What should this setting approx cost?

[steve0617]

Hi all,

I have the stone (1.22 RB) and am trying to set a setting custom made. I have been getting some numbers from a couple local B&Ms, that, well, I'm sorry, seem way too expensive. But this is my first foray into designing stuff so I'm looking for some advice.

I'm trying to create:

A single band
Cathedral
6mm (yes six mm) in width at the top tapering down to a smaller ring size (so it doesn't look like a man's band)
A surprise diamond added to the base of the crown in a bezel
Platinum

I have received quotes that are almost 3K for platinum (and $1600 for WG) and that just doesn't seem right as I've found the ring in 5mm cathedral only for under 1K online. It can even be ordered out of the B&M catalogs. Even a 4.3mm cathedral at BN is $1650. ( http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-engagement-ring-setting-platinum_2385?filter_id=1&collection_id=234 )

But adding a mm in width (ring size 5.25) and the surprise diamond (maybe 2pts tops) just doesn't seem to me to add $1500 - $2000 to the cost of the ring. It's not even that hard of a ring to design. There's no pave. No mill work, no extra diamonds in the head/ring itself.

I know platinum is more expensive that gold on an oz basis ($1166.30 as of yesterday versus $897.30 for gold - both on NYMEX) but it's not twice the price. Am I simply seeing B&M profits here?

Am I missing something serious here? I'll fully accept (and that's why I'm asking) that this setting should cost $3K for platinum. If it does, it does. It just doesn't seem like so hard a ring to make as to cost so much.

 

[steve0617]

Another look

 

[steve0617]

the bezel surprise diamond concept.

I simply want the first ring, but in 6mm width, with the bezel surprise diamond from this third pic. Should that cost $3K?

 

[denverappraiser]

You’re not just adding a mm in width. The 5mm ring you’re looking at in the catalog is mass produced in a factory and what you’re asking jewelers to produce is a one-off custom made job. That makes all the difference. By all means shop it around but what you’re doing at the moment isn’t comparing apples to apples.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[arjunajane]

Yup,
what Neil said 100%.
Try browsing around online for surprise diamond settings, you may find what you want without having to customize.
Also, I would just confirm that your girl specifically wants a 5mm band - that is quite a
wide band, especially for an ering.
If she has small hands, or short fingers (like me for example), it may not be very flattering.

My apologies if you have already addressed this, I just thought it worth a mention

 

[girlie-girl]

Anytime you go the complete custom route there will be more cost involved because of the workmanship and knowledge required to make such a piece.

And to add on to what AJ said about the width, are you planning on getting a wedding band as well? If so, will she be wearing it on the same finger as this ring? A lot of girls don''t have the ability to wear a 5mm band AND a wedding band as they don''t have that much space between their knuckles. LOL If she has long, slender fingers she might be able to pull it off, otherwise it may be a bit uncomfortable.

I do think the setting will be pretty and I also like the thicker bands on the right people.

 

[icekid]

I was wondering about adding a wedding band to a 6 mm ring, as well. That is a whole lot of heavy platinum. I agree with you steve, that platinum should not be twice the price of gold though. (Perhaps this jeweler is not very comfortable in platinum, and quotes heavy prices because of that?)

 

[Alexiszoe]

with platinum and gold prices the way it is now, I don''t think the price difference squares up, unless there''s some other costs involved. I recently had 2 quotes for a custom designer setting in 18k gold and plat, and the price difference was minimal. maybe you can opt for semi-custom or ask for quotes from other PS vendors to see if it works out for you.

 

[steve0617]

Thanks all for the responses.

The 6mm ring alone, with no wedding band, is what she wants. We've been researching for literally a year and have probably gone to 50 different stores, several more than once (hey, as long as we're at the mall, let's stop in the same four jewelery stores we always do).

I've been the one that's been trying to ensure she knows exactly what she wants. The first time through, when she and I were having a jeweler draw up what I thought was the final thing after four months of looking, she tried on a simple cathedral since it was right there and turned to me with tears in her eyes saying 'this one. this is it.'

Which of course completely threw me as it was nothing like the intricate one we were designing. So a lot of the looking over the last 6 months or so has been to make totally sure she wants a 6mm cathedral with no band.

She does.

And the jeweler this morning after I posted said 'platinum is heavier, thus it's more expensive.'

Plus they didn't CAD up the design idea right so they're redoing it.

 

[steve0617]

Date: 4/4/2009 11:16:04 AM
Author: arjunajane
Try browsing around online for surprise diamond settings, you may find what you want without having to customize.

Believe me, I''ve been googling/surfing for months to try and find it already made. I''ve failed.

 

[steve0617]

On a lark, I just zipped downtown to Chicago and checked in with one guy in the Jeweler's Mall on Wabash that had previously impressed me both with his work and his prices. He's going to take a shot at it and we'll see where that goes. He even thanked me for the opportunity to design it. Coming from one of the previous jewelers we had visited that acted as if I should be honored for the privilege of being allowed to invest in one of their rings, being thanked for the chance to create the ring was refreshing.

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 4/4/2009 1:52:50 PM
Author: steve0617

And the jeweler this morning after I posted said 'platinum is heavier, thus it's more expensive.'

.

Platinum IS heaver so it does require more metal for the same volume. It’s also more work to finish properly and the alloy used to make jewelry is a higher percentage than the customary alloys used for gold. Most platinum pieces are either 90% or 95% platinum while 14k gold is 58% gold.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[steve0617]

Most platinum pieces are either 90% or 95% platinum while 14k gold is 58% gold.


Neil Beaty

GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA

Professional Appraisals in Denver

THAT was the part I was trying to understand from them. They couldn''t tell me that as a percentage of the ring''s entire content, there is more raw platinum in the ''platinum'' ring than raw gold in the ''14K gold ring.''

The jeweler made it out to be ''platinum weighs more, thus it costs more'' which is what I just didn''t get. The fact that more platinum is used versus gold for the same ring is what I didn''t get

 

[AprilBaby]

Are you out in the suburbs? Diamond Gallery of Naperville does custom work.

 

[Diamond Explorer]

Date: 4/4/2009 2:33:45 PM
Author: steve0617

Most platinum pieces are either 90% or 95% platinum while 14k gold is 58% gold.



Neil Beaty


GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA


Professional Appraisals in Denver

THAT was the part I was trying to understand from them. They couldn't tell me that as a percentage of the ring's entire content, there is more raw platinum in the 'platinum' ring than raw gold in the '14K gold ring.'


The jeweler made it out to be 'platinum weighs more, thus it costs more' which is what I just didn't get. The fact that more platinum is used versus gold for the same ring is what I didn't get

Platinum has a higher specific gravity than gold. It is a much denser metal. More grams of platinum are required to make the same design. Also it is generally a harder metal to fabricate, that requires a more time and expertise than gold. Platinum is definitely still the way to go.

I fabricate some of my designs in a workshop in the Mallers building on Wabash. There are some excellent craftsman that I work with there. When you give you specifications, I suggest that you request that your design be fabricated from rolled stock. It will give you a much stronger and durable result that a cast design.

 

[steve0617]

I fabricate some of my designs in a workshop in the Mallers building on Wabash. There are some excellent craftsman that I work with there.

Any recommendations for designers?

 

[Diamond Explorer]

I am a designer and the guys I work with do not work directly with the public. I am based in Chicago and work on custom projects in addition to my online store. If you would like my assistance on this project, which I would be more than happy to do, you can email me at [email protected].