Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please see!

[Circe]

I ordered a gorgeous antique channel-set baguette eternity band for my upcoming birthday ... and I adore 70% of it. The problem would be 6 stones or so right under a section of engraving (initials and the original date). They look dull and matte to the naked eye, and under a loupe they betray an odd, almost mottled texture with a rough polish. I've read about "burnt" diamonds, but I've never seen one in person: alternately, it almost looks like something like crazy glue has stuck to them. So! Two questions.

1) Is this what burnt diamonds look like? If not, what would your best guess be - fakes or synthetics?

2) Whether it's burning or some kind of gunk, can the stones be restored (polished, boiled in acid, etc.) while still in the eternity band? I have the sneaking suspicion that replacing stones in a channel-set band will be a pain in the neck. I have a 7-day return period for this, so ... I want to know who to go to and what to ask about well before that! Any suggestions on restoration experts in NYC much appreciated.

P.S. - I will post pictures, once the battery on my camera resurrects ....

 

[HopeDream]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Hi Circe,

I have no experience with burnt diamonds, but a friend of mine did get some sort of craft goop all over her ring (antique moi et toi of 2 gorgerous 1ct transitionals) which made them all cloudy - I think she cleaned them with acetone or rubbung alcohol.

I recall a thread where singlestone did a restoration of an antique baguette band https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/single-stone-antique-band-restoration-project.118128/, and If i recall correctly , they could re-polish your stones (I think they do re-cuts)

It sounds like a rare find.

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

HopeDream, thanks for the awesome suggestion - I'll try acetone and see what happens! I wonder how much a restoration like Cady's would cost ... my budget for this project was 1k, and I got the band for $900. I would imagine something that complex would cost considerably more than $100, but I'm hoping mine would be easier.

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Alas, neither a brisk rub with acetone nor a quick soak in rubbing alcohol did anything much other than to make the whole thing cleaner (which is, I suppose, a good thing in and of itself). Okay, on to the details ....

I've been wanting a diamond baguette eternity since, well, I was searching for a wedding band, but they usually seem to cost an arm and a leg. I spotted this one on eBay for exactly my budget, and I couldn't resist the gamble. It was advertised as a 1920s band in platinum featuring 1.5 ctw of F VVS diamonds with three "cloudy white" stones out of twenty-five in size 6.5 for $900.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell ....

For starters, it's engraved - HHL ~ ISF, 10-10-39. I know it could have been engraved at a later date, but if it was, the jeweler did a hell of a job buffing out the continuous pattern (or, I suppose, could have done it all then, but, hey, I'm suspicious). If it was from the 20s, I could buy platinum, but platinum became a rare and precious commodity during WWII: that, and the peculiar discolorations (see pics) by the damaged diamonds make me suspect some other material (metal experts, help! - could it be platinum with gold solder, maybe?). The macro shots make me realize it used to be milgrained, and that there's a nick riiiiiiiiiight by the damaged section - which consists of 6 diamonds, not three - which looks suspiciously like it was ineptly filed or sanded. I'm guessing some incompetent doofus tried a repair job and failed.

So, bottom line, it was probably misrepresented in terms of age, possibly material, and is considerably more damaged than advertised. However, even given that, the remaining diamonds do indeed look like F, VVS quality, the weight does feel like platinum, and I've never seen another baguette band in this price range (and I sort of love how it looks on my hands).

Whadda you say, guys? Is it worth keeping and repairing? Can it be repaired for a decent price? If I need to shell out, like, $500 bucks to fix it, I might as well return it and just keep an eye out for a slightly less good deal, as this "deal" wouldn't have been all that good, anyway. I am a little sad, at that prospect: I was so looking forward to this! Bah. Will hope for reassuring words in the morning (or, at the least, a little tough love ). Thanks in advance!

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

And, a few last pics, just so as to illustrate why I might be reluctant to return it ....

 

[LGK]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Circe, it's super pretty! It also looks amazing with your other stackers. Tooooo bad about the stones

It could absolutely have gold solder on platinum. Many, many repairs on antique plat pieces are done with gold solder. Which doesn't work so well and looks funky, but many bench folks persisted in doing anyway. Palladium is way lighter feeling, as I'm sure you know... so yes, gold solder on platinum is my guess on that.

