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I'm starting to look for some jewelry to celebrate my one year anniversary with my girl. She's told me that she really likes the look of what I can best describe as a faceted teardrop. Searching on google for that gives me beads that look superficially similar to what I want. Ideally, I'd like to find a pair of amethyst earrings or something with that faceted teardrop look. Should I just walk into a local jeweler and tell them exactly that, and they can help me out? Is there some special term I should be mentioning, or something I should be looking at online? Is this the sort of request that I should shoot JohnnyRnR a message about?
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Aug 22, 2010 19:04
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The Wensey posted:
I love this watch--someone please chime in on whether or not it is a cheap POS. I sure hope it isn't 
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Aug 22, 2010 22:45
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Coca Koala posted:I'm starting to look for some jewelry to celebrate my one year anniversary with my girl. Look up pear shaped stones and you'll have some luck. Something like this?
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Aug 22, 2010 23:30
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Coca Koala posted:I'm starting to look for some jewelry to celebrate my one year anniversary with my girl. Does she want a pear shape, or a briolette? Briolettes are when it's more like a three dimensional tear drop and looks like a drop from all sides, pears are when it looks like a tear drop from the front but as you tilt it you can see the pavilion is faceted to a point. Regardless, you can google both shapes and see which one she means. Honestly, although you can have a jeweler custom make very nice amethyst earrings for you, amethyst is pretty common and you should be able to find what you need just by walking into a store or googling what you want online. Then again I get all of my stuff custom made because I'm a snob so I'm certainly not frowning on that route, it mostly depends upon how much you're looking to spend.
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Aug 23, 2010 00:23
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The Wensey posted:I know most (all) of the watch discussion here has been about high-end stuff, but... Get an Eleeno Eye Test. I have one, it owns. 
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Aug 23, 2010 01:30
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Rootbeer Baron posted:Does she want a pear shape, or a briolette? Briolettes are when it's more like a three dimensional tear drop and looks like a drop from all sides, pears are when it looks like a tear drop from the front but as you tilt it you can see the pavilion is faceted to a point. Regardless, you can google both shapes and see which one she means. Honestly, although you can have a jeweler custom make very nice amethyst earrings for you, amethyst is pretty common and you should be able to find what you need just by walking into a store or googling what you want online. I was thinking about editing my post to add a picture of the bluenile earrings that Jumpsuit posted (which I found and think are very nice), saying "something like this but three dimensional on the stone, instead of flat." And then I discover you've given me exactly the term I need, which is briolette. Tomorrow is my errand and out of the house day, so I'll spend some time talking to jewelers and seeing if they have something like what I'm looking for. Thanks!
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Aug 23, 2010 02:24
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I came thinking to post an Ask thread about the following, but instead I'll post it here: What is the best way to go about getting some custom (bespoke) jewelry? For instance if I have a particular design for a ring in mind, do I just walk into any jewelry store with a bunch of drawings and ask how much it'll cost? Can this type of thing be done online, or do I need to find some unique and highly expensive specialty shop? Lastly, what kind of incremental markup would you expect for customized jewelry, double? 500%? I can't be the only goon who's ever had this problem but Search only really showed me this thread.
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Aug 24, 2010 23:50
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Calef posted:I came thinking to post an Ask thread about the following, but instead I'll post it here: As for the mark up, that's a much trickier question because it depends what you're using as a basis for comparison. For example, if you walk into a brick and mortar jewelry store and they have a ring in the case that looks exactly like the one you want except you want one or two tiny details changed, a couple of things can happen: Your custom piece may be vastly more expensive because the ring you're looking at was made in hong kong, and to custom make it here costs more because of the price of labor. OR, the ring you're looking at could have been made here by their goldsmith a week ago, in which case it you really should be paying the same price for the piece in the case vs. the custom version, plus or minus a few dollars depending upon the changes you want to the design. OR, the ring you're looking at was crafted when metal prices were higher and so it's tagged at a certain price to recover that cost, but to custom make the ring for you now would be cheaper since you'd be paying less for the base metal. In short, comparing the cost of a custom piece to a piece of ready made jewelry is a difficult task because you've got to compare the factors of when and where the pieces were made, and how those factors are different relative to what you want done now. If you want an idea of what something costs, get more than one quote, but also be sure to see a gallery of the store's previous custom designs so you know what you're paying for.
