Suite of Aquas from Richard Homer On The Way

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 10/6/2009 1:45:21 PM
Author: Gailey
Well there's definitely a lot of extra baggage you have to take into account when you choose Leon, you will have seen all the threads. That being said, I have never seen a Leon piece that I didn't love and I don't think I have ever read about poor workmanship from him.

>>> Yes I would have to fight both price and to make sure all details were listed in the work order if I chose him. I didn't like the loops he used in his design of the round aquas design I wanted them hidden so I was concerned he would make me pay a lot more to have all loops hidden, wanted more for the detachable part, more to add diamonds between the leverbacks and the smaller cushion etc etc.

His TOB offend some, as does his attitude. Neither of those would put me off if I was set on him. That being said I have had no significant dealings with him.

>> Doesn't offend me that much either as I micromanage every little detail of the projects, down to the clarity of the melee and all the measurements and I would know if he had a problem with the design before I even sent a deposit.

I have had lengthy e-conversations with Ocean and she is an absolute delight and I think she will execute your project beautifully. To clarify, the only reason that my project with her has not progressed is because of issues with my centre stone (nothing to do with Ocean), and I ran out of time to devote to the project before my working season began.

>>>>>> She is even more pleasant on the phone.

You mentioned one thing that set alarm bells ringing in my head and that was about weight. Trust me, no woman wants to end up with saggy ear lobes, no matter how fabulous the earrings, so choice of metal ought to take overall weight into consideration.

>>>> I am completing a graduate degree in physical chemistry so I decided to look into this weight issue a little bit.

The assumption I make is that Gold and Platinum alloy does not have intermolecular forces accounting for an appreciable change in density due to alloy mixing and I know its a reasonable one:

I calculated the Density of 18k Gold Alloy (Assuming 75% Gold, 18.5% Silver, 1% Copper, 5.5% Zinc) to be 16.91g/cm3
I read from experiment the Density of Platinum 900 (90% Platinum and 10% Iridium) to be 21.53g/cm3

Based on this platinum 900 would be 27% heavier than 18K WG.
Ocean estimated 7g of 18k white gold needed per earring. The Diamonds weigh 0.65 carats and the Aquamarines Weigh 3.35 carats. So total weight about 7.8g.
If I use Platinum it would be closer to 10g.

My fiances wedding ring weighs about 5g so the earrings would be twice as heavy in platinum as her platinum ring! Well I think thats pretty substantial I think I better go with the 25% lighter 18K WG.

Both 14K and 18K white gold are routinely rhodium plated. I asked Wink, other than cost, was their any noticeable difference between the two. His reply (and I quote) was 'None'. Begs the question, why spring for 18k when to all intents and purposes it looks the same as 14K. Now I understand you are creating a very special piece for what will probably be one of the most significant moments in both of your livesl, so your choice of metal may want to reflect that. But I still wouldn't want to run the risk of saggy lobes for the sake of creating an heirloom.

18k gold is softer, less brittle and easier to work with for jeweler's to do handmade. 14k and 10k really can only be cast so for handmade work 14k is out of the question and most jeweler's don't reccomend it including Ocean.

- 18k also in my opinion has a greater luster and a whiter color (probably due to the silver content) (my opinion based on seeing rings it might be the plating job was better with more expensive 18k gold though).

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 10/7/2009 12:07:41 PM
Author: litebrite
I love the detachable second stone idea - how would it work if it's a leverback as pictured in the first drawing versus a stud earring? (Sorry if my terminology is off - layman's terms.) I've seen other dangles on CS that have loops at the top that studs slide through so I get how that works.

Also, I kinda like the pave circle as pictured in the photo on the right, but think the shape that would work better for these stones is a kite. It doesn't even have to be a large pave kite, it could just be a small kite shaped stone that is larger than the pave link connecting the two large stones. The kite would still be between round brilliant pave.

example pic

split danglebetter example pic

I also found another inspiration type pic that may be interesting with the bottom dangle: split dangle

I'm sure whatever you pick will be gorgeous.

I asked Ocean for a picture not sure she has one but you are detaching a loop that connects the bottom diamonds and aqua from the top stone. The lever back connection to the ear lobe is much higher and has nothing to do with this mechanism.

So you are suggesting a prong set or bezel set square stone, probably either a princess cut diamond, white topaz or zircon or a white sapphire. That is an interesting idea not sure I want to buy more stones but definitely a nice idea. A little like these http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=131&mode=search but with a square stone not round attached in a diamond orientation. Maybe or maybe not bezel set. This would definitely be an option instead of smaller diamonds melee going to talk to Ocean about this. Leon likes this a lot in his designs.[/i]

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 10/7/2009 8:58:59 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
I would stay away from 14kt white gold for a fabricated piece as it is a pain to work with properly. A very talented goldsmith once called it 'the devil's armpit material' for a good reason

I think that any materials costs saved would have to be made up in labour cost.

It works well for casting, though.

I was actually a bit offended at the response from Kauffman De Suisse as I felt they implied I was cheap to choose 14K WG. I requested 14K WG originally because it is much lighter than 18K WG not to save money, the savings would be minnimal in comparison to the total cost of the design and stones. Based on asking several jewelry designers none of them wanted to work in the 14K armpit material

so its not really an option for fine pave work.

 

[CharmyPoo]

Your new project sounds really exciting. It is wonderful to see someone put so much thought into their projects and take such a great interest. I don''t think I can ever convince my boyfriend to do this.

 

[loriken214]

Awesome project!!!

Lori

 

[marcy]

Great project. Lovely aquas.

