IcedOrchid.com sent me a lovely pair of earrings, as an example of their jewelry quality. Alas, I can’t keep them: it’s not a gift to me in exchange for a favorable review. I didn’t want anything to potentially color my review, so I sent them back. But I’m not sure I wanted to!

IcedOrchid.com Engagement Ring Setting with Round Center Diamond

The IcedOrchid.com Company

I’ve been aware of IcedOrchid.com for a while, but it was their recent mention in a Glamour.com article about engagement rings under $1850 that really got my attention. I went to their site and checked out the ring–I was absolutely convinced that the $1762 price quoted was just for the mounting, not the center stone diamond as well. To my surprise, the white gold setting was completed by a .50 carat round diamond with a nice cut (AGS 1 rating), color (F), and clarity (SI1), with a lab report from the pinnacle of reputable labs, American Gem Society Laboratory.

The company, started recently, but with many years of experience in the jewelry industry, tries very hard for that excellent value proposition. They say that they target an entry-level price point in the market, but I find their offerings to be classic and enduring styles (unlike some of the awful things I’ve seen in malls). On their clean, simple site you can find a large assortment of engagement ring and wedding band designs, as well as a small collection of diamond jewelry such as earrings, pendants and bracelets. But would the jewelry itself live up to the quality and construction that they promise to consumers on their site?

IcedOrchid.com Engagement Ring Setting with Baguette Side Stones

The Review

The earrings I reviewed are the 1.50 Ct Tw Inside-Out Diamond Hoops in white gold, $1761 Retail. They are named “Inside Out” because the front of the hoop is set with diamonds, and the inside of the back of the hoop is also set, which is what you see from the front. I thought these would be a good to review because they are a great gift idea or jewelry essential for a jewelry collection. Plus, they would show IcedOrchid.com’s typical diamond quality, how well they match their stones, their diamond-setting skill, polish and finishing.

The earrings arrived very securely packaged, and I finally uncovered the fancy wood and leather-ette presentation box containing the earrings inside. For some reason, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the diamonds sparkled against the black lining of the box. Maybe it’s the reasonable price, maybe I’m just jaded, but I’ve seen a lot of mediocre quality out there for diamond basics. These earrings are REALLY pretty.

Inside-Out Diamond Hoops 1.50 Ct Tw, $1761 Retail

There are 60 diamonds totaling 1.50 carats, and all are listed at G-H color and VS2 clarity. I 10X-louped them in the setting, which isn’t quite like seeing them unmounted, but that quality appears to be what is set into the earrings I received. No major flaws, and all bright white in the white gold setting. Though each diamond itself is small, in the clean straight-line shared prong setting they have a lot of presence, even from across the room. I liked how short and curved the posts are, because they won’t tip forward on your ear and expose the earring hole, and they have a hinged closure that has a satisfying *snap* to close (makes them feel very secure on the ears).

Scale is one of the most challenging parts of ordering ANYTHING on line, especially for jewelry which is not branded. The detail pages on IcedOrchid.com’s website helpfully lists all the details of each piece of jewelry, but really, does anyone know what 26 X 1.6 MM really looks like? The 1.50 carat pair has a hoop diameter almost exactly that of a US quarter, so you can hold that up to your ear and get a feel for the scale.

This is a VERY wearable size and style of diamond hoop earring. Personally for myself, I would want a larger diameter, but I like pretty bold jewelry. The carat weight, scale, sparkle and finish of these make these earrings the perfect jewelry essential of a diamond hoop for most people. If someone is quite demure in their style, then diamond stud earrings or the 1 carat total weight of these same hoops would be good. (Hint to IcedOrchid: maybe make a larger diameter pair, maybe 30MMs with 2 Carats or so of diamonds–those I would NOT send back! Edited after published, I found this pair of 2 Ct TW Inside Out Hoops with a 28mm diameter on their site.)

Trio of Classic Rings From IcedOrchid.com

A Little Q and A with IcedOrchid.com

idazzle.com: What is the history and story of the company and founders?

