Help with a OEC Purchase!

[Piglet9j7]

Looking for a Old European cut. Approx. 2-2.5 carats, more than 8mm in diameter. No yellow, so no less than J color, no less than VS2 clarity.

Where would you go to buy, and what am I looking to pay at present?

Is ebay and option, and if so, has anyone seen anything of interest on there lately?

Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Some people are buying off ebay, but I would never recommend an expensive purchase like that unless the vendor is known and there is a rock solid return policy.

For stones that size, I'd probably contact Jewels by Erica Grace and see if they can watch for one for you.

 

[Rockdiamond]

In terms of prices- I 'd say you're looking at similar Per Carat prices as you'll find for modern well cut fancy shaped diamonds.
That kid of surprised me when I found this to be the case- I thought they'd be less- but there's a great demand, and not lots of supply.

 

[ericad]

There's a diference in pricing between Old Mine/Antique Cushion cuts and Old European cuts. OEC's are priced similar to RB's of comparable specs, while OMC/Cushions are priced comparable to fancies.

For an OEC, especially of J or higher color, a dealer will likely price it like a modern RB.

 

[Gypsy]

The ebay vendors that have larger stones with dependable grading will be pricing close to retail.

http://stores.ebay.com/Mels-Antique-Jewelry-Too_W0QQsspagenameZL2QQtZkm and http://stores.ebay.com/Mels-Antique-Jewelry same seller, two stores. Her prices are full retail, but her merchandise selection and pictures are excellent and she has a seven day return policy-- which is enough time to get a good appraisal (make sure the appraiser is familiar with old cuts and feels friendly toward them though or you may be unhappy by what they come back with).

She has a few that meet your criteria.

If you are interested in an item she has I HIGHLY recommend you send her an email asking her if her price on an item is negotiable, if it has been up for a while (and some of hers have been) she might be willing to drop the price slightly for you. She doesn't negotiate much and not on all her pieces but she does negotiate enough to make it worth your while to ask.

Also, I would look at Langs Antiques. They have a LOT of gorgeous old cuts.

Finally, I second Jewels by Erica Grace. They are very well regarded on here, friendly with good customer service, and have GORGEOUS settings they custom make.

 

[Gypsy]

One other: If reliably graded this could be a nice stone: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-38CT-EUROPEAN-CUT-DIAMOND-ENGAGEMENT-RING-PLATINUM-/350463873697?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51994652a1 For that ANY 20K price I would REQUIRE they send the diamond, at their cost, to EGL at LEAST-- but preferably to GIA--for a certificate.

What the posts above don't say is... yes, OEC's and Transitionals are on par with round brilliant pricing now. BUT many old cut sellers especially on ebay will try to get you to pay the SAME price that you would for a GIA graded stone in a round brilliant, for an uncertified round old cut. NOT OKAY.

If round brillants are cheaper without a certificate (and they ARE) then OEC's without one must be as well. If round brilliants are discounted when graded by EGL then why aren't OEC's?

Expect to pay the same as a round brilliant. But make sure you are comparing it to the RIGHT round brilliant. A round brilliant with a GIA Ex/Ex or AGS 0 light performance certificate will cost you a LOT more than one with an EGL "ideal cut" certificate (or whatever it's called there). And there is a reason for that. AGS and GIA are consistent and reliable. EGL and other certificate houses (with the exception of HRD in Europe) are not-- although EGL USA is more reputable than most of those others. Then there is "Home" grading (in house grading) and who KNOWS what standards are being used-- so you need an independent appraisal immediately, and the price needs to reflect that.

The higher the risk, the less you should pay. The less the risk the more you will pay. One of the reasons I recommend Langs Antiques is because they price at retail BUT they back it up with certified stones for the most part, and many with GIA certificates to boot.. Which to me justifies the price considerably more than just some seller on ebay claiming he is selling for comps close to Blue Nile (who only carried certified stones from GIA or AGS!) and that you should be happy for the bargain you are getting as a result.

Also as a final note: ID Jewelry's Yekutiel found me a lovely OEC, I didn't ultimately buy it because I found a larger and whiter one I prefered, but nonetheless it was a great stone. I would give him a call and tell him to stick to I color or better and see if he turns anything up for you. He is very well located in New York and seems to have very good trade connections.


OH and I would look on Ruby Lane as well (when you are on Ruby Lane do a search for "Deco Diamond" and then one for "European Diamond" and another for "Mine Diamond" then look at what comes up in the "vintage jewelry" bucket for the best results).

Post anything you find that you want reviewed by an extra set of eyes for us and we'll be happy to take a look!

Good LUCK!

 

[Piglet9j7]

Gypsy,

Thank you so much for your help! I will take all of this into consideration and start looking.

Thanks again!

 

[Gypsy]

Have fun! And I wish you luck!