Swollen Knuckles, Arthritic Fingers and Beautiful Rings? Enter the Adjustable Shank

Have you ever gone to wear your favorite ring only to find it no longer fits over your knuckle? Or you jam your ring on and it constantly turns? You are not alone and I have a started using a mechanism in my custom designs known as an adjustable or expandable shank,  that my clients are LOVING!

There are many types of adjustable shanks, and I will discuss the options available, but below are photos of my preferred mechanism as I feel it provides the maximum flexibly with the most safety.

Custom Adjustable Shank for Arthritic Fingers

So why did I choose this for my custom designs? There are several adjustable and expandable shanks on the market - but I am a safety freak and the thought of a ring opening and falling off - well I couldn't sleep at night. So something that securely closes seems to be the safest and most reliable.

How it works:

The mechanism is comfortable and easy to use, and in addition to being a must have for swollen
knuckles and arthritis, most of us have one hand larger than the other, or simply want the flexibility of wearing the same ring on more than one finger.

The opening of the shank makes the ring wearable on both hands simply by opening the latch and extending the ring easily over your finger.

Custom made ring with expandable shank

Simply put "it opens 3 sizes to pass over the knuckle, then closes to fit the smaller part of the finger where the ring is worn."

Cost. This is a consideration as the shank does add to the cost of a setting.







My clients that have decided to have an expandable ring are LOVING IT!

"My husband and I are thrilled with my newly remade engagement ring. Sadly my ring in its original setting was way too small to fit over my knuckles , however, my finger was still about the same size. Amy suggested the adjustable band to allow me to wear it on both fingers and create a sleek, comfortable fit. We had never heard of this option and it worked out beautifully.  The end result is beyond gorgeous.  The fit is perfect and will never have to be remade!"                                                                             

- Mary & Todd K., Laurel Hollow, NY

Got a new adjustable ring base I love, makes it so easy to get on & off over my knuckles, brilliant innovation!! and my 34 year old engagement ring looks better than the day I got it !! LOVE It !!

- Pamela M., Long Island, NY

As I mentioned, there are other adjustable shanks on the market. I think this photo collage illustrates why I prefer something that completely closes over another popular brand that opens.

Comparison of different adjustable shanks 

Seriously, I would never wear a ring that just "opens" so I could never recommend such a mechanism to my clients.

Click here to go to my website and learn more!

Diamond Selection - Is the most expensive always the best?

In my business trust & reputation go hand-in-hand. And they should.

When buying fine jewelry and diamonds - whether in person or via the internet, - quite a bit of trust is required. Not just about the quality of the gemstone, or the price, but trust that the advice being given and the choices offered suit your needs as the buyer.

There is nothing worse than setting a budget and then going over it. I always explain that when I ask for a budget - give me the high end. Not because I will be looking to spend every penny, but rather so that I may show options within the budget and let my client choose.

To make this point, the photo here shows that the most expensive diamond wasn't necessarily the prettiest.  My method of comparison saved my client $2000 (that he was prepared to spend) and we made a spectacular ring exactly the way he wanted for less than expected.

While the set budget allowed, there was a $2000 price difference
between the E/VS2 diamond & the H/SI1 diamond we chose which in person
was a prettier diamond.

The beauty about finding a jeweler that does not keep inventory is that we are not limited to "sell" what we have.

For each project, I contact my diamond dealers directly and personally compare several stones to narrow the choices down for my clients. For budget purposes, I like to present three to four options per project that reflect;

1. the high end of the budget
2. the next level down
3. the level down from that

Only after a full comparison will a buyer feel confident that they have explored all possibilities and be able to make a good sound decision for the diamond we use in their new jewelry.

While the GIA has done a terrific job in classifying diamonds for consumers, time and time again, I advise my clients to not just look at the Certification Report, but rather to look at the diamonds, or hire a a professional to do so, as no two diamonds are exactly the same, which is what makes each stone and gem so beautiful!

client review of the diamond selection process:

"Amy, thank you so much. The ring is beautiful! You are the best at what you do. Your explanations and demonstrations were clear and concise. As a result, I felt that I had a good understanding of diamonds and what I was purchasing. It was a great experience and the end result was perfect. Oh, and Angela loves it!" Michael H, North Franklin, CT

A New Years Proposal - Custom Diamond Engagement Ring

The story behind this custom diamond engagement ring for Kait....

Custom Diamond Engagement Ring for Kait & Jack

A few months ago I received a message from a friend that her nephew was getting engaged and she had given him my number. Shortly thereafter Jack called me and said that he was looking for something special for his girlfriend. 

