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Possibly resetting and using inherited ring.

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randomName

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
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Hello,

This is my first post.

I''m planning to propose in the near future and I''ve done a little research on diamonds and found this site to be a great resource. However, when I told my Mom my plans she threw a bit of a wrench into the mix. Not in a bad way of course, both of my parents were all for it. She told me that there are 4 heirloom diamond rings that I could look at and reset if I chose. Since I''m pretty young and cost is an object, this is an option I can''t ignore. There are 4 stones, 3 of which are certainly rounds and the fourth I''m not sure if it''s a round or a princess because of the setting. I''d guess they''re all in the .75ct range but other than that I know nothing about them and even that is just a guess. Should I have them all appraised to learn a little more about them and consider whether or not I''d want to use them? How does it work when a stone is already set? I''m in the northern VA area and have heard great things about Martin Fuller at Fuller & Associates but I don''t want to go in there clueless.

Any advice is welcome and you can be sure I will have follow up questions. I had initially thought about getting something in the .85 to 1ct range and putting it into a simple inexpensive setting. My girlfriend has been sending me photos of rings she likes and they certainly haven''t been the simple inexpensive settings I had imagined. Most have been Tacori rings with pave stones. I could always use the heirloom stone to be able to afford a setting more like what she has in mind.
 
You could get all the stones appraised, but personally, since they are family heirlooms, I wouldn't worry about the details at the point. I'd pick out the stone that appeals to me most and then have that particular stone taken in for an appraisal (find out the exact size to make it easier when it comes to picking out a setting).
 
ditto what MC said. Pics the brightest, sparkliest, biggest one. :)
The difference between a .75-.85 is very minimal. Heck, some would say the difference between a .75 and a 1ct is minimal!
 
You could bring in all the rings to the appraiser of your choice and ask which diamond
is the best quality. Consider size, color and clarity, and cut when making your choice.
An appraiser can still give you alot of information even if the diamond is set in a ring.
Most appraisers are happy to help when you feel "helpless."

Jeff Averbook, G.G. (Graduate Gemologist (G.I.A. since 1986)

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com
 
Date: 8/20/2007 4:52:03 PM
Author: Modified Brilliant
You could bring in all the rings to the appraiser of your choice and ask which diamond
is the best quality. Consider size, color and clarity, and cut when making your choice.
An appraiser can still give you alot of information even if the diamond is set in a ring.
Most appraisers are happy to help when you feel ''helpless.''

Jeff Averbook, G.G. (Graduate Gemologist (G.I.A. since 1986)

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com
Click to expand...
I agree.


And yes, if you use one of these, you could maybe swing for the more expensive setting!
 
I have an heirloom diamond in my engagement ring which was set when I received it. I had it appraised twice, both times while it was set. You''ll be able to get a general idea of the quality of the stones that way, but exact color and clarity grading and weighing can only be done if it''s not set.

My diamond appraised for 1.10 J/K SI1 in my grandmother''s setting, and 1.14 G/H VS2 in my setting. I went from platinum to yellow gold which can change how the color of a stone looks, but obviously, the stone didn''t magically get bigger or improve in color and clarity. So know that exact grading can only be done unset.

Am I recommending that you have the appraiser remove all the stones? No. He or she will be able to give you an estimate and tell you which stone measures the largest across, which appears the whitest, etc. And after you''ve studied them with an appraiser, you might just find that one speaks to you. Once you''ve chosen a stone, you might have it appraised unset for insurance and curiosity reasons (wish I had), but an appraisal while set is just fine too.
 
I would ask your GF about these options. These heirloom stones may be wonderful or not so wonderful, depending upon their cut, condition, and other specs. If I was expecting a 1 ct ideal cut RB and received a .75 ct, I would notice the difference--but I'm picky that way
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If she is interested in this choice of diamonds, why not have the appraiser take a look at all of them, unset, and make sure you choose the best of the group. Good luck with your ring!
 
If one of the diamonds turns out to be great, I''d definitely use that and spring for the fancy setting with the money you now have in the budget! The fact that the stone is an heirloom and that you chose a setting she loves would make many girls feel VERY special and excited. If the stones are all poorer quality than you think your gf would expect, maybe ask your mother if you can have them made into earrings for her as a wedding gift.
 
