Possibly 1.85 D VVS quality

[kevinng]

What do you guys think of this idealscope image? I don''t know the exact specs of this baby because it has never been appraised. It''s been in the family for decades and it''s huge.

The idealscope image is not perfect, because I took it myself using my own DIY setup, but it''s workable.

 

[belle]

The idealscope image is not perfect, because I took it myself using my own DIY setup, but it''s workable

cool! could you explain your set up?

 

[kevinng]

I have the cheapest idealscope available. I pierced a suitable hole on top of the transparent cover of my hair mousse and used it as the diamond stand. Resting the diamond in the hole, I put the cover on top of my PDA, and then I used the LCD screen of my PDA as an ''ideal light''.

I set up my camera on a tripod and faced it right on top of the setup. Setting the camera to micro mode, I just kept adjusting the diamond and snapping until I get a useable shot.

Well... I don''t do this for a living... so this is good enough for me.

btw, the diamond is a true beauty. It''s bright, full of fire and scintillation. Also, it has the benefit of being cut shallow, thus the diameter is much bigger. I just had this diamond removed from the setting today because I intend to give it a new home. Apparently, it has a diameter in excess of 8mm.

 

[kevinng]

This diamond quite obviously has a culet that's a bit too big. Also, looks like one of the lower girdle facet is a bit off, this there is a leaky point somewhere in the middle. Also, some of the upper girdle facets are a bit off.

However, on the whole, this diamond looks very red on the idealscope. Plus the good balance of blacks and reds gives it lots of scintillation. Somehow, the fire is also pretty good, considering that it's a shallow diamond.

Overall, it's a very nice diamond... and it was cut before I was born.

I was actually thinking of getting it recut, but after examing the idealscope image, I think it would be a shame to lose the size of the diamond, just to make it 'perfect'.

 

[belle]

my what ingenuity!! i''m impressed!

have you tried any photos of the diamond au natural? i''d love to see what you could do to try and capture the beauty of that stone in normal lighting conditions.

 

[kevinng]

It''s really late here. I may just do that in the next couple of days. I was thinking of doing that after it is being set.

 

[belle]

Date: 4/19/2005 2:29:55 PM
Author: kevinng
It''s really late here. I may just do that in the next couple of days. I was thinking of doing that after it is being set.

cool! i hope you''ll get a chance to try getting some pics before it is set, that would be awesome! i''ll be watching for your progress!

 

[Patty]

I think that if you have a 1.85 D VVS stone that has been in the family for decades, you are one lucky man!

 

[kevinng]

You mean like this one? I took that some months back. That''s my proposal ring. It''s a 0.62ct D VVS2 I bought from Good Old Gold.

 

[kevinng]

Same ring... 0.62 D VVS2:

 

[kevinng]

btw, the 1.85ct diamond will become a pendant. I am getting it set in a simple 4 prong pendant for my wife-to-be. She already has a ring, so a pendant will be nice.

 

[Mara]

that looks like a BIC type idealscope image..nice light return! obviously the symmetry is shot but it looks like there''s not too much leakage going on and some scint from the black.

that will be an amazing pendant, I would not have it recut! post more pix PLEASE!

 

[Kaleigh]

Wow that is going to be some pendant!!! Please post pics when you get it set!!!

 

[kevinng]

Picture of the entire gift set.

 

[kevinng]

Highlights

 

[kevinng]

btw... I got it checked out today. It''s not a 1.85ct D VVS. It''s actually a 1.85ct F+ VS1.
Light return is pretty good, though symmetry is just fair, and polish is very good.

 

[valeria101]

Wow! What a wonderfuly present

Of course I can''t mis the large pendant and elegant earrings... but the dainty bracelet is a killer. How is it set ? How large are those diamonds ? If you do not mind to give details

 

[belle]

wow! what a nice set!

 

[Kaleigh]

Wow what a beautiful set!!!

 

[Patty]

Wow, kevin, looks like you''ve got everything covered!

