Help me find setting ideas?

[Ally66]

Hello, all! So, last year I bought a baby pink sapphire from Caysie. It's a stone she took from a vintage setting, emerald cut. It is the color and cut I've had on my bling bucket list, and though it has some visible imperfections when viewed at the right angle, it is very beautiful to me!

I'd like to set it in the next few months and I feel at a loss about where and how to begin choosing a design. Halo? Bezel? Milgrain bezel with a halo? Rose gold to enhance the pink? I think I'd like to go with an east-west orientation. I'd like it to be something I can wear for all occasions, so not too, too cocktail/dressy.

I'll include some photos of the stone with the disclaimer that (clearly) I am not skilled with a camera! But you'll get an idea of proportions. IRL the stone is soft, soft pink, no hint of the yellow the photos seem to show. Imprecise measurements are approx. 1.1 mm x 0.8 mm, and about 0.8 mm deep.

If you have time and are so inclined, please feel free to share ideas and inspiration photos! Thanks!

 

[Ally66]

Here are a couple I've found that I find interesting...

 

[ElleK]

Are those measurements in inches?

 

[Ally66]

Oops! Measurements are centimeters. So, 1.1 cm x 0.8 cm and 0.8 cm deep.
Thanks!

 

[caf]

Here are some I like - apologies to PS'ers whose rings I am posting here without attribution.
I have more but need to find them.
Rose gold would be pretty. I envision the bottom photo's ring in east to west, not kite set.

 

[caf]

Love this one.

 

[Lovinggems]

I like the second photo in Rose gold and the LM ring. 11mm is pretty wide, what is your ring size?

 

[Ally66]

Thank you, caf! The Leon is, of course, gorgeous. I was wondering about the 11 mm width, too, Lovingems. I'll wear it on a size 8 finger and the stone looks good when I lay it across...but of course that is without the setting. I think side stones would be too much, but what about a dainty halo?

 

[Lovinggems]

http://www.diamdb.com/compare/1ct-emerald-11x8x8-vs-1ct-emerald-8x11x8/

Looks like you have room for a halo or even a 3 stone like the LM ring? What's your preference? I love the delicate colour of your stone.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I'm unsure of your style - and these are all pretty different - but I wanted to share some that I found.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I know you said you wanted E-W, but when I saw the second picture of your stone, I wanted to offer at least one. And when I came across this ... I had to show you.

 

[Lovinggems]

The LM ring (pave shank) is beautiful.

 

[ecf8503]

I know you said you wanted E-W, but when I saw the second picture of your stone, I wanted to offer at least one. And when I came across this ... I had to show you.

Ooh - love this! Where is it from?

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Unfortunately I don't have notes on that, ecf8503. I'm sorry. Usually if I don't have notes that means I couldn't track an origin, but I'll try an image search on Google later.

 

[Ally66]

Thanks so much for the photos! Lovinggems, my work computer some reason won't let me check out the link you posted, but I will look at it at home tonight. Looks like it will be an intersting comparison of how to orient?

Sparkliesluver, you found some beauties! And the halos are the ones that seem to make me catch my breath! I love the last one with the variation of shapes against the emerald cut. And the first halo is so different and feminine. But then that last ring, blue stone -- simple, elegant, gorgeous!

Thank you all for sharing these. I honestly don't know how you narrow things down and make a decision. I will keep studying them and see if I can figure out what aspects tug at my heart strings!

 

[MollyMalone]

Ally, are there any goldsmiths-jewelers in your area that offer a decent variety of colored gem rings for you to see & with whom you could do at least some initial brainstorming (and/or estate jewelry dealers)? Your sapphire is deeper than the usual, emerald cut diamond of the same face-up dimensions & the 8 mm depth could have a bearing on your design decision. Then again, you may not need the kind of in-person, visual aids that I do when starting out.

ETA: Pretty stone!

 

[Ally66]

MollyM, that's a good thought. I've wondered about the depth and how that might affect the setting options. I *think* it's a 7 carat stone, so much of that is in the depth! I do have some folks in town I could check out, and that might just be my best bet...

 

[minousbijoux]

I love that baby pink color. Its so delicate and reminds me of what one might see in an antique ring. Would you consider a deco-inspired halo or a halo with delicate pave to emphasize the delicacy of the stone?

 

[Ally66]

Minousbijoux, yes -- I love so many things, but I really think in the end I'd probably like to go with a very delicate halo, something "just enough" to accent the stone. Keep it simple?

 

[Ally66]

Does anyone have a strong opinion on rose gold vs something else? I don't actually care much for white gold, but might consider it in combination with some rose gold accents. But I love yellow gold and that is probably my first choice. Would the rose be the best option for enhancing the pink? In a halo setting?

 

[Michael_E]

Would the rose be the best option for enhancing the pink? In a halo setting?

