Special Orders

[nicole0612]

My birthstone is sapphire (sept) - I think it’s only blue to my knowledge. The folie de pres ring someone mentioned here I would be curious to try on actually - not sure if many other blue sapphire options (the perlee ring I would try too- I’ve tried it on in diamond and possibly ruby I can’t remember!).

I’m personally not in any rush to do this but it’s fun to get inspiration or ideas hoping my 2024 VCA shopping is a little more quiet than 2023 haha (or non existent! I’m actually in a happy place with my collection)

It sounds like the birthstone for September is actually any sapphire. That opens up a lot of options if you like other colors. I do love the blue sapphire Perlee ring! You could also consider the pink sapphire and pave diamond frivole set, and of course the folie de pres set is gorgeous! I agree with you that it’s always fun to think of new options though.

 

[kelsenia]

My birthstone is sapphire (sept) - I think it’s only blue to my knowledge. The folie de pres ring someone mentioned here I would be curious to try on actually - not sure if many other blue sapphire options (the perlee ring I would try too- I’ve tried it on in diamond and possibly ruby I can’t remember!).

I’m personally not in any rush to do this but it’s fun to get inspiration or ideas hoping my 2024 VCA shopping is a little more quiet than 2023 haha (or non existent! I’m actually in a happy place with my collection)

I just noticed @cayman718 posted a beautiful photo of the folie des pres ring and matching necklace in blue sapphires, thought I would share here.

 

[sparklehop]

I just noticed @cayman718 posted a beautiful photo of the folie des pres ring and matching necklace in blue sapphires, thought I would share here.

Thank you for sharing

 

[rhyvin]

I kind of wish I thought of this before I got mine (that said, no regrets I love my bracelet as is!). But I was also thinking. It would look beautiful with sapphire, ruby too! I hope it’s possible 🤩

That would be fabulous!! My sis has those earrings they’re great. I don’t think I can pull of 3 motif, maybe 2 😉 my ears are not in great shape- took me 6 months to even get a single motif to fit somewhat well haha. But I was also wondering about frivole and sapphire instead of diamonds pave. I wonder if they would entertain these though!

What’s your take on blue sapphire mixed with turquoise?

Happy new year!!

I like to match the tones in each stone (cool and warm)- to me, blue sapphires (a cool tone) and turquoise (a warm tone) do not match very well. I think maybe a lighter blue/green sapphire would be a better match for turquoise.

Many people have remarked about VCA's lack of new stones on this forum and I know you want sapphire- maybe a purple shade? I find purple/turquoise to be a striking combination (for example, Crown Princess Mary at King Charles' Coronation).

 

[sparklehop]

I like to match the tones in each stone (cool and warm)- to me, blue sapphires (a cool tone) and turquoise (a warm tone) do not match very well. I think maybe a lighter blue/green sapphire would be a better match for turquoise.

Many people have remarked about VCA's lack of new stones on this forum and I know you want sapphire- maybe a purple shade? I find purple/turquoise to be a striking combination (for example, Crown Princess Mary at King Charles' Coronation).

Yes I ultimately agree it’s not a great match, maybe I’m overthinking this one - I don’t know why in my head I feel like it has to be blue - I want to try on perlee and folie de pres rings, maybe I’ll find it here

You could also consider the pink sapphire and pave diamond frivole set,

I’ve tried it on; it is very nice and I considered it (I have a YG frivole 9 motif and earrings set I went for instead). I’m not sure it’ll satiate my sapphire “needs” since it’s more diamond heavy (unless the pave itself were to be made in sapphire- is this an option they would consider I wonder?)

 

[nicole0612]

Yes I ultimately agree it’s not a great match, maybe I’m overthinking this one - I don’t know why in my head I feel like it has to be blue - I want to try on perlee and folie de pres rings, maybe I’ll find it here


I’ve tried it on; it is very nice and I considered it (I have a YG frivole 9 motif and earrings set I went for instead). I’m not sure it’ll satiate my sapphire “needs” since it’s more diamond heavy (unless the pave itself were to be made in sapphire- is this an option they would consider I wonder?)

