Mr. Freak Is My Valentine!

[JewelFreak]

Valentine's Day is a landmark birthday for me & tonight DH asked what I wanted. A new wedding ring, says Jewel. "Okay, let's do that." -- no sigh, no argument, just smiley. After I picked myself up from the floor I ran up here to tell y'all. Well, first I showed him my stones & what I want, & now I'll show you.

I have 9 princess cut Montana sapphires, 2mm, that I bought some time ago from Westview Gems to use someday for something. This is the vendor pic; they are so tiny I don't dare take them out of the bag to photograph them -- color is almost right but not exact. They are a wonderful denim Montana blue & small as they are, sparkle nicely in the light.



I want to have them gypsy set into a 14k yg band, Etoile-like. Rose gold would look gorgeous, but would have to be 18K not to be too rose & might be too soft to wear every day. Quick & dirty mockup:



I'll ask for a quote from Michael E. because he did such good work on my spinel ring -- any other suggestions that won't break the recession-starved bank?

Yahoo, I'm excited.

--- Laurie

 

[LD]

Oh Laurie how adorable! Why are you asking for any thoughts? It's perfect - just go for it! Will this be a stand alone ring or will you wear it with others?

Do you loan your hubby out to teach others in the "how to have nice gestures" department?

 

[chrono]

Lucky Jewel! Your DH surely made your day and Happy (belated?) Birthday to you. Your idea is novel and fantastic. The 18k rose gold is definitely going to enhance the colour of your sapphires, and the etoile design is timeless and elegant.

 

[Enerchi]

ooooh!!! I like it!!! I love the colour and that they are princess - very unique!!

Just a random crazy thought --- if you can create a mock up , what about creating one where they are on-point/kite set... I'd just be curious to see how that would look!

Great idea - and what a great DH you have there !!! Kudo's to him!

 

[SB621]

Oh such a great idea! I have to say I really love the square shape of the sapphires for this project. How do you feel about doing them gypsy style but kite set? Just a thought....

I would probably also check with daniel M on etsy and IDJ. Maybe also white flash as their is no harm in asking for a quote.

Happy early birthday!

 

[minousbijoux]

I just LOVE these great DH threads! It amazes me that sometimes its the simple, unplanned kindnesses that have the most profound effect. What a generous and loving response from Mr. Freak! I agree that it sounds like you know exactly what you want, and it sounds stunning. Yay!!

 

[Rosebloom]

Ooo la la! I can't wait to see this one! Happy birthday!

 

[meredeth11]

How wonderful that your birthday are on Valentine!! Nice story shared with us!!
Can't wait to see the finished ones!

 

[JewelFreak]

Kite set, never thought of that. Great, Sarahbears & Enerchi! I didn't get the perspective quite right, but you get the idea:



I like them both. Been wondering if square stones in a roundish ring would look odd -- kite setting them might alleviate that a bit. It would also be more unique. I like the idea the more I think about it.

I'm going for 14K yellow gold. If I did rose gold, it would need to be 18K, too soft for everday wear, I'm afraid. All my other rings are yg anyway.

I want to wear it either alone or with other rings. Can't be too high for one w/a stone. I also have 2 diamond half-eternities & one emerald/diamond half-eternity that I could stack in various combinations with it.

They sure can surprise us, can't they? DH has no interest in jewels at all, not one single DNA strand of it. I am stunned at his sweetness with no "Are you crazy, when we have to do this & this to the house?" His passion is Maseratis; he's written 4 books on them & 2 on early racing, spends all his time emailing & phoning with old race drivers -- he must be grudgingly realizing that there are other interests, puzzling as that may be.

Thanks so much everybody for your suggestions & advice!

--- Laurie

 

[missy]

Oh Laurie, I think it is going to be just gorgeous!!
I love the color against the yellow gold. TDF!
And what a sweet dh you have!!!!! He's the real jewel as you know!

Happy early birthday!!!

 

[Enerchi]

I like it shown in the "on-point"/kite set way! When I was doing a lot of quilts, I'd change things from the standard face on view to the on-point, just because I wanted it to be different. The other advantage is that it will give the illusion of length - not sure that is a concern or not, but throwing it out there.

 

[Jereni]

That looks like it will be so cute!!! I like it kite set too

 

[VapidLapid]

Superfreaky!

If the ring has a round profile how deep will they need to be set? if kite oriented then they may need to be even deeper and have a high curved arc of metal at one point and barely any at another. draw a circle. draw a square in it with the points touching the inside of the circle.

