- Joined
- Jul 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,080
So I finally have some exciting updates to share! As many of you know I have been struggling with whether to transition from a pavé shank solitaire to a plain solitaire. After wearing a pavé shank solitaire for 15 years I felt the need for something simpler. The choice really weighed on me and I agonized quite a bit. However, after considerable research, pondering, soul searching, and deliberating I realized that what rings truest to me at this time is a plain cathedral setting with just a bit of detail in the basket. Many thanks to everyone who chimed in to offer advice; you all were beyond helpful!! Those of you who followed my earlier threads may recall that I ultimately decided to contact Victor, and the rest is history!! Victor is truly a gem, a consummate artisan, and just a delightful person… his reputation is well earned, and his impeccable work speaks for itself! Deliberating over the solitaire design was agonizingly difficult, but the decision to contact Victor was a refreshingly easy choice! 
I truly cannot put into words what a joy it was to work with Victor!! His work is exquisite and it has been a dream of mine to own one of his masterpieces. So a few months ago I took a deep breath and sent an inquiry to him to request a cathedral setting with a scalloped pavé basket and delicate double wire eagle claw prongs. I felt like I was asking for the moon, but Victor was incredibly responsive and gracious, and he was amazingly open to incorporating each of the design elements I requested. I cannot say enough about Victor; I found him to be a pure delight and I cannot wait to work with him again!!
But that was not all… I also had a second and more complicated dilemma. My husband and I got married almost 15 years ago while we were both starving graduate students, so I started with a .91 I SI2 round that was anything but ideal cut. Although I loved the sentimentality surrounding the ring, the stone itself never made my heart sing. A few years ago my DH encouraged me to look for an upgrade, so I went for it! That chapter of the journey led me to a beautiful 2.21 stone. As much as I loved it, I found that every time I looked at it, it screamed 3-stone RHR rather than ER. Crazy, huh? I spent several months trying to quell these thoughts but the internal nagging just wouldn’t go away. I realized that ultimately I wanted to upgrade to more finger coverage for the ER, and in visiting B&M stores I came to realize that I am not a halo girl (I love them on other people, though… unfortunately just not on me!). Sometimes I kick myself for taking so long to figure everything out, but I am nevertheless grateful to finally have that clarity. I think that once you know, you really know, and those epiphanies only grow louder over time.
So prior to pursuing this new setting I launched a search for my HFG (holy freaking grail) stone. I fully expected this to take a while and I was willing to be patient and wait for the right stone. However, upon investigating I discovered that Whiteflash amazingly (and serendipitously!) had exactly what I have been looking for, an incredible 3.218 F VS1 ACA. This truly is my dream stone, the one that checks off every box and the one that I never thought I would find. But as I tend to second guess all major purchases I deliberated for a few months, trying to talk myself into staying with the 2.21. In the end I realized that this ACA was a rare opportunity that I simply could not pass up and that I would save myself a lot of mental energy by just biting the bullet. So basically I decided to go big or go home! Long story short, I took the plunge back in January, on Friday the 13th no less, which actually made it even more meaningful for me as our first child was born on Friday the 13th almost 9 years ago, and we regard Friday the 13th as a very special day in our family. And I have to say that this ACA exceeded all of my expectations. She is a beauty and quite a fireball! Here are her stats:
Of course, a HFG stone deserves an amazing setting, and Victor never disappoints!! I truly cannot say enough about Victor’s exquisite artistry… the ring is ridiculously gorgeous and he showcases the stone with such fluid cathedral shoulders and perfectly balanced proportions. I had no doubt that I would be pleased based on other VC pieces showcased on PS, but I honestly have no words… it is beyond beautiful. I love Victor’s work so much that I went ahead and requested several bands from him as well (I will describe those in more detail in a separate SMTB post!) and I ADORE them!!
I would love to say that this is my forever stone and setting (which was certainly the intention), but in light of my tendencies to second guess these types of decisions I will not go quite that far, particularly given the enabling influence of PS! J But I truly adore the graceful, swooping design of this setting and I have no desire to go bigger on the stone (although I am learning to never say never!
). I occasionally question whether I should have requested a 6- or 8-prong setting for added girdle protection, but I do so love the delicate double prongs and I would hate to give those up! So although I have no idea what the future will bring or how my e-ring journey may evolve, I am 100% confident that I would have Victor create it every single time. I absolutely love this setting and this stone and I feel incredibly fortunate to wear this masterpiece! Now I just need to come up with a name for her!
