Poll : Would you spend the $$ to fix ring imperfections that some say are minor?

[Cecelovesjewels]

Hi Everyone,

I am torn about what to do with my e-ring. I am also unfortunately unable to post pictures - I had to create a new user bc of privacy issues and the pic of the ring would bring up more issues. What I can tell you is that I had a halo put around my princess solitaire diamond almost a year ago, and the halo is not perfect. It was the first time I had done anything custom, and I approved the cads etc. I didn’t notice the imperfection in the cads. I’m not big on conflict anyway, so I didn’t say anything. Especially since most people, husband included, said it was beautiful. I think this is a situation where it would not be super noticeable unless you are really looking at it. But obviously I am looking at my own ring all the time. The vendor was not a person mentioned in PS. Since then I have had other pieces made by a commonly used PS vendor. I decided to approach that vendor and ask what it might cost to re-do the halo, using the same stones. I paid $2300 to do the original project, and the quote to re-do was $1450. I am not surprised by the price, because it basically requires assembling the ring again. But I’m conflicted bc it pains me to spend that much money on a fix that isn’t glaring. And I really get caught up in the “for $1400 I can buy a nice new piece of bling” game. I am not a “one ring” gal; I like to have different pieces and am usually saving up for one project or another, which is what makes this difficult.

I know that another person cannot make the decision for me, but I am curious about what you would do. Also if you want to share your re-do stories so that I will feel better, that will be welcome too

I am posting a stock photo since I can't do the real one, to give you an idea of what my ring should have looked like. To my eye, some of the stones in my actual ring have an uneven appearance and I can see small gaps instead of the halo stones tightly hugging the center stone. I wonder if the fact that you are haloing a square princess cut is part of the reason for this.

 

[Karl_K]

rounded corner halo on a square stone is not my preference but to do it otherwise the melee have to just be the right size to get reasonable spaces and a more square halo.

 

[Bron357]

I would say spend the money and fix it.
Its your engagement ring and many times every single day you are looking down on it and seeing an imperfection that troubles you. Instead of enjoying and loving your ring you aren’t happy with it and once you see an annoyance you can’t “unsee it”.
obviously it would be better to not have to spend extra $$$ to get it right but seeing as it’s a ring worn all the time it’s worth the $$$ investment to get it right.
My first reset of my engagement ring was a mistake. I didn’t think the design through and I never loved how it looked. After 15 odd years the ring didn’t fit anymore and couldn’t be resized (another design fault I didn’t think about) and so I wasn’t even wearing it.
I had it reset and modified at considerable expense (like over $6,000) which was a huge thing for me as I loathe spending good money after bad. Can I just say, even after 5 years every time I look down at my ring I fall in love all over again. Best money I ever spent.

 

[Bron357]

Here is the reset.
Btw, do think carefully NOW if the design it exactly right as you want it.
Now is the time to “tweak” anything you feel can be improved be it different style prongs, modifying the halo shape or even adding extra diamonds,

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Sorry you are in this situation but yes, I would advise to go with the reset.

My wedding band originally had stones but I decided I did not like them. I hardly wore the band so I had the stones taken out. Now I love my band. It is so nice emotionally to love the band that represents my husband’s love.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Nope, not for $1450, but then I'm not into expensive settings. To me a setting is just a frame for the picture as long as the stone is secure I'm ok with it.

 

[LilAlex]

Can you readily afford it? If yes, then probably re-do it.

Know that even if you can get it perfect, it will not stay perfect -- especially with a refined-looking halo. Some of the super-delicate CvB-type stuff -- which I swoon over on IG -- I wonder what it will look like after a half-decade of purse-rummaging and digging into pockets and banging into the car-door handle and... But maybe the people who design and buy those things don't do those things. I never met anyone who didn't.

 

[headlight]

I wouldn’t be able to live with it. It would grate on me more and more and it would overtake me with hyper-focussing and obsessing.
I have been in a similar situation as have many others, unfortunately so you are not alone.
I don’t care that you approved the CAD. You are not a jeweler and they should’ve known to do it properly. I, too, am not good at stressful conflict situations but I think you should make an effort to go back to the jeweler to redo it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Can you readily afford it? If yes, then probably re-do it.

