OEC vs MRB

[PierreBear]

Hi PSers,

Are there any good photos/videos comparing an OEC vs an MRB side by side of similar size and color? I feel like there are beautiful images all throughout the site but I don't think I would have the opportunity to see an OEC in person as I don't know of any local stories that carry them. Anyone who converted over to an OEC who can share the pro/cons of an OEC vs MRB such as cost/face up benefits/brilliance etc... ? I appreciate the thoughts and have a good day!

 

[Loves Vintage]

I bet if any of your local more independent type shops have an estate section, you'd have a good chance of finding an old cut. I'm sure other folks will have photos for you, but just wanted to throw that option out there for you.

 

[chrono]

I have a chunky transitional but even so, the difference is very obvious to my eye. It has more pastel flashes and those flashes are slower but bigger. The downside is that the face up dimensions is smaller than a comparable ct weight MRB. I cannot go back to MRB for rings anymore but I love them for accent stones, pendants and earrings, where quick fire sparkle will catch the eye better. I like the large colourful flashes of OECs for rings. That said, you'll understand my bias when I admit to also loving the slow but large flash of step cuts.

Another downside with OECs is that it is more challenging to find a high colour + high clarity stone compared to MRBs. I believe most of those have probably been recut to MRBs.

 

[junebug17]

Here's a video from the GIA website showing the differences (scroll down a little for it) -

https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-round-brilliant-cut-diamond-pay

And a pic, OEC on left, MRB right.

 

[Bonfire]

Maybe this will help give you some idea
Sorry the pictures turned so it's a little more difficult to see. Maybe someone can turn them?

 

[junebug17]

Rotated -

 

[Bonfire]

Thanks Junebug!!! How did you do that?!! Probably because my pics were so ginormous!

 

[bunnycat]

Hi PSers,

Are there any good photos/videos comparing an OEC vs an MRB side by side of similar size and color? I feel like there are beautiful images all throughout the site but I don't think I would have the opportunity to see an OEC in person as I don't know of any local stories that carry them. Anyone who converted over to an OEC who can share the pro/cons of an OEC vs MRB such as cost/face up benefits/brilliance etc... ? I appreciate the thoughts and have a good day!

I've had both and love both. Currently I have a MRB, but also have a similar sized OEC I've had for several years now. I was using it as my e-ring, but the warmth got to me. So I moved back over to MRB land.

I live in a place where there's just no easy way to deal with what I consider the vagaries of OEC's (like the girdle abrasions, and very thin gridles). There's nowhere that I could go to for a simple polish of a few nicks, like you might have in a major city. Couple that with I already had a MRB that had a good upgrade policy on it, and if I had wanted to upgrade color and size on the OEC I'd have first had to sell the OEC, plus my MRB, then spend who knows how long searching for just the right stone and then possibly have no upgrade policy, and the thought of all that just made me feel so tired. I like the MRB I have, and like his cutting, and so knew anything I got would be a great stone, so I went with overall ease and repeatability. One and done, easy care, and reliable is what I wanted most.

I admit it is more fun to photograph OEC's, but IRL for me sparkle is sparkle, and it doesn't matter much to me if it is old or new cut at the size I'm wearing (< 2ct).

 

[Logan Sapphire]

I fell in love with a gorgeous OEC from SingleStone; here is a bad pic compared to my MRB ring.

 

[missy]

Junie and Logan, great photos! And I agree with everything Chrono wrote. The difference is obvious when you get to see a them IRL. The chunkier facets of the old cuts, the more pastel colors glowing from them, the slower flashes of light and just a romantic glow that seems to emanate from the old cuts as opposed to the quicker more splintery flashes of the MRB.

I found a couple of pics.




Last one is Demelza's (I think) MRB and Dreamer's (transitional).. Gorgeous.

 

[arkieb1]

Look at some of the diamond videos from Victor Canera and Good Old Gold, GOG in particular does comparisons of top cuts in both OECS and RBs next to each other. Examples;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOL-_LiJKdk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgcvxvyX1cY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiLHUjTq3FU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFqY2mKz5-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67S_ids3acY

 

[PierreBear]

Wow, thank you all! I'm so blown away with all the links and pictures. Good news friends... I'm actually traveling this weekend for a wedding and there is a jewelry store that carries Singlestone pieces. I hope to have time to stop by and check out their goodies and share my experience and pictures back to ya'll!

My general thought is that I desire something different from my current ering that is a MRB. Perhaps needing more justification to not feel as guilty about desiring an upgrade and to be able to say that it's different from my current ering other than just size. I toyed with the idea of going with a step cut but eventually I kept falling back in love with that classic 6 prong knife edge look. Anyhow, figuring out that I still like the round shape for both face up value and sparkle, I started to consider whether an OEC might be fitting. However, I think what bunnycat's comment about how OECs sparkle differently in IRL might still make me an MRB girl. Well, hopefully I can see an OEC this weekend and figure out that factor. Thanks for walking me through this future upgrade process as I keep vacillating back and forth.