What a lucky lady to have such beautiful pieces and YOU!

 

[kevinng]

Thank you all for your kind words.

The bracelet is actually quite small. There are 55 diamonds, each at around 0.025 to 0.03 ct. Their colour range from G to I. So the total came to about 1.47ct. It''s set in white gold... 3 prongs hold each diamond.

You see... traditionally, when a Chinese guy wants to get married, he has to bring a whole lot of gifts to the bride''s house. There are like roast pork, boxes of cakes, sweets I have never heard about, candles, XO, etc.

Of the lot, the most valuable us usually a red packet filled with cold hard cash.... and a set of jewellery. In the past, this set of jewellery consists of 4 items of gold, which are the pendant, ring, earrings and bracelet/bangle. Today, gold is no longer in fashion and white gold is usually used. Diamonds are optional. It so happens that my mom has this diamond and she''s willing to give it to her future daughter-in-law... so she asked me to settle the set according to the bride''s taste.

The bride has simple taste... and hence I chose really simple designs.

We are actually legally married, but we have to go through the ceremony to be recognised as married by the elders and relatives...

Anyway, the real gift is the centre diamond. The rest are chosen to match. After my mom broke up her ring, there were 10 small diamonds left over... and I set it in the ring as shown in the picture. My mom also asked me to set a pair of 0.5ct earrings for her. The 2 diamonds were not well cut. They were cut in the 70s. But I can''t complain because I did not pay for them either.

I purchased the bracelet from the jeweller to make up the 4 items. Normally, I won''t buy such an item because I like well cut diamonds. The diamonds are far from perfect... but they are small, and the light return seems respectable when viewed with the idealscope. But for a price of US$1250, I think of it as buying a fashion item. Overall, it''s a very pretty piece which I''m sure she will like.

I only paid and extra US$370 for the rest of the setting.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 4/30/2005 1:12:13 PM
Author: kevinng

The bracelet is actually quite small. There are 55 diamonds, each at around 0.025 to 0.03 ct. ... 3 prongs hold each diamond.
...
Normally, I won''t buy such an item because I like well cut diamonds. The diamonds are far from perfect... but they are small, and the light return seems respectable when viewed with the idealscope. But for a price of US$1250, I think of it as buying a fashion item.

See, I am not sure bigger is better, and intricate assembly of hard stone and metal within 1mm of space leaves me very impressed. At least in the picture the bracelet looks like soft, glittering rope

 

[MissAva]

What a sweet and thoughtful wa to carry out a tradtion! Your wife is very lucky!

 

[kevinng]

Date: 4/30/2005 1:41

3 PM
Author: valeria101

See, I am not sure bigger is better, and intricate assembly of hard stone and metal within 1mm of space leaves me very impressed. At least in the picture the bracelet looks like soft, glittering rope

The jeweller I went to is an expert diamond setter. He is able to set diamonds leaving very little space. He has been setting diamonds his whole life. He told me that when he was working/training in Hong Kong in the 70s, he had to set hundreds of diamonds in a day.

He showed me something he did, which was 4 marquis set around a princess, to make it look like a very large round brilliant (at a fraction of the price). I'm not saying that I support such a product (I like the real thing), but the workmanship was very impressive indeed. He showed me something he was selling for about US$600+. 4 marquis around a princess, to make it look like a 1ct RB. Very nicely dine. I think the workmanship plus setting alone is worth US$600.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 4/30/2005 1:41:03 PM
Author: valeria101
intricate assembly of hard stone and metal within 1mm of space leaves me very impressed. At least in the picture the bracelet looks like soft, glittering rope

Ana,

You posted a link to this thread from a thread in which I inquire about how to set stones in a tennis bracelet with the least metal possible. Can you explain what was done to make this bracelet look as it does? I want the look of this bracelet, but with larger stones. (I have simple taste, but am neither very small nor young and I would like a tennis bracelet with stones of at least .33 carat.)

