CZ Setting Costs: 14K Gold, Platinum & Semi-Mount Options

Question
Hi Thomas,
Can you tell me what a reasonable cost would be to have a CZ set in a 14K gold or platinum setting or semi mount?  
Thanks,
Lisa

Answer
Lisa, even the best cut CZ will not be expensive at all. If you do not have the stone, I suggest one of the "hearts and arrows" CZ's.  Signity is one company cutting CZ's to this accuracy and it does make a difference in the look. The "hearts and arrows" is a pattern made by the faces(facets) of the stone. The cut is the same as with other stones cut like diamonds but the accuracy of the cut makes the pattern neat and uniform.

The prices of both gold and platinum are way up compared to a few years ago and gold is reaching a new high, closing in on $800 troy ounce on the gold market for pure refined 24k gold.  Still, there is a great difference in the price of the same ring in platinum than in gold.

I checked out a solitaire setting in 14k, 18k and platinum. The prices were 14k @$325, 18k @$350 and platinum @$650.  (These are US dollars.)  Why the difference? Besides platinum being a more expensive metat to begin with and more difficult to manufacture properly, with platinum the ring is generally entirely precious metal. Platinum is sold as either 900 or 950 qualities. This means the jewelry metal mix is 90% or 95% platinum. Then, the other metal for most common platinum jewelry metal is also in the platinum family and "precious" in its own right. Platinum is also a denser metal..think weight. Heavier means more metal weight for the same size ring and therefore higher price.

With 14k gold, the typical mix is 585, meaning the pure gold in the mix is 58.3% and the rest is mostly silver and copper.  With 18k, 750, you have 75% gold and the rest is mostly silver and copper. (With gold, other metals are added and some taken away to change the color from yellow to white or rose.)

Depending on the style of mounting and sometimes the size of the stone, the labor for setting the stone will be from perhaps $20 to $35.

Lisa, keep in mind with sight unseen on my end, the best I can do is give ballpark pricing. However, the comparison of the same ring in 14k, 18k and platinum above will give you an idea of what to expect.

Feel free to use the follow-up option if you need more. Thanks for the question. : )

God Bless and Peace. Thomas.  October 28,2007