What would you do?

[Dancing Fire]

an H&A MRB or a Octavia of the same weight but face up smaller.

 

[thecat]

I know you're leaving your jewelry to your girls. Ask them which they prefer. But if you have other rounds to leave to them (since you most probably have other diamonds and round is common), then get the Octavia. I've been eyeing the O Octavia. Of course, some will say we should buy what we like and not worry about whether it will be heirloom or not.

ETA: I should have asked what size you're looking at before I casted my vote. Since Octavia looks smaller, I will choose round for under 0.7 ct. If you're looking at above 1ct, Octavia wins.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I know you're leaving your jewelry to your girls. Ask them which they prefer. But if you have other rounds to leave to them (since you most probably have other diamonds and round is common), then get the Octavia. I've been eyeing the O Octavia. Of course, some will say we should buy what we like and not worry about whether it will be heirloom or not.

What are you waiting for? GO FOR IT!..

 

[thecat]

I know you're leaving your jewelry to your girls. Ask them which they prefer. But if you have other rounds to leave to them (since you most probably have other diamonds and round is common), then get the Octavia. I've been eyeing the O Octavia. Of course, some will say we should buy what we like and not worry about whether it will be heirloom or not.

What are you waiting for? GO FOR IT!..

Waiting for my money tree to bear fruit

 

[Dancing Fire]

I know you're leaving your jewelry to your girls. Ask them which they prefer. But if you have other rounds to leave to them (since you most probably have other diamonds and round is common), then get the Octavia. I've been eyeing the O Octavia. Of course, some will say we should buy what we like and not worry about whether it will be heirloom or not.

What are you waiting for? GO FOR IT!..

Waiting for my money tree to bear fruit

A very reasonable price...
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9408/

 

[kenny]

I have both and prefer the Octavia … quite a bit.
A well-cut MRB is of course a fantastic look too.
It's just the Octavia has the personality that makes my heart race.

That's personal preference, but next I'll mention something that is fact …

The round does not light-perform as well off-axis as does the Octavia with that high crown.
Sure, you can flip your hand up to see it on-axis but the vast majority of time I see my diamond it is off-axis.
It kind of reminds me of good speaker design.
With some speakers you have to sit right in front of it for the best sound; if you move to the side you don't hear the same quality music.
A better speaker will also sound good as you move further around the room.

It is true that Asschers face up smaller than rounds … But …
The Octavia has a larger side view than a round of equal weight.
That means, if the setting is not a gypsy setting, more light enters and exits the side view where you usually see your diamond.

The face up size you 'lose' with an asscher isn't lost; it just moves to the side view.
You could argue this makes it a wash, especially in a tension setting.

Official diamond light performance only considers light that enters and exits the crown.
If that's all you want to consider I still prefer the quantity and quality of the Octavia's light performance.
But when it comes to the more practical whole-diamond consideration of light performance which takes into account all of the light entering and exiting the entire diamond the Octavia blows away a round. Blows it away.
Perhaps this was not a design consideration of KarlK; perhaps it was just a happy accident.

Even if you were to sink the two shapes down into gypsy settings that completely covered the pavilions the Octavia would still have better off-axis light performance than a round with it's relatively shallow crown.
I'll get a pic up latter of both side by side in a side view that demonstrates this.

I'm looking forward to whatever you decide.
Wearing a nice diamond is a pleasure that has been discouraged for men for far too long.
Equal rights.

 

[ericad]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

 

[jaysonsmom]

If it is a diamond for your ring DF, I'd pick the Octavia. Nice clean straight lines, fits well for a man's ring!

 

[VRBeauty]

I voted Octavia - because we know you and the Mrs. have some beautiful rounds, and variety is the spice of life.

 

[Dancing Fire]

It is true that Asschers face up smaller than rounds … But …
The Octavia has a larger side view than a round of equal weight.
That means, if the setting is not a gypsy setting, more light enters and exits the side view where you usually see your diamond.

The face up size you 'lose' with an asscher isn't lost; it just moves to the side view.
You could argue this makes it a wash, especially in a tension setting.

Kenny
Thanks for the explanation, does make sense.

 

[AprilBaby]

Octavia, because how many people can say they know the inventor of the cut?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

I have always say that...SIZE means nothing if IT can't perform!

 

[kenny]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

I have always say that...SIZE means nothing if IT can't perform!

