#JOTW Victor and Whiteflash have done it again… Introducing my VC solitaire!

[carbonfan]

HI:

A >3 carat F VS1. ACA. I died.

PS--what did you do with your D colored CBI?? All these delish high colorless stones have my head spinning!

cheers--Sharon

Wow, just gorgeous!!! It's very rare to see a 3+ ct superideal cut in F color around here! I am sure it is a bright white fireball! Victor's solitaire is the perfect home for a perfect stone! Can't wait to see what bands you had him make!

(haha, Sharon and I were thinking the same thing!)

Thank you both for your kind words; this ring makes me feel like an adrenaline junkie of late! And what a great memory you two have as well! So about the CBI... long story short, I traded it in for two stones that will be used for other projects. Basically, as much as I loved the CBI stone, over time I discovered that for a VS2 it was not as eye clean as I initially thought, and that realization started to detract from my enjoyment of it. In addition, once I finally admitted to myself that I wanted to bump up in size, D was no longer a feasible option. I am pretty color sensitive, so for many years I was locked in the mindset that D/E stones were a priority, but more recently I have realized that I adore F/G stones every bit as much! So once I had these revelations it boiled down to a choice between a 2 ct D and a 3 ct F. Once I thought of it in those terms it was an easy decision, and I honestly have no regrets!

I will post more about Victor's bands soon as well! Thank you again for all of your kind words!!

 

[carbonfan]

Perfect in every way. Drop the mic.

Ok back again to look at the pics. WE NEED MORE PICS. . 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.

Aww; thank you so much! I am still in shock by how well everything worked out, and your insights and advice were so pivotal in helping me navigate this process, so thank you again! And don't you dare abandon your current plans with Victor... I am sure your creation will be every bit as beautiful, and truth be told, I am dying to hear more about it! Besides, you have to go for it so I know which way to go the next time around! (Just kidding, or at least I think I am just kidding! ) Can't wait to hear more details about your upcoming creation. Victor never disappoints!!

 

[carbonfan]

junebug17 – Thank you so much; this stone basically took me by storm when I was least expecting it and I have been on an adrenaline high ever since!

msop4 – Aww, you are too kind! I should tell you that your ring was one of my inspirations… your solitaire is TDF!!

Alex T – Thank you so much; it took me quite a while to figure things out and I wish I could have had these epiphanies earlier, but the effort was well worth it!

Bonfire – Thank you! I love your beauty as well!

Sharon – I know what you mean; I actually hyperventilated when I discovered the stone on WF and then again when I saw it IRL! To be honest, I feel incredibly honored and humbled to wear it.

diamondseeker – I appreciate all of your kind words, and your advice has meant so much to me along the way. Thank you so, so much!

ac117 – Thank you so much! I second everything everyone has ever said about Whiteflash ACAs… they are truly gorgeous!

LLJsmom – Wow, that means so much coming from you! I always relate to your comments and quandaries so much, and your advice was invaluable. I truly cannot wait to see what you and Victor come up with!!

Tekate – You are too sweet! I uttered quite a few things when I saw the stone and setting in person, and “holy” was definitely part of that list. Victor did an incredible job!

ILikeShiny – Aww, thank you! I have felt for a while that a simpler setting was more “me” (and it is equally likely that I just needed a change from 15 years of wearing a pavé shank!) but it really does showcase the stone. I am so glad that I finally took the plunge!

Austina – It really does take my breath away at times. I appreciate your kind words. Thank you!!

redwood66 – Thank you!

 

[carbonfan]

kayla17 – You are too sweet! I took quite a while to work my way up to this one, but I think I am done for a while! Your set is gorgeous as well!

MissGotRocks – Aww, thank you! Your advice was incredibly helpful, and I love the clean lines of this ring. I sincerely doubt that I would have summoned the courage to try this without the help of my PS peeps!

Hayley17 – LOL; I feel like that on a daily basis! Still can’t believe it. Thank you for sharing my excitement!

alene – Thank you so much!! I love your avatar… just precious!! By any chance is that a Ridgeback?

Rosebloom – Thank you; you are too kind! I will be happy to post pics anytime!

marcy – Aww, thank you! I wish my knuckles were smaller, but the ring helps to distract me from that!

tophat1 – Aww, thank you! If you only knew how much I agonized over each mini-decision along the way… I tend to overanalyze things sometimes!

Elsafinacee – You are too kind; thank you!

missy – Aww, thanks! Your OEC has been an inspiration to me; I have drooled over it quite a bit!

bright ice – Thank you for your kind words! I am still having fun playing with it in different lighting!

Kbell – Aww, thank you!

PierreBear – Thank you for your kind words! One of the things I love about having a plain band is that it is easier to mix and match different types of stacking bands. I will post more pics soon! BTW, I love your avatar; it is adorable!!

GearGirly – This means so much; thank you! Victor captured my vision perfectly and I think that everything he creates is a work of art. You really can’t go wrong with Victor!

derbygal – You are too kind. Thank you for sharing my excitement!