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Aug 25, 2010 00:44
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Jewelery Goons: I have been going back and forth with the g/f about engagement rings and stuff. I want to dodge the diamond route and I have no interest in pissing away a down payment on a house but I would like to get her something nice (as much as I can). She found this site which I find to be tasteful http://www.turtleloveco.com/Engagement_Rings_s/125.htm I especially like the sapphire ring http://www.turtleloveco.com/Blue_Sapphire_Solitaire_Engagement_Ring_p/ch-bss-r.htm Any thoughts on a place like this/ring like this? Suggestions in the 1 grand neighborhood for good non-diamond engagement rings? Are they gouging on prices under the auspices of being "indie/alternative?"
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Aug 26, 2010 01:06
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I wouldn't worry about price gouging. In fine jewelry it's very difficult to hit a $1,000 price point while providing quality, and it seems like they're balancing cost and value well.
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Aug 26, 2010 01:57
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yt2005 posted:Well, it seems that a lot of people are continuing to ask about watches (and why not?) so I'll chime in with another watch question I had. My wife bought me a Stührling watch for my birthday this year, which promptly broke as soon as I pushed in the pin to start the watch moving after setting the time. She sent it back for a refund, and I wouldn't have minded her buying me another one, except for the fact that my brother also has a Stührling, and his broke after about 7 months. So, two questions: edit: I looked the watches up again and some of them aren't too bad. Maybe they have a new designer, but I still wouldn't buy one because it's weird that all of them have a huge discount. PoliSciGirl fucked around with this message at 13:39 on Aug 27, 2010 |
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Aug 27, 2010 13:34
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How does one go about plating, inlaying, or otherwise bonding a precious metal to other materials like bone or wood or some such?
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Aug 29, 2010 03:54
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I'm pretty sure that the easiest method is going to be gilding, but it won't be very durable. Call Coat of Chrome. I read somewhere that they once gold plated a human spine. http://coatofchrome.com/
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Aug 29, 2010 04:29
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I'm not sure if this is the right thread for it, but... I'm interested in making chains, but I have -no idea- where to start. I'm talking maille, here. Like this:  Where do I even start in regard to supplies? Instructions? 
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Aug 30, 2010 03:30
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About two years ago, I purchased about $500 worth of raw gold with the intentions of making a ring. Long story short, I now have three small greyish lumps. I used a propane-oxygen torch to melt the stuff together on a steel anvil. Now, where could I get anything for it? Did I achieve reverse-alchemy?
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Aug 30, 2010 04:55
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Gold is gold, friend. Is it alloyed with the iron or was just melted on the anvil and scraped off? Anyone who buys gold should be able verify the purity and buy it.
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Aug 30, 2010 05:30
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combee fucked around with this message at 13:47 on Jul 23, 2013 |
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Sep 9, 2010 14:29
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combee posted:However, reading around online, apparently fingers are prone to expansion due to humidity, body fluid retention, time of day and even the seasons. Now, it's spring (winter just ended) here, the size 8 band has fit me fine for the past month or so (at times it gets a tiny bit tight, but not uncomfortably so like the stacking rings were), however I am worried that come summer my fingers will get wide and the rings will be too tight. So my question is, should I get the stacking rings resized to size 8 (which I know fits me well in winter), or should I go a tiny bit bigger to account for possible finger expansion in summer? Also keep in mind that the wider the width of the band (or the stack, if it's not a single ring), the larger it needs to be. The ring needs to fit comfortably over a wider expanse of your finger, so the general guideline is that wider rings need to be larger than what normally fits on you. You might even need an 8 1/4, depending on how much wider the stack of rings is than the size 8 ring that fits comfortably.