Image from stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com  

He sent me a photo of Reese Witherspoon's engagement ring (see photo). What his girlfriend liked about it was not just the size, but also the unusual cut of the stone. 

GIA Certified Rectangular Modified Brilliant Diamond

A few days later I located a spectacular GIA Certified stone that was described as "Rectangular Modified Brilliant".  He loved it but wasn't sure so had his girlfriend's sister and best friend take a look. They loved it too. I set in in one of my signature platinum settings and matched the diamonds in the bands to the center stone. 

Custom Diamond Engagement Ring Platinum Setting

Jack proposed a few weeks ago while they were away. The ring is as beautiful as they are a couple! 

Jack & Kait - Just Engaged!

Jack's Comments: "Amy and The Perfect Setting came highly recommended to me from a trusted family member and I can't express how grateful I am. Going into the process of finding an engagement ring for my fiancée, I was admittedly naive when it came to diamonds and the specifics about their nature. Amy was kind enough to teach me various aspects of her craft, while helping me find the perfect ring. After sending Amy a picture of what my fiancée wanted and explaining the budget and timeframe that I hoped to stay within, Amy promptly found exactly what I was looking for. I was able to propose to my fiancée exactly how and when I wanted to and she absolutely loves her ring. Thanks to Amy, what seemed like a potentially stressful process, became seamless and enjoyable. I was more then pleased with her professionalism and patience and would recommend her services in a heartbeat."

Many Thanks,
Jack T., Huntington, NY"

Interested in a ring like this? Call 516-422-1220 or Click HERE to view our website for this ring and more...

Creation Story - Custom Lotus Flower Engagement Ring

This is the story of the "Lotus Flower Ring" ...

Finished Custom Lotus Flower Ring

About a month before Christmas I received an email from a potential new client:

"Hello, I am very interested in creating a custom ring setting. I would very much like something that is fairly unique. I have some stones that I would like to include in the ring design. The center stone is a 1.25 Ct round brilliant diamond. It is ideal cut and E-color. I also have an assortment of round cut sapphires that I would like used as stones set into the ring."

Internet photo sent by client

The photo he sent me of and "idea" was of a stock setting off the internet that he wanted to customize.  He liked the design elements on the side and the accent stones for the band as he had some sapphires he wanted to use there. 

After talking for a while and getting to know more about him and his fiancee, the idea of a 'flower' to hold the center stone was tossed into the mix. When I suggested a lotus flower, he revealed that he is Hindu and his fiancée is Chinese. The lotus flower represents both of their cultures. Since we had so many loose sapphires to work with, I asked if there was a specific number that had any symbolism as well. He told me the number eight was significant so the decision was made to design a ring with eight accent stones - four on either side of the band. 

So I sketched out a few concepts and started the CAD image process. 

I simply LOVED the design, and my client very politely got back to me: 

"Hi Amy,
I do very much like this design, but I have one slight modification in mind. When we talked, you really got me hooked on the idea of a lotus shape. This looks slightly more like a tulip to me. I do like the shape of the 4 prongs like petals, and I'm wondering if we could keep that and add sort of smaller "petals" in between. I realize this may mean sacrificing the two diamonds where you have them now, but if we added these four smaller petals, perhaps they could also accommodate the diamonds?"

Hmmmm - right he is....so my CAD tech and I renamed the image the "Tulip Ring" (and laughed that one day we will make it) and added a few more petals to transform to the "Lotus Flower Ring"

I asked for his thoughts on the new design and got what I was looking for - "Hi Amy, I'm so sorry. I just got out of meeting. The ring is beautiful. Please start as soon as you can."

Revised CAD image for client approval

Wax of Lotus ring before cast

Next the wax was made for final approval and a week later cast in platinum.

Next he sent me the stones to be set. WOW! The quality of the sapphires he was using is beyond belief. They have been in a family safe for years and are the MOST VIVID BLUE I have ever seen. Additionally, in his 'little box of stones" was a magnificent 2 carat sapphire that we will get certified from the Gemological Institute. If it too is natural and unheated it is quite valuable and rare. 

So back to our ring.... the cast was made, the stones were set, and I sent this photo of the finished product prior to shipping - 

Photo sent to client before shipping
"Hi Amy! Wow. I am blown away. It looks incredible! The pictures are so lovely. I already shared it with my mother and she is equally thrilled.

The next day his ring was delivered and picked up - received this note - 

"Hi Amy, I meant to email you Saturday, but I didn't get the chance. FedEx delivered the ring around 10:30, so everything went perfectly. It looks really great, and I'm very excited to give it to her. I will follow up with you after new year . I am very pleased with everything we did. The timeline, price, and of course the design were all as perfect as I could imagine. I will definitely write a testimonial, and I plan on working with you again in the future!"