If I can find a setting that sets off stones that size (.33 carat) in the way I would like, I would be delighted. If I need to go bigger in order for one to see diamonds, not just a strand on my wrist, I will. (I once had a poor quality, very small tennis bracelet. Before I knew anything about diamonds. I don't even know where it is now! It was not attractive. I don't want to make the same mistake twice.)

Thank you for helping (as you always do!).

Best,
Deb


PS-Kevin Ng presented a beautiful set to his fiancée. Is he still posting here?

 

[Kaleigh]

Deb,
That bracelet sounds just like what you want only with bigger stones. Can you copy that pic and take it to your jeweler??? I''m not sure who is doing this for you, but it''s sooo pretty and delicate.

 

[cflutist]

Date: 4/30/2005 1:12:13 PM
Author: kevinng
The bracelet is actually quite small. There are 55 diamonds, each at around 0.025 to 0.03 ct. Their colour range from G to I. So the total came to about 1.47ct. It''s set in white gold... 3 prongs hold each diamond.

AGBF, I am not sure this is really what you are looking for. If you look very closely at the close-up picture, the 3 prongs are in the middle of each setting holding the .025/.03ct diamonds which are really small. The rest of the "sparkle" that you are seeing is probably additional metal in the setting, I could be wrong though. Obviously the diamonds are set between the 3 prongs and are not larger than the diameter they occupy. Just my opinion.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/13/2005 7:51:11 PM
Author: cflutist
I am not sure this is really what you are looking for. If you look very closely at the close-up picture, the 3 prongs are in the middle of each setting holding the .025/.03ct diamonds which are really small. The rest of the ''sparkle'' that you are seeing is probably additional metal in the setting, I could be wrong though. Obviously the diamonds are set between the 3 prongs and are not larger than the diameter they occupy. Just my opinion.

Your opinion is worth a great deal given that you are a gemologist as well as someone who has a truly spectacular collection of jewelry! I just wish I could see better! I cannot see the bracelet well enough even to see that the setting is a three-prong setting! All I see is some round diamond shapes...which is what I wanted to see in a tennis bracelet...diamonds, not gold or platinum! How can I see what you see? Seriously!

Thank you for responding.

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/13/2005 7:24:51 PM
Author: kaleigh
That bracelet sounds just like what you want only with bigger stones. Can you copy that pic and take it to your jeweler??? I'm not sure who is doing this for you, but it's sooo pretty and delicate.

Wink will be (in the future) doing the entire bracelet for me if he can get me the setting I want. If I have to hunt down the jeweler of Mara's friend or the diamond setter who set the stones for the bracelet Kevin Ng gave his fiancée or if I have to go to Grunberger's in Stamford, Connecticut to have a custom piece built, I will still buy the stones from Wink as long as he can get me what I want at the right price! Wink worked his derriere off trying to get me a demantoid I would like a few months back, only to have me decide I didn't want a demantoid. Since I truly love the bracelet he made for cflutist, I thought that the least I could do was to give him some of my custom for a tennis bracelet! For more on the bracelet I want, click here.

Deb

 

[cflutist]

Date: 11/13/2005 9:42:23 PM
Author: AGBF

Your opinion is worth a great deal given that you are a gemologist as well as someone who has a truly spectacular collection of jewelry! I just wish I could see better! I cannot see the bracelet well enough even to see that the setting is a three-prong setting! All I see is some round diamond shapes...which is what I wanted to see in a tennis bracelet...diamonds, not gold or platinum! How can I see what you see? Seriously!

Thank you for responding.

Deb

Look carefully at the close-up picture.

The stone on the far right shows the 3 prongs most clearly. There is one at 10 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and 6 o'clock in an
inverted triangle pattern. They look like little white dots.

The second full stone in from the left shows the same, except the 6 o'clock prong looks a little orange in color.

The second and third stone in from the right have a red spot right below the 6 o'clock prong.

2.5 - 3 pointers are tiny diamonds so the bracelet could not have that "look" unless it was some type
of "illusion" setting. Just my opinion again.

Hope this helps.