Yes, they would consider it. If you are near a place that sells Pasquale Bruni, you could try on the petite garden sapphire earrings to get an idea if you would like the Frivole in all sapphire. I have the PB earrings in pink sapphire/RG, and they are quite pretty. They also have blue sapphire in white gold. I wonder if a similar all-sapphire option in the frivole would be a little overwhelming, since it is more symmetrical than the Pascal Bruni petals are; but it would at least give you something to help visualize your special order ideas.

 

[sparklehop]

Yes, they would consider it. If you are near a place that sells Pasquale Bruni, you could try on the petite garden sapphire earrings to get an idea if you would like the Frivole in all sapphire. I have the PB earrings in pink sapphire/RG, and they are quite pretty. They also have blue sapphire in white gold. I wonder if a similar all-sapphire option in the frivole would be a little overwhelming, since it is more symmetrical than the Pascal Bruni petals are; but it would at least give you something to help visualize your special order ideas.

Great idea thank you!

 

[cayman718]

Thank you @kelsenia for tagging the pic, and it’s great to see discussion and interest in the folie des pres line. I’m no expert on colored gemstones but the blue sapphires that VCA uses are saturated, lively and especially lovely IMO.

@sparklehop It’s definitely fun to imagine various SO combinations but FDP is a wonderful choice (in all the colorways that are currently produced: blue sapphires/diamonds in WG, mauve/pink sapphires/diamonds in WG, and rubies/diamonds in RG). My SA told me that each of the FDP blue sapphire pieces are now MTO because it takes some time to source gems that match in color, saturation, etc. and of course since VCA only uses untreated stones, it takes even longer. It was impressive to see that the blue sapphires in the largest flower of the pendant that was MTO this year matched exactly with the blue sapphires in the largest flower of the ring that I got years ago. The attention to detail is incredible.

This is all to say that I truly appreciate the artistry that goes into this design, and I think it would be a wonderful milestone gift to yourself. And given how exacting their standards are on the colored gemstones they use, it maybe hard to get a SO using colored gemstones approved (unless you’re going super high jewelry and then I think anything is possible!).

 

[BigAkoya]

Yes I ultimately agree it’s not a great match, maybe I’m overthinking this one - I don’t know why in my head I feel like it has to be blue - I want to try on perlee and folie de pres rings, maybe I’ll find it here


I’ve tried it on; it is very nice and I considered it (I have a YG frivole 9 motif and earrings set I went for instead). I’m not sure it’ll satiate my sapphire “needs” since it’s more diamond heavy (unless the pave itself were to be made in sapphire- is this an option they would consider I wonder?)

Hi! For what it's worth, here is my two cents...
I don't think blue sapphire and turquoise go together. Aside from the hues not working together, sapphire is typically faceted while turquoise is a cabachon.

That said, to answer your question, yes, VCA does allow SOs on colored gemstones for the Perlee Clover.
My SA says it's been done in sapphire, and I submitted to him a request to get it in emerald. I submitted that last year, and Paris sent an email back to him they are not accepting this order at the current time, but to try again at a later time.
As FYI, that was not a "no", and I have gotten definite "nos" before, so the language, while subtle, is different.

If you definitely want the Perlee Clover in sapphire, I would just submit the SO to your SA.

That said, if it were me, I would get a true sapphire piece, not just a jewelry design with sapphires sprinkled on it. Why?

A fine sapphire ring would be gorgeous, and the statement is the sapphire stone.
The Folie de pres collection is beuatiful, but the the focus is more on the colorful flower design as the gemstones are so tiny.
I also think the same of a sapphire Perlee Clover; it's just as bangle with tiny sapphires sprinkled on it.

Since you want something "birthstone"... I think you need to think about what you want to showcase for your sapphire...
Do you want a "design" like Folie des pres or Frivole, or do you want a nice gorgeous sapphire?

I love colored gemstone rings that highlight a large gemstone, and when wearing one of these rings, I often get asked if that's my birthstone, which none of them are (my birthstone is a borig opal which I do not own). Nevertheless, people seem to think nice colored gemstone ring = birthstone ring, so this may fit the bill for you.

