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squigadoo posted:Can it not fit around your wrist, or is it just a matter of getting it past your hand? It can't fit over the bone on my wrist. I have another bracelet exactly the same size that is flat on the inside instead of rounded and it fits perfect. I had hoped someone could shave the inside down for me, but I talked to a few people and no one is willing to take it on  The gem show was still successful though, as I got a blue kornerupine a dealer had been holding for me, and a peridot ring for only 20 freaking dollars. Edit: A picture of the bracelets in question to better explain what I mean. The lavender one fits fine, the red one is too small. 
Zratha fucked around with this message at 13:28 on Apr 26, 2013 |
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Apr 26, 2013 13:16
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I have a problem. I have been married 7 years. We were broke most of them. We are just starting to do better, and I started shopping for wedding sets on craigslist. I have always been a deal shopper. I've never really shopped for fine jewelry. I had no idea what these stone sizes looked like. On a whim, I went into the jewelry section at freddies while grocery shopping to see with my eyes what these diamond sizes looked like in real life. The lady asked what I wanted. I said white gold, 1 ct. stone, with small diamonds around it in a circle and going down the side of the band. She said that's called a halo ring, come try this on. So I tried this on... http://www.fredmeyerjewelers.com/Products/1_1_3_ct_tw_Diamond_Engagement_Ring--1471234.aspx It was so beautiful. I lost my poo poo. My hand started shaking. I wanted it so bad. I WANT IT SO BAD. I have no problem admitting here that I have an unhealthy obsession with this ring. I don't know what's wrong with me. I have never had anything half as fancy as this and never really wanted anything like that before. I shop at value village. I don't buy things that aren't on clearance. I love buying things for my husband and kids, but I never really wanted anything expensive. EXCEPT THIS loving RING. I can't stand it. Everything else I try on looks like stinking wet feces to me. They have a thing there where you can split the payments up over four months. They want 5k for it at the store. The manager said if I came back in a few days during a sale she could get it down to 4k. If I got rid of the wedding band she said she could get it down to like $3800. The problem is, without causing financial problems, our budget would be more around $3500 max (I plan on splitting the cost with hubby.) $2-3k would be better. While I am enamored with this particular ring, I would be just as happy with this same style in another ring, as long as the middle diamond is nice and sparkly. I don't care about flaws and quality in particular as long as it's sparkly and not cloudy. Most of the diamonds I meet up to check out on craigslist from dealers are cloudy and dull. I really like the fancy stuff on the side of the setting but I could live without that. I have four young kids who are getting older every day. The older they get, the more they cost. I won't be able to afford this ring for long. I cannot find this ring secondhand locally even though the saleswoman said it's their most popular ring (probably smoke up my rear end, I know). I am thinking about checking out local pawn and jewelry shops. I haven't done this yet because I have four kids and my husband works a two week at a time rotational shift and the thought of taking all four of them into a jewelry store is a logistical loving nightmare. Does anyone have any tips for me on how to obtain a similar ring within my budget? TIA.
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Apr 26, 2013 19:25
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Stinking Wet Feces posted:I have a problem. Find a local jeweler to make it for you. Fred Meyer seems like it's in the same tier as Kay, and Jared, and all those other mall jewelers. All of these companies mark up their designs a lot and their gems are generally not very good. Getting it done as a custom piece could actually work out to be cheaper, and you'll have a lot of control over the design if you wanted to add specifics. Another way to save some money (if you're willing) is to make the center stone a moissanite. If all you really care about is fire and sparkle, moissanite will actually be more intense than all but the most expensive diamonds.
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Apr 26, 2013 20:37
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Is moissanite something you'd consider? Something like this one in 18k white gold and with a 6.5mm/1 carat center stone is $1125.
