Newbie needs Advice - is this a good OEC?

[FMHW]

First, thank you so much for your time. I am new to this site, and I've heard amazing things about the helpful community here.

My boyfriend and I are about to take the plunge to buy a ring. We are looking at a stone from LoveAffairDiamonds (from Erica, formerly one half of Jewels by Erica Grace), which we would set in a rose gold setting.

I am worried about buying a stone online, without ever having seen it in person. I love OECs but they can be unpredictable. This would be an international order, and one that would be difficult to return. In addition, it has been independently certified by Neil Beatty, and not GIA.

Any advice, thoughts, questions we should ask would be greatly appreciated. I defer to the diamond experts, and your personal experiences, for any advice you can give to someone who is feeling a bit like she is floundering!

Stone: http://loveaffairdiamonds.smugmug.com/Vintage-Rings/101ct-Old-European-Cut-Diamond/i-R6VkcQj

Also considering: http://loveaffairdiamonds.smugmug.com/Loose-Vintage-and-Antique-Diam/092ct-Old-European-Cut-Diamond/

Setting: We would be setting this in a 14k gold, Rose Gold Stuller setting. It would look like the picture below.



THANK YOU !!!


p.s. if I have placed this thread in the wrong location, please forgive me, and moderators, feel free to re-locate it.

 

[John P]

For a diamond of this category the most important part of selection is the expert(s) whom you choose to be your agents. In this case you've mentioned Erica, who specializes in this genre, and Neil Beaty, one the world's only appraisers with the AGS ICGA credential as well as the GIA GG. You've done your homework well. Their reputations are impeccable for a reason.

I am worried about buying a stone online, without ever having seen it in person. I love OECs but they can be unpredictable. This would be an international order, and one that would be difficult to return. In addition, it has been independently certified by Neil Beatty, and not GIA.

For what it's worth, GIA would be useful for verifying the color, clarity, no treatments, etc. But if reselling is not the goal, do know that Neil Beaty will be more thorough, with equal (or greater) accuracy and more information about the diamond's make and overall pedigree.

Any advice, thoughts, questions we should ask would be greatly appreciated. I defer to the diamond experts, and your personal experiences, for any advice you can give to someone who is feeling a bit like she is floundering!

Back to my first sentence. You've done a great job of selecting a dream-team to help you.

 

[tyty333]

They are both beautiful! I like the first one better. It just seems like a slightly nicer
Stone in my eyes plus it is larger.

Love the setting you picked!

 

[FMHW]

Mr. Pollard, thank you so much for your response, and for taking the time to give me some insight. I can't thank you enough. I spent a lot of time researching before I went to Jewels by Erica and Grace, which split into Love Affair Diamonds (Erica) and Jewels by Grace (Grace). I'm glad to see that the independent research led me in the right direction!

 

[FMHW]

They are both beautiful! I like the first one better. It just seems like a slightly nicer
Stone in my eyes plus it is larger.

Love the setting you picked!

Thank you so much tyty333! The first stone is my first choice. There is only one video available amongst the pictures, so that is making me a little nervous. It is a little large, and I like the bigger stone!

Thanks for the compliments re the setting! I've never tried it on, but I did go to Spence Diamonds, find the setting that was as close to above, and tried it on. Hoping the stone, even though a J/K, will still pop in the rose gold!

 

[Dreamer_D]

The first stone in the baguette mount looks just like mine! Is that the type of cut you are after? The second is a more rustic earlier cut that I think might not be super lively under the table, the table facets all look like they are flashing on and off at the same time in some of those pics and there is not a lot of under table contrast.

 

[FMHW]

The first stone in the baguette mount looks just like mine! Is that the type of cut you are after? The second is a more rustic earlier cut that I think might not be super lively under the table, the table facets all look like they are flashing on and off at the same time in some of those pics and there is not a lot of under table contrast.

Hey Dreamer_D! I love the stone in the ring of your avatar! When you mention the type of cut, are you referring to the Old European Cut, or something else (sorry, I'm new to the diamond world!). I thought the cut in the second stone was a little uneven, thought quite bright. My concern with the first stone is it looks a little dark under the table - especially in the magnified picture.