Can I get some OEC help?

[rubybeth]

There are a couple of OECs I have my eyes on, and I'm wondering if folks can chime in with opinions. I want about a 7mm face-up size, and am not picky about color or clarity, just want a pretty facet pattern I can gaze into.

The first is a DB listing: http://diamondbistro.com/image/33993/item.html Seller has posted the best photos she can. Does the facet pattern look a little too disorganized? I am not so concerned with the chip, because I want a bezel or even double bezel ring. No returns is a little scary, but the price seems fair.

For the second, I will attach a photo. Returns within 2 weeks. Also, hard for me to tell if the facet pattern is nice. Worth pursuing?

 

[stci]

Go for the Bistro one!

 

[yssie]

I think the DB is just dirty - you can see it in the shot of the underside. Can you ask the seller to clean it properly and take some new pics? That will really help clear up with the faceting looks like - it does look mushy, but my OECs do too when they're dirty and I know they have beautifully clear patterning

 

[rubybeth]

Thanks, stci and Yssie! I've asked the DB seller if the stone might be dirty, and if she could send me larger images. I am thinking DB resizes the images down to fit their resolution, so e-mailed larger files might be more helpful. I really wish a return policy was an option, so I have asked. Can only wait and see!

Is the other stone worth any consideration?

 

[Dreamer_D]

For me, I am not a huge fan of stones with chips. I don't like to feel limited for setting style or use by chips. And I would not buy a significantly chipped stone with no returns unless the seller had really great photos to show the damage in detail! But you could perhaps have it polished out if it bugged you. I want better pics of the DB one. Ask the seller to please open her original high resolution files and crop them so that the diamond fills the whole area of the photo. Then send you that cropped high res image. That should help. Or send the original high res image so you can zoom in. From only those images the under-table looks a little lazy. The color also look way more tinted than a J-K, but that is hard to judge from photos. Still, with no lab reports I always assume something is more tinted.

The other one looks promising. Seems a similar color as the DB one. I bet the second one is an M-N color because sellers on ebay always oversell color (well not always, but I always assume they do). I would ask the vendor the spread. The ebay one has plusses: bigger (most likely, confirm the spread), return policy, no chips, and you can resell the mount to make up a little of the price difference with the DB one. I would offer $2500 and see what happens! I actually really like that second one and would consider it myself if I was in the market.

 

[rubybeth]

Dreamer, thanks for your advice! I will see what the DB seller says about sending higher res files and if I can get them, I will post. I am hesitant about the chip; the seller did say she had it covered with double-claw prongs and that covered it, and I love fishtail prongs and bezel settings so wouldn't feel too limited with options. She did say that removing the chip would likely be a re-cut, not just a simple polish.

I agree, the 2nd stone does look lower color than stated, but I did ask the spread, and it's 7mm. The return policy involves a 10% restocking fee, which I don't love, but maybe could negotiate that. The setting it's in is kind of crazy, but I think I could live with it for a while until deciding exactly what kind of setting I want. I loooove the Megan Thorne picture frame ring (http://www.clay-pot.com/MEGAN-THORNE-Picture-Frame-Solitaire.html) but would change a number of things about it (make the gallery prettier, for instance) so may need to go custom for exactly what I want.

 

[ForteKitty]

According to the eBay listing's carat weight, it should have a much bigger spread. Either they measured wrong, or they're overstating the carat weight. It doesn't look like that deep of a diamond from the side(ish) views, so if the diameter measurement is correct, it probably weighs much less.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Yes, a 7mm diamond of that make will likely weight under 1.5ct. I would guess in the 1.35ct range! So if I am thinking price I would assume 1.3ct and M-N color.

 

[rubybeth]

Attached are the high res files of the DB stone. Seller did say it's covered in fingerprints, so definitely is dirty to some extent. Dreamer, when you say it looks lazy under the table, I am not totally sure what you mean. Is it that the center looks a bit dark?

ForteKitty, thanks for chiming in! That stone is now listed as sold, so I guess it wasn't meant to be for me. I am willing to be patient for the right stone.

 

[pandabee]

Does that girdle chip bother you? What (setting) plans would you have for this OEC?

 

[CharmyPoo]

That chip looks pretty massive to me.

 

[rubybeth]

I want a bezel setting like the Megan Thorne ring I posted above, so a thin or somewhat chipped girdle would be protected. I think that I will let this one go, though. DH seems open to spending a bit more on this than I thought so will keep watching! If anyone sees a nice 7mm stone, page me!

 

[GemFever]

That chipped stone looks almost exactly like the chipped stone I had (and then sold). Even the size and color are similar.

Here's my thread on it, with some pics: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/whom-to-contact-to-polish-out-a-chipped-oec.181981/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/whom-to-contact-to-polish-out-a-chipped-oec.181981/[/URL]

When I bought the stone it was set in a ring and the chip was covered with fishtail prongs. It seemed to have been fine that way. Then I had it bezel set for a pendant. That was fine too. Then before I sold it, I had it taken out of the bezel (again, no problem). Now a PSer has it, and the plan is to set it into a bezeled ring. Hopefully that will also go without a hitch. All this is to say -- the chip should not automatically scare you away from the stone. If everything else is right (color, size, price, faceting, light performance), it could work. Though of course it depends on the nature of the chip, if there are any resulting cracks, etc. It would be good if an experience jeweler could give you (or the seller) an opinion on whether the stone is structurally safe.

P.S. Just saw your last post. I'm also on a lookout for a 7mm stone, so if I see something, I'll drop you a line!