Another option is a sapphire eternity band. Bayco and Picchiotti make beautiful colored gemstone eternity rings. Also, a lot of people like the icnoic Tiffany Schlumberger's 16 stone ring which comes in diamonds and either sapphire, ruby, or emerald. Just an idea here. I don't wear band rings myself, but I love the look of a colored gemstone eternity band ring. Super stunning, especially while you are talking, waving your hands around, given there is a full circle of color. Just beautiful.

I personally think if you want a sapphire piece, a gorgeous sapphire ring will pop.
And yes... people will ask you if that's your birthstone!

Just my two cents and hope this was helpful. Good luck, and happy new year!

 

[sparklehop]

T

Hi! For what it's worth, here is my two cents...
I don't think blue sapphire and turquoise go together. Aside from the hues not working together, sapphire is typically faceted while turquoise is a cabachon.

That said, to answer your question, yes, VCA does allow SOs on colored gemstones for the Perlee Clover.
My SA says it's been done in sapphire, and I submitted to him a request to get it in emerald. I submitted that last year, and Paris sent an email back to him they are not accepting this order at the current time, but to try again at a later time.
As FYI, that was not a "no", and I have gotten definite "nos" before, so the language, while subtle, is different.

If you definitely want the Perlee Clover in sapphire, I would just submit the SO to your SA.

That said, if it were me, I would get a true sapphire piece, not just a jewelry design with sapphires sprinkled on it. Why?

A fine sapphire ring would be gorgeous, and the statement is the sapphire stone.
The Folie de pres collection is beuatiful, but the the focus is more on the colorful flower design as the gemstones are so tiny.
I also think the same of a sapphire Perlee Clover; it's just as bangle with tiny sapphires sprinkled on it.

Since you want something "birthstone"... I think you need to think about what you want to showcase for your sapphire...
Do you want a "design" like Folie des pres or Frivole, or do you want a nice gorgeous sapphire?

I love colored gemstone rings that highlight a large gemstone, and when wearing one of these rings, I often get asked if that's my birthstone, which none of them are (my birthstone is a borig opal which I do not own). Nevertheless, people seem to think nice colored gemstone ring = birthstone ring, so this may fit the bill for you.

Another option is a sapphire eternity band. Bayco and Picchiotti make beautiful colored gemstone eternity rings. Also, a lot of people like the icnoic Tiffany Schlumberger's 16 stone ring which comes in diamonds and either sapphire, ruby, or emerald. Just an idea here. I don't wear band rings myself, but I love the look of a colored gemstone eternity band ring. Super stunning, especially while you are talking, waving your hands around, given there is a full circle of color. Just beautiful.

I personally think if you want a sapphire piece, a gorgeous sapphire ring will pop.
And yes... people will ask you if that's your birthstone!

Just my two cents and hope this was helpful. Good luck, and happy new year!

Thank you , you always make great points! I’ve actually not tried on eternity bands I don’t think they’re my thing but I should give it a try to be sure of it.

Where might you recommend for a sapphire iconic piece that pops (sorry if I’m going off topic here a little)!

 

[BigAkoya]

T

Thank you , you always make great points! I’ve actually not tried on eternity bands I don’t think they’re my thing but I should give it a try to be sure of it.

Where might you recommend for a sapphire iconic piece that pops (sorry if I’m going off topic here a little)!

Yes, I think one either loves eternity bands or not, but definitely try them out so you know for sure.
For me, I have tried to love the eternity band design worn as a right hand ring, and I can't. Because it's a "band ring", I feel like I'm wearing a wedding band. Perhaps one day I will change my mind as I think a ruby eternity ring is stunning.

On iconic sapphire jewelry...
This answer is complicated, but the short answer is there are very few iconic sapphire (or fine gemstone) pieces. Why?

First, to me, an "iconic" piece is one that everyone recognizes. In this sense, it also means the jewelry piece is mass produced, owned by many, and hence, it is "iconic" and to some extent, in the luxury circle, ubiquitous. VCA Alhambra and Cartier Love are the best examples. They are iconic because they are mass produced, and it is easily recognizable. I assume you want a piece that people will recognize.

