Do you ever wish you chose different stones?

[tigian]

So, in my mind, I have a dilemma. I've been saving (still saving) and plotting to get my dream studs at some point. I was convinced I wanted H&A, but lately I've been drooling over the OEC's that everybody is getting/resetting. Ahem, Pancake, MrsM, to name a few that pop in mind. I also lost on an auction for HOF stud earrings last week and thought maybe it is a sign.
Now, I can't decide! I waver back and forth between the modern and antique look.
Does anybody who has H&A wish they had chosen otherwise? Does anyone with OEC's wish for H&A? It's not an option for me to have both unless I win the lottery.

 

[slg47]

ooh fun fun

I would be curious to hear from owners of studs. I wonder how apparent the differences are (from earring distance, obviously huge difference in ring distance).

I personally have H&A studs and love them. However I am really wanting an OEC pendant

 

[tigian]

I've been watching GOG's videos comparing both cuts. I imagine it looks different on the ears, I just can't decide which I prefer! Chunky flashes or smaller sparkle!

 

[slg47]

are you thinking of going with AVRs?

 

[tigian]

I'm not sure. I have been looking more at their H&A. I've been scouring ebay and there is a nice pair under 2cts. But, I'm sort of scared to purchase through ebay since there is no return policy and I would have to go through the trouble of getting them appraised. I've been looking on Jewels by Erica also. The larger problem is DECIDING! Please help me, SLG. Haha. I'm so sorry you are stuck at the airport.

 

[slg47]

well ebay...can you ask for a return policy? I wouldn't buy from ebay with no returns. If you go with AVRs they are more expensive than OECs but they will not be 'wonky' and they will match, plus come with upgrade policy if you want to upgrade. I am in awe of everyone who finds beautiful OECs on ebay, I am not sure how they do it!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I have H&A studs and am very happy with that decision and the simple classic look they provide!

Have fun with whichever you choose!

 

[tigian]

Now we have 2 votes for H&A!

 

[D&T]

because I have not seen any OECs in person, and have Modern RB GIA graded studes myself I'm biased so I vote for Modern RB and if H&A- woot! AVRs have such an added premium that If I were to buy them, I'd like to stare at them all day on my finger instead. Have you looked in any antique jewelry stores? if there are any around you, maybe you can pop in to see if those cut calls out to you or not?

 

[stci]

For me it's OEC OEC OEC... did I said OEC? It's the most beautiful diamonds for me.

 

[Black Jade]

I have H & A (from whiteflash). I'm very happy with them. they sparkle in ALL circumstances.
I have never seen OEC studs in person so can't advise you on that. I have a ring with a stone which is transtional from Old Mine to OEC. the diamond is very beautiful and I love it. It does not have the flash of my studs but I don't know if that's because it's still set in its original setting, which is art deco so the stone is kind of deep in the ring. This might interfere with it sparkling quite as much.

 

[Andelain]

I've got H&A studs and a pair of AVR studs. As much as I like the AVR's the H&A'a are my go-to's.

 

[tigian]

because I have not seen any OECs in person, and have Modern RB GIA graded studes myself I'm biased so I vote for Modern RB and if H&A- woot! AVRs have such an added premium that If I were to buy them, I'd like to stare at them all day on my finger instead. Have you looked in any antique jewelry stores? if there are any around you, maybe you can pop in to see if those cut calls out to you or not?

Hey D & T, I was looking at the SMTR studs thread and came across your studs again. I was browsing Eternity's website and couldn't find any information about their upgrade policy. Is there one? Not many antique jewelry stores where I am. I would have to drive to Northern CA-bay area or coast.
So, now we have 3 votes.

 

[tigian]

I have H & A (from whiteflash). I'm very happy with them. they sparkle in ALL circumstances.
I have never seen OEC studs in person so can't advise you on that. I have a ring with a stone which is transtional from Old Mine to OEC. the diamond is very beautiful and I love it. It does not have the flash of my studs but I don't know if that's because it's still set in its original setting, which is art deco so the stone is kind of deep in the ring. This might interfere with it sparkling quite as much.

Hi Black Jade,
Thanks for your input. I'm not surprised your earrings sparkle in all circumstances . I forget the size of your studs, but I remember BIG, SPARKLY, and it sure left an impression on me when I saw your thread on them. WoW!
Does your OEC sparkle a lot in dimmer light?

 

[tigian]

For me it's OEC OEC OEC... did I said OEC? It's the most beautiful diamonds for me.

Hi Stci,
Thanks for your input. Do you have studs that are OEC? They are really beautiful when I see pictures of them and that is why it is so hard to decide.

 

[tigian]

I've got H&A studs and a pair of AVR studs. As much as I like the AVR's the H&A'a are my go-to's.

Okay, Andelain. I'm so surprised to hear your vote, but it means a lot to me because I've seen all the different stones you've purchased over the couple years. I also know you have many studs on each ear.
In my little world, I'm going to give your vote more weight. (Don't mean to offend the other voters. )

 

[TravelingGal]

I would get whatever is the most cost effective, as long as they sparkle. With earrings, I can't gaze at them, so I really don't care.

 

[Circe]

I went through the exact. same. thought process.

