How Do You Find the Right Ring Setting for Your Stone?

[JulieCat]

Hi All, I'm long time lurker - first time poster!

I just found Wink and have purchased several beautiful CZs and Ashas from him. Now I'm ready to find those perfect settings and make my dream rings.

I found some settings that I liked from a supplier on Etsy. They are located overseas. I asked if they would let me purchase a setting for a cushion cut stone and I would find someone here in the US to set the stone for me. They said yes and for me to send them the dimensions of my stone and tell them what setting I wanted and they would let me know if it would accommodate a cushion (most of their settings are for rounds but they had two for cushions - neither of which I was interested in.) Easy enough, right?

In my response I said my stone was 10mm antique cushion cut and it was a CZ. They responded they "don't work with CZ or antique cushion cuts". Since they aren't setting the stone for me, is there a reason why they would they care if it was a CZ or not? And they were ok when I told them I had a cushion, until I used the phrase "antique cushion cut" in my follow up response - then all of a sudden they decided they didn't want my business. Did I say something wrong?

Anyway - how do you know what to buy as far as prong sizes and how do you know if the setting you want will work with your stone? For example, if I buy a setting for a 1CT round diamond, can a jeweler replace the part with the prongs (is it called a "head"?) and make them bigger to accommodate a 10mm cushion?

Sorry to sound like a dunce, but I really want to know what I'm doing when I choose a setting and don't want to make a mistake. I wish i could go to jewelry school or take some kind of tutorial on this. I am lost right now.

Thanks for whatever guidance you can provide!

 

[Dana ♥]

depending on the setting, your local jeweler may be able to remove the head and replace it with one meant to accommodate a larger size or different shape.

do be aware that this can get quite expensive, and may negate the savings of purchasing a less expensive setting to begin with. other rings are cast as a single piece, which means they aren't intended to have the head changed in any way... and while it technically can still be done, it can be nearly the same cost as purchasing a new ring.

settings are made based on the measurements of the stone - so if you've got a calibrated* stone, then you'd just need to specify that you need a ring that can hold a 5mm round, 10mm round, 8mm cushion, 8x6mm elongated cushion, etc.


calibrated stones are the CZs, Ashas, Amoras, etc. the majority of gemstones on ebay are not calibrated, and tend to not fit in standard settings. there are calibrated gemstones, plenty of them out there, but i simply wanted to point out that not all loose stones will be able to be set simply, some require custom settings.

i don't have an answer for you as to why the seller said they don't work with something, since they weren't going to be setting the stone for you, unless there was a language issue and they thought you wanted them to set the stone for you?


does any of that help?

 

[JulieCat]

depending on the setting, your local jeweler may be able to remove the head and replace it with one meant to accommodate a larger size or different shape.

do be aware that this can get quite expensive, and may negate the savings of purchasing a less expensive setting to begin with. other rings are cast as a single piece, which means they aren't intended to have the head changed in any way... and while it technically can still be done, it can be nearly the same cost as purchasing a new ring.

settings are made based on the measurements of the stone - so if you've got a calibrated* stone, then you'd just need to specify that you need a ring that can hold a 5mm round, 10mm round, 8mm cushion, 8x6mm elongated cushion, etc.


calibrated stones are the CZs, Ashas, Amoras, etc. the majority of gemstones on ebay are not calibrated, and tend to not fit in standard settings. there are calibrated gemstones, plenty of them out there, but i simply wanted to point out that not all loose stones will be able to be set simply, some require custom settings.

i don't have an answer for you as to why the seller said they don't work with something, since they weren't going to be setting the stone for you, unless there was a language issue and they thought you wanted them to set the stone for you?


does any of that help?

Dana, thank you for the detailed answer. YES, it definitely does help - much appreciated! One lesson I learned from this is to keep the details with a vendor (especially an overseas one) to the bare minimum (i.e., "Can you modify this setting to accommodate a 10mm cushion cut stone?") I thought I made it crystal clear to the vendor about me setting the stone and not them, but who knows if they skimmed that line in my email or not, or if it even registered.

One more question for you (sorry for the bombardment) - I know that CZs cannot take heat. What kind of settings should I stay away from? Can I assume that regular raised prong settings would not need heat? What about bezel set styles or other ones? I think if I know this, hopefully I should be good to go. Thanks again for the help!

