Need Help with Fun Project to Make Two Rings From One...

[jbell14]

Hi All,

While I haven’t ever had a chance to post, I’ve relied on the expert opinions and eye candy on PS for quite some time now. I’m at my wits end trying to figure out my next project and am hoping for some expertise from the colored stone lovers on here.

Short story, since the pandemic is preventing us from traveling for our upcoming 10 yr wedding anniversary, my husband gave me the green light to have two rings made from a three stone ring I had made a few years back from family stones.

Specs on my three stone (photo below) are a 2.19 RB center and two .6 each RB sides.

I’d like to break it down and have two three stone rings made, one with a CS (emerald or sapphire only) center and the two .6 sides, and the second with my 2.19 diamond center and two CS sides, again emerald or sapphire only. So one ring would be with sapphire addition and the other emerald. I have a great local craftsman jeweler who has done all my pieces and knows my likes/dislikes.

I‘m having a heck of a time figuring out which setup to do with each ring. I’m looking for a 2-3 ct CS center stone, and love the look of an emerald center, but seems like I can get more bang for my buck if I do a sapphire center. Also, I’ve seen so much about fragility of emerald center stone rings, and I want to wear this frequently (with three kiddos under 9!)

That said, I’ve yet to see a RB diamond center with emerald sides that wows me. I have two CS rings with diamond halos (see pic) so want to avoid that style. I wear a size 8, so I like coverage as well. I dropped an 9x6 lab emerald on to see how it might look (picture below).

Budget for new center stone is 2,500 or less. Only want a natural stone and I care most about color and light reflection. My diamond isn’t perfect, but has family meaning. These rings will ultimately be worn on right hand with my solitaire on left.

CreatIve CS PSers....please please help! Under this post I’ll post some inspiration photos. Thank you!!!

 

[jbell14]

And here are my inspiration pictures, knowing proportions and budget may be off.

 

[meely]

Such an exciting project! I agree with your thought, a large sapphire will be more durable than an emerald, more readily available and more affordable. There is a thread at the moment with someone seeking a sapphire at a similar budget. No expert but I like this one, I would have been interested in this if it had been available when I was doing my sapphire ring. https://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=11646

 

[meely]

Couple of inspiration pics of a diamond with emerald sides, not necessarily your style but it is hard to find examples of!

 

[jbell14]

Ooooh! Thank you Meely! Judging by your Avatar, I can see you are an emerald fan as well-- it's a beauty! Would love to see your sapphire too?

Thank you for both the advice and the photos. As I see the emerald side stones above, I'm liking them and agree that I can find higher quality smaller emeralds.

The flash in the sapphire you linked to is lovely! What a color. Am adding that one to my bookmarks. I keep going back to an emerald-cut center, but all these ovals and cushion center sapphires may be a game changer.

 

[AnastasiaBeaverhausen]

Maybe a sapphire for the center of 1 ring and emeralds as sides for the other? That way it may be less expensive to find a pair of smaller emeralds (than 1 large center), and it might be easier to replace/remount if one ever gets damaged?

 

[meely]

Ooooh! Thank you Meely! Judging by your Avatar, I can see you are an emerald fan as well-- it's a beauty! Would love to see your sapphire too?

Thank you for both the advice and the photos. As I see the emerald side stones above, I'm liking them and agree that I can find higher quality smaller emeralds.

The flash in the sapphire you linked to is lovely! What a color. Am adding that one to my bookmarks. I keep going back to an emerald-cut center, but all these ovals and cushion center sapphires may be a game changer.

Thank you for the compliment and here is the thread for my sapphire. https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/blue-sapphire-art-nouveau-style-wreath-ring.242836/

There is an active thread for blue sapphires at the moment that you may be interested in if you haven’t already seen it.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-blue-sapphire-rings-ps-addition.263598/

I do not think emerald cut sapphires are as common as cushions or ovals, but I am no expert. When you have made up your mind exactly what you want to do there are some really knowledgeable folks on this forum who may be able to suggest some stones.

I love diamonds with emerald sides, absolute dream combo for me. Here are some pairs to give you an idea of cost. https://www.africagems.com/emerald-matched-pair.html?page=0&s=newest

 

[Dee*Jay]

I'm not sure if you would like either of these, but Ivy and Rose has two emerald cut sapphires:

3.66 for $2,450. This one is unheated. I find the color on this very interesting, but it's not the traditional blue blue. https://ivyandrose.com/products/3-6...hire-gray-blue-emerald-cut-natural-teal-loose

3.16 for $1,991. This one heated. https://ivyandrose.com/products/3-1...ue-sapphire-emerald-cut-loose-natural-3-carat

For ovals, there are three in your budget (all heated):

2.92 for $2,195 https://ivyandrose.com/products/3ct...ion-cut-royal-blue-natural-loose-3-carat-oval. I like this one the best of these three.

3.55 for $2,050 https://ivyandrose.com/products/3-5...hire-oval-cut-natural-loose-pendant-3-5-carat

2.43 for $1,195 https://ivyandrose.com/products/2-5...hire-oval-cut-natural-loose-pendant-2-5-carat

I don't normally know this much about any one vendor's inventory but since I just bought a sapphire from Ivy and Rose I spent an ungodly amount of time on their site looking at all the loose stones recetnly, LOL.

Sapphire is probably your better bet for durability, but if you do want to go with an emerald Ilya has two that aren't posted on his site yet, and one is in your budget (2.18 ct for $1,800 -- please don't quote me on those exact specs for size and price because I'm going from memory). That 2.18 is off at GIA right now but should be back soon. For some reason I didn't get a picture of it when I was there last week, but it's a very pretty stone.

 

[LilAlex]

Agree with sapphire.

Someone will shoot me but I'm not a fan of round brilliants flanking a geometric cut (Asscher, emerald-cut, octagon, radiant) centerpiece. And I don't love how they tend to tilt out. I prefer the side stones to evoke or echo the center stone -- or sometimes contrast. So Cadillacs or trilliants or emerald-cuts flanking an emerald cut, etc.

I also notice (and like) the new trend for sensational but modest-sized center stones (think round or oval untreated emerald or Kashmir sapphire) to be flanked by same-sized RBC diamonds. Seems to send the message that whatever is in the middle must be amazing. Come to think of it, I have seen that on antique rings, too.

 

[jbell14]

Just want to thank everyone for their thoughtful input on this.

Dee*Jay, I too had been looking at I&R and have ordered settings from them before and been impressed with their customer service. I went ahead and ordered the 3.16 emerald cut and the 3.55 oval. She sent a great video and I'll send one back.

LilAlex, I've seen this too! I wish my sides were larger, but these were my old stud earrings, so I'm limited to their size on my size 8 fingers. Alas!

Just posted another thread with still shots from her video of the two sapphires I'm being sent to check out.