Need Opinions for a Wedding band for EC Sapphire

[swimmer]

Hello! Like so many readers, I have been lurking for months, but now I have a question that I figure you experts will be better able to answer than anyone else.

Here is my Ering, the lighting is terrible and the sapphire is really a silky blue ceylon, but you get the idea? EC sapphire, sticks out the sides, now what to do for a band?

This platinum Eband was made by Martin Flyer, but I don''t see online (and trust me, i have searched!) any matching bands for this setting. I don''t need anything flush...but it would be nice as a flat band with this is a lot of width to pull off.

My fiance wanted an ER that I could swim and row with, but I don''t dare, would you? And while I like a lot of diamonds (who doesn''t?), my sister''s prong set platinum eternity band bent so badly dancing at her wedding it had to be recreated. Also, I''m not so thrilled with how a smooth platinum band looks once it has been dinged up with regular wear and tear. I ADORE antique settings, but fear that they are too fragile! So, I want something sturdy, lovely, and I know you are the experts! I read your postings and am in awe of how organized and well read everyone is on the topics here!
So...What do you think? (I am so excited to be posting here!)

 

[Selkie]

Welcome to PS, you have a beautiful ring! More details, please! Do you have any side shots of it? How wide is it at the widest? It''s hard to tell exactly how far the sapphire sticks out on the sides. I''m not completely sure whether you''re looking for a plain, eternity, or antique-y band, since you mention all of them in your post, but I think any of them would look great.

Your e-ring has really clean, modern lines, so I could see it working really well with either a plain or engraved pipe-cut band (flat edged like your ring) or a band with scattered flush set diamonds (like the Tiffany Etoile).



I wear a 2.5mm flat w-band with my three-stone ring that is 6mm wide at the center sapphire tapering to 2mm on the bottom. The band doesn''t fit totally flush but the gaps are minimal, and the total width of 8.5mm is perfect for me. It''s not overwhelming at all, but I also wear a size 8.75. I definitely didn''t want an eternity band for everyday wear since I''m too tough on my hands. However, I also didn''t want a totally plain band so I ended up with a carved one. I''ve found that although my set gets dinged up, it polishes up quickly, and looks great for months afterwards. Also the carving hides scratches really well. I''ve attached a pic of my band:

 

[swimmer]

Thank you so much Selkie!
Your ring is so classic, I really love the design and detailed texture. Perhaps that is part of my difficulty, everyones'' looks so good, its hard to decide on what to wear for the rest of your life!
I will work on photos today, must charge the camera.
To get to the details, the sapphire is 8x6mm, and the band''s width is 3.25mm, so with the prongs, the EC sticks out 3mm in both directions, the baguettes are 4mm long so don''t stick out that much...but the prongs add on another mm. My finger is a size 6, but I''m 5''10 with weirdly long fingers (my sister nicely calls them talons), so I could carry off some width...but I''ve read people being concerned with bands not being flush...pinching? not sure.

Love in Bloom''s VC set is amazing and that isn''t flush which she said she got used to, but I''m wondering if people have purchased curved bands that are out there to go with bands they already have? (like Leigh Jay Nacht?) How to do that? VC makes a beautiful curved band, looks like it just grew out of a Victorian garden, but how to know if it would fit and is it mixing too many styles?

I do love the textury (not a word) bands like yours, the abrasions from life don''t show and so fun to play with!
Again, what to do when you like everything?
Thank you Selkie, and where is your boat pic from? Also very nice lines.
thank you!

 

[Selkie]

It sounds like your ring has a more squared-off profile rather than rounded, so a curved band might not be the best option either. I have seen bands that follow that sort of squared-off contour, I''ll see if I can find some examples. Your best bet would be to find a jeweler who does custom work.

A couple things about curved/fitted bands, which was an option I considered too: you would probably have to go to a jewelers to get the band custom fitted, and often they recommend that a curved band be soldered to the e-ring. I DEFINITELY didn''t want that, so I went with the straight band. I think the gap issue is more aesthetic than anything else. Some people don''t like seeing the space between their rings but it doesn''t bug me at all. There''s pics of my set together in this thread, you can see what I mean: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-antique-style-sapphire-and-diamond-wedding-set.63650/page-2.