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Apr 26, 2013 21:06
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Stinking Wet Feces posted:Does anyone have any tips for me on how to obtain a similar ring within my budget? TIA. Any jeweler can make that ring for you for $3,500. Print out the picture and tell them you're looking for the same ring in a little under a carat (.90-.99), white-facing J color and an eye-clean I1 clarity. You'll save money if you don't have to have that exact setting, but can go with one that's very similar. Edit: And Amelia Song has a great suggestion, too.
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Apr 27, 2013 03:45
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I'm looking to buy my girlfriend a set of earrings for our anniversary. However, she's got kind of a punk, eclectic style and hard to shop for. Loves Vivienne Westwood's rings and necklaces but hates the earrings. Usually wears a lot of sterling silver or stainless steel. Can you recommend a designer that makes dangly earrings with that sort of attitude? Something like the image attached, save a little less formal. Thank you so much. G-Mawwwwwww fucked around with this message at 04:21 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 04:04
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JohnnyRnR posted:Any jeweler can make that ring for you for $3,500. Awesome, thanks a lot guys. I'd seen some moissanite rings on craigslist but I didn't know much about it until I read through this thread. I really want a diamond but I'd take moissanite over not having it at all and hey, can't beat the price. I'm gonna shop around for estimates for both diamond and moissanite now. Wish me luck! If I score I'll come back and post the results. Also... CaptainScraps those earrings are awesome. I love silver jewelry. May I suggest the Erickson Beamon Duchess of Fabulous ear cuffs?  http://www.sophiescloset.com/Product-erickson-beamon-duchess-of-fabulous-1280.aspx Edit: Actually, Googling "ear cuffs" will come up with some similar cool things too...
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Apr 27, 2013 06:24
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Stinking Wet Feces posted:Awesome, thanks a lot guys. I'd seen some moissanite rings on craigslist but I didn't know much about it until I read through this thread. I really want a diamond but I'd take moissanite over not having it at all and hey, can't beat the price. I'm gonna shop around for estimates for both diamond and moissanite now. Wish me luck! If I score I'll come back and post the results. If the problem is that you personally know it is not a diamond and you wanted a diamond then I wouldn't go with moissanite, but I just want to say that mine is way more Stinking Wet Feces posted:Awesome, thanks a lot guys. I'd seen some moissanite rings on craigslist but I didn't know much about it until I read through this thread. I really want a diamond but I'd take moissanite over not having it at all and hey, can't beat the price. I'm gonna shop around for estimates for both diamond and moissanite now. Wish me luck! If I score I'll come back and post the results. If you want a diamond because having a diamond is important, definitely look for a diamond. I just wanted to throw in my two cents though. I wanted a clear center stone with no social footprint like a diamond has, so my husband got me a moissanite. It saved us so much money that could go towards our savings, and it has more fire than any diamond I've ever seen. People compliment it all the time saying its the sparkliest diamond they've ever seen and have no idea. So if sparkles matter, you should go to a jeweler and have them show you some moissanite. I know at least most of the local jewelers near me kept some in stock.
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Apr 27, 2013 16:02
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Hey, Johnny. I'm curious if you're still making some of these pieces personally or if all your time is eaten up just managing orders. If I may be so bold, could we see a picture of your bench?
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Apr 27, 2013 18:22
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john mayer posted:If you want a diamond because having a diamond is important, definitely look for a diamond. I really want a diamond, mostly because the resale value will be better if we ever hit hard times again and need to sell it. You have a good point about the social aspect and yes, there's a lot I could do with the 2.5k saved, so that does give me more to think about. I don't know if the jeweler will be open to this but I'd go with moissanite or even CZ for the halo and ring side stones, they are pretty small anyway, I just really like the look of them in the setting. I do want something sparkly but I don't mind if there's some feathering/clouds or even large dark spots as long as it's not wholly dull and does sparkle a little. Is the lighting in those jewelry stores made to make the rings sparkle more? Because that one in freddies was just bursting color and other ones I've tried looked so dull in regular lighting (albeit I've been looking at highly flawed stones from craigslist sellers). One in particular looked like it was coated with dried elmers glue or something it was so dull even though it was clean and we met at a jewelry store and had it authenticated. I've started looking at local jewelers' websites for loose stones, they have great photos and everything, and I already feel MUCH better about this whole thing. I can actually choose a stone in my price range that looks how I want it to look, who knew? I always thought custom made jewelry would be much more expensive. I feel like a doofus.
