Please Help Me Find an Aquamarine

[MikeyTown]

I heard back from both David and Adiamor today. I was surprised by the wonderfully quick responses from both parties.

The pricing was pretty much exactly the same, but it seems that I'll be getting a bit more from David. He is able to give me a smaller tolerance range on the diamonds used (all will be G in color and VS clarity). His ring design also has an additional decor element on the sides of the mounting, which we really like. We are keeping things pretty simple, but having all of the custom options available is really nice.

All in all, the attention to detail in David's work (that I've seen) is top notch and I look forward to working with him on this project.

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

I'm really happy for you and I think you will love the finished ring from David !!!
He is great and I just know you and your lady will be delighted, CAN'T WAIT to see it !!!

 

[Acinom]

That's great news! You will enjoy working with David on this project. He is a pleasure to work with and is very creative. I love his work. Please keep us updated on the progress

 

[Niel]

Awesome! Glad it was in budget. Keep us up to date either with cads (if you want a second set of eyes) or with the finished product!

Exciting.

 

[MikeyTown]

Just wanted to keep this thread updated with the progress...

I received the first structural drawings from David yesterday. So far, it's exactly what we pictured. This ring will have French Pave diamonds (VS clarity and G color) around the halo, and 3/4 of the way down the shank.

From here, I asked him if he could curve the struts a bit, to give them a more delicate look, and to angle the halo down enough so you get a nice view of the diamonds from the side, as well as the top (I'm sure he already did this, but it's hard for me to picture it at this point, since the drawing is strictly structural). He is also going to add a couple scrolls to either side of the gallery where we will set a few more diamonds, or maybe mix in a couple more aquas.

Comments and/or suggestions are always welcome. Though we have a pretty good handle on what we are looking for in a setting, I always appreciate the feedback and enjoy hearing what you all have to say.


Cheers,

Mike

 

[Niel]

The splits need to have more of a curve to them,I would show him this picture to have him adjust it



I would ask for the stone girdle to be at the same level as the halo, and have the angle of the halo tilted slightly, if possible.
And I agree the struts could be curved like in the picture I am posting below. The lines are to indicate the issue points, your cad vs how we want the cad to look

 

[MikeyTown]

Thanks a ton, Niel!

I really appreciate you lending the discerning eye that I lack, when it comes to these things.

 

[Niel]

Thanks a ton, Niel!

I really appreciate you lending the discerning eye that I lack, when it comes to these things.

Happy to help

It always nice to get a lot of eyes on these things. That way, even if you dont take the advise, you get a lot of people reviewing it.

This is going to be a lovely lovely ring!

 

[chrono]

Second the changes Niel suggested; it adds elegance and sitting the stone a bit lower also helps protect it better.

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow! Based on Niel's comments I feel I have so much to learn about setting stones. I will definitely come to you all for help if and when I do a bespoke setting!

 

[MikeyTown]

Hi all,

I received some updated CADs from David last night, and I'm liking the changes very much.

- The struts have been replaced with scrolls in the gallery, with a setting for a surprise stone (probably an aqua).
- The split in the shank has been widened and looks much better (thanks to Neil)
- David recommended that we do not tilt the halo any further. Because the diamonds will be set in a French pave, we should have a good side view of the stones. Additionally, we are trying to match the look of the inspiration ring (the Ritani posted on page 1), so I'm going to take his recommendation here.
- The center stone is set a bit lower and the girdle will be even with the halo when set. I'm on the fence about this one. I know that this will protect it better, but raising the center stone back up to where it was might give a better view of the stone... especially because we will not be tilting the halo any further. I'd like to hear your comments on this.

More exciting news... I received updated tracking information on the aqua, and it should be here today! I wasn't expecting it until the 24th, so that's pretty awesome. I'll drop it off to David as soon as we finalize the CADs. I can't wait to see some CADs that show the stones on the ring, as well.


Cheers,

Mike

 

[Niel]

great to see it making progress!

I have a few minor things.

As for the angle of the halo; if it can't be angled then it can't be angled. I think it'll still be lovely.

The placement of the stone; I Luke this version better. I get your concern of wanting to see the stone, but the little bit extra of the stone in my opinion doesn't make it worth it. It'll be better protected, which I wouldn't discount, particularly for a daily wear aqua. Also, it really does take away from the "perfect fit" custom fit look you get by having it fit tightly against the halo itself. I really think it'll look more lux this way.

The only think I wanted to point out in regards to the new design is the new gallery, the curly bit under the bottom..... So imagine looking at it from the aide view, like the bottom right photo- because the curly bit is in the center of the halo, when you look through the split in the shank, you will see that bit of metal under the stone.