So without further ado, here are some photos!
I truly cannot put into words what a joy it was to work with Victor!! His work is exquisite and it has been a dream of mine to own one of his masterpieces. So a few months ago I took a deep breath and sent an inquiry to him to request a cathedral setting with a scalloped pavé basket and delicate double wire eagle claw prongs. I felt like I was asking for the moon, but Victor was incredibly responsive and gracious, and he was amazingly open to incorporating each of the design elements I requested. I cannot say enough about Victor; I found him to be a pure delight and I cannot wait to work with him again!!
But that was not all… I also had a second and more complicated dilemma. My husband and I got married almost 15 years ago while we were both starving graduate students, so I started with a .91 I SI2 round that was anything but ideal cut. Although I loved the sentimentality surrounding the ring, the stone itself never made my heart sing. A few years ago my DH encouraged me to look for an upgrade, so I went for it! That chapter of the journey led me to a beautiful 2.21 stone. As much as I loved it, I found that every time I looked at it, it screamed 3-stone RHR rather than ER. Crazy, huh? I spent several months trying to quell these thoughts but the internal nagging just wouldn’t go away. I realized that ultimately I wanted to upgrade to more finger coverage for the ER, and in visiting B&M stores I came to realize that I am not a halo girl (I love them on other people, though… unfortunately just not on me!). Sometimes I kick myself for taking so long to figure everything out, but I am nevertheless grateful to finally have that clarity. I think that once you know, you really know, and those epiphanies only grow louder over time.
So prior to pursuing this new setting I launched a search for my HFG (holy freaking grail) stone. I fully expected this to take a while and I was willing to be patient and wait for the right stone. However, upon investigating I discovered that Whiteflash amazingly (and serendipitously!) had exactly what I have been looking for, an incredible 3.218 F VS1 ACA. This truly is my dream stone, the one that checks off every box and the one that I never thought I would find. But as I tend to second guess all major purchases I deliberated for a few months, trying to talk myself into staying with the 2.21. In the end I realized that this ACA was a rare opportunity that I simply could not pass up and that I would save myself a lot of mental energy by just biting the bullet. So basically I decided to go big or go home! Long story short, I took the plunge back in January, on Friday the 13th no less, which actually made it even more meaningful for me as our first child was born on Friday the 13th almost 9 years ago, and we regard Friday the 13th as a very special day in our family. And I have to say that this ACA exceeded all of my expectations. She is a beauty and quite a fireball! Here are her stats:
Depth %: 61.9
Table %: 55.8
Crown angle: 34.8
Pavilion angle: 40.7
Star: 52.0
Crown %: 15.4
Lower girdle %: 76
Table %: 55.8
Crown angle: 34.8
Pavilion angle: 40.7
Star: 52.0
Crown %: 15.4
Lower girdle %: 76
Of course, a HFG stone deserves an amazing setting, and Victor never disappoints!! I truly cannot say enough about Victor’s exquisite artistry… the ring is ridiculously gorgeous and he showcases the stone with such fluid cathedral shoulders and perfectly balanced proportions. I had no doubt that I would be pleased based on other VC pieces showcased on PS, but I honestly have no words… it is beyond beautiful. I love Victor’s work so much that I went ahead and requested several bands from him as well (I will describe those in more detail in a separate SMTB post!) and I ADORE them!!
I would love to say that this is my forever stone and setting (which was certainly the intention), but in light of my tendencies to second guess these types of decisions I will not go quite that far, particularly given the enabling influence of PS! J But I truly adore the graceful, swooping design of this setting and I have no desire to go bigger on the stone (although I am learning to never say never!
). I occasionally question whether I should have requested a 6- or 8-prong setting for added girdle protection, but I do so love the delicate double prongs and I would hate to give those up! So although I have no idea what the future will bring or how my e-ring journey may evolve, I am 100% confident that I would have Victor create it every single time. I absolutely love this setting and this stone and I feel incredibly fortunate to wear this masterpiece! Now I just need to come up with a name for her! So without further ado, here are some photos!
What. A. STUNNER!!! More pictures of this HFG stone, please!! 
. I love the shank. I love the width of it, the lovely flatness of it, the height of it. It's perfect and looks so great in a stack with the other bands. I am almost tempted to abandon my plans and just ask Victor to give me your setting cause I do think it would be perfect. Congratulations on such a successful project. Enjoy your stunning stone in the home she deserves.
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