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Heirloom OMC diamond advice

quietlysw

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Messages
65
Hi all

To begin - I hope you are all well.

These days are testing all of us - and I hope for the good health of you and your loved ones

Since I am spending all of my time indoors now, I'm finding time to wear jewellery that I otherwise wouldn't!

One such ring is a beautiful ~1ct old mine cut diamond that my grandmother passed down to me.

The reason why I don't wear this as often, is because of a crack in the diamond.

She always told me that diamonds are very strong and that it has lasted millions of years to make its way to us. She said she wore it with careless abandon and that I should do the same

However, I'm too scared to wear it!! I wouldn't want to be the one to break this precious stone.

So - consulting my experts here: what should I do? Is this stone safe to wear? If not, is repolishing a diamond even possible?

Thank you for your help!!

I'm based in Australia - so any recommendations for jewellers to help with this ring would be appreciated 20200405_151632.jpg 20200405_151841.jpg 20200405_152711.jpg
 

foxinsox

Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Jul 18, 2015
Messages
4,061
That’s a hell of a tall crown! Wow. What a lovely stone and a beautiful ring. I’d love to see the profile.
Is this the setting your grandmother wore it in with careless abandon (I love that phrase)? If so, I’d be tempted to follow her advice and wear the hell out of it.
In saying that, I’d probably also be worried about knocking it and that cracking extending down further. I’m not sure you can do much about a crack off the table tho. Is the crack stable? Do you know how it was caused or was it always there as long as you or your grandmother had it?
Do you want to wear it as a ring or could you reset it into a pendant?
Not sure if bezel-setting would help or something that surrounds the stone a bit more would help overall?
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
53,979
Your OMC is gorgeous. :love:

After the pandemic is over I would want to get a trusted appraiser to evaluate the crack and give you his/her professional opinion. You could always bezel it for more security but I would want to know more about the crack.

What a stunning OMC. I also love the setting. And how meaningful it is being passed down by your grandmother. Makes it even that more special.

Enjoy in good health.
 

caolsen

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
1,488
What a lovely stone! Grandpa or grandma had great taste! Is it loss I keep that its a large feather andnot a fissure? It’s hard to tell in the photo, it can you feel it, is it on the surface or is it inside the stone?
 

caolsen

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
1,488
Repolishig is very possible but it’s a whole big thing and depending on where the imperfection is one is trying to correct (size, depth, position), you could emerge with a totally different look, losing some of the sentiment. And it’s a old mine cutand a really nice one too, a cut which I love, but it’s a style not commonly cut anymore so you’d be looking for a more specialized lapidary.

If it is a crack, as opposed to a feather, you could probably convert the sitting pretty easily into a pendant (remove the shank and add a bail for a chain & you’re off to the races). Stones on the neck do not get whacked much and you could do as your Grandma said and wear it albeit carefully with reckless abandon.
 

monipod

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 25, 2019
Messages
1,041
That is such a stunning stone and setting. Good on your grandmother for enjoying it.

Definitely agree with getting someone to take a good look at it. If the crack is some other less worrying inclusion not near the surface, I'd just wear it as your grandmother did :)

If the crack is deemed a concern as it's close enough to the surface then people have posted some great options. I'm still inclined to think the stone will be just fine, unless you plan on wearing it while working with metal or at the gym where it might make impact with something hard.
 

quietlysw

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Messages
65
Thank you all for your lovely and helpful responses!

This ring was an engagement ring (yes - just one of a few! Grandma had style!) that was purchased in Singapore in 1952. I'm guessing it made it's way over from Europe somehow? It's set in 22k gold (another EEK - but again, she vouches for its safety!) and feels absolutely lovely on!

I'm not a big pendant wearer, apart from a lucky medallion that I have been wearing lately, so as smart as that suggestion is, I'd be worried that it would see the light of day even more infrequently!

I'm really just hoping that people will say - go for it! Diamonds are indestructible! Even though I know deep down, that's not the case...

The crack can be felt with a fingernail- so it's definitely not an internal flaw hahaha. Grandma says it came to her like that - but she called it a birthmark! Something that mother earth gave to the stone.

