Missydebby Project Update

[oranges]

Know what's funny tho? I wouldn't even actually mind getting it in the summer, because I wasn't even originally intending to start the project till Feb or so. So like, let's say I purchase the main stones now and have them sit with Leon for half a year, I'd feel fine. Weird but true!

Whaaa???! how can you possibly be so patient?! I would be itching like crazy to get that beauty on my finger!

 

[missydebby]

Know what's funny tho? I wouldn't even actually mind getting it in the summer, because I wasn't even originally intending to start the project till Feb or so. So like, let's say I purchase the main stones now and have them sit with Leon for half a year, I'd feel fine. Weird but true!

Whaaa???! how can you possibly be so patient?! I would be itching like crazy to get that beauty on my finger!

Hey Oranges! Yeah I know... it's not so much patience as the resignation I've learned from being an American who buys from America but lives overseas. Also, it comes from the guilt of having started this project much earlier than I was planning. By starting this now, I'm sorta spending money like counting eggs that haven't hatched... I have it, but it would have been better to start when other stuff came in, so to speak.

Anywho, I hope hope hope I get some new photos from Leon and Perry this week. Perry was off for some holidays. He said when he came back he'd be looking at some potential colored sidestones. Like deep orange and pink. I think I'd prefer orange (not so preppy!) but who knows? Also leon said he'd be experimenting with different shaped side stones next to the oval. Can't wait to see what they come up with!!!

 

[missydebby]

New Update with more to follow...

Just got off the phone with Leon. Looks like pink makes the green oval pop much better than orange or brown. Seems to Leon that orange and brown tend to bring more of the yellow of the diamond out while the pink makes the green pop.

So far so good. Perry's gonna send me a picture of pink sapphires next to the green so I get a sense of the colors.

Next we discussed ideas using pink. Option 1 is to go with pink sapphires. I'm open to the possibility, but I told Leon that I was concerned with the saturation of that sort of pink next to the diamond. I like sapphires... but I think it'd be just too much, you know? Actually, Leon totally agreed. Might make things too tooty fruity. Plus, to be honest, I just like the way light flows through a diamond. So that leaves us with pink diamonds. One option for that is to have small pink ovals. Another is to have pink melee. Leon was thinking that the "oval" element for the melee could be in the shape of a flowers like the shape of the Cartier Lily of the Valley:

So this ring-


With my green .60 oval-


With this shape in pink gold in which pink melee is set-


The rest of the ring, except for the flowered melee would still be in platinum. He's gonna sketch something out for me and I'll post it and Perry's photos when I get ithem Talk about having an unique Leon piece!!! What I might ask him about in our next conversation is if he could do perhaps a little more freeform version of the flower... not so regular but more fluid.

Anyhow... super exciting, huh?!?

 

[slg47]

oh my gosh debby-that sounds fabulous!

 

[missydebby]

yheeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

 

[megeve]

Oooh, what an exciting project Debby! You are definitely in good hands! Can't wait to see the finished ring!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Wait, so the fleur shape in the metal would go where... not for the pave, right? You mean in place of the oval sides? I want to picture it!!

 

[missydebby]

yeah, it would be instead of side ovals.... he's gonna draw me out his idea.

BTW, I hope his drawing is a little more detailed than my last one...

 

[tyty333]

yeah, it would be instead of side ovals.... he's gonna draw me out his idea.

BTW, I hope his drawing is a little more detailed than my last one...

This drawing must be from the imposter Missdebby...the one we know is actually an artist!

 

[missydebby]

Tyty... if you can believe it, this was Leon's drawing for my ering!!!!

 

[tyty333]

Tyty... if you can believe it, this was Leon's drawing for my ering!!!!

No way! I think you could teach him a thing or two.

 

[yennyfire]

Know what's funny tho? I wouldn't even actually mind getting it in the summer, because I wasn't even originally intending to start the project till Feb or so. So like, let's say I purchase the main stones now and have them sit with Leon for half a year, I'd feel fine. Weird but true!

Whaaa???! how can you possibly be so patient?! I would be itching like crazy to get that beauty on my finger!

