Calling Dreamer_D and Yssie and other old cut lovers~

[madelise]

I just brought settings up b/c I wasn't sure if you had something specific in mind that might steer you toward or away from the off-round JbEG specifically, but that doesn't sound like the case

Lighting - okay, that's tougher in a public venue, likely limited space and I guess you don't want to make it obvious you're carrying a diamond around the floor! Hopefully you'll have some privacy, and *some* mobility and at least a couple of types of lighting to play with, but if not.. what I mean by "type of light" is that in some lights - spotlights - all diamonds show coloured light, in some lights like diffuse office light all diamonds are white and bright, in mixed types of lights diamonds with different proportions and faceting can behave differently, and by seeing the stones in different types of lights you could see if one stood out to you across a variety of lights...

In a pinch a sheet or two of plain white printer paper (the regular sort, not the ultra-white fluorescent/UV stuff) blocking the overhead lights can be "diffuse light" and a penlight like the type you'd put on a keychain pushed through the paper is a pretty good "spotlight". It's not perfect obviously - it's a very small area and there are other types of lights and colours around you - but it'll give you some idea! If you want to see "leakage" you can take some red paper or a red cloth and hold the stone face-up over it (not touching it) and look for areas of red through the stone. It can be kinda hard to see, since you're leaning over it and obstructing as well - I've cut eyeholes in white paper and looked and photographed through them, the paper prevents over-obstruction from leaning over at such close range, but I guess in a public venue you'd get some strange looks Do wear white or grey (definitely nothing beige or yellow), and Grace will bring tweezers I'm sure but you might take a couple of alcohol wipes just in case it winds up getting touched before you examine first time round - you really want the stone to be spotless until you're ready to grubby it up for round two! Actually you might take a white hanky too, in case her display cases have black backgrounds - I find white much easier to judge against.

Thanks for the tip on what to wear! I never even thought of that! I'll wear white You know, for practice. hehe. And I have plenty of alcohol wipes at work, so I'll try to remember to swipe some from work for this trip. THANKS! As for the paper, I've got to remember how to do this! Maybe I'll print out your instructions, and hope I don't look nuts. I might get too lazy though :X but the red paper to see leakage is an awesome idea. I have an idealscope. Do you think that would work, too?

 

[madelise]

I think that if you love Coati type pattering the IDJ and the OWD are going to be good options for you.
I'm excited for you. And I'm so glad you posted on here.

I agree and was actually going to say the ID stone is the closest to an AVR in patterning I think.

Yssie: Go to bed! And check your e-mail

oh, and turn of events, that IDJ one is a GIA graded stone too which gives me a tad of reassurance since I'm always iffy of EGL's .. lack of consistency.

 

[madelise]

I have no doubts that you'll find the perfect OEC that does change my opinion a bit actually though, if "charm" (read: cute wonk) isn't really what you want! I'd probably skip the OWD - bit of nailhead? The GOG jumps to the top of my list, for two reasons - A) it really does look lovely, and B) the vendor is used to evaluating the stones the way that you want your stone to be evaluated - in terms of precision and clinical light return quantity and type. IDJ can as well but it's a less comprehensive evaluation (but def worth asking more about the stone and getting some scope pics!)
JbEG values different things - nothing wrong with either approach, they just have different priorities, but you're in a very good position to judge since you'll actually be seeing the stones in-person!
--
A delicate halo could be really pretty VC does beautiful pave work but I would not recommend him for metalwork. If you want a setting with intricate metalwork my recommendation would be to contact LM and DBL (I've worked with DBL, I would trust LM as well) or, if you're looking for something more whimsical, Mike of RDG is a great guy (they're in NZ)

I HOPE I can find the perfect OEC! and things have been looking up just within the last 24 hours. Grace has said she'll bring more for me to view even ones that are in the 4 carat range just for me to play with. I feel like I'm a kid going to a candy store! And she says she's got a few other 3carat-ers to bring to play, too. So I'm keeping my mind open until I see what she has to offer. I only have my crappy iPhone to take pictures with.. do you think I should ask SO to lug around his DSLR? Or will that be "too forward" to be taking a million pics of a vendors' items? It will offer me higher quality images to share for your advice..

