Doing Business with Jewels by Erica Grace

[Andelain]

I know they’re not a PS vendor, but they are popular here so I thought I’d share my recent experience with JBEG.

I’m not really a huge fan of older cuts, so I really didn’t pay them a lot of attention until I saw the thread on here ‘Erica’s Jaw Dropping Asscher for Sale’. Of course I had to go take a look and even considered the ring, except that 3-stone and 5-stone rings really aren’t my cup of tea. So I snooped around their site and ended up on their page of modern stuff where I saw 2 Eightstar rings available. I drooled for a little while, and then closed my browsed, but I kept thinking about the 1.57 ct. A week or so later I went back to their site and it was still available, so I decided to ask a little about it.

Erica email me back saying it was still there and in-house. We got to talking back and forth about if and she told me that since it was a consignment item it would be non-returnable once it was sized. Understandable, but I was a bit concerned about dropping 12k on it. We also started talking about the 1.10 ct I-2 they had listed, and both her and Grace swore up and down it was eye clean. Between both rings being non-returnable, me being overseas where shipping takes 3 weeks or more, and the fact that I’d never seen an Eightstar from closer than 5-6 feet we had a few dilemmas. Erica worked with me to come up with a solution that worked for both of us. I decided it was worth it to take a chance on the less expensive 1.10 ct, and if I liked it I would also get the 1.57.

I paid for the 1.10, they had it sized and shipped off. Almost 4 weeks of eager anticipation later I get a box on the mail…. I opened the box-within-a-box and

. I showed it to a couple of people in the room and their reaction was “WOW, that’s a fiery diamond!” Within 10 minutes I was in my room on my computer paying the remaining balance on the 1.57. The whole time we had been emailing back and forth, and I owe Grace a pic of the 1.10 with some grenades. After the 1.57 was shipped I Grace said “If you think the 1.10ct was pretty, this one's gonna knock your socks off! In this size, the arrows in the faceting is just so obvious that you cant help staring at it ” Well, she was wrong about that. Yesterday the ring finally got here I carried the box into my room and carefully opened it to reveal my new treasure. Why didn’t it knock my socks off? Because I was determined to prove her wrong and when I first got to my room I had taken my shoes and socks off and put on my sandals.

This 7.6 mm blazing sun on my finger is one of the most stunning diamonds I’ve ever seen.

OMG, their description of ‘Very Lively Diamond’ doesn’t begin to describe it. The one thing that stood out about dealing with these 2 ladies is how patient and willing to work with me they were, because the entire transaction took over 2 months. Not only that, they are 2 of the nicest, and funniest, people I’ve ever done business with. I’m going to have a pendant made with the 1.10 and you can guess who I want to do it.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/19/2010 1:42:07 PM
Author:Lone_Wolfe

I know they’re not a PS vendor, but they are popular here so I thought I’d share my recent experience with JBEG.

I’m not really a huge fan of older cuts, so I really didn’t pay them a lot of attention until I saw the thread on here ‘Erica’s Jaw Dropping Asscher for Sale’. Of course I had to go take a look and even considered the ring, except that 3-stone and 5-stone rings really aren’t my cup of tea. So I snooped around their site and ended up on their page of modern stuff where I saw 2 Eightstar rings available. I drooled for a little while, and then closed my browsed, but I kept thinking about the 1.57 ct. A week or so later I went back to their site and it was still available, so I decided to ask a little about it.

Erica email me back saying it was still there and in-house. We got to talking back and forth about if and she told me that since it was a consignment item it would be non-returnable once it was sized. Understandable, but I was a bit concerned about dropping 12k on it. We also started talking about the 1.10 ct I-2 they had listed, and both her and Grace swore up and down it was eye clean. Between both rings being non-returnable, me being overseas where shipping takes 3 weeks or more, and the fact that I’d never seen an Eightstar from closer than 5-6 feet we had a few dilemmas. Erica worked with me to come up with a solution that worked for both of us. I decided it was worth it to take a chance on the less expensive 1.10 ct, and if I liked it I would also get the 1.57.

