Help!!! Confused about settings

[wackydreem]

Hello, lovely, smart, and helpful people of Pricescope!

This is my first post - I have been reading the forums and the knowledge parts of the site and drooling over eye candy for weeks now. The boyfriend is letting me participate in the ring/diamond selection process, having (correctly) concluded that it would be much easier to let me figure out what I want and get that than to get what he thinks I want and possibly have to change it later. I am both grateful and incredibly frustrated with the multitude of choices out there.

We are going with a 1.5 RB, and now I need to commit to a setting, which is proving to be a lot more difficult than I'd ever thought. I want a plain shank ring, no pave, no diamonds in the crown, and I would like to wear the wedding band on the same finger. I think a six prong setting looks lovely for a round stone. I really like the look of Mark Morrell's Torchiere, but was a little disappointed to find out that he casts his rings. I was hoping for a truly hand-forged piece. MM's work gets nothing but praise around here, but I am wondering whether I should look elsewhere? All the jewelry pieces in my family are heirlooms or hand-wrought, so I have no idea what a cast ring would wear like, and am concerned that over time it won't hold up to wear and patina as well as a hand-wrought piece?

I am not looking for a Tiffany knock-off, I love the prongs on the Torchiere and the fluid lines of the ring...

 

[milton333]

I'm not aware of complaints about MWM settings. However, if you want hand-forged, maybe Victor Canera http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/the-trueste-solitaire.html

Steven Kirsch does hand-forged, I don't know if that's standard or special request.
http://www.stevenkirsch.com/showroom/engagement-wedding-bands/solitaire/ref-0202.html

Leon Mege is hand-forged. https://www.artofplatinum.com/vault/solitaire-engagement-ring-tulip

Is Single Stone? I think so, but maybe someone else can chime in.

 

[Gypsy]

MWM's craftsmanship is some of the best there is, all the top appraisers here will tell you so. And we've never had an issue with craftsmanship with a MWM ring. There is nothing wrong or inferior about casting. It's simply a different method of fabrication, and is superior for some designs and applications to handforging actually.

Steven does hand forge. But that type of setting isn't his style and I don't know if he'd do it. Leon wouldn't do it. You can try Victor if you like, he's very nice.

It sounds to me like you have a lot of preconceptions but no real knowledge about jewelry fabrication. Honestly, MWM is picky about his clients and well... he just may not opt to work with you if you approach him with the wrong attitude. That's kinda how it is with our top designers... they have the flexibility to field their clientele and they do exercise it. If you do want a MWM I would go through BGD or GOG, who have worked with him, and keep your interaction with him to a minimum. Both GOG and BGD will be happy to educate you about casting so you can make a truly informed decision.

 

[JulieN]

Mark Morrell is heirloom quality. You don't need to worry about that.

 

[yssie]

If you like the Torchiere then please, please get the Torchiere. That "molten metal" look is MM's signature style, it's very different from the very-dainty minimal-metal look SK/LM/VC/DBL specialize in, and having a different jeweller try to replicate MM's signature style is a recipe for disappointment. I highly doubt any of them would agree to it anyway... I would not recommend VC, his specialty is elsewhere (delicate pave work).

Like Gypsy says they're different methods of manufacture - both have pros and cons, and both are great choices for different types of pieces. Part of the magic of MM's pieces is the graduation in wire thickness across the design... shaving pulled metal wires to achieve that effect, all exactly the same, putting them all together just so... it'd cost a fortune in time and labour, and there's only one handforging jeweller I'd take it to and he's not even in the US. A well-made casting like MMs will likely wear differently from a handforged piece but the workmanship is spectacular, and MM's pieces aren't super delicate - the extra metal will compensate for any comparable reduction in strength due strictly to casting.

 

[wackydreem]

By way of clarification, I wouldn't be asking for anyone to replicate MWM. I would also not ask Mark to change his preferred methods of production to accommodate me since undoubtedly he chose to do things a certain way for a reason.
Its a gorgeous ring. What I am not sure about is whether it is the right choice for me. I like the idea of a special piece like an ering being made from scratch by hand. I'm not a fan of the Tiffany setting or the Tiffany repros. What I like about the Torchiere is that it isnt trying to replicate the Tiffany ring but has the sleekness that to me is missing in the Tiffany setting. Who would you suggest I can look to for something that may be structurally similar - six prongs, but more delicate, tapered shank, and hand forged?

 

[yssie]

By way of clarification, I wouldn't be asking for anyone to replicate MWM. I would also not ask Mark to change his preferred methods of production to accommodate me since undoubtedly he chose to do things a certain way for a reason.
Its a gorgeous ring. What I am not sure about is whether it is the right choice for me. I like the idea of a special piece like an ering being made from scratch by hand. I'm not a fan of the Tiffany setting or the Tiffany repros. What I like about the Torchiere is that it isnt trying to replicate the Tiffany ring but has the sleekness that to me is missing in the Tiffany setting. Who would you suggest I can look to for something that may be structurally similar - six prongs, but more delicate, tapered shank, and hand forged?

Do you have an pictures of rings you like other than the Torchiere? It's not just a matter of replicating that specific piece - it's the whole "molten metal" style/feel

Check out the artofplatinum site milton linked above. Leon's general philosophy is that the metal is there to hold the real stars of the show, the stones, but his pieces have a lovely (different from MM's) fluidity to them.