The sidestones search for my tsavorite: Part Duex

[chrono]

Wow! I never thought about combining all 3 like that but that's an interesting combo. I'll try to take handshots of all 3 together.

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[chrono]

Inspired by VL's unusual colour combination suggestion, I took pictures of the combo under various lighting conditions.


Not so nice single fluorescent light bulb picture.


A bit of glare and lots of grimy fingerprints in the outdoor picture.


Taken by the window under combination lighting.


Also taken by the window but this one captures how the flashes of fire from the FCDs are reflecting off each other and the tsavorite.

 

[Aoife]

I think it's an interesting idea, and I can only base an opinion on what I am seeing on my monitor, but:

I'm no longer looking at the tsavorite, I'm looking at the diamonds. The FCD's are small, but they totally change the focus. That might be an option, but I do think it shifts you quite a bit away from your original idea. What did you think, Chrono?

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[yennyfire]

That tsav is just so stunning the side stones seem to get a bit lost. I agree that diamonds would be stunning, if it's in the budget. I like the pink/green combo, but I think that the side stones need to be able to hold their own with that gloriously saturated tsav.

 

[velouriaL]

I really like that ring with the mixed diamond sidestones that TL posted.

The shots with the FCDs are the zingiest yet, but I do agree that you don't want them competing. What about something asymmetrical with just *one* of the FCDs? Maybe throw in some white diamonds, too. Honestly, either would work, though to different effects.

Or a bypass? This blogpost got me excited about bypasses, something I'd never really been into before.
http://gemgossip.com/home/2010/8/11/obsession-bypass-rings.html


Then again, when I look at the pictures, I do like all three together!

 

[LD]

The Tsav is wayyyyy too big to go with those FCDs - it completely overshadows them and in all honesty the diamonds and the Tsav are all gorgeous. You really shouldn't be taking away the beauty of any of them by combining. Having said that, I'm not the one who's going to be wearing it - so what do you think?

 

[T L]

You don't want your fabulous diamonds to not be the centerpiece, so again, I think the tsavorite might overshadow them since it's so much larger. I would do a bypass with the diamonds though, and halo them. I love this bypass ring, and the surrounding air lines and halos make the diamonds seem larger.

 

[baby nurse]

What about a really awesome setting with white diamonds... something from Whiteflash or JbEG?

 

[movie zombie]

this one works....for me. each stone seems to be the star in this threesome.

MoZo

 

[VapidLapid]

My idea was not that the FCDs should be side stones to the tsav but that they would all be stars together - an ensemble cast. The asymmetry makes it so that no stone is in a better spot than any other stone, they are all center stage, not because they are all in the center but because wherever any one of them is IS the center. liza minnelli frank sinatra sammy davis all on one stage together.

the original for this mock-up is from harry winston

 

[jstarfireb]

(ETA: While I like VL's last design,) I don't love the colors together with the FCDs. The purplish-pink one looks like the spinels, and the yellow one seems to reflect on the tsavorite, making the tsav appear yellowish and masking the beautiful blue secondary.

 

[Matata]

Chrono whatever makes you happy is all that matters. But, here's a revolutionary thought....the tsav is so darn lovely all on its own, perhaps it needs nothing other than to be solitary.

 

[Zzz]

VapidLapid - i like the way you arranged the stones!

 

[chrono]

Aoife,
I’m not sure what I think about the combo. I thought it was all right but not it….that is until VL did some creative photoshopping and rearranged all 3 stones into a different layout.

VL,
My hats off to your photoshopping skills and very creative thinking; a simple shift here and there totally changed the look and feel of the “ring”.


Yenny and BabyNurse,
Of course, diamonds are always in the budget. In fact, I feel that diamonds make the best sidestones/accents stones to play up coloured gemstones. However, I really want something different this time as I already have some very nice coloured stone RHR with diamonds. I’ve also used WF for my last two projects and would like to open up my custom projects to a different vendor this time if possible.

VelouriaL,
While I like the halo bypass pear rings that TL posted, they utilized two pear FCDs of which I only have a single pear. Not only that, my oval is noticeably smaller than the pear so I cannot use the two FCDs I own for this design unless I purchase another pear FCD, which I have no wish to sell my car for. I feel that a single FCD is just too small to stand alone, plus since I only wear a single ring each time, I feel as though each ring gets so little “wear” time so doing combos are a nice way to wear many stones at once if I am able to nail down the right design.

LD,
Initially, I never thought of all three together, only aiming to set the two FCDs into a single ring but VL’s latest layout made me pause.

TL,
Believe it or not, I was actually thinking that the FCDs are to be accents to the tsavorite but with careful placement, they can share a little of the limelight with the tsav. I’m not definite about the design yet but am still mulling over it. Designing a bypass for the two FCDs will be tricky because they have different shapes and measurements, so while the design you posted is gorgeous, I don’t think my two FCDs are suited to it.

Mozo,
I was surprised how nice this 3 stone design is too; none of the stones seem to be competing that much and all 3 stones appear to be the star.

JStar,
I so wish my pink FCD is as strongly saturated as the pair of pink spinels. In terms of eye popping colour, the spinels are much “hotter” than my pink FCD, which I cannot capture at all due to the luster and sparkle of the spinels. What the pink FCD has in advantage over the spinels is its greater fire/dispersion and higher RI. You do bring up a good point though about the yellow FCD wanting to reflect its yellow onto the tsavorite. I prefer to play up the gorgeous blue secondary which is why I purchased that particular tsavorite.

Matata,
The tsavorite seems so small and lonely to be by itself, plus (gasp), diamond accents are starting to look boring to me.

