Expensive settings for very modest stones

[Stone Hunter]

How many loose stones is too many? I have no idea how many loose stones other people on PS have, just waiting to be set. Right now, I think I have 13 waiting to be set in rings. Is that bad?

I don't look at it that way. Like @mellowyellowgirl posted above I do think about how durable the stones are and if they are a calibrated size. But if I love the color I will buy a less durable stone. My peridot for example.

I have at least two stones that will never be set. Learner stones. They were very inexpensive and not quite what I expected.

Now I am at the point that I'm trying to think of my overall collection. Any stones I buy I plan on setting. How many rings do I really want? What size stones do I enjoy wearing? What colors am I interested in adding to my collection? I don't enjoy loose stones as much as set stones.

This week I am agonizing over the cost of settings and how much to spend on settings. I keep coming back to @Arcadian thoughts in the other thread. It's a combo of the price of the stone and price of the setting that gets the entire cost of the project to an amount that fits with what we're comfortable with.

I am thinking of upping the amount I am comfortable with.

 

[chatoyancy]

Stone Hunter, setting costs are expensive. I agree! I think that’s why I’m worried. I also have a few stones I plan to set as pendants. I have a goshenite I don’t plan to set, but that’s it. I do only buy stones I plan to set.

I’m actually going to a gem show in March. I bought a pair on chrysoberyls from a booth and had them set into earrings by the vendor. They did a good job, so I’m going to take a couple of my loose stones with me and go back to their booth.

 

[Bron357]

Loved reading that old post @Acinom ! Thanks!

I agree with the sentiment that if you don't love the ring you won't wear it. If you happen to like fancier settings (me too!), then they're going to cost more. But then you can focus on fewer, more elaborate pieces I'll make you feel better, here's my sub-$200 2ct-ish pink tourmaline in a $$$$ Heidi Gibson custom "Waterfall" setting in YG with diamonds and white sapphire. I totally love it and have no regrets!

Wow, wow and wow!

 

[Bron357]

How many loose stones is too many? I have no idea how many loose stones other people on PS have, just waiting to be set. Right now, I think I have 13 waiting to be set in rings. Is that bad?

Er um ..........
Here’s 150 gem containers and I didn’t buy nearly enough.

 

[suzanne2]

Er um ..........
Here’s 150 gem containers and I didn’t buy nearly enough.

LOL I'm not in your league, but I have waaaay too many that need to be set. Lol, that's funny. BTW, I really like the carpet...

 

[Bron357]

LOL I'm not in your league, but I have waaaay too many that need to be set. Lol, that's funny. BTW, I really like the carpet...

Thanks, I bought a dusty old cardboard box from a deceased estate auction and hit the “jackpot” - not bad for a $250 odd purchase.
And the carpet is a tiny little silk Persian one - so cute, it’s on the dining room table as a decoration.

 

[chatoyancy]

Er um ..........
Here’s 150 gem containers and I didn’t buy nearly enough.

Lol! Wow! That’s awesome! I feel ridiculous for fretting now. It looks like you could make some lovely multistone necklaces and bracelets in addition to any rings.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Stone Hunter, setting costs are expensive. I agree! I think that’s why I’m worried. I also have a few stones I plan to set as pendants. I have a goshenite I don’t plan to set, but that’s it. I do only buy stones I plan to set.

I’m actually going to a gem show in March. I bought a pair on chrysoberyls from a booth and had them set into earrings by the vendor. They did a good job, so I’m going to take a couple of my loose stones with me and go back to their booth.

That’s exciting! I love it when I find a reasonable jeweler that does nice work with colored stones.

 

[bludiva]

Er um ..........
Here’s 150 gem containers and I didn’t buy nearly enough.

Forget setting them, those would make an amazing mosaic!

 

[Cockatiel]

For me, I hate having loose gems as it stresses me out. All stones I purchase are meant to be ring stones...eventually. So I factor in the setting cost at the time of stone purchase. Basically I ask myself whether I am willing to shell out extra $500, $1500, $3000, whatever the design calls for, to set this stone...that usually kills the desire for the said stone very fast. Once I own a stone, I forget about what I paid for it and just go with a design that I would like for each stone. Having said that, my budget for a stone is way smaller than it used to be (basically nonexistent) and I'm way more likely to splurge on setting. So I feel like spending very little on a stone and many times more on the setting is more OK now. "Deals" can be had on stones, but not so much on settings. I avoid purchasing certain stones that will be $ to set - personally cushions, as I only like them as center stones for a 3 stone ring with large traps or half moon sides. I still ended up with some cushions....but they are usually a deal breaker.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

