M is for mMmm.. (3.73 M VVS1 OEC from GOG)

M is for mmmmm!!!
or Madelise

Seriously, all I can think of is how yummy this little guy is.. . so I decided to do a little photo shoot with some yummy desserts before it got confiscated for good today by the DBF! I attempted to go pick up some mini cupcakes and French macarons last night from Sprinkles and 'Lettes, but they only had leftovers by the time I went. I had an appointment today to drop her off with SN Queens, and went to lunch with DBF and Bottega Louie, right across the street. Yes, these photos were all taken at the restaurant! I looked like a complete idiot for about 15 minutes, taking photos from different angles, over and over again! I hope this means I'm a true PS-er

An older set of men couple that were seated next to us kept congratulating us, and was complimenting us for our creativity. But they were shocked we had the guts to take it out in public! SO kept saying, "I've got my guns with me, don't worry", in reference to his arms. Silly boy! Even though we only had to walk about 2 minutes to get to SN Queens from the restaurant, I was sweating with nervousness!

So history: I had been wanting to look for my forever diamond for about 2 years now, ever since the SO mentioned us getting engaged! We were trying to rush to be one of those 11/11/11 couples, but things fell through in our lives the January of that year. I was devastated, but oh my God am I glad we waited for this puppy to fall in my lap! I first started wanting a cushion, when I laid eyes on the Harry Winston The One. I wanted my The One! And when I found PS, I saw antique cushions! Oh, that's even better!! But how could I trust DBF to find me an antique cushion to my liking? How can I trust him to have my eyes? I decided to default to a modern RB, so at least he can use the HCA tool to guide him.

Eventually, my need for an antique cut just overruled. I posted in April, in the Antique and Vintage Jewelry side of PS for advice on places in Los Angeles to take my dearly beloved, so that I can show him a variety of authentic old cuts in all their glory. SO became smitten with the old cuts.. and warmed up to me choosing the center diamond, so long as he got to still surprise me. Knowing I'd need a lot more time to find the perfect antique cut, he ok-ed me to start the search sooner than intended. I was not expecting to find my diamond so soon!

I first started searching on my own, and called upon Gypsy to help me off PS, since I was worried about this being on the internet forever, and people IRL finding out, people on PS getting "spoiled" perceptions of me…. etc etc etc. I'm an anxious person. She coaxed me to post on RT so I can get advice from DreamerD and Yssie.. and thus, I started the Calling Dreamer D and Yssie and other Old Cut Lovers thread. I was dealing with a troublesome vendor that gave me the woozies, and with PS-ers help, decided against making possibly one of the worst mistakes of my life. *PHEW! Dodged that bullet!

Erica, of JbEG, so graciously offered me in my Antiques posting, to have me meet with Grace to see some old diamonds IRL. I made an appointment to meet with Grace, and was shown some gorgeous beauties! I was stuck on having a minimum of 3ct/9mm, MAX J/K color.. and got shown a few of the rings and loose diamonds in their inventory. The one that I thought would pull my heart stings ended up doing nothing for me IRL, and instead, I got my heart pitter pattering at the Zahra Leyla twin, the 4.09 that's STILL? I think? for sale on their website. I also got to see MyDiamondSparkles' new gorgeous 4.46 antique cushion! As well as some other beauties. My heart kept skipping a beat while looking at the 4.09.. I was so happy to learn that my eyes don't really discriminate against warmer colors.. because I sure as hell am a size whore! Now I wanted that 10mm! My heart melted! Had I found "the One"?

However, I'm half Chinese and you never have anything 4 in my culture. Never. The number 4 sounds like "die/death" in our language. I worked in a hospital in our community, and they didn't even have room 4's in any of their floors! Room 1, 2, 3, 5. It's the worst juju thing ever. My beloved grandmother, who means the whole world to me, would have my neck if I got anything with a 4. I kind of felt torn.. I love big sizes.. and the next size up, 5 carats, is just impossible. That meant I had to find something 3.99 carats and under.