I want pave work on the gallery and the shank, as well as a delicate halo, so VC might be my best bet. I like the metal work I saw comparing VC and DBL (I think you posted those?) in a post with a 3 stone, and I agree that DBL has a great benchman for metal work, but I am leaning towards blingyblingyblingy in the gallery if I get to choose my "forever setting". (I'm quite gaudy, I know, sorry lol). OMG Mike would be amazing. Especially since he posts his awesome drawings and every process of making it. I'd LOVE to work with him, but I'm so weary with even shipping between US states, I don't think I can handle the anxiety of shipping out of country! I think he just needs to get his butt over to the US for half the year and live up the life of summer all year long. Travel according to the weather. Hehehe.

 

[madelise]

I'm chiming in late here, but if I recall correctly the GOG one also has a inclusion on the table. I don't think it shows up in photos but I could see it in the video--and someone else here noticed it too--now who was that--they recently purchased a larger OEC???--Bright Ice maybe? I wonder if Bright Ice saw that GOG one in person--might be good to ask. Plus, the seller has stated that the diamond never appeared yellow to him when set in platinum--maybe it was bezel set where the sides didn't show--because any reasonable person would assume that a QR will most certainly show color. Before I'd move on that one I'd want to see it put into a halo to see if you can get the yellow result you want--not sure if GOG has any semi mount halos laying around the store--but at least I'd want to see it surrounded by smaller high color diamonds to get the idea of how it's going to look. All that being said, it does have my favorite faceting pattern.

Edit to add: Okay, look at the video at 51 seconds, 115-117 seconds and specially at 134 seconds and you will see the inclusion on the table at the 2-3 o'clock position. If you place your cursor over the slider thing you can see frame by frame and the second related to each frame. I didn't look at the video and further but you might be able to see it more is you watch the entire video.

I notice the inclusion, but in most settings it doesn't show up. I'm not TOO BIG on clarity being a problem. I mean, I'd prefer it to be eye clean under most circumstances, from a reasonable distance.. but that inclusion in particular doesn't bother me since it only shows up under a particular light, and only under a particular angle.

So far, that one's not under my immediate radar as it seems JbEG has a few goodies to show me, and IDJ has shown me an awesome one. I'm going to first see what JbEG has, then work from there to see if I even want to bother Jon or continue bothering Adam, even. I almost feel like I'm "cheating" on them when I talk to other vendors! I get so guilty also, since I've proven to not handle anxiety and too much information well, I'd like to cross things out first before adding more to the plate I think that's best for my own sanity lol!

 

[audball]

So far, that one's not under my immediate radar as it seems JbEG has a few goodies to show me, and IDJ has shown me an awesome one. I'm going to first see what JbEG has, then work from there to see if I even want to bother Jon or continue bothering Adam, even. I almost feel like I'm "cheating" on them when I talk to other vendors! I get so guilty also, since I've proven to not handle anxiety and too much information well, I'd like to cross things out first before adding more to the plate I think that's best for my own sanity lol!

Aww, don't worry too much about that. At this point you're not fully involved in the process with one vendor and hopping ship. And since old cuts are a different breed than MRBs, you won't know what you like unless you can look at all kinds of them. The best way to do this is to do exactly what you are doing and looking at what each of the vendors has to offer you.

 

[madelise]

I'm so glad you decided to expand for more help madelise!

I'm glad you ruled the 2.89 JBEG out, I told you yesterday that I didn't love that one either.

