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worried low quality setting :(

M

mmullen68

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
21
ugh so i just picked up my setting for a 1.1 carat OEC. Love the stone but now the setting is worrying me. i keep picking out flaws in the craftsmanship and its really a bummer for me. i keep getting mixed reviews as well. its a custom hand made ring so some people have said not to worry and others said it needs fixed.. i dont have time before the proposal unless i push it back which would be really hard to do considering ive been anticipating this. on the one side it seems wavy where the smaller diamonds are set. theres a gap that looks big to me in magnified pics and the side that just has the one band seems a little off center. am i just being to picky or what should i do! are people right that small shop custom jewelers will have smaller flaws and that its ok. if so im fine with that but i want to make sure im not getting hosed here on shoddy craftsmanship. ive read posts where women point out imperfections in there rings and they are ok with it but then i see these perfect rings on other posts. is it true that a custom made ring wont be as "perfect as a catalog ring? this is really stressing me out :oops:

my_ring_10.jpg
 
heres another pic

ring_66.jpg
 
Well, if others are telling you it needs to be fixed (and I think I can see the issues), then I think there are problems with it. If you can, I would try to get them to take it back because they likely cannot do anything to fix the ring. I just think they aren't at the skill level to make a fine quality ring. We could show you many, many antique style settings that would be lovely with an OEC. If I can be honest, I do not think that style works at all with milgrain and an OEC center as it is a very modern design.
 
I agree with Diamondseeker. Unless your lady specifically wanted that setting, I would return it. Those flaws/poor workmanship on a fun everyday ring I might overlook. But on my Ering, that workmanship would always bug me.

Maybe you can set the stone in a simple, basic setting, with the idea of telling your lady that you want her to pick out the permanent setting. That way you would not have to wait to propose, and she would get exactly what she wanted.
 
I'm gonna go in tomorrow and see what he says and what the options are. only thing I'm worried about is that I don't have to much more money ey to spend on top of what I already have. could you recommend some settings that would go well with the cut?
 
There are many nice ones that we can suggest. See if they will give you a full or partial refund and then we'll go from there.
 
will do. is there any specific reason an oec isn't rrecommended in a modern setting. I definitely see what you mean about the milgrain but still think that if the ring was clean and well done and rather than mill grain the edges were even and polished that it would look good. I'm not an expert tho but thought the design was nice and unique. this coming from a guys perspective tho with not a lot of jewelry experience so no offense taken if you feel the concept doesn't work at all. was just wondering if it was something specific or just a matter of taste.
 
Well, I think it looks like it is coming from a guys perspective. There are a ton of women here with OEC's, and I have a new one myself, and I'll tell you that 98% of them are set in antique style settings and not modern. I think that design could work for a right hand modern ring with a gemstone, so if they won't take it back, I'd probably set a colored stone in it and get a more traditional antique style setting for the OEC. A wedding band will look better with a more traditional antique style ring as well.

Here are a few examples, but in white gold or platinum:

http://www.beverleyk.com/engagement-rings/vintage/r9666-a-d-d-cz.html

http://www.beverleyk.com/engagement-rings/flush-fit/8wrtj008-a-d-d-m.html

http://www.beverleyk.com/engagement-rings/flush-fit/r1190-a-d-d-cz.html

http://www.beverleyk.com/engagement-rings/flush-fit/r9029c-d-d.html

http://www.beverleyk.com/engagement-rings/flush-fit/r685-a-d-d-cz.html
 
First of all, I'm so sorry this happened. It must be stressful to be close to the proposal date and not have the perfect setting. I understand your concern about money already spent, etc.

I can see the flaws you are talking about. Channel setting, especially with small diamonds is hard to master. A good channel setting has all the diamonds evenly spaced and at the same height. The pushed in channels should be smooth and even. Often you see milgrain used to cover up the burnish marks (I know this because I studied bench work for a while....)

Unless your gal specifically designed this setting, I would take it back to the shop. They may not give you a refund, but they may be willing to work out a partial trade. My suggestion is to get something simple, like a cathedral solitaire or Tiffany style setting, something with prongs which is relatively easy to do and doesn't cost too much. When you propose,tell her she has the option of picking a more complicated setting if she wants. Depending on her personality, you could add that the jeweler hosed your first design and that in order to save money and propose in time, you went with this option.

I think she would appreciate that. Good luck!
 
I'd agree with the others on the setting, both quality and style-wise. Unless it's a style she specifically asked for, it's more of a right-hand style that might be more suitable with a colored gem. Also, it would be hard to get any sort of wedding band to look right unless it was custom made to fit around it.

I know this probably took a lot of cash, and so if there's not much left in your budget for a different setting, I'd look for a simple 6 prong solitaire (generally pretty inexpensive). Also, there's one made by Stuller that's a 6 prong that looks nice with old cuts and hopefully isn't too expensive. A lot of jewelers either carry or have access to Stuller.

Summerlove had her stone put in it:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/1-17-oec-shes-a-keeper-and-an-antique-finger-warmer.187205/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/1-17-oec-shes-a-keeper-and-an-antique-finger-warmer.187205/[/URL]


Otherwise, if you think your lady is going to like something more elaborate, I'd just get the cheapest basic setting you can (hopefully only a few hundred) and then y'all can save for a reset when she finds what she likes.

