Making a 3 stone ring, need input ;)

[Kelinas]

So I've always LOVED how 3 stone rings look with swoopy trellis.
I've talked to Yvonne and received a 4.4mm pair of "mahenge" spinel from her. Of course it's not top material, nor is it a ginormous pair, but I purchased it wanting a bright pink spinel so it worked out really well

I have a few choices, and my husband is totally over me asking for his opinion.

1. Use my 5.1mm diamond as the center. I know most people rather a larger center / smaller side proportion but I don't think it looks bad. I would need it in yellow gold, stuck on whether to go 18k or 24k like most of my jewelry (is 24 logical for a everyday rhr?)

2. Use my 7.3mm (1.57ct) lavender pink spinel as the center. It looks... More purple? On its own, it looks baby pinkish, but looking at the pictures it looks more purple. The pink/ purple look is growing on me, but I'm quite unsure of what gold to use?

Even if I use the lavender spinel, I need to rehome my diamond- I'm so over my nickel allergy.

 

[chrono]

Can you post all 4 stones together so that we can get some sort of colour and size reference? I'm not sure how well the lavender goes with your pink spinels. I don't think 24k prong set is a good idea. Doable in bezel but too soft to hold stones in a ring. I have gemstone rings, earrings and pendants in 22k gold that weren't commissioned in the US though.

 

[Kelinas]

With the diamond

 

[Kelinas]

With the lavender spinel

 

[Kelinas]

And just to add a note- there are no visible inclusions. Whatever you see is my bad photo taking skills.

 

[chrono]

It is more traditional and versatile with the diamond. I would use a white metal, and 6 tiny prongs for the diamond to make it look bigger, 3 or 4 prongs for the spinel.

The lavender combo is different and since the colour isn't strong, I would advice yellow gold to tie the colours together, 4 prongs per each stone.

 

[Kelinas]

So technically platinum would be my only choice in metals? I havent found many places that work with palledium and im not fully sure how stable silver would be?

I might have to wait if that's the deal

 

[periwinklegirl]

+ 1 for using the diamond!

I'm surprised you're having trouble finding somewhere that will work in palladium. Maybe palladium white gold then (instead of nickel gold)?

Good luck!

 

[jbkhere]

Kelinas - have you tried rose gold at all? I've got that stupid nickle allergy too. I have trouble with 14k or 18k white or yellow gold. But platinum and rose gold I'm fine with. Good luck with your project - I love the spinels with the diamond!

 

[marcy]

I would go for the diamond and spinels. I will be anxious to see how it turns out.

 

[Enerchi]

I think both look incredible... But the Lavender spinel combo would be so unique! If it were me, I'd stick with the white metal. I think that would help the colours to pop.

 

[JewelFreak]

I'd use the diamond too. I love the idea of the spinel & mahenges together, but (maybe it's the lighting) the spinel looks a little grayish next to the garnets. The size of the garnets w/the diamond looks just fine to me -- they're big enough to give the whole ring great pizazz. It would look really nice in a buttery high-karat yellow gold; I'd go only 18K for an everyday-wear ring, though; safer.

--- Laurie

 

[Rosebloom]

Both are lovely options! I have a slight preference to the diamond center especially since you need to find it a new home anyways. And I love yellow gold so I vote for that too! You could do the head in 18k and the shank in 22 or 24k if you like.

 

[Kelinas]

Kelinas - have you tried rose gold at all? I've got that stupid nickle allergy too. I have trouble with 14k or 18k white or yellow gold. But platinum and rose gold I'm fine with. Good luck with your project - I love the spinels with the diamond!

No, I haven't tried rose gold. It's one of those "do I want to risk $X on something that I may or may not be able to enjoy" situations. I have a bunch of 24k jewelry that I never have reactions to and I have 18 ygold that seems fine.
I get the ring of fire wherever white gold touches plus eczema so it doesn't quite go away.

I've tried a friends green gold once, and while not a full rash , there was a bit of burn and I took it off in a jiffy.