My father did a Maserati book in the early 60's. Karl L_____sen had a gorgeous one.

 

[vickygigi]

If we are taking votes, I love those stones kite set. That suggestion was fantastic. The color in those sapphires is wonderful. Happy birthday!

 

[Lula]

I love the combination of the square stones in the rounded band.
Happy Birthday!

 

[chrono]

They look like twinkling stars when kite set.

 

[minousbijoux]

They look like twinkling stars when kite set.

This! Lovely!

 

[Enerchi]

They look like twinkling stars when kite set.

yup!! I like it that way too!!
And they do look like stars.
Looks very unique this way!

 

[JewelFreak]

Thank you for the feedback -- I've been on the fence about how square stones would look in a ring like that. So negative reactions will help if you have them too.

VL -- Been wondering whether I should have the ring made more square-ish myself. I was thinking about appearance but you're absolutely right about putting square stones into round rings. Luckily, I don't have the ring itself; this is a stock photo of an Etoile. The sapphires are so tiny -- not as big relative to the ring as in the photo so it may not be as big a problem, but I'll definitely mention to whomever makes it. Thanks for bringing that up.

BTW -- DH bought some photos from your father a zillion years ago & has 2 of his books. Your dad won the Cugnot Award for one of his books -- so did DH. DH's name is Willem O (you can't pronounce the rest -- Dutch name with multiple vowels). Distinguished character, your father, cool! Maybe he knows of Mr. Freak. I edit his copy & clean up musty old photos for his books -- demanded the ring in my avatar as payment for one.

Sorry for the digression, couldn't help it!

--- Laurie

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you for the feedback -- I've been on the fence about how square stones would look in a ring like that. So negative reactions will help if you have them too.

VL -- Been wondering whether I should have the ring made more square-ish myself. I was thinking about appearance but you're absolutely right about putting square stones into round rings. Luckily, I don't have the ring itself; this is a stock photo of an Etoile. The sapphires are so tiny -- not as big relative to the ring as in the photo so it may not be as big a problem, but I'll definitely mention to whomever makes it. Thanks for bringing that up.

BTW -- DH bought some photos from your father a zillion years ago & has 2 of his books. Your dad won the Cugnot Award for one of his books -- so did DH. DH's name is Willem O (you can't pronounce the rest -- Dutch name with multiple vowels). Distinguished character, your father, cool! Maybe he knows of Mr. Freak. I edit his copy & clean up musty old photos for his books -- demanded the ring in my avatar as payment for one.

Sorry for the digression, couldn't help it!

--- Laurie

I love when this happens - our world is so much smaller than we think. I am a true believer that the paths of good people are destined to cross. Not surprising that you, Laurie, and you, VL, have such a connection and I love it!!

 

[justginger]

What a lovely DH - isn't it wonderful when they just say, "Ok!"

I think these stones, kite set, are going to look like a million bucks. I can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[JewelFreak]

our world is so much smaller than we think. I am a true believer that the paths of good people are destined to cross. Not surprising that you, Laurie, and you, VL, have such a connection and I love it!!

Amazing isn't it, Minou? I'm sure among all of us, there are tons of other threads from one to another; we just aren't aware of them.

--- Laurie

 

[missy]

our world is so much smaller than we think. I am a true believer that the paths of good people are destined to cross. Not surprising that you, Laurie, and you, VL, have such a connection and I love it!!

Amazing isn't it, Minou? I'm sure among all of us, there are tons of other threads from one to another; we just aren't aware of them.

--- Laurie

Wow, I love that story Laurie. (It's freaky cool... haha). I wonder how many of us pass each other every week without even realizing it. It really is a small world with not that many degrees of separation.

 

[iLander]

our world is so much smaller than we think. I am a true believer that the paths of good people are destined to cross. Not surprising that you, Laurie, and you, VL, have such a connection and I love it!!

Amazing isn't it, Minou? I'm sure among all of us, there are tons of other threads from one to another; we just aren't aware of them.

--- Laurie

Wow, I love that story Laurie. (It's freaky cool... haha). I wonder how many of us pass each other every week without even realizing it. It really is a small world with not that many degrees of separation.

This is so true, Missy. I saw a couple of local ladies that looked to me like Pser's because of their jewelry; one had a strand of 14 mm pearls, opera length, and another had a doorknob OMC ring, about 10mm. I often wonder if they were members! This is not an area where that type of jewelry is the norm! Down here it's all white capris and pastel tops.

 

[iLander]

Laurie, this is awesome, very cool. I can't wait to see it!