Thanks for the compliments on my ring! I adore it. My set is from Cross Jewelers in Portland, ME, which you might want to check out. They have many different styles of bands, curved and straight, and they even have some Van Craeynest rings (my second choice wedding set was a VC that they carry). Here''s some of their wedding bands: Cross wedding bands. There''s a version of mine with tiny bead-set diamonds, I''m keeping it in mind for the future!

I saw your other post in the Show me the ring forum-do you live in or near Boston? I''m from Mass. originally and I was a rower too, in college. The boat in my icon is the Thomas E. Lannon, which is a charter schooner in Gloucester MA. We had our wedding reception aboard her.

 

[Selkie]

This is sort of what I meant about a squared-off band, only yours would obviously have to have a larger notch. Do you know where your fiance got the ring? What about going back there to see if they could fit something for you?

 

[Skippy123]

I don''t have any advice on a band but I do love that ring! Beautiful!

 

[Elmorton]

I looooove your E-ring. If I had your set, I think I''d go for a channel-set half eternity with baguettes, maybe 2.5 mm wide? I would think that would be sturdy enough for your active lifestyle, but if you don''t want to go the diamond band route, I love Selkie''s antique band and think that would be a very classic and beautiful look as well. I definitely understand your plight... I chose a sturdy e-ring and then a delicate wedding band - I love my set, but it certainly wasn''t a practical decision! For Xmas, I think DH is getting me a milgrain band to match his. Ooooh, a thin milgrain band would be gorgeous with your setting, too, for that matter!

 

[swimmer]

Thank you Selkie, Skippy, and Elmorton!
OK, here are some pictures, its has finally been sunny in Boston (yes Selkie, I was a Jumbo how about you?) I''m currently leaning towards a squarish milgrain band that won''t be flush, but mostly having taken these pictures I see that the ring needs to be cleaned. I like to store soap in there and is that sweatshirt fuzz I see? And lotion would have been a great idea oh well, you won''t judge, but you will see these mo-hunkers of prongs. Dear lord, they are sturdy, but they really dictate that nothing delicate be next to them or I''ll start small fires from the friction.

 

[swimmer]

just can''t figure out how to attach more than one pic at a time!

 

[swimmer]

 

[swimmer]

I''ve learned how to shrink jpgs!

 

[swimmer]

last one...monster prongs and my nasty thumbnail.

Again, thank you so much for your thoughts and comments!

 

[Selkie]

Wow, it looks enormous on your hand! That''s serious finger coverage, and again, what a gorgeous sapphire. I can see better the difficulty in fitting a wedding band to it but I don''t think it''s impossible. I think a simple milgrain band would look great. A lot of people recommend the Facets collection: Comfort Fit wedding bands.

BTW, I rowed at Williams for a year (early 90''s). Small world.

 

[swimmer]

Thanks Selkie!
I think that is what i''m going to do, milgrain, but next weekend will be in nyc so can visit my FI''s family jeweler (birthplace of the er). Though overstock.com has gotten me thinking about some cheap platinum tacori bands with engraving. At least I have learned from PS that you are never stuck with something forever...
Um, yeah, and I went to college in the early-mid 90s, even visited Williams and stayed with rowers for a particularly insane recruitment weekend. You guys were nuts. I will never forget it, but am sure everyone else did.
thank you so much sapphire sister!

 

[swimmer]

Thanks Selkie!
I think that is what i''m going to do, milgrain, but next weekend will be in nyc so can visit my FI''s family jeweler (birthplace of the er). Though overstock.com has gotten me thinking about some cheap platinum tacori bands with engraving. At least I have learned from PS that you are never stuck with something forever...
Um, yeah, and I went to college in the early-mid 90s, even visited Williams and stayed with rowers for a particularly insane recruitment weekend. You guys were nuts. I will never forget it, but am sure everyone else did.
thank you so much sapphire sister!