Beware that antique-cut diamonds usually have thin or very thin gridles which are very prone to chipping. That may limit what types of settings are recommended. I don't think I'd really want to wear an antique diamond in a ring every day unless the setting is a bezel or offers similar protection. I have an Old European Cut round that was in a 6 prong for a while and it picked up a few tiny girdle chips with just occasional wear over a 10-year time.

It these are modern round brilliants, not mine cuts or OECs or antique cushions, girdle thickness will probably be adequate.
 
So far you''ve all provided some great insight on things I had not even considered. I do wonder how the cut quality of these older stones would compare to a modern cut diamond. My girlfriend really hasn''t taken much interest in the size or quality of the diamond. From what I can tell she is more concerned with the ring as a whole. Every picture I get from her is about how nice the setting looks. I tend to lean the other way however, I''d rather have a nice stone in a simple setting that really showcases the diamond itself. Then again, I''m not wearing it...

If the stones do turn out to be sub par quality wise I don''t think using them as earrings would be an option even though it''s a great idea. I just wouldn''t feel right asking to use two of them since in total there are 5 and I have 4 little brothers. I wouldn''t want to rob one of them the opportunity to use a stone that has been in the family if they wanted to do so.

I''m going to spend some time cleaning the rings tonight so that I can better compare them on my own before getting them appraised. They''ve been in a suitcase for who knows how long and they probably weren''t all that clean when they went in. I hear great things about ultrasonic cleaning but two of the rings have pave stones. Should I just use a soft toothbrush?

I''m also going to be contacting Fuller & Associates today to get their advice. I''ll post an update with their input as well.

Thanks!
 
I don''t really have any technical advice here, I just wanted to say I think it''s so cool that your family has heirloom diamonds set aside for you guys! I don''t have anything like that in my family or in my husbands but I think if I were to be presented with that I would feel overwhelmingly special. I know some other women may disagree and want something different or "thier own" but I think having it reset is the perfect balence. You can choose something "her" in the setting. I just think it''s awesome! I know you said you intitally would of gone for the bigger diamond in a simple setting, but I also think it''s great you are going for what SHE would like, and since your using an heirloom stone you can really go all out with an awesome setting. I also preferred a "unique" setting with diamonds in it over a larger stone and a solitaire ring, and I love mine. :)
 
Date: 8/21/2007 9:45:08 AM
Author: randomName
I''m going to spend some time cleaning the rings tonight so that I can better compare them on my own before getting them appraised. They''ve been in a suitcase for who knows how long and they probably weren''t all that clean when they went in. I hear great things about ultrasonic cleaning but two of the rings have pave stones. Should I just use a soft toothbrush?

I''m also going to be contacting Fuller & Associates today to get their advice. I''ll post an update with their input as well.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yes. Let them soak for 10-20 minutes in hot water mixed with some Mr. Clean and a couple drops of dish liquid (make sure they don''t touch each other). Then gently scrub with a soft brush. Rinse well, and with pave, I''d put a rag down over the closed drain, just in case. I use a blow dryer to dry mine. Or use a soft, lint free cloth.

Can''t wait to hear about them!
 
This is going to be quite the challenge to hide since I live with my girlfriend but I''ll be picking up some Mr. Clean and a toothbrush on the way home from work.
 
Also, if you decide to use one of the heirloom stones, make sure to find out the history of the stone from your mom if you can. Even if she doesn''t think of it right away, she''ll want to know the story behind it someday (especially if it''s a romantic story!). It would be lovely if you could tell her the meaning behind the stone when you propose to her.
 
Date: 8/21/2007 10:59:46 AM
Author: randomName
This is going to be quite the challenge to hide since I live with my girlfriend but I''ll be picking up some Mr. Clean and a toothbrush on the way home from work.
Click to expand...
Can you go to your parents, or a friends? You don''t want her to get suspicious, we have rather good radar.
9.gif
 
It''s probably already on her radar a little bit which is why I''m trying so hard to keep it somewhat of a surprise. I don''t even want to tell my friends until afterwards because we share the same friends, at least the ones that are local anyways. I''ve got too much to take care of to let it slip this early. I need to talk to her father, decide on a stone, pick a setting, and have it all put together. I have the proposal worked out in my head but the details need to fall into place before that can happen.
 