I don't have a clue how much repair would cost- I'm horrifically spoiled by a local independant bench guy who routinely gives me screaming deals on reprairs, so I am no use for guesstimating a repair cost on it, unfortunately. A channel set eternity ring though- that seems like it could be $$$.

Good luck! I hope it works out that you can keep it and get it fixed easily, it does look lovely! (Personally I'm also a huge sucker for pieces with inscriptions, too- I love the way the inscription is snuck in with the engraving on the side particularly .)

I wonder if it really is some persistant gunk? I have never see diamonds do that without having some sort of weird grunge on them... got any trusted local jeweler you could take it to to see what they think? I've definitely run across dirt that's incredibly hard to get off of antique pieces, that needed professional help to really clean up.

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

I need to find a bench guy like that! I wandered into a local jewelry store that's open on weekends yesterday, and the gentleman behind the counter didn't seem hopeful: his theory was that, indeed, a repair had been done, and that the benchman hadn't scrupulously cleaned the piece before ... so gunk, human skin oil, whatever, had basically been "baked" onto the stones, causing the burnt appearance. He was markedly pessimistic about the possibility of either a prolonged period in the ultrasound or acid fixing it.

I'm going back and forth on whether it's even worth cutting down to 47th to get a second opinion tomorrow. I bought from a seller with a 7 day return period, and it arrived Friday, so I figure that so long as I have it at the post office by Wednesday morning, it should be fine.

How about it, guys? Any additional opinions? I really wish there was a chance of saving this one ... I even sorta wondered about just replacing the damaged stones with metal, to make it a 3/4 eternity. Whadda ya think?

 

[yssie]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

No advice, but really, why is it so difficult to just actually get a great no-hassle deal for once!?


I'd drive down for the second opinion - and a first opinion on removing those stones and filling with metal, that sounds like a great idea I wonder if it's a viable option? Baguette bands are *so* expensive - if there's some way to rescue this one relatively cheaply I think you'd be saving a pretty penny!

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

I know, right? I'm a deal-hound with a couple of friends who chew my ear off, so I'm markedly prone to just typing in, like, "platinum eternity" if it's around gift season and seeing what pops up. I've bought ... 5 eternity rings on the 2nd-hand market so far?

(Hi, my name is Circe, and I have a problem.)

Of those 5:

1) One was a channel-set eternity from Signed Pieces before they changed hands: exactly as described, perfect condition, and markedly below market value at the time (but not "low" for the second-hand market - about average, I'd say).

2) My marquise sapphire and round diamond bezel band: it was in perfect condition, but, you know, a full size smaller than advertised. Good thing I'm an amateur jeweler who could size it up a little myself, or I would have either a) been out some buckage, or, b) very disappointed.

3) My Alex Sepkus band. This one was actually just a pure win: perfect condition, and exactly my size, 1/8th of retail, just from a seller who didn't know it was a "designer" piece.

4) My ruby baguette eternity, which was actually in pretty good condition and a great price ... it just didn't look it at first. Never in my life have I seen such a dirty piece of jewelry! I had to soak it in alcohol for several hours, then steam it, then soak it, and grab a broken sawblade to dig all of the gunk out of the azures. Nasty, nasty, nasty (but still sort of worth it - I love it and wear it every day, as its previous owner presumably did (though I clean it more often)).

5) This. So it's like, half have turned out well, and half have been ... problematic.

The good news? I e-mailed Yekutiel at I.D. Jewelry to ask if they, a) did repairs, b) did repairs on outside pieces, and c) thought this could be fixed, and he wrote back and said he'd take care of it, just drop by! So I'm going to stop in tomorrow. Have I mentioned I love those guys?

P.S. - I'm glad it's not just me who noticed the priciness of the baguette bands! I was starting to wonder if I was just nuts and overpaying for a damaged piece, but, honestly, outside of the PhotoShop Wonders (TM) - you know, the guys who have a thousand listings with the same badly enhanced pic - I've never seen one of these for less than, like, 2K. Hence the temptation ....

 

[slg47]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Circe I really hope it works out, that is a beautiful band and it looks really nice with your other bands!