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Sep 9, 2010 17:32
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On the Mohs scale of hardness, how soft is too soft for a ring that will be worn a lot?
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Sep 9, 2010 20:00
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I was spraying sodium hypochlorite solution and afterwards I noticed on my white gold ring there appeared to be spots of yellow gold, or perhaps even burnished copper. Should I be worried? How easy are these to polish off?
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Sep 9, 2010 21:18
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kimihia posted:I was spraying sodium hypochlorite solution and afterwards I noticed on my white gold ring there appeared to be spots of yellow gold, or perhaps even burnished copper. Should I be worried? How easy are these to polish off? How strong was the solution? Sodium hypochlorite is used in gold mining to remove pure gold from intermixed ore. I believe that what you're seeing is gold that has been leeched from the ring in small spots. White gold isn't actually white. It's yellow gold alloyed with other metals to give it a whitish appearance. And most times white gold is plated with rhodium to make it appear even whiter. I could be wrong, but I think you've just "mined" the yellow gold from within the greater alloy. If that is true then the ring is structurally damaged. You really should replace it as there are now microscopic cavities inside the ring that could lead to breakage.
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Sep 9, 2010 22:20
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Whoops! It was 40g/L, in a standard mould remover. The things one learns (after the damage is done). I'll need to get a better camera to be able to photograph these as the contrast is very minor. Here are some pictures from the scanner ...   (Click to get the same picture but with circles around some of the worst spots.)
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Sep 10, 2010 02:11
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You should be A-OK. That damage doesn't look too bad at all. Just wear gloves next time!
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Sep 10, 2010 06:45
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uberwekkness posted:On the Mohs scale of hardness, how soft is too soft for a ring that will be worn a lot? You really should stick to things with a MOHS rating of 6.5 or higher. You may have some eventual breakage with anything below a 7. Stones with a 7 or higher will be good for decades, but will eventually show wear around the edges as they are worn. But all gemstones will chip if treated poorly.
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Sep 10, 2010 06:48
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Insipid Oyster posted:I'm not sure if this is the right thread for it, but... I've played around with making small/jewellery pieces of mail as well as some chain designs; I'm not greatly experienced, but I've passed the 'where do I even start with this?' hump. One of the better websites I found was this one: http://www.mailleartisans.org/ , the articles are useful and there are a lot of pattern tutorials. In regards to supplies, the work in that particular picture is made of steel wire, which is generally bought from hardware stores. I personally use Artistic Wire, which is colour coated copper wire, because I like the pretty colours, copper wire is nice and easy to work with, and I tend towards the beading-jewellery side of mailmaking, rather than the dungeonmaster side. I buy that from beading supply/craft stores. Its up to you which one you decide to use. In terms of tools, you'll want to find rods to make the rings around, cutters, plus a variety of pliers depending on what you want to make and how klutzy you are. For rods, I tend to use things like pens or pencils, but that's because I can just grab em and start. I personally use full size aviation snips to cut my rings; I started off with pinch cutters but the way the faces meet gets tiring after a while; don't feel obligated to buy a new or expensive pair of snips though especially if you're starting off. As for pliers, you'll want the ones about the size of your hand for jewellery, beading or electronics work, not the giganto ones. Using the terminology in this article (http://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.cgi?key=2484) the two I use most are the hook-nose and chain-nose pliers, with needle-noses coming fourth. Third place is a type of plier you rarely see outside of beading called nylon jaw pliers, where the tool surface is replaced with giant blocks of plastic. This allows you to grip the project firmly, but doesn't mark the metal. These are handy for closing rings and finishing work. You can buy these from either hardware stores, beading supply, craft or jewellery supply stores; they're all about the same, except for the super expensive jewellery ones. So, where to start? Read the articles on that website, brush up on terminology, pick a simple design (European 4-in-1 is always a good place to start) and go from there. Its a surprisingly cheap hobby for the amount of time it occupies and the fact you get a (potentially usable) product at the end.
