Hi everyone! Looking for some advice/opinions on some sets I've narrowed down in my mind for a 1.03 round brilliant (6.5mm), I color on my 4.25 size hand (sized for a larger knuckle). I know for sure I want a 4 prong head with no basket on cathedral setting in white gold. I'm also certain I want to wear a diamond wedding band. Which ER setting style do you think would better complement my 1 carat diamond? I really want my center stone to pop. I appreciate votes but would also love to hear any thoughts or questions you might have to help me think through the process!
For further context, I'm a university researcher and usually quite careful with my jewelry (take off to sleep, shower, clean, cook, house projects, etc.) But I also don't wear much. I tend to be a simple jeans and t-shirt kind of lady outside of work and usually only wear one ring at a time which is some sort of solid or engraved metal band on my right middle or ring finger.
Now, on to the settings!
SETTING A (as is, just shave prongs): So I originally thought I settled on a set (ignore the 6 prong in the pic). It's a 2.3mm wide with .54 CTW of .03 melees. Fo the last 3 months I've continued to love the larger melee in that scoop design and the not too deep swoop of the cathedral shoulders, and that the ring wasn't too high. The only thing that continued to bother me were the prong tips. They seemed to jut out too far from the diamond and gave it more of a square and harsh look. We spent a good amount of our budget on a wonderfully cut diamond so I want to make nothing takes away from its beauty. I think I could ask them to shave down the prong tips, but not sure if that's a good option?
SETTING B (fishtail pave cathedral, such as BGD Erika): Since obsessing over prongs, I went back to hunting and encountered a fishtail pave shank for the first time (Ring B below). The band is 2.5mm so not too much bigger from Set A. The pave style was really different from anything I tried on previously and while the melee are smaller at .017, I appreciated the extra design flair it gave the ring. It also solved the prong issue on Ring A for me. I've now added it to my list. The picture of Ring B below isn't a cathedral setting so I didn't post the profile view, but I would ask for a fishtail cathedral if I went that way, with matching fishtail band. (think of BGD's Erika fishtail cathedral, but would want a more open 4 prong head instead of the Truth head).
SETTING C (ask BGD for fluid design of Grace or Elegance but in a cathedral setting that has no rail): Lastly, I tried on a very simple, clean cathedral solitaire (Ring C below). I feel like pics don't do justice to how shiny all the metal looks in person. I would need to have someone make it (BGD?) as it's one of several online sterling silver rings I ordered (pave and non-pave) just to play around with and see how I liked wearing an ER daily...kind of like a test drive
I would pair it with a diamond band, likely a fishtail pave or a scooped pave. I've also thought about inquiring if the Grace or Elegance can be made into a cathedral style with non-rail head. I love how delicate and fluid BGD made these.
I was surprised how much I loved the simplicity of it. I love where the shoulders meet the lower part of the head. I also love the delicate looking prongs, similar to those clawish ones from Ring B. I think the only thing I would change IRL is to make the shank a little thinner and perhaps more rounded as it's a little flat. I just worry if it's not "enough" for an ER or for a 1 carat (I've read other PSers discuss how usually it's a large diamond (>1.5) that looks great on a solitaire). I also wonder if I would regret not having the extra sparkle of pave over time.
For further context, I'm a university researcher and usually quite careful with my jewelry (take off to sleep, shower, clean, cook, house projects, etc.) But I also don't wear much. I tend to be a simple jeans and t-shirt kind of lady outside of work and usually only wear one ring at a time which is some sort of solid or engraved metal band on my right middle or ring finger.
Now, on to the settings!
SETTING A (as is, just shave prongs): So I originally thought I settled on a set (ignore the 6 prong in the pic). It's a 2.3mm wide with .54 CTW of .03 melees. Fo the last 3 months I've continued to love the larger melee in that scoop design and the not too deep swoop of the cathedral shoulders, and that the ring wasn't too high. The only thing that continued to bother me were the prong tips. They seemed to jut out too far from the diamond and gave it more of a square and harsh look. We spent a good amount of our budget on a wonderfully cut diamond so I want to make nothing takes away from its beauty. I think I could ask them to shave down the prong tips, but not sure if that's a good option?
SETTING B (fishtail pave cathedral, such as BGD Erika): Since obsessing over prongs, I went back to hunting and encountered a fishtail pave shank for the first time (Ring B below). The band is 2.5mm so not too much bigger from Set A. The pave style was really different from anything I tried on previously and while the melee are smaller at .017, I appreciated the extra design flair it gave the ring. It also solved the prong issue on Ring A for me. I've now added it to my list. The picture of Ring B below isn't a cathedral setting so I didn't post the profile view, but I would ask for a fishtail cathedral if I went that way, with matching fishtail band. (think of BGD's Erika fishtail cathedral, but would want a more open 4 prong head instead of the Truth head).
SETTING C (ask BGD for fluid design of Grace or Elegance but in a cathedral setting that has no rail): Lastly, I tried on a very simple, clean cathedral solitaire (Ring C below). I feel like pics don't do justice to how shiny all the metal looks in person. I would need to have someone make it (BGD?) as it's one of several online sterling silver rings I ordered (pave and non-pave) just to play around with and see how I liked wearing an ER daily...kind of like a test drive
I would pair it with a diamond band, likely a fishtail pave or a scooped pave. I've also thought about inquiring if the Grace or Elegance can be made into a cathedral style with non-rail head. I love how delicate and fluid BGD made these.I was surprised how much I loved the simplicity of it. I love where the shoulders meet the lower part of the head. I also love the delicate looking prongs, similar to those clawish ones from Ring B. I think the only thing I would change IRL is to make the shank a little thinner and perhaps more rounded as it's a little flat. I just worry if it's not "enough" for an ER or for a 1 carat (I've read other PSers discuss how usually it's a large diamond (>1.5) that looks great on a solitaire). I also wonder if I would regret not having the extra sparkle of pave over time.
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