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Honest opinions on this estate ring - OEC w rubies

aac2013

aac2013

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
487
My heart skipped a few beats when I tried this ring on at an estate jewelry show this weekend. I really need honest opinions as a reality check. I have posted a few pics below of outdoor, indoor, and close-up shots. I love the overall presence of this ring. The French cut rubies are a glowing red and perfect to my eye. I love the bezel set design and low profile of the ring design. The ring is in excellent shape. The issue is the diamond itself. I am far from an expert in OECs. The specs (per jeweler, not GIA) are 1.92 carats, L, and VS2. I had another jeweler I trust check the ring and he felt that was an honest assessment and perhaps the color might actually be a grade better at but the red in the rubies could be making the diamond warmth more pronounced. I love the flower pattern of OECs but most of my basis is highly magnified unset diamonds in sunlit pictures on some of the preferred vendors pages. So it is hard for me to really compare this diamond which is set in ring and viewed on a very rainy day. I don't see the strong flower pattern in this ring but maybe I am being unfair. Price was negotiated to $14,750. I really need your honest thoughts please? Ring has not been purchased yet.

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Well, I have to agree that the diamond looks warm and I would have guessed it as lower than an L... (which is not a bad thing, imo, I myself have an N, but you want to make sure the price is in line with the specs). From the pics the cut/facet pattern doesn't seem great, frankly, but I could certainly be wrong. :( I will say that the flower pattern of my OEC is easy to see with the naked eye. Wish I could be more help. It is a beautiful ring and I'd love to see more pics!
 
The ring looks gorgeous and I agree has awesome finger presence. I love the rubies but I am not crazy about the center stone. I have an N AVC and it does not look that yellow so I am guessing that stone is a lower color. It also looks dark in the center in all 3 photos. I would do some research on what stones in that size goesfor and maybe send to an independent appraiser to get an unbiased opinion on color.
 
looks warm. but can't tell if the diamond is sparkly, and can't really see the facet pattern. needs a good cleaning, and pictures in indoor and outdoor lighting. if you like warm, the ring as a whole is beautiful. based on the pics, i like the rubies more than anything else.
 
From looking at your photos...the ring provides a ton of finger coverage! I like the vintage style setting. BUT the center stone itself seems off. It looks like there is a round circle of a darker color in the center. Perhaps a poor cut. BUT maybe it just needs a really good cleaning.

If I were you I would very gently clean this ring and then take more photos. It could be that there is dirt caked on the back of the stone. I've seen that before. It's really yukky when you look at it through a loupe. :o

And then of course you'll want an appraisal before you commit. Good luck!
 
Also, if I were considering this purchase, I'd want to know definitively if the rubies are natural (and if so, level of treatment) or synthetic... caliber-cut synthetic rubies (and sapphires) were quite commonly used in settings way back when, and if the rubies are synthetic, that would affect pricing/valuation of the ring.

I'd also want Dave Atlas or another independent appraiser with expertise in old-cuts to take a look at the diamond - do you see in your first close-up photo that fuzzy/yellowy-tinged ring just at the outside of the table? The very center of the diamond is clear, then that fuzzy ring around the table edge, then the very outside ring looks clear again... could be an artifact of photography, but at $14+K, I'd want confirmation there's no fish-eye or other negative thing going on. (https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut-fish-eye-effect)
 
I don't think the center stone is well cut the center seems to have a mushy fish eye.

Also the setting seems like its in too good a condition to be antiqur

Honestly I'd keep hunting
 
The style is beautiful! I think the center stone is probably more like an O-P, and there is a ton of leakage under the table. The outer diamond melee also appears to be fairly low quality. I'm glad you checked here before purchasing! This would be a beautiful ring to replicate with better stones.
 
Major girdle reflection. The diamond is likely shallow cut... I would pass.
 
For the price I'm certain that it could be replicated, if you didn't mkind the setting being a reproduction
 
I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to reply.

I had a lovely time at the estate jewelry show. There were even a number of pieces from famous people (2 from Elizabeth Taylor :appl: ). Fun stuf! Honestly, it was nice to have a few hours to myself to look at jewelry on an otherwise dreary Saturday.

For this ring, it was the French cut rubies and beautiful design of the ring that drew me in and caught my attention. The pictures do not do the ring justice! BUT, the centerpiece of the ring was just sort of 'ok' and all of you have confirmed my suspicions that it was not a great example of an OEC. Again, thanks for the honest responses. So, without any reservation, I have passed on the ring. As Several suggested, I may try to recreate the ring sometime in the future with a better OEC (and can also make sure the rubies are not synthetic).

THANKS!
 
Seems a bit expensive for what appears to be not such a great diamond though the setting is magnificent
 
Well, it is al over and done with, but the advice you were given by everyone was spot on. My personal addition would be that the mounting, rubies and small diamonds were quite possibly all rather new and only the center diamond was an old cut stone set into a reproduction. In some sense it doesn't matter. It still had the right look and was very pretty, but the millegrain was so precise and complete, and the rubies were not at all abraded. It just makes sense to consider that it might have been pretty much a new ring with a lower cost center stone in to hit a lower price point. I think you made a good decision. There are rings similar to this in the market and a limited number being made new which are made very well. Putting the right combination of center and ring together just takes more time than buying a more widely available item.
 
I'm seeing fish eye under the table. This style is plentiful on Ebay and I think you can find one with a great facet pattern on the OEC and an higher color too for less money. It's definitely a pass for me.

Also check on the PS "Vintage and Antique" forum for a list of vendors that specialize in antique rings. Eventually you will find one in this style with the french cut ruby halo and a nice OEC.

Not seeing any on Ebay now.
 
Pretty style!! I hope yo find something similar that ticks off all the right boxes!
 
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