IcedOrchid.com: IcedOrchid.com is a young American company, founded by a family that has been involved in the jewelry business for years. What began as a spirited family discussion regarding the direction of the industry turned into words of action in the creation of IcedOrchid.com. IcedOrchid.com was established as an online retail store, to market beautiful yet affordable diamond jewelry to people who thought they could never afford luxury. Targeting the bottom of the pyramid for luxury, IcedOrchid.com’s mission is to show the average working man or woman that luxury diamond jewelry is available to them at a fair price without compromising quality.

What do you feel is unique or special about the IcedOrchid.com company and website (in other words, why should customers shop with you)?

What separates IcedOrchid.com from its competitors is the company’s effort to keep the engagement process as simple, stress-free and enjoyable as possible through its easy-to-use website. While the company has a large inventory and thousands of styles, it doesn’t display everything it carries. Rather, the products that are displayed are those that follow seasonal trends as well as those backed by research statistics on best selling items. Even the promotions the company runs are direct and target the audience its products are tailored for. Further, IcedOrchid.com is unique in that all its products come from a single source ensuring top quality while also allowing it’s diamond consultants to personally check or inspect an item upon request from a customer.

Do you have some exciting things launching/happening in 2011?

IcedOrhcid.com starts 2011 with an exciting contest running on Facebook called “Operation Proposal”target=_blank. This contest is run in collaboration with Operation Gratitude, a NGO that sends care packages to deployed soldiers around the worlds. “Operation Proposal” is open to every American who has a valid military card and to veterans as well. Contestants are encouraged to upload photos and stories of their proposals (past or future) on IcedOrchid.com’s Facebook page, and then get their friends and families to support their entries. The contest ends on Feb 6th with the winner being announced on Valentine’s day. The contestant with the highest number of votes will win him/herself a gorgeous diamond engagement ring worth $4500.

Also, on January 15th 2011, IcedOchid.com offers consumers a unique opportunity to see its jewelry display in person at booth 718 at the Hartford CT Bridal Expo!

Come March 2011, IcedOrchid.com will be launching its first spring collection! Keep visiting the website www.icedorchid.com and its Facebook page to view new styles, new diamonds and other exciting additions.

Thank you, IcedOrchid.com for sending the earrings for review, and sharing your thoughts about your company! I like what you’re doing so far with your website! One suggestion that would make the shopping experience even better is to have really *snappy* images of the jewelry–when you are online, you have one chance to impress the customer! Also, illustrating scale of the jewelry, like a photo of it on a model, or against something that shows its dimensions. I recommend paying attention to the way that the best fashion sites represent things, and of course, disclosing all the details about the quality, as you are doing. Can’t wait to see IcedOrchid.com’s Spring 2011 collection!

View this post on idazzle.com: Retailer Spotlight: Review of IcedOrchid.com

I first stumbled upon Leon Mege and his custom platinum ring designs online. And even from images online, I could tell that his craft was at an entirely different level than most of the rest of the jewelry business.

Cushion Cut in Platinum Solitaire Setting by Leon Mege, love those double claw prongs!

The Jewelry

To say that Leon Mege makes rings would be akin to saying that Rembrandt made paintings. He can make a ring for a ridiculous-size center diamond, or make an exceptional setting for a .75 carat if you want. If he does make something for you, no one in your circle is going to have a ring remotely in the same league. Particularly if you are looking for an Asscher cut, Cushion cut, or a Halo setting, I can truly say “nobody does it better”.

The designs themselves are exceptional: a certain savant in their proportions, just the right curve here and bend there. His colored gem pieces show an amazing dexterity of form and color combination.

AGTA Award Winning Paraiba Tourmaline and Diamond Ring by Leon Mege

Beyond the designs, the execution is what truly sets Leon’s rings apart. Each ring is fabricated by hand–no molds. The proportions are worked out, then the stones all laid out, drilled, set, beaded, and finished. It takes a cadre of the most skilled craftsmen in his studio/workshop in New York some 6 weeks to make one (one!) bespoke ring.