Congrats on your upcoming proposal! I think it'll all work out fine! Just a little hiccup here.
 
Ok thank you. that all makes sense. I'm gonna go back in today and will keep you posted. iI think the jeweler will understand and be helpful without breaking the bank because he is a freind of my moms best freind and has been nice thus far. what do you guys think of this six prong setting? i figured that maybe since I already have the diamonds from the band of the first try that maybe they could be used where needed on this setting. I know she would like something with a little more pizazz than a solitaire but I also don't wanna risk it not looking good again. also can a tiffany 6 prong be set a tad bit lower even with an oec so it wouldn't be as prone to snagging and stick out so much or would that possibly take away from the style. I've always like the six prong settings but some seem to sit so high it seems like it would always be catching on something. can't wait to see the look on this jeweler's face when I come back in today saying uh we have a problem I need a re-do. lol.

solitaire-engagement-round-luxury-design.jpeg
 
A prong setting shouldn't snag as long as the prongs are done right. If they can tip the top of the prongs towards the stone, that ought to keep the tips from snagging things....something like this. I hope you can see it....

bgdearfire2.jpg

Here's the way that you probably don't want to set it. This way generally catches on things:

badset.jpg
 
Mmullen68, you posted while I was posting. I love your choice. Blue Nile actually has a similar style, and they have video and photos of what it would look like IRL. It is 4 prong though. But it will give you a feel for the price you should pay, for when you head back to your 'custom' jeweler.

http://www.bluenile.com/halo-diamond-engagement-ring-18k-white-gold_20396
 
I like that one from Leigh J Nacht as well. but if your budget has been shot and it's out of bounds, I like the halo ring and those tend to look nice with old cuts. And here's another 6 prong solitaire that maybe could be set lower, as it has cathedral sides, and is budget friendly:

http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_43&products_id=10025&cType=ER

On a side note, looking again at the various photos of your stone in the current setting my advice would be to make sure whatever you choose let's more light in to the stone. It seems like the setting is blocking the stone on one side (almost like a bezel on one side) and old cuts can be kind of fussy as to what setting looks best with them. It can take some trial and error to get right but when you do, you know you've got it right! My instinct on this one is keep light coming in to it. A halo will do this because the stone will be sitting on a little "platform" for lack of better words, and the bottom stays open. The prong settings tend to let lots of light in as well.
 
mmullen68|1370444902|3459424 said:
Ok thank you. that all makes sense. I'm gonna go back in today and will keep you posted. iI think the jeweler will understand and be helpful without breaking the bank because he is a freind of my moms best freind and has been nice thus far. what do you guys think of this six prong setting? i figured that maybe since I already have the diamonds from the band of the first try that maybe they could be used where needed on this setting. I know she would like something with a little more pizazz than a solitaire but I also don't wanna risk it not looking good again. also can a tiffany 6 prong be set a tad bit lower even with an oec so it wouldn't be as prone to snagging and stick out so much or would that possibly take away from the style. I've always like the six prong settings but some seem to sit so high it seems like it would always be catching on something. can't wait to see the look on this jeweler's face when I come back in today saying uh we have a problem I need a re-do. lol.
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Gorgeous choice and MUCH better for the OEC!!!! :appl: :appl: :appl: (the halo with plain shank)

(I do not like the Sholdt setting any better for an OEC.)
 
I like that setting too but yea your probably right about the budget issue. the light issue makes sense as well. the stone did seem duller once set. I'll repost in a couple hours because I should be able to go see the jeweler shortly. I'm thinking the halo will be the way to go and hopefully with not much more money involved considering I can call out the workmanship on top of the idea change . even if the setting I had was perfect I'd still want to change it based on all the input. I'm just Suprised about the quality issue because I've seen peices this guy made and they were amazing. since I already have the gold and diamonds from this ring do you think he's gonna say it'd be cheaper to have him make this new halo setting rather than order from a catalog? I could see that being cheaper but I also wouldn't want any quality issues although it seems this new setting would be easier to make and get right. what would you guys recommend if I have the choice of having it ordered which I would think would cost more than having him reuse the materials and making it in house. because the catalog prices are pretty much set and there's no getting around that. but if it was made by the shop it would just be the labor which I could see him not charging me for based on my past experiences with him. I guess I'll just have to go in and see. if Ican afford to order a pre made setting I will. it's all gonna depend on how the refund is handled I guess. I'll check back before making any decisions.
 
Do not let him make another ring!!! Definitely order a sure thing this time! Making it custom usually will cost more than ordering a pre-made one anyway. I just don't trust his work after seeing this ring. I am sure you don't want to have to change it a 3rd time!
 
diamondseeker2006|1370450780|3459483 said:
Do not let him make another ring!!! Definitely order a sure thing this time! Making it custom usually will cost more than ordering a pre-made one anyway. I just don't trust his work after seeing this ring. I am sure you don't want to have to change it a 3rd time!
Click to expand...