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Apr 27, 2013 22:16
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The lighting in a jewelry store is designed to maximize sparkle, however the quality of the cut will make a big difference too. With a low quality cut, the light doesn't reflect at the correct angles and so you miss out on a lot of the dispersion. Edit: If fire is really on the top of your list vis a vis stone attributes, CZ, zircon, and moissanite are all transparent colourless stones with higher dispersion than diamond, but cost less. The first 2 are a long way away from the hardness & luster of diamond, but moissanite is a pretty sturdy stone. Zratha fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 22:21
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Imma whore out this image again because I'm a moissanite fanboy.
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Apr 27, 2013 23:03
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Synthetic rutile it even more than that; .330 IIRC. (Don't buy a synthetic rutile ring. That's what you get at Ardene/Claire's)
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Apr 28, 2013 02:22
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Lobefin posted:Hey, Johnny. I'm curious if you're still making some of these pieces personally or if all your time is eaten up just managing orders. Heh, I'm not a goldsmith. When I started my company the goal was to never own a bench. At this point I couldn't make every piece even if I wanted to as there are just too many specialist things that I could never learn to do perfectly. As far as making pieces I have a team that works for me. Each one has a specialty - One only does repairs (and does all of Tiffany's, too), one does bespoke platinum, one does custom diamond pieces, and one only does custom gemstone pieces. Then there are a few other assorted members that do specialty customization like lapidary, engraving, titanium setting, enameling, wax carving, etc. I like to joke that my business requires three things: A laptop, a phone, and the thousand jewelry books I've read.
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Apr 28, 2013 06:32
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Stinking Wet Feces posted:I really want a diamond, mostly because the resale value will be better if we ever hit hard times again and need to sell it. Uhhh, correct me if I'm mistaken, but resale value is something that you might want to not factor in to your decision. Unless you manage to find a private buyer who is unwilling to research before purchasing it from you, the money you'll recoup by selling it will probably be less than a third of its initial cost. My best friend's ex broke off their engagement a few years back and returned the ring to him. It initially cost him about $4000, and she'd only had it for about a year. The most that the store that he bought it from would offer him for it was $250. He checked in with about ten other places after that, and was offered anywhere from $200 to $350. In the end, he hung on to it and when he was looking to buy an engagement ring for his current fiancée, he took my recommendation that he have a ring custom built and used a bunch of the diamonds from the old ring with a sapphire that she liked, and the rest for a custom set of earrings. Diamonds are only expensive because of a monopoly and marketing that suggests that they are rare and wonderful and worth all that money (they shouldn't be considering how easy they are to find). If you do go for mossanite, unless all your friends are jewelers, pretty much everyone you ever meet who comments on it will think it is a diamond, anyways.
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May 2, 2013 16:00
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raaaan posted:It initially cost him about $4000, and she'd only had it for about a year. The most that the store that he bought it from would offer him for it was $250. He checked in with about ten other places after that, and was offered anywhere from $200 to $350. I suspect that we're missing part of the story. All this story means is that your friend didn't know what he was doing. From this description I'd guess your friend: 1) Bought at a chain jeweler and/or 2) Financed the ring (Immediate 25-35% price increase) I've had a few goons sell rings back to me over the years and in every case they're walked away with about 70% of their original purchase price. Things like elaborate custom ring mounting are expensive to make and difficult to resell, but diamonds are very saleable.
