Help looking for a 7mm OEC

[LibbyLA]

GemFever,

Now don't wear out your mouse clicking on refresh to see updated tracking info . Hope it arrives sooner rather than later, but if it can arrive as late as this afternoon, it probably won't be there by 10:30.

liz

 

[bunnycat]

GemFever,

Now don't wear out your mouse clicking on refresh to see updated tracking info . Hope it arrives sooner rather than later, but if it can arrive as late as this afternoon, it probably won't be there by 10:30.

liz

I don't think anyone knows WHAT you could mean!

 

[GemFever]

Hehehe, well said LibbyLA and bastetcat!

Well, tracking indicates its on truck for delivery. I have assumed my place by the window, book and cat in my lap. Listening for every truck-like sound my ears can pick up. Fun times!

 

[LibbyLA]

Too bad tracking doesn't have a little map showing the truck on its rounds...

You wait. You'll be in the bathroom or up to your elbows in something that you've been putting off all day and the delivery person will show up.

liz

 

[GemFever]

LOL, liz

No, I'm good at this waiting stuff! Lots of practice.

Delivery has come (I watched the truck approach from down the street).

First impressions -- it is not a whitey. It looks quite cafe au lait. My absolute first thought (right before "oh damn it shows warmth") was -- this thing is huge! The cut is gorgeous, but I am worried about obstruction. A gazillion pics will be up shortly.

 

[GemFever]

I'm 90% sure I will keep this ring. Yes, the color is much warmer than I wanted, but the stone is beautiful. The combination of price + cut + size = winner for now. I will re-set it into my favorite setting and wear it for a while. If the color ends up bothering me, I'll try to re-sell and find something else. But for now, I definitely want to give this beauty a chance.

And now, pics! I'll put my comments to each pic in the description underneath the file. Please give me your opinions, I'm interested in honest ones, whatever they are!

 

[GemFever]

Continued... my thoughts still in the descriptions under the file.

 

[GemFever]

Last batch for now...






I'm off to the grocery store. Because we need some food. Not at all because of grocery store lighting, no!

 

[LibbyLA]

Wear it and watch it. See if there's anything about it that bothers you. My first impression is that it is beautiful. The faceting in the center shows up really nicely. I like the color. Bet it flashes really beautiful pastel sparkles.

That setting gives a lot of finger coverage, for sure!

liz

 

[GemFever]

Thanks Liz!

More opinions welcome. I'm still deliberating, and kind of stressing out about possible obstruction.

The setting is very beautiful, but soooo not my style. If I decide to keep the stone, I can't wait to "free" it from the setting. Though I do like the setting, I'd love to see a colored stone in there. Right now the bling is overwhelming, I feel like the center stone gets lost in the outside bling. I'm such a solitaire girl.

 

[LibbyLA]

GemFever,

I agree with you about the diamond getting lost amongst all the other diamonds and you are right that a colored stone would look lovely in that setting.

I'm a solitaire kind of gal, too, but I might consider putting it in one of those vintage basket settings that is subtley illusion-y or a very narrow metal-only halo (to protect the girdle).

JbEG's Lisa (I have one, love it): http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/SignatureSettingsPortfolio/Plain-and-Pave-Solitaires/The-Lisa-Halo-Featuring-a/16245571_tCctCD#!i=1220390820&k=SPvMwHB

Look at the top view. IRL, you really don't see the illusion part that much, it's so subtle but it gives a finished look to the outline of the diamond.

JbEG has some lovely settings that are solitaire-y but with twists. I don't think I'd like it set in a very plain solitaire, but something vintage looking with some interest in the basket or struts would be lovely.

Can't wait to see how you decide to set it. You know you want to keep it!

liz

 

[ericad]

Great find! Does the diamond look dark under the table when you look at it in person? You can't judge it just from the pics, but if it's doing that same effect when you look at it from a reasonable distance, then it could be obstruction.

Sometimes we have stones that photograph dark like what you see in your pics, however the diamond is just picking up the black of the camera and shows no darkness at all in real life. Sometimes, however, a diamond can show some darkness in person, which would be obstruction and the degree of obstruction may or may not be acceptable.

How does it look to your eyes in different lighting environments?

 

[GemFever]

Liz, thanks for the link! That is so pretty. But I'm just gonna go with another copy of my old setting. Something about it is just perfect for me.