Know that even if you can get it perfect, it will not stay perfect -- especially with a refined-looking halo. Some of the super-delicate CvB-type stuff -- which I swoon over on IG -- I wonder what it will look like after a half-decade of purse-rummaging and digging into pockets and banging into the car-door handle and...

Half a decade? most ladies will get tired of looking at the same setting within half a yr. The ladies here change their setting more often than I change my underwear...

 

[Rfisher]

I would redo it at $1450, yes. Because I see it. Not because others may not.

If I was sure the chosen vendor has completed a project that met my expectations.
And I knew that I’d probably have to send my ring to the new vendor for evaluation and know that maybe the halo stones I already have might not exactly work for the end look I want to see. That might necessitate further expenses (more/different halo stones) to get exactly what you want. I wouldn’t redo without those further expenses if it will only be marginally better.

It sounds like you realize you missed some things in your original cad, and guessing some points/advice in the original go round discussion. It’s a learning curve -making these decisions. Learning sometimes comes with a fee. That’s how I look at the money paid. It’s not lost.

best wishes

(assuming the 1450 if spent ‘pains’ because of emotions, not need)

 

[Mreader]

rounded corner halo on a square stone is not my preference but to do it otherwise the melee have to just be the right size to get reasonable spaces and a more square halo.

Karl what is a "rounded corner" halo and how is that different from another type of halo for square stones?

 

[rainydaze]

Yes, I would. I now have experience that I didn't have when I started of in similar shoes as yours.

I have spent a lot more buying pieces that I hoped would make up for the shortcomings in the ring I cared about most (my ering) than I would have spent if I had just focused on 'fixing' my ering.

 

[musicloveranthony]

I have had some early projects of mine redone for the very reason you mentioned; nobody else would ever notice the issues, but they were bothersome to me whenever I'd look at them

 

[Karl_K]

Karl what is a "rounded corner" halo and how is that different from another type of halo for square stones?

looking at the pic the outside shape of the halo has rounded corners.
With stone selection and spacing you can square them off visually more, sometimes using smaller stones on the corners.
What I should have really said was using the same stones and expecting a different result may not be optimal.
The size of the center and the size of the melee determine spacing and corners.
If they are not well matched doing the same thing over may not be the right move.

 

[rockysalamander]

I think I'd probably spend money to fix a problem, even if only I could see it. Well...who buy me would be staring at the ring enough to see something minor? Its my ring, so my eyes are the ones that matter.

But, without knowing the specific problem, its hard to say if re-doing it will actually fix it for you. If the melee stones were too far from the center so there is a gap, that is solvable. But, I can think of other issues where the physics just does not work to go from what you have to what you want. In this case, it sounds like they would build a new halo/head. So, that does provide more opportunity to fix the issues.

If you elect to fix this, I hope you will post your pictures and let folks here help you check over the CAD. Not only does it give you more eyes, but folks here might see something (and have a solution) you had not considered.

 

[ksluice]

looking at the pic the outside shape of the halo has rounded corners.
With stone selection and spacing you can square them off visually more, sometimes using smaller stones on the corners.
What I should have really said was using the same stones and expecting a different result may not be optimal.
The size of the center and the size of the melee determine spacing and corners.
If they are not well matched doing the same thing over may not be the right move.

@Rfisher This reminds me of some tweaks you made to CAD drawings for another PSer to help think about how varying stone size can change the feel of the halo.

I don’t want to repost your work, but combined with Karl_K’s comment, I am wondering if 4 slightly larger melee stones for the corners might be the missing bit to justify redoing this halo?

 

[peacechick]

If funds allow, can you make a new setting for the diamond? As it is an important ring, your e-ring, these imperfections will keep bothering you. I think smaller melee would work better to keep the lines of the princess and avoid the gaps.

The existing setting is still pretty and I wonder if it might work with a cushion inside. Or else list it on LT and perhaps someone may buy it to help recoup some costs?

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

I wouldn’t be able to live with it. It would grate on me more and more and it would overtake me with hyper-focussing and obsessing.
I have been in a similar situation as have many others, unfortunately so you are not alone.

This is what is happening to me (the hyper-focusing/obsessing).

