Pawn Shop Splurge

[stracci2000]

What a sweet find! Very exciting...and mentioning the price is good information. I think you got the deal of the century on that .84!!!
We have been talking a lot about pawn shops over on the Antique and Vintage forum.
I have been taking the tour of pawn shops in my town, and I have found a few nice old cuts. They are few and far between!

 

[caf]

Nice finds!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Thanks everyone for all the supportive comments!

What a sweet find! Very exciting...and mentioning the price is good information.

Thanks Stracci, I wasn't sure if I had broken a rule or something; on the forum I've seen others more discreet about prices. But since I'm not going to sell the diamond and not affiliated with any jewellery business, I hoped it would be ok.

There's a tragic detail I forgot to mention about the transaction: the owner said the diamond had been one of a pair of earrings which they separated to make someone a ring.... oh if only I had been able to buy both stones. [sad face]

 

[missy]

Lovely finds!!! And I am sorry you couldn't save both of those diamonds but at least you saved one of them! And so pretty too!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Thank you! Was thinking of putting it in my avatar ring setting I was given from Mel's Antique. Sigh. #DecisionParalysis

 

[PreRaphaelite]

So as an update on the stone, the GIA report came back listing her as...

drumroll please...

L color, 1.01cts, VS2.

I'm looking for mountings now and I think she will be a pendant. Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[blueMA]

That's an insane deal you got for a VS2 stone over 1 ct.
I've never been to a pawn shop but I sure will check em out from now on!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

That's an insane deal you got for a VS2 stone over 1 ct.
I've never been to a pawn shop but I sure will check em out from now on!

Thank you! I think the key for me was in asking for broken stuff - honestly I think the store owner was happy to sell what he considered scrap. Good luck and share when you find deals!

 

[MamaBee]

Amazing! That was some find! I’m going to check out pawn shops now!

 

[Crazie4Cuts]

Score! And congratulations! What a good eye you have @InsecureSweetGirl! Thanks for letting us know! Just wanted to ask how you knew for sure when you purchased-that in fact it was a diamond? Did the owner have a diamond tester? Or did you just take a chance?
-C4C

 

[chanieish]

Wow! That big mama stone hit the 1 ct mark and VS2 also!!

Congrats on your glorious find! Looking forward to your settings.

 

[elliefire99]

What a find! Whenever I go to pawn shops, everything is just boring and expensive haha. Looks like I will have to try a new strategy!

Enjoy the new diamonds!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Thanks friends!
@Crazie4Cuts I was just lucky, because while I’ve learned a lot on PS, really it’s not hard to fool people like me. I used a loupe and saw the single refraction so I was pretty confident that it wasn’t CZ, but it could have been fracture-filled, irradiated, or some other kind of fakery. The warm color of the stone was something I noticed, and PS introduced me to the shorter pavilion facets of Old cuts. But still, it was a gamble. I knew a frosted girdle was something I wanted, so that was good. Also, I did make sure that “diamond” was on the receipt, just in case I needed to bring it back and/or dispute the charge via my credit card. The owner telling me it was a Rose cut made me want to laugh but I kept a poker face somehow! Honestly though, I’ve had mini panic moments while it’s been at GIA, like, omg what if it’s fake and I’m an idiot. Phew. Lucky break it is legit. Next time I’m pawn-shopping I’m breaking out the big diagnostic tools, maybe?

In retrospect, i should have asked him to let me know if the other twin to this stone ever came back in to him! Sigh. What a shame to have broken up a matched pair like this!

 

[FutureChocolateMLK]

This makes me want to visit every pawn shop in a 50 mile radius from me

 

[Ally T]

What a beautiful diamond & price! Can’t wait to see how you set her & her baby too!

 

[missy]

So as an update on the stone, the GIA report came back listing her as...

drumroll please...

L color, 1.01cts, VS2.

I'm looking for mountings now and I think she will be a pendant. Have a great weekend everyone!

Congratulations! What a fantastic find and save and so happy for you! Cannot wait to see how you set her and cannot wait to see you wearing and enjoying her.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Thank you!
I’m looking for settings and haven’t found anything even remotely close. I’ve never had any kind of normal American style engagement/diamond buying experience, so this feels overwhelming.

 

[missy]

Thank you!
I’m looking for settings and haven’t found anything even remotely close. I’ve never had any kind of normal American style engagement/diamond buying experience, so this feels overwhelming.

