shape
carat
color
clarity

Help me decide!

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
Hello! My boyfriend and I have been shopping for an engagement ring, and I am pretty set on an OEC. We are seriously considering the below diamond, which is 1.88 carats/ J color/ VS1. I am somewhat color sensitive, which is what is giving me some pause (I expected to land on an OEC in the G/H/I range), but I think it is a beautiful diamond. I'm looking to set the ring in yellow gold, with tapered side baguettes, and with the prongs in yellow gold as well. I know that there is so much to learn about diamonds, so I would be very appreciative to hear people's impressions of this diamond! The diamond price is $16k.

Note: The area on the bottom left in the tweezers video is just a reflection of the tweezer.

 

Inked

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
682
I am not color sensitive and I had a GIA OEC 'L' and loved it 99.9% of the time, I had wanted a J actually.

This one you're looking at, its GIA certified J ? It look very white to me in the tweezer video. GIA is the strictest on color so GIA J is really J

I am NOT an expert at all and I am sure the true experts will chime in, but I will say according to the numbers my OEC was "bad" but I loved it, the facets all turned on and off when they were supposed to and in person it was sooo beautiful. Everyone here told me with the old cuts it just has to speak to you, if you love it, it doesnt matter what the numbers say. Do you love how the facets turn on and off as it moves?

You may want to ask they move this to rocky talky as it gets more traffic and this is definitely a rocky talky question! The experts will let you know exactly what to look for!
 
Last edited:

NonieMarie

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
948
My OEC is J vs1, set in 18k yg but with plat prongs. It's not icy white but not really tinted either. I think if your looking at an OEC, a slightly lower color shows off the cut better.
Edit: Mine has a GIA cert
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
I am not color sensitive and I had a GIA OEC 'L' and loved it 99.9% of the time, I had wanted a J actually.

This one you're looking at, its GIA certified J ? It look very white to me in the tweezer video. GIA is the strictest on color so GIA J is really J

I am NOT an expert at all and I am sure the true experts will chime in, but I will say according to the numbers my OEC was "bad" but I loved it, the facets all turned on and off when they were supposed to and in person it was sooo beautiful. Everyone here told me with the old cuts it just has to speak to you, if you love it, it doesnt matter what the numbers say. Do you love how the facets turn on and off as it moves?

You may want to ask they move this to rocky talky as it gets more traffic and this is definitely a rocky talky question! The experts will let you know exactly what to look for!

Thanks so much for your response! The one that I'm looking at is GIA J certified.
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
My OEC is J vs1, set in 18k yg but with plat prongs. It's not icy white but not really tinted either. I think if your looking at an OEC, a slightly lower color shows off the cut better.
Edit: Mine has a GIA cert

Thanks for your response! That sounds right to me - I looked at an E color OEC as well and it seemed too icy/did not show off any of the qualities that make an OEC so beautiful.
 

luckygreen317

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Messages
546
I personally LOVE OEC cuts with warmth, it adds to the character. Especially if you plan to set it in yellow gold, the GIA J stone will be beautiful.
 

Lookinagain

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
4,428
I have a GiA K OEC/Transitional and it looks very white to me but I'm not color sensitive. It's set in platinum. I'm not sure how it would look with YG prongs though. Your J seems warmer and I'm thinking it's the YG prongs. Here is my K in it's temporary platinum setting. Have you thought about white metal prongs and a yellow metal shank?

thumbnail.jpg
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
I have a GiA K OEC/Transitional and it looks very white to me but I'm not color sensitive. It's set in platinum. I'm not sure how it would look with YG prongs though. Your J seems warmer and I'm thinking it's the YG prongs. Here is my K in it's temporary platinum setting. Have you thought about white metal prongs and a yellow metal shank?

thumbnail.jpg

I'm starting to think that the yellow gold prongs might be the issue for me. I'm looking to set the ring like this - i love the look of the bezel set baguettes and the band in yellow gold. Do you think setting the center stone with 4 single platinum prongs could work?

Thanks for your response!
 

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Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
I'm starting to think that the yellow gold prongs might be the issue for me. I'm looking to set the ring like this - i love the look of the bezel set baguettes and the band in yellow gold. Do you think setting the center stone with 4 single platinum prongs could work?

Thanks for your response!
posting screenshot here:
Screen Shot 2022-12-04 at 11.28.01 AM.png
 

Lookinagain

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
4,428
I'm starting to think that the yellow gold prongs might be the issue for me. I'm looking to set the ring like this - i love the look of the bezel set baguettes and the band in yellow gold. Do you think setting the center stone with 4 single platinum prongs could work?

Thanks for your response!

I do. Lots of folks on here have rings with white metal prongs and yellow metal bands.
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
Crossposting here again between this forum and Rocky Talky. We decided to pass on the J. It didn't look quite right for me in the end. One of the issues I was concerned about was whether the color of the diamond would end up irking me.

