I blame Gypsy - aka Dipping my toes into the OEC world

[webdiva]

EDIT : It was actually Dreamer_D - but Gypsy is equally culpable. Finally found the original thread. However, equal blame should also go to Gemfever for her beautiful OEC earrings!

Just won my bid for my first OECs - intention is to make dangly earrings. I looked for vintage stones for my e-ring but my stupid color sensitive eyes insisted on DEF. There's a tranny in a ring at Single Stone that is still calling my name, but until I win the lottery I told it to lose my number.

This stone was coincidentally mentioned in another thread in March and the OP didn't purchase it, I didn't want to step on any toes and bid on it - but it was still available yesterday and I made a bid as suggested by Dreamer_D in that thread. Thank you, Dreamer_D! I didn't feel comfortable bidding low until you confirmed what you would bid on it (you suggested $200 or under- I bid $180 and got accepted). The pics aren't fantastic, thank goodness there's a 7 day return period!

Both are 4 mm intended for dangly earrings - set into wire baskets
.34
http://www.ebay.com/itm/370572322316
It's friend .36
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370572319731

I will post back with pics! If they are as described and I'm happy with them, I'll be making the earrings myself after having a pro set them into white gold wire baskets with a loop at the top (I make component jewelry and used to sell it as a hobby) and hang them from some sort of vintage-looking scrolly component above it with leverbacks.

They're rather small to really see the pattern but I'm pretty excited to have my first OECs (pending inspection)! I collect vintage swarovski and love vintage yet modern pieces!

So my question for ya'll that have set OECs into baskets - do you think it'll fit in the 4mm basket or are they a bit wonky and do I need a 4.5?

 

[GemFever]

Webdiva, congrats! They look very pretty from the pics. And sorry for giving you the bug, I've got it pretty bad myself, too

Looking forward to the pics!

 

[webdiva]

Webdiva, congrats! They look very pretty from the pics. And sorry for giving you the bug, I've got it pretty bad myself, too

Looking forward to the pics!

Ha! No worries! I had been contemplating a pendant because I wanted an OEC/tranny but realized that I really only wear chunky vintage long necklaces and would never wear it. Your earrings were so pretty they made me think - hey, I make earrings all the time - why don't I use real diamonds? I've made jewelry with black diamond briolettes, ruby beads, and topazes before - so this is exciting!!!

 

[GemFever]

Indeed!

Hmm... Since you make jewelry and earrings in particular, if you don't mind, I'd love to ask your advice on where I can find a particular type of earring clasp. I have a pic on my home computer. It's a ... what do they call em... oh, leverback! A particular kind of leverback. Would you mind if I posted a pic of it to see if you've come across them, and where they can be found?

 

[webdiva]

Indeed!

Hmm... Since you make jewelry and earrings in particular, if you don't mind, I'd love to ask your advice on where I can find a particular type of earring clasp. I have a pic on my home computer. It's a ... what do they call em... oh, leverback! A particular kind of leverback. Would you mind if I posted a pic of it to see if you've come across them, and where they can be found?

Sure! Post it! If you have a jewelry supply or bead supply in your area, you can find them in sterling, gold fill and sometimes gold at the bigger places. If you have a ring on the earrings, you can usually just attach them with jewelry pliers and most store staff won't charge you for doing such a simple task. If you need it soldered, you'll have to take to a local jeweler. I only took one soldering class, so I don't dare touch jewelry with a torch!

 

[TitanCi]

I'm not gonna lie, after viewing all these posts about OECs and older cut diamonds that you ladies love, I admit they do have a personality of their own that is unique vs. RB...

 

[webdiva]

I'm not gonna lie, after viewing all these posts about OECs and older cut diamonds that you ladies love, I admit they do have a personality of their own that is unique vs. RB...

The owner of Wanna Buy A Watch took one of the OEC rings I was looking at and moved it a little out of the strong spotlighting to show the fire - irresistible! I can imagine them in candlelight!

