Photobomb: O/P antique cushion

[WhoaNelly]

I've been playing with this lil from OWD trying to decide whether to keep it. Thought I'd share pics that I took with a real camera (a point and shoot but a step up from my iPhone). Share thoughts if you want: I'm posting primarily so that people who may be interested in lower color antique cushions can see how beautiful they can be, especially with a great cut. Basic specs:

4.49 carats
O/P color (per Neil aka DenverAppraiser)
Clarity: SI1
Dimensions: 9.54 x 9.68 x 6.88mm
Table: 48% Depth: 72.1%

A few notes: it does face up a smidge small for its size: it has heft around the girdle It is wonky, which I love. All that does not detract from it's chunky goodness. It faces up white, old lace, vanilla and all sorts of other colors. Enjoy!

 

[WhoaNelly]

A couple more since I could only load 4 at a time. Also, it's on one of those "this is not a ring" thingies that I've backed with tissue to keep in place. FYI, my ring size: 3.25/3.5. I hope these photos help others in their quests for their HG (holy grail) stone.

 

[motownmama]

GORGEOUS stone - AND............... I want to kiss that little pink cat nose!!!!!!

 

[GMAC]

Wow love the crown on antique cushions!

 

[spicyitalian]

WHOA, it's huge!

 

[Circe]

I love your judge-y feline. (I say that having two of my own - whenever I try to snap pics, there they are on the background being all "Madam, WHAT are you DOING!?!"). And I think I love the stone even more. I like the low color and the high crown and the melding, shifting facets. How might you be thinking of setting it?

 

[JulieN]

Beautiful.

 

[Laila619]

Wow, it looks even more stunning on your hand! I love it.

What do you think?

 

[luvsdmb]

I also love it!!

 

[doberman]

Wonky - and stunning! Love your feline background.

 

[Acinom]

Wow!!! Love the shape, the antique lace color with chameleon quality and the yummy size. Love your stone
What do you think? And how will you set the when you keep her?

 

[AnnaH]

I still like it. So you are going to keep it?
It looks huge on your little hand. Guess antique cushions that size aren't plentiful.
How will you set it?

 

[yssie]

So.. do you love it?

There are lots of (very valid!) reasons to love a particular stone. I love big diamonds - the bigger the better, in my book. My beloved rose cut is an utter failure of a diamond by modern light-reflector techology metrics. I have an antique cushion with the wonkiest faceting I've ever seen, and that faceting is exactly *why* I love it.

The one thing I personally don't like to see in a centerstone or centerpiece stone is "mush" - aggregates of facets that look "murky" and "garbled", with poorly delineated facet outlines and sluggish scintillation (turning on/off as you rock the stone) because there are tons of tiny virtual facets all clumped together all doing different things at different times, each too small for the eye to individually appreciate...

I do see quite a bit of "mush" in your stone under the table in those pics, the same thing SB and JustGinger were talking about in your other thread, and the ASET confirms this. That doesn't make it "bad", or a "bad performer", but it wouldn't be the right stone for me. So I guess my real question is: what do you value most? And does this stone meet your top criteria?

You're spending a lot of money. I think it's one thing when you see something that wouldn't necessarily meet all the objective specifications but it's LOVE at first sight, and it tugs at your heartstrings in every way... but that doesn't seem to be the case here, if you've got doubts about body colour or faceting or light return and you're still deciding whether to keep it as you said in your OP, so I'd say try as hard as you can to lock the heart away for now and make a list of weighted pros and cons and start ticking off checkboxes, and see how your own 'logical' perspective stacks up against your 'emotional' view... I often surprise myself doing this!

 

[WhoaNelly]

Hello!

Motownmama, GMAC, SpicyItalian, JulieN, Luvsdmb, doberman: thank you for your compliments---on the stone and the feline! He's one of my street cat specials who wandered into my life 5+ years ago. He was definitely in a mood because the poor mite had 4 teeth removed two days earlier He's doing much better now.