I asked him if he could put that on LInkedIn as client testimonials are crucial to my business - and I am so flattered by what he wrote. My clients get beautiful jewelry, and I get beautiful notes. Love it!!

Testimonial on LinkedIn - 

"Beyond the obvious beauty of her designs (see her website and it is immediately clear!), Amy was a pleasure to work with because she was very quick, organized, and made sure I understood the design process from beginning to end. She met a very tight deadline for the ring that I custom designed through her, and the result were exquisite. This was the first time I worked with a custom designer, but I know that she is who I will always go through in the future. She is very personable and responsive, and she has a valuable understanding of all aspects of jewelry - she is a great designer but also can help with having family stones certified/appraised, having rough stones cut, buying loose gems or diamonds, etc. I couldn't have made a better choice."

Siddharth P, Hamilton, NJ

Finished Lotus Flower Engagement Ring

Interested in this ring? Click here for pricing and ordering details

Custom Platinum Wedding Rings - New Years Eve Wedding

Custom-Designed Wedding Rings for Esther and Symon

I have known Symon and his family for years so when he and his fiancée Esther called me to make custom wedding bands for their New Years Eve wedding  I was just thrilled. Even though they live in California, and arrived just two weeks before their wedding, we were still able to get it done. Esther was looking for something classic while Symon wanted something a bit bolder. We made a micro-pave ring for Esther and a 7mm wide comfort fit platinum ring for Symon. 

Esther & Symon on their wedding day 

As much as I enjoyed spending time with them and making their rings, what I really loved was hearing the story Esther shared with me about how she and Symon met and the details regarding Symon's proposal. 

·       How did you meet?
We used to work for the same company. Symon worked in London and I worked in NYC. He transferred to the NYC office and we started to date. We went to the Bronx Zoo for our first date.

·       

 When and where did Symon propose?
In England at Tintagel Castle.  It’s a medieval castle in Cornwall where the legend of King Arthur was born.  It is believed that this is where he was knighted before going off to find the Holy Grail.  Symon proposed here because I love castles. He proposed while we were hiking the ruins near the castle’s waterfront. 

·       If there is one thing you know you'll never forget about the day you got engaged, what would it be?

It was raining cats and dogs, and I didn’t understand why he wanted to go hiking so bad on THAT day!  It was raining throughout our whole drive there, but once we parked, it stopped raining. I remember after we got back from the hike, we were on our phones calling friends and family, when we noticed we were standing in a field with lambs.       (How special is that?)

Symon calling family and friends in a field with lambs!

Thank you for sharing your story with me, and for giving me the opportunity to make you rings "just the way you wanted them."

Are you looking for the perfect engagement ring for your girl or wedding band for your guy?  Why not have your rings custom made?  The Perfect Setting would love to help you create your vision.  Give us a call. 516-422-1220 or visit www.theperfectsetting.com for ideas and inspiration!

Story Behind a Resetting - Tammy’s Marquis Diamond Wedding Ring Story

I have an exceptional client that comes to me on a regular basis for quality stone resettings.  I asked her if she would share the story behind one of her favorite pieces, and she immediately responded with her Marquis Diamond story, our first project together.

"My husband bought my Marquis Diamond over 20 years ago for our wedding. We lived in McAllen, Texas at the time, and he knew several friends that were jewelers.  It was set in yellow gold.  It truly is a beautiful stone. I loved it!  When we got back together a few years ago, I wanted it to be different…special for our renewed love and 2^nd marriage to each other.  So I was thinking to have it dipped from gold to platinum.

One day, I was just scrolling the web on having rings dipped from gold to platinum, and somehow I ran into Amy’s website and caught sight of two rings with tiny diamonds all around.  They were also hammered. I'm a huge fan of hammered jewelry. So, I called her, and we took off from there.  Since I turned it over to Amy Certilman, I don't have the words to express how beautiful her work is. My wedding ring is the prettiest setting I have ever seen. Ever!!  I am so tickled I found her."

"Another thing about my ring is it's so very unique. I had some friends over the other day, and one man said my ring was absolutely gorgeous!

Amy’s work is so impeccable, and she’s so wonderful about making what you want, just the way you want.  I will always have Amy for my friend. Not only as a friend but she will always make new jewelry for me. A big thank you again, Amy."

Thank you Tammy! So glad we were able to make such beautiful jewelry together. 