 

[Kelinas]

I'm thinking 18k yellow and maybe an American vendor >.<
I just received a pendant that I had made from my Korean vendor and I'm kinda pissed because it doesn't look yellow. It's stamped 585 but looks like its faded 9k.
And I'm leaning to my original idea of the diamond - that way I can actually enjoy it

 

[talamasca]

I'd do the lavender with pinks for something a bit different and cos I think they look really nice together and in 18k yellow. I too love trellis rings. Looking forward to seeing what you go with.

 

[stargurl78]

I'd use the diamond and go with white metal.

 

[chrono]

There is nickel-free white gold out there. Just request it from the bench you are using.

 

[Kelinas]

Does nickel free UNplated white gold exist? (Sorry if that's a dumb question)

And who should I go with? I was going to use a Korean vendor who I've used for everything else, but I'm really not pleased with the result of my last project. I've had a ring made by DanielM before, and wasn't too thrilled.

 

[chrono]

If your expectations are higher, you must be willing to pay more for better workmanship.

 

[Gabriellehb]

I have a nickel allergy and are saving up to get my grandmother's e-ring remade into platinum. I have not been able to wear earrings for 30 years due to the allergy and have just started to wear earrings again finally finding ones that I can tolerate. One pair is in rose gold and I have no problems with it at all, other ones I have tried which worked was platinum plated over sterling silver.

I really like the combo of the diamond with your spinels. The lavender spinel just doesn't give enough contrast and the colors of all three stones are not enhanced. The diamond with the spinels would look great either with a white metal or rose gold. If all of your other jewellery is yellow gold due to your allergy I wouldn't worry about it as I wear different gold rings at the same time.

 

[Kelinas]

I was trying to keep it around 1500, am I being naive with that budget?

 

[chrono]

Basic 3 stone with plain metal basket or are you adding ornamentation, trellis and etc? Gold or platinum? I doubt it is doable in platinum but pricing is reasonable for a 14k gold. Metal price is just so high.

 

[Kelinas]

Basic 3 stone with plain metal basket or are you adding ornamentation, trellis and etc? Gold or platinum? I doubt it is doable in platinum but pricing is reasonable for a 14k gold. Metal price is just so high.

I only wanted a trellis-no extra diamonds or anything flashy.
I knew that platinum would be out of my ballpark but only 14k? I might as well wait and save a bit more to get what I want.

Metal price IS ridiculous. I've thought about selling/melting some of my 24k stuff. Who knows, maybe ill sell one to fatten up my budget a bit.
Thank you for all the info everyone!

 

[velouriaL]

I think both combinations are pretty but that diamond should have a home! I think YG would look great. I also really like Daniel M on etsy's swoopy trellises. I believe he is reasonably priced.

 

[minousbijoux]

My vote, better late than never, is the diamond and white gold. Have you showed photos of your trellis ideas?

 

[Kelinas]

No, I don't have any pictures that I can post right now but I first fell in love with the idea after seeing ZestfullyBlings 3 stone by DanielM

I'm toying with the idea of the Whiteflash butterfly trellis, but still quite unsure of metal color.
I'm going to email them and ask if they work with nickel free wg.

Still lots of brainstorming going on- I can't decide what I want and what I'm expecting from this.

 

[pregcurious]

I like the proportions of the lavender spinel better, but think that you would wear the diamond more.

 

[yssie]

No, I don't have any pictures that I can post right now but I first fell in love with the idea after seeing ZestfullyBlings 3 stone by DanielM

I'm toying with the idea of the Whiteflash butterfly trellis, but still quite unsure of metal color.
I'm going to email them and ask if they work with nickel free wg.

Still lots of brainstorming going on- I can't decide what I want and what I'm expecting from this.

WF will work with palladium-wg. It's Ni-free and white enough not to require rhodium plating.

I'm not a CS regular but I really like the purple spinel - it makes for such a unique trio and like pregcurious I much prefer the proportions. Such a feminine combo

 

[chrono]

Whiteflash will only set diamonds that have a GIA or AGS lab memo. They do not accept a customer's coloured stone anymore unless an exception has been made.