oval old cut on the way!

[LibbyLA]

I'm not sure who to blame for this because I don't remember what thread I was reading Monday when I clicked a link to JbEG . As I was scrolling through the photos to look at what the poster had mentioned, I saw an oval old cut. Oval is far and away my preferred shape and I love old cuts, but the only old cut oval I've seen pictures of is yennyfire's beauty. I know they aren't common.

I'd really been thinking about finishing off my collection with an OMB, but I'm going to look at this one instead. It's supposed to be here Friday morning (while I'm stuck in a classroom for 3-4 hours giving an exam, but FedEx shouldn't have any problem finding me there). I think that I will know almost immediately whether it's a keeper for me or not. I will be able to take it to my jeweler Saturday to think about settings. Don't know whether it will be something like this: http://www.gabrielny.com/engaged/style/ER3740W44JJ..... I like the gallery on this one, but the shoulders are a bit high for my taste.

or something like the Heart of Water lotus or the James Meyer 1345. Grace says bezel and east-west but I'm not especially a bezel person or east-west so we'll have to see. Don't know whether it will be gold (all colors are a possibility) or platinum. If you have setting ideas, you're welcome to share. I do want to be able to see the profile of the stone, but I also want to protect the edges, so if it's not a delicate bezel, it will probably be six or even eight prongs. Don't want a halo or anything really elaborate or super expensive.

.79 ct. oval, 6.59 x 4.90 x 3.48 (1.34 l/w ratio, although it looks longer to me, 71% depth). EGL G SI1. I like warmer stones, so won't mind if it's really a JKL (which I suspect it is). Bow tie is pretty obvious in the video, Dreamer_D has warned me to watch for lazy facets N and S. I spy some green leaking through near the center, too. If you see anything you think I ought to watch for, please let me know.

liz

 

[Enerchi]

Beautiful! I can't advise on what to look for, but it is a lovely looking stone. Congratulations on the new sparkler! What are your plans for setting it (the link doesn't seem to work)? I love JM's pieces. Not sure I'd want to ship all the way to HOW though, but her work is incredible.

Is JM still taking orders? I'm probably way off base, but something sticks in my head about James Meyers....

 

[junebug17]

It looks very pretty Libby, I love antique ovals - you don't see too many of them - well, at least I don't anyway lol. Yes, I see a bit of darkness/bowtie but it's so hard to judge from pics and videos. Can't wait to hear what you think of it when you see it in person!

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

Oops! Here's the link: http://www.gabrielny.com/engaged/style/ER3740W44JJ

I added some periods after it in my original post and that messed up the link. That's just one idea, an antique setting with a pretty basket (unless the photos are true-to-life, in which case the execution is wretched, but it gives me an idea). I prefer lower shoulders, though.

Here's a link to one thread on the James Meyer 1345: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/james-meyer-style-1345.112134/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/james-meyer-style-1345.112134/..[/URL]. JM doesn't take outside stones, and the setting would probably cost more than I really want to spend but it appeals to me.

Here's a link to one Heart of Water lotus. http://www.etsy.com/listing/60762371/sparkly-blue-lotus-ring-in-sterling

I'm all over the map on possible settings. I think I'll just have to look at what my jeweler has to offer and then decide whether I want vintage/antique or something a little more modern, but it probably won't be anything contemporary.

junebug,

I think I will know fairly quickly whether I love it or not. Grace is going to ship it overnight because she said she wants me to have it to look at over the weekend. One good thing is that I work at home a lot, not under glaring fluorescent lights all the time, so the lighting I'm in most of the time is good for the older cuts with less-than-perfect light performance. I'll just have to see if it speaks to me.

liz

 

[yennyfire]

I can't wait to see what you think in person! I don't think I've seen ANY other antique ovals and this one looks like a close relative!! Setting wise, that's a tough one. There are so many beautiful options out there. You can't go wrong with a JM piece.....

Rubbing my hands in anticipation!!!

 

[Enerchi]

I love the JM and HOW ones!!! Yeah... I'm a little concerned about the quality of the Gabriel NY one... it does look like a little something is off?? can't pin point it, but the other two options are STUNNING!!!

When is the new baby due to be delivered?

