Tennis Bracelets

[AGBF]

Date: 11/14/2005 11:12:17 AM
Author: Mara
But what about asking Wink what can be created? He is your vendor of choice on this project right? Why not call him and say Wink this is what I want. What do you suggest? He is an expert and has made many bracelets I am sure in his time.

I started out with Wink. It was his idea to send me that platinum bracelet so that I could see how much metal there was and would not end up disappointed. I am just trying to find out as much as I can (from everyone) before I either go back to Wink to see what he can have custom-made or decide to buy a setting from someone else. As I have said, I believe that Wink can get me the stones I want at a price that is reasonable. I just don't know if he wants to fool around with a custom-made bracelet. Maybe that is very specialized work. Or maybe someone somewhere (the jeweler in California) has ready made bracelets in a style I like. But if I can't describe what I like or show a picture of it, how can anyone help me?

That is why I have been turning to you gals here (Lisa, you, Ana, cflutist)...people who can help me know what to ask FOR!!!

Deb

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/14/2005 11:12:17 AM
Author: Mara


But what about asking Wink what can be created?

Perfectly down to the point!

 

[Mara]

Deb, sorry but you won't know the answer to questions like 'maybe that is very specialized work?' unless you ASK THEM of the experts and in particular the expert you are planning to work with. It's all fine and dandy to see pretty eye-candy in threads, but when I really want to know semantics or I am serious about a project, I call and speak to the vendor. Or email. Or whatever. I think that is the point where you are at now. He may have sent you just one idea for a bracelet but there are many other styles, ready-made no less, out there, and if not there is always that custom work and Wink DOES do it from what I can recall.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/14/2005 11:25:39 AM
Author: Mara
Deb, sorry but you won''t know the answer to questions like ''maybe that is very specialized work?'' unless you ASK THEM of the experts and in particular the expert you are planning to work with. It''s all fine and dandy to see pretty eye-candy in threads, but when I really want to know semantics or I am serious about a project, I call and speak to the vendor. Or email. Or whatever. I think that is the point where you are at now. He may have sent you just one idea for a bracelet but there are many other styles, ready-made no less, out there, and if not there is always that custom work and Wink DOES do it from what I can recall.

Thanks, Mara. I just e-mailed Wink .

Deb

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Is this the look you are talking about?

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/14/2005 2:30:55 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Is this the look you are talking about?

That''s pretty close! Same concept at least.

The prongs there are still prongs though with seats cut in them to hold the diamond afloat above the bezel underneath - so the prongs are larger than what I had in mind.

Now that I''m thinking, the classic version is called ''cut down collet setting''.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 11/14/2005 11:45:44 AM
Author: AGBF

Date: 11/14/2005 11:25:39 AM
Author: Mara
Deb, sorry but you won''t know the answer to questions like ''maybe that is very specialized work?'' unless you ASK THEM of the experts and in particular the expert you are planning to work with. It''s all fine and dandy to see pretty eye-candy in threads, but when I really want to know semantics or I am serious about a project, I call and speak to the vendor. Or email. Or whatever. I think that is the point where you are at now. He may have sent you just one idea for a bracelet but there are many other styles, ready-made no less, out there, and if not there is always that custom work and Wink DOES do it from what I can recall.

Thanks, Mara. I just e-mailed Wink .

Deb

And I shall go look for and read it right after I answer here.

First off, thank you Mara for the kind comments.

Tennis bracelets are a very complex thing to do right and I have one good supplier who hand assembles each link. I was pretty sure that from the side the mounting that I had available would not be to be to AGBF''s liking, as while I can make the metal of the bezel much thinnner than in the findng, it is part of the normal setting process, I can not make the visible metal dissapear from the side view, which is what AGBF wants.

I have actually been following this thread without comment as I am hoping that someone has the mounting that she wants. In the meantime I am diligently searching to see what I can find as I really want to avoid a full custom on one of these bracelets if I can. These are much harder, or so I am told, to make than a ring. I am not a benchman, so perhaps one of our very qualified benchmen would care to weigh in on this issue.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 11/14/2005 2:30:55 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Is this the look you are talking about?

The very concept of only two prongs for half carat stones terrifies me. While I can see that it might be okay in a bracelet, it defies my conservative and cautious nature. I will beg and plead against it and require a signature on a hold harmless legal document of many pages before letting one out of here...

Wink

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/14/2005 4:11:29 PM
Author: Wink


The very concept of only two prongs for half carat stones terrifies me.

[...]

I was pretty sure that from the side the mounting that I had available would not be to be to AGBF''s liking, [...] I can not make the visible metal disappear from the side view, which is what AGBF wants.

Both size and design requirement sound revolutionary to me! Deb!!!

Not sure what the open pavilion sides could be though except THIS or something new to science.

Wink, I have no idea what is wrong with these handmade bracelets: last time I passed by my jeweler''s shop, he was having a row with one of his benchmen over one. The piece of work was referred to as some sort of unfair punishment in rather colorful terms

 

[WinkHPD]

And to whom madam shall I send the bill for my new keyboard. I just snorted coffee all over my old one. Dang that hurts! Fortunately it was several hours old and not very warm, but coffee really stings the nasel passages!

