Halo Help for 2.09 OMC

[Lorelei]

I do certainly understand your excitement and that is a truly stunning diamond! It is indeed something you will be able to cherish always and eventually pass onto your daughter. It is a very exciting time for you!

 

[ponderer]

My favorite from GOG. Very much like the one you posted, but less pave.

 

[winnie]

Hi-i LOVE your stone- amazing! just want u to be careful that when u get the setting, that the pave diamond color in the setting works with the color of the L stone- so u may have to get something custom because if the pave stones are REALLY white next to an L antique cut, it could look a bit funny- just my two cents...i have seen that issue and it detracts from the center stone making it appear much more colored than white...

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Your diamond is stunning!!!! It will look perfect in any of those settings.

 

[ericad]

Thanks for the advice, Winnie. I do like he look of an antique style piece with some contrast between the center stone and halo, but I certainly don''t want the halo to cause the diamond to look less beautiful. I will definitely consult with whichever jeweler I choose.

BTW, I have been corresponding with Maytal Hoftman and I really like her. Her pricing is very good for handmade work and the pieces on her site are beautiful. I saw a few threads here about her. Very excited!

 

[Gothgrrl]

That is one beautiful stone. I can''t wait to see it set.

 

[iheartscience]

Wow, your new diamond looks AMAZING! You have to promise to post pages and pages of pictures when you get it! It''s BEAUTIFUL!

 

[iheartscience]

Oops, I guess I should have added my two cents about the halo! I love the Vatche one-it''s so unique and interesting! I also love the halo you posted with the large round centerstone. I''m not crazy about the GOG setting, with or without the extra pave. It just doesn''t seem as graceful as the others. I personally wouldn''t mind a little bit of contrast between the halo stones and the center stone. I can''t wait to see what you go with! I know Maytal''s stuff is just gorgeous!

 

[ericad]

I love the GOG setting, but perhaps not for an antique diamond. It''s a bit too modern. I think I want to go with a really authentic antique vibe, incorporating features like a tube band (if not pave) and vintage style basket. The Vatche would definitely be a no-brainer, perfect in every way, but I made the mistake of looking at the 23rdstreetjewelers site

 

[surfgirl]

A word of caution..if money is an issue forget the 23rd Street Jewelers! They''re very pricey and all their work is custom. I''ve been to their shop and it''s lovely stuff, but you''re paying a premimum for a shop that caterers to the Hollywood crowd...

 

[jayreneepea]

Any word on the stone yet??

Are you in the LA area??

 

[ericad]

No, I''m in Seattle and the stone is coming from So. Cal. Not here yet but should be tomorrow.

As for 23rd Street, great site for ideas but I read some other posts about them here and they seem to be out of my range just a tad

Maytal seems great and her estimate very competitive and I still love the Vatche!

 

[Miranda]

WOW!!! Now that is a beautiful stone! At a local jeweler over the weekend I saw a lovely L colored OMC. I am serioulsy considering one instead of an oval now. I can''t wait to see what setting you choose! The Vatche is beautiful, but, so are all of them! Did you speak to Singlestone? I love the settings on their site.

 

[ericad]

Oh yes, singlestone is on my very short list! I have been corresponding with Ari and he has actually seen the OMC in person! I spoke with him before making the decision to have it shipped for appraisal. It should be here any day now. At the appriaser''s recommendation we opted for Registered mail, problem is that the delivery timeframe is 2-3 days so we may not see it till tomorrow or Monday. The suspense is killing me!

 

[ericad]

Here's a variation of the GOG setting from the side (disregard the notes - they aren't mine). It has a more rounded basket (U shaped rather than V shaped) and has a bit more of an antique feel to it. I'm awaiting pricing on this version for the sake of comparison.

 

[KittenKat]

Hi Ericad!

My hubby & I worked with Ari for our OEC! They were wonderful.

Now 23rd Street, yowsa. I went to visit them a couple months ago... They have incredible stuff! Very, very $$. But they had some rose cut bracelets I would LOVE to own.

 

[ericad]

Thanks! It really helps me to hear recommendations. I have had a custom project once before that was a disaster - really poor workmanship. Fortunately I was able to get a refund on that one. I''m really OCD about prongs and if I am able to spot imperfections with my naked eye it will drive me crazy forever!

 

[surfgirl]

I also met with Ari when I was shopping for my ering. He''s terrific and he''s also no BS! If he says the stone is a J, it''s probably a J. He was very honest with me - IMO - about what color grades his stones had because I told him I didn''t want to go below a certain color grade. In fact, when I was taking a third or fourth look at one of the stones, he said in a concerned tone, "I''m surprised you even like that one because it''s a M color...are you sure you''d want to go that low in color?!?" I really appreciated that he was listening to what I''d said and that he was making sure I didn''t make an impulse buy I''d regret. To be honest, I wish I''d found something at his place...he''s a really nice person and his shop is simply DIVINE! BTW, if you have any option to go to LA and see him in person, he has a huge selection of vintage reproduction settings he can show you. I think any time he gets in a ring he really likes, he makes a repro of it just in case...so he''s got a ton of options. Mind you, I didn''t look closely to the craftsmanship but they seemed nice. You really cant go wrong with Single Stone OR that Vatche, which I love more and more each time I look at it!

