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Talk to me about (antique) Emerald cuts

SB621

SB621

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
7,864
So hypothetically if I were in the market for an antique emerald cut what should I be looking for? It seems EC's are similar to cushions that you can't always go by numbers but you have to see the facet pattern in person and work from there. I know I prefer fatter windmills with clipped corners but besides that I'm not sure how to weed out ones that would be shallow or bad performers.

I have tried to search for older threads to see if this was discussed but for once the search button on Google failed me (say it ain't so!). Any advise from PS is much appreciated!
 
I have nothing other than the fact i really cannot wait to follow this thread, wanted to get a little star on it so it was easy for me to stalk this thread :halo:

Not that you are in the mood for one, but if you were, i really hope people have some good examples for you
 
you know that one at Mels antiques one has been for sale for at LEAST 2 years, I wonder how far they would come done :Up_to_something:
 
diamondseeker2006|1369095152|3450817 said:
I think every single antique stone has to be evaluated individually. I don't think there is a formula. It is just like when you found your cushion...you had to look at many to find the one for you.

(Hmmmm, I thought you were on a diamond buying ban for awhile. :naughty: )
Click to expand...

Well I was (and am), but there has been alot of interest from friends, family and even some vendors to buy my 2ct RB. I have had a few generous offers. Some that I'm seriously considering. For some strange reason I'm very attached to the diamond, but a D MRB just isn't my style. I have kept it so far because I thought I would reset it down the road or I thought if I ever (heaven forbid) got sick of antique cuts I would still have my MRB to wear. I have for a while been keeping a lookout for an antique EC, since Kelpie posted her lovely. Now that I have found a few the draw to do the trade in is there....but at the same time I'm really hesitating to part with my MRB in case down the road I wish I had kept it. I bought it right before diamodns prices skyrocketed so I know I could never replace this.

And on that note I will stop rambling.....
 
Sarahbear, you make me want to start dealing drugs again. And I'm also thinking about going back to my corner to see if its still available. It was a prime spot.

I need more bling money!!!!
 
Have you talked to the girls... JbEG? I had asked them before I bought mine and about two weeks after I got my K they posted that wonderful old EC. Grace had said it could take awhile... So I'm sure it's a needle in the haystack...but you'll find it, they might be able to find another. Can't wait to watch your search... :Up_to_something:

I love Kelpie's! :love:
 
for me a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush when it comes to diamonds. Id rather have a diamond i like now (EC) verses a diamond I might want to wear again down the road sitting in a safety deposit box.
 
A lot of what I think people associate with the antique look in an emerald cut has to do with the culet- generally speaking "antique emerald cut" will have a larger culet.

Sometimes a modern stone with the right corner size and facet placement can be "opened up" at the culet and look like an antique afterwards.

As opposed to corner size- which can't be a parameter in db searches- dealers can search for stones with open ( large) culets, as it's a parameter on the GIA report.
So that might be a good way to start......

Hope this helps Sarahbear!
 
i had been in contact with GOG and they said they could find a stone and then just cut a culet into it. But then its not really a true vintage. Im sure he could probably find you an M-O emerald and cut a culet into it to make it yummy, but that does looks some appeal
 
Niel|1369097721|3450839 said:
i had been in contact with GOG and they said they could find a stone and then just cut a culet into it. But then its not really a true vintage. Im sure he could probably find you an M-O emerald and cut a culet into it to make it yummy, but that does looks some appeal
Click to expand...


I actually have a few already found :twisted:
 
Rockdiamond|1369097473|3450838 said:
A lot of what I think people associate with the antique look in an emerald cut has to do with the culet- generally speaking "antique emerald cut" will have a larger culet.

Sometimes a modern stone with the right corner size and facet placement can be "opened up" at the culet and look like an antique afterwards.

As opposed to corner size- which can't be a parameter in db searches- dealers can search for stones with open ( large) culets, as it's a parameter on the GIA report.
So that might be a good way to start......

Hope this helps Sarahbear!
Click to expand...

Thank you David- that is actually very helpful. Is it very expensive to recut the cutlet or open it up?
 
Sarahbear621|1369098225|3450846 said:
Niel|1369097721|3450839 said:
i had been in contact with GOG and they said they could find a stone and then just cut a culet into it. But then its not really a true vintage. Im sure he could probably find you an M-O emerald and cut a culet into it to make it yummy, but that does looks some appeal
Click to expand...


I actually have a few already found :twisted:
Click to expand...

antique ones or low color ones to recut??
 
Mayk|1369096828|3450830 said:
Have you talked to the girls... JbEG? I had asked them before I bought mine and about two weeks after I got my K they posted that wonderful old EC. Grace had said it could take awhile... So I'm sure it's a needle in the haystack...but you'll find it, they might be able to find another. Can't wait to watch your search... :Up_to_something:

I love Kelpie's! :love:
Click to expand...