The one thing I am going to say about the GOG stone is this: I think you should consider having the 3.07 Q from GOG brought in for you to see with your own eyes. You have mentioned that one to me several times and your ONLY qualm is the color. Maybe it WILL be yellow enough for your liking in person. You won't know if you don't check. It seems to check most of your boxes (size, price, spread, performance, and knowing clarity is the least important to you, I don't think that inclusion will bother *you*). Not to mention it leaves PLENTY of room for you to get THE setting out the gate. GOG has a GREAT return policy and you DO get a lot more information from him out the gate than some of the other vendors. Call him. Talk to Jon about the stone. He will give you honest feedback. He should be able to tell you if you can enhance the yellow, etc. It's well within budget, bring it in and discuss it with a local independent appraiser.

I agree that even though AVRs aren't for everyone, if it were in budget that it MAY be for you since you wouldn't have the anxiety of performance, color, etc. This 3.07 has been on consignment for a LONG time now. They may even be up for negotiations at this point. Wont' know if you don't ask.

Of the others, I personally quite like the 2.6 L at JBEG. I have a feeling it's going to be too in between for *you* (not white enough, not yellow enough) and it's a bit wonkier than I think you and your FF will be okay with since he was originally hung up on precision MRB. I don't see him going for it.

I can't wait to hear what you think about all the baubles they're bringing to show you though! Listen to your gut. This is too big a purchase to feel rushed. Take your sweet time. Dreamer is right, it may take awhile to find, but there will ALWAYS be more diamonds. This is NOT a purchase you want to regret later.

ETA: Also take Gypsy's advice and contact Perry to see what he can source. He does a LOT of the antique cushions and OECs for Leon's pieces. It's definitely worth a call to him too. OECs are a totally different ballgame than MRBs as you know. It's not something where you can necessarily just go with your favorite vendor and know that they can all more/less get the same precision cut hearts and arrows. They all have different contacts and can likely find you different unique choices. Call them all (not necessarily all at once! )

Yup, I'm keeping that one in mind but not until after I've already finished meeting with JbEG and finishing up my judgements of that IDJ. I really don't think I can handle too much info at once! I start feeling pressured and then I'll regress just regress in this process. I'm so surprised that I'm able to get this many contenders, though! I'm so happy

 

[audball]

Yup, I'm keeping that one in mind but not until after I've already finished meeting with JbEG and finishing up my judgements of that IDJ. I really don't think I can handle too much info at once! I start feeling pressured and then I'll regress just regress in this process. I'm so surprised that I'm able to get this many contenders, though! I'm so happy

YAY! I'm so glad you decided to post. Lots of choices!

 

[madelise]

Yes, I am glad, but I'm still kind of that PS doesn't allow us to edit or delete or whatnot.. I don't know how excited I am about this thread being here 10 years later! There's great education here that I'd love to share, sure, but I wish I can pull my identity away from it.. especially with sharing so much personal info on the "other sides". :X

 

[audball]

Yes, I am glad, but I'm still kind of that PS doesn't allow us to edit or delete or whatnot.. I don't know how excited I am about this thread being here 10 years later! There's great education here that I'd love to share, sure, but I wish I can pull my identity away from it.. especially with sharing so much personal info on the "other sides". :X

People have had threads removed. Only the original poster (you) can request it to be removed, but they can (and have for others) done this before. Surfgirl had every single picture and post removed from all of PS a few years ago (NOT to add drama or get anyone talking about this more than to make the point that it CAN be done because it HAS been done. Please do not derail madelise's thread with SG drama).

 

[yssie]

If you have one an IS will be much easier to use than red paper!

Def a question for Grace - if they'd mind if you take pics (and post them on PS)

Yes, I did the comparison pics - the differences are even more striking IRL. But, I do not dispute that VC does very nice pave work, and it's most important that *you* feel good about your vendor choice, whatever you decide

 

[madelise]

If you have one an IS will be much easier to use than red paper!

Def a question for Grace - if they'd mind if you take pics (and post them on PS)

Yes, I did the comparison pics - the differences are even more striking IRL. But, I do not dispute that VC does very nice pave work, and it's most important that *you* feel good about your vendor choice, whatever you decide

The idea is still the same, that the red will show leakage? Or with an IS, the white is leakage right?