+100. I wouldn't let them remake anything. It's cheaper just to reorder something else than have them unset and reset tiny little stones for you. The cost is in the labor on those type of settings not in the accent stones and so it would not really save you much cash to have him reuse the gold and diamonds- a big part of custom cost is the labor. I also agree about the Scholt setting. Though it looks like it would accommodate a wedding band better it would cover the stone up too much and it's more of a modern style setting anyway.

Go with your halo route if you can and like it. or pick a very simple solitaire and change later.
 
agreed. and yes I definitely do not want to have to change a 3rd time and have anything go wrong! do you guys have any input or opinions on what would be a standard or fair refund for this type of situation? I have 1250 invested with this jeweler for the current setting. of course he said I was getting a steal to help stay in budget. little did I know this meant a big sacrifice in quality and I feel like he should have told me this setting was not ideal for an oec but that's besides the point. also in the wax version there was no milgrain so I feel like I have another valid point there for disappointment if I need it. the stone I had purchased separately from someone else. I know it's impossible to determine what each jeweler's policy would be but any idea what would be fair? obviously the diamonds would remain mine and the gold would go back to him but it's not like it a half oz of gold or anything significant. I have no idea what those little diamonds cost tho wholesale. I'm assuming not very much. I'm not expecting 1250 back but wanna make sure I'm not getting hosed either on top of shelling out hundreds more for the new setting. ugh I hope this goes well. :oops:
 
It seems like you should get back the full amount of what you paid. As for the little diamonds in the setting I would not even mess with keeping them. That ring I posted is $1,200 and they have many other pretty settings for a decent price. Any of the rings everyone on here is suggesting would be lovely.
 
mmullen68|1370452303|3459512 said:
agreed. and yes I definitely do not want to have to change a 3rd time and have anything go wrong! do you guys have any input or opinions on what would be a standard or fair refund for this type of situation? I have 1250 invested with this jeweler for the current setting. of course he said I was getting a steal to help stay in budget. little did I know this meant a big sacrifice in quality and I feel like he should have told me this setting was not ideal for an oec but that's besides the point. also in the wax version there was no milgrain so I feel like I have another valid point there for disappointment if I need it. the stone I had purchased separately from someone else. I know it's impossible to determine what each jeweler's policy would be but any idea what would be fair? obviously the diamonds would remain mine and the gold would go back to him but it's not like it a half oz of gold or anything significant. I have no idea what those little diamonds cost tho wholesale. I'm assuming not very much. I'm not expecting 1250 back but wanna make sure I'm not getting hosed either on top of shelling out hundreds more for the new setting. ugh I hope this goes well. :oops:
Click to expand...


I don't know what to tell you to expect money-wise, but most jewelers aren't going to tell you what is or isn't a good idea (mostly because it's your cash and how you spend it is up to you). I can only tell you from my experience with OEC's that since they are all so uniquely cut you just have to work with them until the right setting style comes up. I spent almost 8 months trying to find the "right" kind of setting for the OEC I have and was just about fed up when the setting I have came along. Most jewelry sales people I've spoken with don't agree since their opinion is most likely "a diamond is a diamond and you can put it in whatever you want" but I've seen more than a few OEC's on here where the setting makes or breaks them, either colorwise or style wise. It's purely my own subjective experience with OEC's, and in that respect I'm suggesting stay away from bezels and lean towards halos with an open bottom like in your photo.
 
heading to the jeweler now. wish me luck. hope it goes well! will update
 
mmullen68|1370465939|3459635 said:
heading to the jeweler now. wish me luck. hope it goes well! will update
Click to expand...


good luck!
 
I admit I didn't read every post here, but that Scholdt is to die for!!! That is similar to the look you like, but would be higher quality.
 
I really extremely dislike the Sholdt ring for an OEC. I was trying to make the point that the original design and the Sholdt styles are not suited to an antique stone since the designs are ultra modern. It was something he liked and was not something she chose. I would have been upset to receive a ring in a style like that, to be honest, so I just don't think it is safe. A plain solitaire that she could change later would be MUCH safer.

Anyway, I would try to return the whole setting. You don't need the tiny diamonds. You will order another setting through the jeweler so he'll make a profit on that. the workmanship is bad and they should take the whole thing back, in my opinion. But if they credited you with at least with half, I'd let it go since it wasn't terribly expensive.
 
Just FYI mmullen... You wont see the milgrain in the wax model. It's put on after the ring is made. Was the milgrain their idea?

Good luck...I hope you get ALL your money back or at least a large amount.
 
well he was cool about it at least . i still wanted to keep my proposal for saturday since we'll be out of town and obviously nothing could be done by then so after discussing it i decided to hold onto the ring , propose and then let her decide. he told me to simply come back and we could exchange it if she would like for a pre-made setting like the halo or something that she wanted with very little to no cost involved as long as it was around the $1250 ive given him. With my luck, if i waited and had it changed now shed end up really liking the original setting! lol. If my chance she did he said he would re-do the ring if we'd like. Im definitely interested to see what her thoughts are. At least this way she'll get exactly what she wants and she'll know i put time and a lot of stress into this whole thing! Learned my lesson though, i will always consult with pricescope first on jewelry decisions!
 
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