So, to put it on other way, compare the struts from the original CADS. The came from the center out toward the top and bottom parts of the halo. These do not. The come from the center and stay in the center. There is nothing going outward toward the corner of the halo like the original CAD. I might prefer the first cad because I dont think I'd want to see metal though the split in the shank

Also, though he's probably planning to anyways, make sure to mention you want pointy single claw prongs.

 

[MikeyTown]

great to see it making progress!

I have a few minor things.

As for the angle of the halo; if it can't be angled then it can't be angled. I think it'll still be lovely.

The placement of the stone; I Luke this version better. I get your concern of wanting to see the stone, but the little bit extra of the stone in my opinion doesn't make it worth it. It'll be better protected, which I wouldn't discount, particularly for a daily wear aqua. Also, it really does take away from the "perfect fit" custom fit look you get by having it fit tightly against the halo itself. I really think it'll look more lux this way.

The only think I wanted to point out in regards to the new design is the new gallery, the curly bit under the bottom..... So imagine looking at it from the aide view, like the bottom right photo- because the curly bit is in the center of the halo, when you look through the split in the shank, you will see that bit of metal under the stone.

So, to put it on other way, compare the struts from the original CADS. The came from the center out toward the top and bottom parts of the halo. These do not. The come from the center and stay in the center. There is nothing going outward toward the corner of the halo like the original CAD. I might prefer the first cad because I dont think I'd want to see metal though the split in the shank

Also, though he's probably planning to anyways, make sure to mention you want pointy single claw prongs.

Thanks again for the great feedback, Niel!

As it pertains to the height of the stone, David said that he would adjust it further after having the stone in hand. He said that it might vary, based on the thickness of the girdle, but he ensured that it would be fitted perfectly. He's probably seeing eye-to-eye with your opinion on this, so I'll trust you guys.

As for the gallery, I don't mind seeing the metal through the split all that much... Mainly because the scrolls give the ring a bit of a classic look, which is important to her, so I feel it's a fair tradeoff.

Much appreciated on the comment regarding the prongs. I will be sure to mention that.

The aqua has officially been delivered to my house. I can't wait to get home to see it. I'll try to take some of my own photos of it tonight.


Cheers,

Mike

 

[Niel]

great to see it making progress!

I have a few minor things.

As for the angle of the halo; if it can't be angled then it can't be angled. I think it'll still be lovely.

The placement of the stone; I Luke this version better. I get your concern of wanting to see the stone, but the little bit extra of the stone in my opinion doesn't make it worth it. It'll be better protected, which I wouldn't discount, particularly for a daily wear aqua. Also, it really does take away from the "perfect fit" custom fit look you get by having it fit tightly against the halo itself. I really think it'll look more lux this way.

The only think I wanted to point out in regards to the new design is the new gallery, the curly bit under the bottom..... So imagine looking at it from the aide view, like the bottom right photo- because the curly bit is in the center of the halo, when you look through the split in the shank, you will see that bit of metal under the stone.

So, to put it on other way, compare the struts from the original CADS. The came from the center out toward the top and bottom parts of the halo. These do not. The come from the center and stay in the center. There is nothing going outward toward the corner of the halo like the original CAD. I might prefer the first cad because I dont think I'd want to see metal though the split in the shank

Also, though he's probably planning to anyways, make sure to mention you want pointy single claw prongs.

Thanks again for the great feedback, Niel!

As it pertains to the height of the stone, David said that he would adjust it further after having the stone in hand. He said that it might vary, based on the thickness of the girdle, but he ensured that it would be fitted perfectly. He's probably seeing eye-to-eye with your opinion on this, so I'll trust you guys.

As for the gallery, I don't mind seeing the metal through the split all that much... Mainly because the scrolls give the ring a bit of a classic look, which is important to her, so I feel it's a fair tradeoff.

Much appreciated on the comment regarding the prongs. I will be sure to mention that.

The aqua has officially been delivered to my house. I can't wait to get home to see it. I'll try to take some of my own photos of it tonight.


Cheers,

Mike

Ok, well good. Like I said you dont have to take my advise. If you like the gallery that way, then you should leave it. It'll still be lovely.

I'm excited for you. Your stone is already here, and he's very fast, you could very well be proposing by the 4th of July!

 

[MikeyTown]

Well... I tried to get some photos of the aqua last night, to no avail. I don't usually photograph jewelry, so I don't have the proper equipment at the moment (i.e. a decent macro lens). I might try something else with a longer range zoom, and a lighting setup, but the "street photography" setup just wasn't doing it any kind of justice. When the ring is finished, I'll probably rent some equipment and get some really nice shots of the final result.

