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Need help finding a vintage diamond 2.5-4 ct wedding set

MyDiamondSparkles

MyDiamondSparkles

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
525
Hi everyone, this is my first post here. :)

I am seriously looking for a vintage engagement ring or wedding set. Really anything 1940's or eariler works for me. It just seems like whenever I do a search from vintage solitaire, etc on EBay a bazillion new rings pop up with vintage looking settings. I'm so tired of sorting out old from new my eyes are going wonky.

I really do not want an old diamond in a new setting even if that setting looks vintage.

Is there any reputable place online that sells vintage rings and has a huge selection? Again, the ones I've found have a mix of both old an new and looking at everything is getting frustrating. I am looking for an old european cut round/ brilliant, if that is the correct term for them, in the 2.5 to 4.00 ct range...

Also, I keep hearing the OEC cuts can look smaller than the modern round brilliant? If so how much smaller?

Thanks for all of your help,
MDSparkles
 
Look up Langs Antiques on google. They have lovely stuff. Also I was in Spitz Jewelers in Walnut Creek and they have one ring that might fit your requirements. Finally Jewels by Erica Grace can source stuff for you. As can Ari at Singlestone.
 
Wow! That was fast...thank you so much! I am Langs looking right now....what a pleasure it is not to have to look through new rings listed as vintage ones. :)

So now if I find one I like, are you 'all available for pricing advice? ;)

MDSparkles
 
Pricing on antique pieces is very subjective. There are a few appraisers that are very good with antique jewelry and can evaluate those pieces. But most don't know much about these pieces.

Langs is right in the heart of San Francisco so there is overhead to be considered. So is their expertise.Singlestone is located in LA, so same goes.

Spitz would have to send you pics. As for Jewels by Erica Grace... they don't have the same overhead so may be able to give you more competitive pricing.

BUT... here's the thing. You have to decide on what is most important to you. If you want a store that specializes in high quality antique goods and has a large selection. YOU will be paying for that luxury. And it is a luxury. If you want a bargain stone and setting... then you have to spend the time searching or having a jeweler sourcing for you.

So... do I think Lang's and Singlestone have prices that are on the higher end of the scale? Yes. Do I think they can justify it? Yes.

But that doesn't mean you can't negotiate pricing with them.
 
Have you looked at singlestone? They do both, remake rings and also have a few that are vintage. I'll link to the vintage ones!

http://www.singlestone.com/index.php?page=collections&catID=14

FYI: Langs seems REALLY expensive from what I've researched. Also, I know you hate the ebay style but check out www.rubylane.com and here is another site that is nice.
antiqueengagementrings.com

BTW I love this ring. It does have some black carbon spots...but it's beautiful!
http://www.singlestone.com/index.php?page=collections&catID=14&pID=372&startRow=13
 
Yep, I do understand that. It's like shopping at Nordstorms. The customer service is suberb, even during a sale. You never have to get dressed when in the dressing room to run around and find the size you "really" needed as someone is always there to help you. They even send you hand written thank you notes....lol....but of course you do pay for it. ;)

I saw a ring on Jewels by Erica Grace I liked, but dag it was already sold. I did find three rings on EBay, but geesh it is so hard to buy from there an not really "know" what you are getting. One of the rings does have a GIA appraisal on it though. I was hoping the seller could send me a video of what the ring looks like to kind of guage it's sparke factor. But she doesn't have a video camera. Sigh. She did say it was clear, beautiful, very sparkly with lots of fire, but how do you know for sure when it's an OEC diamond?

And whoever sent me the link to the one at Langs, gosh that is beauuuuutiful! I htink it has to be a vintatge setting...it's stunning.

MDSparkles

Gypsy|1290461818|2775803 said:
Pricing on antique pieces is very subjective. There are a few appraisers that are very good with antique jewelry and can evaluate those pieces. But most don't know much about these pieces.

Langs is right in the heart of San Francisco so there is overhead to be considered. So is their expertise.Singlestone is located in LA, so same goes.

Spitz would have to send you pics. As for Jewels by Erica Grace... they don't have the same overhead so may be able to give you more competitive pricing.

BUT... here's the thing. You have to decide on what is most important to you. If you want a store that specializes in high quality antique goods and has a large selection. YOU will be paying for that luxury. And it is a luxury. If you want a bargain stone and setting... then you have to spend the time searching or having a jeweler sourcing for you.

So... do I think Lang's and Singlestone have prices that are on the higher end of the scale? Yes. Do I think they can justify it? Yes.

But that doesn't mean you can't negotiate pricing with them.
Click to expand...
 
Sarahbear621|1290464131|2775843 said:
My vote is for NY State Jewelry. They have beautiful items and a huge selection.

http://www.newyorkestatejewelry.com/
Click to expand...

Pics are photoshopped to death. Can't tell anything about the facet structure of the center stones or the color or the clarity.

If you can get real images, their pricing is very competitive. I'd make sure their return policy is a lenient one. And I'd check their reputation from BBB and the NY state attorney general's office.