I have heard some of those discussions before. I have even had a couple of them over various jobs. Most of my benchmen just tell me "NO" when I ask about tennis bracelets and custom work in the same paragraph and even the best have been known to turn white when the two words are used in the same sentence...

Wink

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/14/2005 2:30:55 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Is this the look you are talking about?

Yes. Only if it could be done with no prongs it would be even better .

PS-I am not planning to do .50 carat stones unless there is no way around using them. .33 will be adequate as long as they were not hidden by pesky prongs and bezels. It was those prongs and bezels that made me think I might have to go up to .50 carat to get a stone to show!

Deb

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/14/2005 5:23:51 PM
Author: Wink

... even the best have been known to turn white when the two words are used in the same sentence...

He, he

the guys were definitely RED rather than white.

The sad part is that hand work is still too cheap to keep the good guys in place...




AGBF, is there an example of the look you are after?

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/14/2005 6:18:12 PM
Author: valeria101
AGBF, is there an example of the look you are after?

I am sure there is! And I am counting on you and Mara to find it!

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/14/2005 4:08:02 PM
Author: Wink
I have actually been following this thread without comment as I am hoping that someone has the mounting that she wants.

Well...we may be about to see what Jeff Garrett of Garrett''s Jewelers has! It was he who supplied Mara''s friend with her bracelet, I believe. He does not have a computer (by choice), but will mail me a picture of the setting we discussed. This picture may help us to tell the men from the boys (so to speak). If the prongs were invisible only because they were holding tiny stones in the bracelet Mara''s friend has, this may not work for me! On the other hand, if Jeff has a design that works with .33 carat stones, we may be in business.

I am glad your benchmen didn''t have their hearts set on designing me a custom setting, Wink. On the other hand, I may have to get your guys or Grunberger Jewelers or someone else to make a custom setting if Jeff''s setting doesn''t work for me.

Deb

 

[valeria101]

For fun ... this is the only sort of diamond bracelet without any bit of metal holding it together!

I am probably as keen as you are to see these mysterious pictures, AGBF!

 

[AGBF]

What about Kretchmer? Can''t they make an invisible setting for diamonds set in bracelets?

Deb

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 11/14/2005 6:18:12 PM
Author: valeria101

The sad part is that hand work is still too cheap to keep the good guys in place...

Yes. Consider this.

A nice cast three stone ring, heavy and well made can be made for between $300-400 in some sizes. Add a little variety to the sizes and you can quickly go to $5-600 or even 7-800 depending on the sizes.

Have the piece totally hand fabricated and you START at over a thousand dollars. For a simple three stone probably not worth the difference in appearance to most people. For a complicated piece starting at three to four thousand dollars you will gladly pay the price since the visual difference is stunning.

One of my designers is working on a piece now that I hope to get permission to have professionally photographed that will be a stunning piece containing more than 1 1/2 ounces of platinum, two magnificent 13mm Tahitian black pearls and carats and carats of pave diamonds. This is a fabulous mix of old style and new style workmanship. First a large dragons head was carved and shown to the client for her approval, then it was scanned and reduced at 20 to one and an exact duplicate in miniature was made to be part of the ring. Based on what she quoted me to do the work, and based on the hours that it took her to do what she wanted done, she tells me she will be making about two dollars an hour for her time. Knowing the likely hood of her working too many hours to do the work I built a "fudge factor" into my quote to my client. I am actually going to pay $2,000 MORE than I agreed to pay for the work and consider myself priveledged not to be paying more. My client would have gotten a discount had my price to my craftsman stayed the same, but will face no increase since my "fears" were realized.

One well known craftsman that I know was making less than $50,000 only a couple of years ago and people complained to him frequently about his prices. I advised him to raise his prices or go get a real job. He did, makes more money, still way less than he is worth, and does not have to put up with the whiners any more since they just tell him that they can not afford him and move on.

Funny thing though, he does MORE pieces now that he is willing to price it work a little closer to what it is worth. People seem to know when you believe that you have value too and find it more comforting to work with someone who knows what value is. He is one of the lucky ones though, and many fine craftsmen have left the industry since they can make more doing almost anything, especially in a market like New York or LA where there are too many good ones chasing after too few jobs.

None of which has anything to do with our quest for the perfect bracelet for AGBF, but your comment struck a cord within my soul.

Wink

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/14/2005 6:58:19 PM
Author: AGBF


What about Kretchmer? Can''t they make an invisible setting for diamonds set in bracelets?

Deb

... you mean tension? Well, there are some:

In my head, ''invisible settings'' are done with princess cuts with a dent in the pavilion to hold them in a special metal frame..., there certainly are bracelets done with them- think many rows of small princesses and two heavy rails on the sides. At least once I''ve seen a ring with invisible set princess cuts and no protective rails - the setting stopped under the girdle of the stones. Pretty darn unsafe, even for a ring - a jeweler had made this for display.

