1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct asscher

[Phoenix]

I recently posted a thread on my change of heart as far as cuts are concerned. I'm now lusting after a honking asscher! . I don't know yet if it's going to eventually end up an Octavia or a modern asscher or even an antique one; but I thought this is as good a place to start as any!

So here we are, I've just acquired this baby - this is my first baby step in an upgrade program which will prob take years (my plan is to slowly trade up towards bigger and bigger stones). But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7583/

Sadly, I won't be able to show you real life shots since am not taking acquisition of it (no point in paying for shipping back and forth when it's not going to be set - though I do plan to take acquisition of and set the next one/ the one after which hopefully would be in the region of 2.5ct or so). Perhaps Jon could shoot us a video of this one? [hint, hint ].

 

[Amys Bling]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Wow! I love that stone, how do you have such self control as it not ever have it in you possession??? It would be killing me!

 

[lknvrb4]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Gorgeous stone! Let me get this straight, you bought it but are keeping it at GOG until you are ready to upgrade?

 

[yennyfire]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Boy Phoenix, you are as nutso as I am! I hope that you know that I say that lovingly! It's a gorgeous stone! It would kill me not to have it in my little paws!

 

[minmin001]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

beautiful stone! What's the insurance police on it if you are going to keep it at GOG?

 

[luv2sparkle]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

That looks like an awesome stone Phoenix! I don't know how you not set it and wear it though! I will wear it for you, if you want.

 

[Deia]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Lol your thinking is great! Good luck, and hope to see that 2.5 ct soon!

 

[makemepretty]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

That's a beautiful diamond but the weirdest plan I have ever heard of. Seems such a waste to buy something and not enjoy it or to buy it so someone else can't enjoy it just to use as a savings plan. It makes no sense to me to buy something you don't even want.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Sounds like a good strategy, Phoenix!

 

[dragonfly411]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Phoenix - I've asked you this before I think, but I'm asking again. WILL YOU ADOPT ME?!


<-- Jealous.

 

[Cachette]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

It seems a waste to not set it and wear it but this is coming from someone who is dying to have and wear anything higher then .41 (my ER).

But, I understand your strategy and if this how you want to do it then I support your decision.

That 6 ct asscher will be yours in no time!!

Cachette

 

[nfowife]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Why not just put the $$ away in a money market acct and keep throwing money at it until you have enough to get one you will actually wear? What is the point of owning something you won't wear? The dollar amount for an upgrade is the same.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

That's a beautiful diamond but the weirdest plan I have ever heard of. Seems such a waste to buy something and not enjoy it or to buy it so someone else can't enjoy it just to use as a savings plan. It makes no sense to me to buy something you don't even want.

I agree. It would seem silly not to allow somebody to enjoy it and to lock yourself into one vendor for your upgrade. You also stated that it could take years to get to your size, what if GOG goes out of business before then?

 

[junebug17]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

I'm not good with financial matters, but I'm thinking it would be better to just start a savings account where the money would be earning interest?

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Ha ha, it may seem like a nutso plan to some of you, but believe it or not, I have actually thought it over. I don't want to waste money shipping it back and forth and especially on a setting when I just *know* that I won't wear it. It will be better to wait until I've upgraded to a larger stone which I will actually wear and enjoy.

So why not save the money over the course of the next few years and earn interest on it, until I have sufficient funds to buy the honking 6ct - you may ask. Well, I've tried it in the last 4 years and it hasn't worked! for several reasons: 1) the money will start burning a hole in my pocket and then I'll just go and buy smaller items here and there and then afterwards regret the purchases (well, I haven't regretted ALL of them, but you get my point); 2) this way, by slowing upgrading over a longer period of time, I get to average out the cost of diamonds, whether they go up or go down in pricing (ie. a kind of "dollar cost averaging") ; 3) I get to "fix" my bling addiction from time to time (which is actually the problem underlying 1 - as I need to buy bling from time to time to scratch that itch, am sure some of your PS"ers understand this) as opposed to wait another 6 years before I buy another piece of bling; and last but not least 4) the thought of plonking down well over $100k all at once frankly...well... frightens me!! It's just a lot of money to spend in one single purchase and what if I don't like the asscher after all (just like I've changed my mind about the RB)? This way, I'll find out if I actually will like the asscher or not.