While I was in the studio, I got to see some exceptional one-of-a-kind pieces, including the ring below. This ruby ring belongs on someone’s finger (for some reason I think it should be in LA, but maybe I’m wrong). Each “petal” started out as a sheet of silver metal. Then it has to be molded into its undulating leaf shape, and the pattern of the stones is laid out. Each tiny hole for each stone is drilled, then the rubies are set with tiny pave beads on top, and the bottom of the leaf is azured. When he started the project, Leon did not know for sure how many stones would be used, but somehow, the number of rubies came out to exactly 500. And the number of diamonds came to exactly 50. Serendipity of symmetry and balance…

Ruby and Orange Diamond Ring by Leon Mege, $35,000 Retail

The History

Leon arrived in New York City in 1988. Trained in jewelry fabrication in his native Russia, he was employed in the jewelry trade literally on his second day in the US (that should tell you something about his ambition and work ethic). He got his Gemology degrees from GIA, and eventually started his own shop here on 47th St. Up until about 2 years ago, he was the secret weapon for the most prestigious retailers in NYC, making rings for celebrities and some of the most influential glitterati in the city. But his designs deserve a name, so a couple of years ago he shifted the business from a trade-only custom shop to a private-appointment atelier selling directly to the end customer.

The shift to almost-retailer has been a very good one, giving Leon the name recognition he needs and customers direct communication with the man himself. A remarkable number of details can get lost in translation from customer to retail salesperson to the craftsman. This way, the customer gets EXACTLY what they want.

Magnificent Cold Fusion Halo Setting for a 3 Carat Cushion, Leon Mege

The Process

If you are interested in having Leon and company make a ring for you, keep in mind that this is not a traditional store. You need to follow some rules of engagement. You make an appointment. You may not see a ring at all during your visit, just images of designs. He will set your own stone, if it is appropriate for the mounting you want and can be set safely. If you need a diamond, especially a significant or unusual Cushion cut or Asscher cut, you can speak to Perry Chen, the Diamond Concierge of the business. Perry can find you the right diamond–at an extremely competitive price–and you get the synergies of working with them from sourcing the stone to the finished ring.

This is a craftsman whose name should be in the company of Faberge, and the original Cartier. Years from now, his pieces may be listed by name in auction catalogs and command those values. If you have Leon Mege make a ring for you, you can count yourself among celebrities, collectors, and connoisseurs.

Leon hard at work at the jewelry bench.

View this post on idazzle.com: Leon Mege, The Most Beautiful Rings In The World?

I Do Now I Don’t.com

I Do Now I Don’t (www.idonowidon’t.com) is a site with an admittedly catchy name. This site was started by Josh Opperman when he found himself with an engagement ring he, um, no longer needed. The premise is sound: a marketplace with previously-owned jewelry where the fees are reasonable for the seller and the buyer can get a good deal compared to retail. You can list a jewelry item for sale for FREE (you keep the item in your possession and provide all the listing details and images). Buyers can make you offers based on your asking price, or you can choose to do an auction (you can set a reserve price). Once the seller accepts an offer, you send the item in to I Do’s office, and their Gemologist verifies that the jewelry is what was represented. Then the escrow company releases the funds to the seller and the items gets shipped directly to the buyer. I Do Now I Don’t collects 12% of the final negotiated purchase price, plus the fee for the Paypal transaction (Buyer pays the shipping costs, typically). The company claims on the site that most sellers net between 40-60% of the retail price for their jewelry, which is a pretty good return if this is actually the case. And it’s fairly low risk for both seller and buyer, which makes it a better option than the free-for-all of eBay.com.

I Do Now I Don’t emphasizes telling a story for the jewelry listings (“I bought this stunning ring…then I got a text message saying “Left the ring on the table, sorry”), stating that the back story is what helps sell the item. Now, here’s the thing. My main problem with this site is that I DON’T THINK I WANT TO KNOW. People typically buy jewelry to celebrate a significant milestone or a new start. They don’t want bad juju. My other issue with this site is that I don’t think there are that many buyers, and they seem to do a better job of catering to the sellers than the buyers. But if you are a seller and are willing to set a realistic price, this could be a good option (if there are actual buyers).

Portero.com

Portero (www.portero.com) has created a marketplace for luxury items like jewelry, watches, handbags and art with an eye towards credibility and trust (again unlike eBay). They use auctions as the primary selling vehicle, which is interesting, given that other major companies like Amazon and eBay are moving away from online auctions. Portero authenticates every item that sells through their marketplace. They have partnerships with designers like Kwiat and Robert Lee Morris, and retailers like Tourneau. Their selection is very good, with some really fine collectible jewelry and watches, beautiful items that are assets as well as wearable art. Because of the great site navigation, layout, images, etc., I get the feeling that Portero caters more to buyers than sellers, which is good, because without that critical element, you don’t have a marketplace.

