Antique Stones

[penskip]

When looking at antique stones, what do you look for in terms of polish and symmetry?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/3/2009 7:30:27 AM
Author:penskip

When looking at antique stones, what do you look for in terms of polish and symmetry?

It depends on the diamond but personally I look for at least good, however it depends on the diamond as a whole rather than one aspect, some old stones have fair polish and symmetry and can be beautiful. An independant appraiser is always extremely valuable to inspect any diamond you might be interested in to give an impartial opinion, check for damage which might have occurred over the years and so on.

 

[Liane]

I look for if it''s pretty.

I know that''s kind of a smart-ass answer but it''s true. Antique cuts are like fancy shapes; you have to go by what pleases your eye, and when in doubt, get a second opinion from an expert (of course that''s a good idea regardless).

What I personally look for is a floral or Maltese cross-type pattern in the facets, big chunky flashes of fire, a high crown, and lots of dispersion. I''m not tremendously concerned with polish or symmetry as such, although of course it''s a problem if the polish is very bad or the stone appears all lumpy and off-shape. Basically anything rated VG+ is fine with me, and even a Good is completely acceptable if I like everything else about the stone. Old stones sometimes pick up surface scratches and bruises as they''re worn through the decades, and I''m willing to accept a certain amount of that as part of the gem''s history.