 

[Loreal]

No words. Just gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!! Congratulations on your anniversary and for finding your holy grail stone!!

 

[m-2-b]

I love ACA's in VC settings! It looks positively lovely on you! Congrats again!

 

[Dancing Fire]

WOW!,

Congrats! , beautiful! , Can I have it? pretty please?. It would look so nice on my finger. F VS1 is my dream combo!

 

[Tourmaline]

Beautiful! Enjoy.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Stunning! I think a perfectly crafted solitaire is my favorite choice for a large round, let that diamond sing!

 

[LLJsmom]

Aww; thank you so much! I am still in shock by how well everything worked out, and your insights and advice were so pivotal in helping me navigate this process, so thank you again! And don't you dare abandon your current plans with Victor... I am sure your creation will be every bit as beautiful, and truth be told, I am dying to hear more about it! Besides, you have to go for it so I know which way to go the next time around! (Just kidding, or at least I think I am just kidding! ) Can't wait to hear more details about your upcoming creation. Victor never disappoints!!

Thanks carbonfan. Im glad I was able to help. I'm so happy that you did enjoy working with Victor and that your vision was realized. It is lovely to see his work in person isn't it? And it makes you want everything from him. Now if only money grew on trees. Your dream stone looks amazing in that setting and is perfect stacked with your bands. Congratulations!!

My project is only in the very early stages. I'm excited but am ready to wait a while and will try not to do anything rash until we begin.

 

[Skhii]

So happy you found the perfect stone for you! All your rings are gorgeous! We need more photos... Hehe!

 

[carbonfan]

Loreal – Thank you so much! This has been a 15-year journey and that makes it all the more meaningful. I absolutely love your Emilya as well… it is truly gorgeous!!

Thank you, m-2-b!! I truly wish I had discovered Victor and Whiteflash long before now, but I am so grateful that I discovered them when I did! I am a HUGE fan of WF and VC these days!!

Dancing Fire – LOL; you are too sweet! I really lucked out to find the F VS1 combo at just the right time. I am sure you will find your perfect combo as well!

Tourmaline – Aww, thank you so much!!

Asscherhalo_lover – Wow, you are too kind! It has taken me a long time to get to this point and to take the plunge for a plain-band solitaire, but I am so glad I did… I think “perfectly crafted” is the best description of Victor’s work!!

Skhii – Thank you so much!! More photos coming very soon!

 

[carbonfan]

Thanks carbonfan. Im glad I was able to help. I'm so happy that you did enjoy working with Victor and that your vision was realized. It is lovely to see his work in person isn't it? And it makes you want everything from him. Now if only money grew on trees. Your dream stone looks amazing in that setting and is perfect stacked with your bands. Congratulations!!

My project is only in the very early stages. I'm excited but am ready to wait a while and will try not to do anything rash until we begin.

Aww, thank you, LLJsmom! Your candid insights have been more helpful than I can fully express. It's funny how we as PS members read each other's posts and find that our quandaries are not so unique, and I for one find great comfort in that. I tend to second guess everything and it helps so much to see that others have similar dilemmas and internal struggles. I truly believe that it all pays off in the end, though... we drill down to discover those design elements that speak to us and that are most meaningful to us, and the extra time and effort makes it all the more rewarding in the end. You and I seem to be on parallel paths, and in many ways I feel like we are "jewelry sisters" in a sense (and we have similar tastes in jewelry as well!). So anyway, thank you again so very much for all of your help along the way. I really can't wait to see what you and Victor cook up!! (And yes, now that I have witnessed Victor's artistry in person everything else basically pales by comparison!!) I already feel like a VC addict of sorts, although I for one do not consider that a bad thing!

 

[carbonfan]

Okay, here are a few more photos, although I think the lighting is off in some of them... I need to get better at taking iPhone photos! (And sorry for the puffy fingers... it has been crazy hot here lately!) Enjoy!

 

[carbonfan]

I reviewed Schell's tips on photographing diamonds, which were most helpful! So here is my latest attempt to capture the ring with my iPhone 5s (my husband keeps trying me to switch to an SE or a 7 as he insists that the camera is better than the one on my phone, but I just can't bring myself to go there just yet!). The combination of Victor's stunning craftsmanship and the dazzling beauty of the ACA truly takes my breath away at times. Hope you enjoy the photos!

 

[kathley]

Just WOW! Absolutely gorgeous!

 

[kgizo]

Absolutely gorgeous!

 

[Acinom]

It is stunning! Your ring looks amazing on you. And those bands! I am a huge fan of Victor's work. Enjoy wearing your ring and bands

 

[kylier]

Gorgeous! Love the little details!

 

[arkieb1]

Wow, congrats stunning stone and beautiful setting!!!

 

[CarbonBling]

Beautiful stone! The cathedral setting provides the perfect elevation. I have considered ACA for an upgrade too. Every time I see one it makes me think twice about going any other route. Congratulations!