Platinum and Diamond Ring Listed on Portero.com

To sell on Portero, you first contact them with some details about your item for evaluation and pricing. If you want to pursue listing it through them, you send your item to them (insured, of course). For $25, they handle everything for the listing: research, pricing, professional imaging, description, payment, and finalizing the sale. If you sell your item, you pay them 30% of the final sale price, and they handle the transaction and shipping to the buyer. I don’t think this is out of line given that they appear to have a large marketplace with potentially lots of exposure for your item, AND it is a very secure transaction for both seller and buyer. A local jeweler will charge at least 25-30% to sell your item on consignment, and will have only local exposure versus national. I think Portero is worth a shot, particularly if you have a more expensive or rare piece of jewelry or watch.

Anyone out there with a success story of selling their jewelry? Comment and let us know…

View this post on idazzle.com: Review of I Do Now I Don’t.com and Portero.com

Royal Asscher Deco Trinity 3-Stone Diamond Ring

What is an Asscher Cut and what makes it special?

Asscher cuts have a wonderfully rich history.  The Asscher brothers were diamond cutters in Amsterdam around the turn of the 19th century.  Their cutting house became quite known for their skill and precision.  In 1902, Joseph Asscher developed a variation of the classic emerald cut.  This new cut was square, versus the rectangular emerald cut, with proportionally larger blocked corners, forming an almost octagonal outline.  The bottom was scissor-cut with symmetrical parallel facets, ending in a single central point, instead of the standard keel-line of the emerald cut.  The symmetry of this new style, combined with the greater depth of the stone, resulted in such radiant brilliance that people were really dazzled.  The design was patented, and a number of Asschers were cut and set into the Art Deco style of the times until World War II. 

Platinum Art Deco Ring with Asscher Cuts, $32,000 Retail

A bit of Asscher history:

If the Asscher name sounds familiar, you might be interested to know that in 1907, Joseph Asscher cut the Cullinan, a 3106 carat rough diamond.  The largest cut diamonds from the Cullinan are part of the Crown Jewels of Britain.  Diamond cutting at the time was totally done by hand, and the first cut made had to be accurate to split the crystal atoms correctly, or the world’s largest diamond would become the world’s most expensive pile of diamond dust.  Legend has it that ol’ Asscher struck the first blow to cleave the stone (successfully, obviously), then promptly passed out.  (The family refutes that, but I’m sticking with it.)

A Note About Size and Quality of Asscher Cuts

Color can concentrate in the corner facets of this cut, plus you can see inclusions through the clear step facets, so I recommend going a little higher quality with this cut: G or higher color, VS2 or higher clarity (click here for a diamond quality overview).  If you are in love with an Asscher cut, you should know that they face up quite small for their carat weight due to their depth relative to their diameter.  If you have a modest budget, or you prefer a diamond under 1 carat, you really should see a mounted stone and try it on for size.  A “halo” mounting, one with diamonds micro-paved around the center stone, will add a lot of volume without the same expense of going with a much larger carat weight Asscher center stone.

Danhov ME2 Pave Diamond Mounting for Asscher Cut

Modern Asscher Cuts

Sometime in the late 1990′s, coinciding with renewed interest in estate-looking mountings and platinum designs (plus mentions in Sex and the City and celebrity wearers like Kate Hudson), consumers rediscovered the Asscher cut.  In 2001, Edward and Joop Asscher updated the design slightly, adding more facets and a slightly larger table to increase brilliance.  Now you can purchase authorized Asschers from Royal Asscher.  

Other diamonds are cut into a similar style.  They may not all have the actual “Asscher Signature”, but there are a lot of gorgeous modified-square brilliants out there, in some equally stunning mountings.  

Here is a beautiful 1 carat Asscher cut from Blue Nile, it’s a great balance of color/clarity for this cut (you can choose a mounting from their selection):

Blue Nile 1.01ct Asscher Cut, G color, VS1 clarity, $4677 Retail

Pave Split-Shank Setting for Asscher Cut

.77 ct Asscher Cut Diamond in Micro Pave Mark Patterson Setting, $8225 Retail

If you are into simple elegance, maybe a solitaire is in order:

Blue Nile Trellis Solitaire Setting with Asscher Cut Center

With their clean outline and sophisticated brilliance, Asscher Cuts manage to be very modern and very classic at the same time.