However, something else seems to be called ''invisible setting'' too - I am not sure what are these about: LINK

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/14/2005 7:08:44 PM
Author: Wink

One of my designers is working on a piece now that I hope to get permission to have professionally photographed that will be a stunning piece

Oh! I surely hope to see this one!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 11/14/2005 4:11:29 PM
Author: Wink

Date: 11/14/2005 2:30:55 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Is this the look you are talking about?

The very concept of only two prongs for half carat stones terrifies me. While I can see that it might be okay in a bracelet, it defies my conservative and cautious nature. I will beg and plead against it and require a signature on a hold harmless legal document of many pages before letting one out of here...


Wink

Whoah, I was just trying to help Deb. I am not saying that the version I posted was perfect but if it could be done without any prongs it seemed from Deb''s posts it was what she had in mind. No legal action is needed. It was only supposed to be used as a visual.

 

[Kaleigh]

Wink I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Ana that pic with the beads cracked me up. I know Deb wants as little as metal as possible, but it has to be secure as well. This has been a fun thread!!!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/15/2005 12:11:20 AM
Author: kaleigh

Ana that pic with the beads cracked me up.

Is it funny !? Those are diamonds after all.... and I am soooo in love

 

[AGBF]

This is one of the bracelets called, "invisible", to which that Ana posted a link. This is what I had hoped to be getting when I got the bracelet I had been hankering for from the Tradeshop. Does this one have exposed girdles that will cause the stones to chip, Ana? You warned that that would happen with a similar (in my eyes) bracelet that I also liked.

Deb

 

[AGBF]

This is also from the page to which Ana directed me. My only question is: what will it look like in reality? On the computer it looks like the same bracelet the Tradeshop carried, but that (as you can see from shots of it on my wrist) was full of heavy metal in reality!

Deb

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/15/2005 8:08:32 AM
Author: AGBF

This is what I had hoped to be getting when I got the bracelet I had been hankering for from the Tradeshop.

Glad to hear this!

I have not seen such settings in person (they look like some 'tube setting' ... but what do I know?). No idea why they are called 'invisible setting' either... and no, there doesn't seem to be any bit of girdle exposed and these have nothing to do with the other case I mentioned.

Hopefully Wink would know where these settings come from and what they are.



PS: RE 'tube setting' - Here's the story pictures & all. The example they have has millgrain edges, but those can be carved down (see pictures #3 and #4) until dissapearing from view.

 

[AGBF]

This is a shot of what the bracelet I loved looked like in reality. Look back in this thread to see other shots of it in reality as well as the photos of it from the Tradeshop looking (deceptively) delicate. Unless Wink didn't send me the same bracelet that the Tradeshop was selling!!! Now that would be an easy solution: Wink sent the wrong one and the right one is perfect .

Deb

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/15/2005 8:17:29 AM
Author: AGBF

Now that would be an easy solution: Wink sent the wrong one and the right one is perfect

Not likely...

Do you mean, you would like the walls of the bezels to be thinner and the whole thing lighter?

In theory, the bezels could be only a hair deeper than the diamonds' pavilions are deep, and made lighter if the walls of metal are thinner.

The 'invisible set' bracelet does not look light either. And what I do not like about them is that the bezels are taller than they are wide - set with small diamonds. If so, the bracelet would turn on the side like a ribbon. Now, that can't happen with the large stones you have in mind and lower cut bezels.

I suspect that the Tradeshop bracelet you saw appears lighter because once the stones are set, you do not get to see how thick the walls of the bezels really are. If the rims of the bezels around the stones are cut thin (something do-able, but not often desirable because this is a way to widen the bracelet) than the whole construction shows more diamond than metal and look airy.... One interpretation, at least.


RE Tradeshop: Which bracelet on their site caught your attention? A Google Images search on their domain found only very basic stock settings for custom orders and a few blurred type pictures.

 

[coda72]

I tried to take pictures of my bracelet this weekend, but my digital camera''s battery went dead. I really think my bracelet just looks like a line of diamonds on my wrist; the prongs are barely noticeable. The picture on Whiteflash''s website shows the bracelet magnified greatly. In real life the prongs don''t look that big. My bracelet has small diamonds compared to what you want, but the 3 prong setting looks really nice. I think the bezel setting looks too thick and bulky, whereas the metal on the 3 prong doesn''t look that way.

 

[cflutist]

Date: 11/15/2005 9:38:44 AM
Author: coda72
I tried to take pictures of my bracelet this weekend, but my digital camera''s battery went dead. I really think my bracelet just looks like a line of diamonds on my wrist; the prongs are barely noticeable. The picture on Whiteflash''s website shows the bracelet magnified greatly. In real life the prongs don''t look that big. My bracelet has small diamonds compared to what you want, but the 3 prong setting looks really nice. I think the bezel setting looks too thick and bulky, whereas the metal on the 3 prong doesn''t look that way.

I have to agree with coda72 here. When I look at my bracelet from top down all I primarily see are diamonds. The prongs are barely noticeable and they are 14K yellow gold. So with platinum, they would blend in even more.

Good luck with your search. You are in good hands with Wink. I just love the bracelet he made for me.

 

[valeria101]

N.C.