I paid for the 1.10, they had it sized and shipped off. Almost 4 weeks of eager anticipation later I get a box on the mail…. I opened the box-within-a-box and

. I showed it to a couple of people in the room and their reaction was “WOW, that’s a fiery diamond!” Within 10 minutes I was in my room on my computer paying the remaining balance on the 1.57. The whole time we had been emailing back and forth, and I owe Grace a pic of the 1.10 with some grenades. After the 1.57 was shipped I Erica said “If you thought the 1.10 was pretty, the 1.57 is gonna knock your socks off!” Well, she was wrong about that. Yesterday the ring finally got here I carried the box into my room and carefully opened it to reveal my new treasure. Why didn’t it knock my socks off? Because I was determined to prove her wrong and when I first got to my room I had taken my shoes and socks off and put on my sandals.

This 7.6 mm blazing sun on my finger is one of the most stunning diamonds I’ve ever seen.

OMG, their description of ‘Very Lively Diamond’ doesn’t begin to describe it. The one thing that stood out about dealing with these 2 ladies is how patient and willing to work with me they were, because the entire transaction took over 2 months. Not only that, they are 2 of the nicest, and funniest, people I’ve ever done business with. I’m going to have a pendant made with the 1.10 and you can guess who I want to do it.

LOL!!!

What a great and entertaining review! So glad you had such a good experience and are so happy with your purchases.

I take it we will get some pics sometime please??

 

[melz]

Congrats Lone Wolfe! I''m so glad to hear a pricescoper got that ring. Can we have some finger pics?

I emailed back and forth with Grace a bit myself, and she was lovely to deal with.

 

[missydebby]

Ohhh Lonewolfe, please show us the bling!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

glad you had a great experience and I can''t wait to see pics!!!!

 

[MrsBettyBoop]

* inserts one of those "this thread is useless without pictures" smileys *

 

[Circe]

Excellent review! I will look forward to many, many pictures of both pieces ....

 

[tyty333]

You lucky duck! So where are the pics??? I''m going over to check out the SMTB forum right now and there better be pics!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am going to grant you a teensy bit of leeway given that you are in a desert and serving your country, but that will only get you so far madam. Please post photos or I shall send the PS police after you!

And thanks for the review, it really helps!

 

[luv2sparkle]

yup, the last thing you want is a bunch of bling hungry ps women hunting you down for pictures of your pretties. Come on, give em up.

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/19/2010 4:22:51 PM
Author: dreamer_d
I am going to grant you a teensy bit of leeway given that you are in a desert and serving your country, but that will only get you so far madam. Please post photos or I shall send the PS police after you!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 5/19/2010 4:28:20 PM
Author: Lone_Wolfe

Date: 5/19/2010 4:22:51 PM
Author: dreamer_d
I am going to grant you a teensy bit of leeway given that you are in a desert and serving your country, but that will only get you so far madam. Please post photos or I shall send the PS police after you!

We are mean and we carry loups and those temporary ring holders and tweezers.

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/19/2010 4:37:51 PM
Author: dreamer_d

We are mean and we carry loups and those temporary ring holders and tweezers.

Guess I better appease you guys a bit unti I can get some of my own pics here....

Here''s the so-called I-2. This was one of the pics on JBEG''s site.

 

[Upgradable]

Congratulations on your beautiful diamonds, and finding the best vendors in the WORLD!!!

I love Erica and Grace, and am so glad to hear that others love them too!!!

 

[yssie]

that''s an I2?

Apparently I should''ve dropped down a couple more clarity grades when I was searching for my stone

It looks lovely! And thanks for the fantastic review

 

[melz]

If I am looking at the right ring, on their site it says vvs1?

 

[clgwli]

And here I never thought I would be willing to go below SI1 for a ring! My SI2 earrings show more noticable inclusions than that!!!

Beautiful stone and awesome review!

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/19/2010 5:02:26 PM
Author: Melz
If I am looking at the right ring, on their site it says vvs1?

Ahhh, you want to see the VVS1, do you?

 

[melz]

Beautiful!

 

[ericad]

Awwww, shucks! It was a pleasure working with you, Lonewolfe, and thanks for the kind words. We look forward to many future projects!

 

[nice ice]

Lone Wolfe~ congratulations ! Your stones are breathtaking

I am so pleased you ended up with these exceptional beauties

Well done

My experience with Erica/Grace was wonderful, as well

Looking forward to the grenade shots

 

[kenny]

I loooooooove Eightstar diamonds.
You are so lucky to have two.

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/20/2010 12:12:13 PM
Author: kenny
I loooooooove Eightstar diamonds.
You are so lucky to have two.

Yes, I agree, I got lucky finding them both at a good price at a time when I could jump on them.

Here's the little fireballs in a box under flourescent lighting.

