Real diamonds?

[Cave Keeper]

Though the folks here have lots of discussions on setting their stones, I''ve never really got down to the real task until now. My question involves the use of small diamonds, usually the colorless ones, surrounding the main stone.

Take for instance a requirement for 24 small colorless round brilliant cut diamonds of size 2 mm. diameter each.

First, anyone know of sources for such tiny stones, which are 3 points in weight?

Second, do people really use diamonds? Are there acceptable substitutes, and if so, what are they? There really are very few substitutes which are in round brilliant cut form, a requirement in my example.

Setting a ring is turning into a sourcing as well as a finacial challenge. And I thought setting rings were chicken feed.

 

[pad3006]

I am not sure who would carry 3 point diamonds. Maybe on E-bay you could find them.
But I know that CZ is a good subsitute, I have seen ''diamond'' studs that looked awesome, it was very hard to tell if they were fake or not. I also have heard that mosinite (sp?) is used as well.
I hope that helps.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 9/5/2005 1:49:02 PM
Author:Cave Keeper


Take for instance a requirement for 24 small colorless round brilliant cut diamonds of size 2 mm. diameter each.

Tried DCD ? Those should be easy to get.... online I know THIS. Ther's probably cheaper, but not by a ton (unless you buy allot of those).

The problem with the tiny bits is that you may need to buy some to spare. It is allot better to let the jeweler source them just for that reason.

I have no idea where such small CZ could be obtained, although I have seen such used injewelry. They look good although one can tell what is what. natural stones that small, nicely cut and matched are by no means trivia to obtain, apparently. Haven't really tried hard, but every jeweler I know complains of their lacking.

 

[Cave Keeper]

Date: 9/5/2005 8:26:38 PM
Author: valeria101
:
Tried DCD ? Those should be easy to get.... online I know THIS. Ther''s probably cheaper, but not by a ton (unless you buy allot of those).


The problem with the tiny bits is that you may need to buy some to spare. It is allot better to let the jeweler source them just for that reason.

I have no idea where such small CZ could be obtained, although I have seen such used injewelry. They look good although one can tell what is what. natural stones that small, nicely cut and matched are by no means trivia to obtain, apparently. Haven''t really tried hard, but every jeweler I know complains of their lacking.

Thanks, Val101. You''re really great. That link was really good; so far, it''s the cheapest source. But diamonds are still too expensive.

I''d probably have to settle for CZs, rhinestones or SWavorski lead crystals. As the main stones cost less than $100 (lab-created star sapphire and lab-created star ruby for 2 pairs of gents'' cuff links), I wonder diamonds (especially yellow ones) are still the best stones to use for bringing out the color or sparkle. Or, will the substitutes do?

 

[Sasori]

Hi there, most common substitute for these melees are CZ, some people use colorless sapphires.

As for moissanite(Pad you mean this right?) What I heard from local jewellers are that moiss are not common in small size as its not worth the effort to cut them.

For myself, I find it not worthwhile to get melees online. While the per carat price is cheaper, savings is low due to low carat weight. Further insurance and transport cost errodes these savings. I would rather go to a local jeweller and see their parcel and select them myself.

But CZ is CZ, the overall effect is different when compared to using actual diamonds.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 9/5/2005 10:48:36 PM
Author: Cave Keeper

As the main stones cost less than $100 (lab-created star sapphire and lab-created star ruby for 2 pairs of gents'' cuff links), I wonder diamonds (especially yellow ones) are still the best stones to use for bringing out the color or sparkle. Or, will the substitutes do?

Cuff links! that''s a surprise around here. I''ve been looking for a pair for myself for quite a while (something like the pair below)... Good for you

You didn''t mention yellow melee... how about treated? Those are rather nice. And if colored accent stones are an option, than other things but diamond would probably work even better, including something syntetic, if you can find them.

How will they look ?

 

[Cave Keeper]

Took a while figuring out how to upload an image.

Hope it can be seen. The two star stones are both 8 mm. diameter. Compared with the cufflink, it seems the stones are too small (but relative to the narrow slit in French cuffs, they're not really). Anyway, in order to have a larger (read, more respectable-looking cufflink), I feel I need to add a border to the star stones themselves. The actual cuff link material will be an 18K gold handle part, on top of which is a 22K gold base and border. I'd thought adding a border of 2+/- 1 mm. diameter diamonds about 3 points each would make the cuff link grand, but the additional price of about 25 of those 3 point diamonds (since the circumference around an 8 mm. diameter star stone is more than 50 mm.) seems too costly. I thought the diamonds should be yellow, but maybe they can be colorless ones for the star sapphires.

N.B.: The star ruby and star sapphire are shown together, but separate pairs of star ruby cuff links and star sapphires are being planned for.

P.S.: Val101, your grayish metallic sapphire cufflink is impressive, but I like to stick to 22K gold trimmings.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 9/7/2005 8:33:48 AM
Author: Cave Keeper

Hope it can be seen. The two star stones are both 8 mm. diameter. Compared with the cufflink, it seems the stones are too small (but relative to the narrow slit in French cuffs, they're not really).

You have some pretty stryking pieces in mind, I would say. It is relatively progressive for me to wear any... and the texture of (cheap) sapphire makes a favorite look of mine.

Btw. the picture is the example I had tos how my jeweler. The stones I use are lighter grayish blue (from Multicolor, they still have some) and the finished pair will be assymetric - one rectangular and one oval cufflink.

 

[valeria101]

Browsing cassually, got to these:

2mm colorless round sapphires (LINK)

The same shop got 2.5 mm princess cuts too... which may look better (since the rounds tend to be cut to diamond proportions, which is too shallow for sapphire, but the squares do not), but without seeing I do not know if this general observation applies to the case.

 

[Cave Keeper]

Good link, Val101. Thanks.

Also quite a surprise to learn that small heated colorless sapphires can fetch the same, if not higher, price as colorless diamonds.

I keep thinking both the pair of 8 mm. star rubies and the pair of 8 mm. star sapphires look too small for cuff links. So I''ve changed my mind; instead I''ll turn them into tie pins. Now, I only need one of each color; so I''ll sell the other off at a well-known auction site to see how much they''ll fetch. Maybe I''m on to something?

Instead of such small stars, I think I''ll get some larger cat''s eyes for the cufflinks. But I think the same problem will crop up: i.e., not being able to find a pair of round cat''s eye sapphires and a pair of round cat eye rubies of about 15 to 17 mm. in diameter.