 

[baby nurse]

Chrono, if you get really fed up trying to match up the right side stones, great setting etc., you might consider sending your tsavorite to Leon. Yeah, he's pricey... and a diva, but it wouldn't break the bank to get a simple setting with two colored side stones. And you would likely be thrilled with the results.

 

[packrat]

I like the setting TL posted..might need to save that for future reference. I'm digging VL's photoshop idea tho. I like the placement of the stones.

 

[megeve]

Wow VL, I love your mock-up pic! I am liking this combo and the placement of the diamonds. Can't wait to see what your decide, chrono.

 

[FrekeChild]

Hot pink sapphire/spinel halo? Kind of like this: http://www.artofplatinum.com/vault/...&category_id=6&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1 but round stones?

 

[Lovinggems]

I'm not very imaginative, how about half moon yellow diamonds?

 

[VapidLapid]

I tried to put an omc/oec in but the effect was to turn the FCDs into side stones. Then I tried adding a small blue FCD to mitigate the yellow influence on the tsav. It doesnt have the same lilting line like a musical phrase that the one with only the 2 fcd has, but might be made to work. I'm only thinking this as justified in that the $$$ saved making only one ring could be used for the blue diamond. I'm not the enable trying to get you to buy another fancy colored diamond. I like it better with just the two FCDs. But I thought I should show you anyway. I scaled them to my guestimate based on the assumption that the short side of the oval was 4-4.5mm, so the proportions should be close.

 

[risingsun]

What about a really awesome setting with white diamonds... something from Whiteflash or JbEG?

Sorry to be a nag, but white diamonds would be perfect! You are breaking my heart

 

[chrono]

The more I look at it, the more I like VL’s HW inspired design; it is very RHR, fun yet classy. It only needs a bit of bling somewhere and while I may be lacking photoshopping skills, I’m sure another PSer or two is able to add a line of colourless melees below the two FCDs, sort of wrapping around them, going down the shank.

BabyNurse,
I’ll never get fed up with trying to find the right side stones for the tsaovrite. I’ve been musing about the design on and off for several years now and it’s something fun to think about when I have the time. Unfortunately, I am much too particular to be able to work with Leon and he might consider me an unworthy diva instead. I am not the type to want to be surprised by any last minute elements he decides to throw into the mix or claim that I didn’t specify something ahead of time. There have been too many threads from loyal and long time LM customers who’ve had a rude awakening.

Freke,
I am trying to stay away from halos as much as possible so while a step cut halo is great, there are cost issues with individually cut baguettes. If I do a round, then it becomes a “common” halo again. I did contact WF several years ago about using round pink melees but I’m back to my original problem of sourcing now at least 20 or more teeny tiny untreated well matched hot pink stones. To get the right saturation of pink, I’ll have to go with BE diffused sapphires which I cannot accept. As you can see, it’s difficult enough trying to get even 2 matching pink side stones for the tsavorite. I do thank you for your idea though.

LG,
Are you trying to break my budget with 2 half moon matching yellow FCDs? They will need to be specialty cut, I think.

VL,
You have gone above and beyond in helping me come up with a suitable design and I’m incredibly touched. Like you, I prefer it with only 2 FCDs for the same reason as you stated – the effect changes when a third stone is added.

RisingSun,
I’m sorry about the lack of white diamonds. It was my original plan to have a colourless step cut baguette on each side of the tsavorite but it seemed so plain and boring.

 

[risingsun]

Chrono~ what color seems to attract you the most? Or maybe it's the design that is the sticking point. It won't surprise you to learn that I had my tsav set in a white diamond halo I posted it some time ago. If you want to keep the tsav as the primary point of interest, it seems as if a three stone or halo would do that. A cluster of stones, I think, would compete. You, however, are a cs maven I will watch, with interest, to see how your project progresses. I'm sure it will be beautiful.

ETA: What are the dimensions of the tsav? I couldn't find them.

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[chrono]

RisingSun,
I am not particularly attached to a certain colour and the design is equally important to me in that it plays up the stone(s) while looking different, yet will stand the test of time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a white diamond halo as I did the same for my Mahenge spinel (which I adore the design for the stone) but I am looking for something different this time. The tsavorite does not necessarily have to be the primary point of interest if it is set with the other two fancy coloured diamonds. You are much too generous with your compliment. The tsavorite measures approximately 7 x 7 mm.

VL,
You’ve come to my rescue once again! Thank you! I’m sorry for not being clear in my request and feel bad to ask you to make another photoshop effort. To play up the bypass design, the diamond melees are only on the left side of the shank. It begins immediately to the left of the tsavorite point, follows the curve of the bottom of the pear, then continues down the shank like a second band below the “main” shank. If that looks too lopsided, perhaps the second band can continue its path above the band (on the right) holding the tsavorite. Am I making any sense?

 

[VapidLapid]

like a diamond bearing twig that branches off the shoulder of the shank to snake around the butt of the pear and greet the tsav? Does the twig branch off from the top side(in the picture) of the shoulder cross over it(downward in the pic) to the curve of pear?

 

[chrono]

Option 1: The diamond bearing twig branches off the shoulder of the shank to snake around the butt of the pear and seems to disappear as it approaches the bottom of the shank.
Option 2: The same as Option 1 but it goes around to greet the tsavorite on the other side, above the existing band.

I’m not sure what you are referring to when you say top side. I’ve attached my horrible Paint job to illustrate better what I am poorly attempting to describe. The squiggly broken black line is where the second band (but not separated) made up of diamond melees are supposed to go, making it look like a diamond wrap for the original ring.

 

[VapidLapid]