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 Post subject: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future wife
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 12:37 pm 
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Hello I am looking for information and guidance. I am a complete newbie but I thought I would embark on this adventure to see where it takes me.

The idea is I would like to build my fiance a ring. I have the idea of what the ring will look like but I need guidance and help on acquiring the stones. The center stone is a round diamond around 2 carats but the width is more important which I would want it to be 8mm + The diamond should not be to tall since I want it set lower not to snag and for looks. The ring is going to be a halo style and I could post pictures of a similar design id need be. Im hoping the finished product will be D-F and no lower than VS2. If I buy a rough diamond could anyone recommend someone who could cut this for me? Would someone be able to tell me what to expect for the cost to have this cut?

I want to build this from scratch and I am looking at buying rough diamonds but honestly have no idea what to be aware of or ho to stay away from. Quality and look is obviously important and I am also hoping to save a little money by taking this on. I understand there will be certain risks but maybe the experienced could help me avoid any costly mistakes.

This is very important to me that I really try to build this on my own and it would mean the world to her if I could pull this off with help from kind people here.

Would anyone care to help point me in the right direction? If so please respond here or PM me (if thats a option here)

Thank you,

Terry


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:53 pm 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
Do you have any idea of the price range yu are looking at for this?

Do you have any tools (flex shaft, burr set,.....)

Do you have the ability to generate a CAD design or model?

Is it your intent to cast the seting, finish it, and set all of the stones all without previous experience?


My only recommendation would be to see of there is a family friend who is a jewler, and see if they will help you through the process. Or stop by se veral locally owned jewelry stores, and see what it would take.

The 0ther option is to look into a local community college and see if they have a jewelry class, or check for local rock clubs.


The rock club I belong to has classes on basic jewelry techniques.


or

There are shops that specialize in casting jewelry from either wax models, or cad designs. This would let you start with a casting.




I hope that you have both a lot of time, and a lot of money to put toward this adventure.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:15 pm 
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Hi Terry.
-PMs are not allowed until a member has 10 approved posts. That being said, we do not encourage PMs. This is a site for free gemological/lapidary information. If everyone communicated via PMs we wouldn't have much going on here.
-A well proportioned 2 carat diamond should be an 8mm stone.
-A diamond with an 8mm diameter should have a depth of 4.8mm. Having a 2 carat diamond cut intentionally shallow would be like flushing money down the toilet. Not to mention, the light leakage would be profound and the stone would lack sparkle and brilliance which is why people buy diamonds.
-If set properly a gem does not catch on things.
-You can have the diamond set so the culet almost touches the finger. Total height of the ring: 5mm. Sidebar:In Vedic astrology it is imperative that the culet touch the finger

-Paying someone to cut a rough diamond? Contact our Moderator:
Tom Smith
Master Diamond Cutter; Lapidary Supplier
tom@gemologyonline.com

-Halo rings are the height of fashion right now. What happens to the height of today's fashion in 20 years? It will look dramatically "out of fashion". In 50-60 years, with any luck, it may be a vintage collectable. We're just now seeing the 80's jewelry get a little interesting again....channel-set baguettes in 18k buttery yellow gold.

-I'm presuming you want to present the ring within the next 2 to 2 1/2 years. If you enroll full time in a metalsmithing school, it would be possible. Contact:
Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
Address: 785 Market St #900, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 391-4179
Website: revereacademy.com

A grand plan Terry. Analogous to me deciding to build myself a plane.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:01 pm 
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Thanks for the replies and the contact info.

Would anyone be able to tell me who to steer away from or guide me towards for some quality raw diamonds? I have looked online and I am struggling on who to talk to. I have visited Alibaba and put up a buy post now I have many parties emailing me but without knowing who I would be dealing with I am a little uncomfortable. I also have come across a website called www.johnbetts....( I wont post address just in case someone thinks I am trying to promote which I am not) but this site has many diamonds and a variety of colors but the prices do seem high and again without knowing much of anything I would rather have some guidance if possible.

What would one look at spending for something I would be looking for....just a ball park figure would be sufficient.

Thanks again for the responses.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:38 pm 
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John Betts is very reputable.
Bear in mind that there can be a 60-70% loss from rough to a round brilliant.
Therefore, you would need to buy a well formed xl weighing approx 3.5 carats.
Well formed octahedrons fashioned into a princess cut can yield as much as 70%

I think Tom will have more info on acquiring rough than I. Remember DeBeers only offers 4 rough sites a year to limited buyers. Never to the general public. Alrosa sells finished goods, not rough.
http://www.debeersgroup.com/globalsight ... ctory.html

D-F, VS2 or above? Let's look at the price of a finished diamond, E-VS2: $20,000-$25,000 for the stone would be fair.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 3:06 am 
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Terry,

Some things to think about -

No one is going to sell you a legal (Kimberly compliant, non-conflict) diamond crystal for less of a profit than what they might get cutting and selling the finished gem themselves. Quality rough is expensive at wholesale, and profit margins for cutters already very slim... And 2 ct diamonds are in demand...

In buying a rough crystal, there is no absolute guarantee of what the finished color, clarity, or carat weight will be. Experts can (from years of experience) come quite close, but surprises happen... Ask the Aussies about the big pink octahedra from the Argyle mine a few years ago...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyle_Pink_Jubilee

I would recommend that you find a good jeweler who will help you find the center gem - someone you can trust, and be willing to pay them for their experience and trustworthiness, which means giving a fair price for the diamond.

Then find a designer/custom goldsmith who is able to work with your design to create reality from your dream, and be willing to pay for his years of experience and his time. And know that his experience may require some changes to you design to make a makeable, wearable and durable item, what I call "the reality factor".

These people have learned from years of work, experience, and education what the risks are, what the skills are, how to do it well.