 

[Selkie]

Date: 11/28/2007 7:36:07 AM
Author: swimmer
Thanks Selkie!

I think that is what i''m going to do, milgrain, but next weekend will be in nyc so can visit my FI''s family jeweler (birthplace of the er). Though overstock.com has gotten me thinking about some cheap platinum tacori bands with engraving. At least I have learned from PS that you are never stuck with something forever...

Um, yeah, and I went to college in the early-mid 90s, even visited Williams and stayed with rowers for a particularly insane recruitment weekend. You guys were nuts. I will never forget it, but am sure everyone else did.

thank you so much sapphire sister!

Crazy! I''m sure you met some of the people I rowed with, then. Good times, good times.
Have fun looking in NYC for a ring. Overstock might not be a bad place, actually. I''ve eyed their Tacori bands several times.

If the thought of meeting a bunch of random women with severe jewelry addictions doesn''t freak you out, there''s a "Pricescope get-together" being organized in Newburyport over the Christmas break. Basically a bunch of us meet up for lunch and window shopping (even some real shopping!). Details are here, if you''re interested:
Boston area GTG

 

[Selkie]

Hey Swimmer, did you have any luck finding a band in NYC? Too bad you won''t be able to make it to Newburyport, good luck with the wedding planning!

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

That''s essentially the same setting as my emerald cut. I have a channel set baguette band. I could take a pic of them together for you if you are interested in that look.

Or there is this look:

It''s channel set square cut sapphires with pave diamonds on the sides. I don''t recommend the diamonds on the sides though - they will scratch up the band.

Just some ideas if you want to go with something other than an all metal band.

 

[swimmer]

Selkie,
No, I didn''t get to go! it snowed and apparently folks on the Pike forgot how to drive in an icy slush. We were on the Chinatown bus for 8 hours!!!! Times like that you really learn about your partner...and all interest in shopping was killed. I did however swing by Shreve''s when in Boston...wowzah they had some awesome sapphires. For a cool 35k! I still don''t know what I want, but my sweet honey picked out exactly the same ring that my father was married with...and only wore the day of the wedding. Dad claims that building wooden boats is not conducive to wearing metal traps on his fingers. Since dad and mom seem happily married I won''t delve into the "traps" comment, but mom was super excited to give us a wedding band for FH. So, one band checked off the list.


LadyAmethyst, that is such an awesome combo! I also have to say your contributions to the Royal Jewels thread are just outstanding. I thought of you a few days ago when NPR said that the most downloaded mobile phone ringtone in Spain is the King saying "Just Shut Up!" Perhaps indicating that Juan Carlos is very popular right now, or at least his standing up to Chavez is. Thank you for posting your photo. I have totally been eyeing squarecut sapphires in a channel setting...am unsure if it looks better with millgrain, with alternating diamonds, or if i want to just get something crazy and move the ering to my right hand. How can a person be so indecisive? I have now been looking for a wedding band for longer than it took me to know that I was going to marry my FH. Your band combo looks so nice, I really like the proportions together and good info about the pave. If you have a photo of your other channel set band, I would appreciate seeing it (and am sure others would as well!) Its so hard to visualize what things will look like on, but I don''t want to trouble you.

Mmmmm, the more I look, the more gorgeous things I see. Reading PS has been a real education, and I''m sorry to miss the get-together in NH! Now I''m off to troll the web for ring pics...its becoming an addiction!

Thank you both so much for you help!

 

[Selkie]

Date: 12/11/2007 7:07:51 PM
Author: swimmer
Selkie,

No, I didn''t get to go! it snowed and apparently folks on the Pike forgot how to drive in an icy slush. We were on the Chinatown bus for 8 hours!!!! Times like that you really learn about your partner...and all interest in shopping was killed. I did however swing by Shreve''s when in Boston...wowzah they had some awesome sapphires. For a cool 35k! I still don''t know what I want, but my sweet honey picked out exactly the same ring that my father was married with...and only wore the day of the wedding. Dad claims that building wooden boats is not conducive to wearing metal traps on his fingers. Since dad and mom seem happily married I won''t delve into the ''traps'' comment, but mom was super excited to give us a wedding band for FH. So, one band checked off the list.