At the end of the day, I sort of think it depends on lobe size and stone size. I almost went for a pair of 1.20 tcw AVRs: PSrs talked me out of it via the logic that, at that size, the chunky flashes of light might not be obvious and it might not be worth paying the premium. Seeing as another PSr bought them and set them the exact same way I wanted to, and posted beautiful pics, I can definitely say that's not the case! But I also discovered that I apparently have monstrous earlobes, and every fraction of a mm helps: I got a pair of 1.40 tcw H&As instead, and I have no regrets whatsoever.

The one thing that I do think about sometimes is this: for what I paid for the H&As, I could have gotten a pair of maybe 2.0 tcw antique OECs. The reasons that I didn't are, a) I wanted my earrings to be upgradable, and, b) I wanted SBF in both stones, which wasn't the case with the AVRs, and which would have been a hell of a needle-in-a-haystack hunt with antique stones.

Now, I'm not sure if I ever want to upgrade the stones: since I got additional piercings, the graduation from smallest to largest is perfect, and I really, really, really adore the stones Yekutiel at ID Jewelry found for me. I know no one else cares, but I think the fluor is so cool! I DO think I'll be amenable to OECs in the future for a second pair, but I'm okay with waiting a decade or two for that. So, my advice ... if you want anything really specific, like fluor or a certain color or clarity, go with H&As, as they're easy to find.

But if the thing you want is the antique cut and/or size, go with old cuts, be they AVRs or true antiques ....

 

[rosetta]

I have tiny studs, and three holes in each ear.

I didn't go for upgradeable studs, as I'll just move the smaller ones up.

But I would love some large OECs!

 

[kelpie]

I've had earrings about the same size of europeans cuts and WF expert selection RBs. I have a strong preference for the euros so I sold the RBs. The RBs were beautiful but just didn't have the softness and character of the euros.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I may be one of the few here that has actually had both AVR's and WhiteFlash ACA H&A studs at the same time. So I can tell you what I decided. I had the ACA's first. They are so bright on the ears that they looked larger than they really were. I absolutely adore AVR's and AVC's, so when I was looking for a slightly smaller pair of studs, I saw a pair of AVR's that I sent for. They were absolutely beautiful and I loved looking at them! But once I put them in simple settings on my ears, I could tell they didn't show up like my old ones did because they have smaller tables and just didn't have the white light brightness. No one is going to go up close to your ears, so I just don't think you get the bling-effect of the H&A's. They were also lower color than my old ones, and that was also a factor for me. But in a ring, I absolutely would love looking down at those stones all day long! Price was an issue, too, as someone else said, because I could go larger or higher in color for the same amount of money. If I had unlimited money I would have just kept them and bezeled them like Ana did, but alas, I am don't! I love looking at the perfection of H&A stones, too, actually. I enjoy precision cut and perfect symmetry no matter the pattern. That is one reason why buying antique stones is difficult for me, because many of them are not as well cut as the AVR's and AVC's. But I definitely hope to have some old cuts (new or old) in my collection eventually, but they will more likely be for rings where I can see and appreciate them myself!!!

 

[mrssalvo]

I love OEC's but would probably do H&A's for earrings. I agree with those who said go with what is most cost effective but be sure you are getting the same diameter in stones b/c OEC's are usually deeper and will face up smaller than an ideal cut stone with the same weight.

 

[tigian]

It looks like the consensus is ideal RB for the ears, and a OEC for the hand. Thanks for clearing this debate up in my head. Now I can stop pondering and move on to the next debate. It's so great to hear everyone's opinion so keep them coming.

 

[Black Jade]

I have H & A (from whiteflash). I'm very happy with them. they sparkle in ALL circumstances.
I have never seen OEC studs in person so can't advise you on that. I have a ring with a stone which is transtional from Old Mine to OEC. the diamond is very beautiful and I love it. It does not have the flash of my studs but I don't know if that's because it's still set in its original setting, which is art deco so the stone is kind of deep in the ring. This might interfere with it sparkling quite as much.

Hi Black Jade,
Thanks for your input. I'm not surprised your earrings sparkle in all circumstances . I forget the size of your studs, but I remember BIG, SPARKLY, and it sure left an impression on me when I saw your thread on them. WoW!
Does your OEC sparkle a lot in dimmer light?

Thanks for the compliment! They are 1.81 total weight, each is about .90. They are H color VS2 clarity.
Yes my OEC ring does sparkle in dimmer light up to a point, but not like the H & A's do. Again, I do not know if this is because It it is set so less light catches the stone. It's not bezel set, but deep down into the ring--a typical art deco style. I believe that any studs would be set so that they would catch more light than it does and that might make a difference
Also, I repeat that my ring is transition between old mine and OEC, so may (probably does) behave differently than an actual OEC.
I regret that I have not paid attention to it in candelight. I believe that in candlelight these older cuts really show their stuff.
Good luck with making your choice. I would suggest making sure there is a good return policy on whichever one you buy in case you do not like.
My older cut ring is an F color. Although this was not graded by the GIA, a GIA trained gemologist graded it and it matches up, from the small amount of the side view that I can see, with my AGS graded F color fing. I mention this because I don't know if color makes a difference in the older cut diamonds so far as sparkle, before they had modern cutting methods. Its is an eye clean SI2