We frequently see folks who have "saved money", only to experience the real cost of "less expensive". Today I had the task (with trembling) to let a client know that her money-saving diamond from 33 years ago wasn't an 0.90 ct VVS2 marquise bought for a song, but an 0.83 ct, SI2 which she may have overpaid for, despite what her "certificate" said. It has a chance of being a (undisclosed) fracture filled piece which has lost the fill material. Not a good day for either of us, but we will be making something beautiful from it for her.

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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:42 am 
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Sounds like a hell of a project to me. Barbra's advice re fashion is sound. Personally I would advise going for a single stone ring, small stones around the centre stone may look well when the ring is new, but a small stone necessarily has a small setting and with the amount of hammer that a ring gets it won't be long before the smaller stones are popping out. Apart from any other considerations, a solitaire ring always has a certain timeless cachet (Barbra's point again). For a 2 carat "D" colour I would expect to pay of the order of $18,000 to $28,000 depending on the clarity, and remember, I can buy tax free direct from Antwerp.
As for the setting, I would get a ten claw setting and a separate strip of halfround metal of the appropriate length to fit her finger and make it up that way. For the metal I would choose 95% palladium, it is as tough as platinum, just as tarnish resistant, half the price and takes a much better polish.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 3:10 pm 
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I have cut diamonds since 1981 and would not recommend that you try to find a piece of rough for cutting into a finished stone. It would very likely cost you less money and time to purchase a polished diamond of the specifications you want.

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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 8:07 pm 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
TerryFaber wrote:
Thanks for the replies and the contact info.

Would anyone be able to tell me who to steer away from or guide me towards for some quality raw diamonds? I have looked online and I am struggling on who to talk to. I have visited Alibaba and put up a buy post now I have many parties emailing me but without knowing who I would be dealing with I am a little uncomfortable. I also have come across a website called http://www.johnbetts....( I wont post address just in case someone thinks I am trying to promote which I am not) but this site has many diamonds and a variety of colors but the prices do seem high and again without knowing much of anything I would rather have some guidance if possible.

What would one look at spending for something I would be looking for....just a ball park figure would be sufficient.

Thanks again for the responses.


Just curious. why a raw gem? Do you also plan to cut it yoruself?

That addes even a new level of complexity.

If you plan on doing this, certainly plan on taking the courses suggested. Please do NOT plan on making this ring the first one you make. I would try making the same ring maybe in silver, and mounting a different stone at least once or twice, before you go for the real one. You can try selling them or melt them down and cast them again for practice.

Please lt us know how it goes.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:50 pm 
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My direction is to go in a different direction.

Instead of trying to put sentimental value into the fact that you found and bought the rough yourself, and then cut it yourself (likely badly, if you are a newbe), I would recommend you go together to look through the various other gemstones that can be selected, picking the exact color you want, and then spend time together finding that gemstone in that color for the ring. If you do this, I suggest that you make sure to pick a rather hard stone, so it won't be damaged in normal usage - sapphire, ruby, aqua, emerald, spinel, chrysoberyl, alexandrite, etc.

Find one that is already cut, and help design the band.

Good luck.


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:23 pm 
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TerryFaber hasn't been back since the first day of his posting.
I think he was looking for a follow the dots solution to his needs.

Grading Rough Diamonds for Color and Clarity, Online tutorial: click here.
Loose rough diamonds, contact :
3 Day Diamond Faceting Class, contact:
Weekend jewelry fabrication seminar, contact:


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 7:04 pm 
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This thread reminds me of days when I sold my jewelry creations at various shows. My prices (very low for the market) were the source of constant complaints for being "outrageously high." So I put together some do-it-yourself ring-making kits.

They consisted of 14K or Sterling casting grain, a hunk of carving wax and a rough opal or other stone. When I told complainers about them and the price they were very happy until I actually handed a "kit" to them. The reactions were priceless. I didn't do it to be mean but only to give them some idea that my offerings involved considerably more than the value of the components. But some folks never got the point. They somehow continued to believe that jewelry makes itself.

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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:09 pm 
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Brilliant!


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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 10:24 pm 
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dchallener wrote:
My direction is to go in a different direction.

Instead of trying to put sentimental value into the fact that you found and bought the rough yourself, and then cut it yourself (likely badly, if you are a newbe), I would recommend you go together to look through the various other gemstones that can be selected, picking the exact color you want, and then spend time together finding that gemstone in that color for the ring. If you do this, I suggest that you make sure to pick a rather hard stone, so it won't be damaged in normal usage - sapphire, ruby, aqua, emerald, spinel, chrysoberyl, alexandrite, etc.

Find one that is already cut, and help design the band.

Good luck.
Great idea.

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 Post subject: Re: Wanting to build a 2.25 carat diamond ring for future w
PostPosted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 4:25 pm 
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ROM wrote:
This thread reminds me of days when I sold my jewelry creations at various shows. My prices (very low for the market) were the source of constant complaints for being "outrageously high." So I put together some do-it-yourself ring-making kits.

They consisted of 14K or Sterling casting grain, a hunk of carving wax and a rough opal or other stone. When I told complainers about them and the price they were very happy until I actually handed a "kit" to them. The reactions were priceless. I didn't do it to be mean but only to give them some idea that my offerings involved considerably more than the value of the components. But some folks never got the point. They somehow continued to believe that jewelry makes itself.


Rick,

I like your sense of humor!
Some people are idiots... They expect everything for nothing.
Had one customer I could have saved serious money turn around and bite my hand by demanding that I give him free equipment, and then free installation... And the guy was SERIOUS! And then when I explained the fallacy of that, he unleashed this long tirade of expletives... Makes you wonder what some of these morons think. And I'd love to see the look on their faces if you asked them to give away what they do for a living for free or next to nothing.


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