That said, we opened up the package and she was VERY happy with the stone! It's a pale blue (which she prefers to the brighter, more saturated blues) and she said: "It sparkles more, and is much prettier than I expected. I'm really impressed."

So, thanks Jeff... you're the best! At the price he charged me for this stone, and what he delivered, I kind of feel like it's stolen.

I'm going to meet David in person, and drop off the stone to him, on Saturday. He's been so great, via email, through this process and I'm looking forward to meeting him.


Cheers,

Mike

 

[Arcadian]

Looking forward to see it set!

 

[Acinom]

Looking forward to see you pics of the stone and the end result.
It's great that you will meet David in person!!

 

[Niel]

Any news?

 

[MikeyTown]

Any news?

David said that the ring was cast, would be set as soon as last Friday, and that he would send some photos as soon as he could.

I haven't received anything yet, but am anticipating some really good stuff, including a change to the gallery that I didn't post about.

If I don't hear anything today, I'll probably send a follow up email tomorrow to see where things stand.


To be continued...

 

[MikeyTown]

It is finished and I went to pick it up yesterday.

Another big thanks to Jeff for the Aqua! Amy (David's assistant) said that the stone setter couldn't stop looking at the cut on the stone. He said it was one of the best cut Aquas they had ever seen.

Thanks again to Niel, for pointing me to David, and for all of his input. It was invaluable, and a huge help.

And, of course, thanks to David for executing this design flawlessly.

Photos are attached, and there will be more photos in the following post. They sent me a ton of them, so that's great! The Aqua looks darker than it actually is, in most of the photos. The color is better represented in the last two "on hand" photos in the next post.

Hope you like it as much as I do. If anyone has questions of any kind, please feel free to ask.

Specs:
14 K white gold
3.2 grams
1.18 carat, 6.8 mm modified cushion cut aquamarine
0.60 carats of round brilliant diamonds, G color, VS clarity
0.10 carats of round aquamarines (surprise stones)


Cheers,

Mike

 

[MikeyTown]

More photos...

 

[lilmosun]

Obviously, not a noob anymore...she will love it (and all the time you took to make it perfect!).

 

[Niel]

Yay! Oh it seems like the best version of what you had envisioned!
I was so hoping it would be done before the 4th. Maybe a fireworks proposal is in order? Lol


Either way its lovely and I bet she'll be blown away. I also totally believe you about David's photos, they seem to have a way of lighting their photos that are unrepresentative of real live.

So glad it tured out so well

 

[dk168]

It is a lovely ring, thanks for sharing!

DK

 

[minousbijoux]

You realize that you educated yourself, found the stone, found the setting design, and had the stone set and ring finished in a little more than one month?! That has got to be a record of the best kind, and I imagine she'll love the ring. Congratulations on a job well done!

 

[MikeyTown]

Yay! Oh it seems like the best version of what you had envisioned!
I was so hoping it would be done before the 4th. Maybe a fireworks proposal is in order? Lol


Either way its lovely and I bet she'll be blown away. I also totally believe you about David's photos, they seem to have a way of lighting their photos that are unrepresentative of real live.

So glad it tured out so well

Agreed... It turned out to be the best of all worlds!

You can't really tell, but the last note I took from you was wanting to see the stone through the split in the shank. David ended up taking the scroll design out of the middle and instead did 2 of them toward the outsides of the gallery. Now there is a nice view of the stone through the split in the shank.


Thanks again, Niel!

 

[MikeyTown]

You realize that you educated yourself, found the stone, found the setting design, and had the stone set and ring finished in a little more than one month?! That has got to be a record of the best kind, and I imagine she'll love the ring. Congratulations on a job well done!

How about that... 44 days after I started this thread, I had a ring in my hand.

Just a testament to how amazing this forum, and the members of it, really are. There is no way I would have ended up with a ring this amazing, at a price anywhere close to what I paid, without you guys.

 

[Arcadian]

Oh wow Its GORGEOUS! She's going to be very happy with that ring (you know we need some handshots right?)

 

[MikeyTown]

It's been a while, but it happened on Saturday evening, by the Wishing Well, next to the Castle at Disneyland.

Thankfully, she said yes... and she LOVES the ring!

I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude to all in this forum who helped me out. There is no way that I would've been able to pull off a ring this beautiful if it wasn't for the generous pricescope forum members.


Cheers,

Mike

 

[Niel]

Awe!

It looks perfect on her I'm glad she loves it as much as you do!!

Congrats