Thank you both so much for you help!

You''re welcome! Sorry your shopping didn''t go as planned. As for being indecisive, it took me over 4 months to decide on my engagement ring, if that makes you feel any better. Although I really loved the process, there were times when I growled at DH that he just should have sucked it up, been traditional, and chosen for me

. I love LadyAmy''s princess sapphire band, yum, and second the motion for her posting the other one!

And, DUDE, your dad builds wooden boats? He''s somewhere in the south, right? DH and I bonded over (among other things) our mutual love of wooden boats. He''s planning to build a skiff in our garage, and is also a rigger. He''s already managed to misplace (I''m still refusing to say "lose") his 5 month old wedding band because he keeps taking it off to mess about in boats.

 

[swimmer]

Selkie!
You remember "Wind in the Willows!" "There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of ''em, it doesn''t matter..." That is the best quote and a great magazine too, do you get it? We have so many wooden boat magazines, flyers, etc around our apt and my folks'' house: mom calls it "boat ****." The Wooden Boat Forum is chock full of these guys, do you know it? like a PS for wooden boat geeks. Did you get your DH the Wooden Boat magazine''s calendar for the holidays? Just a thought. Yep, my dad builds boats on the Cape and down in Tennessee depending on the season. Just be careful, mom''s rule was always that he could only have 5 boats at any one time in the backyard; don''t think they have ever had cars in the garage. Just make sure that you are ok with that sort of lifestyle, only getting pets that can swim, eating dinner and realizing that there is sawdust in it, stuff like that (I caught the bug, but my sisters, not so much). Maybe in CA you don''t need a garage and a skiff shouldn''t take that much space, but remember that boat-building is a serious disease! Though there are the cutest plans on WBM for a baby cradle dinghy or dory... OH! did you do Williams'' semester at Mystic and on a tall ship?

That must be upsetting that your DH''s band has been misplaced, it will surely turn up somewhere unexpected (he put it there to be safe!) and how pleasing will that be? Anyway, I can see why you had a nautical themed wedding! I want to figure out the logistics for us to sail away after our ceremony and then come right back; its on the river, super choppy and I''m not sure about watching garbage barges go by and then coming back moist and smelly...might not happen!
Enjoy the day and thanks for making me think about Ratty and the boys!

 

[Selkie]

OK, Swimmer, were we separated at birth??

. We *so* have to meet sometime when I''m in Mass. Yes, I did Williams-Mystic! Did you, too? We get Wooden Boat, Messing about..., Traditional boats and tall ships (UK version of WB), pretty much any nautical rag out there. We honeymooned on one of the Camden, Maine schooners (and visited the Wooden Boat campus in Brooklin, while we were at it). And I''m well aware of the boat-building disease. DH actually HAS a cradle boat kit sitting out in the garage. The original intended recipient is now 8 years old, I believe

. There is NO hope of ever putting a car there, especially once he starts the skiff. My dad has offered his backyard for him to build a larger boat someday. We''ve talked about someday building or buying our own schooner, either for ourselves or for a charter business (though that''s a tough gig). So, yeah. We''ve got the bug, bad. Him more than me, at least when it comes to actually doing the building, but I''m a total enabler.

He thinks the cat might have knocked his ring off the bedside table and under the bed, but it still hasn''t turned up.

It will most likely turn up the day after we buy a replacement for it, that''s how these things seem to go.

So tell me more about your wedding! When and where is it? That would be so cool, to take off in a dinghy after or something.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 12/12/2007 2:59:55 PM
Author: Selkie
OK, Swimmer, were we separated at birth??