I haven't contacted them yet just because I didn't want to get too serious till I really knew what I wanted to do with my current diamond. Fact of the matter is if I don't sell or trade my my MRB I'm not buying anything. I just can't seem to feel confident and keep changing my mind on what I want to do :sick:
 
Okay, if you can ignore the size of this one, it is an excellent example of an EC with a great L-w ratio, nice corners, and windmills that extend close to the center of the stone. This stone would be an excellent one to have a cut culet, if one wanted.

http://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rings/engagement-rings/rare-h-if-1798-emerald-cut-diamond-ring/id-j_92645/

another with nice ratio and overall cut

http://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rings/engagement-rings/important-1002ct-emerald-cut-diamond-gia-cert-ring/id-j_84718/
 
Sarahbear621|1369098287|3450847 said:
Rockdiamond|1369097473|3450838 said:
A lot of what I think people associate with the antique look in an emerald cut has to do with the culet- generally speaking "antique emerald cut" will have a larger culet.

Sometimes a modern stone with the right corner size and facet placement can be "opened up" at the culet and look like an antique afterwards.

As opposed to corner size- which can't be a parameter in db searches- dealers can search for stones with open ( large) culets, as it's a parameter on the GIA report.
So that might be a good way to start......

Hope this helps Sarahbear!
Click to expand...

Thank you David- that is actually very helpful. Is it very expensive to recut the cutlet or open it up?
Click to expand...

You're welcome Sarahbear!
Costs:
On one occasion, I was over to my cutter with a stone I felt was a good candidate for opening of culet.
It took less only a few moments, and viola!
From a labor standpoint, the cost of opening a culet is minimal.
But there's other potential costs.
There is risk- anytime you touch a diamond to the cutting wheel- although the risk of damage in a case like this is minuscule.

The you have to consider weight loss
In the case of the stone we opened- it lost .01ct.
If it was a 17ct D/IF, that could be a bit of money:)

But maybe the biggest is the look.
my fear: What if I do this- and don't like the way it comes out.
No easy fix to close that culet back up again.
Remember, this is the focal point of an emerald cut- and the steps offer no "hiding place" for any screw ups down there.
In our case, if we did this - we could only do it if we owned the diamond.
Very likely a consumer would also be on the hook for a stone they had a dealer alter.....
 
diamondseeker2006|1369098886|3450854 said:
Okay, if you can ignore the size of this one, it is an excellent example of an EC with a great L-w ratio, nice corners, and windmills that extend close to the center of the stone. This stone would be an excellent one to have a cut culet, if one wanted.

http://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rings/engagement-rings/rare-h-if-1798-emerald-cut-diamond-ring/id-j_92645/

another with nice ratio and overall cut

http://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rings/engagement-rings/important-1002ct-emerald-cut-diamond-gia-cert-ring/id-j_84718/
Click to expand...

Agreed I think when I say fatter windmills I should add in that I want them to extend down to the center as close as possible. What would we call this L-W ratio? I definitely want an emerald cut but more of the thicker side. IS that a 1-2 ratio?
 
Sarahbear621|1369099751|3450865 said:
diamondseeker2006|1369098886|3450854 said:
Okay, if you can ignore the size of this one, it is an excellent example of an EC with a great L-w ratio, nice corners, and windmills that extend close to the center of the stone. This stone would be an excellent one to have a cut culet, if one wanted.

http://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rings/engagement-rings/rare-h-if-1798-emerald-cut-diamond-ring/id-j_92645/

another with nice ratio and overall cut

http://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/rings/engagement-rings/important-1002ct-emerald-cut-diamond-gia-cert-ring/id-j_84718/
Click to expand...

Agreed I think when I say fatter windmills I should add in that I want them to extend down to the center as close as possible. What would we call this L-W ratio? I definitely want an emerald cut but more of the thicker side. IS that a 1-2 ratio?
Click to expand...

Let me see if I can find more info on those diamonds in order to figure out the ratio.
 
Okay, that gorgeous 17 ct stone has these measurements:

16.66 x 13.84

Where is Yssie? We need someone to do the math. It definitely isn't anywhere close to 2-1. That would be 16mm x 8mm.

The 2.5 ct stone that the PS person owns is:

8.70 x 7.63

So you can get an idea.
 
Ratio is the length x width relationship. 2:1 only means that if the stone is 8 mm on one side, the width is 4 mm. Most ECs do have their windmills come all the down to the centre but due to having smaller shoulders, it isn't as easily apparent. It is easier to get this effect on a wide shoulder and fatter ratio stone. A handful of ECs do not have the windmills extend this far though.
 
Rockdiamond said:
There likely a consumer would also be on the hook for a stone they had a dealer alter.....
Click to expand...

That's what I was told when I looked into it. I'd have to buy the stone before the culet was cut into it.

Also there would be a cost if you wanted the stone re-certed sense now the cert isn't accurate.
 
diamondseeker2006|1369100574|3450878 said:
Okay, that gorgeous 17 ct stone has these measurements:

16.66 x 13.84 It is a 1.20 to 1.0 stone, so a little bit bigger than a perfect square. Divide the length by the width. That's how I compute it anyway.

Where is Yssie? We need someone to do the math. It definitely isn't anywhere close to 2-1. That would be 16mm x 8mm.

The 2.5 ct stone that the PS person owns is:

8.70 x 7.63 This stone is approximately 1.5 to 1.0

So you can get an idea.
Click to expand...
 
Interesting that most of the stones posted/linked are so shallow -- under 60% depth.
 
Lula|1369104503|3450932 said:
Interesting that most of the stones posted/linked are so shallow -- under 60% depth.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's just me but although I love the wide shoulders, the pattern doesn't look so hot to me. I think I'm the only one though...
 
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