Erica, thanks for checking in! I'll post some more photos of the good and the bad. I would say the darkness is much more visible on photos, BUT it does show up in some situations in real life as well. One of the worst was when I was in the car this afternoon. The overcast February light really made the stone look awful.

I'm guessing the stone does have *some* obstruction. It's not a nailhead or anything, but it happens. I wonder... can anything be done to fix it up? I wouldn't be against a repolish, or a small re-cut. To keep the cut of the stone, but to fix up the obstruction. I need to read up on what causes obstruction in the first place.

(any recommended links for that read?)

 

[dianabarbara]

I find it so so pretty!! In a simpler setting, it will look perfect!

great find, gemfever

I hope someone with more experience will comment on the last picture.

 

[GemFever]

Thanks dianabarbara

 

[Circe]

I really like it. I think the color is being affected by the setting to a certain extent - a lot of the side stones are warm, it's a fairly closed in setting, that takes a toll.

The faceting is harder to call. I'm +1ing you on being 90% sure it's a keeper, but more pics to confirm (or video?) will make the choice easier. Because, end of the day, it's the stone in motion and not what we might see here in snatches that matters.

And finally ... BIG +1 on the idea of a setting to even out the shape. In Diana's thread, Mara said 8 prongs made the difference. Maybe something like Ganesha's rose gold belcher setting from OWD?

 

[bunnycat]

YAY! You got it!

I also second posting a little video if you can. I think these are the hardest of all to suss out from pics alone (well- unless you're one of the resident gurus, which I am not!) I also agree the setting could be assisting in some of the darkness you see sometimes and some of the warmth, because I thought the side stones were warmer than the main stone when I saw your pic from the seller.

I'm with you though, I don't really know enough about what's "normal" performance for these older cuts and how much my brain slops on modern assessments of things automatically....It could end up boiling down to preference for you, much like color. It bothers some people and not others. I also think that with these really big old LGF reflecting what's close by, if you get close enough and TRY hard enough, you can probably make even the best of them darken.

Keep wearing it and see how your feelings develop.

 

[LibbyLA]

GemFever,

Awhile back, there was a thread on why even ideal-cut diamonds don't always look good. If there's too much bright light (like really full sun), the light reflecting from the diamond isn't brighter than the sunlight hitting it. On an overcast day, there isn't much light to make the thing sparkle. No diamond is going to look gorgeous in all lighting conditions.

What does your original setting look like? Maybe post a photo so we lazy people can see without trying to find it.

liz

 

[missy]

Gem, I love the pic where you are cupping it - those are amazing colors shooting out of the diamond. I think I really like it! The only issue I would be concerned with is if the center gets dark IRL a lot or not really. As others have said a static pic is not true to life so you have to see what you think about that (if that is an issue at all IRL) while you wear it. A video would be great!

 

[GemFever]

Thanks Circe, bastetcat, LibbyLA, and missy for your thoughts!

I'm really leaning towards keeping it. The obstruction is not too bad IRL, it's rarely visible. I have a few vids of it already and I'd love to post them, but I'm not sure if we are allowed to do that here. I'd be glad to send links to YouTube via private message through Loupe Troop. Or, if policies on videos changed, let me know and I'll share the YouTube links.

Liz -- I'll post a pic of my original setting as soon as I'm home and on a computer. It's just a 6-prong yellow gold solitaire, but I like the look. Pics soon.

 

[bunnycat]

Thanks Circe, bastetcat, LibbyLA, and missy for your thoughts!

I'm really leaning towards keeping it. The obstruction is not too bad IRL, it's rarely visible. I have a few vids of it already and I'd love to post them, but I'm not sure if we are allowed to do that here. I'd be glad to send links to YouTube via private message through Loupe Troop. Or, if policies on videos changed, let me know and I'll share the YouTube links.

Liz -- I'll post a pic of my original setting as soon as I'm home and on a computer. It's just a 6-prong yellow gold solitaire, but I like the look. Pics soon.

oops- I didn't know we couldn't post video link...I'd love to see it though so I'll send you a message later for a linky!

I think this will be a really really educational experience. I really hope you document the change in setting if you end up keeping it with lots of pics for everyone and a running commentary. I'm totally curious what a really open gallery 6 prong setting will do for it once it's out of it's confining mount.

 

[ariel144]

Great find! Does the diamond look dark under the table when you look at it in person? You can't judge it just from the pics, but if it's doing that same effect when you look at it from a reasonable distance, then it could be obstruction.