Would appreciate any thoughts on the old European cut diamond that we are very seriously considering now. We are looking to get engaged very soon, so we are hoping to move forward with the ring as soon as possible!

The diamond is an I color, 1.57 carats, VVS2. Table is 49%, depth is 63.6%. Good polish, good symmetry, faint fluorescence. We are looking to set this one in a thin platinum band with side baguettes. Screenshot 2022-12-29 at 2.40.38 PM.jpeg

Here is a video I took on Imgur:
The video looks much better on my phone/laptop but maybe it is helpful.

Thank you so much in advance for any opinions! We are so excited but want to make sure we are being thoughtful as this is a very big purchase for us and we are by no means diamond experts.
 

Rfisher

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 19, 2013
Messages
5,487
Congratulations on your engagement!

Did you happen to see these two stones side by side?
Is this I VVS2 have a GIA report as well?

Definitely different pattern flavor between the two - no right or wrong there though!

Another ‘no right or wrong’ preference that we all vary on - is if the antique stones have been rehabbed any or if they aren’t period stones, but are newly cut. Do you happen to know (if it even matters to you) on the two stones you’ve viewed?
I bring it up because if you are asking for comments on pricing - I do believe it matters.
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
Thank you! I did not do a close side-by-side comparison between the two stones. We are working with Adam at Old World Diamonds and when he set the J out with a few other stones (without telling me which was which), I instantly said the J was out! It's odd because I love the soft look of the J in the tweezers view but it did not jump out at me the same way in person.

The I color diamond has a GIA report and is priced at $15,500. I am not sure if the stone has been rehabbed in any way, but assuming the diamond looks right, I don't think we would be bothered if it has been rehabbed. A YouTube video of the diamond is available here: https://oldworlddiamonds.com/jewelry-detail.php?id=392&maxpage=0&sort=weight&section=1&category=

I will say that my one concern is that it has a bit of a "steelier" look to me, but generally was very pleased with how it looked in person. I love the look of warmer OECs and the pastel colors they give off, but I think for my engagement ring I am leaning towards a more classic, colorless look.
 

Rfisher

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 19, 2013
Messages
5,487
How lucky you are to go to Adam to see multiple in person!
So jealous!!!

I don’t believe Adam deals with newly done cuts to look old - so that takes that concern of comparing apples to oranges out of the equasion.

If the steely color gives you pause now- I hope you do take the chance to take it home with you (under his return policy) to live with it for awhile in the multiple different environmental lighting you spend your time in.

I can’t see your picture:videos that clearly to comment specifics much on performance
But FWIW i do like what I think I do see.
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
Thank you!! It has been so great working with him in person. And thanks very much for the input. The return policy is certainly generous and a comfort, but we are hoping to avoid making an exchange if possible.
 

kgizo

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
2,603
I like it! Are you planning on white or yellow gold for the setting? Asking bc the last one you considered is in a YG setting for viewing. Did you do the same with this one?
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
Thanks! I switched to a platinum white setting for this diamond (but same design, with thin baguettes on each side). I love the yellow gold look too, but I'm pretty firmly committed to platinum now.
 

kgizo

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
2,603
Did you look at both diamonds in the YG and WG holder? Could the “steelier” look be because it’s one grade higher and in a WG holder? @Rfisher is right in that you should check it out in different lighting. MRBs will look different in / out of sunlight. OECs will look different in all kinds of lighting. Be aware of what you are wearing and the colors of your walls. They are most magical in indirect sunlight outdoors, but be careful that you don’t drop it on cement or somewhere it could get lost.
 

Esme1145

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2022
Messages
19
Thanks so much. I did not try both diamonds in both the YG and WG holder (realizing now that I should have, though...).

It sounds like I will just need to see how the OEC looks in all types of lighting over a period of time to really get a sense of whether I love it. (Somewhat unfortunately for purposes of diamond shopping), time is of the essence as my boyfriend and I are really looking to get engaged as soon as possible and start planning our wedding. He is more traditional than I am in this regard and wants to be engaged before we move forward with wedding planning.

So basically I am really hoping to love this OEC! I'm pretty certain that I feel comfortable with I color and the carat weight of 1.57, and I know that the clarity is also very good (at VVS2). My main hope is that this diamond is well cut and will be something that I love to wear. If anyone here sees any red flags or anything that seems "off" to them in the YouTube video of the diamond, I would be so grateful to hear about it: https://oldworlddiamonds.com/jewelry-detail.php?id=392&maxpage=0&sort=weight&section=1&category=.

Thank you again! I keep looking at the pictures and videos, and I think I love it, but it would be crushing to feel disappointed in the end.
 
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