That said, if you want an iconic style with a sapphire, your best bet is to do a SO. The stones will be tiny though, so it's not really a piece of sapphire jewelry. It's more a nice iconic jewelry design using sapphires, but that may be what you have in mind. Perlee Clover and Frivole would look beautiful and iconic. The downside is the sapphires will be really tiny and not one large sapphire.

If you don't want to do SO, a brand to look at is Tiffany. Tiffany makes iconic colored gemstone jewelry. Again though, the stones are very tiny, but that's all you can really get for iconic (e.g. mass produced) pieces in sapphire.

If you can live with something not so iconic and want a nice size fine quality sapphire, then there are a lot more options as I posted earlier. The pieces will not be iconic though. Why?

This is because fine large colored gemstone stones are a bit rare, and equally as important, because they are a bit rare, this means one cannot order up the exact same stone (same size, clarity, color) by the batch. Hence, a jewelry piece with a good size fine sapphire (or ruby, emerald) cannot be massed produced. Fine sapphire pieces will typically be one of a kind pieces.

Back to iconic pieces... There are not many options when it comes to iconic sapphire settings, and the stones will be small.
Assuming you want iconic and do not want to SO, some pieces to try:

Tiffany has their Soleste line. It's a very simple design. I think their pear shaped stone in a Soleste double halo looks nice. Soleste pieces in stock are typically small, but you can request to see larger pieces as they come in.

I recall you like dainty rings, so here is Soleste in a round stone as FYI. The sapphire is very small at .45cts, but the dainty look might be what you want. Soleste also comes in larger stone sizes, along with pendants and earrings.

Tiffany Soleste® ring in platinum with a .45-carat sapphire and diamonds. | Tiffany & Co. US

www.tiffany.com

Here is my favorite Soleste design.. a pear shaped stone with a double halo:

Tiffany Soleste Pendant in platinum with a pear-shaped tanzanite. | Tiffany & Co. US

www.tiffany.com

Another idea... For those in the know, the Schlumberger 16 stone ring is iconic.

Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring with Diamonds and Sapphires | Tiffany & Co. US

www.tiffany.com

For gorgeous sapphire pieces, try going to Bergdorf's jewelry boutique on the first floor. They have tons of colored gemstone pieces (be sure to check out Bayco in the back), sapphires, emeralds, rubies.

Also, a must do is to go to Cartier on 5th and look at their colored gemstone pieces. I am not talking about sapphire Love bracelets on the first floor which is massed produced. I am talking about their colored gemstone pieces on the second floor.

Cartier's colored gemstones are stuff of legend. Their colored gemstone pieces are high jewelry and probably not what you want. Most pieces are in simple settings as the star is the gemstone. These are also one of a kind pieces. The point here is to look at the stones. Stare at them and look at their beauty. You will either fall in love with fine sapphires (and colored gemstones) and want a stunning sapphire, or you will find the setting not iconic enough and prefer to go with an iconic jewelry piece with smaller sapphires sprinkled.

Once you know what you want for your sapphire piece, you can now focus.

Be sure to go to Cartier and go to their fine colored gemstones floor (not first floor stuff). This is a must.
To fully appreciate something, one must first see the best that is offered. If after having seen fine sapphires and you still prefer an iconic setting, then you know your answer and can focus on iconic pieces only with the tradeoff being a smaller stone.

Yiikes! Sorry for the long post (I need to quit posting!)

I did want to share my thoughts with you to help in your decision. Good luck and happy browsing!

ETA: Here are good examples of what I mean by the tradeoff. This is a sapphire ring by VCA. The size is nice at 3.62cts. However, the setting is not iconic. The setting is simple as the focus is the sapphire. The sapphire is the star in this piece.

https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/collections/engagement/unique-solitaires/vcarpdeo00---jasmin-solitaire-362-ct.html

A smaller ring with a 2.71ct stone. Simple setting, not iconic, but again, the sapphire is the star.

https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/collections/engagement/unique-solitaires/vcarpcm800---motifs-petales-solitaire-271-ct.html

 

[sparklehop]

Yes, I think one either loves eternity bands or not, but definitely try them out so you know for sure.
For me, I have tried to love the eternity band design worn as a right hand ring, and I can't. Because it's a "band ring", I feel like I'm wearing a wedding band. Perhaps one day I will change my mind as I think a ruby eternity ring is stunning.