As for Langs and Nordstroms... exactly. They will negotiate though. As for the Lang's ring I linked you to. I'm pretty sure that setting is a reproduction. They have some amazing benches working for them. Doesn't hurt to ask though, I could be wrong.
 
I would suggest also perhaps being willing to take a stone that is a vintage one loose, or in a new setting. You can always source a setting later. That is actually the way I did it for all of the vintage stones I own. The larger ones take longer to find settings for- like the 3 1/2 ct OEC I own took over a year to find a vintage setting that fit it, that I liked, and that was reasonably priced. Most vintage settings are for much smaller stones. That's why I suggest at least being a bit flexible on the setting parameters, and perhaps being willing to wait a bit to find teh perfect vintage one.

See, settings one is usually a bit picky about- I mean, I don't love every single vintage setting out there, and same with the actual OEC itself. So you're narrowing your choices down a lot by trying to find the whole package. Sure, it's possible and you might get lucky. But you might be better served by just hunting down the stone first and then trying to find a setting at leisure.

OECs aren't necessarily smaller in face up size than RBs. Often, yes. But their proportions can be all over the map; some are really shallow. Some are quite deep. It's just kind of a crap shoot. And not every OEC is gorgeous as it sounds like you've found out already, and especially larger stones it seems, were cut for weight retention over beauty often.

So yeah. I'd keep looking for the perfect ring with both the setting and the OEC, but I'd also consider being open to just buying the OEC alone if you find the perfect one.

For loose antique stones, there's OldWorldDiamonds.com.

Also you might check MS Rau at rauantiques.com. They have some superb antique pieces sometimes. Very pricey though.
 
All such good advice...thank you! :)

I am pretty admant about finding the stone already in the ring. I work a lot of hours (like 14-16 a day) so hunting for the setting after I find the stone isn't going to happpen. LIke bringing home a piece of antique furniture that needs refinishing...not going to happen. ;)

Okay...now here this...I FOUND MY RING! I seriously love this one:

http://www.rubylane.com/item/458967-09-000017/3-22-ct-Diamond-Art

Not too antique, a little bit modern at the same time. AND I think this might be the same ring here:

http://www.newyorkestatejewelry.com/engagement-rings/1950s-3.17ct-diamond-platinum-engagement-ring/13699/3/item

(with a lower price)

What do you think about the price??? What is a good price to offer????

MDSparkles
 
Gypsy|1290465225|2775862 said:
http://www.langantiques.com/products/item/10-1-2732 This one is probably a real vintage setting.
Click to expand...

ooooohhh, that one is very pretty! I love it! The only thing is, is that I am really wanting a few vintage bands to stack around the ring...and I know wedding bands weren't the style in the edwardian days so the rings don't work with bands. But what a pretty right hand ring! :)
 
Can anyone help me with what a good price to pay for these is? One of them has make an offer on it, but I don't want to make an insulting offer because I don't know what is an appropriate price is to pay for these rings.

First, let me tell you. I have looked at diamond color a lot lately in a nice jewelry store (that doesn't sell vintage rings). My ideal diamond is NOT colorless, I prefer they have a bit of color. I favor the KLM range. Gasp! I know, I know, but I really prefer a creamy/ faint yellow color than a bright white. Plus, it is my ring, I have to wear it and I want to make the decision based on what I like and not what the diamond industry "says" is best.

So I have three choices and for me they are the perfect combinatin of a bit vinatge and a bit modern too:

Keep in mind, these are different rings and not the same ring, like I thought they might be earlier:

http://www.rubylane.com/item/458967-09-000017/3-22-ct-Diamond-Art (this one is OEC)

http://www.newyorkestatejewelry.com/engagement-rings/1950s-3.17ct-diamond-platinum-engagement-ring/13699/3/item (this one is mine cut)

The third ring is almost identical to the ones above as far as mounting, but does not have the bagette diamonds on the side, instead it has platinum bars in the side that look like bagettes. Priced at $6300: OEC 2.53 ct. 8.65x8.61x4.72mm with a GIA appraisal for $12K replacement:

The seller indicated this GIA appraiser is tough on diamonds.
Proportion is good
Depth: 54.69
Table: 60.8
Crown Angle: 33.0 degrees
Pavillion Depth: 41%
Girdle: Medium
Cutlet: Medium
Polish: Good
Symmetry: Good
Clarity S1 (one teeny tiny inlcusion and one small feather at the side as noted in the appraisal...seller says neither can be seen from the naked eye, the diamond looks very clear with lots of sparkle).
Color: LM
Flor: Inert-none (lw)

Let me know if you need any more information. Any adviceon good price, decent price, etc???? TIA

MDSparkles
 
Very pretty rings. I have been considering the Ruby Lane one myself! (Hadn't found the others)

I do not know enough about judging old cuts to know have any real sense of the value of the rings - a big part of why I haven't purchased the Ruby Lane one. Also, I am concerned that I am being swayed by the story on that one.

A few thoughts...