If you want to enhance the color of that gem, then you have two methods available to you. The first and least useful is to use rose gold. This is because the only way that a complementary color will enhance the gem is by reflecting into the gem or by allowing a view of the rose gold through the tilt window that all colored gems have. The largest enhancement comes from surrounding the gem with a color that has high contrast in color relative to the color of the gem. This is why rubies are most often set into yellow gold as it contrasts and complements the color at the same time, (so much so that rubies are often kept and sold in gem papers that have a yellow liner). My personal opinion is that a stone like this would probably look best in a white gold or platinum setting that uses rose gold prongs to hold the stone.
The halo is a feature which affects the apparent color of the stone in the same way as the metalwork, contrast being good and similar colors being less attractive. With a center of pale color intensity, using too much of a complementary color can cause the stone to look a little blah and blend in to it's surroundings.

 

[Ally66]

Michael, thank you -- that makes sense and is helpful. If I opted for white metal and a halo, do you think a rose gold bezel would help delineate the stone and lessen the blending effect?

 

[Michael_E]

Yes, I do. If the bezel was thin and the halo was white it would probably look very nice and enhance the color of the stone a bit as well. There was an image earlier in this thread of an oval sapphire with a thin rose gold, (I think), bezel and a halo that really looked sharp. It would probably have a look very close to that.

 

[Ally66]

Ah, yes! Very pretty!
Thanks.

 

[minousbijoux]

Yes, I do. If the bezel was thin and the halo was white it would probably look very nice and enhance the color of the stone a bit as well. There was an image earlier in this thread of an oval sapphire with a thin rose gold, (I think), bezel and a halo that really looked sharp. It would probably have a look very close to that.

So can you explain why if you think the high contrast of white with the pink helps bring out the pink (at least I think that's what you are saying?) you are recommending a layer of rose gold? Do you still get the contrast of the white with the pink even if there is rose gold next to the stone? It is an art to know what brings out what colors in stones and in this case, to my inexperienced ear, it almost sounds like you are saying opposite things - can you clarify the difference?

 

[Michael_E]

It does sound kind of opposite doesn't it, minous? I think, (and this is purely personal), that whether contrasting or complementary colors, give or take away from the color of a stone depends upon the surface areas of all of the different colors involved. I think that a broad swath of rose gold would wash out a pale pink stone, while surrounding that same stone in a thin "frame" of rose gold surrounded by a broader frame of white gold and diamonds would serve to heighten it's apparent color. I think that this happens because the rose gold is thin enough to "blend into" the stone and at the same time has even more contrast with the white gold surrounding it than the stone does, (since it's not as reflective). This is one of those things which is variable depending on each person's color vision and visual acuity, so is most likely a little different for each person and so one needs to see the effects. If I get a chance this evening I'll try and make up some renders showing this effect using different metal colors for this stone, (tough to get the color right in a render, but the effect should be the same).

 

[MollyMalone]

Ally, I really like the ring 3rd in the 3rd inspiration photo you posted, which is the one Michael referred to. I love bezels, especially for emerald-cut stones, because of the way they frame the shape-cut of the center stone; the rose gold bezel in that ring extends the eye a bit (altho' your good-sized stone can certainly hold its own!) -- kinda like the white gold/platinum, illusion mountings for diamonds so popular in days long past-- before receiving the "punch" conveyed by the greater contrast of the white diamonds.

My one suggestion re pink/rose alloys is that you see for yourself, if possible, how the stone looks against whatever alloy(s) the goldsmith has at hand or samples of what s/he is willing to order in. There is greater variety in these alloys than you may be expecting & they all aren't flattering to/compatible with every gem, or wearer's skin tone

ETA: Oops, I now see that my take on the rose gold bezel here is largely duplicating Michael's response to minous, didn't mean to step on his toes.

 

[minousbijoux]

It does sound kind of opposite doesn't it, minous? I think, (and this is purely personal), that whether contrasting or complementary colors, give or take away from the color of a stone depends upon the surface areas of all of the different colors involved. I think that a broad swath of rose gold would wash out a pale pink stone, while surrounding that same stone in a thin "frame" of rose gold surrounded by a broader frame of white gold and diamonds would serve to heighten it's apparent color. I think that this happens because the rose gold is thin enough to "blend into" the stone and at the same time has even more contrast with the white gold surrounding it than the stone does, (since it's not as reflective). This is one of those things which is variable depending on each person's color vision and visual acuity, so is most likely a little different for each person and so one needs to see the effects. If I get a chance this evening I'll try and make up some renders showing this effect using different metal colors for this stone, (tough to get the color right in a render, but the effect should be the same).

Wow, makes perfect sense. Thank you. Now if I can just retain this information in my old forgetful brain.

 

[minousbijoux]

So I'm not usually one to jump in on setting ideas and design as my background is so limited, but the color of your stone so inspires me! MollyMalone: were you referring to the E/W oval set stone re the rose bezel and then white metal halo?

Ally: did you see this? I know this is far more than you discussed in terms of a halo, but there is something about the shapes in the halo and the proportion of the halo to the stone that makes me think it would work well as inspiration for your design with your soft pink.

 

[MollyMalone]

MollyMalone: were you referring to the E/W oval set stone re the rose bezel and then white metal halo?

Yes