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May 2, 2013 16:38
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JohnnyRnR posted:I suspect that we're missing part of the story. All this story means is that your friend didn't know what he was doing. From this description I'd guess your friend: That exactly. He bought from a canadian chain, and assumed that $$ = quality. When he was trying to return it, he spoke to the initial chain (two employees and a manager who wouldn't budge on more than $250), a separate location and then a whole pile of pawn shops. He had pretty much resigned himself to holding on to it as a 'lesson learned' before I suggested just incorporating the stones into new custom jewelry.
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May 2, 2013 17:26
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How does Palladium wear compared to 18K white gold? Does 950 Palladium keep its Rhodium coating longer than white gold? If they are the same price is it worth getting white gold anyway because it is easier to resize, re-plate, and worth more in theory?
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May 4, 2013 02:03
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Palladium doesn't need rhodium plating since it's naturally a slightly off-platinum color. It's worn fine in my experience--any damage will bend like platinum instead of flaking like gold. Precious metal prices fluctuate all the time so rings really shouldn't be bought with resale value in mind. If anything, the hardest part is finding a jeweler that will work with it or custom order it due to its higher melting temperature. It's what I really wanted and it was still way cheaper than platinum so I'm happy with what I got.
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May 7, 2013 02:41
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I have a question about silver tarnish. My husband and I bought two hammered sterling silver bands that were identical, but mine starts to tarnish around the edges by the end of the day while he can go for days or weeks without it building up. Is it something to do with my body chemistry? Is there anything I can do to make it not tarnish so quickly?
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May 8, 2013 22:38
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Sure. You can have any jeweler plate them with rhodium. It won't cost much and will be good for about a year.
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May 9, 2013 02:50
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JohnnyRnR posted:Sure. You can have any jeweler plate them with rhodium. It won't cost much and will be good for about a year. Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks!
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May 9, 2013 20:12
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There's a cool estate jewelry feature that runs every so often on The Hairpin. This time it's all themed around spiders, but she covers many different topics and eras. I figured people who follow this thread might want to take a peek. I'm interested in learning how to do basic metalworking (is that the term?) and jewelry design, just as a hobby. I want to avoid the crafty-looking multicolor glass type stuff, if possible. Any recommendations on where to look for classes? Thanks!
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May 14, 2013 19:49
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Red posted:Do you have any pictures of a band with a flower petal-shaped setting for several stones? We saw one once, and can't find a picture of the one we liked, and thought you might have some suggestions for really attractive ones. Sorry - I meant to post a photo before the wedding, but we got too busy!  I had my wedding ring custom-made (inspired by Galadriel's ring Nenya, can you see the theme?) The jeweler used the metal and diamonds from my grandmother's rings and I'm just in love with it.
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May 16, 2013 02:42
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taco show posted:There's a cool estate jewelry feature that runs every so often on The Hairpin. This time it's all themed around spiders, but she covers many different topics and eras. I figured people who follow this thread might want to take a peek. Monica writes a great column. She's featured a few of my pieces in the past. The best option would be a jeweler's school. New Approach is more about the bench work & fabrication while Revere Academy has a more rounded curriculum to produce a jeweler that might want to run a store. The GIA also has a couple different design programs for those that need to understand design or fabrication but won't spend time on the bench. http://www.newapproachschool.com/ http://www.revereacademy.com/ http://www.gia.edu/gem-education/program-jewelry-design-technology http://www.gia.edu/gem-education/program-jewelry-design
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May 16, 2013 03:07
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Sweet Gulch posted:I had my wedding ring custom-made (inspired by Galadriel's ring Nenya, can you see the theme? You can definitely see the theme. I was looking at this thread on my phone so I saw just the image first, and I immediately thought "She's marrying Sauron?" Your ring is incredibly beautiful though. I love the rose gold color on it. Seems like you got a raw deal though, what with your husband having complete dominion over you now, when he's not turning invisible whenever the sink is full of dishes.
