Help with stone and setting

[monidda]

Hello everyone I need some serious help after nearly making a BIG mistake recently, you can read this thread [url=https://www.p...ity/threads/omg-i-bought-a-jm-on-ebay.182206/[/URL][/url]if you want to see just how uneducated I am when it comes to diamonds, I mean they are my birth stones and even my username is made up from the word diamond yet I know so very little about them (I thought I knew quite a bit but how wrong I was).
In an ideal world this is what I would like to happen bare in mind I am in the UK
Buy a cushion AVOEC from GOG and have it in a JM setting but he no longer works with outside stones so that's not a realistic option, should I stick with him and have a OEC sourced by him?
Trouble is I fell head over heels in love with the AVOEC

Any advice on what I should do for the best or suggest a different setting? I LOVE milgrained bezels, antique hand made settings with clean lines.
My max size wish would be a 1.5carat in OEC or 1.1 in AVOEC
I have a budget of $6000 right now but I will be able to double that by June when I take a trip to the USA and the plan is to bring my baby home with me.
In terms of diamonds quality I want BLING
I don't ask for much do it? Thank you in advance

 

[LaraOnline]

I'm out of touch, can you tell me what AVOEC stands for?

 

[heliotrope]

august vintage old euro cut (found at good old gold)

 

[heliotrope]

monidda - knowing that you are in the UK - have you seen many OECs in person??

I did see some on my travels to London but to be frank the ones I have seen there were not as crisp and symmetric as so many of the ones I have seen on my trips to NY and San Fran - but I probably have not been to enough of the right jewellers in London perhaps??

I think you need to decide if you want an old cut - which even if you find a good one will still have some wonk or personality (as I like to call it) or if you are after a vintage look with high performance - as the AVCs are very symmetric being newly cut stones

in our case the original plan was to purchase a stone and have Jim set it for us... but just as we were about to contact GOG to inquire about an RB that was online (they did not do the AVCs and AVRs back then) with the plan to have JM set it - Jim finished what became my ering and popped it up for sale on his site - which we snapped up straight away as being in Australia there was no way we could source a good OMC from here

my OMC is almost square and has a very symmetric 'gardenia/star' pattern when viewed top down which so many people comment on when they see it in real life - despite the fair to good grade on its papers... but from one view - side on he has a very obvious slope to the crown with the table sliding downwards on one side (which only I can see as I know exactly where to look!!)

I now know I would have wanted to change my stone if I had chose a RB - and although I have looked so long and hard at those AVRs with the view to make a 3 stone RHR (seriously I am sure I have worn out my keyboard going through the GOG search engine!!) I just don't know if I am into their perfection

if you love the true old cuts - I would contact Jim with your size, colour and budget and let him get the stone for you as his eye is very good and he creates the setting perfectly for each stone he works with

if you find you prefer the look and want performance - then speak to GOG about an AVR and perhaps look at another platform setting - like JbEGs Julia??

sorry for the essay - I hope this helps you

 

[monidda]

Hi Heliotrope thank you for the essay, I have only ever seen a couple of OEC's in my life as they are not as popular as BR's so I am sure I will buy a stone online with the help of this fabulous community or leave it to JM if I chose to go that route. I don't mind the wonky-ness and charm of a old stone but if I am honest is the OEC cut that I am attracted to the most and good optics are important. I am sure that JM would pick a fabulous old stone for his amazingly beautiful setting, but I think I would prefer a sparkly AVOEC cushion that takes my eye out every time I look at it .
Would you be able to shoot a video of your stone? it sounds AMAZING !!!
Oh and Julia's ring is just spectacular !! I would also consider a setting similar to this one what a little crackerhttps://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/reveal-single-stone-reset-lots-of-pics.179152/

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

Hi Heliotrope thank you for the essay, I have only ever seen a couple of OEC's in my life as they are not as popular as BR's so I am sure I will buy a stone online with the help of this fabulous community or leave it to JM if I chose to go that route. I don't mind the wonky-ness and charm of a old stone but if I am honest is the OEC cut that I am attracted to the most and good optics are important. I am sure that JM would pick a fabulous old stone for his amazingly beautiful setting, but I think I would prefer a sparkly AVOEC cushion that takes my eye out every time I look at it .
Would you be able to shoot a video of your stone? it sounds AMAZING !!!
Oh and Julia's ring is just spectacular !! I would also consider a setting similar to this one what a little crackerhttps://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/reveal-single-stone-reset-lots-of-pics.179152/

So you want an AVR or an AVC? I'm thinking you want an AVR correct? I have had in my hands, both an AVR and a true OEC, and to me, I like the look of a well cut OEC than the AVRs. But then again, this is my personal opinion, AVRs are beautiful diamonds. Have you seen the AVR in real life?

Have you checked out Old Word Diamonds? This is where I got my OEC. Their bench is also awesome. They have just started to do a bezel line. If you want an OEC, I suggest you give Adam a call/email. He is an amazing person to work with and he will bend over backwards to work with your budget and make you happy.

 

[mandasand]

JBEG has a lovely catalog of settings on their website. The SingleStone ring is one of the most beautiful rings I've seen, but that will cost you AT LEAST half your $6k budget just for the setting. The basic ones on their website are around $3600...that one was customized.

BUT, you can get VERY close to a JM setting by having his son Caleb make one or Ann McKay who was one of his apprentices now has her own studio. Their designs are very similar to JM:
http://www.calebmeyer.com/about_caleb_meyer_studio.php
http://www.annmckaystudio.com/

I also wanted an AVC but decided that I was more drawn to the flower pattern of the AVR instead. Both are beautiful but I think you'll need the $12k to get what you want...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Perfect idea to have Ann McKay or Caleb Meyer make the setting, assuming they will use the customer's stone!

I think when you are ready to buy a stone, you should see what August Vintage stones are in stock (and I am also not certain whether you like the rounds or cushions!), and Jonathan can also call in a couple of antique stones for you to compare. He can access all of the stock from Old World Diamonds and I am sure he probably has other sources as well. That way you can compare them. I love old stones, but finding ones that are excellent cut is not easy. But the advantage of using Jonathan is that he can check light performance on the old cuts so you can decide how much you are willing to compromise and balance cut and budget.

I would not do a thing now, though, and wait until you have access to your full budget!

 

[monidda]

Sorry everyone, I would prefer a cushion but would consider a round as well, there's always the option to have a halo in platinum around a round if i don't go for a JM setting. I don't suit white metal and I do like a slightly warmer stone on me as I have a yellow undertone.
I would absolutely do nothing at all for now and save as hard as I can keeping my eye on the prize, I would just like to decide what the prize is LOL

 

[packrat]

Caleb Meyer does not use customer's stones. I'm not sure about Ann McKay.

I love the JbEG Julia bezel-I've only seen it w/rounds but I'm sure it would be equally gorgeous w/a cushion. (I'm particularly fond of AVC's and bezels-I have a three stone made by Singlestone)

OWD is a good option-I've seen the pic on the website of the bezels rings and they're beautiful. Or..didn't ERD do a cushion bezel recently? In rose gold maybe?