 

[pandabee]

That chipped stone looks almost exactly like the chipped stone I had (and then sold). Even the size and color are similar.

Here's my thread on it, with some pics: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/whom-to-contact-to-polish-out-a-chipped-oec.181981/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/whom-to-contact-to-polish-out-a-chipped-oec.181981/[/URL]

When I bought the stone it was set in a ring and the chip was covered with fishtail prongs. It seemed to have been fine that way. Then I had it bezel set for a pendant. That was fine too. Then before I sold it, I had it taken out of the bezel (again, no problem). Now a PSer has it, and the plan is to set it into a bezeled ring. Hopefully that will also go without a hitch. All this is to say -- the chip should not automatically scare you away from the stone. If everything else is right (color, size, price, faceting, light performance), it could work. Though of course it depends on the nature of the chip, if there are any resulting cracks, etc. It would be good if an experience jeweler could give you (or the seller) an opinion on whether the stone is structurally safe.

P.S. Just saw your last post. I'm also on a lookout for a 7mm stone, so if I see something, I'll drop you a line!

still looking, Gem??

 

[GemFever]

still looking, Gem??

Pandabee -- yup, still looking. I love the stone on my finger, but I really want to find something exactly with the specs I wanted initially-- I-J color, hopefully some fluoro, and no obstruction. I didn't realize it at the time, but it turns out my 1.01ct J OEC didn't have any obstruction issues and I took it for granted. Anyway, the search continues! No rush this time, I want to get it perfect (though if I find it sooner than later I will be *so happy* because searching is exhausting!).

rubybeth, sorry for the threadjack. Maybe we should start a 7mm search-club thread over in Antique & Vintage

 

[dianabarbara]

ruby, I love Megan Thorne! best of luck to you and Gemfever for your search!!

 

[rubybeth]

GemFever, does the facet pattern look nice like on your former stone? People are kind of focusing on the chip, but as I said, the chip is not my main concern. My main question is about the facet pattern. Will it perform well? Is it pretty to anyone else or just to me? Pretend the chip is not there--would you get it?

The price is good for what I would be getting, and if I want to get something else later, this could become a pendant. The only 2 pieces left on my bling wish list are a 7mm OEC ering upgrade, and a pendant.

 

[GemFever]

GemFever, does the facet pattern look nice like on your former stone? People are kind of focusing on the chip, but as I said, the chip is not my main concern. My main question is about the facet pattern. Will it perform well? Is it pretty to anyone else or just to me? Pretend the chip is not there--would you get it?

The price is good for what I would be getting, and if I want to get something else later, this could become a pendant. The only 2 pieces left on my bling wish list are a 7mm OEC ering upgrade, and a pendant.

I think it looks fairly pretty. I'm not that good at predicting performance from just looking at the pics, I can only rule out the obvious problems (fisheye and such). But I think it might be a nice stone. It looks warmer than a J-K though. Tough buying without a return policy

 

[Dreamer_D]

For me that chip is a big no unless the price was way lower and there was a return policy. I would not want a chipped stone like that for a ring, or for such an important piece. This is your upgrade! I think you should get an undamaged diamond. Cut might be ok but I can't tell for sure. The central area lacks precision in the patterning and looks a little dark. I would need to see it in person to judge.
From those photos it looks way more tinted than a GIA JK. Looks more like an M-N. You cant judge color just from photos, but... well its something to think about.

I like this one a tonne, but its smaller than you want. The cut is great and it has a GIA report: http://diamondbistro.com/category/197/Necklaces-and-Pendants/listings/34014/GIA-103ct-OP-VS2-OEC-18k-Rose-Gold-LotusPendant.html

 

[rubybeth]

For me that chip is a big no unless the price was way lower and there was a return policy. I would not want a chipped stone like that for a ring, or for such an important piece. This is your upgrade! I think you should get an undamaged diamond. Cut might be ok but I can't tell for sure. The central area lacks precision in the patterning and looks a little dark. I would need to see it in person to judge.
From those photos it looks way more tinted than a GIA JK. Looks more like an M-N. You cant judge color just from photos, but... well its something to think about.

I like this one a tonne, but its smaller than you want. The cut is great and it has a GIA report: http://diamondbistro.com/category/197/Necklaces-and-Pendants/listings/34014/GIA-103ct-OP-VS2-OEC-18k-Rose-Gold-LotusPendant.html

Thanks, Dreamer, that helps a lot. I will keep looking. I do really like Xiriah's stone, and I trust her completely since I bought my earrings from her, but I just have this mental thing with wanting a 7mm+ stone. If I could plant that O-P in Miracle Grow, I would! I am really flexible on color and clarity, but not face up size or cut, because as you said, this is an important piece.

I have been wearing a fakey 7mm OEC in a Caroline Henry bezel setting for a couple months (this setting: http://www.etsy.com/listing/106679829/solitaire-ring) and the size is big enough for the finger coverage I want on my 5.25 finger, but not so big as to be unbelieveable, so I'm sure people think I've already gotten my upgrade. I think the only way that I would get a smaller stone would be with a seller who has a good upgrade policy so that I can grow the stone. Perhaps I need to reach out to Adam at OWD and see what he can come up with in my price range.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think if you are very patient you can find something for yourself on ebay. Stones over the 7mm mark are very rare. But they do come up. I can't even guess at prices anymore since they are all over the map. They come up on DB sometimes too it seems. But 7mm+ is harder to find. The options are patience to wait on the secondary market or going the retail route.