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Beautiful OMC

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purrfectpear

Ideal_Rock
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I totally agree that from my perspective it''s hard to say that one old cut is superior to another old cut, yet that''s exactly what some vendors are implying here. That their diamond is worth more than comparable specs. If both old mine cuts are equally acceptable, then the lower priced stone with a generous return/evaluation period is a superior buy, or put another way, a superior value.

I''ve heard condition mentioned. Fair enough. I''ve personally never run into an old cut with flea bites, chips, or condition issues at OWD. I have seen some with issues advertised at other vendors online.

So for me, condition issues are a no sale (other than eBay - dirt cheap) because I don''t have to accept them. There are plenty without condition problems.

Other than that, some can be too shallow (you''ll know it when you see a 3 carat diamond selling for $9K and depth that belongs on a 2 ct. diamond), and some are way deep. I remember EricaGrace had one that was very deep, they referred to it as a "ring pop". I thought it was really pretty and the depth in that case did not seem to be a detriment. Generally on an old cut, I would avoid excessive depth from a face up diameter perspective, not necessarily to eliminate it due to performance.

Off center culets are subjective. How much off center, ya know? What I do see a lot on antique cushions especially is not so much that they''re off center, but that the culet is not symmetrical (doesn''t bother me at all).

As to costs being higher at one place vs. another and the fact that you won''t find the same exact diamond elsewhere, what can I say? Deal with a vendor who has hundreds instead of less than a dozen. You are more likely to find at least one that speaks to you and probably at less cost.

I''ve never met Adam face to face, I don''t get any discount, and I don''t know how he does - what he does - at the price he does it...all I know is he does it well, apparently able to overcome all the obstacles that other vendors have posted as cost drivers.
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
Good question! A good appraiser should be able to account for an old cut''s peculiarities. There is (typically) a discount for old cuts, compared to a modern RB of the same stats. However, if a stone is over 3 carats, that doesn''t apply, or if it is a higher color (actually colorless) you may pay MORE than a comparable round brilliant, simply because of the rarity of, and demand for, colorless antique cuts. This was info I extracted from the appraiser I used for my 3.55 ct OEC when I got it. She had a decent amount of experience with antique cuts- in fact, HER e-ring was a champagne-y antique cushion! To figure out the appraisal value on the OEC I have, she spent a decent amount of time in researching, maybe 20 minutes using software, books and I think online too. She gave me three values: the retail replacement value which it ought to be insured at, the wholesale value a dealer might pay from a supplier, and what I might get if I sold it to a dealer myself (because I''d asked for that info). For my OEC, she determined that the price(s) on a 3.55ct OEC would be the same as a RB because of the size.

That was my experience getting an old cut appraised, anyway. She also helped me determine if I should get the chip removed (and the scratch it has on the pavilion). Since neither were visible to the eye, and the girdle was so *extremely* thin, she felt the risk was pretty high in recutting and the gain wasn''t worth it. It would''ve graded at an IF if the chip were removed, but she said the value of an M IF vs a M VS2 wasn''t as big a difference as you''d think- the value was held down mostly by the color, not the clarity. And if it went below 3.5cts, it would definitely offset any "value gain" by raising the clarity.

OK that was a long winded, rambling answer!
 

diagem

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Oct 21, 2004
Messages
5,096
Date: 2/13/2009 5:07:05 PM
Author: purrfectpear
I totally agree that from my perspective it''s hard to say that one old cut is superior to another old cut, yet that''s exactly what some vendors are implying here. That their diamond is worth more than comparable specs. If both old mine cuts are equally acceptable, then the lower priced stone with a generous return/evaluation period is a superior buy, or put another way, a superior value.

Correct..., as long as superior "make" is out of that basket...
1.gif


I''ve heard condition mentioned. Fair enough. I''ve personally never run into an old cut with flea bites, chips, or condition issues at OWD. I have seen some with issues advertised at other vendors online.

So for me, condition issues are a no sale (other than eBay - dirt cheap) because I don''t have to accept them. There are plenty without condition problems.

Other than that, some can be too shallow (you''ll know it when you see a 3 carat diamond selling for $9K and depth that belongs on a 2 ct. diamond), and some are way deep. I remember EricaGrace had one that was very deep, they referred to it as a ''ring pop''. I thought it was really pretty and the depth in that case did not seem to be a detriment. Generally on an old cut, I would avoid excessive depth from a face up diameter perspective, not necessarily to eliminate it due to performance.

Off center culets are subjective. How much off center, ya know? What I do see a lot on antique cushions especially is not so much that they''re off center, but that the culet is not symmetrical (doesn''t bother me at all).

As to costs being higher at one place vs. another and the fact that you won''t find the same exact diamond elsewhere, what can I say? Deal with a vendor who has hundreds instead of less than a dozen. You are more likely to find at least one that speaks to you and probably at less cost.

I''ve never met Adam face to face, I don''t get any discount, and I don''t know how he does - what he does - at the price he does it...all I know is he does it well, apparently able to overcome all the obstacles that other vendors have posted as cost drivers.
 

strmrdr

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 1, 2003
Messages
23,295
Date: 2/13/2009 4:50:30 PM
Author: Rockdiamond
wife2b???

Storm- are you engaged????
yep I have been engaged for years.
immigration sux (she is in Canada)
 

purrfectpear

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Messages
4,079
Date: 2/13/2009 6:27:37 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 2/13/2009 4:50:30 PM
Author: Rockdiamond
wife2b???

Storm- are you engaged????
yep I have been engaged for years.
immigration sux (she is in Canada)
Smuggle her across. We''ll never tell
9.gif

Do you live close enough to Canada to visit often? I work with a guy who has a fiance in the Phillipines. He says it takes years to resolve all the paperwork
7.gif
 
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