What do you think of this setting?

[laurel25]

Date: 10/22/2008 11:07:58 PM
LOL. Chatchke is so, so laid back.

Stan is an absolute nutjob. He''s insane, but he''s still in the puppy stage (just turned 2) and in my experience with Pugs they tend to stay in the puppy stage for a LONG time! LOL! They go from puppies to old men/women!

Anyway, I''m getting a quote on the Caroline setting from Winfield''s. I really like it, so now I''ll just have to decide if I do want a plain solitaire or the Petite Cathedral. I''m just having a reallly hard time with this decision!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 10/23/2008 10:45:22 AM
Author: laurel25

Date: 10/22/2008 11:07:58 PM
LOL. Chatchke is so, so laid back.

Stan is an absolute nutjob. He's insane, but he's still in the puppy stage (just turned 2) and in my experience with Pugs they tend to stay in the puppy stage for a LONG time! LOL! They go from puppies to old men/women!

Anyway, I'm getting a quote on the Caroline setting from Winfield's. I really like it, so now I'll just have to decide if I do want a plain solitaire or the Petite Cathedral. I'm just having a reallly hard time with this decision!

So true on the pugs! Violet (the little one) is still a spaz. Chatchke used to be, and one day was just like, okay, I'm done now, LOL.

Here's my thought on the solitaire, and believe me, I've given it a lot of thought.

Solitaires look good with EVERYTHING. I mean, I'm in jeans and sneakers right now, and my solitaire looks fine.
I can put a blingy band with it when I want to dress it up, and a plain one when I'm in comfies.

With something like the Petite Open Cathedral - your ring is dressed up, whether you are or not. Gorgeous, yes. But if you're like me and live in jeans, I'd feel weird in a blingy band and a giant sweatshirt, LOL.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 10:50:31 AM
Author: geckodani

Date: 10/23/2008 10:45:22 AM
Author: laurel25

Date: 10/22/2008 11:07:58 PM
LOL. Chatchke is so, so laid back.

Stan is an absolute nutjob. He''s insane, but he''s still in the puppy stage (just turned 2) and in my experience with Pugs they tend to stay in the puppy stage for a LONG time! LOL! They go from puppies to old men/women!

Anyway, I''m getting a quote on the Caroline setting from Winfield''s. I really like it, so now I''ll just have to decide if I do want a plain solitaire or the Petite Cathedral. I''m just having a reallly hard time with this decision!

So true on the pugs! Violet (the little one) is still a spaz. Chatchke used to be, and one day was just like, okay, I''m done now, LOL.

Here''s my thought on the solitaire, and believe me, I''ve given it a lot of thought.

Solitaires look good with EVERYTHING. I mean, I''m in jeans and sneakers right now, and my solitaire looks fine.
I can put a blingy band with it when I want to dress it up, and a plain one when I''m in comfies.

With something like the Petite Open Cathedral - your ring is dressed up, whether you are or not. Gorgeous, yes. But if you''re like me and live in jeans, I''d feel weird in a blingy band and a giant sweatshirt, LOL.

Yeah, that''s exactly the dilemma I''m having - I wear jeans where I work right now everyday, but in the past, and potentially in the future, I''ve had to dress up - like pretty dressy (skirts, suits, dress pants, heels). And with my first marriage I had a custom setting made that I didn''t totally love (platinum contoured cathedral with regular 4 prong head & .74 ct diamond - diamond was awesome, but setting was just too bulky/heavy looking and platinum doesn''t do my skin tone any favors - it''s too grey) and I don''t know if I didn''t like it because of the bulkiness or because it was too plain. Plus, with a diamond in a solitaire the diamond is SO sparkly that a plain solitaire looks just lovely because the diamond is the main attraction. But with a colored stone, even with mine which sparkles like made due to the concave cut, it doesn''t come anywhere close to a diamond, so I''m wondering if having a diamond band to add a little bit more oomph will be exactly what I feel would be lacking in a solitaire. Aaarrrgghhh - it''s just so difficult! And Mr. L is no help because all solitaires he thinks are "nice, but really plain" and almost all diamond settings (with the exception of the Petite Cathedral) are too fancy - not that I''m choosing what he likes, but I don''t want him to hate what I pick out -- KWIM?