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

People here seem to recommend Gabriel NY a lot so I think maybe it's a bad photo. However, my jeweler isn't a dealer for that brand and I don't LOVE the setting, it's just an idea. His daughter says that they have a wax that's very similar. I'm sure we can come up with something.

Should be here tomorrow morning by 10:30 a.m. Unfortunately, I will be sitting in a classroom administering a final practical exam to my statistical programming students from 8 a.m. until about noon, but I put the building and classroom number as the address so FedEx should be able to find me. I'm sure they deliver to the offices just around the corner of the hallway.

Then I have to grade papers all afternoon, but I should be able to keep an eye on the pretty while I'm grading and get a feel for whether I love it or not. Will take it to the jeweler Saturday, no matter what.

Am wondering whether I should send it to GIA while it's unmounted or just not worry about it. Part of me would want to know exactly what I have as far as color and clarity go, but I'm not likely to try to sell it any time soon and EGL is a standard for old cuts. Plus it would likely delay getting the stone set. I doubt the jeweler will take six or eight weeks to do the setting. It's not going to be that kind of elaborate.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

yennyfire,

I have loved your antique oval ever since I first saw your avatar, and I read your thread yesterday. This one doesn't have nearly the "wow" factor that yours does, but it's still unique. It fits my lifestyle and budget. Hope I love it. It looks like your stone's baby sister.

The JM setting isn't an option since he doesn't take outside stones, but maybe I can find something similar. All I know is that I don't want something stark and ultramodern. Beyond that, I'm just going to have to see what's available and go from there.

liz

 

[yennyfire]

Aww, thanks Liz! I actually think that your stone has enough chunky facets of it's own that it's going to be a pretty "wow" stone! I agree with you about staying away from ultra modern settings....I know some people like the juxtaposition of modern/vintage together, but I'm a purist at heart and go for "matching" my time periods, lol!

 

[Enerchi]

Did the ring come in? did it make it to your classroom? What do you think of it?

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

Tomorrow by 10:30 a.m. central time! And the diamond is loose but Grace said she'd send a stone holder. I had a tracking number fairly early today.

FedEx will deliver it to the office of the department for which I'm teaching the course and someone will bring it to me. FedEx is familiar with the office location so that seems more reliable than sending them to a room they're not familiar with. If it were my home department, I wouldn't have hesitated to have it delivered to the main office, but I was shanghaied to teach a course for this other department so I hate to make myself at home or impose on them.

I've gone through the old cut lovers thread and the bezel thread and picked some settings that I like. I found several Heart of Water rings that are lovely. If I don't find something I like at my local jeweler, I may have to go that route.

Thanks for asking! Maybe it will arrive early enough for me to at least post that I've gotten it and give my initial impression of it.

liz

 

[Enerchi]

I'm eager to hear what you think of it! There are a lot of PSers who are VeRy happy with the Gabriel rings - I hope you can be one of them

I also think there are some incredible HOW options available as well. Its just that it takes so long to travel there and back.. I'm kinda impatient

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

Most likely won't be a Gabriel ring because my jeweler doesn't carry that brand, but he probably has something similar, and maybe something with lower shoulders. I really don't have a setting preference at this point, other than not contemporary or ultra modern and no halos or pave. I'll see what's available and what appeals to me and go from there.

I will definitely keep you posted. I have no idea what time FedEx usually delivers to that particular office but I'm hoping it's early on the route.

I've never had a loose diamond so this will be interesting.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

She's here and she's pretty! She's not big enough to get a lot of the big, chunky flashes of color but her sparkle is definitely different from a regular oval brilliant. It's going to take a delicate setting to set her off. (Well, if I put my glasses on, I can see flashes a lot better. Curse of middle-aged eyes.) I don't see any obvious dark spots and I don't even see a bow tie. The closeup photos show things that you just can't see in real life. I was very concerned about the bow tie after viewing the video but I just don't see it here.

I'm not sure what the color is and I don't have my GIA J here to compare her to, but I don't think she's quite as vanilla as it is. She may not be a G, but she's not K or L, either.

She's more "roval" in person than the enlarged photos show, which makes me happy. I prefer rovals to the more classic 1.5 l/w ratio. She's barely in the range, at 1.34.

If I can get my papers graded early, maybe I'll slip off to the jewler this afternoon. If not, I'll be there pretty close to 10 a.m. when he opens.