1. My understanding is that old cuts face up whiter than modern round brilliants. Keep that in mind as you pick

2. GIA is stricter with their ratings than EGL. An EGL J-K Vs2 may well be comparable to a GIA M-N SI2

3. It sounds like you have seen the 3rd ring in person? If you have and you loved it, it sure is a lot less $$$ than the others...and the dimensions of the diamond aren't a whole lot different...

4. Does the Ruby Lane one have any cert at all? Will they let you buy it, have it appraised (or certified, I think EGL will cert a set stone) and return if you aren't satisfied? These are the questions I would ask before moving forward. (It will still be a few more weeks before I move forward on anything, so don't worry, I'm not going to buy it out from under you!)
 
luckygirl333|1290524447|2776661 said:
Very pretty rings. I have been considering the Ruby Lane one myself! (Hadn't found the others)

I do not know enough about judging old cuts to know have any real sense of the value of the rings - a big part of why I haven't purchased the Ruby Lane one. Also, I am concerned that I am being swayed by the story on that one.

A few thoughts...

1. My understanding is that old cuts face up whiter than modern round brilliants. Keep that in mind as you pick

2. GIA is stricter with their ratings than EGL. An EGL J-K Vs2 may well be comparable to a GIA M-N SI2

3. It sounds like you have seen the 3rd ring in person? If you have and you loved it, it sure is a lot less $$$ than the others...and the dimensions of the diamond aren't a whole lot different...

4. Does the Ruby Lane one have any cert at all? Will they let you buy it, have it appraised (or certified, I think EGL will cert a set stone) and return if you aren't satisfied? These are the questions I would ask before moving forward. (It will still be a few more weeks before I move forward on anything, so don't worry, I'm not going to buy it out from under you!)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Luckygirl. :) Nice to know we have the same taste in pretty vintage rings. ;) The story doesn't sell me on that ring at all....lol. I just like the ring and the setting, but that being said the ring is a size 6.5 and the person selling it has a ring sizer on it that looks like it makes it a lot smaller. So when you see it on her hand and it looks huge I think it is because she has small hands. That being said, I am sure that a 3 carat diamond looks big regardless of your hand size....but I think it "might" look bigger on her hand. The other thing is, is that I think the OEC look smaller across the top than the modern round brilliant ones, so perhaps the diamond looks more like a 2.5 carat than a 3 carat.

The other thing I don't completely understand is that in a modern round brilliant you can take the width x lenght x depth x by .0061 and kind of calculate the carat weight. When I do it with that ring I only get 2.66 carats. I suppose the formula only works for the modern cut round? So like you I don't know enough to know what the price should be or what I am really buying. The only thing I understand right now are the cut, clarity and color. So much more to learn to make an educated decision.

I emailed someone at the New York Estate place and asked for more info on the OMC ring including un-retouched photos taken in natural light surrounds. He said the photos are in natural light surrounding....uh, really? It doesn't look like it to me. So that combined with the EGL report as opposed to a GIA report has me scratching it off my list. If I can't get a few "real" photos I just don't trust that EGL report enough to make a decision...sigh. But this ring does calculate to the carat weight he says it is....go figure!

On the third ring, I have not seen it in person--but she has a lot of natural light photos of it. The price seems good though, doesn't it? I just don't want to buy it sight unseen (no returns on this one) and find it looks more like a 2 carat than a 3--this one is an OEC.

If anyone has insight on price or what the actual size might look like please let me know. :)

MDSparkles
 
If a seller hasn't unset a stone, and doesn't have a pro appraisal with the piece, absolutely they can have the carat weight estimate wrong. I purchased a "3.4" ct OEC off ebay, listed as an M SI2 a couple of years ago. Unset it was actually 3.55 ct, and M VS2 (and if I bothered to repolish one tiny rim nick, would be an IF- no inclusions visible even at 30X). So yes, sellers can be all over the map in terms of accuracy of... well, everything. I've also purchased stuff that was way off NOT in my favor, too, lol.

I would definitely wonder if they have the carat weight overestimated in that RubyLane listing, or something measured incorrectly.

And IMO antique cuts, when not surrounded by whiter melee, can face up really really white, which also makes it tough to believe color estimations when there's no cert or appraisal.

The third ring, the price is awesome. Sometimes you can find 2nd hand/antique stuff that is amazingly well priced and is legitimately a steal. Other times there's totally a reason the price is low- like a chip, or the color is really a lot lower or whatever. Personally I think it's really shallow but for that price I might want to check it out in person to decide if it was still beautiful; I have owned really shallow antique cuts and found them lovely, if different in appearance than more normal proportions. The transitional cut I owned that was very shallow, and had a very big table but chunky facets, was very balanced towards white light return over fire. But it did return a LOT of white light- it looked like a little flashlight. Ultimately I decided to sell it but it was hardly an ugly stone despite the odd proportions. The odd-proportioned OEC could still be to your taste, but no way to evaluate it without checking it in person and also wtih an appraiser too, if you decide you like the look.

Whatever you go with, absolutely make sure you have a decent return period, and an appraiser on your side who is experienced with antique cuts.

Good luck! You *better* come back and show us pics after you decide on one, you know :tongue:
 
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