 

[tyty333]

Gorgeous! I love the swags of diamonds in the basket...really a lovely touch!

 

[acaw2015]

amazing ring! And the bands are simply perfection. Gorgeous combination. Congratulations!

 

[carbonfan]

Aww, thank you, kathley and kgizo! I am enjoying Victor’s creation so very much. My only regret is that I didn’t take this plunge earlier, but I think that the journey to get here has allowed me to appreciate everything even more now.

Acinom – Thank you for your kind words. I love all of your VC beauties as well… they are truly incredible! And I agree, his bands are something to behold. They definitely deserve their own thread, so I will try to get to that in the coming days! I have enjoyed working with Victor so much that I am already planning a few new projects with him!!

kylier – You are too kind! This experience has taught me that the details can really sway things. I adore your heart-shaped beauty as well!!

Thank you, arkieb1! (And I love the kitty in your avatar, BTW!) This ring has been years in the making, so I really appreciate all of the insights and encouragement I gained from my PS family! And of course Victor truly did an incredible job!!

And thank you, CarbonBling, for your kind words. You make a great point about the elevation. I didn’t want the stone to be set too high, and when I discussed this with Victor he quickly put all my fears to rest as he explained that he prefers medium-height settings. I felt that Victor really shared my vision for the ring and he executed it perfectly. And yes, you can't go wrong with Whiteflash ACAs!

tyty333 – Thank you! The scalloped basket is one of my many favorite parts of the ring!!

Thank you, acaw2015! I adore the bands as well, and Victor has some truly amazing ones from which to choose!

 

[Matthews1127]

I reviewed Schell's tips on photographing diamonds, which were most helpful! So here is my latest attempt to capture the ring with my iPhone 5s (my husband keeps trying me to switch to an SE or a 7 as he insists that the camera is better than the one on my phone, but I just can't bring myself to go there just yet!). The combination of Victor's stunning craftsmanship and the dazzling beauty of the ACA truly takes my breath away at times. Hope you enjoy the photos!

I adore your set & your new upgrade, however, your middle band has really caught my eye (scroll engraved, millgrain detail). Can you tell me more about it? It's GORGEOUS...and looks as though it matches my set...lol!!!
LOVE!!
CRM

 

[carbonfan]

I adore your set & your new upgrade, however, your middle band has really caught my eye (scroll engraved, millgrain detail). Can you tell me more about it? It's GORGEOUS...and looks as though it matches my set...lol!!!
LOVE!!
CRM

Thank you so much, CRM! This is Victor's hand engraved scroll motif eternity band, and I absolutely adore it! Victor's engraving is perfection and the delicate millgrain edge frames the band so beautifully. The precision of the engraving is amazing and the scroll design really catches the light. I find myself staring at each intricate detail! Here is a close-up of the band in case that is helpful:

 

[yennyfire]

What a beautiful set!! The whole thing is perfect together!!

 

[carbonfan]

What a beautiful set!! The whole thing is perfect together!!

Aww, thank you, yennyfire! I really have to credit many members of the PS community for providing such beneficial advice along the way! There is truly no telling where I would have ended up had I been left to my own devices. You all rock!

 

[Matthews1127]

Thank you so much, CRM! This is Victor's hand engraved scroll motif eternity band, and I absolutely adore it! Victor's engraving is perfection and the delicate millgrain edge frames the band so beautifully. The precision of the engraving is amazing and the scroll design really catches the light. I find myself staring at each intricate detail! Here is a close-up of the band in case that is helpful:

This is so similar to my set!! I love it! I just may have to look into this band for myself!! It's gorgeous!!!
My e-ring is Neil Lane. The scroll work & millgrain detail from the e-ring were custom hand engraved on my wedding band 1/2 eternity band to match. I can't believe how similar the design is!!
I have my eye on a sister Anniversary Band by Neil Lane that is a combo of my e-ring & wedding band put together. It's on my wish list!!!
I've attached photos so you can see the similarity between the designs. It's not difficult to see why that band screamed at me!! It stands beautifully with your set, and on its own!! I LOVE vintage jewelry! You did an amazing job!!
CRM

 

[carbonfan]

This is so similar to my set!! I love it! I just may have to look into this band for myself!! It's gorgeous!!!
My e-ring is Neil Lane. The scroll work & millgrain detail from the e-ring were custom hand engraved on my wedding band 1/2 eternity band to match. I can't believe how similar the design is!!
I have my eye on a sister Anniversary Band by Neil Lane that is a combo of my e-ring & wedding band put together. It's on my wish list!!!
I've attached photos so you can see the similarity between the designs. It's not difficult to see why that band screamed at me!! It stands beautifully with your set, and on its own!! I LOVE vintage jewelry! You did an amazing job!!
CRM

Aww, thank you so much, CRM... it took me long enough! Your set is beautiful!!