Ebay Purchase.... Feedback, please?

[happybear]

After seeing all the delicious OEC & OMC here in PS, I was so tempted to get one myself and bid for this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ycIuoA0%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I have not receive it yet although the seller has shipped it.

Do you think the slight chip at the girdle will be a durability issue? I actually intend to bezel the diamond to make it a pendant. Do I need to polish the chip off? Another thing which is puzzling me is the measurement given. I thought old cuts usually has smaller diameters. It states 6.1mm which to me seems large for a 0.85ct diamond. What is a modified european cut, anyway?

I'm kinda second-guessing myself now over this purchase.

Anyone can shed some light?

 

[dreamer_dachsie]

I would arrange to take it to a local trusted *independent* appraiser before the 7 day return period is up. It looks transitional to me, rather than OEC, but I am no expert.

 

[happybear]

Dang! I forgot it could be a transition cut! Thanks, Dreamer_D, for the suggestion. Will definitely seek an independent appraiser's advise once I receive it.

If it looks good, I wouldn't mind a tranny pendant. Though I really was hoping for an OEC.

 

[Circe]

Ooo, I quite like it! If it is a transitional, it looks an early one, so you have nice chunky fashions, but the kind of "order" you expect from a modern RB. Best of both worlds!

I would check it with an appraiser, though, just to get a sense of the severity of the chip - you should be able to hide it under a bezel and keep it safe, but double-check with an expert to be sure the pressure of bezeling won't make things worse. And post pics once you get it!

 

[LGK]

I'd guess early transitional too- it's got a larger culet and short LGFs so it's chunky looking, but a larger table and obviously a nice spread. (The 1.22 ct diamond I usually refer to as an OEC is cut similar this also, it's a 60/60 but looks like an OEC except for the table... and the light return on mine is absolutely killer, so it can be a fabulous set of proportions; I hope this one is as well!)

The chip is the one thing I'd worry about, at least a bit. If the chip(s?) is small and not visible to the naked eye, that's great. If it's larger than that I, personally, wouldn't be happy... that's one thing I don't like on antique stones, eye visible chips that is. If the chips are acceptable to me, I prefer to leave them intact- especially if they're on a super-thin part of a girdle it's just not worth the risk of recutting it. I'm kind of forgiving of issues like non-eye-visible chips as long as the price is right.

Even if the girdle is a razor edge all the way around, if you're bezeling it into a pendant it should be safe. The price seems decent, as long as the color is correct.

Ditto to getting it independantly appraised. Also check to make sure it's got nice performance; just look at it in a lot of lighting environments and look for edge-to-edge light return, no darkness under teh table or facets that just sit there and do nothing.

 

[happybear]

Thanks for the feedback, Circe and LGK!

Yes, i'll post some pics once I receive it (should be some time later this week).
I'm quite concern of the chip too, but I couldn't see any obvious tell-tale sign when I scrutinize the pics, so I decided to take a gamble. The 7-day return policy helps in minimizing the risk too.

Now, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and hope for the best.....

 

[Gypsy]

I can't see the pics, they aren't downloading for me. But if you are making a pendant with it... how about this for a chain. http://cgi.ebay.com/PLATINUM-OLD-EUROPEAN-CUT-DIAMOND-NECKLACE-1-14ct-/180650686477?pt=US_Fine_Necklaces_Pendants&hash=item2a0f9eb80d

 

[happybear]

Ooooh, Gypsy! That's such a beauty!

Unfortunately, I've already spent more than I should. Like I mentioned in my previous post, the PS bug bit me hard!
So I need to tighten my expenditure for awhile. In fact, this pendant project may need to be shelved until after my wedding and honeymoon.

But thanks, everyone for the feedback so far! This is such a wonderful community

 

[happybear]

I received the ring today. My heart skipped a beat when I opened the box. I liked it!

I couldn't get hold of my appraiser as he was conducting some workshop today, so I went to see my jeweler instead. He is a GG (GIA) too so he said he'll help me verify if it is indeed a diamond. But he couldn't tell me if it is a transition cut or old european cut though. All he can say is it is an antique cut diamond...

Anyway, the chip at the side seems to be all around the diamond I look through the loupe and can see the jagged edges almost alll around. It doesn't affect its brilliance, fortunately. My jeweler don't think it will cause any durability issues as I intend to bezel it, but he can't confirm until he remove the prongs and inspect further.

As I have not decided what kind of design I wanted for the pendant, I told my jeweler I'll go back to him again once I figure out whether I want a more intricate design or just plain bezel. He suggested to have a pave, but I find that too complicated. I would like to bring out the vintage look of the diamond, so may opt for a simple bezel with some milgrain. Yay, a new project for me to plan!

Now, for the photos....


The color seems to be pretty accurate. I compared to my ering which is an I color and it seems slightly whiter than my ering. But from the photos it appears a little yellow, probably due to the yellow gold shank. I took a photo with my ering for comparison.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Looks like a pretty stone and perfect to put in a bezel! Can't wait to see the finished pendant!

 

[stci]

Ho yeah! The stone is beautiful! Great find! Congrats!

 

[LGK]

Cool! Is it possible you're seeing a bruted girdle, not actual chipping? (Long shot I know, but... ) Basically old cuts don't have the polished girdle edge that a modern diamond would- they're left with a frosted, slightly rough looking finish.

It looks like a very nice pendant stone.

It's not unusual at all for jewelers to not know antique cuts all that well. Many are not familiar with them, especially the fiddly little nuances we obsess about on PS

 

[happybear]

Thanks for all the feedback!

I took more photos this morning Daylight is so much better in capturing the flashes of the diamond as compared to fluorescent lighting.

I really love the big flashes of old cuts!

Cool! Is it possible you're seeing a bruted girdle, not actual chipping? (Long shot I know, but... ) Basically old cuts don't have the polished girdle edge that a modern diamond would- they're left with a frosted, slightly rough looking finish.

It looks like a very nice pendant stone.

It's not unusual at all for jewelers to not know antique cuts all that well. Many are not familiar with them, especially the fiddly little nuances we obsess about on PS

LGK, unfortunately I think those are real chips. When I loupe the pavilion, I can see some of the chips propagating slightly down the pavilion. Though my jeweler don't find anything alarming from those we can visually see, he did say that under the prongs there may potentially be more serious chips.

Haha.... yes, my jeweler seems rather surprised I actually bought such an old diamond. He thought it was an heirloom piece belonging to my great grandmother
I honestly told him I bought it off ebay. And though he was not very impressed with the diamond due to its condition (chips), he did admit that he is unable to source such a stone for me at that price.

Now, the latest photos I took....
I find it is as sparkly as my BGD signature round in my ering!

Edit: Please forgive my hairy fingers