Jewelry Redesign Story #51: Non-Exploitative Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring
THE REDESIGN CHALLENGE:
Mason had two rings that belonged to his mother that he wanted to have redesigned into a new engagement ring for his fianceé. We love helping our clients repurpose old and family rings to keep the spirit of family in important milestone jewelry. We were glad to be able to do everything to keep the jewelry a part of these important life moments as family grows and changes in love.
The rings that Mason brought to us from his mother included a solid gold band and another platinum ring with many smaller princess-cut diamonds. While he loved all the stones, he had a vision for the engagement ring that included just one solitary stone. While initially Mason thought he was interested in a pearl as well as a pear-cut diamond, eventually he decided that he wanted just one bold diamond in a pear shape. We wanted to help Mason have the diamond really stand out and look exactly as he wanted.
Because the ring would now only feature one diamond, we thought that we should go all out with the stone and decided to have a stunning and eye-catching stone. Mason wanted to have a lab-grown pear-shaped diamond.
THE REDESIGN PROCESS:
initial sketches
Once Mason decided that he was not interested in using the princess diamonds from his mother’s rings, we were able to melt down the gold from the rings which contributed to lowering the cost of the new ring featuring the brand-new lab-grown diamond.
Lab grown diamonds are a fairly new development in the world of diamonds in which diamonds are created in — you guessed it — a lab. While mined diamonds are grown under the earth’s surface for sometimes millions of years, lab diamonds can be created in just a matter of weeks. The final result will have the exact same beauty, shine, and chemical makeup as a mined diamond although is a much more ethical choice regarding some of the often questionable and difficult to understand practices surrounding the modern-day diamond industry.
Diamond images
Because these diamonds are lab-grown diamonds, they are often more affordable as well as more ethical. We were so glad to be able to work with Mason on one of our first redesigns featuring a custom-made lab-grown diamond.
We worked with Mason and Diamond Foundry to design a bold pear-shaped diamond that is 1.53 carats, H color, with VS1 clarity. Mason was thrilled with the result which was exactly to his tastes and which he knew would stun his soon-to-be financeé.
Rhino modeling
Because the diamond was the sole element of the ring — and it was fairly large in comparison to the smaller-size band — Rhino modeling was especially important for this redesign.
All of the small details were especially important for this simple yet striking piece: the thickness of the prongs, the under-bezel, and the width of the shank. Having a solid Rhino model was important to making certain that all of these components would work together perfectly to create a secure diamond in a setting that not just worked with the stone but was beautiful in and of itself.
Casting
Once we had completed our model we were ready to cast. We were satisfied with the visual balance as well as the structural integrity that would support the diamond. This meant we were ready to set the diamond and finish the piece.
THE REDESIGN REVEAL:
The finished jewelry
Mason was so happy with the finished piece and couldn’t wait to offer it to his lucky lady. We loved how much the diamond was the true focal point of this ring while still featuring a beautiful and visible gold setting.
From the lab to the wedding, we were so glad that everyone was able to get exactly what they wanted from this especially personal redesign project.
Materials: 14k yellow gold ring with 1.53 carat pear-shaped diamond in claw prong and V-prong setting
Manufacturing Level: Medium
Design Level: Medium
Are you interested in learning more about incorporating lab-grown diamonds into your jewelry redesign? Get started here.
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