Least expensive stone/most expensive setting

[whitewave]

I’m curious what is the least expensive stone you put in an expensive setting. Ball park figures are appreciated lol.

 

[Acinom]

My topaz by Doug Menadue in VC halo and my zircon by Jeff Davies in VC halo. A gorgeous stone deserves a gorgeous setting, no matter the price of the stone. For me it is all about the total look. I cannot remember the prices of the stones but they were reletively inexpensive.
Guilty pleasures from myself and other PSers can be found here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/low-cost-stones-in-high-cost-settings-poll.212074/

 

[737liz]

One of my plain stackers in my new set is a small montana in an 18k bezel setting. I got a good deal on the stone and chose a pricey jeweller to do the bezel because I've learnt the hard way that simple is the easiest to get wrong. The setting was exactly 10x the cost of the stone. Total cost was under 500. Like someone said in the previous thread, if it's a hard stone, I don't mind paying more for a setting because it'll (hopefully) last.

 

[elle_71125]

Here’s one. My David Klass setting cost about 4x the amount of this tourmaline. Certainly not pricey by VC or Leon standards but still expensive compared to the main stone. BTW, I regret nothing!

 

[whitewave]

Lol. “I regret nothing” is exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you!

The setting I want for my aqua will be about 6 times the cost of the stone, and I didn’t know if that was just crazy or not.

 

[elle_71125]

Lol. “I regret nothing” is exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you!

The setting I want for my aqua will be about 6 times the cost of the stone, and I didn’t know if that was just crazy or not.

There’s no such thing as crazy in jewelry. Only what we can or can’t feasibly afford.
If you love the setting and the aqua, you will wear them. That’s what makes it worth the money imo.

I’d love to see some inspiration pics.
ETA. I saw your other thread. Plenty of inspiration going on over there.

 

[lovedogs]

I think my sunstone iolite was about 1/4 the cost of the setting from Alistair Kelsey (maybe 1/3)? But I absolutely love it, and the total cost was under $1250 USD, so I considered it reasonable as a whole piece. Do what you love!

 

[whitewave]

There’s no such thing as crazy in jewelry. Only what we can or can’t feasibly afford.
If you love the setting and the aqua, you will wear them. That’s what makes it worth the money imo.

I’d love to see some inspiration pics.
ETA. I saw your other thread. Plenty of inspiration going on over there.

I have more I need to add

 

[peacechick]

Lol. “I regret nothing” is exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you!

The setting I want for my aqua will be about 6 times the cost of the stone, and I didn’t know if that was just crazy or not.

For that stunning aqua, it will be worth it!

 

[Starfacet]

I'm having to sell my Opulence Oval, so I replaced it in my custom Saturn Jewels setting with a vintage sapphire stone I had lying around. That sapphire was in a 1980s yellow gold ring with tiny diamonds (that I never liked) and the whole ring was almost 1/4 the price of the Saturn setting. Truth be told, I like the sapphire better than the diamond in there anyway!

 

[whitewave]

Ok, all the rings in this thread are GORGEOUS

That was all I needed, thanks so much!

But if others want to continue to add eye candy, please do!! Add your gorgeous rings!

 

[whitewave]

My topaz by Doug Menadue in VC halo and my zircon by Jeff Davies in VC halo. A gorgeous stone deserves a gorgeous setting, no matter the price of the stone. For me it is all about the total look. I cannot remember the prices of the stones but they were reletively inexpensive.
Guilty pleasures from myself and other PSers can be found here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/low-cost-stones-in-high-cost-settings-poll.212074/

Thanks for linking your thread!

 

[stonewell]

I had purchased a couple wello opals from a gem fair and fell in love with the fire on the cab. While the original plan was to make a pendant, I couldn’t resist having it set into a ring so I could enjoy the fire show. All in all, the setting was about 7x the cost of the stone.

If you love the stone, I don’t think there’s any limit you need place on a project in order to enjoy wearing it.

 

[Starfacet]

Ok, all the rings in this thread are GORGEOUS

That was all I needed, thanks so much!

But if others want to continue to add eye candy, please do!! Add your gorgeous rings!