I'm sure, well...rather hoping... that I will be able to upgrade before the end of the year and definitely that upgraded baby will adorn my little hand before too long.

 

[Upgradable]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Self-control is not an option?

 

[junebug17]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Oh ok Phoenix, I see where you're coming from - Hope to see that 2.5 asscher on your hand very soon!

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

That's a beautiful diamond but the weirdest plan I have ever heard of. Seems such a waste to buy something and not enjoy it or to buy it so someone else can't enjoy it just to use as a savings plan. It makes no sense to me to buy something you don't even want.

I agree. It would seem silly not to allow somebody to enjoy it and to lock yourself into one vendor for your upgrade. You also stated that it could take years to get to your size, what if GOG goes out of business before then?

Actually, I've thought of that too. I am not really locked into one vendor. I've chosen GOG because they have so many different cuts and a large volume of diamonds, and also because of their generous upgrade plans. What if I change my mind about the cut again? This way, I will be able to wear an asscher at some point (soon I hope) and over the course of quite a few years, which would really help me decide if this is my "forever" honker. I could also choose to keep whatever I've upgraded to or get another pair of studs as an alternative to my BGD studs.

As to whether someone else could enjoy it: I find this comment a bit strange to be honest (am not trying to be "funny" here, just a bit puzzled). I mean this stone has been sitting around forever and in any case it will be released back into the market in a few months' time. There are other Octavia's around (in fact there's another one very very similar to it). And you (as in someone) could always ask Jon to cut you another Octavia. ETA: if another customer really liked this particular stone, of course I would def consider having it sold to them (as long as it wasn't at a lower price - for eg. if the diamond market suddently took a downturn which is unlikely but let's just say for argument's sake - which would result in a loss to me).

I'm not planning to have GOG keep my diamonds forever. I will actually take possesion of each and everyone of them from next upgrade/ or the upgrade after. In any case, GOG or any of the other diamond vendors here could go out of business at any time (though of course I hope that they don't), regardless of what you, the customers, plan to do. I mean, if you were buy a stone today and it's supposed to be shipped out to you next week, what if they went out of business a couple of days or even the day before the stone is shipped to you. Same thing, isn't it? That is the risk of buying online, I reckon, as opposed to you walking into a B&M, plonk down the money and walk out with the stone in yr hands. That said, I do ensure that I have insurance in place for every one of my diamond purchases (or at least the larger more expensive purchases of which this is one), so I should be covered.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

beautiful stone! What's the insurance police on it if you are going to keep it at GOG?

Thank you, minmin. My insurer Chubb will provide the insurance for it, as long as I can provide a receipt as proof of purchase.

Actually, as an aside, I did also enquire with them about insurance for my 3ct F VS2 RB which I'm planning to send to GIA (via a third party) for re-grading and laser inscription. They said that they would provide me with insurance, but of course they did ask several questions (since the 3ct is significantly more expensive than this one).

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Wow! I love that stone, how do you have such self control as it not ever have it in you possession??? It would be killing me!

Thank you. Trust me, it's not easy, esp as I'd love to see what an Octavia looks like IRL. But as mentioned, the cost of stone shipping back and forth plus the hassle, when I know for sure I will upgrade, is what swayed my decision in the end.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Boy Phoenix, you are as nutso as I am! I hope that you know that I say that lovingly! It's a gorgeous stone! It would kill me not to have it in my little paws!

Ha ha, then at least you understand my plan a little bit. Your new oval is soooo gorgeous though - now if I were able to buy that, it'd kill me too not to have it in *my* greedy little paws, he he!

 

[kenny]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Congratulations.
I LOVE our Octavia.

But...
When upgrading GOG only credits you the price you paid, not the higher price it would sell for when you finally upgrade.
If you upgrade in a year you will not get June 2012's price for this diamond; you will only get what you paid for it back in June 2011.