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Sep 10, 2010 11:06
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reborn posted:I hadn't seen something about it in the OP but I'm on the hunt for a men's band that I like. My biggest issue is deciding on a metal. I'm not looking for anything to set stones in. There are so many metals out there that they throw at you and I'm not really sure of their pro's and con's. They are all whitish, but the color looks VERY different and different skin tones may make one metal look great and another look bad. I look awful in silver, but my platinum band looks really good on my finger. My wife is the opposite. Silver looks better than any other metal on her finger. Also, IMO, platinum looks the best when it is old, scratched, and has developed a patina, especially on a guy. I doubt I will ever get my ring repolished, as it just gets better looking as the years go by. Can't say the same for white gold (my wife's white gold jewelry needs to go back in for rhodium plating again eventually). A good alternative to Platinum is palladium. The color is slightly whiter but also has a nice color, is lighter in weight, and much cheaper. And also is naturally white. My wife has a lot of palladium jewelry. She has a palladium chain that looks just like platinum... a beautiful darker/dull grey.
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Sep 10, 2010 20:43
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combee posted:Hey guys, a silly question on ring sizes if you don't mind! I've bought stacking rings from Etsy. They recommend stacking rings to be sized a half step or more higher due to the greater total width of rings. So it might be best to go 8.5. Going down in size with stackers definitely would cause problems so i am not surprised. 80k fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Sep 11, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 20:47
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JohnnyRnR posted:You should be A-OK. That damage doesn't look too bad at all. Just wear gloves next time! On this theme, have you any stories of jewelery disasters? People that got their precious metals caught in machines, doors, vats of chemicals, orifices, and then wanted your assistance restoring them?
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Sep 10, 2010 21:34
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Yes. For some reason customers don't think it improper to bring in jewelry covered in bodily fluids. It's amazingly gross, and I always wear gloves when handling customer pieces "so as to not damage your jewelry." The saddest jewelry disaster I know had no recovery. A customer went snorkeling and a barracuda mistook his wedding band for a small fish. The barracuda attacked, and he lost two fingers. Luckily he didn't die. Never wear jewelry when swimming.
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Sep 11, 2010 04:04
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Jeepers. What sort of bodily fluid? I know of one lady who was given an engagement ring which she thought was excessively large. Didn't really like it that much, but it's an engagement ring. One day she was a passenger in a car crash. The ring tore her finger off, and although it was later successfully reattached it still hasn't got all its sensation back and has a tidy scar on it. Personally, I think engagement rings should come with a safety covering. The number of injuries sustained by partners of people who just proposed must be staggering. Certainly in my experience and amongst my friends it is.
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Sep 11, 2010 05:04
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I recently got engaged, and we're currently looking for an engagement ring. I was wondering if anyone could tell me about black diamonds? It seems they don't seem to have the same ratings normal diamonds have, and I was wondering what to look for. I was looking at something maybe like http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4343520&kpc=1 but I have no idea what the price range on these things should be.
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Sep 11, 2010 06:57
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kimihia posted:Jeepers. What sort of bodily fluid? Anything that you can name. :-( Queen Of Spades posted:I was wondering if anyone could tell me about black diamonds? It seems they don't seem to have the same ratings normal diamonds have, and I was wondering what to look for. That price is fair for a black diamond of that size in a simple mounting. 99.9% of all black diamonds that you see will be clarity and color enhanced to give them an even jet black color. They originally started their life as a white diamond with lots of black inclusions or a diamond that was so white as to be opaque. They are not rated for clarity and color like other types of diamonds. The only things to look for on black diamonds are: Is the color even? Is the texture smooth. Now, there are natural black diamonds, but the prices for those are going to be much higher. They rarely have the jet-black appearance, and would tend to have a noticeable clarity with some inclusions on the sides adding the deeper coloration. I had a chance to look at a 50 carat natural black diamond last year. It was stunning. It's hard to explain, but it was the kind of diamond you see from across the room and instinctively know "that is something special."
