Settings and other questions

[packrat]

I heard back from JA and BGD, and prices were fine. It''s $50 to do claw prongs at JA and I would find my own stone w/$100 setting fee. From BGD, the setting price isn''t that much more than JA, and Lesley didn''t mention an extra charge for changing the prongs or setting the diamond, so, so far, pricewise they''re practically identical. Lesley did say they''d help me find a stone as well.

Now I need to think about metal choice a little bit more. I''ll either have to not go quite so low in color or change the metal. If the prongs were wg and the rest yg, would that make much of a difference or no? The unplated wg gives more of an antique feeling which I like..would doing oxidization on yg (like Caleb Meyer rings)look ok on either of those settings or would it look goofy?

I did notice the finish on that Timeless in the link, so if I were to go w/them I''d very much take your advice and stay on top of things!

 

[Gypsy]

I would follow up and ask about any additional charges if you get an outside stone and ask BGD to set it, just to confirm (I have no idea what their policy is on that). I am surprised by the ''claw prong'' charge at JA, but heck, what do I know-- maybe the have to send it out for that. If the basket was in WG it would not reflect yellow into the stone. I think the JA one would benefit from Oxidization, honestly. It would bring out the detail. The Unique settings one... not so much, it''s got pave in the basket, and I''m not a big fan of oxidization with pave. But since the JA one is all metal, no additional bling, I think it would work. Would they charge you for that too?

What color diamond were you thinking hon?

 

[packrat]

Not sure if JA would charge extra for oxidization..I didn''t think of it until just now, so I didn''t ask them when I sent the email. Diamond color..I was wanting a sort of ivory color, would that be about an M? And really, so long as it''s cut beautifully I don''t have a specific color requirement.

Is doing custom a lot more expensive than buying one of these other settings? I never looked into it b/c I figured it would make me hide in the corner, but I do like to have all options covered.

I hate that I''m wishy washy and can''t make up my mind. Do other people have a hard time making decisions or am I a weirdo???

 

[Gypsy]

Not a weirdo. With solitares, stock is usually more cost effective than getting a new design custom made for you. Not always though. It just depends on the stock setting and the designer. But if you want to cover bases, come up with a design idea and cast a net to see what you find, pricewise.

 

[packrat]

Thanks for all your help Gypsy! I really appreciate it. I''ll keep mulling over my prospects here. I''ve gotten replies back from all 3 places now. If you were this indecisive, would you just get the stone first and then take some time to figure out a setting or wait on all of it?

On the JA, I like how it tapers in-I think that would make the diamond look a little bigger. I like the little swirls on the side, and think the ring would look pretty w/the oxidization. But sometimes I look at it and it seems squatty, for lack of a better term. I wonder about a wedding band sitting next to it-if it would rub against the basket.

The Unique setting, I think that heart on the side is so cute and I like the pave. But then I wonder how practical the pave would be, tho I don''t wear my ring a lot now as it is, I wonder about them popping out, and think some sort of design in place of it would be nice. And it is a little bulkier, even the prongs,so then I think about my short stubby size 4 or so fingers, and think something a little thinner might be better. There''s a Tacori ring that I saw that seemed so sweet and delicate, (and out of price range haha) that''s what struck me about doing custom and doing something similar but w/out all the pave.

But then, it''s hard to really compare sizes/bulkiness/delicateness when I''m looking at a ginormous picture on the screen, and in reality the rings are so much smaller.

Hahaha If I''m having such a hard time deciding what I want for myself, and we''ve been married for 7 years, I really really feel for the guys who come here and are wanting to find the perfect ring to propose with!

 

[Gypsy]

Honey it took me four years of indeciveness and agonizing over the most minute details to find the right setting. Seriously. Go back to some of my posts either through my profile or through searches. There are a few of us who were just... right where you are and with all different budgets.

My thoughts. Yes, I would work on the diamond first. The diamond can dictate a lot.

What I do to organize my thoughts is a bit lame, but it might work for you. I make a powerpoint. I import all the pics I have of the settings I have pictures of that have aspects I like (and I use paint to circle the things I like on the pics before putting htem in the PP). Then I add titles to each pic and descriptions. Then I leave it alone and go back to it and see what I think.

BUT without you doing that, just from this thread... here's what pops out at me: You haven't found "it" yet. You like the aspects of two different settings with similar features but different details. So find the similarities (6 prongs, interesting details from the profile view). Scrounge around the living room for change while you are waiting to find the stone. And keep hoarding pics. When you have the stone... start a thread with your thoughts and ask folks to post similar settings to what you describe and see what they post for you. I'll keep looking for you too.

If you have to go custom to get what you want. I'd get a 200 or less simple solitare (ebay) and save up to get your dream setting. As someone who did save up and wait (for years)... it's worth it everytime I look down.

Getting out to the local stores helps a lot too. Just before I had my setting made I found something similar but clunky, with poor execution and with a WEIRD tilt to the halo (and the gallery was ugly) but the whole scale of it, plus the Tacori plain shank halo with the SUPER high setting and fancy gallerie. I never would have figured out what I wanted without "REAL" shopping.

 

[packrat]

Thank you so much again Gypsy-you make me feel so much better! I do have a folder on the computer w/a ton of pictures saved, so at least that ball is rolling! I think I''ll go back thru the picture threads again for ideas too. I''m really impatient about things, even tho I think part of the fun is the planning and excitement of what is to come-I''m antsy and obsessive until it''s done and then I find some other project to be ocd about.

I felt I was being nitpicky over smallish details-it''s nice to hear others have had the same problems finding what they truly want! I will go back thru your threads and read your journey!

I''ll make some time to go to jewelry stores as well-trying things on and seeing different styles on my finger will probably help a lot!

I thought it would be nice to have a new set by the time we renew our vows at our 10 year anniversary-November of 2011-but I thought jeez I can''t wait 1 1/2 years..and then read that you waited 4 years..so yeah, now I''m thinking a year and a half might not be so bad!

Gypsy, you''ve been such a help to me with this! Thank you!

 

[Gypsy]

Anytime honey.