Setting Opions Needed for my OEC!

[sho nuff]

Hi PS!! I have decided to stop lurking and come out of the shadows to ask the advice of the incredibly knowledgable Pricescope community!

I have been struggling with this setting issue for a while and I could really use some advice:

I am lucky enough to have a family heirloom diamond to use in my engagement ring. My fiance gave me free reign to pick any setting to go with this diamond (since he is saving big $ not having to buy the stone). Back before I was engaged and before I knew about this diamond, I fell in love with Mark Morrell's settings (http://www.mwmjewelry.com/), and decide that I HAD to have one! I knew nothing about diamonds and different colors, and just figured any diamond would fit any setting.

After taking my diamond to a pricescope approved appraiser, I found out it's stats: OEC, 1.65ct, L/M color, VS-2. He informed me that this warmer color is common in the Old European Cuts. I love it and I feel very lucky to have the chance to wear this piece of family history.

What sort of setting would work best with a stone like this? I personally, love simple looks and would not want a detailed antique style setting. Have you ever seen an older cut, warmer stone in a bright fluid platinum style like MM's? I Haven't seen this combination before and I worry that the bright platinum would clash with a warmer stone. Right now it is in a gold setting, and looks pretty bright, so it's hard to imagine if platinum would make it look dingy. Should I stick with yellow gold?

I really appreciate any opinions or experience (/pictures) you could share! Thank you!!


Please excuse my fuzzy picture -- my mom took it for me before she sent me the ring.

 

[sho nuff]

Here is another shot which shows the color from the side!

 

[Ellen]

Hi sho,

Lucky you!! And welcome, glad you came out of lurkdom.

Try looking through these antique cut threads. I believe there''s a few OEC''s in simpler settings. See if anything catches your eye.

Part 1


Part 2


You can also try searching OEC, Old Eurpean Cut, and see what comes up.

 

[ericad]

Congrats on such a beautiful and special stone! L color is my personal favorite

I love the contrast of old cuts in sleek settings - I think it will look beautiful!

Here is an antique cushion in a Mark Morrell setting:

Softly's


And an antique cushion in Leon Mege classic solitaire:

Snooper's


I know there are lots of other examples here on PS of old cuts in modern settings. I will keep searching!

 

[ericad]

OEC in Michael Bondanza setting

Facetfire''s

 

[ericad]

OEC in modern bridge setting

Uppy''s

 

[ericad]

M colored former OEC (was recut) in WF solitaire

Alleyoop''s

 

[sho nuff]

Thank you!! I''m so excited that the MM might actually be a possibility! I wrote it off once I searched around and saw that most warmer stones were put into antique-style platinum or gold settings.

 

[ericad]

Anything goes, it''s just a matter of personal taste!

I have always envisioned how lovely a warm colored OEC would look in a Mokume Gane setting (like Krikawa makes, for example), or something like a Sholdt semibezel or Etienne Perret full bezel. SLURP!

 

[glitterata]

Congratulations on your engagement and on your beautiful stone!

If you love Mark Morrell's work, definitely get an MM setting. It will look great.

Those old, warm-colored stones were almost all originally set in platinum. For example, I also have a 1.6ish carat L OEC. Mine's in a repro platinum edwardian setting. Before that, my grandfather wore it for several decades in a platinum pinky ring. Before that my grandmother wore it in a 1920s platinum filigree setting (probably--nobody in the family remembers the style, but definitely platinum).

Many people feel that part of the charm of the old stones is their warm color. It's subtle (as you know from wearing yours). No reason not to use platinum.