Circe, Laila, Acinom, AnnaH: thank you for your comments and questions. I'm planning on setting the stone, be it this one or another, in the "Boston Jeff"---which in my opinion is a simple and elegant setting. When I first started looking I was drawn to that but then considered a split shank halo and then a halo with colored stones and blah blah blah. My eye kept coming back to Boston Jeff!

Yssie: thank you for your honest opinion. Here's what I've decided based on the disparate pieces of info: given the OWD trade in policy, input from expert PSers, and Neil who did the appraisal: I"m going to have the ring set and live with it while Adam continues to search. I very much appreciate what you, SB, and JG have said about the 'mushiness'---I can't say I see it because I don't have as trained an eye and my photo skills are craptastic at best When Neil did his appraisal, he thought the cut was great and when I look it, I do see a crisp facet pattern and the on/off windmill effect, ASET aside.

I have grown attached to the lil guy He's a cutie. But, as you suggest, I'm trying to balance logic and emotion in making a purchase of this magnitude. I will say this: my felines don't care about it up close; however, when it throws off sparks, they love chasing the light show

Oh, and I guess that color isn't a factor anymore! Funny, that's where I started and that's not where I'm ending. Love the color now.

 

[SB621]

Well congratulations and enjoy your new lovely!!!!! I love antique diamonds, and I'm happy that you are happy with it. During my own AC search I learned that I don't need to have the PS popular opinion....that I just had to love it.

Enjoy and welcome to the AC club!!!!!

 

[Acinom]

That's a very customer friendly solution! It gives you lots of time to see whether this diamond should stay with you.
I do not have a very trained eye and I love quirky diamonds, so I am biased... But I find the stone adorable it looks beautiful and huge on your hand. I hope you fall helplessly in love with this stone.

The Boston Jeff sounds good! I am going to Google it and try to find it.

 

[msop04]

I love the shape and cut, and that is one GINORMOUS stone!!

...and I love kitties with little pink noses! ^..^

 

[Acinom]

Is this 'boston jeff'?
Your stone will shine in a setting like this!

 

[yssie]

It sounds like you've thought things through very thoroughly so CONGRATS on finding the right stone for YOU!

I love a Rock in a solitaire like the boston jeff timeless and classic!
And my cats chase my sparkles too

 

[WhoaNelly]

Hello again! Thank you all for your kind words. And truly, words cannot convey how much I appreciate your sharing knowledge, experiences, and opinions. It's made it possible for me to get so much more than I imagined: an antique cushion that is a honking beauty. Never would I have thought that was possible until I came across this site. And, never would I have thought I would be second-guessing such a stone too

SB621: I am thrilled to join the club! I'm actually starting the next project already Am putting together a diamond band that I can wear with plain plat wedding band when I'm not in the mood for the honker (although that's hard to imagine!). I want antique cuts for that too---maybe Frenchies??? I continually drool over your Venice. Gah---just gorgeous. And in that fab setting!

Acinom: you too have one of my favorite rings! AMAYYYYZING. The setting is TDF! I think I'd have to wear sunglasses all the time And yes, that is the Boston Jeff.

MSOP4: thank you! I love kitties with pink noses too! And his gets way pinker than that. It's been great to witness and support his journey from scrawny, scruffy street cat with no voice to a loving, talker who plays with toys and trusts humans.

Yssie: thanks again. If it's the right stone for me, I will know SOON! OWD's bench is setting it and I should have it back toward the end of next week. And I love your 5 stone trellis: the delicate milgraining just blows me away. So delicate and delicious. And your collection: wow wow wow.

 

[SB621]

SB621: I am thrilled to join the club! I'm actually starting the next project already Am putting together a diamond band that I can wear with plain plat wedding band when I'm not in the mood for the honker (although that's hard to imagine!). I want antique cuts for that too---maybe Frenchies??? I continually drool over your Venice. Gah---just gorgeous. And in that fab setting!

Well I guess we are two peas in a pod. Right after I got Venice my next project was a large enterity (though I reused MRB's that I had) and I pretty much wear the eternity when I'm not in the mood to wear my AC, or it isn't appropriate. I went through Jbeg for my antique, art deco inspired setting so I highly recommend them.

