Old cut craze...

[diagem]

As a person in the trade for a long time...I'm really pleased to see the attention that the old cuts receive here on PS. Many years ago, jewelers looked at an old cut diamond (OEC, OMC) and immediately thought about re-cutting to a modern brilliant cut diamond to maximize brilliance and value. So alot of older cuts were re-cut. Personally, each old cut diamond has it's own individual shape, brilliance, and personality. You can't put the stats in a box. Owning one is thinking outside the box. Continue to admire and enjoy them.

Unfortunately most of the white/colorless old cuts were destroyed before the general trend of the last decade. Most of the material saved are the lower colors. It's pretty rare to find a loose Old Cut Diamond of H+ color today. Most of the colorless material today is newly cut. You can find older and finer jewelry pieces with genuine colorless antique cuts but they are usually signed pieces and very pricy.

 

[Yimmers]

Never knew about the old cuts before PS. I did know about different shapes, but didn't understand the value of cut over clarity until I came here.

I miss my MRB - damn thing has got to be somewhere in this house...but I love my AVR. Even though it's a SI2, and at times, I can see the inclusion fairly easily, it marks it as my diamond. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't love a AVC, because I've always had a soft spot for cushions. I've gotten more comments about the sparkle that the AVR throws off. I love the chunky flower pattern, and it really catches people's eyes.

I also find that with the older cuts, I really enjoy the warmth. I've always felt that the F was a little cold and grey, and that my J has a nice warmth that goes with my skin tone.

 

[pyramid]

I remember back in 2002/2003 or before on the other board, a dealer showing us a photo of an old cut diamond, it was an old OEC look as it was round but I think it was called an old mine cut although it did not look like them to me, more like that faceting but round, maybe an early OEC. I remember none of us had even seen it or knew really about old cuts and some asked about where they could see it or get one and the answer from the experts at the time, was that we would not like it, it would have no sparkle and this was because it was cut for dim lighting so would not look good in todays lighting, the high colors had all gone and no one wanted these, they could not even give them away.

Then I remember Bagpuss from the UK got an Old English Brilliant and we were told there were very few of them, they were like the elite OEC and were cut better in the UK and more precise than the OEC found in USA. Never see any of them being talked about now, I remember her one was 2ct and look lovely in its setting. I would think there would not be many 2ct diamonds in the UK anyway but would love to see one in real life. I think it had a bigger table so was probably going toward the transitional diamonds but see to remember she was told by Oldminer I think that it was an OEC type. Loved all her posts, but she has not been here for years.

I do like the OEC but would want one in a G color which is not going to happen even if it was available. I really prefer the MRB which I have but have got some small old cuts which I love, one is an antique cushion which I bought within 5 minutes of seeing it as it just spoke to me and looks exactly like the one Diamondseeker posted except less dark in the centre, it is only about half carat though and the white light which comes off it is great it scintillates very fast on and off. I have no desire of getting a large old cut as the small ones I have are enough for me.

I have always felt I want my main stone to be what I always saw and liked and had never seen old cuts in the past so I suppose I stick to what I know. Interesting what Diagem wrote about the old cut being better use of the octahedron, I can see that in that it uses up the stone, say you were to find one and get it cut. I do really like the high crown on antique cushions from the side but I can't get out of my head how old cuts look too chunky to me also from the side and so I prefer the MRB proportions. I also don't like to see the angle from the side towards the small table like on the picture of diamondseekers AVR, (not saying it is not a beauty) just that I prefer the larger table and angle of the MRB when ideal cut.

If someone want to give me a 2 carat AVR in E or F color though that would be wonderful. None of this I am writing is about a hate, just a preference, same as with color. I also much prefer the arrows on the MRB to the flowery pattern. Having said about colour though I only went and bought some dark colored glass beads in necklace, bracelet and earring form because I liked the old look after staying in a 17th century mansion house which is now a hotel with the dark lighting in their communal sitting area so the old look does sort of get to me too. You never know I may look for an O-P old cut yet. I would be like some others though and go to Good Old Gold for a precision cut old cut.