Are you kidding me??? It's not even my ring and I already can't stand the suspense (I'm not all that patient of you haven't noticed yet!)!! How are we going to wait til next summer??? C'mon....pretty please with whipped cream and cherries on top???

 

[missydebby]

I hears ya, Yenny! Ok... I think I'll shoot for getting this when I'm back in the States in Dec/Jan...

 

[oranges]

missydebby, this project sounds awesome-- it's going to be a true, original creation I can't wait to see the sketch

 

[sphenequeen]

This ring sounds AMAZING! I am a colored diamond FANATIC myself (though I have yet to own one yet) and am looking forward to your updates!

 

[jgny]

missydebby - another leon??? so exciting!!! looking forward to seeing how this one comes out!!!

 

[missydebby]

I know... another Leon... but my ering has totally spoiled me for anything less. I'm serious. I mean, it's 3 plus months into having this little beauty on my finger and I still can't get enough. So much life and artistry. I have this sneaking feeling that I'm now a hopeless Leon junkie. Thank goodness I'm the kind of person that doesn't keep a lot of excess jewelry, so to speak. Unless it's silver/plastic and for fun, I only have really good stuff that I'd be wearing comfortably together on a daily basis. So instead of buying like 10 different gemstones and having them set in beautiful but not so expensive LOGR settings, I just spend it all on diamonds and Leon. Anywho, this is gonna have to be it for awhile, cause after this I be flat broke hahaha

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Just saw this thread, and this ring looks like it is going to be amazing. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[Maisie]

It looks like a very interesting and fun project. You are very lucky that you will own two Leon rings! I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I just wanted to ask something. In your original post you said that you don't think Leon likes GOG diamonds. Can you explain what you meant by that? Is it because he wants people to buy the cushion cuts he sources or is it GOG diamonds in general?

 

[Love Street]

I just wanted to ask something. In your original post you said that you don't think Leon likes GOG diamonds. Can you explain what you meant by that? Is it because he wants people to buy the cushion cuts he sources or is it GOG diamonds in general?

Yes, I had been curious of this too (since I have a GOG diamond I am about to ship to Leon next week - with significant trepidation after reading numerous posts describing Leon's disdain for GOG stones. I'm trying to get as much info from people who have experienced it first hand so I can know what to expect!

This current project of yours sounds so amazing - and that oval is GORGEOUS! And I said it in your other thread but I'll say it again - you're e-ring is just sooooo beautiful!

 

[missydebby]

Hi guys... well regarding Leon and the GOG diamonds...

Leon sets a lot of GOG diamonds. I mean, there are tons tons tons of posts here of people with August Vintage Cushions in Leon settings. Even one of his favorite rings that he has made, Wintotty's 3 carat D AVC with calibrated french cut sides stones, is that combo.

http://www.artofplatinum.com/portfolio/details.php?image_id=621&mode=search

As you know, I sourced my ering cushion from Leon and Perry and have bought two .41 carat AVCs for studs. For this project, my original idea was to use AVrounds for the sidestones, but Leon said they wouldn't work with the design because of the depth and the overall look.This I can understand because it's not a typical 3 stone ring. I did get the impression that he'd way rather source his own stones... but I have no idea what the overall reason is. I mean, he certainly doesn't pad the bottom line by overcharging for the center stone. For example, there was just a thread by someone who wanted a ring made by James Meyer. And the price that he wanted for a stone (he'll only set his own) was about 2K MORE than the a comparative stone everywhere else. Leon in fact, gave me the best price I could find for my center cushion and my green oval is 2 -5K less than comparable stones I was considering! Can you believe that?

That being said, Jon and GOG sell, in my opinion, some of the most beautiful and CONSISTENTLY awesome performing stones out there. They really have the best technology and customer service , bar none. They have fantastic policies and they bend over backward to please the customer. IMHO, I think if you want a GOG stone, especially if you are unable to check them out in person beforehand (like me) and/or you are not touchy feely enough just to trust Leon's superb eye (I am), then get the GOG stone. Let Leon do the setting and source all the other stones for the correct proportions.

So in short - if you haven't decided on a stone, I'd definitely consider both Perry/Leon and GOG. Both are excellent and you won't be disappointed. If you have already decided that a GOG branded stone is for you, don't let the fact that you want a Leon setting dissuade you. If that's the case, what one guy recently did was just buy the stone from GOG and tell Leon it was the stone he and his girlfriend fell in love with. After he said that, it was smooth sailing.

