is exposed. Would this change the color appearance THAT much though??

 

[qubitasaurus]

I was able to get a photo with a different angle, showing the basket setting more. This setting certainly lets more light in than the previous bezel setting, and more of the emerald is exposed. Would this change the color appearance THAT much though??

Yes coloured stones look very different depending on lighting, it wouldn't surprise me at all. How about wrapping the girdle (+pavilion etc) in tin foil and then snapping some pictures in lots of different lighting conditions (especially decent indoor lighting at night, as I am expecting that to come closest to the original pictures based on the colour of the person's hand in the yellow gold pics)?

Ultimately I am getting a strong vibe you are not satisfied with them though..... So can you return them? As this exercise is probably not going to really turn your opinion about the stones themselves.

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

Yes coloured stones look very different depending on lighting, it wouldn't surprise me at all. How about wrapping the girdle (+pavilion etc) in tin foil and then snapping some pictures in lots of different lighting conditions (especially decent indoor lighting at night, as I am expecting that to come closest to the original pictures based on the colour of the person's hand in the yellow gold pics)?

Ultimately I am getting a strong vibe you are not satisfied with them though..... So can you return them? As this exercise is probably not going to really turn your opinion about the stones themselves.

The earrings are enroute to me, expected to be delivered today.
So I haven't seen them in person yet....

 

[T L]

If you don’t love them the moment you see them, I would send them back. You’ll know once you see them, because emeralds really look bad in photos, and your perception irl may be much different.

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

I have the emeralds and some new photos, but these suckers are HARD to photograph. I gave up trying to photograph them on my ears...

First impression: No paperwork included with the package (and I thought there was supposed to be, going back to check convos). I have messaged JR to ask if they have any paperwork/grading info on the stones in the meantime. I specifically asked in my message if either stone has surface-reaching inclusions (one stone appears to me it might....).
Both stones are more included than I expected, but the one concerns me more. Taking them in to my local gemologist for her opinion this week.

The coloring is striking, even with my concerns I am fairly confident these are true Colombian emeralds, just not sure of the quality in totality yet...

The setting is concerning too though, the backings are unbelievably tight, getting them on and off is PAINFUL. I thought my fingertips might bleed. I have indentations on my fingertips and they are very sore and tender after simply trying the studs on ONCE and removing them. Has anyone ever experienced this? Will the backings "break in" eventually? Or is this evidence of a cheap setting that will never change?

 

[T L]

I think you can purchase earrring backings that are more stable and less painful to put on. I think they make silicone ones.

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

I think you can purchase earrring backings that are more stable and less painful to put on. I think they make silicone ones.

These backings do seem stable, they are so difficult to remove that I do feel they are at least secure... but goodness removing them is a chore and I have to be so careful as to not damage my ear in the process, while my fingers take the brunt. Perhaps silicone backings would be a better solution.

While wearing the earrings, I do like how the prong setting allows me to see the sides of the stones, whereas a bezel setting would hide this. I can see the "green glow" against my skin, whereas again a bezel setting would hide this. I do like the look of the bezel setting though and am thinking I'd like an emerald pendant set that way : )

 

[EmeraldEmpress]

I realized I hadn't posted an update on my emerald studs from JR. (And I've since been able to photograph them in my ears) I find they are very versatile and suited for daily wear. I worry about the delicacy of emeralds and have found that I worry less and enjoy these more as they are safely perched in my ears : ) I have an emerald ring that I cannot enjoy as often, I was wearing it daily when my jeweler gently reminded me that it really was not suited to be on my hand so often. At least that is not the case with these earrings.