Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Budget

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I promise I will keep updating or start a new thread for the process since y'all want to know! I haven't abandoned this thread or the process


...I just haven't heard from Green Lake since last Wednesday. The last thing I heard from her was that she was going to look for spinels from her sources. On Friday I asked her for pictures of their blue diamonds vs. blue topaz, which she offered earlier but did not post. I contacted her Saturday about getting CADs for the different color stones as discussed on this forum. She has not replied to either request, even just to acknowledge that she has seen and is working on them. I know she doesn't work every day and probably has other projects going, so I'm just trying to be as patient as my excitement will let me be!

 

[LD]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I'm sorry if this has already been mentioned but I just wanted to give you my experience of Palladium. I honestly thought I would love it and I was very very very clear with my jeweller that I needed it to be white as possible. However, even though it was made as white as Palladium can be, to my eyes, it is still grey looking and I hate it It was budget friendly but that's about all I can say about it. So if you do go for Palladium please be aware that it's likely that it will look greyer than other white metals.

If your budget can stretch to platinum that is a fabulous metal but does get a sort of overall scratched look after a while (that sounds awful and it's not as bad as it sounds) as opposed to white gold that, over time, can yellow somewhat and need re-rhodiuming. Doing that is a relatively easy process of a jeweller dipping it to bring it back to a nice bright white.

So there are pros and cons with all the white metals!

 

[chrono]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I just haven't heard from Green Lake since last Wednesday. The last thing I heard from her was that she was going to look for spinels from her sources. On Friday I asked her for pictures of their blue diamonds vs. blue topaz, which she offered earlier but did not post. I contacted her Saturday about getting CADs for the different color stones as discussed on this forum. She has not replied to either request, even just to acknowledge that she has seen and is working on them. I know she doesn't work every day and probably has other projects going, so I'm just trying to be as patient as my excitement will let me be!

Perhaps it is Seattle thing, but just give her a friendly call to confirm that she received your request and that you'd appreciate knowing when to expect the next update.

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Hi everyone!!!

I have a video of a potential stone sourced by Green Lake. She sent it to me via email. I would love some of y'all's educated and experienced feedback, but I'm not sure how to share a video....???

Here is the pic the vendor sent to Green Lake. In the video, it's really flashy around the edges, but seems dead in the middle. I can't tell if it's windowed all the way across the middle or the angle with the light/camera is just awkward. I LOVE the color and the price is great as well.

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

deleted double post

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

You can't share a video. ETA: On PS.

That stone has a monster window. Nope nope nope.

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

FrekeChild,

Thank you for saying that! I *thought* that was what I was seeing, but I wasn't sure. The whole table is a giant window, correct?

The search continues...

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Pretty much, yeah. On the window.

 

[endless_summer]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

It's good your dodging the window, but you'll find the right one, and you'll be ohhh so much happier when you do and get to put it into your fantastic ring idea.

 

[pregcurious]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Wow, that is a big window. Will Greenlake let you bring your own stone? Will their insurance cover it if it is damaged during setting?

We could find you an awesome stone

What about "spinel_266" (7th row, in the middle) on here:
http://www.gemfix.com/spinel.html

 

[chrono]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Love the colour lots but that window...

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

pregcurious ---- yes Green Lake does take outside stones, with a $200 setting fee. I haven't asked about insurance for setting --- thank you for warning me about that. I was trying to avoid that and all the associated risks of being a newbie buying on my own and shipping it cross country. That said, I was *totally* looking for stones on my own to get a feel for what I like/don't like and identifying issues with stones like windows and bowties. I do really like the one you linked from Gemfix --- it's on my list of favorites I found another on Diamond Bistro that is my absolute favorite so far. It's also cut by Andrew Gulij at Gemfix! I keep coming back to it, even multiple times per day.


When I told Krista that the Betrothed and I had issues with the window, she was very gracious about it and told me I should not settle. She is going to look for one more day for the perfect stone on her end, but if she doesn't find anything she suggested I find one myself.

 

[iota15]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I don't know much about coloured stones but I love going through this process with you. I also think the design is beautiful. It's not my normal style but I'm drawn to it too. The original ring you posted is amazing as well. I've never seen anything like it - with the knife edge pave twisting about like that.

Oh, and my preference is for colour combination no. 2.

Good luck!

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Hello Everyone!

I found a pink spinel I love, and it is being shipped to me!!! I should have pictures by Tuesday or Wednesday

In the meantime, here are two mock-ups showing the possibilities with tsavorite and topaz. Any votes???

After talking with Krista, we did change ring designs. The lotus head is the same, but the shank is a little bit different. I like it much better because it feels wider and more vine-y.

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I promised updates

We decided to go with the second of the above combinations --- topaz petals and tsavorite leaves. I'm *so* excited!!!

We got the spinel in yesterday and shipped it to Green Lake today. It is a hot neon-y reddish pink, with some flashes of orange I didn't expect but really love. It does have just a few visible inclusions, but I also really like those. I have some pictures, courtesy of the Betrothed

Vendor:



Us:

 

[FireMonkey]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

So, so pretty! This ring is truly unique, and I love the colors!

 

[VirginiaZee]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

That's such a pretty spinel for your center stone!

 

[CaraMish]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Lovely spinel! It is going to be a gorgeous centre stone for your ring!

 

[mochiko42]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Very pretty neon pink spinel!! Excited to see the ring once it's done, please post photos

 

[ilovegemstones]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Just saw this thread now. What an AMAZING ring this will be and I am so excited for you!!!

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

FireMonkey, VirginiaZee, CaraMish, mochiko42, and ilovegemstones --- thank you SO much for the compliments and enthusiasm! Hopefully I will have the ring in hand by August!!!

 

[pregcurious]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Your ring colors remind of me of the cupcake in your avatar! Can't wait to c ur ring.

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Yay! Glad to see that this is still moving right along! Fingers crossed it's in your hands by August!

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

We made it to the wax stage, and ............... I LOVE IT!!! I'm *so* excited

ETA: We worked out a way to afford platinum as well, so this really is absolutely my dream ring!

I only have the two pictures below. She offered to mail the wax to us for review, but I'm afraid I won't have time to get it, turn it around, and have the ring fabricated before our big family vacation (and the ring's prospective grand unveiling) in August. Is there anything y'all see or anything about which I need to ask Krista? I'm not sure I know for what to look if there are issues...

 

[FrekeChild]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I think it looks beautiful!

 

[minousbijoux]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

That is going to be lovely. So happy you could upgrade to platinum!

 

[Cupcake_Panda]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Thank you Freke and minous! I know it's just the wax, so I feel a bit silly, but when I first saw the models I got a bit teared up

I seriously cannot thank everyone enough for the help. This is going to be SO. MUCH. BETTER. than what I could have done on my own.

 

[ilovegemstones]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

I would get teary looking at that too! It is so beautiful and original. I would love a setting like that one day.

 

[chrono]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Waxes generally look clunky but yours is perfect so I imagine the final outcome to be very feminine and delicate. I don't see any changes required at all! Congrats on the final stretch and being able to go with platinum.

 

[pinkjewel]

Re: Spinel or Tourmaline and Palladium Wedding Ring on a Bud

Wow- that is going to be beautiful!