Someone mentioned that the crack might grow if hit, and I think that is my big fear. That and the diamond completely breaking in two! Is that very likely? How much pressure do you think I'd need to place on the diamond to do that kind of damage? Are we talking a hammer here, or knocking the ring on the side of the metal sink when washing dishes...? (Which may or may not have happened once or twice....!)

Thanks again to all who are chiming in. Very very helpful!

Here is a photo of the profile of the stone Yes she is very deep, and very wonky too!
20200405_151935.jpg
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Jun 8, 2008
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53,979
Thank you all for your lovely and helpful responses!

This ring was an engagement ring (yes - just one of a few! Grandma had style!) that was purchased in Singapore in 1952. I'm guessing it made it's way over from Europe somehow? It's set in 22k gold (another EEK - but again, she vouches for its safety!) and feels absolutely lovely on!

I'm not a big pendant wearer, apart from a lucky medallion that I have been wearing lately, so as smart as that suggestion is, I'd be worried that it would see the light of day even more infrequently!

I'm really just hoping that people will say - go for it! Diamonds are indestructible! Even though I know deep down, that's not the case...

The crack can be felt with a fingernail- so it's definitely not an internal flaw hahaha. Grandma says it came to her like that - but she called it a birthmark! Something that mother earth gave to the stone.

Someone mentioned that the crack might grow if hit, and I think that is my big fear. That and the diamond completely breaking in two! Is that very likely? How much pressure do you think I'd need to place on the diamond to do that kind of damage? Are we talking a hammer here, or knocking the ring on the side of the metal sink when washing dishes...? (Which may or may not have happened once or twice....!)

Thanks again to all who are chiming in. Very very helpful!

Here is a photo of the profile of the stone Yes she is very deep, and very wonky too!
20200405_151935.jpg

She is so yummy. Stunning OMC. I hope you are able to enjoy her and wear her as much as you want.
 

AV_

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
3,889
It would take a hammer hit to split it in two - not a common act of wearing. I would wear it so as to follow the words it was bequested with - which make me think that the stone had its feather for many years before it came to you (many happy returns!) The gold already has its usual patina, it will hardly change.

_

nts. if the pavilion is deep, this is closer to 1.5 than to 1 cts.
 

PreRaphaelite

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Messages
3,564
My eyes are old, so I can’t actually see the crack you mention but it might just be a Natural, if it sits at the edge of the stone. Sorry to ask but do you have more pictures?
 

LightBright

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
1,563
That is one of the prettiest antique diamond and setting combinations I’ve ever seen. Beautiful. I agree the stone is likely more than one carat as it is DEEP. Gorgeous high crown. Wow. Whoever cut this old mine cut did so over one hundred years ago, and used ALL of the diamond crystal (this diamond looks like it has no girdle, its a knife edge all the way around). It’s a very old, precious precious antique cut diamond.

That being said, I’m surprised that your grandmother said she wore it with abandon because its in great shape. My antique diamond came to me with incredible facet abrasions. You can see what I’m talking about if you look at some of Gem Concepts Instagram posts of antique diamonds: facets so abraded all over the cut stone that you can see the faceting from the outside of the stone. Yours doesn’t seem to have any noticeable facet abrasions.

To answer your question. I’m not an expert. But I believe that is not a crack that was made by a human, i think it is a crack from the original crystal and it withstood the extreme pressure of manual faceting. One of the pros here can confirm this might be true.

I would literally do nothing except have a TRUSTED jeweler carefully examine the prongs of this setting to make sure the stone is secure (in your presence). Or you yourself look carefully at the prongs (safer option perhaps) to be sure they are secure. That is my only concern. I wouldn’t reset it, I would under no circumstances unmount it except to fix prongs. I wouldn’t get it lab certified. I wouldn’t do anything but wear it happily.

Again, that crack in my opinion withstood the cutting and faceting process, and if somehow you manage to damage it after 120 plus years id be surprised but call it a good run.