She was packed inside a beautiful orange fabric-covered presentation box tied with a brown satin bow, inside a padded envelope, inside a FedEx box, inside another FedEx box. Grace enclosed a lovely hand-written note. She has the most beautiful handwriting!

Will try to get a picture or two later today.

liz

 

[junebug17]

Oh Libby, sounds like a beautiful stone! I love roval shaped stones too, and antique ovals are just so unique. So...in which direction are you leaning? Do you think she's a keeper?

 

[LibbyLA]

Junebug,

I'm more likely to keep her than not. I think the setting will make her, although I don't yet know what it will be. She's not very big so I don't see the chunky facets all that well, but I think when I'm out of this bright overhead fluorescent lighting, I will see more of the old cut sparkle. Just have to find a beautiful delicate setting to enhance her.

liz

 

[Enerchi]

So glad she got there safely!!! Can you post some pics???

That sounds exciting that you'd be able to keep it! Did your setting ideas seem to fit with the stone, once you saw it in person??

Yippee!!

 

[vinjewels]

Can't wait to see those pics! Isn't the package and note a lovely sentiment? Loved getting mine.

 

[LibbyLA]

Too late to get decent pics tonight. Sorry.

Went to the jeweler this afternoon to take a break from grading some papers that weren't as good as they should have been. Have some setting ideas that I'll post in another post.

Jeweler looked at diamond under microscope, said VS clarity. I told him that EGL cert (EGL USA, LA) called it SI1. He said, "Huh?", looked at the plot, went back and looked at it under the scope again. Said he didn't see anything that looked like the plot. So at least I didn't get an SI1 that's really an I1. He also felt comfortable with the G color grade. Seems like it's probably within one grade of what the certificate says for both clarity and color, which is a relief after reading some of the EGL horror stories posted here.

The plot looks like it has fine red lint drawn all through it. I almost didn't want to loupe the diamond. When I did, all I saw was pretty faceting. There was very little to see, especially in the middle, despite what the clarity plot looks like.



Specs (she's a deep little thing!):



Most of the inspiration settings I'd gathered aren't suitable for her, she's just too small for much detail around the head or basket. Baskets with pretty detail don't come as small as 5 x 7.

 

[LibbyLA]

Setting idea 1: Gabriel ER3740W44JJ (hope the basket isn't as messy as the photo shows it). This style is very similar to my other three vintage solitaires. I don't know whether more of the same is good or bad.

My jeweler doesn't carry this brand so I'll visit one who does tomorrow morning. Web site shows price as $725, FWIW. I'd probably get white gold.

 

[LibbyLA]

An option from my jeweler that would cost about $1000, give or take. This one has a tulip head oriented NSEW, which would protect the ends and sides of the stone. It's hard for me to visualize with a wax but I think the wax is much clunkier than the finished ring.

This would be white gold. The shank has a carved floral design. The shoulders would have three graduated small round full cut diamonds, with millegrain edges. (We priced tapered baugettes but that would have added a lot more to the price of the setting than I am willing to pay.) There would be yellow gold (or maybe rose gold?) wraps between the shank and the shoulders, in the "trenches." Although the head is round, it's just about the right size to fit the roval with a little tweaking. I think that the reverse taper is interesting and a little bit different.







(Sorry for the crappy photos but this was the best I could get this evening.)

A third option is to have a CAD done.

Comments and suggestions are welcome. I'm not sold on any particular setting. I do like the James Meyer 1345 but he doesn't take outside stones and I don't think it's the right setting for this little baby.

I'll try to get some photos posted sometime tomorrow, along with an update after I check on the Gabriel setting.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

Couple of photos. These aren't the worst photos of diamonds that I've ever seen, but they're close. The tint is from the very beige background walls. Unfortunately, I didn't capture any of the sparkle. These things look like the dreaded frozen spit in these photos, but at least there's some size perspective.

First photo is L to R: 2.06 GIA J SI2 (oval brilliant), .79 EGL USA G SI1 (antique oval brilliant), ForteKitty's .33 oval, .75 OEC



Antique oval by itself for perspective.

 

[Enerchi]

I like the wax your jeweller has shown you. The size would be maximized by the details on the sides of it, as opposed to a plain solitiare, and even tho you've gone that route before with your other lovelies shown above, I think it suits the stone and the vintage you prefer. It would work well with your others, IMO. NOT Like you wear them all at once - DUH! - but this is the realm you are drawn to and are comfortable in.