. We *so* have to meet sometime when I'm in Mass. Yes, I did Williams-Mystic! Did you, too? We get Wooden Boat, Messing about..., Traditional boats and tall ships (UK version of WB), pretty much any nautical rag out there. We honeymooned on one of the Camden, Maine schooners (and visited the Wooden Boat campus in Brooklin, while we were at it). And I'm well aware of the boat-building disease. DH actually HAS a cradle boat kit sitting out in the garage. The original intended recipient is now 8 years old, I believe

. There is NO hope of ever putting a car there, especially once he starts the skiff. My dad has offered his backyard for him to build a larger boat someday. We've talked about someday building or buying our own schooner, either for ourselves or for a charter business (though that's a tough gig). So, yeah. We've got the bug, bad. Him more than me, at least when it comes to actually doing the building, but I'm a total enabler.

He thinks the cat might have knocked his ring off the bedside table and under the bed, but it still hasn't turned up.

It will most likely turn up the day after we buy a replacement for it, that's how these things seem to go.

So tell me more about your wedding! When and where is it? That would be so cool, to take off in a dinghy after or something.

Lol, my whole family (except me) are nuts about boats!

My great-grandfather was quite a famous classic wooden boat designer - Thomas Harrison-Butler - there are normally a load of his boats in the UK Classic Boats and in Traditional Boats.

My father rebuilt a wooden boat (34ft HB Cutter) a few years back - it took forever - they wanted to sail her to Brest for the Classic Boat Festival, but there was a Force 10 gale blowing and they had to turn back. My mother says it was the most frightening moments in her life.

My uncle has an Ajax which he races a lot - and we all grew up messing about in Mirrors, Toppers etc. I used to race a bit - but then stopped sailing much. I prefer looking at them on land!

 

[swimmer]

Oh wow, Pandora and Selkie! OK, I was crew off and on for a couple of tall ships like the Westward, where I met all the folks from Williams, but I wasn''t one of them sadly. Much younger than me crowd, doing cool stuff. Selkie, was Glenn in charge of your group? do you know Hamilton and Deidre...? the world is such a small place! . Pandora, you are indeed design royalty. Among other random things, my dad redid an English 14 which I raced when younger...your poor mom!

Green thinking about it! I have tried to get away Pandora and some harrowing experiences with being crew on tall ships have me ok about being in dry-dock for now...The sea is a mighty thing, but nothing is more beautiful and so FI and I are crew for a bit this spring on a friend''s crew in Belize. But I''m not sure if I can do another Bermuda race season or anything like that. Yes, running a charter would be a risky proposition, but there are always fools like those kids from Williams-Mystic who will work for nada but the joy of the open sea. Now I''m getting all nostalgic, but thinking of cold night watches ends that! And this nonsense with pirates! Selkie where did you go on your voyage with W-M?

Ah, blame it on the cat! An interesting tactic. So fantastic that he already has a cradle kit, what a man you have Selkie!

Well, the wedding is in a garden on the water, but its sorta busy and a totally unprotected spot even if on a mooring. My folks used to have the cutest sailing dinghy from Nova Scotia (w/ oarlocks) that was pink! FI and I could have rowed away from the ceremony if the wind was iffy...hm, well he will be my husband after the ceremony come to think of it. But mom pointed out that the dogs will want to come...it will be insane no matter what we do. Sorta like the wedding band, I''m focusing on little details because the larger picture is not yet clear!
Great to hear from you

 

[swimmer]

Selkie, bet you don''t miss the Boston area today! Another snowstorm! Thank goodness I have 30+ more pages of celebrity rings to peruse since its too miserable to do much of anything. Yes, we must get together when you are in the area. You are too sweet.

 

[Selkie]

Date: 12/16/2007 10:31:06 AM
Author: swimmer
Selkie, bet you don''t miss the Boston area today! Another snowstorm! Thank goodness I have 30+ more pages of celebrity rings to peruse since its too miserable to do much of anything. Yes, we must get together when you are in the area. You are too sweet.

I actually do miss snow a bit! This Christmas will be my husband''s first New England winter experience, so I''m actually hoping it''s white one. I''ve gotten SO soft living in LA though, that 60 degrees seems cold to me. Pathetic.