Last observation. My intent is to tell you not to worry about wearing this as a ring, but recently I’ve been having so much fun with NECKLACES. So that is always an option, setting it as a pendant if you just cant bear the thought of wearing it as a ring. But the less you fool around with this diamond the better, I’d ONLY make sure the prongs are holding it very securely. And I would ignore the fact that it has a ‘crack”.

These are only my two cents.
 
Last edited:

marymm

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
5,520
Wear it! Keeping it safe in a drawer means it is not seeing the light of day, and you'd be saving it for what? another person to save it in a drawer? Your grandmother wishes you to wear it and enjoy it ... do so in her memory and in so doing you'll be creating your own memories :)
 

LightBright

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
1,563
Oh goodness I need to say something about attempting to recut/repolish the diamond to fix or get rid of the crack.

Over many years of loving antique faceted diamonds I’ve come to realize that the value of antique diamonds is in as much the historical craftsmanship and artistry of the original cut as it is in the sentimentality of inherited ownership and the value of the rough.

These old cuts cannot be tampered with without losing the historical value of an originally cut antique stone, which is priceless. You cannot just cut off one part of the stone to fix a flaw without permanently damaging the integrity of the original cut. Light play and stylistic form are determined precisely by the original angles and their relationships to each other. You will also lose carat weight, likely some of the diameter, and likely a good part of the exquisite high crown. So I wouldn’t let any cutter near this stone with the intent to “fix” the crack, please.

Just my two cents.
 

headlight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2003
Messages
3,293
Thank you all for your lovely and helpful responses!

This ring was an engagement ring (yes - just one of a few! Grandma had style!) that was purchased in Singapore in 1952. I'm guessing it made it's way over from Europe somehow? It's set in 22k gold (another EEK - but again, she vouches for its safety!) and feels absolutely lovely on!

I'm not a big pendant wearer, apart from a lucky medallion that I have been wearing lately, so as smart as that suggestion is, I'd be worried that it would see the light of day even more infrequently!

I'm really just hoping that people will say - go for it! Diamonds are indestructible! Even though I know deep down, that's not the case...

The crack can be felt with a fingernail- so it's definitely not an internal flaw hahaha. Grandma says it came to her like that - but she called it a birthmark! Something that mother earth gave to the stone.

Someone mentioned that the crack might grow if hit, and I think that is my big fear. That and the diamond completely breaking in two! Is that very likely? How much pressure do you think I'd need to place on the diamond to do that kind of damage? Are we talking a hammer here, or knocking the ring on the side of the metal sink when washing dishes...? (Which may or may not have happened once or twice....!)

Thanks again to all who are chiming in. Very very helpful!

Here is a photo of the profile of the stone Yes she is very deep, and very wonky too!
20200405_151935.jpg

That photo is amazing... love the profile!!!
 

canuk-gal

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
25,648
HI:

What a beauty. Wear the hell out of it....you should heed sage advice!

cheers--Sharon
 

quietlysw

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Messages
65
Thank you my wonderful friends :razz:

I will need your advice and wear the ring confidently and happily!

Diamond inclusions are so hard to wrap my head around - so thank you for your expert advice and guidance. I'm guessing this is a natural? I had a look online and I think that's what it is. A crack (what I believed was the case here) looks much more "chip"-like, whereas this stone just has a long, clean-ish line running across the facets. Almost as though someone took a knife and just sliced into it!

Once life returns to normal I will take it to a jeweller to have the claws checked over for safety. I started reading about 22k gold settings on here - which also made me nervous, haha!

Grandma clearly loved to forge her own path through the wilderness :lol-2: so interesting to think that 22k is often thought to be too soft for gem setting, and yet there she went- setting her "1ct or thereabouts" (she literally was too cool to care!) diamond in that carat gold!!

Thanks all again. More photos for your enjoyment xx
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20200406_093853.jpg

20200406_091458.jpg

20200406_091448.jpg

20200406_092516.jpg
 

foxinsox

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
4,061
That is just so luscious :kiss2:
 

ringo865

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Messages
2,897
Yummy! Wear her and enjoy. She is a beauty.
 
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