 

[InnaR]

Webdiva,
Your diamonds a gorgeous. Welcome to the club. I recently putchased a pair of rose gold earrings of ebay. They are preset with CZ stones. i see nice two pairs of OECs in the future replacing the CZs. I think that $80 is fair price for those. I admit, i'm cheap and prefere to put my money into diamonds rather then settings.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/32085850010...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2718wt_1037

 

[Enerchi]

Very exciting WebDiva!!! How nice to have a pair of OEC's! Can't wait to see them set... when ever that may be

 

[webdiva]

Webdiva,
Your diamonds a gorgeous. Welcome to the club. I recently putchased a pair of rose gold earrings of ebay. They are preset with CZ stones. i see nice two pairs of OECs in the future replacing the CZs. I think that $80 is fair price for those. I admit, i'm cheap and prefere to put my money into diamonds rather then settings.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/32085850010...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2718wt_1037

Very pretty earrings! Love the color! The top mounting looks more secure than the lower one but you'll know more when you get them. I'd be worried to set an OEC into the lower ones unless the metal is very thick and secure. I was thinking of doing the same thing - buying existing earrings and resetting but I hadn't found anything and saw the baskets for $25-40 each on some jewelry supply websites.

 

[webdiva]

Very exciting WebDiva!!! How nice to have a pair of OEC's! Can't wait to see them set... when ever that may be

Thank you! So excited! I don't want to buy the mountings yet until I inspect the diamonds but am soooo tempted to buy them now and set them that day. I can whip up earrings in minutes, so it would only be the mounting time - which I can get done on my lunch hour!

 

[yssie]

Haha congrats, I hope you like them!!

Dreamer and Gypsy definitely have a lot to answer for re. this old cut trend on PS

 

[webdiva]

Haha congrats, I hope you like them!!

Dreamer and Gypsy definitely have a lot to answer for re. this old cut trend on PS

You're also guilty!

 

[webdiva]

Has anyone had an issue fitting their OECs into a stock setting of the same size? In this case, 4 mm stones into a 4 mm setting. I'll do another measurement when I get them to ensure it's really 4 mm...

 

[GemFever]

Here are the leverback clasps I was talking about. I'm not sure where I got this pic, it may be from PS... pretty earrings, aren't they? What I really like about the clasp is how it's got some weight and tapered thickness, and looks very smooth. The kinds of leverbacks I usually see in bead & jewelry supply stores are way more basic... usually just a thin wire.

 

[webdiva]

Here are the leverback clasps I was talking about. I'm not sure where I got this pic, it may be from PS... pretty earrings, aren't they? What I really like about the clasp is how it's got some weight and tapered thickness, and looks very smooth. The kinds of leverbacks I usually see in bead & jewelry supply stores are way more basic... usually just a thin wire.

I just looked up all the usual jewelry supply stores and I'm afraid those look custom (the basket looks custom too - lovely detailing!). There's a "euro style" one that is heavier :
http://www.ottofrei.com/store/Lever-Backs-Euro-Style-No-Spring-with-Open-Ring-14Ky.html

 

[Gypsy]

YAY! I am an ENABLER! That's a good seller too. I really like his goods! Can't wait to see what your finished product looks like.

 

[yennyfire]

Congrats on your gorgeous new stones! Can't wait to see the finished products! The old cut bug is an insidious one! Once it bites you, it's permanent!! Welcome to the club!

 

[webdiva]

YAY! I am an ENABLER! That's a good seller too. I really like his goods! Can't wait to see what your finished product looks like.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Good to know he's a good seller with good products! I'm so glad he dropped down into my budget! I emailed a seller about 2 smaller stones on DB but they never got back to me - which is good because each one of these is bigger than the tcw of the 2 I was looking at! For $100 more total...

 

[GemFever]

which is good because each one of these is bigger than the tcw of the 2 I was looking at! For $100 more total...

like!

 

[webdiva]

Congrats on your gorgeous new stones! Can't wait to see the finished products! The old cut bug is an insidious one! Once it bites you, it's permanent!! Welcome to the club!

Thank you - I'm webdiva and I'm a diamondaholic! <bowing> You're also guilty, missy! With your beautiful oval stone!