View this post on idazzle.com: Kiss My (Royal) Asscher…

A little background on the design and significance:  3-stone rings have actually been around for a long time, they just didn’t have a name and specific jewelry category until De Beers decided to brand them a few years ago.  Some other jewelry items that people didn’t know they needed before De Beers told them they did are engagement rings (the 1948 campaign “A Diamond Is Forever” that lauched the modern-day concept of a diamond engagement ring), right-hand rings, “Journey” jewelry, anniversary bands.  I do think the 3-stone ring is beautiful and enduring.  The 3 stones represent your past, present, and future.  With this symbolism, a 3-stone could be presented as an engagement ring, or for a significant anniversary. 

Classic 3-Stone Round Diamond Ring from Costco.com

Where:  I looked for 3-stone rings anywhere I could find them at major retailers online:  Blue Nile, Costco.com, Amazon.com, Diamond.com, plus some others in the table below.  I had kind of a hard time finding very many already mounted options in my target quality range of G-H color, SI1-SI2 clarity, especially in 1/2 ct TW.

Here are the results of my research in table format and my picks for best quality/value/style highlighted, with more specific notes down below (if you need a 4 C’s diamond quality refresher, click here).  You can click on the retailer name to go directly to the ring featured:

My favorite 1 ct TW 3-Stone Ring from Costco.com

Jewelrycentral.com:  This company comes up high in google search results, so I checked them out.  Prong basket settings for their 3-stone rings.  Not crazy about I1, better quality is out there for good value.  No specifics on the break-down of carat weight.

Ice.com:  Not totally sure about this site, I would have to order something from them to be able to completely endorse.  Ok value on a G/I1 clarity. 

Classicjewelry.com:  New site discovery for me, they say they are a NYC manufacturer in business for 25 years.  They have the usual 30 day return policy and a customer service 877#. They also have live chat and list their address on the site, which is a pretty good sign (some no-name sites you can barely find an “about us”). Can enter email for coupon code for 15% off anything over $500 http://www.classicjewelry.com/diamonds/jewelry/coupon.php . 

Amazon.com:  Sigh.  Amazon jewelry buyers, please read this and listen up: your price messaging is terrible.  This item was 30% off of $999 for Valentine’s Day, but not marked anywhere obvious on the detail page, I had to go through entire check-out to get final price.  The sale prices for the 1/2 ct and 1 ct TW rings were amazing, but the regular prices are NOT competitive, and that is usually where Amazon wins (price).  I like this style, with the square-edge clean band and stylish baskets.  Site navigation for this category is pretty good: from Jewelry category page, 3-stone left nav category takes you to page where the rings are grouped by mounting type/diamond quality and you can choose your carat total weight. 

Blue Nile:  Beautiful ring, probably worth buying if you want the 18kt mounting, but I think their prices should come down a bit in this economy (if they want to survive).  Great site navigation as usual, 3-stone rings have their own category in left nav.  Could build your own from their loose diamond collection if you want.  Carat TWs from .25 ct TW to 3.63 ct TW.  No break-down of carat weights of center vs. sides, which surprised me from this company.

Diamond.com:  Arrgghh!  This is a jewelry-specific site, but navigating is terrible: no 3-stone category and the refinements are not useful (how about refining by carat TW, maybe?).  I had to wade through pages of totally random rings to find the 3-stones.  Also, I don’t like that they don’t offer qualities higher than I1 for mounted rings: at I1 clarity you can see the inclusions, and unless your budget is really tight, SI2 is a better bet. 

Costco.com:  Really lovely mountings, different from the rest of the offerings here.  For someone who wants classic, but with a little twist.  For the higher clarity and relatively large center at .40, I think the 1 carat TW version is an excellent value.

Mondera.com:  I had to look really hard on site to find 3-stones.  Nice style and quality, but could only find a 1 ct TW option.  Not as extensive a selection as I thought this jewelry-specific site would have.

View this post on idazzle.com: Virtual Purchase: 3-Stone Diamond Ring