What do you make of these OEC proportions?

[Dreamer_D]

They are not what I expected based on the photos of the diamond. The crown seems shallow? HCA score is 2, is that even valid? What would you expect this to perform like based on these proportions?

I'm used to picking OECs with my eyes so it is neat this one has a sarin.

 

[Gypsy]

I find the HCA is accurate. I don't know more than that. But it's been accurate with the stones I've been looking at?

 

[Laila619]

Huh, that's interesting. I thought OECs generally had steeper crowns than that?

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think the HCA can only be accurate with some OECs? My 1ct is very well cut and got a terrible HCA, it made it explode basically. But in person it is a really nice stone.

This one is unconventional. The shallow crown is wierd. But it is super bright in photos and has a nice facet pattern. Poor symmetry though.

I guess I'll find out when I get it

 

[Dreamer_D]

I found this interesting quote in another thread:

Every now and then, it seems appropriate to comment on these discussions about older styles of cutting. Transitional cut is a term that should be avoided as it has varying definitions (it might be interesting for various Pricescopers to give their definitions). This diamond, with a table just nearly 60%, could have been cut after the mid 1890’s in Europe (up until 1930’s), as Europe sought to cut the new American style for the American market (The American style had a smaller table but Europeans were adamanat about larger tables during that time). By 1900, this style with smaller tables was called American Cut, Scientific Cut and Ideal Cut. The original style called for tables between 40 and 50%. Angles for the pav ranged from 39 to 42 (usually 40 to 41, but cutters didn’t have close tolerances in cutting) and crowns got sloppier, depending upon the cutting house, but 34-37 was quite typical. The larger star facets and faceted girdle indicate that this stone was probably re-polished or repaired. If the larger stars are original, this was cut much later (1930’s). Transitional cut (came into usage in the 1980’s) is used by some to lump these things together and is hardly definitive for the various modifications taking place. This stone most likely was cut after 1930 and has been repaired. These should have knife-edged girdles which are usually much damaged. Specific measurements of the loose stone would help, but it’s always easy to call it a transitional cut and not worry with the details.

Looks like this one could be an "American Cut" from around the 1900s.

 

[ihy138]

I'm sorry, you'll have to post pictures for us to really judge. Lots and lots of them. You always find the best OECs!

 

[yennyfire]

Whatcha planning on doing with this one???? I'm rubbing my hands in anticipation!

 

[Dreamer_D]

haha... I only have two photos now but that along with the lab report was enough for me to tell it is well cut. Knock wood, there were no returnsies.

It is a 5.7mm stone, J VS1 with a GIA lab report! The vendor does not specialize in diamonds or old cuts, seems to sell mostly rough. GIA gave the stone a "poor" cut grade, which is common with OECs, and this guy had priced it based on that. I was not *planning* to buy an OEC this size, I was looking for a mate for my 5.2mm stone, but the price was so low! His asking price was like $300 less than any comps I had seen -- and even those were not true comps, they were OECs with no reports or smaller OECs with GIA report.. Then I made an offer $325 lower than his asking and he accepted I got it for about 30% retail The sharks would have found it within hours I am sure, he had used the words "old mine" and "european cut" in the description.

Anyways, I had planned to reset my 1ct into a three stone mount I bought in the pre-loved forum, but was waffling becuase I like the solitaire and can't decide on side stones and was not sure I wanted to put the 1ct into a nice mount because I will likely upgrade it at some point if the holy grail appears. I think this stone will work in that mount instead. Buying it means I likely have to abandon my earrings plan and rehome some of my adopted strays. Oh well!

 

[junebug17]

Looks very pretty Dreamer! And with a GIA report - nice find!

 

[Amys Bling]

Can't wait to see what you do!!

 

[TravelingGal]

yay Dreamer! So you are thinking of that one in the 3 stone setting, with maybe rubies? Then selling your 1c when you find the right 7+mm stone?

Sounds like a plan to me!

 

[Dreamer_D]

yay Dreamer! So you are thinking of that one in the 3 stone setting, with maybe rubies? Then selling your 1c when you find the right 7+mm stone?

Sounds like a plan to me!

