Please help on OEC

[Vix]

SS--

I''m happy to refer you to the jeweler who sold me my ring, but I have no idea if he''d be willing to work long-distance; he''s quite old-school and not set up to do web sales. Nor do I know whether he has certed stones -- and if not if that''s a dealbreaker for you given your price point -- or loose stones.

FWIW I did take printouts from Fay Cullen, AER etc in with me, and he was very open to talking through what I''d found, so he''s not completely oblivious to the fact that older cuts are being sold online.


But hey, contacting him might be worth a shot -- if nothing else he may know a good source in your state. Oh-- when I got my ring in Dec 05 he had recently purchased a pretty significant number of "new in box" settings that IIRC were pre-WWII, so that may be another question for him.


BTW, Cehra''s local to me and I rec''d him to her. I don''t know if she went down to his storefront or not...and if it was a positive/negative/neutral experience...maybe she''ll weigh in.

Sol Varon (Oregon, so PST)
Oregon Antique Jewelry Company
503.274.7170
solsplace319 at hotmail.com

 

[simplysplendid]

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for your help so far..

Yes I did call Leigh and spoke to him over the phone. I also went on a livehelp with Stephanie (strangely, this function is now not on their website). I was looking for a 0.60 - 0.80 OEC as well as a smaller antique ring. I have set a bigger budget for the bigger stone and for the small antique ring (perhaps around 0.25 to 0.40?), I am looking at the budget of $1200 as I have seen quite a few on the internet (except for the no response).

Anyway, I have paid for the stone above and so if it works for me, then I am done with the search for the bigger stone and will only be left with the search for a smaller antique ring.

Here''s what I was looking at:

www.antiqueengagementrings.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=1562

It was previously in size 6 3/4 and contains the following inscription "To Lilian From Joseph 12-25-21". I asked them twice how small I could size down the ring too without losing too much inscription and they said they will check with the bench and email me back, but didn''t. I asked them not to call me back via phone as I live in Singapore and currently 13 hours ahead of NYC. When I called at around 1am my time, it''s 2pm in NY. If they were to ring me back, the phone will wake my family up.
Anyway, they seemed to have resize this stone to a 5 today (see, I visit this site to ogle almost daily!) and it seems that the inscription is no longer there. What a pity, I thought the inscription is really romantic..

Hi Vix, do you think the dealer who sold you your beautiful ring be willing to send pictures of the ring over the internet?

Fingers crossed on the bigger stone..

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 1/26/2007 8:03:37 AM
Author: Chrono

Date: 1/25/2007 5:17:10 PM
Author: simplysplendid
Hi there ladies!

Whiteflash: Had a great experience over a round ideal - fast response, great pictures, speedy transaction and delivery. So they were the first vendor that I contacted. Unfortunately for OECs, they just could not find one for me. After several emails, several reminders to respond (which they did when I send the reminders to respond, but to tell me that they are searching and I realised that they were searching for cushions on their own database.) Just yesterday (after more than 3 weeks) they responded to tell me that they are unable to help me with my request.

Here''s what I think:

Whiteflash - yes, for rounds only. I am thinking of purchasing a round pendant for my mother in law.

Simplysplendid,
I purchased my OEC through WF. I did a database search through PS looking for an OEC then asked WF to call in the stone. It was not an in-house diamond. The reason I called WF and not another company is because I knew they could run a Sarin report, take Idealscope pictures and magnified pictures. Without all 3, I would not buy an OEC online sight unseen. I dealt with Bob Hoskins, I believe.

A $1200 budget for the complete ring is quite tough. To cut down costs on settings, I purchased mine from Pearlmans from his Estate/pre-owned section. There are lots of excellent deals there. I''ve read that sometimes, pawn shops might carry old stones. Perhaps you might get lucky there?

Hi Chrono, That''s exactly what I thought when I began my search, so the first vendor I called was WF, hoping that they can source the diamond for me. They were my vendor of choice! Not sure if they did source externally before telling me they cannot help me, if they did, they certainly did not tell me so. Perhaps I am not looking for a big stone from their perspective (only 0.60-0.80) and hence they did not look externally?

If WF had successfully gotten an OEC for me, I will most certainly go back to them again for another bigger OEC in the future since they can provide all the detailed information..

 

[dtnyc]

OEC''s are not WF''s specialty or their bread and butter if you will. Most OEC''s won''t have certs.

The LiveHelp function on antiqueengagementrings.com is only active when they are open- it''s not a 24/7 feature.

 

[Vix]

SS--

Good luck with the bigger stone! Here''s hoping, eh?

I really don''t know what Sol''s capabilities and interests are re: photos, web etc. But he''s a friendly guy so it never hurts to ask -- he does have that email address, at least! He''ll probably be amused that someone in Singapore got to see one of "his" rings!

