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Needing online buying and OEC advice

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
Hi all!

I'm recently engaged and have been on the hunt for an OEC for a month or two now. I am having a hard time deciding what the best characteristics are for this cut, if anyone has tips that'd be great! I won't be seeing the stones in person but will hopefully get pics and videos before buying (and of course certifications). I've recently contacted USA certed diamonds to help with the stone sourcing process b/c I've seen some positive reviews on here and hope that you guys are right :) Any other source recommendations would be welcome!

I found an engagement band that I love, it's an Edwardian rose-y gold band with a pretty orange blossom engraving around the sides and I just knew I needed an old stone to go in it! I'm waiting to have it sent to me until I find a stone so that the jeweler selling me the mounting can set the stone for me OR should I have it sent to me and then mail it to the jeweler OR have both sent to me and set locally?? So many questions! They also said they can do an appraisal for me, is this normal? Like I said, I won't be seeing the stone with my actual eyes until it's purchased, delivered to the jeweler to be set, and then delivered to me so am just a bit nervous about the whole process. Do I need to get it checked over/appraised again after delivery to make sure it's the stone I purchased?

Sorry for so many questions at once but I'm hoping you guys can help me out.
 

leukolenos

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
825
The usual suspects in terms of old cut dealers recommended are -
Old World Diamonds (most stones not posted online so reach out via phone or email)
Love Affair Diamonds
Jewels by Grace
August Vintage (if you want a precision cut stone in the antique style)

If you can post your budget and preferences, the folks here can suggest stones available online as well. Any of the above vendors will provide lots of pictures and videos to help you narrow down your choices. Old World Diamonds also has a very good return policy so it’s easy to order stones to look at “on approval” and then return what you don’t love.

Can you post a picture of the setting you like? Did you already buy the setting?

For me personally, I wouldn’t have an OEC set locally. All of the above dealers have excellent jewelers so I would stick with them unless there was some odd circumstance.

It is also not recommended to have an appraisal done by someone who sells jewelry since they have “skin in the game” if that makes sense- there is a directory of recommended appraisers here too, so for an appraisal I would choose an independent appraiser close to you.
 

stonewell

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Messages
1,150
+1 for Old World Diamonds. Adam is fantastic to work with and has a knack for finding exactly what you describe.

I’d also suggest connecting with Ilya at Ivy & Rose. He has a decent inventory and I’ve also had good success in having him locate very specific sizes, characteristics and with a specific budget in mind. Ilya can also help with settings and has a bench that’s experienced in setting these diamonds.
 

rockysalamander

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 20, 2016
Messages
5,105
You'll have to know what size (spread in mm and depth) the setting will allow before you can choose a stone. If it is an actual Edwardian setting, you may also need to get it re-habbed before you can use it. Gold tends to thin over time and the bottom of the shank may be quite unusable. There can be other things to consider, like the prongs may need to be re-tipped. If the seller is an antique dealer, not a jeweler, I'd get the setting mailed to you. Then, bring it to a good, local, small (not big chain) jeweler to look it over.
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
Thanks so much for the advice! The place I'm getting the setting from is a jeweler and they deal a lot in antiques and estate jewelry. It's Verma Estate Jewelry which I guess is part of the bigger Verma Group. It is an actual Edwardian band which I'm having resized and he said it would be totally okay, but perhaps I should ask now about the thinness of the band after resizing... There was a diamond (not original) in the ring already, placed by them but it's not quite what I'm wanting (1ct, O-P color, SI2) and they separated them for me. This lead me to believe the prongs were fine as they wouldn't reset it with bad prongs, right?

I was just thinking they could do the appraisal b/c I'm only buying the setting from them and not the actual diamond? I just want to make sure I'm getting mailed what I ordered from the black hole that is the internet but can have it mailed to me first for an appraisal and then mail it again to be set, if necessary.

I was told the band would fit up to a 1.25ct but sent him the measurements once for a 1.4ct I briefly thought about before it was sold and he said it would fit (maybe b/c they're deeper cuts?) and has now suggested I email him measurements before purchasing to ensure a good fit.

I'm looking for something in the $5000-6000 range and 1.1-1.3ct, K+, VS2+, Polish VG or G, Symmetry VG or G, Culet- Slightly large, and Gia cert. If I have to sacrifice something it'd be size for beauty.