Baby it's cold outside! What jewelry to wear this fall and winter

Jewelry has a magical way of transforming how we look and feel. As an accessory it accents an outfit and can even tell a story. Some of us have a signature piece of jewelry that we wear everyday. Others are lucky enough to have amassed a collection over time that represents the many phases of their lives. 

Various colors and shapes of topaz

Certain months bring about the celebration of certain gems. This month, as we move into cooler weather, November Birthday Girls will for sure be wearing pieces with topaz they have gotten over the years that represent their various birthday celebrations.

TIP: As we bundle up, make sure to wear jewelry choices that will still be seen amongst the gloves and scarves. Consider dangle earring to be seen when wearing a scarf or thick cuff type bracelets that will be a statement for when your neck is covered. Of course when you take your gloves off, nothing pops more than a statement right-hand ring!

Topaz and sapphire earrings on a wire.

 

 

 

 

Earrings on a wire will stand out when wearing a scarf or turtleneck sweater

Akoya Pearl bracelet with onyx center and topaz accents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A thick bracelet or cuff will pop through a long sleeve sweater, especially when you push your sleeves up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right Hand "Statement" Ring Bezel Set Diamond in 18K Gold

 

 

 

 

A substantial "statement-ring" is perfect for when you take your gloves off.

Floating on Clouds ~ A Custom Made Proposal

A while back I was contacted to create a custom engagement ring.  My client Tim had a surprise lined up for his girlfriend Cori, and he wanted the perfect engagement ring for his proposal.  I recently spoke with Cori about her reaction to Tim’s proposal and her custom made engagement ring:

 “I was so excited.  I felt like I was floating on clouds.  The ring

is gorgeous…delicate and yet stunning!  I feel like the Queen

 of England wearing it, and that someone should bow and kiss my

ring.  It is exactly what I wanted on my finger.”

                                                                                                                                           ~ Cori

The Fairytale Proposal:

“Tim and I met at work.  We soon became very good friends.  He asked me to dinner one day and took me to 75 Chestnut in Beacon Hill, which soon became one of our favorite places to eat together.

Tim had mentioned a few weeks earlier that he planned to take his Dad out to dinner around Father’s Day and really wanted me to come.  We planned it for June 20^th.  That morning Tim called and told me to bring a dress, that we’d meet his Dad, have dinner at a nice restaurant and go see a motion picture.  So I quickly grabbed a dress, tossed it in the back seat of the car and headed for work. 

It was a crazy busy day.  I was meeting Tim after work close by at the entrance of Boston Public Gardens, a place we enjoyed and took walks in regularly.  After work I quickly threw my dress on and ran out the door.  He was waiting there for me.  Dad wasn’t around, so Tim said:  “We’ll walk through the gardens and meet my Dad.” I was a mess, so I asked to sit on a nearby bench for a minute to put myself together and tidy my hair.  Tim seemed restless and let me take about one minute before he was up and pulling me.  He said:  Let’s go this way.  I need to talk to my Dad about the landscaping and trees over here in the garden.  I thought it a bit weird, but his Dad was a landscaper, so we headed in that direction.  We meandered through the beautiful trees enjoying the scenery and each other’s company and came to a stop at a pond nearby.  We kissed.

At that point I was relaxed enough to realize Tim was wearing a very nice suit.  So I said:  “You look really nice all dressed up.”  He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a small box, knelt down and I knew…

He then opened the box to reveal the most beautiful ring ever, and said: “Will you marry me?”

I was so excited!  I felt like I was floating on clouds.  The ring was gorgeous…delicate and yet stunning!  I felt like the Queen of England wearing it and that someone should bow and kiss my ring.  It is exactly what I wanted on my finger.

A band then emerged from behind a tree and played one of my favorite songs.

  

Cory's Diamond Engagement Ring

I found out that Tim had been planning this for a while and had met videographers, photographers and the band earlier that day to set things up.  It was a beautiful surprise!

The evening didn’t end there.  We went to dinner at our favorite restaurant (mentioned above).  Tim then asked me where I’d like to go for dancing and drinks afterward, so I picked one of my favorites, a place called Hong Kong.  When we got there, he took me upstairs where they have karaoke, and where we just happened to run into 50 of our closest friends and family, some even having flown in from other cities (another surprise for me).  I was elated!  The whole evening was amazing!”

The Perfect Setting is a full service jewelry company that specializes in custom jewelry design, engagement rings, wedding bands, and gift selection. GIA Alumnus, Amy Certilman will help you choose new diamonds, or we will expertly reset your heirloom stones into something new and wearable. Visit www.theperfectsetting.com, or call 516-422-1220 for a cost-free consultation.