 

[innerkitten]

Lovely stone adorable cat!

 

[Puppy4248]

totally late to this train, but just wanted to say how gorgeous this looks on your finger!! I stopped breathing for a few seconds when I saw the first pic, no joke. So I am glad that you are going to keep it at least for a little bit...PS is so helpful with getting the best quality for your money, but I think sometimes certain stones just SPEAK to you and that can comprise a good chunk of the value (assuming you're not crazy overpaying!). Despite any "shortcomings" by technical standards, I still think this is a total knockout stone. Thank you for sharing the pics.

 

[WhoaNelly]

Aw: thanks for the comments on the stone and the cat, puppy & innerkitten! The stone is back at OWD to be set. I hope to have it next week. I'm curious how he'll look in his new home and, yeah, I miss him It's weird I'm calling it a guy, right?? In terms of price, I think Adam and I reached a fair price---one that allows both of us feel good about what was paid. As a value shopper, that's important to me And, if Adam has a "better" stone or I decide to change it, I know I'll be able to put the $ spent toward the new one.

SB: yup, onto the next! I"m going to do a 5 stone in old cuts. OEC would be easier but I"d like to shoot for cushions. The latter won't be easy to source I'm sure! I'm looking for 15 pointers---I may go to 20 but I think for my finger size, 15 pointers will give me good finger coverage. I've been looking through past threads and there are some beauties out there. I love DiamondSeeker's vintage 5 stone.

 

[Dreamer_D]

It's huge! I actually think the faceting looks pretty good. I don't see too much leakage in those images, especially nothing that is a deal breaker. The patterning looks nice. And you know what work was done to it in terms of recuts, so that is a plus -- I think full disclosure is so important with old cuts. Adam's prices are fair, and you have an appraisal, so those boxes are ticked. The only thing I might recommend is getting a GIA report. I think when it comes to such a large and special stone, having a report is essential to make sure your insurance will have very well documented "like kind and quality". I just think its a good idea with such a big purchase.

What exactly is Adam going to keep searching for? I admit, I don't fully understand paying to set a stone you won't keep (unless you want bigger and are saving up... the "traditional" upgrade route).

 

[WhoaNelly]

It's huge! I actually think the faceting looks pretty good. I don't see too much leakage in those images, especially nothing that is a deal breaker. The patterning looks nice. And you know what work was done to it in terms of recuts, so that is a plus -- I think full disclosure is so important with old cuts. Adam's prices are fair, and you have an appraisal, so those boxes are ticked. The only thing I might recommend is getting a GIA report. I think when it comes to such a large and special stone, having a report is essential to make sure your insurance will have very well documented "like kind and quality". I just think its a good idea with such a big purchase.

What exactly is Adam going to keep searching for? I admit, I don't fully understand paying to set a stone you won't keep (unless you want bigger and are saving up... the "traditional" upgrade route).

Hi Dreamer! Thanks for your comments: I very much appreciate your views on the quality of the diamond. Your "Old Cut Guide" was a seminal piece for me Great suggestion on GIA. As for the logic, or lack thereof, in setting a stone I may not keep, it is this: I would like to see it in a setting and live with it that way for a while---I don't think I'm the kind of person who falls in love with things immediately so I haven't had the emotional response others have shared; I tend to be a slow build gal e.g. my dad gave me an Ebel watch that I had been eyeing but on the fence about---living with it helped me grow to love it I do like the facet pattern of the stone and I'm such a novice, I can't perceive the leakage/mushiness!

In the meanwhile, Adam will be looking for a stone that he thinks could top this one---if he finds one, then I'll take a look at it to see if it appeals more than the current one: maybe the leakage/mushiness in this one will be obvious when compared to a 'better' one. As for the setting, I'm certain that I'd like to keep the Boston Jeff style, so if the new one has similar size, etc. then all to the better. If not, I'll scrap/resell and create a new version for the new stone. Yeah, putting it on paper makes my decision-tree seem strange