OEC

[debcal]

Please bear with me, as I am a total and complete novice. I never owned a diamond, and am now looking at engagement rings. Tonight, at a major dept. store (where I swore I would never even look), I saw a beautiful "estate" ring. The saleslady was very helpful (I hope). She said it was OEC. Now, I never heard of that till that moment. She told me she felt the color is "D", and the clarity VS1. It is .45 carat. Also, I remember her mentioning an AGS #, but I didn't know what that was, and forget what she said. We compared it to other rings in the case, and all concluded it "sparkled" way more than others. She kept saying it had "fire", but I didn't realize she was using an actual term of art! Anyway, the price (with all their "markdowns", discounts for using the credit card, etc) comes to around $750.00 She suggested I change the setting as it hides much of the stone (the prongs are wide?), as well as being set too deep. I love the ring, but how can I know if it is truly what she says it is? She said it is definitely "heirloom", and not a new Old Cut. How can I know for sure about anything she told me?

 

[oldminer]

You likely should discount nearly every part of what you have been told.

While some of it may be correct, it would be an unusual thing to get a real and accurate version in that kind of situation. The diamond may be a very pretty one and the remounting advice might be sound. The price may be good but the grade may or may not be right. That would affect the pricing, too. If it has an AGS cert, then the grade might be fine, but AGS grading an OEC, not so likely...Could be, but maybe not.

OEC diamonds generally do have more sparkle than modern cuts which have more outright brilliancy, but sparkle with long needles instead of blocky bits of light more typical in old cuts.

My daughter who has grown up with all sorts of diamonds knowledge and stones selected an OEC diamond for her engagement ring a few years ago. She got the look she wanted, not just the same as all her friends have. YOU are the one to make that decision. It can be a very nice experience.

 

[valeria101]

For a D VS1 there better be a certificate. And yes, old cut diamonds are serious charmers

could not agree more. In all honesty, the cut model is by no means impossible to replicate, so the statement "this is old, not a replica" is the piece I hardest to back up. A OEC with such high color and clarity ? Any day! It would be a great find. If the stone really carries an AGS certificate to back up those very high grades, this is a keeper

if it ever was one.

 

[debcal]

Thanks, Oldminer and Valerian,
I finally spoke to the manager at the store, and she said there is no cert., just what the appraiser told them, which she can't remember exactly. She is going to speak with him Wed., and will let me know what he says. She said I can purchase it, have it appraised and return it if I am not satisfied. She said they are closing out their estate jewelry, so there ar real bargains. Anyway, how should I go about getting it appraised locally? And with that appraisal, will I get a cert., or is that something additional? Thanks!

 

[oldminer]

have the store remove the diamond. Have your local appraiser examine ONLY the unset stone. Otherwise you will never be able to know "D" color is at all accurate. A D and and an F set in an old ring would look pretty much identical.
Only a loose diamond, out of the ring, will do the trick.