I'll shoot Grace an email about the camera and if I can post pictures..

I have the video from IDJ as well as a few new photos, but I'm having trouble uploading them at this moment. It's bed time for me (graveyard shift tonight!) so I'll try again later when I'm up.

 

[yssie]

Yeah - with the IS it's switched, white will be "leakage" and red is facets that are taking in and returning light out the top of the stone. Black is facets that are obstructing (reflecting the black of the IS scope eyepiece)

 

[Gypsy]

I think that if you love Coati type pattering the IDJ and the OWD are going to be good options for you.
I'm excited for you. And I'm so glad you posted on here.

I agree and was actually going to say the ID stone is the closest to an AVR in patterning I think.

Yssie: Go to bed! And check your e-mail

oh, and turn of events, that IDJ one is a GIA graded stone too which gives me a tad of reassurance since I'm always iffy of EGL's .. lack of consistency.

What color is it by GIA?

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think that if you love Coati type pattering the IDJ and the OWD are going to be good options for you.
I'm excited for you. And I'm so glad you posted on here.

I agree and was actually going to say the ID stone is the closest to an AVR in patterning I think.

Yssie: Go to bed! And check your e-mail

oh, and turn of events, that IDJ one is a GIA graded stone too which gives me a tad of reassurance since I'm always iffy of EGL's .. lack of consistency.

What color is it by GIA?

It is a GIA K SI2. And for me, frankly, I would take a GIA K Si2 over an EGL J Si1 any day of the week. The EGL could be an I1 by GIA standards, and likely is, and it is probably more tinted. The IDJ stone looks like the inclusions are not noticable, either, though you would have to check of course.

Someone asked is EGL is really that lax... the answer is "yes", they are, with the caveat that there is inconsistency with EGL that makes it hard to really predict what a given stone would be by GIA standards. I know of a few larger old cuts that are double certed and the difference in color seems to be 2 grades in those situations. Clarity one grade off. You CANNOT use that as a "conversaion" rule. But it is food for thought when you actually have a GIA candidate.

 

[ariel144]

I'll be really interested to hear what you think of the JbEG this Friday!

I completely understand what you mean about colour - it should be either white or yellow, not in between. We'd be perfect partners if we were shopping together - that uncharacterisable mix of white and yellow is exactly the colour I look for

YES. Shop with me! I need your knowledge, and I'd be happy to pose with the colors for you I mean, I don't want to dismiss the "in between" colors YET, since I haven't seen a variety of them.. but I know for sure that I am definitely more than okay with the other 2 ends of the spectrum. I just don't know if a Q-R counts as an in-between, or a for-sure-this-thing-is-yellow.


Couple more thoughts -

Of the three JbEG takes the best pics by far! IDJ got way too close with the camera, you can tell. It makes it harder to compare. The thing is... since you're looking for an old cut, I assume you aren't prioritising light return the way we would with RBs, and that faceting and facet patterning is important to you as well - with a budget like yours if light return is the godsent priority your best bet is an AVR! So which one do *your* eyes like best, from the pics?

AVR would be awesome as it'd take away any anxiety about the performance, however, it is out of my budget completely! I still want to prioritize a nice cut with an awesome pattern. I like that it reflects colorful chunky light over the splintery-er white flashes that a MRB does. I don't know how to explain it. I love MRBs, don't get me wrong, especially since the spread would be a little bit more.. and like Mara's thread, it's definitely easier to get find someone else to adopt it when it's time to move on. It's my 2nd choice for an E-Ring stone, and if I can't find a good OEC that I love in the next half year, or whenever the heck SO starts panicking because it's getting close to his Popping of the Q time, I'm giving up and getting a MRB.

My eyes love best the patterning in that 2.6 L, big and blocky.. and my favorite is the checkerboard-y look of coatimundi's tranny. However, I know it's IMPOSSIBLE to find my required stats regardless of patterning-type, so I guess I'll settle for any pattern as long as it's visually pleasing and is bright. I want it to be one of those described "it's always glowing, it never turns off"- type of stone.