A couple pics of the setting below:
face on.jpg On finger.jpg
 

LLJsmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
12,633
I would really reconsider committing without personally the OEC. Choice of OECs are very personality driven. Adam at OWD will send you the diamond to view and wear before you need to choose. I think LAD and JEWELS BY grace and maybe even Caysie will do that. Just sayin.
 

foxinsox

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
4,061
I would buy the OEC without personally seeing it IF and only IF I had multiple images and videos in different lighting to know that I loved the facet pattern and its light performance. And I would want a solid return period just in case I didn't like it in person after all.
@LuckyLilo that setting is lovely but I do wonder about the prongs. They're quite delicate in those pictures and if the stone you're putting in is much larger, I wonder how much prong you'd have to play with. Verma Estate look to have a lot of nice vintage settings and I like their prongs from what I've seen on Etsy so I would trust them. Just check with them explicitly to make sure you're not going to have any problems.
If you have pictures of any OECs you're considering, please post them up for us to enjoy =)2 and provide feedback on to make sure you get yourself a great performer!
Some general things to look for is edge to edge brightness, no big dead dark spots that persist regardless of how close or far away you hold your hand and facets that turn off and on as you rotate or rock the stone from side to side.
And congratulations on your engagement!
 

leukolenos

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
825
I was told the band would fit up to a 1.25ct but sent him the measurements once for a 1.4ct I briefly thought about before it was sold and he said it would fit (maybe b/c they're deeper cuts?) and has now suggested I email him measurements before purchasing to ensure a good fit.
If you’re super committed to this particular setting, I would have the dealer tell you what mm/dimension range will work, not have you pick things and then email him to check. You need to know your parameters first.
But, if it were me, I’d probably just send Adam a picture of that setting and have him recreate it- then you know for sure it will fit your diamond and not have any prong or structural issues. That way you’d also have way more choices with regard to stones since you won’t be limited by size.
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
I did think briefly about just getting a ring made instead of paying for this one but I love that it is old and has some sort of story even if I don't know what it is. I've emailed the jeweler and asked about the mm and prongs so hopefully he'll get back to me soon! I'm also asking for some pictures of stones today so should be able to post some OEC goodness for everyone to enjoy and comment on in the next couple days!

I've noticed that some of the girdle descriptions on the GIA report have 'faceted' after them and some do not, does it matter very much?
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
I would buy the OEC without personally seeing it IF and only IF I had multiple images and videos in different lighting to know that I loved the facet pattern and its light performance. And I would want a solid return period just in case I didn't like it in person after all.
@LuckyLilo that setting is lovely but I do wonder about the prongs. They're quite delicate in those pictures and if the stone you're putting in is much larger, I wonder how much prong you'd have to play with. Verma Estate look to have a lot of nice vintage settings and I like their prongs from what I've seen on Etsy so I would trust them. Just check with them explicitly to make sure you're not going to have any problems.
If you have pictures of any OECs you're considering, please post them up for us to enjoy =)2 and provide feedback on to make sure you get yourself a great performer!
Some general things to look for is edge to edge brightness, no big dead dark spots that persist regardless of how close or far away you hold your hand and facets that turn off and on as you rotate or rock the stone from side to side.
And congratulations on your engagement!

So I just got a video back from the diamond guy but it's not of the highest quality and there are no pictures. I am already asking for photos but should I ask for a higher quality video, as well?
 

foxinsox

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
4,061
So I just got a video back from the diamond guy but it's not of the highest quality and there are no pictures. I am already asking for photos but should I ask for a higher quality video, as well?
I would yeah. It’s not an unreasonable request and their willingness to provide you with the information is useful too as it helps you work out what sort of vendor they are and if you’re getting what you think they are. Post the video up anyway?
 

leukolenos

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
825
So I just got a video back from the diamond guy but it's not of the highest quality and there are no pictures. I am already asking for photos but should I ask for a higher quality video, as well?
You should def ask for a better video! Agree with Foxinsox, please post it if you can.
Re faceted girdles: if they’re faceted it just means that the old stone has had its girdle recut and “cleaned up”- so no chips, knicks or flea bites. Slightly less fragile than some oec girdles perhaps. Do you care if it’s been “retouched”?
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
I would yeah. It’s not an unreasonable request and their willingness to provide you with the information is useful too as it helps you work out what sort of vendor they are and if you’re getting what you think they are. Post the video up anyway?

Sorry it's taken me a bit to respond!

I later watched the video on my phone instead of computer and it seemed MUCH better quality, not sure why. Maybe it was shot on a phone and didn’t have the pixel power for full screen on a laptop. The stone's very pretty and clear (to my untrained eye, at least), I like it a lot. I'm not sure how to upload the video! I downloaded it but it won't allow me to attach the file for some reason :/

They've also sent photos! I can't tell from either the photos or vid but does anyone see a distinct floral pattern in it? I think it's quite lovely when these old cuts have that and I'd very much prefer it. I think I can see a hint (I want no doubt) of it but I'm just not 100% sure.

How do you guys feel about it?

IMG_0562.jpg IMG_0563.jpg IMG_0564.jpg IMG_0565.jpg IMG_0566.jpg
 

foxinsox

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
4,061
It’s definitely got a floral pattern and reasonably well organised faceting too. Do they only show it face on or do they do a profile shot too? What is their return period like?
 