This is a fantastic thread! Thanks for starting it!

 

[elle_71125]

I had purchased a couple wello opals from a gem fair and fell in love with the fire on the cab. While the original plan was to make a pendant, I couldn’t resist having it set into a ring so I could enjoy the fire show. All in all, the setting was about 7x the cost of the stone.

If you love the stone, I don’t think there’s any limit you need place on a project in order to enjoy wearing it.

Look at that baby shine!

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I had purchased a couple wello opals from a gem fair and fell in love with the fire on the cab. While the original plan was to make a pendant, I couldn’t resist having it set into a ring so I could enjoy the fire show. All in all, the setting was about 7x the cost of the stone.

If you love the stone, I don’t think there’s any limit you need place on a project in order to enjoy wearing it.

Your opal ring is so amazing! I am feeling an anxious need for an opal ring because my October baby is about to enlist in the Marines. Yours just threw gasoline on the flame.

 

[scarsmum]

I can go the other way round........my 4 carat asscher is in a $14 setting!

 

[lilmosun]

I've been going back and forth on setting this inexpensive quartz (with Gilalite) in a custom setting with some leftover paraiba melee I have. Part of me says its crazy to spend the money on a quartz ring.

 

[elle_71125]

I've been going back and forth on setting this inexpensive quartz (with Gilalite) in a custom setting with some leftover paraiba melee I have. Part of me says its crazy to spend the money on a quartz ring.

I love that idea! What a cool looking quartz with all those little spots of color. I think a CS halo could really bring out the colors.

 

[peacechick]

I've been going back and forth on setting this inexpensive quartz (with Gilalite) in a custom setting with some leftover paraiba melee I have. Part of me says its crazy to spend the money on a quartz ring.

How big is it? If you make a round cab setting for it, you can always swap out the cab for another if you ever tire of it. In that sense, your setting doesn’t go to waste.

 

[bludiva]

I've been going back and forth on setting this inexpensive quartz (with Gilalite) in a custom setting with some leftover paraiba melee I have. Part of me says its crazy to spend the money on a quartz ring.

but that's such a cool piece of quartz!

 

[whitewave]

I had purchased a couple wello opals from a gem fair and fell in love with the fire on the cab. While the original plan was to make a pendant, I couldn’t resist having it set into a ring so I could enjoy the fire show. All in all, the setting was about 7x the cost of the stone.

If you love the stone, I don’t think there’s any limit you need place on a project in order to enjoy wearing it.

It’s otherworldly!!

 

[whitewave]

I've been going back and forth on setting this inexpensive quartz (with Gilalite) in a custom setting with some leftover paraiba melee I have. Part of me says its crazy to spend the money on a quartz ring.

Ooh I love this and can see it with paraiba!!

 

[Arcadian]

IMO you should buy and wear what you love.

But yes, 5 dollar stone, well over 100 dollar setting! Thats a purple garnet before they became a thing.



And that zircon wasn't that much more expensive either, but the GLOW!!!!


IMO, its not about stone cost for me, and its not about setting cost, its about the cost overall. Sometimes you find that perfect stone that you pay very little for, and who cares if you put it in a more expensive setting because In my mind its about what makes sense overall. If the overall ring is within your budget, who cares how much each piece is right?

Always buy smart. Thats why most of us came here in the first place.

 

[lilmosun]

Thanks peacechick, whitewave. bludiva, elle. I just did a little research on the quartz and these are actually found in Paraiba Brazil (and gialite is copper silicate)...so maybe the pairing with paraiba isn't so odd

 

[JPie]

This fossilized coral is probably worth about $20 on its own. The setting is Cathy Waterman and over 200 times the cost of the gem.

I special ordered this years ago and really liked her fossilized coral at the time.

 

[Bluegemz]

This fossilized coral is probably worth about $20 on its own. The setting is Cathy Waterman and over 200 times the cost of the gem.

I special ordered this years ago and really liked her fossilized coral at the time.

How beautiful!

 

[cflutist]

An 8mm CZ in a Vatche Serenity setting that previously held a 2.21 CBI diamond.