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May 16, 2013 05:41
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I am thinking about buying a pair of earrings for my girlfriend. Can anyone suggest a light white-ish or light color stone that isn't opal? Budget of a few hundred.
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May 20, 2013 13:54
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What's wrong with opals?  But seriously, moonstones are pretty boss.
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May 20, 2013 15:04
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Moonstones are very pretty and can be affordable. Do you care if the stones are opaque or transparent? You could also do pearls, bone, coral, icy jade, or colourless transparent stones like white sapphires, quartz, or topaz. Zratha fucked around with this message at 23:18 on May 20, 2013 |
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May 20, 2013 23:15
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paisleyfox posted:What's wrong with opals? I love opals but a lot of people are still superstitious about them.
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May 21, 2013 02:14
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People are superstitious about opals? I've never heard of that before.
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May 21, 2013 03:02
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I remember reading in one if those nifty Eyewitness books that the superstition was that an opal would glow in the presence of poison or severe illness, specifically bubonic plague. It would lose its shine after the wearer died. Opals have also been associated with magic and sorcery. I think that makes them more cool, but to each their own.
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May 21, 2013 04:30
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Well, she's Australian, so to her, opals just represent cheap shoddy jewelry worn by bogans. She prefers translucent, at least, and not transparent. I'll definitely look up the suggestions offered here. That's a lot more options than I thought.
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May 21, 2013 10:09
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Sorry, I am studying for my big gemmology final that covers 2 years of material, so I have lists of gems on the brain. Immediately after I last posted I though "Dammit! I forgot howlite and chalcedony!"
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May 21, 2013 13:27
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I'm looking to get a ring custom made that looks like this. I already have a diamond for the center. A jewelry store offered to make it for me for an estimate of $3,000, which I can't really afford. Do you think it might be possible to get something like this made in the $1,500 to $2,000 range? I'm planning to try a few different jewelry stores, and I'm not sure if I would be wasting my time and I should either cough it up or find something cheaper. Any input would be appreciated. 
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May 25, 2013 19:43
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It should be pretty easy to do for ~$1,500 in white gold depending on the size of the side diamonds. Feel free to shoot me a PM.
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May 25, 2013 20:37
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Huge thanks for the knowledge in this thread. I've been reading for hours and have learned some really surprising things. I was hoping to get some insight on something I'm currently experiencing - I've been on the lookout for an engagement ring for about a month now, and came across a lovely flower-shaped setting on Etsy that I hadn't yet seen anywhere else. I was really struck by how unique this ring looked, but then stumbled across this design from a totally different source. Both places claim that their design is original, but they're obviously extremely similar, if not exactly the same. For an added kick, I contacted both sides and casually asked them about the other - they both maintained that the other side was copying their design, and I even noticed that the Etsy store lowered their price to just under the competitor's, the day after I contacted them. What in tarnation is going on here... Is it really that easy to just straight up steal someone else's design? I'm all kinds of sketched out now.
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Jun 19, 2013 07:12
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A Google image search of flower setting for diamonds shows up tons more of the same basic ring too. It looks like they both work from the same setting mold and the "original" portion of the design is only in what metals and stones they are using.
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Jun 19, 2013 13:38
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Aishi posted:What in tarnation is going on here... Is it really that easy to just straight up steal someone else's design? I'm all kinds of sketched out now. Zratha hit the nail on the head. Either the 3D models are available through a few different sources or the rings are available from a manufacturer. Each seller might put their own touches on the base model, but I wouldn't be worried to find the same ring design in a few places.
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Jun 19, 2013 14:32
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Aishi posted:Huge thanks for the knowledge in this thread. I've been reading for hours and have learned some really surprising things. Yes unfortunately this is jewellery Especially now with 3D modelling, pretty much any ring can be easily re-made from a picture without too much effort or materials up front. Johnny also mentioned 3D model availability, and there are some places that just straight up sell the 3D files so anyone can purchase and make the exact same ring.
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Jun 19, 2013 23:44
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