[I forgot your location...man, that adds another layer of complexity to your hunts!]

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 1/26/2007 4:05:19 PM
Author: Vix

SS--

I''m happy to refer you to the jeweler who sold me my ring, but I have no idea if he''d be willing to work long-distance; he''s quite old-school and not set up to do web sales. Nor do I know whether he has certed stones -- and if not if that''s a dealbreaker for you given your price point -- or loose stones.

FWIW I did take printouts from Fay Cullen, AER etc in with me, and he was very open to talking through what I''d found, so he''s not completely oblivious to the fact that older cuts are being sold online.


But hey, contacting him might be worth a shot -- if nothing else he may know a good source in your state. Oh-- when I got my ring in Dec 05 he had recently purchased a pretty significant number of ''new in box'' settings that IIRC were pre-WWII, so that may be another question for him.


BTW, Cehra''s local to me and I rec''d him to her. I don''t know if she went down to his storefront or not...and if it was a positive/negative/neutral experience...maybe she''ll weigh in.

Sol Varon (Oregon, so PST)
Oregon Antique Jewelry Company
503.274.7170
solsplace319 at hotmail.com

Ooooh I met him!!! He''s a real kick!! His storefront is *maybe* the size of my closet - no joke. But boy is it interesting!! I was pimping my stone around town trying to figure out if I was going to keep it - and while I was in Sol''s shop a guy from *another* store came to get his opinion on things... I think sol knows everyone. While I was there I saw only two old stones - both under a carat one I think under 1/2 carat. One OMC one transitional. He does sometimes get other stuff in but the kicker is if you send his nose sniffing he''ll find something. He is networked with that guy in NY michael something?? I think? anyway... he knows people around and can find stuff. I showed him my stone and he thought it was really outstanding ::beam:: but he refused to call it an OMC BECAUSE it was too symmetrical LMAO

And yeah he is very old school... and doesn''t have the best phone personality but in person he''s a hoot. I don''t think he''s set up well to do internet stuff either but he might know someone who is! In fact it is quite possible the guy''s never been online LOL

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 1/26/2007 10:39:27 AM
Author: mela lu

Date: 1/25/2007 11:22:39 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

you might lose some brilliance with a high crown because the light isn''t going straight back to your eyes as white light but being refracted out at angles as colored light.... my stone has a really big crown and it is really difficult to get shots of just white light return because it''s always either pulling reflected light or dispensing refracted light every which way. But it has the most amazing scint that is mostly color.

Oh, and I lust after your stone toooooooo...it is so unique, beatuiful, and commands attention. Dah-ROOL!!!!!

oh thank you! that''s very sweet I''m completely in love almost all the time - sometimes it is just so chaotic I think maybe I should have gotten a round, but it suits me LOL I think it''ll take a super long time to bore me so that''s good LOL I''m trying to convince my best friend (who isn''t seriously dating anyone but I''m prepping her lol) to get an OEC when its time for her... I love FF''s stone so much. I heart short lgf!!!

 

[elmo]

Date: 1/27/2007 1:04:00 AM
Author: Cehrabehra
And yeah he is very old school... and doesn''t have the best phone personality but in person he''s a hoot.

I laughed when I read this because it''s a little how Ari comes across over the phone. So far he still gets the benefit of the doubt because he knows his stuff and gets some good stones. We''ll see.

 

[Vix]

Cehra, Sol knows his stuff...of COURSE he would give your stone high marks, ha! [But how funny that he deemed it a bit too perfect.] Thanks for reporting in.

Given all the time she''s put in on her hunt for a modest ring, now I''m getting frustrated on SS''s behalf! Sol has so many "complete" rings in WG and plat for $2K and under. Given SS''s ~ $1200 budget for stone and setting, I just know he''d be a great resource *if* the (extra-tricky international) logistics could be worked out.

I don''t take the world''s best pics, but if you do talk to Sol and encounter some access issues, let me know and I will be glad to try to help if ok''d to do so by him.

 

[chrono]

Hi Vix,
I had also contacted Sol in the past when shopping for my OEC but he declined selling anything to me because of the long distance. He really would prefer the prospective client to be there in person to view the stone and pick the right one. I have to agree with him, without being online and taking pictures and etc, it is very hard to sell/buy over the telephone or email.

 

[simplysplendid]

Hi Ladies,

Thanks so much for your input and assistance. All of you are wonderful and I love PS! Cehra, either his store is very small or your closet is huge - LOL! I''ll see how it goes after I receive my 0.64 from Abazias. I guess there is no harm dropping Sol an email and if there is no response, I''ll understand in this case!