tension settings

[sparklyforever]

i would like to look at tension settings..
what manufacturers should i look at?
i remember one i like begins with an S but i can't remember the rest...

 

[ecf8503]

Steven Kretchmer (www.pearlmansjewelers.com) and Gelin-Abaci

 

[kenny]

There is also the original, Niessing, in Germany. http://www.niessingshop.com/
Then there's Boonerings who works only in titanium. http://www.boonerings.com/stone.htm
I would not trust anyone else but these four.
Special alloys and processes are required to assure a proper and safe ring.

We have four TS.
One Gelin Abaci platinum, and three Boonerings.
After wearing them for years my SO and I LOVE them and that's why I add my personal experience to every TS thread.
Whenever someone comments on the diamond I always hold it up and show them that there's no metal under the stone.
They must still be quite rare since everyone who sees mine is mesmerized; they have never seen one before.

Diamonds are expensive, so why not see more of the light show that you paid for?
It's kind of like getting a larger diamond for the same price.
Ideal cuts are all about face-up appearance but tons of sparkle and fire also come from the side of a diamond.
A TS not only lets more light OUT; it lets more light IN too.
In real life I see my stone from the side much more often that face up.

A TS is sooooo easy and fast to clean that your diamond is more likely to look its best more often.
Next IMHO tension settings are safer than small delicate prongs which can bend without you knowing it, from daily tasks like putting on a sweater.
Usually when we read about someone losing a diamond they do not remember any hard impact that would explain how or when the prong bent.
With a TS the metal against the stone is so beefy that you would have to bang it HARD to lose the stone, so you'd know to get down on your hands and knees immediately.
In fact you'd probably end up in the emergency room from the blunt force trauma.

Another thing that appeals to me, there is a tension of opposites with a TS.
One one hand they are strong and beefy, yet the diamond feels as free as a flying bird.
I realize a TS is not for everyone but, frankly, I kind of feel sorry for all the diamonds trapped in cages (prongs).
I should probably sell them for a living but I don't.

Here are two of our Boonerings' titanium settings:

 

[angeline]

ITA with kenny.

Finally as a slight thread jack I have to spill the beans. My diamond (2.2ct) is off with Pearlmans being set into the Kretchmer Omega. After looking at them for years I finally took the plunge. Can't wait.

p.s. for the OP. Jason Hankey at Pearlmans has been a doll to work with, so patient with me.

 

[kmv37]

I'm researching tension setting too but it seems that the price varies according to the size of the diamond.

http://www.absolutetitanium.com/order_cart_new.php?task=load&ring=TRIO-TAPERED-PLATINUM-TENSION&default_grade=D

Kenny, would you mind sharing the cost of your Boone Titanium TS?

Thanks.

 

[kenny]

I'm researching tension setting too but it seems that the price varies according to the size of the diamond.

http://www.absolutetitanium.com/order_cart_new.php?task=load&ring=TRIO-TAPERED-PLATINUM-TENSION&default_grade=D

Kenny, would you mind sharing the cost of your Boone Titanium TS?

Thanks.

On the left is "Ellipsoid": $575
On the right is "Sidegrooves": $490.

I added the $45 upgrade to the stronger alloy.

Here are all the prices:

http://www.boonerings.com/stone.htm

 

[Dancing Fire]

Kenny...love your tension settings... but are they safe to use on SI stones?...

 

[kenny]

Kenny...love your tension settings... but are they safe to use on SI stones?...

Thanks DF.
I think it is a case by case thing, to be decided by the company setting the stone.
One SI1 could have a single large feather unfortunately positioned for mechanical strength.
Another SI1 may have a single cloud in the middle which looks unattractive but does not affect mechanical integrity as much as the former feather. (Feather is the diamond industry's unalarming word for crack.)

Of course there is also that problem of differences in clarity grading from lab to lab.
An EGL "SI1" may be graded SI2 or worse by GIA.

Another reason I can't give you a simple yes or no answer is my lack of personal experience tension setting an SI1.
The lowest clarity I've had tension set was the Octavia, which is GIA VS2 with a single cloud that was not near the surface.

 

[Lula]

To those of you with tension settings, does the metal extend outside the girdle of the diamond? In other words, if you dropped the ring, would it be metal that hits or the girdle of the diamond? I'd love a setting with open sides, but am concerned about "girdle exposure."

 

[kenny]

To those of you with tension settings, does the metal extend outside the girdle of the diamond? In other words, if you dropped the ring, would it be metal that hits or the girdle of the diamond? I'd love a setting with open sides, but am concerned about "girdle exposure."

Let's not forget that many prong settings of round diamonds expose the girdle in the same way.
So your concern should not be considered a disadvantage exclusive to tension settings.

It depends on the design.
Even if a design lets the diamond stick out beyond the metal the company may be able to modify their design if you request it.
I know Boonerings modified a design for me.
This will probably increase the price since more metal is needed, especially if you go with platinum or gold.

BTW besides the girdle possibly extending beyond the metal the table may also.
Below are pics of our tension set rounds that demonstrate this.

Look at the diamond on the left and notice (in both pics) there is a little air space between the diamond and the surface the ring is resting on.
That diamond is safer because no matter how you were to drop the ring the diamond itself would never strike a flat surface.
Not so with the ring on the right.
I happen to have these pics because I'm about to list both of these for sale later today.

Left: AGS 0.82 ct E VVS1 ACA in a titanium Boonerings tension setting
Right: GIA 0.83 ct F VS1 Solasfera in a platinum Gelin Abaci tension setting

 

[Lula]

Thanks, Kenny. Great photos of those incredible rings. I can clearly see how one setting protects the diamond -- both the side and the table -- more than the other. I would feel safe with a tension style that protected the stone's girdle and table.

I like your comparison of prongs to a cage! And, yes, most of the time it is only the side of the diamond/setting that is visible to the wearer, so it makes sense to choose something that shows of the stone's beautiful pavilion.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Kenny...love your tension settings... but are they safe to use on SI stones?...

Thanks DF.
I think it is a case by case thing, to be decided by the company setting the stone.
One SI1 could have a single large feather unfortunately positioned for mechanical strength.
Another SI1 may have a single cloud in the middle which looks unattractive but does not affect mechanical integrity as much as the former feather. (Feather is the diamond industry's unalarming word for crack.)

Of course there is also that problem of differences in clarity grading from lab to lab.
An EGL "SI1" may be graded SI2 or worse by GIA.

Another reason I can't give you a simple yes or no answer is my lack of personal experience tension setting an SI1.
The lowest clarity I've had tension set was the Octavia, which is GIA VS2 with a single cloud that was not near the surface.

thanks,Kenny...