A few thoughts:

1. CLEAN those rings first. Hot water, a little dish soap and a baby toothbrush should do it. Or you could take them into a local jeweler and have them cleaned.

2. PHOTOGRAPH them and post the photos here so we can SEE them. ALL of them.
31.gif


3. Take all of them for appraisal and as someone already said, get them all appraised and see which one is best in quality.

4. Before you decide, you might want to take her ring shopping and look at antique rings? Or....you could present her with one of them or all of them for her to choose?

But for the love of god, show us some photos!
 
Date: 8/21/2007 1:24:54 PM
Author: surfgirl
A few thoughts:


1. CLEAN those rings first. Hot water, a little dish soap and a baby toothbrush should do it. Or you could take them into a local jeweler and have them cleaned.


2. PHOTOGRAPH them and post the photos here so we can SEE them. ALL of them.
31.gif



3. Take all of them for appraisal and as someone already said, get them all appraised and see which one is best in quality.


4. Before you decide, you might want to take her ring shopping and look at antique rings? Or....you could present her with one of them or all of them for her to choose?


But for the love of god, show us some photos!
Click to expand...

I will do my best to get some good shots of them tonight after I''ve cleaned them. Any tips for shooting them after I clean them? I have a dSLR (D50) but not too much experience in macro. I generally shoot landscapes and portraits and have the 18-55mm kit lens. I''ll do some searching on here as well since I''m sure it''s been discussed.
 
I''ll be anxious to see the pictures. Any idea on how old any of the rings are? Something from a 100 years ago probably would not be as well cut as something from 40 years ago. I think you can probably tell by looking at them after they are cleaned up if there is anything that really catches your eye.
 
Ok here''s a picture of the four I have to choose from together.

DSC_0007.jpg
 
Individual pic

DSC_0011.jpg
 
another individual

DSC_0012.jpg
 
3rd

DSC_01010.jpg
 
final

DSC_01013.jpg
 
We also looked a some settings tonight. She liked the following Tacori ones 2502RDP75, 2536RD65, 2565RD9. I like the middle one the most but I don''t like what I''ve been reading about Tacori settings. I think I''d rather deal with a B&M that can service the ring locally without voiding the warranty.
 
Hi randomname. Welcome to PS!

I can understand what a difficult decision this must be - all the diamonds look very similar! Have you compared them in different lighting conditions to see which one sparkles the most? At least one looks like a mine cut diamond (the one with the two darker stones on either side) which some people find very beautiful.

I would suggest that you let your girlfriend choose which stone appeals to her the most, and then you can go off and choose a setting you think she will love and surprise her with the finished product.
 
Could you just wrap them all up and let her open box after box after box? Or have them all laid out in a nice big velvet box and let her choose the one she likes the best? Sort of like when Princess Diana was shown a tray of rings from the royal family and she picked the one she liked best...!

ETA: It's hard to say which is "best" because they're all quite different, and each is very nice in its own way...
 
Date: 8/22/2007 1:58:11 AM
Author: surfgirl
Could you just wrap them all up and let her open box after box after box? Or have them all laid out in a nice big velvet box and let her choose the one she likes the best? Sort of like when Princess Diana was shown a tray of rings from the royal family and she picked the one she liked best...!

ETA: It''s hard to say which is ''best'' because they''re all quite different, and each is very nice in its own way...
Click to expand...
surfgirl''s idea is much more romantic than mine. I say go with that one
2.gif
 
All four rings are from my mothers side. 2 from her mothers side and 2 from her fathers side. One is her grandmother''s, one is her great grandmother''s, one is her aunt''s, and I forget the last one. I will get the in depth details of the one I decide on if I go down this road. I''m having a hard time differentiating between them since they''re pretty comparable. In the pictures, I like the one posted under ''3rd'' the most.

The one with the two emerald side stones used to be 3 diamonds but the side stones were taken out to make solitaire earrings. I believe that one was my moms aunt''s. One of her Uncles was also a jeweler, my mom thinks he may have made that ring but it may have been before he was a jeweler for very long.
 
Wow, this "delima" is just too neat! I think taking the rings to an appraisor and having him/her help you determine the quality of the stones would be a great bet. If you think your GF is more concerned with the overall ring, not JUST the stone, then to me using one of these is a great idea. The sentimental value of using one of these is so great, and to me that is so romantic!!!!!!!!!
 
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