Antique Diamond Appraisal

[ladypirate]

I know there have been several appraisal threads in the past, but I had a question that I couldn't find the answer to by searching (if I missed it, please direct me to the correct thread!)

FF's grandmother has offered him her mother's engagement ring to propose with. He saw it a couple of weeks ago when we were visiting, but I wasn't allowed to come along (darn!

). From the information I was able to extract from him, though, the stone is between 1 and 2 carats (I know, so helpful--he said she told him and he promptly forgot) and is probably an OEC (he said it is definitely round, so that's my guess for the time period (approx. 1900 or so).

The stone is currently set in yellow gold and so we are planning to reset the diamond and use the current setting for a colored stone RHR. So my question is how to go about getting it appraised. Do we have a jeweler unset it, then take it in for appraisal? Have it appraised in its current setting and then appraised again once it's unset? Does it matter? There's a local appraiser who specializes in period jewelry and stones, so we'll be most likely taking it to her. I suppose that the appraisal wouldn't matter to everyone, but the geek in me really wants to know all the stats.

I apologize for not having pictures--I think FF is actually going to get the ring when we go down again at Christmas, so I won't have an opportunity to take any until then.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[surfgirl]

If you''re serious about using this stone, I think it''s important for you to see it first, dont you? It could be in terrific shape...or not. That''s something you should know before you commit to using it for your ering, IMO. Can he get it now, and have it appraised? I mean, if you see it and you love it, then I dont see why you wouldn''t remove it from it''s current setting, get it appraised, then have it re set, yes?

 

[ladypirate]

Date: 7/25/2008 2:14:32 AM
Author: surfgirl
If you''re serious about using this stone, I think it''s important for you to see it first, dont you? It could be in terrific shape...or not. That''s something you should know before you commit to using it for your ering, IMO. Can he get it now, and have it appraised? I mean, if you see it and you love it, then I dont see why you wouldn''t remove it from it''s current setting, get it appraised, then have it re set, yes?

I definitely want to see it before committing to using it for sure, but I won''t have a chance to until Christmas. I''m currently going off of Kris'' word that it is a nice stone, but I want to check it out for myself as well. I''d love to use it because of the family significance (it was his grandmother''s engagement ring as well as his great grandmother''s), but if it''s in poor condition, then we''ll keep looking.

 

[LGK]

If you''re going to reset the diamond and reuse the original setting for a rhr anyway, I would have it unset and appraised loose just to err on the side of accuracy. However, depending on the size of the prongs, an experienced appraiser can usually tell if anything is hidden under one, if you decide you like the setting and don''t want to reset the diamond. (At least that''s what the appraiser who looked at at a diamond in a setting told me- it has really small prongs and she said she was able to see under them with her microscope.)

Sounds beautiful!

 

[wandamas]

Ladypirate - I think there is a very important question that is being missed here. Does your FF feel obligated to use this diamond? Is, "no thanks its not the quality we were looking for" an option? If his fam. is as controlling as my FI then you are stuck with this diamond, you may as well know what you are dealing with and have it appraised now.

~w