 

[Maisie]

Thanks for your response. But I am still a little confused why you think Leon doesn't like working with GOG diamonds. You said.... 'Plus, to be honest, I don't think he's that into GOG diamonds' which implies he doesn't want to work with any diamond from Good Old Gold. From what I read on Leon's website he says he will work with any stone, including sims and coloured stones. I'm not being argumentative but its good to clear this up for people reading this who may want to send a GOG stone to Leon.

 

[missydebby]

Oh hey sure, no problem. Not argumentative at all! Yeah I did say that and it was the impression I got when I mentioned to him that I wanted the AVrs as side stones. I mean, I sensed a bit of distain in his voice. But the thing is, I don't know why he's not into them. Is it a desire to source his own because of the bottom line? Is it because he's somehow not into the way GOG branded diamonds look? Is it because he'd prefer to have the utmost control, even though he does set outside stones? I don't know the answer to any of this. My guess... and this is only a guess... is it's something to do with the looks. Like if you read his description of Wintotty's ring that I linked to in the other post, you get a bit of that sense. His antique cushions that he sources are gorgeous and do have a different quality to them, so maybe that's it. But I haven't asked him explicitly why so I can't be sure. Maybe if I ever go and visit him at his studio, I'll ask. Just haven't felt like going into it on the phone.

 

[vbnet]

Oh MY MY MY MY MY! Can't WAIT!! I'm as excited as you are!!! LUV IT LUV ITLUVIT!! You are making me weak here Deb, I'm trying to resist for awhile! It's going to be GORGEOUS! And such a nice holiday present for YOU!

hmmm colored diamonds, did Perry have a lot of choices for you?

 

[vbnet]

It looks like a very interesting and fun project. You are very lucky that you will own two Leon rings! I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I just wanted to ask something. In your original post you said that you don't think Leon likes GOG diamonds. Can you explain what you meant by that? Is it because he wants people to buy the cushion cuts he sources or is it GOG diamonds in general?

sorry to jump in on this, I'm ONLY speculating. Maybe he feels he & Perry can get a diamond that will have a chunky look and make you happy for a little less - then his overall price doesn't seem so bad. There have been other threads referencing that an avc to a comparable cushion is a bit more $.

again only speculating.

His "disdain" using Deb's avc's might have been that it just didn't fit. I remember when I was working with him and suggested something once he said "you don't want to do that", when he brought out sample sides stones to put together what I was talking about he was right - I didn't want to do that.

 

[missydebby]

Yeah that could definitely be it, VB. I remeber him saying about how expensive they were and emphasizing he could sell stones for cheaper. Maybe he doesn't get why people would pay the extra premium for the GOG branded product when his cushions are also to die for.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

In his rules of engagement page he states that he will accept an customer's center stones but prefers to source the side stones himself. He stated this was for proportion reasons. This was on there long before AVC's were popular. Here is the page http://www.artofplatinum.com/start/policies/order.php.

I can't say much else other than that being that my project with Leon was a wedding band.

 

[missydebby]

Good find... didn't remember that. I know he also sets a lot of colored gems that people find on their own, but all sources those as well. I get his point, since he is all about how the ring exists in it's entirety. And I super trust his eye. I mean, IMHO, he's the BEST. But still, if he is gona accept outside stones, I wish customers didn't feel the need to walk on eggshells... but such is the way of the master

 

[arjunajane]

In his rules of engagement page he states that he will accept an customer's center stones but prefers to source the side stones himself. He stated this was for proportion reasons. This was on there long before AVC's were popular. Here is the page http://www.artofplatinum.com/start/policies/order.php.

I can't say much else other than that being that my project with Leon was a wedding band.

exactly- me thinks its professional competition, no more no less. If he said to me he didnt want to set my AVC (hypothetical of course) I would redirect to his own policies.
Deb the new project is coming along in leaps and bounds, it sounds like it will be a really unique ring.

 

[missydebby]

I. Want. Photos!!!!

Still waiting for Leon's drawings/pictures...