Good experience [window] shopping for OECs in LA

[rockzilla]

Just wanted to put this out there for anyone in the LA area in the market for an OEC (or antique/antique "replicas"). This weekend the BF and I went to Nobel Jewelry in Santa Monica (on 4th street near the promenade) and I spent probably 45-mins to an hour just looking around at different OECs and antique settings. I had read a lot on OECs on PS, but I really wanted to see some in person, and they had a bunch.

I probably won''t actually be "in" the market for a while, but the owner was really great and showed me tons of stuff. He had two cases, one of actual antiques and the other of the reproductions and modern pieces he makes himself. I had fun looking at stuff through the loupe and "geeking out" about diamonds as my BF put it. At one point, the owner tested me on what he had been teaching me about antiques...he put out 5 rings and told me to guess which were pre-1900 and post-1900 (I got it, thanks to my OEC vs. OMC education on PS

Anyways, it was a lot of fun, no pressure at all, and when I am ready to buy I will defintiely go back. There is something about the OEC that just really calls out to me...and hopefully this recommendation will benefit another PS member

RZ

PS There are two brothers who work there, but one of the two is the real expert...sorry I didn''t get his name!

 

[Cehrabehra]

awesome!! I might hve to venture into LA next time I''m in socal!!! so... what sizes were these stones? Did any really stand out?

 

[rockzilla]

There was a good variety of OECs...I''d say he had 20 or more in stock. No really huge honkers though, ones I was looking at were in the 0.5-1.5 ct range or so. There was one I saw that looked really great to me, the main thing I remember was that it was a D color, which set it apart from the other OECs. The owner said it was an especially high quality of his stock...but since I wasn''t actually shopping I don''t remember more specs =(

Also, all the OECs he had were set in antique settings...don''t know if he sells them loose or not.

 

[:)]

Rockzilla, Thank you! I was not even aware of this store!! Now I must go look! And Cehra - if you come to LA to see this store, I demand that you stop by to show me your firey stone!