 

[yssie]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Well that was easy - awesome!! Can't wait to see how it turns out and we really have been hearing so many fantastic stories about IDJ lately

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Drat, drat, and dagnabbit.

A good acid-bath did nothing for the burnt stones, so it looks like it will have to go back to the seller. Give me a heads-up if you spot any comparable ones, I guess ....

 

[yssie]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Well phooey.

At least you made sure they had a good return policy before you bought it.

Sorry Circe I'll keep an eye out, in any case.



ETA: I just had a thought and checked my email - last Feb LOGR on ebay had a 5-horizontal-baguettes channel band in 14k. I asked them about making it for me as a 3/4 eternity, they wrote me back saying they could do it in my size (4) for about $80 over the list price at the time, which I believe was something like $300. 'Course that was a long time ago now and it's the wrong metal but maybe send them a message, see if they can make something for you for a decent price?
ETA: I see they changed their name to "Lord of Jewelry" on ebay - http://stores.ebay.com/lord-of-Jewelry

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Aw - thanks for the tip, Yssie! That may well be my next move.

Buuuuuut ... I e-mailed the seller, and they said that they would happily refund my money, OR reimburse me $200 and I keep the band. Now I'm torn! Yekutiel said that they could get the stones out and fill it in with metal to make it a 3/4 eternity (though he didn't think it would look all that good, frankly), or replace the stones outright (I don't know how much that would cost yet: he's going to give me an estimate tomorrow). So now I'm torn! I don't know if I should return it and find something perfect from the get-go, or pursue one of the above options.

Methinks it might be time for a poll ....

 

[HopeDream]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Oh dear! It's too bad the diamonds are in such poor condition.

I seem to remember another PSer once said "A deal isn't a deal unless you're getting everything you want"

If you're in the market for a ready-to-wear peice and not a fixer-upper I think you should hold out until you find one that's already perfect. If you don't quite have enough for what you want, don't get a cheap alternative for the sake of instant gratification. Wait and save for one that will make you truly happy from the beginning.

 

[tigian]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

hmmmm...i totally see your predicament. I've been looking around for such a band and they are quite expensive. I may have had my eye on the band you bought!
I would wait for ID jewelry to get back to you and see how much it is to replace the stones. Also, how much is it for ID jewelry to make you a whole new band? I'm thinking you should return it since it is not exactly what you want.

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

Oh dear! It's too bad the diamonds are in such poor condition.

I seem to remember another PSer once said "A deal isn't a deal unless you're getting everything you want"

If you're in the market for a ready-to-wear peice and not a fixer-upper I think you should hold out until you find one that's already perfect. If you don't quite have enough for what you want, don't get a cheap alternative for the sake of instant gratification. Wait and save for one that will make you truly happy from the beginning.

Ha! Mrs. Salvo! I think about that one all the time.

I could take a fixer-upper, I think ... I don't mind doing the yeoman's work. It's more the concern that, a) it might be unfixable (I was hoping people who'd refurbished or tried to refurbish channel-set bands might chime in: I genuinely have no idea if it's a gamble or not!), and, b) that I might be delusional in the notion that these are hard to find. But two threads worth seems to have borne that out, so ... I guess I wait and see what my options are tomorrow! I don't think I want to get a half-carat band (they look good thin, but, regardless of what Wallis Simpson said, you CAN be too thin), and I don't think I've ever seen another one of this weight for a decent price (something inside me rebels against paying 2 to 3 k for a thin eternity). So... I'll just have to consult! I'll update once I know.

 

[Circe]

Re: Antique baguettes - how to restore? Appraisers, please

hmmmm...i totally see your predicament. I've been looking around for such a band and they are quite expensive. I may have had my eye on the band you bought!
I would wait for ID jewelry to get back to you and see how much it is to replace the stones. Also, how much is it for ID jewelry to make you a whole new band? I'm thinking you should return it since it is not exactly what you want.

Oh, that would crack me up - it really is like a tight-knit community, isn't it?

I'll have to ask about that tomorrow ... and consider the possibility of letting this one go, if it can't be repaired (though, the suggestion in the other thread that I just treat it like a 3/4 eternity and wear it as-is with the damage turned towards my palm is sort of tempting).