Yay, labelo. That one is already in my C Waterman folder. I decided it's too heavy/overbearing in scale, but kept it because there's nothing wrong with scaling down the marquise sides to create a lighter balance... Whatever route I go, I'll be making it from scratch because I just happen to NOT have $10 grand lying around for a ring. Imagine that.

One month of thinking and searching later, and I'm facing reality...

I so wanted to step out of my box with this reset and have some fun. Instead, I can't get myself to stay excited about the options I started this thread with. After giving them some time, they all end in "that's too teenager-y" or "that's too busy" or just "meh" and shoulder shrugging. It ends up feeling forced and experimental instead of genuine and confident.

Instead, it is simple and traditional settings that grab my attention without trying, and keep it. I find myself coming to terms with the fact that although I have ample style with my funky house and spunky cars, the things that live on my actual person are jeans and t-shirts, solitaires and studs. I am Plain (*hangs head and kicks dirt with toes*).

And so..... I shall embrace my Plainness and call myself Classic. This reset project is now evolving toward either using a wide solitaire I already have here, or going with a simple three stone setting with gemstones as sides.

I'm working on pulling together photos of ideas because that's fun for all of us, and because then I can get your concrete feedback.

Stay tuned.

Here we go with two new options that are more classic.

OPTION ONE -- THREE STONE WITH GEMSTONE SIDES

It has to be yellow gold because I react to other metals. My moissy for the center is a 7.5mm unenhanced round, and I would like the sides to be 4x6mm pears or 5mm rounds.

I really dig the pear sides, but the settings I find for them are high profiled and therefore top heavy, which I don't like. There are lots more options for low profiles with round sides, although those are a distant second choice to pears.

I need prongs that all match one another so that there is a continuous flow between all three stones. I don't care for two independent sides and then the center in a different solitaire basket.

I'd like it to be flat enough on the sides that a band will sit next to it flush or at least nearly flush.

I'm not set on any particular gemstone, just that it's durable. The magic Mohs number for me is 9. I would do lab created sides in the interest of the budget, and because I get uptight about the eco/ethical issues of mined stones in general. I'm open to blue sapphires, rubies, padparadshas, or alexandrite.

Here's a photo of pear blue sapphires for reference (this $2K setting is not an option financially), and two stock Adwar settings that I like. The empty Adwar with the pear sides appears very low set, and I love that. I like the empty Adwar with the round sides for the tapered shank and the single outer prongs.

Does anyone have other recommendations for low set and prongs with continuity?

OPTION TWO -- SETTING I ALREADY OWN

This would be the epitome of simple and budget-friendly. I am sitting on this solitaire that currently holds an Asha Asscher. I stopped wearing it when the Asha started chipping and scratching, with the intention of making a pendant out of the stone to give it a longer life.

I like the substance and graceful lines of this heavy setting. It is Unique's ENR7102 and is 4.5mm wide. Photos are below. Sorry they have a green tinge; I was under a stained glass table lamp. I kind of look like an alien with that green cast to my skin, huh?

I would just pop a new prong basket for a 7.5mm round into it. I find myself particularly drawn to Vatche styles for their flow and grace.

My fear here is that it's going to be too much like what I already have, and then is it really worth the investment???

I LOVE the setting you currently own! Not only would it be budget friendly, but you can actually see it on your hand and know for a fact you love it. I think a Vatche type head or a solstice would really give it some oomph!

Then maybe you could get an awesome new band to go along with it since you are saving so much $$$?

Yeah, either that or pay the dentist bill from the recent crown I had to get. Being a grown up sucks. Ha!