On iconic sapphire jewelry...
This answer is complicated, but the short answer is there are very few iconic sapphire (or fine gemstone) pieces. Why?

First, to me, an "iconic" piece is one that everyone recognizes. In this sense, it also means the jewelry piece is mass produced, owned by many, and hence, it is "iconic" and to some extent, in the luxury circle, ubiquitous. VCA Alhambra and Cartier Love are the best examples. They are iconic because they are mass produced, and it is easily recognizable. I assume you want a piece that people will recognize.

That said, if you want an iconic style with a sapphire, your best bet is to do a SO. The stones will be tiny though, so it's not really a piece of sapphire jewelry. It's more a nice iconic jewelry design using sapphires, but that may be what you have in mind. Perlee Clover and Frivole would look beautiful and iconic. The downside is the sapphires will be really tiny and not one large sapphire.

If you don't want to do SO, a brand to look at is Tiffany. Tiffany makes iconic colored gemstone jewelry. Again though, the stones are very tiny, but that's all you can really get for iconic (e.g. mass produced) pieces in sapphire.

If you can live with something not so iconic and want a nice size fine quality sapphire, then there are a lot more options as I posted earlier. The pieces will not be iconic though. Why?

This is because fine large colored gemstone stones are a bit rare, and equally as important, because they are a bit rare, this means one cannot order up the exact same stone (same size, clarity, color) by the batch. Hence, a jewelry piece with a good size fine sapphire (or ruby, emerald) cannot be massed produced. Fine sapphire pieces will typically be one of a kind pieces.

Back to iconic pieces... There are not many options when it comes to iconic sapphire settings, and the stones will be small.
Assuming you want iconic and do not want to SO, some pieces to try:

Tiffany has their Soleste line. It's a very simple design. I think their pear shaped stone in a Soleste double halo looks nice. Soleste pieces in stock are typically small, but you can request to see larger pieces as they come in.

I recall you like dainty rings, so here is Soleste in a round stone as FYI. The sapphire is very small at .45cts, but the dainty look might be what you want. Soleste also comes in larger stone sizes, along with pendants and earrings.

Tiffany Soleste® ring in platinum with a .45-carat sapphire and diamonds. | Tiffany & Co. US

www.tiffany.com

Here is my favorite Soleste design.. a pear shaped stone with a double halo:

Tiffany Soleste Pendant in platinum with a pear-shaped tanzanite. | Tiffany & Co. US

www.tiffany.com

Another idea... For those in the know, the Schlumberger 16 stone ring is iconic.

Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring with Diamonds and Sapphires | Tiffany & Co. US

www.tiffany.com

For gorgeous sapphire pieces, try going to Bergdorf's jewelry boutique on the first floor. They have tons of colored gemstone pieces (be sure to check out Bayco in the back), sapphires, emeralds, rubies.

Also, a must do is to go to Cartier on 5th and look at their colored gemstone pieces. I am not talking about sapphire Love bracelets on the first floor which is massed produced. I am talking about their colored gemstone pieces on the second floor.

Cartier's colored gemstones are stuff of legend. Their colored gemstone pieces are high jewelry and probably not what you want. Most pieces are in simple settings as the star is the gemstone. These are also one of a kind pieces. The point here is to look at the stones. Stare at them and look at their beauty. You will either fall in love with fine sapphires (and colored gemstones) and want a stunning sapphire, or you will find the setting not iconic enough and prefer to go with an iconic jewelry piece with smaller sapphires sprinkled.

Once you know what you want for your sapphire piece, you can now focus.

Be sure to go to Cartier and go to their fine colored gemstones floor (not first floor stuff). This is a must.
To fully appreciate something, one must first see the best that is offered. If after having seen fine sapphires and you still prefer an iconic setting, then you know your answer and can focus on iconic pieces only with the tradeoff being a smaller stone.

Yiikes! Sorry for the long post (I need to quit posting!)

I did want to share my thoughts with you to help in your decision. Good luck and happy browsing!