Lorelei

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
42,064
If you hit upload a file bottom right of the text box, it should then open up a link to the stuff on your computer, then hit upload once you locate the video. Or you can try copy and pasting the link.
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
It’s definitely got a floral pattern and reasonably well organised faceting too. Do they only show it face on or do they do a profile shot too? What is their return period like?

Yes, just the face. Great to hear about the pattern although I did request a different picture maybe with better/different lighting or different background color focusing on that area so I can see it well. And I asked for a side picture b/c I've heard you can see the true color better that way, correct?

Return period is 10 days, super glad to hear about that. And they said they'd be able to ship is to a jeweler close to me before buying so I can check it in person, of course I'd have to pay for shipping but it would probably be worth it.
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
You should def ask for a better video! Agree with Foxinsox, please post it if you can.
Re faceted girdles: if they’re faceted it just means that the old stone has had its girdle recut and “cleaned up”- so no chips, knicks or flea bites. Slightly less fragile than some oec girdles perhaps. Do you care if it’s been “retouched”?

No, I don't think I'd mind that at all. I'd probably actually prefer it rather than being worried I would chip it more or *gasp* crack it all together. Thanks for the info!
 

foxinsox

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
4,061
Yes, just the face. Great to hear about the pattern although I did request a different picture maybe with better/different lighting or different background color focusing on that area so I can see it well. And I asked for a side picture b/c I've heard you can see the true color better that way, correct?

Return period is 10 days, super glad to hear about that. And they said they'd be able to ship is to a jeweler close to me before buying so I can check it in person, of course I'd have to pay for shipping but it would probably be worth it.
Yes the profile will let you see the body colour without any of the facets reflecting back to you. Ask them to do it against a white background too cos neither of the current backgrounds is especially useful for helping with working it out! What is the claimed colour? Is it GIA/AGS or something else? Also I’m not sure if you mentioned but who is the vendor? If it’s one of the ones mentioned up thread like OWD or the like, I’d be pretty comfortable with their eye and would take a chance on it. What are the other specs? In the pics above 3, 4 and 5 seem to show something around the 12/2 o’clock area which would be nice to know what it is
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
Yes the profile will let you see the body colour without any of the facets reflecting back to you. Ask them to do it against a white background too cos neither of the current backgrounds is especially useful for helping with working it out! What is the claimed colour? Is it GIA/AGS or something else? Also I’m not sure if you mentioned but who is the vendor? If it’s one of the ones mentioned up thread like OWD or the like, I’d be pretty comfortable with their eye and would take a chance on it. What are the other specs? In the pics above 3, 4 and 5 seem to show something around the 12/2 o’clock area which would be nice to know what it is


It is GIA certified, K color and VVS2. It has a three small feathers on the report. It's from USA certed, not sure the actual company with the diamond, of course. But I've seen multiple people on here say Martin can be trusted to help. I had already emailed him my wants and he got back so quickly and with such a great variety I just thought it'd be fine to stick with him. I've spoken to him on the phone and he's very nice and quite helpful. I requested a different color background and hopefully he'll get sent new pics to send to me soon!
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
If you hit upload a file bottom right of the text box, it should then open up a link to the stuff on your computer, then hit upload once you locate the video. Or you can try copy and pasting the link.

The vid was emailed to me so there's not a link which is why I saved it on my comp. However, when I go to try and upload the video it won't allow it to be selected so hopefully pictures will be enough!
 

LuckyLilo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
11
Yes the profile will let you see the body colour without any of the facets reflecting back to you. Ask them to do it against a white background too cos neither of the current backgrounds is especially useful for helping with working it out! What is the claimed colour? Is it GIA/AGS or something else? Also I’m not sure if you mentioned but who is the vendor? If it’s one of the ones mentioned up thread like OWD or the like, I’d be pretty comfortable with their eye and would take a chance on it. What are the other specs? In the pics above 3, 4 and 5 seem to show something around the 12/2 o’clock area which would be nice to know what it is


Thanks so much for your help with the diamond search, unfortunately, that diamond has been deemed too large for my setting. Sorry that it took so long to figure this out but I had a bit of trouble getting into contact with the guy at Verma to confirm the fit (even though he said to email him the size to ensure fit), and then of course I had to find a new stone!

This one seems like it's going to be the one and I will hopefully make the purchase tomorrow or the next day (unless of course you tell me it's horrible but I don't think that's going to happen).


I've just decided to download the vid and put it on Youtube (which I hope isn't breaking any rules but idk). Please let me know what you guys think!! Oh and it's 1.12ct J VVS2! I also have a second slower video I could post if need be.

 
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