You may (or may not) be aware of my current setting challenges. The process can be daunting and overwhelming indeed. If I may share some sage advice I have received in my setting thread....allow yourself to take the time you need to find the setting that speaks to you and try not to let the process become more stressful than fun. If you are not sure what you want at this time but still want to wear her find a simple inexpensive setting so you can wear her while you take your time finding just the right setting.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Thank you Missy, that’s very good advice. I’ve been taking it so seriously as I think she is “the one to rule them all” but you’re right that even a temporary setting would take the edge off, help me relax a bit while scrolling through endless pages of images online.

I’d thought of sending her to Adam at OWD or another vendor to have her matched but honestly, she’s too big for my earlobe anyway, and the cost to match is frightening for sure. Maybe I’ll start a poll and get everyone’s input, ring/pendant/etc

Also I’ve been watching your mission to reset Bubbalah, and I’m jealous of that challenge! She’s so lovely, as are you.

 

[missy]

Thank you Missy, that’s very good advice. I’ve been taking it so seriously as I think she is “the one to rule them all” but you’re right that even a temporary setting would take the edge off, help me relax a bit while scrolling through endless pages of images online.

I’d thought of sending her to Adam at OWD or another vendor to have her matched but honestly, she’s too big for my earlobe anyway, and the cost to match is frightening for sure. Maybe I’ll start a poll and get everyone’s input, ring/pendant/etc

Also I’ve been watching your mission to reset Bubbalah, and I’m jealous of that challenge! She’s so lovely, as are you.

Let me ask you this one question...how do you envision wearing and enjoying her to the max? As earrings or as a pendant or a ring or another option? Which would you wear more? Which would give you greater pleasure? Some people want to see the diamond so prefer a ring or bracelet. Some prefer feeling it and know it is there so love earrings more. And some just love wearing pendants and would enjoy it most that way.

If cost was of no concern what does your heart yearn for most? Earrings, pendant, ring? Something else? Take the financial aspect out for a moment and ask yourself that question.

Aww and thank you for such a lovely compliment and right back at ya!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Missy that’s a question that makes me stop and think. I really appreciate that! Very savvy of you, thanks.

You’re right that budget is a stumbling block. There are some who say, perhaps rightly, that if I couldn’t manage to buy a setting, I should never have bought a stone. But like everything else in my life I’ve been lucky just to have stumbled into bliss. Once I’ve found it, I tend to clamp down on happiness like a greyhound onto a squeaky toy and carry it around with me for a long time. (Have I mentioned we’re getting two new greyhounds this week as our state ended racing and now the rescue group is panicked... our priorities are animals first)

This stone is something I never expected, never “earned” really, so I don’t know what to do with her. I thought pendant because she would be safe, and I hadn’t wanted anything that looked like an engagement ring because marriage is not in the cards. I know I’ll stare at her endlessly wherever she lands. And I miss wearing my Toi et Moi which was left in a sad state.

Should I do a poll with pictures? It’s helpful if other people weigh in. Thank you for helping me think this through. You’re just the best.

 

[MamaBee]

I keep seeing her in a pendant with the baby on top and the mommy on the bottom..as double drops..I’ll see if I can find a photo..Are the colors similar?

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Mamabean, they don’t seem to play well together although I think they are both OEC. The baby is much whiter! I’ll see if I can get a quick picture of her.... one sec

 

[Austina]

What a great find, I can’t wait to see what you decide on.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Babygirl. Compared to my avatar photo she’s less yellow. Last photo is most accurate color representation but Tiffany blue background helps show cut.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

She should weigh .15 based on MBR average weight to diameter, but she’s heavy.

 

[MamaBee]

She’s precious..I really like the idea of a DBTY bracelet so you could see her all the time. It wouldn’t be too expensive to set her in one..and live with her for a while until you either leave her on your wrist... or get a brainstorm and do something else with her. I got my bracelet to almost exactly fit so it would turn too much on me.
Do you have another hole in your ear? You could make her into a little stud..

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Mamabean, how did you know I'd been scrolling through PS threads on extra piercings? .... my extra one closed up long ago, but I had considered re-piercing, and making the babygirl a milgrain bezel low-profile stud in 14k unplated wg. Local jeweller wanted over $150 to do it, so I blanched and was stopped in my tracks. Hmmm.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Do you think having the babygirl matched would be possible? I dont have any stud earrings at the moment and 3.4mm is a good size for minimalistic studs for days off.

Would Adam at OWD be offended by being asked to match such a small stone?

 

[PreRaphaelite]

This pic best shows the color comparison - not a good match really but then I didn't realize the baby was included at first, so I guess it was a "gift with purchase" lol