I just sat here for I don't know how many hours to read this whole thread. I was constantly interrupted by the kids or meals or playing game and a nap. I just had to read all about a BLUE diamond and it is gorgeous! I loved reading the story of how she came to be. I just love the background story about the wedding band too. Wow. How lucky you are to own a BLUE diamond. Totally envious and happy for you at the same time. Lovely, lovely ring!

Thanks Sparkly and Meb Wistress!    Even Mom can see her blooo!

Lyta, I'm so glad you enjoyed this rather extensive  gush fest.  I realy did want newbies to get a feel for how things work around here.  I sat a long time on the sidelines before this project started, as a newbie myself, scared half to death of buying something so incredibly important online.  Now, I wouldn't look anywhere else, when I'm beyond window shopping.  I am curious about your blue diamond.  That one is surely a beauty, as well.  I hope you'll post her picture(s) and stats in the  Show us your jewels folder

I just had to add a post scriptum.  DH and I were walking home from lunch today and stopped at a very nice jewellry store on 2cd street, here in LBCA.  They advertised free cleaning,;and I'd long admired their colored stones, of which they carry a very nice selection, but had never visited.  So I  pulled DH in the door (one of those where you have to get buzzed in) and handed over Li'l Blooo to the sales girl who took it to the back while we browsed.  Nice opals, pretty black pearls, some nice amythests,  tsavorites, and even a pretty little fly double halo radiant. (I still miss RAINBOWS). snif!

....anyway, finally the owner pops out of the back with BLOOO in hand and a loupe firmly attached to his eye, and never losing line of sight with the ring to even look at me.  Talk about a suck up job!  All this man could say was what a beautiful ring she is, how fine the workmanship is, how good the quality of the stones, how much the pink halo sets off the blue diamond.....you get the drift.  I had such fun telling him I had a friend on 47th Street who found the stone specially for me, and had it designed and executed the same way. Ooooh!  such a proud little peahen I was.  He empathized with trying to keep my little halfmoons clean and sparkly and offered his services anytime to us.
 
It was the DH's first encounter with how Li'l Blooo is regarded IRL.  He was pretty impressed, too, and hardly grumbled about being dragged into a jewelry store to window shop at all.  A first!

Thank you, David and team.  You have done most excellently well with this ring. I told the jeweller to just wait, I was having the wedding band done by the same team.  The drool was visible as we were personally ushered out of the store.    Great fun!

Sounds like you had a little fun with the guy!  Good for you.  We all know you can't beat DBL for price or quality.

Mikla

I admit I got lucky today and my DS is still sleeping.  I'm not used to over 2 hour naps now (he's almost 2.5)

Anyway, I have always admired your ring and I saw this thread here.  So I took the extra time I got to read through this thread.  What an amazing journey it was for the whole ordeal.  I wish the pictures of mum's ring were still showing, but I can imagine the restore was gorgeous.

So congrats on the ring (and I know matching band) and just know that this story was awesome to read through especially seeing all the lovely ideas you had throughout 

clgwli - I can not believe I have neither a testimonial nor a show off your jewels thread for Mum's ring.     I will definitely rectify the omission in the near future!  Thanks for bringing  to my attention.    It wasn't a big project, but it was my first with DBL and was a little scary.  Silly me!  Nothing to be scared of at all, and the results still amaze me almost every day.  David can find the SPARKLIEST diamonds around.  Congrats on completing one of the longer trheads with a single subject! (yes, I'm a tad obsessive-compulsive!)

saqsay, I highly recommend taking fancy colored diamonds into local stores for a quick clean.  It's really lots of fun and quite ego inflating. 

well...I see what has happened, now, clgwli.  I reorged all my photobucket albums a while back and it broke all the links.  Let's see if I can give you some shots that should have been in the middle of the thread.  these were taken at DBL by David.

Here's Mum's ring, with no diamonds as David received it.


Here's the ring after David found some phenomenal Sam Spade specials for me.


He added balls to the inside so that I could get it over my arthritic knuckle more easily - first time I ever encountered these babies.  What a concept!

Oh wow, that ring looks absolutely beautiful!  It looks like they did a wonderful job of restorting it to her to her former glory. 

Those stones do look much larger than 5ctw.  And I admit I really do like rings that sit close to my finger.  Other than diamond rings, most of mine are very low profile.  I have a channel set anniversary band I love for the sparkles and the nice stream lined look.

Thank you so much for reposting the pictures.  I really love looking at everyone's jewlery

OH saqsay - that's both a very happy and very sad question.  Mum died very young - in her early 50's, after having 4 kids, the eldest of which was a girl.  As each of the boys chose the girl they wanted to marry, Dad took one of Mum's diamonds and had it set as an e-ring for them.  Both DH and his little brother are beyond wife #1; but his older brother's wife still has that original ring.  She still wears it, although she more often wears a 4+ct RBC her DH gave her for their 25th anniversary. 

I keep trying to get her to look at the DBL site, (her DH likes to design things for her).  If I could get her there I'm hoping she'd steer her DH that way, but so far no joy.  Since Li'L BLOOO is exactly that, little, he wasn't overly impressed.     He's one of those where size matters, and has no clue about colored diamonds.  I love him anyway.  He promised that I could drive his latest Ferrari next time we go north and visit.

Thanks, Miz M.   Can you imagine trying to put Li'L BLOOO and 2 other radiants in it instead?    Talk about square pegs and round holes!  I am so glad David convinced me to do otherwise!  It was her wedding band.  Her e-ring went to the only girl in the bunch.  I don't recall ever seeing it; but at 18 or less, I really wasn't too into that sort of jewelry. 

DH was part of the crew I ran around with from 12-15, but we moved out of state before I turned 16.  After that,  I only saw Mum the one time (at 18) on a visit during spring break of our freshman year in college.  She passed about 2 years later.  By that time, DH and I had parted company permanently - or so we thought. 

I think jewelry often tells a story -- and you've got a novel there, ah2b! I love your ring; it's so beautiful and intriguing. You and David did a wonderful job putting it together.

That turned out beautifully.  I am happy that you have such a special ring.  Li'l Bloo can come live with me if he wants...hey is Li'l Bloooo a boy or a girl?

you know thats funny ah2, i went shopping with my girlfriend and her lawyer boyfriend years ago. they were looking for engagement rings. i use to work for a national chain jewelry store at the time. i tried to make some suggestions about having a custom ring made. how it would be better quality, and be about the same price, maybe cheaper. next thing i know, he is in a snit and ends up leaving us at the mall. later she tells me he was offended, because i implied that he was cheap. huh?