If you’re counting how many popular diamond shapes are out there, your list would include the following usual suspects–round, marquise, pear, oval, emerald, asscher, box radiant, standard radiant, etc. Its a short list and any woman looking to express her individuality through shape will have her desires dampened by the limited choices. However, that is not the case when it comes to dressing the rock up or down with a setting of your choice. Two people may have the same shape, size and quality diamond but the end product looks entirely different because of the semi-mount (setting) that was chosen. Take a look in photographs 1, 2 & 3 and see how a diamond’s entire look is changed just by the way its held. (Throughout this article you may click on any of the images to enlarge.)
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In photographs 4, 5 & 6 see how just changing the width of the metal can alter the appearance dramatically.
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Photographs 7 & 8 show what an interesting Art Deco look can be created by hand-engraving an embroidered pattern into the shank.
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So many different looks are possible and we have done nothing more than manipulate the metal holding the stone! Look how the ring reaches another galaxy when we add a couple of side stones in photographs 9 thru 17 (also known as the past, present and future rings).
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The minute we increase the number of accent stones (photographs 18 thru 35) the possibilities become endless. Here are a few of my favorites.
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I hope you’ve enjoyed looking at the first installment of settings that are “Beyond the Tiffany”. In future months I’ll be showing you other gorgeous award winning designs as they come across my desk. In closing I’d like to show you one more setting that I’m very proud of. It’s the latest bauble I made for my wife.
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Note: All photographs were taken by world renowned designer and photographer Jose Garcia