 

[AustenNut]

Sorry, don''t know what the heck I was thinking (or where I was while this thread has been progressing) but I see it as the smaller stone on top and the larger on the bottom. I have no idea why I stated the reverse before. But these earrings have the larger stone on top and look quite nice. (Not that I''m recommending Fay Cullen as a vendor...just that these earrings on her site represented what we''re talking about.) Anyway, basically all I''m saying is that I have no opinion because having seen the bigger on top, I like it too, though originally I saw it as smaller stone on top. Does this make sense?

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 10/5/2009 8:14:32 PM
Author: D&T
Gorgeous stones!!! can't wait to see the finished piece

Earrings almost done, a few tweaks needed to the prongs and top piece, so I have to send them back but really very close to the design. The stones match its just the lighting in the photograph.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Ocean's pave work is second to none I have seen. I'm glad I accepted her suggestion of single cut melee.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

The antique cushions for the top. Ocean did a masterful job with the halo on these almost octagonal cushions as the airline is not noticeable.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

That looks lovely - your fiancee is a lucky woman!

 

[chrono]

You did the right thing with your choice of single cut melee. I love that best for pave work and they sparkle well without looking too busy.

 

[Fly Girl]

Gorgeous!!

 

[y2kitty]

I''ve been waiting for the update on this. Those earrings are stunning! They will look so perfect against the blue sky and blue water at your beach wedding.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/24/2009 10:45:44 PM
Author: y2kitty
I''ve been waiting for the update on this. Those earrings are stunning! They will look so perfect against the blue sky and blue water at your beach wedding.

I''m glad you like them. As soon as the claw prongs are put on my OCD self will be happy.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/25/2009 12:39:13 AM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 11/24/2009 10:45:44 PM
Author: y2kitty
I''ve been waiting for the update on this. Those earrings are stunning! They will look so perfect against the blue sky and blue water at your beach wedding.

I''m glad you like them. As soon as the claw prongs are put on my OCD self will be happy.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/24/2009 7:51:58 AM
Author: Chrono
You did the right thing with your choice of single cut melee. I love that best for pave work and they sparkle well without looking too busy.

Hah the pictures of your ring were the reason why I went with Ocean and the single cut melee.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 10/18/2009 10:58:17 PM
Author: AustenNut
Sorry, don''t know what the heck I was thinking (or where I was while this thread has been progressing) but I see it as the smaller stone on top and the larger on the bottom. I have no idea why I stated the reverse before. But these earrings have the larger stone on top and look quite nice. (Not that I''m recommending Fay Cullen as a vendor...just that these earrings on her site represented what we''re talking about.) Anyway, basically all I''m saying is that I have no opinion because having seen the bigger on top, I like it too, though originally I saw it as smaller stone on top. Does this make sense?

Funny thing I was actually disappointed I can try so many configurations with the earrings but putting the large ones on top and small onces on the bottom is not an option but it would look nice I am sure!

 

[Porridge]

Oooh wow, I''m late to this thread but those are fabulous! Great job!

 

[Stone Hunter]

They look just lovely!! I''m glad you had a good experience with the jeweler you picked.

Please post more photos when they are done to your liking!

 

[Gailey]

Well haven''t I got a lot to catch up on.

These are stunning CCL, well done you and Ocean. Your bride will love them.

OK, what else have I missed in the last week .....

 

[Lovinggems]

Gorgeous earring, elegant and stunning. Do you have photos of the back of the earrings? It''ll be interesting to see how the attachments operate.

 

[T L]

The single cut melee are nice, and I like the cutting on the aquas !!

 

[mochi]

SWOON!

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/27/2009 9:35:37 PM
Author: Lovinggems
Gorgeous earring, elegant and stunning. Do you have photos of the back of the earrings? It'll be interesting to see how the attachments operate.

Interesting I started to notice the smaller ones have a slightly darker color, which I only notice on a white background. Thats interesting because smaller stones that come from the same rough usually look more washed out than larger ones.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/27/2009 9:55:02 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
The single cut melee are nice, and I like the cutting on the aquas !!

Call me crazy but I actually like the antique cuts(top) better than the concave ones(bottom) richard is famous for never expected that.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/26/2009 2:30:02 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
They look just lovely!! I'm glad you had a good experience with the jeweler you picked.

Please post more photos when they are done to your liking!

Ocean has been great, there were a couple changes that needed to be made and she sent me an airbill to send them back, stating that she wanted us both to be happy. She sent us a very lovely pendant box and stand for presentation and the earrings were very beautiful and nicely finished. The pave work is far superior to my Fiance's ring done by ERD, the prongs are much smaller, so the stones can be closer together and there is no metal edge on the outside of the halo. Its the fine attention to details that impresses me, she had to get two shipments of single cut melee as she felt the first batch wasn't good enough.

As soon as some minor changes are made I will get them back and will post the final earrings. My Fiance already loves them and it was tough to pry them away from her

but I just had to have the claw prongs, loops with no metal on the side and smaller connectors for bottom larger aqua. Overall the earrings are really fantastic I would reccomend Ocean for someone doing halo pave work, I haven't seen more refined pave anywhere yet.

 

[cushioncutnut]

They turned out beautiful! I am glad you are insisting on redoing the prongs to claws as I noticed you mentioned that you wanted those earlier in the thread. I agree, I love those finer details. They will look even more beautiful.........although I know your fiance hates to part with them!!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

They are spectacular!

 

[chrono]

Thanks for the back view; it''s helpful to see how they all link together and how they are removed.