 

[Dana ♥]

generally speaking, setting stones doesn't involve heat. if you're talking about something other than a solitaire, though, this can get a little tricky.

the prong-type settings give a little more wiggle room when it comes to stone size, and sometimes shape, both when it comes to their initial setting, and any possible future resetting. the same 4-prong setting that holds a 6.5mm round may also work for a 5.5mm cushion, that sort of thing.
princess cuts, with their pointy corners, are a different critter altogether, though. bezels need much more specific stone sizes, or need to be made to fit the stone size. bezels are harder to re-set, too, because you generally have to choose between destroying the stone or destroying the bezel.

lower-set stones are easier to wear, and remember to keep in mind how easy (or not) it will be to clean, and any fiddly bits that might snag your hair, towels, sweaters, etc.

there are usually several folks around here on the forum who are happy to help you shop for just the right ring / style / design, etc! if you want to share links of what you're wanting, and a budget if you've got an amount you need to stay under, we'll see what we can do.

also, no judgement around these parts about needing to stay under a certain price point, using CZs or sims, or wanting just the perfect thing.


keep the questions coming! you never know when something you need help with now, might help someone else later

 

[JulieCat]

Wow, very, VERY helpful, thank you Dana! I have to read the "how do I..." thread to find out how to post pics! Thanks also for the "no judgement" zone. I have been to two jewelers about making some custom
settings, but nothing they had caught my eye. Then when they heard I wanted to put a CZ in it, I got the smirk and the "why would you want to put a CZ in a nice setting?" I simply told them that there is no way I'd want to spend over 60k on a diamond this size, and if I did I'd be afraid to wear it for fear of losing it. So I have encountered some CZ judgement already...

However, I really appreciate your kindness and am looking forward to learning a lot more here. For some reason, none of my friends or family get into the "sparklies" like I do...nice to know I have some kindred spirits here to talk to! Thanks again!

 

[Dana ♥]

while i can't speak for anyone else, i can assure you that my jewelry collection runs from gumball machine rings (literally - the put in a quarter and turn the dial, get a trinket in a little plastic bubble kind of gumball machine ring...), typical mall costume jewelry, silver, plated sterling, golds, and so on. i happily mix them all together.

i understand wanting a nice ring, and putting a decent center (like a well-cut CZ) in a nice ring makes a lovely finished project! and, y'know, should you win the lottery and want to upgrade later, you can always put a different stone in the ring. or just get more rings

thankfully there are some jewelers out there who understand that paying customers should be treated well no matter if they're having a CZ set, or a gigantic diamond.

and before you go too far down the rabbit hole of completely custom, do spend some time browsing the major casting houses to see if there's something out there already that's close to what you're imagining. they don't sell direct to customers, but most jewelers can source the components for you.
stuller.com
uniquesettings.com
Adwar Casting Company | Style, Unlike Any Other

 

[JulieCat]

while i can't speak for anyone else, i can assure you that my jewelry collection runs from gumball machine rings (literally - the put in a quarter and turn the dial, get a trinket in a little plastic bubble kind of gumball machine ring...), typical mall costume jewelry, silver, plated sterling, golds, and so on. i happily mix them all together.

i understand wanting a nice ring, and putting a decent center (like a well-cut CZ) in a nice ring makes a lovely finished project! and, y'know, should you win the lottery and want to upgrade later, you can always put a different stone in the ring. or just get more rings

thankfully there are some jewelers out there who understand that paying customers should be treated well no matter if they're having a CZ set, or a gigantic diamond.

and before you go too far down the rabbit hole of completely custom, do spend some time browsing the major casting houses to see if there's something out there already that's close to what you're imagining. they don't sell direct to customers, but most jewelers can source the components for you.
stuller.com
uniquesettings.com
Adwar Casting Company | Style, Unlike Any Other

Thanks Dana! I appreciate the leads to vendors who will work with me. I, too, have the gamut from the bubblegum ring to the full blown diamond stuff and everything in between, And, like you, I wear it all, and love it all

I took your suggestion to look elsewhere before heading down the custom route - I found a vendor on Etsy who will accommodate my 10mm cushion cut - I did have to curb my expectations a little from what I originally wanted, but it is still a very nice setting and they said they would make a matching band for me - all for much less than I would have spent on what I originally wanted. However, one shouldn't fill up one's plate from the buffet without seeing what's down the line, right? So I'm still looking before I commit.



And here are the two I was sadly denied by the vendor - was hoping he could modify to hold my cushion cut, but alas, he refused as soon as I asked. I don't understand this because they offer to do custom work if you want it. I would consider modifying for a cushion as "custom work" but did not argue the point. Oh well, c'est la vie, I'll get over it. I love their designs though.