That said... would you EVER consider really going totally out of your zone, just for a 'fun ring'?? Not completely stretching but definitely more modern than what you have shown above:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-17307w14.html
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire-rings/ring/item_57-8942.asp

Just idea to get you thinking outside the box... but its okay to reject them if they aren't "you"!

 

[LibbyLA]

Enerchi,

Thanks for the suggestions. The halo I might consider although halos aren't my favorite and that's a really modern one. The upside is that the crown and pavilion would be really visible. Price isn't bad, either.

The second one is a definite no. Don't like that modern, industrial look.

I appreciate your comments about the wax. The wax version would be one-of-a-kind and a little bit different but not wacky different. I definitely don't want a plain solitaire.

I visited the local jeweler that carries Gabriel today and they're supposed to get to me with a price next week.

I'm also considering asking the bargain hunters here to help me find a pretty low-cost vintage setting that the head can be lasered out of and a replacement put in. I don't know whether I'd use a stock head/basket or whether I'd have a CAD one done. I'd like something with a narrow collar around the outside edge, possibly with milgrain, and an open basket.

liz

 

[LibbyLA]

Found a couple of JbEG settings that I like. They're probably more than I really want to spend, but I want to love my ring and it is something I will likely wear a lot.

Lisa (with .39 ct. OEC center diamond). I might consider EW setting with this one.



Lynda (with 1.19 antique cushion). Love the engraved halo.

 

[LibbyLA]

BlountJewelsInc,

The Gabriel setting (first in the thread) or the Lisa (first of the two in the message above yours)?

liz

 

[omc111]

I recently had my modern cut oval set in a tulip head and I love it. I feel the diamond is well protected and it's a beautiful and unusual setting--at least to me, I haven't seen it before and I tend to look at women's hands before I look at their faces!

 

[yennyfire]

I like the Lynda or the one with the wax, though I'd want to see photos of a finished ring before I placed my order.

 

[vintagelover229]

Did you know that JM has a son and another woman Anne who does his style of work and take custom orders? Might be something worth considering

http://calebmeyer.com/caleb-meyer-custom-jewelry.html

http://www.annmckaystudio.com/home.html

 

[LibbyLA]

Update: Price for Gabriel setting, including setting the diamond, is $840, so not bad at all.

Price for Lisa is $2K or more, Lynda $1350 or so (both in platinum). The Lisa is my favorite so far.

Lisa with .46 ct. diamond: http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/Other/Plain-and-Pave-Solitaires/The-Lisa-Solitaire-Setting/20519224_S6krmL#!i=1637324065&k=WSP7V2Q

Lisa with 1.01 tranny: http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/Other/Plain-and-Pave-Solitaires/The-Lisa-Halo-Featuring-a/16245571_tCctCD#!i=1226717013&k=QqtMn2k

It's probably almost heresy to say this, but I don't like the claw prongs. They give me the heebie jeebies! They look like bird feet to me. I think part of the reason the prongs look so large is that they are coming from the outside of the illusion head rather than from the inside. I do like the subtle illusion head, which I think would make the diamond look larger and sparklier.

omc111: I am intrigued by the tulip setting, especially if it's NSEW as it is on the wax. It is pretty and different.

yennyfire: I don't think my local jeweler has made that particular ring (the wax) before. I like the head on the Lynda but am not sure I want a solitaire.

vintagelover: Thanks for those links. I think I'm going to have to spend some time looking at both those places. I'm finding that I like the top view of many of those rings, but I don't especially like the profile, with the diamond sitting up in a "bridge" of sorts. I'm not sure what bothers me about that style.

So I'm still mulling my options. I really wanted to stay under $1000 for the setting, which I could do with the Gabriel setting. Was hoping to stay well under $1000, but I don't think I'd be happy with a plain low-end solitaire setting.

The Lisa doesn't look as much like an e-ring, would work nicely on either right or left hand. One of the two examples linked above shows it with four accent diamonds, the other with two sapphires and two diamonds. I prefer the one with the sapphires, and like the medium blue color (or maybe even a little lighter) rather than a dark blue.

liz