 

[E B]

But Laurel, that's the thing about the Caroline- it isn't a plain solitaire. It might look like a plain solitaire from the top, but when tilted to the side, you can see the (sparkling) diamonds all around the head.

 

[geckodani]

I think that your sapphire is going to stand alone just fine - and if you get the Caroline setting, there''s some extra bling in the head.

Also, if you put a diamond band with it, you''ll get bling, but not be tied to it every day.

 

[laurel25]

EBree & geckodani - I know, that's why I'm totally loving the Caroline setting - it's got that little something extra that I think might make it work for me! I love the matching band too, but I think that $1600 is a little steep and I know ArtCarved has one that is very similar that I think can be ordered in white gold instead of palladium.

>

 

[geckodani]

Date: 10/23/2008 11:52:09 AM
Author: laurel25
EBree & geckodani - I know, that''s why I''m totally loving the Caroline setting - it''s got that little something extra that I think might make it work for me! I love the matching band too, but I think that $1600 is a little steep and I know ArtCarved has one that is very similar that I think can be ordered in white gold instead of palladium.

<<edited to add - I showed Mr.L the Caroline setting and he like it too!>>

Woo-hoo!

 

[E B]

Date: 10/23/2008 11:52:09 AM
Author: laurel25
EBree & geckodani - I know, that''s why I''m totally loving the Caroline setting - it''s got that little something extra that I think might make it work for me! I love the matching band too, but I think that $1600 is a little steep and I know ArtCarved has one that is very similar that I think can be ordered in white gold instead of palladium.


<<edited to add - I showed Mr.L the Caroline setting and he like it too!>>

Yay!

To be honest, when looking at the ''lines'' of the settings, I think the Caroline surpasses the others by a mile.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 10/23/2008 12:03:08 PM
Author: EBree

Yay!

To be honest, when looking at the ''lines'' of the settings, I think the Caroline surpasses the others by a mile.

Ditto!

 

[laurel25]

Unfortunately, I just got the quote back from Winfield's for the setting and it's $1270 from them! So that's almost $300 over the high end of my budget, so I think that's going to have to be ruled out. Dammit!

 

[geckodani]

Why not get it from ExcelDiamonds.com?

 

[geckodani]

Check out this Ritani I found:

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 12:49:59 PM
Author: geckodani
Why not get it from ExcelDiamonds.com?

The problem is that I don''t have anyone to set it, so whomever I get the setting from needs to be able to also set the stone. I''ll email them and see if they can do it. I was also thinking about emailing Julian at Pearlman''s because I rememberd the Ritani that you were considering along with the Scott Kay (I voted for the Ritani

) sooooo, I''m going to see how much that one was.


I also found this Ritani that I''m kind of really loving as well...
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/787


One you were considering...
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/540

 

[geckodani]

The Ritani I was looking at was $560 in Palladium at the time I asked. My SKay was $900.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:01:00 PM
Author: geckodani
The Ritani I was looking at was $560 in Palladium at the time I asked. My SKay was $900.

That''s what I had thought, that the Ritani was surprisingly affordable. I really like the way the double-prongs look and I think having some element like that - either the double prongs or the engraving would also add the additional interest that I think I''m looking for. So, now I just have to wait to hear back from Julian.

 

[E B]

Don''t quote me, but I believe Excel will set an outside stone. If I''m remembering correctly, they offered to set my WF stone into a Vatche I was considering through them.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:12:24 PM
Author: EBree
Don''t quote me, but I believe Excel will set an outside stone. If I''m remembering correctly, they offered to set my WF stone into a Vatche I was considering through them.

