Prices of antique cushions and OECs???

[Gayletmom]

The recent thread on old cuts got me thinking about prices. As my upgrade search evolves and continues I am becoming more and more interested in old stones. I"m probably going to be looking for an OEC or antique cushion (square-ish shaped) of around 4 cts. I''m trying to put together my budget but these stones are not the kind of thing that I am finding on the internet. Unlike modern cuts, you just don''t find alot of prices online. I will eventually call Mark at ERD, GOG and Singlestone but I will not be ready to buy until Fall so I don''t want to put them to work yet.

I will be looking for something with pretty good qualifications (light return, etc) relative to old stones. Maybe something as fabulous and Boston Jeff''s cushion or Pixley''s or some of the other stunners on here. Any thoughts on what a real beauty in that size range might cost? I''m saving my pennies and the longer I wait the more $ I have to work with so it will be helpful to get some numbers.

 

[ericad]

What color and clarity are you targeting?

 

[Rhea]

Like anything else, it''ll depend on colour, clarity, and cut. Large stones are always hard to find and older cut large stone in a high colour and clarity carry a premium.

From OWD, which is a good starting point for looking at prices, but they don''t have good photo online:
OWA17446 Cushion Cut 3.89 G SI1 9.13*8.92*6.3 71.0 58 EGLUSA $ 43,763.00

 

[Gayletmom]

I''m not sure about color yet because I haven''t seen many older stones. The OEC I have has been described as an I which I think is beautiful. While I might not want to go as low as an M, I''ve learned enough not to expect a high color stone. As for clarity, I don''t want to see an obvious inclusion but I''m not going to be looking at it with a loop either and I am fine with hiding a feather or something. I need to browse a bit in town to educate myself but what I expect to be looking for is something with alot of fire and chunky flashes and I won''t be too hung up on color and clarity. I think it will probably be a pretty personal thing of finding a stone that speaks to me and I realize that this makes my question hard to answer. I''m guessing, however, that a jeweler experienced in antiques sometimes sees older stones that stand out and are prettier than average and that''s the kind of thing I will be looking for.

And thanks, Erica, for responding. I meant to include JBEG in my first post. You get very good reviews on PS!

Addy, I am new at this. What do the numbers after color and clarity mean on the OWD stone?

 

[Rhea]

depth and table in that order. Then the size in mm across by depth.

 

[HeartingDiamonds]

Gaylet,

Those numbers represent the diameter of the stone in mm, with the 3rd number being the depth.

Good luck in your search! Pricing does vary, with color and make being the biggest drivers of them all. Much like any other diamond, modern and otherwise, cut quality is key.

 

[Rhea]

Thanks Grace! I got my explanation backwards.

For clarity, Cushion Cut, carats 3.89, colour G, clarity SI1, size in mm 9.13*8.92*6.3, depth 71.0, table 58, cert EGLUSA, $ 43,763.00

 

[Gayletmom]

Date: 1/10/2009 7:33:58 PM
Author: HeartingDiamonds
Gaylet,


Those numbers represent the diameter of the stone in mm, with the 3rd number being the depth.


Good luck in your search! Pricing does vary, with color and make being the biggest drivers of them all. Much like any other diamond, modern and otherwise, cut quality is key.

So how do I evaluate the stone based on the numbers? I have seen alot of info on evaluating modern cuts but am unsure about older cuts. Does the OWD look good from the numbers (I''m trying to place it in the cut heirarchy to get an idea of a realistic price)?

When you say that "make" helps to determine cost, do some types command more of a premium than others?

 

[Rhea]

In older cuts you really don''t evaluate based on numbers. It''s all about whats pretty to you. I try to avoid stones that are too deep because then they face up smaller for their size.

 

[HeartingDiamonds]

Addy is correct. With old cuts, the strict parameters that modern cuts adhere to simply go out the window. They need to be judged individually and singly.

Make pertains to the diamond cut quality. Diamonds with a good or great make command a premium and not always easy to find.

I was once told by a very wise older dealer that when looking at diamonds, I must learn to look at the diamond first BEFORE looking at its stats to avoid having preconceived notions about the stone. This is singularly the most sage advise I have received. I have seen spectacular diamonds that I would have never bothered looking at if I read the info on it first, and vice versa.

As cliched as it sounds, each one is truly unique.

 

[CharmyPoo]

Erica described a problem that I am facing. I have all these preconceived notions of what I want in my diamond. It just doesn't seem to exist and I get upset because I feel helpless and can't find what I want. If we are talking about RB, it is so easy to meet the criteria we want. In cushions and some of the fancy cuts, it just isn't that easy. I want an antique looking cushion yet I want amazing light return, D to F range, and above VS2 with an almost invisble culet! I mean what I want probably doesn't even exist.

I am lucky to be working with Mark at ERD who is an extremely patient vendor. I am a pretty annoying customer with high demands.

 

[Gayletmom]

Thank you, Grace, for the input. Luckily, I am just starting to look at stones in person and I will take your advice as often as I can- to look at the diamond first and absorb it''s unique features before considering the stats. So once I get to the buying stage, is my best bet to rely on an experienced vendor to help me find a good make? Especially if I am shopping out of state?

I am presuming that I should be patient and willing to wait several months to find a good make, yes?

 

[pixley]

Gayletmom - THANK YOU for the lovely compliment on my stone

. I couldn''t have found it without this site - and once I saw BostonJeff''s, I knew that was the style of cushion for me.

While I can''t offer any info on what a stone of that size would cost, I just wanted to say that you''ve been given wonderful advice by the lovely posters above. I would add that it''s never too soon to start looking at everything you can get your hands on to get a feel for what you''re drawn to in a cushion. There are soooo many variations out there and so many variables to sort out. I had a very strict set of parameters regarding the L/W ratio, color and shape of cushion that I wanted, and once I found one that met all those criteria, all the depth and table stuff flew out the window. You know when the stone is right for you.

From what I''ve seen here, Mark has a fantastic track record for getting new cushions in all shapes and sizes and Singlestone and Erica/Grace can get those puffy pillowy old school cushions. I think Jon at GOG is also working on cutting new chunky faceted cushions and I''ve seen some amazing ones pop up on his website, so cast out your net and something will eventually come up. I think my search took about 4 months - and it wasn''t so much fun at times, but it was worth it to get what I wanted in the end. Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[Gayletmom]

Great to hear from you, Pixley. Thanks for the info about your search. I''m excited to get out there and start looking to figure out exactly what types I prefer. Then I''ll probably come up with more questions for those of you with experience in older stones.