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/19/2010 5:55:56 PM
Author: clgwli
And here I never thought I would be willing to go below SI1 for a ring! My SI2 earrings show more noticable inclusions than that!!!

Beautiful stone and awesome review!

I never would either, and the I-2 has been intended to be put in a pendant all along and still is. But I''ll tell you I''d be perfectly to have this so-called I-2 on my hand any day of the week.

Here they both are together. The 1.10 is in a platinum Tiffany repro setting that I don''t like at all and the 1.57 is in a nice plat D Vatche Royal Crown. It''s almost a shame, but it''s coming out of there eventually because neither of these was meant to be an engagement ring. Although the though of giving the 1.57 to my BF so he can give it back to me when he proposes has gone through my evil little mind.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 5/20/2010 1:02:19 PM
Author: Lone_Wolfe

Here they both are together. The 1.10 is in a platinum Tiffany repro setting that I don''t like at all and the 1.57 is in a nice plat D Vatche Royal Crown. It''s almost a shame, but it''s coming out of there eventually because neither of these was meant to be an engagement ring. Although the though of giving the 1.57 to my BF so he can give it back to me when he proposes has gone through my evil little mind.

That is not evil at all! If he resets it into a setting he chooses or at least pays for then I don''t think it is odd at all

What is the color of the 1.10? It is an F or something, right?

 

[Bella_mezzo]

lovely, and that I-2 is going to be killer pendant!!!!!

I''m confused though, is the 1.57 not intended for an e-ring? If so, what is it going to be?!?!?!?

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/19/2010 4:57:38 PM
Author: yssie
that''s an I2?

Apparently I should''ve dropped down a couple more clarity grades when I was searching for my stone

It looks lovely! And thanks for the fantastic review

That was my thought what I took my first look at it. then I found myself wondering if someone at Eightstar had ticked off a GIA grader while he had the stones in hand.

But seriously, it''s NOT an I-2 by any standard I know and I completed part of a GIA diamond grading class many moons ago. Most I-2''s I''ve seen look like they belong on the end of a drill.

Here''s a pic of the 2 JBEG Eightstars and my new WF ACA (.84 D-VS2) that I have another thread running about in SMTB. It''s the bottom stone and you can see how clean it is. The white flecks you see on all of them aren''t inclusions, it''s genuine Iraqi dust. That crap is everywhere!

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/20/2010 1:06:21 PM
Author: dreamer_d

Date: 5/20/2010 1:02:19 PM
Author: Lone_Wolfe

Here they both are together. The 1.10 is in a platinum Tiffany repro setting that I don't like at all and the 1.57 is in a nice plat D Vatche Royal Crown. It's almost a shame, but it's coming out of there eventually because neither of these was meant to be an engagement ring. Although the though of giving the 1.57 to my BF so he can give it back to me when he proposes has gone through my evil little mind.

That is not evil at all! If he resets it into a setting he chooses or at least pays for then I don't think it is odd at all

What is the color of the 1.10? It is an F or something, right?

Actually unless he were to go with a really fancy custom setting I'd ask him to leave it in the Vatche. As a solitaire I can't think of any other setting I like better.

You have a good eye!

The eye-deuce is in fact an F.



Bella_mezzo - Thank you, I think it will be too. Grace and I have been trading emails getting the design for it. I'm going with something free-form and hunting a small but nice accent stone to go with it. I'm leaning toward one that BGD has.

I bought the 1.57 without a specific plan for it, other than to make some pretty ring out of it. I wasn't hunting a stone that size, it was just wayyyy to nice to pass up.

 

[Andelain]

Date: 5/19/2010 4:28:06 PM
Author: luv2sparkle
yup, the last thing you want is a bunch of bling hungry ps women hunting you down for pictures of your pretties. Come on, give em up.

OK, you folks win...

Here''s another of both of them on my hand. You''re not going to hunt me down now are you?

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am very color sensitive (i.e., as in perceptive), the bane of my diamond existence

But I also may recall you mentioning the color somewhere else... I think your photos are really great for showing the difference between an F and an I in some lighting, though of course in reality the fine nuance of color differences are so much less noticable. I wonder if you can comment on the different appearances of your three diamonds in terms of color? Of course, you I is also larger and I have noticed that once you are over the 1.5ct mark the performance really changes in the diamond and it shows more contrast and scintillation from the larger facets and virtual factes, and that sort of changes the flavour of the color... anyways, would love to hear your comments since you own a D and F and an I!