I''ll have to email them. What I''ve been finding that is just about anywhere will set a diamond, but a LOT of palces won''t set colored stones that were purchased through them.

 

[E B]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:19:30 PM
Author: laurel25

Date: 10/23/2008 1:12:24 PM

Author: EBree

Don't quote me, but I believe Excel will set an outside stone. If I'm remembering correctly, they offered to set my WF stone into a Vatche I was considering through them.

I'll have to email them. What I've been finding that is just about anywhere will set a diamond, but a LOT of palces won't set colored stones that were purchased through them.

How odd. I wonder if it's due to durability issues that may arise with colored stones?

If it helps, I know GOG carries Vatche settings. They may be able to set your sapphire if Excel won't!

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:30:00 PM
Author: EBree
How odd. I wonder if it''s due to durability issues that may arise with colored stones?

If it helps, I know GOG carries Vatche settings. They may be able to set your sapphire if Excel won''t!

I''m pretty sure that is is the durablility thing, but I figure that''s what insurance is for. Anyway, I''m waiting to hear back from Julian at Pearlman''s because geckodani''s thread in SMTR about her new reset arriving made me think back to the Ritani she was considering. I really liked that setting and the one I posted above (and a couple more I''ve found now!), so I''m hoping they''d be willing to set it.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Laurel, I think it''s hilarious what you said about Mr. L not giving you any help with solitaires... After EVERY jewelry store, or after any solitaire/solitaire w/ daimonds I''d show him, my FI would always just say "that''s nice" or "eh, it''s ok." I finally got him to admit that they all looked the same to him...

HAHAHA so funny but so frustrating too! So it''s great that yours actually likes the Caroline! But not so great that it''s too expensive...

In response to your original two choices, I''d say that first it needs to depend on whether you like a tiffany style (sticking up out of the ring) or a more fluid style with the cathedral. I personally like the fluidity in cathedrals better than pointy tiffany styles, but that''s just me. Next, I''d say for you to decide if it matters that your wedding band sit flush or not. As mentioned before, the WF has a matching band that sits flush. In the posts of the James Allen, the band will not sit flush. I like the flush fit much better. Overall, personally, my vote is for the Whiteflash ring.

If you went with the Whiteflash ring, they''ll set your stone for you, right? And you could also consider getting a plain wedding band instead of the matching one if you want to tone down the "bling" a bit due to your outfits - I TOTALLY understand this, as I LIVE in my jeans hehe

, which is why my band''s going to be a simple 2mm plain platinum (hopefully). Anyway, I do think a lot of diamonds could look too blingly sometimes with just jeans, especially if your ering already has blue and diamonds in it.

Final note - I LOVE your stone!!!

I was looking at his gems for a LONG time and still want to get one later for a RHR. How much do they sparkle in real life? It''s so hard to tell from the pics with no movement and never seeing one IRL!!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

I think I still like the WF better than the two Ritani''s you posted.

Overall I LOVE the Caroline - the side diamonds are so unique!! I hate that it''s over the budget though. If that''s the deciding factor, I vote WF!!

 

[geckodani]

Julian is the man. Tell him I say hi, LOL. Plus, with the Ritani I was looking at, you get that fun surprise diamond on each side!

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:53:31 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
Laurel, I think it''s hilarious what you said about Mr. L not giving you any help with solitaires... After EVERY jewelry store, or after any solitaire/solitaire w/ daimonds I''d show him, my FI would always just say ''that''s nice'' or ''eh, it''s ok.'' I finally got him to admit that they all looked the same to him...

HAHAHA so funny but so frustrating too! So it''s great that yours actually likes the Caroline! But not so great that it''s too expensive...

In response to your original two choices, I''d say that first it needs to depend on whether you like a tiffany style (sticking up out of the ring) or a more fluid style with the cathedral. I personally like the fluidity in cathedrals better than pointy tiffany styles, but that''s just me. Next, I''d say for you to decide if it matters that your wedding band sit flush or not. As mentioned before, the WF has a matching band that sits flush. In the posts of the James Allen, the band will not sit flush. I like the flush fit much better. Overall, personally, my vote is for the Whiteflash ring.