Yes I want the three stone to be an anniversary ring, a family ring, so it seemed a little sad to set a stone in it that I would most likely sell one day. This all assumes this diamond is really nice, though it seems like it will pan out. I have more information about it that any other diamond I have bought

 

[Rhino]

Once you start getting to lower halves less than 75% the HCA is basically useless.

 

[Karl_K]

virtual modeling of the gia numbers match the second pic.
It may be a little dark in a ring due to obstruction but then again maybe not!
Trying to use averaged and rounded numbers stink.
I didn't have time to take in account all the possible combinations in the rounding so who knows.
So if nothing else you get a kicken pendant/earring stone.

 

[kelpie]

My crown is super shallow but the table is so small it works. Give this one a shot.

 

[Dreamer_D]

OK, thanks everyone.

Obstruction is an interesting issue with these old cuts. I have not really found one yet that does not do it to some degree. It seems to be par for the course in true oldies. My half carat does it less than others I have seen. My one carat doesn't do it too much, but when you get it close to the face, watch out. Both of those stones have more "traditional" high crowns and greater depths.

 

[Dreamer_D]

My crown is super shallow but the table is so small it works. Give this one a shot.

How small is your table? Have you had a sarin run?

 

[kelpie]

My crown is super shallow but the table is so small it works. Give this one a shot.

How small is your table? Have you had a sarin run?

Mine is 53% depth and 47% table per the appraiser, no sarin or report. I don't know the crown but it is REALLY low.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks. I am optimistic about this one because the smaller photo is a distance shot and shows nice patterning and edge to edge brightness, and the larger shot is an extreme macro close up and the obstruction is actually not that bad, looks better than/the same as mant of my own photos of my OEC that I know are nice looking.

Time will tell.

 

[yennyfire]

Yay Dreamer! It looks gorgeous!

 

[TravelingGal]

yay Dreamer! So you are thinking of that one in the 3 stone setting, with maybe rubies? Then selling your 1c when you find the right 7+mm stone?

Sounds like a plan to me!

Yes I want the three stone to be an anniversary ring, a family ring, so it seemed a little sad to set a stone in it that I would most likely sell one day. This all assumes this diamond is really nice, though it seems like it will pan out. I have more information about it that any other diamond I have bought

Well, I think it's a good idea, and I totally get what you are saying about selling sentimental pieces. The reason I am ooh and aahing about my own three stone project is that it will not be for sale ever. TGuy is big on stuff like that...he wants me to keep my sentimental pieces. Which means if I ever want something, I can't usually sell stuff to upgrade. Currently I only have two pieces that aren't sentimental that I actually CAN put up for sale (whether I actually want to sell is another thing altogether...I really like everything I have!).

I can't remember what your Aurora band looks like, but I think this three stone with rubies sounds fantastic from a symbolic perspective. And as evidenced recently, deals of the century can certainly be hand, and I am sure you will find your perfect larger stone at some point!

 

[SparklyOEC]

It looks like a beautiful stone. I don't know how you keep finding these beauties for such great prices! And your idea for the 3-stone sounds amazing.

 

[yennyfire]

Can I be really nosy and ask what you paid for it? I need some sort of benchmark to determine if I overpaid for a 5.5mm, supposedly G SI2 I just bought. I don't think I got a steal, but I don't think I got ripped of either.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think I might know the 5.5 you bought Yellow gold? If so a good price. That stone at 5.5 would likely weigh less than 0.70ct This stone is 5.59 x 5.77. ETA: wait, you said G, not the yellow gold one. Was it BIN in a pretty plat mount, off center culet? What did YOU pay? I think anything under $1000 is decent for 5.5mm, $800 I would consider a deal, $500 a steal.

ETAA: But listen, if it matches the one you got for SUCH a steal then look at the total price when thinking about value, KWIM? You have been looking a long time. I hope it works!!

 

[yennyfire]

It is a platinum mount. The seller isn't one of the well known folks (at least as far as I know). I paid $999. I'll take it to my jeweler and see if it's even close to a G and how it works with my existing stone. If the color is way off, I'll return it.

ETA: oops it's an H not a G.. Hopefully it will work with my G...I agree with you about looking at the total price I will have paid. $1200 for 1.40 G/H stones is pretty good! I offered $500, then $750 and they wouldn't budge. It's a lovely stone (I'll post pics when I'm not on my phone), so I'm feeling pretty good about it. Fingers crossed! And if this works, I'm done. I'll have my earrings made and stop collecting (gee, that sounds so final! Ok, I'll take a long break from collecting , lol)!