For me, I hate having loose gems as it stresses me out. All stones I purchase are meant to be ring stones...eventually. So I factor in the setting cost at the time of stone purchase. Basically I ask myself whether I am willing to shell out extra $500, $1500, $3000, whatever the design calls for, to set this stone...that usually kills the desire for the said stone very fast. Once I own a stone, I forget about what I paid for it and just go with a design that I would like for each stone. Having said that, my budget for a stone is way smaller than it used to be (basically nonexistent) and I'm way more likely to splurge on setting. So I feel like spending very little on a stone and many times more on the setting is more OK now. "Deals" can be had on stones, but not so much on settings. I avoid purchasing certain stones that will be $ to set - personally cushions, as I only like them as center stones for a 3 stone ring with large traps or half moon sides. I still ended up with some cushions....but they are usually a deal breaker.

This really resonates with me. I think some stones are beautiful, affordable and fairly easy to buy from the various trusty Pricescope vendors. For example zircons, the various coloured garnets and tourmalines.

It seems to be a lot harder to make a flimsy setting look decent and if you don't pay for the gold and the diamonds....well it kinda looks like you didn't pay for the gold and the diamonds!

Or it could just be my crazy love of frufru talking! I am a terror though! I got JD to make me a plain gold setting which I love (one of the few none frufru settings that I actually like) but that did use a lot of gold and had a lot of detail even though I didn't use any diamonds!

Haha after all this venting I think I'm going to spend on that setting when I have the funds! I can't bear my chrysoprase in a plain setting!

 

[chatoyancy]

It looks like we run the gamut here. Some people don’t want to buy a stone unless they can set it pretty much immediately, while some people could outfit a jewelry store with their lovely trays of stones. I guess we should just stick to what is comfortable for us, make sure we love what we buy, and have fun.

 

[Arcadian]

My school of thought is always about the overall budget. I know that got referenced here but its pretty true. You can make the ratio fit if you want. Colored stones thankfully can either be really expensive or, if we luck out, not so expensive. As the prices of precious metals has went up, I saw how some people strugged setting their cheaper stones. So for me the basic principal applies. Listen, I set a 5 dollar stone (what I paid) in a 100+ dollar setting. No regrets. I have a couple of 50-100 dollar stones (what I paid) in 600 dollar settings. But IMO cost of the stone dosen't always equal the value. How many of us bought cuprians back in the day and the value just keeps rising? Same with some sapphires, spinels, etc, etc, etc!

As long as its within your own personal budget and you know you'd wear the hell out of it, go ahead and get what you want. YOLO, right??

@Bron357 those sapphires of yours are SCREAMING for a crown of dainty little diamonds. Just sayin

I have LOTS of loose stones, but I also collect for fun. I don't always buy to set it.

 

[Cockatiel]

Yeah with settings you get what you pay for. In the past, I was an extremist and thought omg if I buy CAD/cast ring all my stones will fall out, the metal will be porous, etc, so the ring must be handforged. Stock settings weren't even an option because I was sure melee will fall out at the slightest impact. I don't think that now....I think about how much wear a ring will get and set accordingly. I am not into halos but certain stones blend in with the skin so they will need to be haloed. Those I try to set as cheaply as possible because I don't really care about the quality of the halo. They'd get worn once in a blue moon anyways. I like solitaires and three stones and will wear those more so I spend more on those. Plain settings can cost a lot too. It's weird but I am more likely to accept let's say a 2k quote for a solitaire with no pave, than for a cast halo!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Oooh I am opposite! I was raised on the idea that it was silly to waste money on the labour/design involved in the setting so when you bought a diamond, you'd go and pick from a tray of premade settings (probably from china) and get your diamond set in it.

Even though they've moved to Hearts and Arrow diamonds and the like, they still sell trays of pre made settings. So I am super comfortable with having one of my coloured stones stuck into any pre made setting that I think is pretty. Nothing has fallen off so far! I do wonder how it would stand up to daily wear though as I only wear my rings for a few hours a day and might change rings during the day so I don't think any setting of mine has ever been tested.

This is why my yellow DBL ring is such a treat for me! I probably paid a fortune in design fees but I don't care! It looks impeccable and it is nice to own one thing like that!

 

[jewelsforalltosee]

Your collection is AMAZING!!!

Er um ..........
Here’s 150 gem containers and I didn’t buy nearly enough.