If you went with the Whiteflash ring, they''ll set your stone for you, right? And you could also consider getting a plain wedding band instead of the matching one if you want to tone down the ''bling'' a bit due to your outfits - I TOTALLY understand this, as I LIVE in my jeans hehe

, which is why my band''s going to be a simple 2mm plain platinum (hopefully). Anyway, I do think a lot of diamonds could look too blingly sometimes with just jeans, especially if your ering already has blue and diamonds in it.

Final note - I LOVE your stone!!!

I was looking at his gems for a LONG time and still want to get one later for a RHR. How much do they sparkle in real life? It''s so hard to tell from the pics with no movement and never seeing one IRL!!

strawberries - Thanks so much for your reponse. It does stink that the Caroline sounds like it''s out of my budget, but I''m going to email Excel Diamonds to see if they could set my sapphire and I''ve found out the the two Ritanis I like are IN my budget, so that''s very cool and I''m waiting to hear back on quotes for two more that I like as well.

I think I definitely prefer the cathedral look over the regular solitaire look, so if I go with a setting with diamonds, it will be the WF one. If I do go that route, I''ll probably get either a knife ege band as my w-ring or else something that is more metal with just a few accent diamonds to off-set the bling of the e-ring.

Guys can be so difficult when it comes to this stuff. Mr.L knew that I would love to get to pick out my own ring because he knows how much I love jewelry, but I still want his opinion on it and his opinion is generally, "I don''t like it" or "That''s nice" - no explanation! LOL.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:57:15 PM
Author: geckodani
Julian is the man. Tell him I say hi, LOL. Plus, with the Ritani I was looking at, you get that fun surprise diamond on each side!

He''s already gotten back to me with quotes (although the setting you had liked has gone up - $625 in palladium now) and I''m waiting to hear back from him with quotes on the one you suggested earlier (with the diamonds) and this one - http://www.ritani.com/products/view/539 - which I think is the plain version of the one you suggested. I''m kind of digging the lines of this one - the heart isn''t great, but I could live with it because the rest of it is so fluid and smooth and interesting.

 

[geckodani]

I figured it might have gone up - that''s still not bad though! I''m not loving the heart, personally.

 

[laurel25]

Yeah, I guess with people buying up gold due to the state the economy it''s not surprising that that has gone up, but I guess I would have expected palladium not to have gone up quite so much.

 

[geckodani]

The week I got my quotes metals were reaaaallly low. Meh.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/23/2008 4:18:02 PM
Author: geckodani
The week I got my quotes metals were reaaaallly low. Meh.

I just can''t believe how much metal has gone up in general. In 2000 when I got my custom setting done in platinum, it cost $400 and it was a heavy 3mm wide comfort fit contoured cathedral setting. Now something similar is running at the least around $900 - over twice as much!

 

[Kelli]

Love your puppies ladies! My fiancee and I have already decided that when we''re too old to handle BIG dogs, we''re getting a couple of pugs, and naming them Handsome and Pretty.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 10/24/2008 1:28:24 AM
Author: Kelli
Love your puppies ladies! My fiancee and I have already decided that when we''re too old to handle BIG dogs, we''re getting a couple of pugs, and naming them Handsome and Pretty.

That''s funny - we currently have 2 big dogs AND the Pug - they get along well with other dogs and are definitely not delicate like other small dogs. Stan wrestles with the other two all the time and it''s hilarious because he''s so much smaller (other two are a German Shorthair Pointer/Lab mix and a Shepherd/Pit Bill/Lab/Cockerspaniel mix) - he stands on his hind legs so he can swat them in the face! And don''t wait too long for the Pug - they are VERY high energy when they are puppies (and they are puppies for a looooooong time)!