Also what setting are you thinking of, and who are you going to commission to make it? The IDJ and OWD look very round - easy to set in whatever style. I'd want a skilled bench for the JbEG though, to either play up the off-roundedness or conceal it - I could see a less experienced/skilled bench making a mess of a bezel on that one, say

I have way too many dream setting ideas, from a folder of saved images to bookmarks of pages to pencil sketches that I did. I am okay with a temp setting, like a simpler solitaire with a few sidestones or whatnot for a few years. My ultimate "goal" setting is to have VC do an altered frankiextah + anne_h.. with a delicate delicate halo, and a basket with some sort of lotus in the metalwork. (My Chinese name has the character lotus in it, and I love the symbolism of something beautiful arising out of murky, dirty, gross water). I guess this also depends on what my centerstone will end up being, though. If it's too "big", I don't want a halo. If it's "just right", I'll stick a tasteful, delicate halo on it. The idea of it protecting the girdle also pleases me. I do have huge size 8 fingers, too, so I can get away with "gaudier" looks.

The owner of that last GOG that DS posted has posted about the stone and his efforts to sell in preloved, if you are interested (since it's public info anyway!) It is a gorgeous stone.

Do you think it'd be "yellow enough" if it were to be stuck with a gold cup though? Or would it still be in that in between zone?

That pre-loved on GOG is a "Q" I believe. Did you see the post of that 3 stone M color AVC's in yellow gold? I was so surprised at how yellow an M could look in a yellow gold setting and they weren't set in a cup...it was beautiful.

here it is:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/m-avc-three-stone-in-yellow-gold.175160/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/m-avc-three-stone-in-yellow-gold.175160/[/URL]

 

[madelise]

That pre-loved on GOG is a "Q" I believe. Did you see the post of that 3 stone M color AVC's in yellow gold? I was so surprised at how yellow an M could look in a yellow gold setting and they weren't set in a cup...it was beautiful.

here it is:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/m-avc-three-stone-in-yellow-gold.175160/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/m-avc-three-stone-in-yellow-gold.175160/[/URL]

OH WOW, that looks so yummy! Yes that effect would be "yellow enough" for me. Now I have options! Lots of them! Uh oh

I'm having major issues with uploading to PS so forgive me if I upload one image at a time. I've been able to link one then the site will not load properly and I lose that 1 while trying to upload another.


That's 1 of 3 photos IDJ provided me with.

 

[GemFever]

 

[audball]

WOW! That does resemble the facet pattern of the AVRs!

 

[madelise]

Okay, I've been trying for HOURS and it won't post properly for me, so sorry I'll have to post off-site. I tried more than 20x in the last few hours! I'm so frustrated with the photo upload thingy! I'm supposed to be knocked out cold sleeping right now, but my anxiety over this is waking me up every so often to check the uploading, lol!

The server must really like driving me nuts! I also tried uploading the video they sent me onto 2 different websites, but I think that video's file is just too big

I screenshot the part where it showed the inclusions. Yuketiel swears this is an eye clean stone, but a lot of the video shows that cluster of inclusions. This is a lot larger than the one everyone can't stand on the GOG Consignment stone!


What do you guys think?

http://i45.tinypic.com/33pezxf.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/23m8yrr.jpg

This is the one screenshot from the video. It's the best I can do. Every time I pause it, the video is blurry.
http://i50.tinypic.com/33jjswx.png

Here's the cert:
http://i48.tinypic.com/2r6kx8x.png

again, I apologize for the messiness of this, I really am frustrated after attempting to upload multiple times!

 

[Maisie]

Hope this helps

 

[madelise]

Hope this helps

YES IT DOES thank you so much maisie! What on earth am I doing wrong here! PS hates me I wish you can help me figure out that darn video situation, too!