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

looking at the pic the outside shape of the halo has rounded corners.
With stone selection and spacing you can square them off visually more, sometimes using smaller stones on the corners.
What I should have really said was using the same stones and expecting a different result may not be optimal.
The size of the center and the size of the melee determine spacing and corners.
If they are not well matched doing the same thing over may not be the right move.

Yes I am worried about that which would just be a from scratch redo. If I go forward I would send to the preferred vendor whom I have been happy with in the past, and ask what is feasible with my stones and if it's not feasible then rethink what I would do then.

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

The existing setting is still pretty and I wonder if it might work with a cushion inside. Or else list it on LT and perhaps someone may buy it to help recoup some costs?

The picture posted is just a stock; as I mentioned earlier bc of some privacy things going on (too complicated to explain) I can't post the actual ring right now. I was just using the stock as an example of what mine should have looked like, which is larger melee stones, but in my ring it doesn't look at seamless as the stock photo.

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

Thank you everyone for all of your helpful replies. I am leaning toward a redo and once the vendor has the ring in hand, they can tell me if the stones would work or not. I plan to take @Bron357 's excellent advice and think of other things that could be tweaked or changed also. I will try to see this as an opportunity rather than a frustration.

 

[HS4S_2]

I would definitely redo the setting. Once I see something that I don't like I can't unsee the problem. I end up then not enjoying the item.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I am not going to advise you, but from nearly 5 decades doing this stuff.
I find it interesting that so many people never see faults in the rings they have worn for many years.
When most of you look closely at a jewel you will find all sorts of things wrong.
And now we have phones that act as macro cameras we can see even better.
So take your stock photo.
1. Where the red ticks are the support under bezels are protruding - should never be seen.
2. And those 3 images also happen to be the exact same photo shopped in diamond - it is hard to select well cut diamonds and when some are rubbish they show up in the photos.
3. the blue arrows point to prongs not in contact with the diamond.
4. Big black gaps highlighted in yellow.

MY MESSAGE
If you want perfection then someone lining up to do this job for only $1,450 needs to know that you will be very very picky. I think if you chose to go ahead with them they may regret it, so please try to make your judgement fair, or offer to pay twice as much for what we call "exhibition quality" in my workshops.

 

[dk168]

Bite the bullet and spend the money to fix it, otherwise, it would irritate you in years to come.

I have one ring made that I am not entirely happy with, my own fault for not realising a design element issue (the gallery being too plain for such a deep stone) until it was in my hand. It ended up being unloved and unworn, and it will be remade to address the issue eventually.

DK

 

[missy]

My thoughts without reading anyone else's replies.

1. If you are not happy with the ring as it is redo it. It is an important ring you wear and want to adore and love and enjoy every day. Do not settle. In the grand scheme of things it is worth it. Look at PPW (price per wear) and do the math and you will see it is well worth it. IMO at least.

2. If the original vendor couldn't do it right the first time I wouldn't let them redo it now. Bring it to a PS vendor you have been having good experiences with and let him or her take it from there. I wouldn't trust the original vendor. Fair or unfair why give them another chance to mess it up if you have since then had good experiences with another vendor?

Good luck and I hope this gets resolved to your satisfaction.

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

Thank you guys. I am going to send to preferred vendor and see what he says. @Garry H (Cut Nut) ouch. I don't think I am that difficult.

 

[AprilBaby]

No way I would send it to the original vendor. I would start over with a trusted vendor.

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

No way I would send it to the original vendor. I would start over with a trusted vendor.

Yes that is what I am doing. I never planned to send it to original.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Thank you guys. I am going to send to preferred vendor and see what he says. @Garry H (Cut Nut) ouch. I don't think I am that difficult.

Good, because when expectations are above and beyond what can be achieved by mere mortals, everyone is a looser.
I wish you luck - the little niggles can keep us awake at night ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

I have a CAD now but I started a new thread. Here it is; also I used the wrong terminology in my first post and said princess but it's radiant.

Please look at this CAD - this is reset #2 and I want to get it right this time

Hi Everyone, I reset my diamond over a year ago and I tried to talk myself into loving it but gaps in the halo as well as what looked like unevenness in the alignment of the stones just continued to drive me nuts. I decided to reset a second time and went with a different vendor (DK this time)...

www.pricescope.com