Seeing the warm colors in the 4.46 EGL L and the 4.09 GIA N-O let me know that I was okay with warm colors. However, I decided to stick with GIA graded stones only. With this amount of money at stake, I had to be stern with a strict grading laboratory.. especially if I wasn't able to see it first with my own eyes! So off I went searching online inventories, and scouring eBay, RubyLane and Etsy.

I got overwhelmed, and was emailing with Audball, when she sent me a huge long email telling me to give Jon at GOG a try. She had found this beauty that fit my "needs", but it was out of my budget due to the VVS1 grading.. but she urged me to ring up Jon to see if he can find me anything. I kept going back to the original diamond she linked me to, and I kept watching its video. It had been in inventory for a year! It's like it waited for me!

SO eventually warmed up to spending a little bit over budget since he knew how important this was to me. The engineer in him loved that GOG provided detailed analysis as well as videos showing the diamond in all different lighting. This seriously eased our minds and hearts to buying a diamond online. Without this type of scrutiny, I don't think we could have made an online, without seeing first, purchase this large. I didn't want a pretty video showing a sparkly on a spinning mirror. I wanted a video showing me the ugly. I wanted to see all of its negatives. And I was able to get that with GOG.

Jon was amazing to work with. I seriously emailed and sent him FB messages at all hours of the night. I called him a few times, too, because he hadn't responded to my emails yet! I was one antsy, anxious gal! He even searched his store for a halo that can fit a 10mm stone, just so I can see what it looks like with a halo.. and to see what it looks like next to whiter melee. He found an earring jacket! LOL! Can you imagine? A 10mm earring with a halo jacket on? That's HUGE! He even made an awesome awesome video comparing my diamond with 3 other diamonds that fit my "needs".. and compared their performance in different lighting with their ASET images.

We pulled the trigger, and had him ship it out, on memo, to Patrick Davis in Culver City, CA. It was an hour and half drive for me to go there, but well worth it. I had to pay Patrick extra to pick up the diamond and hold on to it. SO was very nervous about being responsible for something worth so much, so he insisted we have Patrick and GOG do that, so we don't have to touch it and risk losing it. Now I've been to see Charles Carmona in Downtown Los Angeles, and loved him.. but Patrick Davis is phenomenal. Not only was his appraisal slightly cheaper, but he did so many more tests! He showed me a live ASET feed of my diamond on a computer screen, and allowed me to be very hands-on. We spent 2 hours in his office! He was great with showing us the wholesale price, plus the profit margins/retail price for retailers.. and have us a whole drawing of "this is how much you'd pay for at an online dealer who makes large volume sales" vs high end luxury brand retailers, mall stores, Chinatown stores.. etc. SO was more worried about the $$ than the light performance. He hates feeling ripped off. So Patrick's explanations were great. We never told him how much the stone is being sold for, and he didn't even look at the appraisal papers and details that GOG had sent with the diamond. He confirmed its quality, and confirmed that we were paying a GREAT price for that diamond. We were now 100% sold.

And now it's mine!! It's seriously one great performer for an authentic old European diamond. Patrick couldn't even find the inclusions that rated it a VVS1 in his microscope. It's got the cutest little "extra facet", and the cutest culet. So I am now nicknaming her Dimples. And what's an extra push in making me totally believe she is The One for me? She was certed by GIA on March 30 of last year.. my birthday! Nothing can top this stone, for me, unless it was certed on my birthday, in my birth year, lol.. or was certed on exactly the day I met my SO, or the day we became girlfriend/boyfriend.


Okay, so enough of my novel! Sorry, I always get carried away in talking and in writing.. Here is my new engagement ring center stone!

3.73 Old European Cut
M, VVS1
9.98 x 10.25 x 5.86mm
Faint Fluorescence

and here are the referenced threads and videos I mentioned:
http://www.pricescope.com/forum/rockytalky/calling-dreamer-d-and-yssie-and-other-old-cut-lovers-t175753.html
http://www.pricescope.com/forum/timeless-classics/local-dealers-in-la-area-t174826.html
http://youtu.be/XaD9l0ynDaY
http://youtu.be/5iJvva6kSW8

Attachments

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This is the photo Jon sent me of the diamond in a halo earring jacket. I shrunk it down to IRL size, to picture in my head!!

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