My Westward trip was from Miami to the Bahamas, and it was seriously life-changing. I ended up deciding to go to grad school in marine science because of it. Glenn didn''t go on our trip, but he was teaching at Mystic when I was there. I was crew on a couple of ships since then, and DH helped re-rig the brigantine Irving Johnson after it ran aground in 2005 (speaking of traumatic sailing experiences). I tried racing (mainly wet Wednesday stuff), but decided it wasn''t for me pretty quickly, I''m much more into the leisurely crusing aspect. I''d still like to try a Newport-Bermuda race MAYBE at some point though. Crewing in Belize sounds AMAZING!

Your wedding sounds really nice! Do you check out the Bride Worldwide forum here at all? I found it pretty helpful (and entertaining) when I was planning.

Well, stay warm and enjoy the celebrity jewels!

 

[swimmer]

Hi Selkie,
Well, it looks like you will get your wish, it is supposed to snow in NH over xmass. How long will you be in town? Oh I love the Westward! Was only on her for a few weeks, but so insanely easy to sail, especially with teenagers as crew. I''m so impressed with your husband being involved in the rigging of the Irving Johnson; those pictures of her aground were just unbelievable. And think, its been a year since that poor young woman was washed off the Barque Picton Castle. What was it again that pulls folks towards the sea... Anyway, pack a jacket! Or hope your folks still have your LLBean stuff around, (yeah, why would you even have goose down in LA?) its darn cold and blustery here. Very authentic NE. I''m not sure if its a winter wonderland after all the rain and here in the city brown slush.

On a happier topic, in terms of wedding bands, I think I found a thin platinum diamond .5 eternity, just have to figure out if it will be sturdy enough. But sweet honey just told me that I''m not allowed to wear my Ering to China this spring (work trip), so I''m hoping to get a rolling band so my finger won''t feel naked. And you are correct, BWW is very entertaining! Have a great day!

 

[Selkie]

Congrats on finding the band! Sounds great, and so does the rolling ring idea. There''s entire threads devoted to them around here, if you''re looking for ideas!

We''ll be in Mass. from 12/23-12/31. Should be plenty of time to get thoroughly sick of winter

! The past several holidays I spent in MA, we had no or very little snow, this season will be a big change.

I''m so glad Ocean Classroom took the Westward on after SEA retired her. I''ve seen the new SEA boat (Robert E. Siemens) out here in Cali a couple of times, and I LOVE the way it''s set up, but she still doesn''t have that nice yachty feel that Westward did. A good friend of ours was captain of the Irving when it ran aground. He wasn''t actually onboard at the time (relief captain was driving), thank god, but he was there on the scene within hours and pretty much stayed on the beach for the next three days before they pulled her off. We were all so worried. They were SOOO lucky no one was seriously hurt. But, she''s good as new again and sailing well. We had an informal post-wedding reception for our local friends onboard. There was also the thing with Pride of Baltimore 2 losing her bowsprit and masts, that was scary!

Anyway, have a good one!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Swimmer, I loooove your ring!!

I love coloured stones for e-rings, more people should do it for sure. Can you post a picture of your e-ring with your w-band? I''d love to see how it looks together.

Wanna hear something funny? I have the same e-ring as you

, with slightly different proportions of the stones: My center stone is an .93ct EC sapphire and the side EC diamonds are each about .48. The ring is an upgrade from my original e-ring, which was just the sapphire. I haven''t seen the finished product yet, pretty sure the hubby will give it to me at Christmas, but seeing yours makes me pretty confident it will be beautiful since yours is so stunning!

 

[swimmer]

Oh Daschie you are too sweet, (and your pup is insanely cute!)
You will love your new setting, sapphires make the diamonds sparkle and the diamonds just light up the darkness. People stop me on the train daily to ask about my ring, which is nice since i sorta had some diamond envy after lurking on PS. There is much to be said for having something unique. Wear your new setting in health! I wish I knew what my band will look like together! wonder if i''ll get to see the band before we get married. I envy the ladies here who get to pick their rings out, but surprises are nice...


Selkie! we will be like ships in the night flying in and out of NE on exactly the same days (i will try to spot your e-ring when sitting around in logan), have a great holiday and enjoy sharing the winter wonderland with your DH.