star sparkle
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,706
Somehow I ended up with my upgrade many years before originally planned with the full blessing of my DH (actually, it was HIS idea!!). I won't go into the long story of how I ultimately ended up contacting Adam at OWD, but I did, and it's the best thing I could have done. Adam was an absolute pleasure to work with!
Initially, I purchased a 2.43 uncertified OEC at a fantastic price, which Adam had estimated to be O/P in color and VS clarity. He sent me some photos, a video, and it was a gorgeous stone! I had never seen anything that low in color IRL before, but I thought it just might work so I bought it. It arrived and the stone WAS gorgeous, but after a week or so I was having doubts about the color and not loving the warmth on me or the brownish hue it took on in sunlight. I struggled for a bit of time with deciding whether or not to keep the stone, and I ended up writing to Adam one morning saying I just wasn't completely sure about the color and asking what other options he might have around the same price but in a higher color. I said that I was fully aware that I'd end up having to sacrifice something else in order to get a higher color while staying in budget, and he wrote back saying that he had a GIA certified 2.42 M that he would offer to me at a price just a hair over my budget. The difference in size was .01mm, so I was thrilled!
I was prepared to return back the O/P because at that point I had realized that I had been trying to make myself love it, and that wasn't a good thing. Adam said I should hold onto the O/P until the M arrived so that I could compare the color side by side, and he wouldn't even charge me for it yet! I was floored by that offer, and graciously accepted. This was my first foray into these lower colors (my ering is a J/K OEC that faces up super white), and I was interested to see these colors side by side.
Well, the M finally arrived and it was love!!! I loved everything about it - the color, the size, and the cut. The O/P was more transitional in nature while the M was a classic OEC with the high crown and tiny tiny table. The faceting made my heart beat faster and I just love the color. It's vanilla in certain lighting environments, but never yellow. However, in most lighting, it was so white that I couldn't believe it was an M!
After spending a few days with the two of them together, I let Adam know that I'd definitely be keeping the M and asked him about inexpensive temporary setting options. I was beyond ready to have the stone on my finger but as this upgrade came 5 years earlier than I had originally anticipated, I had NO idea what I wanted in a forever setting. He indicated that he could do a simple 6 prong solitaire, or said that I could send the stone back and he'd look around and see what vintage setting options he had laying around that would fit my stone. I went with that, and off both stones went back to OWD!
Fast forward a few days, and unfortunately Adam was unable to find a vintage setting to fit the stone. OK, so I gave him the go-ahead to start on the 6 prong solitaire. Wellll, a few hours later he got back to me with another option - he could make me a vintage repro setting for pretty much the same cost as the 6 prong solitaire, but it'd take a bit longer. He recommended that I go with the repro and sent me photos of one he had just completed, and I was sold. This meant that I'd get the ring a week later than originally planned, but I was fine with it! Even though it was only going to be a temp setting, I was excited to have something that didn't LOOK like a temp.
Sooo, Adam emailed me this past Wednesday saying that the ring was done and he'd be shipping it out to arrive the following day! The next 24 hours were full of anxious excitement, but when I finally tore open that FedEx box on Thursday I was beyond thrilled. Everything about this ring is just amazing, and I can't believe it's mine! The setting is beyond gorgeous and I'm so glad I went with his recommendation! I will be happy with this for quite awhile, which is a good thing because I have no idea how long it will take to figure out a forever setting!
I cannot say enough great things about Adam and OWD! He is amazing and I highly recommend him for all of your old cut needs.
Without further ado, the specs on the new stone: GIA certified Old European Brilliant, 2.42ct, M VS2, 8.44mm, 45% table, 66.5% depth. My finger is size 4.
First, a few photos from before the stone was set.
Initially, I purchased a 2.43 uncertified OEC at a fantastic price, which Adam had estimated to be O/P in color and VS clarity. He sent me some photos, a video, and it was a gorgeous stone! I had never seen anything that low in color IRL before, but I thought it just might work so I bought it. It arrived and the stone WAS gorgeous, but after a week or so I was having doubts about the color and not loving the warmth on me or the brownish hue it took on in sunlight. I struggled for a bit of time with deciding whether or not to keep the stone, and I ended up writing to Adam one morning saying I just wasn't completely sure about the color and asking what other options he might have around the same price but in a higher color. I said that I was fully aware that I'd end up having to sacrifice something else in order to get a higher color while staying in budget, and he wrote back saying that he had a GIA certified 2.42 M that he would offer to me at a price just a hair over my budget. The difference in size was .01mm, so I was thrilled!
I was prepared to return back the O/P because at that point I had realized that I had been trying to make myself love it, and that wasn't a good thing. Adam said I should hold onto the O/P until the M arrived so that I could compare the color side by side, and he wouldn't even charge me for it yet! I was floored by that offer, and graciously accepted. This was my first foray into these lower colors (my ering is a J/K OEC that faces up super white), and I was interested to see these colors side by side.
Well, the M finally arrived and it was love!!! I loved everything about it - the color, the size, and the cut. The O/P was more transitional in nature while the M was a classic OEC with the high crown and tiny tiny table. The faceting made my heart beat faster and I just love the color. It's vanilla in certain lighting environments, but never yellow. However, in most lighting, it was so white that I couldn't believe it was an M!
After spending a few days with the two of them together, I let Adam know that I'd definitely be keeping the M and asked him about inexpensive temporary setting options. I was beyond ready to have the stone on my finger but as this upgrade came 5 years earlier than I had originally anticipated, I had NO idea what I wanted in a forever setting. He indicated that he could do a simple 6 prong solitaire, or said that I could send the stone back and he'd look around and see what vintage setting options he had laying around that would fit my stone. I went with that, and off both stones went back to OWD!
Fast forward a few days, and unfortunately Adam was unable to find a vintage setting to fit the stone. OK, so I gave him the go-ahead to start on the 6 prong solitaire. Wellll, a few hours later he got back to me with another option - he could make me a vintage repro setting for pretty much the same cost as the 6 prong solitaire, but it'd take a bit longer. He recommended that I go with the repro and sent me photos of one he had just completed, and I was sold. This meant that I'd get the ring a week later than originally planned, but I was fine with it! Even though it was only going to be a temp setting, I was excited to have something that didn't LOOK like a temp.
Sooo, Adam emailed me this past Wednesday saying that the ring was done and he'd be shipping it out to arrive the following day! The next 24 hours were full of anxious excitement, but when I finally tore open that FedEx box on Thursday I was beyond thrilled. Everything about this ring is just amazing, and I can't believe it's mine! The setting is beyond gorgeous and I'm so glad I went with his recommendation! I will be happy with this for quite awhile, which is a good thing because I have no idea how long it will take to figure out a forever setting!
I cannot say enough great things about Adam and OWD! He is amazing and I highly recommend him for all of your old cut needs.
Without further ado, the specs on the new stone: GIA certified Old European Brilliant, 2.42ct, M VS2, 8.44mm, 45% table, 66.5% depth. My finger is size 4.
First, a few photos from before the stone was set.
but I must live with it...Georgeous oec and georgeous setting=PERFECT
Ah durrrr, slow is me.
Then again, I may be biased.
Thanks!!!
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