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Sep 11, 2010 21:44
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So does anyone here have an online store (or catalog) they can share? I trust the goons in this thread more than most.
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Sep 11, 2010 22:07
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JohnnyRnR posted:
Awesome, thanks for your input. Ive been jumping between this and something like http://www.moissaniteco.com/round-moissanite-modern-designer-style-engagement-ring-p-9074.html for my engagement ring, but its so hard to pick one!
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Sep 11, 2010 22:58
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Mr. 24601 posted:So does anyone here have an online store (or catalog) they can share? I trust the goons in this thread more than most. I own a jewelry company selling mostly engagement rings, diamonds & colored gems, and special request custom design piece. My ecommerce presence doesn't have much online beyond our ideal cut bridal and a few odds and ends that we sell regularly, but there is a contact form there as well. Feel free to send me a message and I can hunt down anything you might be looking for. http://tinyurl.com/28olvyn
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Sep 12, 2010 07:44
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combee fucked around with this message at 13:47 on Jul 23, 2013 |
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Sep 12, 2010 14:04
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Cat Breath posted:In regards to supplies, the work in that particular picture is made of steel wire, which is generally bought from hardware stores.
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Sep 13, 2010 18:13
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What exactly is the range of what is considered a "normal" quality/size/price of a diamond to get for an engagement ring for a normal, middle class person? What is the expectation?
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Sep 13, 2010 19:20
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To be honest: It really depends on the social circle in which you travel. They may be right or wrong, but these are facts of life. You've asked a loaded question as SA can be a hotbed of class warfare. Engagement ring diamond size is generally driven by social status. The engagement ring is oftentimes a signaling method for financial means. Large diamonds say "This woman is with a man who makes more money than you so don't waste your time trying to steal her." In most societies women are encouraged to be very competitive. As such, women often like to have a diamond on par (or larger) with the rings that their girlfriends have. One of the best clients a jeweler can have is a wealthy Arab with many wives. Once wife #1 buys a fine piece of jewelry the other wives in the household will attempt to out-do her with subsequent purchases. As far as expectations: The smallest size that generally looks significant on a woman's hand is .50 carats in a round brilliant. Other cuts will look smaller as round diamonds have the largest optical footprint. The standard "large" engagement ring is a one carat stone. If a full carat is out of the equation then a good middle ground is a .75 carat round brilliant. A lot of it depends on geography and age. Half carat stones are much more popular in rural areas as there are sensibilities to not be overly flashy. I've seen .25 carat stones be very popular in rural areas, too. Many socialites won't accept anything less than a 2 carat. I've heard of boyfriends being turned down on the proposal and sent back to the store to fetch a bigger diamond. The "money without wealth" set often want stones in the 3 carat plus range (but of lower qualities). Customers on their 2nd or 3rd marriage often want their diamonds to be 5 carats+ so they can show off their wealth. As far as prices... you're really better off establishing your budget and then going around to see what you can get for the money. Comparison shopping will teach you much more about diamond pricing mechanisms than I could communicate here. JohnnyRnR fucked around with this message at 20:50 on Sep 13, 2010 |
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Sep 13, 2010 20:48
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Considering there's a lot of emotion attached to certain kinds of jewellery, do you serve as an incidental shrink much? People buy things like engagement rings, which are a big deal so they're likely freaked out, but they might also wish to, say, try and get rid of jewelry an ex they since found out slept with their dog or sumt, gave them. Do they tell you the stories, and if so, well, share?
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Sep 13, 2010 20:59
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