ETA: Here are good examples of what I mean by the tradeoff. This is a sapphire ring by VCA. The size is nice at 3.62cts. However, the setting is not iconic. The setting is simple as the focus is the sapphire. The sapphire is the star in this piece.

https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/collections/engagement/unique-solitaires/vcarpdeo00---jasmin-solitaire-362-ct.html

A smaller ring with a 2.71ct stone. Simple setting, not iconic, but again, the sapphire is the star.

https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/collections/engagement/unique-solitaires/vcarpcm800---motifs-petales-solitaire-271-ct.html

Thank you for this! I realized maybe iconic was the wrong word choice (was traveling and brain fried haha). I actually meant more like a unique piece that does highlight the sapphire - so similar to the last 2 links you shared. (Doesn’t have to be VCA unless you might recommend VCA for sapphire in particular). I’m thinking for summer/fall of 2026 so I have quite some time but I’m very much a planner ready to do some research 😃

But also back to SO too open to any fun ideas or feedback!

Thank you I appreciate your thoughtful replies and I will check out an eternity band as well!

 

[sosauce]

Thank you for this! I realized maybe iconic was the wrong word choice (was traveling and brain fried haha). I actually meant more like a unique piece that does highlight the sapphire - so similar to the last 2 links you shared. (Doesn’t have to be VCA unless you might recommend VCA for sapphire in particular). I’m thinking for summer/fall of 2026 so I have quite some time but I’m very much a planner ready to do some research 😃

But also back to SO too open to any fun ideas or feedback!

Thank you I appreciate your thoughtful replies and I will check out an eternity band as well!

Another piece you might want to consider if you like iconic is the Schlumberger 16 stone ring with alternating sapphires. Historically, I believe it comes in all yellow gold. But I think it now may only come in platinum. Or gold may be available as a special order. Some people collect the 16-stone rings with all the different gemstone variations. They stack nicely from what I’ve seen online. Overall, they have many different colors available. I think it also has a lot more design elements to it.

Ohh, I just read a little of this. Agree with @BigAkoya. Immediately thought of the 16 stone ring for a pop of color and a thoughtful, iconic design. But if you want more of a statement center piece, the price will go up a lot.

I think Schlumberger pieces also have a lot of aesthetic consistency with VCA. He has a bit of a cult following from what my SA has explained and what I have observed at auctions. Forever going to regret not buying more of him when I had the chance…

If you special order the perlee with sapphires, I think it would pair very well with the 16 stone ring. I’m trying to think of some other pieces with sapphire options. I suppose Cartier panthere? That sometimes uses sapphires for eyes or spots, but the price isn’t worth it IMO. The sapphires aren’t very prominent in the design.

Graff also has a lot of gemstone selection as solitaires in my experience. Maybe not a lot, a lot. But enough to try on some pieces.

 

[sparklehop]

Another piece you might want to consider if you like iconic is the Schlumberger 16 stone ring with alternating sapphires. Historically, I believe it comes in all yellow gold. But I think it now may only come in platinum. Or gold may be available as a special order. Some people collect the 16-stone rings with all the different gemstone variations. They stack nicely from what I’ve seen online. Overall, they have many different colors available. I think it also has a lot more design elements to it.

Ohh, I just read a little of this. Agree with @BigAkoya. Immediately thought of the 16 stone ring for a pop of color and a thoughtful, iconic design. But if you want more of a statement center piece, the price will go up a lot.

I think Schlumberger pieces also have a lot of aesthetic consistency with VCA. He has a bit of a cult following from what my SA has explained and what I have observed at auctions. Forever going to regret not buying more of him when I had the chance…

If you special order the perlee with sapphires, I think it would pair very well with the 16 stone ring. I’m trying to think of some other pieces with sapphire options. I suppose Cartier panthere? That sometimes uses sapphires for eyes or spots, but the price isn’t worth it IMO. The sapphires aren’t very prominent in the design.

Graff also has a lot of gemstone selection as solitaires in my experience. Maybe not a lot, a lot. But enough to try on some pieces.

Thank you! Maybe I'll go try it on - all of these stores are walking distance from my office (for better or worse hah). Last spring/summer (it's all a blur I cant remember) I tried on 2 really nice sapphire rings at Buccellati too

 

[Swanky]

We’re off topic, please ONLY discuss VCS SO items.