I have to say, so many times I see projects here that --when all is said and done-- don't look all that "custom". I am happy to see something that I haven't seen a thousand times before! I think you'll be surprised how much presence the 2mm stones have in RL.

Did you print it out to size and "try it on"? I do that with my projects, and it's a rough guide, but everything looks "bigger" when it's shiny and sparkly.

I can't wait!

 

[iLander]

Thank you for the feedback -- I've been on the fence about how square stones would look in a ring like that. So negative reactions will help if you have them too.

VL -- Been wondering whether I should have the ring made more square-ish myself. I was thinking about appearance but you're absolutely right about putting square stones into round rings. Luckily, I don't have the ring itself; this is a stock photo of an Etoile. The sapphires are so tiny -- not as big relative to the ring as in the photo so it may not be as big a problem, but I'll definitely mention to whomever makes it. Thanks for bringing that up.

BTW -- DH bought some photos from your father a zillion years ago & has 2 of his books. Your dad won the Cugnot Award for one of his books -- so did DH. DH's name is Willem O (you can't pronounce the rest -- Dutch name with multiple vowels). Distinguished character, your father, cool! Maybe he knows of Mr. Freak. I edit his copy & clean up musty old photos for his books -- demanded the ring in my avatar as payment for one.

Sorry for the digression, couldn't help it!

--- Laurie

Kudos to both photographers who are actually making a living in the field! So much of the money was sucked out with the advent of stock photography.

 

[JewelFreak]

I am happy to see something that I haven't seen a thousand times before! I think you'll be surprised how much presence the 2mm stones have in RL.

Did you print it out to size and "try it on"? I do that with my projects, and it's a rough guide, but everything looks "bigger" when it's shiny and sparkly.

I can't wait!

Hey, thanks, iLander. Funny thing, I looked up the size of the diamonds on an etoile ring -- 2 mm. They're bezeled in wg to make them look bigger. Don't think that would look good w/princess cuts nor with sapphires, so I'll have them appear as is. It's so darned hard to get everything into the right size & perspective, I haven't printed out the ring, but it's a good idea -- worth a try. That ring is one of the very few Tiff mass market pieces I like -- one day it popped into my head that I could use the Montanas I've had sitting around forever. That got my engines revving.

Kudos to both photographers who are actually making a living in the field! So much of the money was sucked out with the advent of stock photography.

Actually they're both writers on racing & race cars. DH was a little kid during the period he writes about, so gathers vintage photos from old sports writers & photographers. VL's dad may have taken his own at the time, lucky fellow.

--- Laurie

 

[LD]

I am happy to see something that I haven't seen a thousand times before! I think you'll be surprised how much presence the 2mm stones have in RL.

Did you print it out to size and "try it on"? I do that with my projects, and it's a rough guide, but everything looks "bigger" when it's shiny and sparkly.

I can't wait!

Hey, thanks, iLander. Funny thing, I looked up the size of the diamonds on an etoile ring -- 2 mm. They're bezeled in wg to make them look bigger. Don't think that would look good w/princess cuts nor with sapphires, so I'll have them appear as is. It's so darned hard to get everything into the right size & perspective, I haven't printed out the ring, but it's a good idea -- worth a try. That ring is one of the very few Tiff mass market pieces I like -- one day it popped into my head that I could use the Montanas I've had sitting around forever. That got my engines revving.

Kudos to both photographers who are actually making a living in the field! So much of the money was sucked out with the advent of stock photography.

Actually they're both writers on racing & race cars. DH was a little kid during the period he writes about, so gathers vintage photos from old sports writers & photographers. VL's dad may have taken his own at the time, lucky fellow.

--- Laurie

This is really weird. My father was a racing driver (racing vintage cars) which was his career! It's a small world!

Laurie can I make a suggestion with your ring? Have you thought about randomly throwing them into the ring so they hit at all different angles? If you get some children's play-doh you could mess around and see if this looks good or not. Alternatively, if you only have enough for the top of the ring and not all around, how about having them kite set but then having the points touching on either side?

 

[royalstarrynight]

What a sweet DH!!

Adore the kite set too I think it's going to look great!

LD's idea is also pretty interesting...

 

[VapidLapid]

Of course!, I hadnt even thought how the scale would effect things. 2mm stones in a band with 30mm radius curvature one way and 9mm curvature the other will not be much of an issue.

The one perk of growing up in a car obsessed house was, one weekend in the mid 60s we had the Aston Martin DB5 from the movie. everything worked except the smoke screen and the guns. I remember I was particularly fond of the changing license plates