What you are doing is nothing more than earning zero interest on thousands of dollars.
You are loosing money.
Plus you don't even get to see this Octavia which IMHO is sacrilege!
They are phenomenal!
Get it and enjoy it even if you don't set it.

Whether you take possession or not is mute to the financial side.
But your point of them going out of business during the 3 day purchasing cycle does not compare to 300-day upgrade cycle.
Them holding your funds or diamond for 100 times as long is 100 times as risky.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

That looks like an awesome stone Phoenix! I don't know how you not set it and wear it though! I will wear it for you, if you want.

Thank you, luv2sparkle. Setting is quite expensive though, ya'know. Hey, maybe you can ask Jon if he could let you come and play with it once in a while?

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Lol your thinking is great! Good luck, and hope to see that 2.5 ct soon!

Thank you. I hope so too.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Sounds like a good strategy, Phoenix!

Thank you, diamondseeker.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Phoenix - I've asked you this before I think, but I'm asking again. WILL YOU ADOPT ME?!


<-- Jealous.

Ha ha, you are too funny! and cute!

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

It seems a waste to not set it and wear it but this is coming from someone who is dying to have and wear anything higher then .41 (my ER).

But, I understand your strategy and if this how you want to do it then I support your decision.

That 6 ct asscher will be yours in no time!!

Cachette

Ha ha, I know I know, it must seem crazy to some of you, as I said. But thanks kindly for your support. I hope that I will get the 6ct sooner than later (it will for sure be another few years though). Boy, it will be very painful to hit to big FIVE-O. I'll NEED the big SIX-O to cheer me up then, I reckon.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Oh ok Phoenix, I see where you're coming from - Hope to see that 2.5 asscher on your hand very soon!

I hope so too. Thank you.

 

[Phoenix]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

Congratulations.
I LOVE our Octavia.

But...
When upgrading GOG only credits you the price you paid, not the higher price it would sell for when you finally upgrade.
If you upgrade in a year you will not get June 2012's price for this diamond; you will only get what you paid for it back in June 2011.

What you are doing is nothing more than earning zero interest on thousands of dollars.
You are loosing money.
Plus you don't even get to see this Octavia which IMHO is sacrilege!
They are phenomenal!
Get it and enjoy it even if you don't set it.

Whether you take possession or not is mute to the financial side.
But your point of them going out of business during the 3 day purchasing cycle does not compare to 300-day upgrade cycle.
Them holding your funds or diamond for 100 times as long is 100 times as risky.

Kenny, it was your thread on your Octavia is what really made me finally decide to go for the Octavia (as opposed to a generic asscher, if I can call it that). I agree that Octavia's are, or at least seem to me from what I've seen online, totally phenomenal and I can't wait to see my upgraded stone IRL.

I do know that when I upgrade, I will get the exact price of what I paid for, regardless of what the diamond market does - up or down.

Believe me, I have thought abt this long and hard. Interest rate on the Singapore dollar is practically near to zero. Even if I exchanged the money and invested it overseas in an offshore account, I'd still earn less than 50 dolllars in interest (and shipping and insuring the stone back and forth between SG and the US would be be 5-6 times that amount). Then, I'd also be subject to exchange risks. This way, I lock in my US dollar amount, esp now when the SGD is so strong and the USD is much weaker. Even if the USD goes up later on, at least doing it this way (and purchasing USD many times over the course of the next 5-6 years) would be another form of "dollar cost averaging" but this is to do with the USD:SGD exchange rate.

Re the holding period, I hope it won't be 300 days. In any case, i do have insurance on the stone.

Thank you for your post anyway. I know you said it out of care and concern. I appreciate it.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Re: 1.33ct Octavia - My first baby step towards a 6ct assche

From my economic standpoint to be able to obtain such a beautiful diamond and not wear it is quite the crime. But, I'm not you and I cannot afford all the beautiful sparklys that you can. I can see where you are coming from though. Buying Octavia gives you that initial rush and sparkly satisfaction while still working towards your larger goal of a 6 carat stone.