Sometimes we have stones that photograph dark like what you see in your pics, however the diamond is just picking up the black of the camera and shows no darkness at all in real life. Sometimes, however, a diamond can show some darkness in person, which would be obstruction and the degree of obstruction may or may not be acceptable.

How does it look to your eyes in different lighting environments?

My thoughts exactly. I went to see a 6+ c honker OEC at an high end jewelry store and with the naked eye it was dark under the table constantly...it needed to be recut if possible. anyway, couldn't believe they would even have purchased it for their inventory. If it is not always dark with the naked eye but the facets turn off and on then it is probably going to be fine, especially after you reset it. I guess you could have it removed and play with it in different settings. But the faceting looks really nice to me.

My guess is that if you had an ASET done it would look like the AVR's where the center petals are blue instead of red, but just guessing. Jon did a video addressing this issue saying it didn't make any diff. in the performance of an AVR.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7493/

 

[ariel144]

Thanks Circe, bastetcat, LibbyLA, and missy for your thoughts!

I'm really leaning towards keeping it. The obstruction is not too bad IRL, it's rarely visible. I have a few vids of it already and I'd love to post them, but I'm not sure if we are allowed to do that here. I'd be glad to send links to YouTube via private message through Loupe Troop. Or, if policies on videos changed, let me know and I'll share the YouTube links.

Liz -- I'll post a pic of my original setting as soon as I'm home and on a computer. It's just a 6-prong yellow gold solitaire, but I like the look. Pics soon.

you can post your youtube links on the forum...no problem.

 

[missy]

I'm not sure about the video link. I think a video would be OK if downloaded from your computer but not youtube. However I am fuzzy on the details and hope they do allow video here because it is a really useful tool.

Gem, I messaged you on loupetroop if you want to email me a link for the youtube video I would be happy to take a look.

ETA- that's great ariel! Thanks for the info!

 

[GemFever]

Ariel -- that thought (about blue under the table) crossed my mind. I'll try to find that video by GOG.

I am pretty sure I saw Madelise once posted a youtube diamond video that she took, and it was removed. So I won't risk it.

However, if you are curious, I'll post the links at the very end of my Silver and Garnet earrings listing on Loupe Troop. That way, whoever wants to see it can do so without having to send emails (I love emails btw, so feel free to send them, but I understand not everyone wants to). But after you watch, please come back and comment here!

Video #1 (turn down your sound for it, there is conversation, this was over lunch) -- diamond lookin' real pretty.

Video #2 -- diamond showing some of the obstruction.

Video #3 -- low light evening setting, diamond looking pretty good again.

Video #4 -- close up, a mix of behaviors

I suggest changing the resolution to highest possible, and viewing full screen, because otherwise the details are too small to notice.

Thanks so much everyone for your input!!! This process wouldn't have been half as fun without your participation and support!

Pic of my favorite solitaire setting (a friend in New York does it for me, so I get it pretty cheap... so I can spend more money on stones )

 

[GemFever]

Ariel, check it out! You are most likely right! I took this photo through my little ASET-scope.

If you ever come across that GOG video, could you post it here? I tried looking for it, but no luck.

 

[almondblossom]

It is very pretty! Love the pattern. It does look a little dark in some pics but I am no expert... However, I am very curious to hear about the possibilities of recutting or polishing cause I am also looking at an OEC with obstruction.

 

[GemFever]

It is very pretty! Love the pattern. It does look a little dark in some pics but I am no expert... However, I am very curious to hear about the possibilities of recutting or polishing cause I am also looking at an OEC with obstruction.

Almond, here is a great thread on the subject. I remembered about it yesterday.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/old-european-cut-obstruction-and-recut-information-advice.177197/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/old-european-cut-obstruction-and-recut-information-advice.177197/[/URL]

I probably will not do anything to the stone right now in terms of recutting or polishing. I will send it to my friend to have it re-set, because I can't wait to get it on my finger and get to know it better. Maybe a little while down the road, some months from now, if the obstruction bothers me, I will take it out of the setting and send it to one of the expert cutters. Maybe I'll also get it certed, but not yet.

I'm about to write back to the seller and tell him I'm keeping it

 

[missy]

YAY!!!!! Hoping it brings you much joy Gem!! Wear in health and happiness always!! Cannot wait to see how it looks in its new home!

 

[bunnycat]

Congrats! I love the setting you'll be putting it in too! I've been looking for something like that for awhile with no luck!