 

[Maisie]

Hope this helps

YES IT DOES thank you so much maisie! What on earth am I doing wrong here! PS hates me I wish you can help me figure out that darn video situation, too!

I don't think we can upload videos here. If you can upload it to youtube you can share the link here though.

As for the photos, I just saved them to my computer then uploaded them. I'm not sure why it wasn't letting you. I know in the past we had to make sure the file names were unique and not used by someone else uploading a photo. Could that have been it?

 

[madelise]

I don't think we can upload videos here. If you can upload it to youtube you can share the link here though.

As for the photos, I just saved them to my computer then uploaded them. I'm not sure why it wasn't letting you. I know in the past we had to make sure the file names were unique and not used by someone else uploading a photo. Could that have been it?

Maybe it's my own internet that's slow? I tried uploading the video to tiny pic as well as imageshack. I'm creating a new youtube account that doesn't link to my identity as we speak


I did rename all those photos to some sort of variety of: aosidasdakasdkhahdahsd. Didn't work

 

[yssie]

The faceting on the IDJ is fabulous!!

I really think the eyeclean question is just something you're going to have to evaluate with your own eyes. The fact that it has a recent GIA report that called it an SI2 is promising - w/ a reputably graded SI you don't have to worry about inclusions that are durability risks, so that's one more box checked off..

 

[Mico]

The faceting on the IDJ is fabulous!!

I really think the eyeclean question is just something you're going to have to evaluate with your own eyes. The fact that it has a recent GIA report that called it an SI2 is promising - w/ a reputably graded SI you don't have to worry about inclusions that are durability risks, so that's one more box checked off..

I agree, IDJ gets my vote

 

[bright ice]

I think this one looks like it could be a winner. I like the faceting very much.

 

[madelise]

Here's the video, finally uploaded after trying for hours! I think my interwebz connection just sucks.

http://youtu.be/_sq9yxppZME

You can see the inclusions more clearly there. I tried to zoom out of the video so that the diamond's size is representably correct to a real-life size, and I can still see it. Luann told me in an email that she has it on hold for me.

I don't want to make any decisions until I see all cards on the table when I meet with Grace Who knows what goodies she'll have.


and secretly, I'm hoping for a bigger spread. oh god. I'm horrible, aren't I?

 

[Dreamer_D]

madelise here is my honest opinion. I think you have akiller budget. But you are emphasizing the 9mm mark so much that it is meaning you have to compromise color or clarity too much (compromising cut s of course not an issue ). If you drop a teensy bit in size you can get everything you want -- cut, 100% eye clean, the color you want, the setting you want! Don't you think its worth it??

 

[Dreamer_D]

OK, I am not a fan of the IDJ stone. The still photos look very nice. But with a larger table like that and a relatively shallow crown, and large under table facets, the risk is a stone that is dark too much of the time. Not lively. And in the video that stone does not woo me -- I have concern about the faceting under the table and how much life there is. Also, in the video, I see a lot of "mush" as Yssie calls it, basically leakage -- its the glittery looking brownish-goldy looking areas on the stone. That is not a good thing. Now, the quality of the video is poor. But the make of the stone is one that you have to be careful of, and the video is making me a little leery. I think shallower crowns work better with really small tables, and larger tables work better with longer lower girdle facets than that stone has -- the longer LGF will split up the facets under the table adding life. A big table and shallow crown and short LGF = dull stone.

 

[armywife13]

After watching the video of the IDJ stone, I have to agree with you, I can see the inclusions easily. I completely understand wanting to hit the 9 mm mark (fellow size 8 finger here!). But I agree with Dreamer, if that is your top priority, you will have to compromise a little more with color or clarity than I think you are comfortable with at the moment. Also, it sounds like you want a VC halo for the setting, so if you go down a tiny bit in size, you will still get some amazing finger coverage plus the color and clarity you want. I wouldn't stress too much yet, When you meet with Grace, I think you be able to see what in person the color and clarity you are comfortable with and go from there.