 

[Dreamer_D]

yay Dreamer! So you are thinking of that one in the 3 stone setting, with maybe rubies? Then selling your 1c when you find the right 7+mm stone?

Sounds like a plan to me!

Yes I want the three stone to be an anniversary ring, a family ring, so it seemed a little sad to set a stone in it that I would most likely sell one day. This all assumes this diamond is really nice, though it seems like it will pan out. I have more information about it that any other diamond I have bought

Well, I think it's a good idea, and I totally get what you are saying about selling sentimental pieces. The reason I am ooh and aahing about my own three stone project is that it will not be for sale ever. TGuy is big on stuff like that...he wants me to keep my sentimental pieces. Which means if I ever want something, I can't usually sell stuff to upgrade. Currently I only have two pieces that aren't sentimental that I actually CAN put up for sale (whether I actually want to sell is another thing altogether...I really like everything I have!).

I can't remember what your Aurora band looks like, but I think this three stone with rubies sounds fantastic from a symbolic perspective. And as evidenced recently, deals of the century can certainly be hand, and I am sure you will find your perfect larger stone at some point!

Aurora attached.

I don'y have many sentimental pieces, really. My engagement ring I can never sell, though I would like to one day set the sapphire in a nicer mount. I toyed with selling my Hunter ring but never did *really* want to sell it -- meaning price it at a point I knew it would move. I will likely keep it. I did sell the ring I had bought for Ryder, but I was not attached to it. It was not something I made custom and so it had no "story". I need something for him, I think. I'll have to ponder it.

Anyways, because the setting is platinum that I have and so pretty, it deserves to be something special and meaningful. Soa family ring seems right somehow to mark this occassion. Five years feels like something to celebrate!

But I feel you on the hemming and hawing. I think for me I only wanted to "invest" a certain amount in this family ring since it would not be liquid capital, like, I cannot sell it and get the money back. Putting my 1ct in the three stone felt like too much investment for me. So I tentatively was toying with the idea of finding a slightly smaller stone. I hope this one works in the mount. The stone onedrop had in it was 6mm. My jeweler said he could put my 5.2mm in the setting but there was an apparent gap between the center and sides with that smaller stone. I am hoping the extra half mm between my 5.2 and this one will eliminate that. A slightly larger stone would cost a lot more.

I digress. You should set your stones. You are not a fickle pickle.

 

[Dreamer_D]

It is a platinum mount. The seller isn't one of the well known folks (at least as far as I know). I paid $999. I'll take it to my jeweler and see if it's even close to a G and how it works with my existing stone. If the color is way off, I'll return it.

ETA: oops it's an H not a G.. Hopefully it will work with my G...

I like that stone a lot, it has personality. The culet looks a little off center but who cares for earrings IMO. You can likely sell the mount too for like $200, making the diamond a better price At least, that is what I was planning when I thought about it.

And might I suggest you DON"T ask the jewelers opinion on color until you see it yourself and decide if it matches? You don't wan their opinion to sway you.

 

[Dreamer_D]

It looks like a beautiful stone. I don't know how you keep finding these beauties for such great prices! And your idea for the 3-stone sounds amazing.

Oh I have some search terms I run every day, and I have looked at enough photos I know what to look for in lame pictures. I have too much time on my hands being on maternity leave with my 8 month old. He plays around crawling and eating the dog and I surf the net Hmmm... that doesn't make me sound like a very good mother

 

[yennyfire]

Good advice Dreamer, I'll see what I think first, but I want my jewelers opinion, because if the color isn't as stated, but works with my other stone, maybe I can negotiate a price reduction.

I will also sell the mount to offset the cost and put that towards the earring settings.

 

[SparklyOEC]

It looks like a beautiful stone. I don't know how you keep finding these beauties for such great prices! And your idea for the 3-stone sounds amazing.

Oh I have some search terms I run every day, and I have looked at enough photos I know what to look for in lame pictures. I have too much time on my hands being on maternity leave with my 8 month old. He plays around crawling and eating the dog and I surf the net Hmmm... that doesn't make me sound like a very good mother

Just a normal day in the life of.