 

[Dreamer_D]

heh heh... I am a pusher.

That seller prices his stull so HIGH but if you look through his completed listings you can get a feel for the % of asking he accepts. There's a good tip I use it all the time to figure out what to offer. Then offer lower so there is room to negotiate. I always kick myself when they accept my offer with no countering! "Damn, I could have saved another couple hundred!!"

If you don't own them already, go out and buy a pair of digital calipers. Measure the stones. If they are 4mm they will fit a 4mm basket. But not everyone can set OECs, the crowns are higher and so the notch in the prong needs to be done differently than with modern RBs. So choose yoru bench carefully. I learned the hard way that no everyone can set old stones.

 

[webdiva]

heh heh... I am a pusher.

That seller prices his stull so HIGH but if you look through his completed listings you can get a feel for the % of asking he accepts. There's a good tip I use it all the time to figure out what to offer. Then offer lower so there is room to negotiate. I always kick myself when they accept my offer with no countering! "Damn, I could have saved another couple hundred!!"

If you don't own them already, go out and buy a pair of digital calipers. Measure the stones. If they are 4mm they will fit a 4mm basket. But not everyone can set OECs, the crowns are higher and so the notch in the prong needs to be done differently than with modern RBs. So choose yoru bench carefully. I learned the hard way that no everyone can set old stones.

Good point about the setting! Thanks for the tip on that and the pricing! I wonder if a stock basket would fit then?

I will get calipers - actually bid on some last night. Are the cheapest ones ok? $13.95 ones...

 

[Rhea]

Congratulations on your find!

Do measure your diamonds and look at them carefully. I've bought 3 stones from him and ended up returning all 3. 1 he had uploaded the wrong photos, the other two he had the wrong measurements. 1 measurement was smaller and the other was larger, but both off enough that they wouldn't work for me for matches. I wish I'd kept one of them, but I didn't have the spare cash at the time.

 

[webdiva]

Congratulations on your find!

Do measure your diamonds and look at them carefully. I've bought 3 stones from him and ended up returning all 3. 1 he had uploaded the wrong photos, the other two he had the wrong measurements. 1 measurement was smaller and the other was larger, but both off enough that they wouldn't work for me for matches. I wish I'd kept one of them, but I didn't have the spare cash at the time.

Thank you for the info! Very good to know!

 

[Rhea]

I seem to have killed your thread. When are you expecting them?

 

[webdiva]

I seem to have killed your thread. When are you expecting them?

Haha! No, sometimes more interesting threads gets posted and a thread gets cold. They said between May 31 and June 1 before I paid - can't wait - maybe that date will get updated!

 

[webdiva]

Re: I blame Dreamer D - aka Dipping my toes into the OEC wor

I got my baby OECs shortly after they sent them - but I've lagged on pictures. That said, I now have terrible iphone pics to show you.

They're very sparkly - one more so than the other. The .36 is much nicer than the .34. It was estimated at an I-J color and definitely faces up lighter. The .34 also has a carbon spot despite being sold as eye clean, I guess because technically they're so small you wouldn't focus on the carbon spot. I did see it, though plus they're a little wonky and the girdles aren't perfect but decided to keep them since I was setting them into earrings and they fit the bill on sparkly and well priced.

They look pretty small unset, but so did my e-ring diamond so I can't WAIT to get them tomorrow - I had them set into Jan's Jewell's pendants modified into earring dangles! I may add some other embellishments later on and maybe add another component to the earrings when I get bored. I went a little higher on budget on setting them than I planned but the settings are 14k white gold, and hand engraved around the setting. Plus the shape echoes my e-ring without being too matchy! More in SMTB tomorrow!




http://www.jansjewells.com/item.php?item_id=2406

 

[Enerchi]

Yippee they are here and Yippee there will be pics on SMTB tomorrow!!

I would agree with you - for earrings, I think you can be a bit more forgiving than if they were to be a matching pair in a 3 or 5 or 7 stone ring. The setting sounds beautiful - I can't wait for the pics!!!