 

[ericad]

I did speak with Ari over the phone and liked him a lot. He mentioned that he''s rebuilding his website, so that''s exciting!

 

[ericad]

OK, I''m told the diamond should be delivered to the appraiser TODAY! Woo-hoo! Cross your fingers that it gets to her. This baby may be mine by the end of the day! Registered mail may be secure, but DANG it''s slow! Took nearly a week!

Anyway, will let you all know tonight how it goes.

PS - here''s another setting I''m in love with today - love the engraved platinum halo!

 

[ericad]

Side shot

 

[simplysplendid]

i really look forward to seeing the completed ring! You''ve got a great looking stone there. While i like the halo pictures you have posted, I kinda like the last one the best because it makes the ring look like a real antique..

 

[blingergrrrl]

Such a yummy OMC! I don''t know if this is your taste, but these are my favorite halo-ish rings. The first is from Solomon Brothers, and the second I can''t remember where I got the pic from, but I think would be gorgeous with an OMC. Happy hunting tho!

 

[blingergrrrl]

...(oops, forgot to attach!)..

 

[ericad]

Beautiful! I really like the split shank thing.

So, yesterday the diamond arrived and I met the appraiser to take a look at it. Here''s what she said:

Weight: 2.09
Color: K
Clarity: VS1 (would have been VVS1, but due to a small chip on the girdle, she has to ding it down to a VS1)
Flor: Strong Blue

She thought it was in extremely great shape for such an old diamond (she estimates it''s well over 100 years old), most likely due to the fact that it had been set in a bezel previously. Except for the one chip (which I will have polished out) the rest of the edge looks terrific.

So I bought it! I think it''s a terrific find and the combination of size, color, clarity and strong blue fluorescence make it one heckuva diamond! I think a dealer would sell the same diamond for $2k+ over what I paid for it.

A BIG thank you to Grace, the seller of this remarkable diamond. I am now on the serious hunt for a setting. The appraiser put me in touch with 2 antique dealers in my area who may have some authentic antique settings I like, but I will more likely get a new vintage setting for it, probably from Ari at singlestone, though I''m also playing phone tag with Mark T. from ERD.

I''m also rethinking my initial instinct to put it into a cushion shaped halo. In person, the stone is in fact more round than square. Like most OMC''s it has that in between shape, where 3 corners are quite symmetrically rounded and the 4th corner is slightly more square. I think disguising that one off corner by placing it into a round bezel halo will balance it out better. But we''ll see what the antique diamond pros say about that.

Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new diamond. Really gorgeous! I don''t have any new pics yet (appraiser will do all that for the insurance company once it''s set), though. Will post when I do!

 

[blingergrrrl]

Date: 8/8/2007 10:54:21 AM
Author: ericad
Beautiful! I really like the split shank thing.

So, yesterday the diamond arrived and I met the appraiser to take a look at it. Here''s what she said:

Weight: 2.09
Color: K
Clarity: VS1 (would have been VVS1, but due to a small chip on the girdle, she has to ding it down to a VS1)
Flor: Strong Blue

Yummy Yummy Yummy!!! I can''t wait to see what you do with this diamond!

 

[kathleenmv]

ericad, I''ve been following your quest. I''m so happy you love the stone!!! Can''t wait to see how you set it.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Oh I''m so glad that you liked the stone!!!

Can''t wait to see some pictures of it!!!

Where oh where is the smilie with the tapping foot?

 

[ericad]

All right folks, hang on to your hats - I''ve completely changed direction I was perusing estatediamondjewelry.com and stumbled upon the very first vintage ring that ever captured my heart. Something about it just pulled at my heartstrings and turned me into a vintage girl for life. At the time, I was working with a jeweler on a custom ring featuring an OEC center and I wanted to copy this style but she didn''t like it and talked me out of it.

But seeing it again made me realize that I LOVE it and this is the direction I''m going to go, rather than a halo. So here are pics of the original LOVE ring, as well as a couple similar variations.

I''ve sent these pics to both Ari w/singlestone and Maytal Hoftman and both are excited by the style and supportive of this new direction. As they work up ideas I will keep you posted.

So, without further delay, here they are. Please be gentle, as I really love the look and realize it''s not for everyone

The one that captured my heart:

 

[ericad]

Similar, but lower set (which I prefer) and double row of diamonds on the sides (I prefer the single row)