OMG!
YOUR'RE BI?

 

[Dancing Fire]

If it is a diamond for your ring DF, I'd pick the Octavia. Nice clean straight lines, fits well for a man's ring!

J'smom
Will you buy me an Octavia?...

 

[arkieb1]

Can't wait to see your pics Kenny, I've wanted one for a while now but I confess they face up smaller than I would like so I was wondering since I have read at least three people gushing about their performance viewed at angles other than top down how they would perform compared to a RB in a halo or a bezel setting....

 

[kenny]

Can't wait to see your pics Kenny, I've wanted one for a while now but I confess they face up smaller than I would like so I was wondering since I have read at least three people gushing about their performance viewed at angles other than top down how they would perform compared to a RB in a halo or a bezel setting....

Pics soon, but actually my avatar may be the quintessential example of an Octavia's off-axis performance.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

I have always say that...SIZE means nothing if IT can't perform!

OMG!
YOUR'RE BI?

I don't think so, IT look "straight" to me!

 

[kenny]

But, how well does 'IT' perform off-axis?

 

[jaysonsmom]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

I have always say that...SIZE means nothing if IT can't perform!

OMG!
YOUR'RE BI?

I don't think so, IT look "straight" to me!

All this flirting! Get a room you two!

 

[kenny]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

I have always say that...SIZE means nothing if IT can't perform!

OMG!
YOUR'RE BI?

I don't think so, IT look "straight" to me!

All this flirting! Get a room you two!

Don't you mean, "Us Three?"

 

[jaysonsmom]

Octavia! Cuz size ain't everything.

And, like Kenny says, the angle as seen from the view of the wearer is often a neglected consideration. Nothing beats the flashes seen off a high crown!

I have always say that...SIZE means nothing if IT can't perform!

OMG!
YOUR'RE BI?

I don't think so, IT look "straight" to me!

All this flirting! Get a room you two!

Don't you mean, "Us Three?"

 

[Dancing Fire]

J'smom...Don't worry, Kenny isn't the one who is dangerous to you...

 

[woofmama]

LMAO! You two are the perfect pair

DF I think you should get the Octavia! Step-cuts are so interesting and perform so differently than MRB's. I have a step-cut e-ring and band for my main rings & MRB's for other jewelry (studs & pendant, plus another ring on it's way). I love the MRB's for the constant sparkle but my step-cuts are my favorite hands down.

Kenny's rings are the coolest rings ever

 

[arkieb1]

Can't wait to see your pics Kenny, I've wanted one for a while now but I confess they face up smaller than I would like so I was wondering since I have read at least three people gushing about their performance viewed at angles other than top down how they would perform compared to a RB in a halo or a bezel setting....

Pics soon, but actually my avatar may be the quintessential example of an Octavia's off-axis performance.

I love OECs and Antique cushions with big tall crowns and I love Asschers and dumpy Antique Emeralds. I saw a ring full of tall crowned tiny tabled OMCs that from multiple angles gave pretty awesome off-axis bling ages ago and thought it was very cool - and Octavias, I imagine are much better again..... I have watched the GOG videos a zillion times but have never had the opportunity to see one in real life because I don't know of anyone in Oz that has one, if I did I would be inviting them out for coffee or a meal so I could stare at their hand longingly in person

 

[kenny]

We all know an ideal-cut round will face up larger than an Asscher, but an asscher 'sides up' larger than a round.
Here's proof.

It doesn't matter that these diamonds are different carat weight because I adjusted the width of the pics to be the same.
Remember, since these diamonds are round and square (NOT an emerald, oval, marquise or pear) width of the pic directly relates to face up size.
That means the illustration is fairly comparing the side-view areas of two diamonds that would have similar face up size.
(Actually to be fair, a circle will fit in a square so precise face-up area will be a bit different, though the asschers chopped-off corners makes the comparison a bit closer to apples to apples.)

Notice the asscher has much more area in the side view.
More area collects and gives of light.
Not only is the asscher deeper, the crown and pavilion bulge out for a bit extra area.

PLUS, notice the higher crown of the Octavia.
If both of these were set into a gypsy setting that covered the pavilions the Octavia's high crown is still like a larger TV set blinging away.

Of course it may not be fair to compare round to asscher with same face up size so next I'll post the same carat weight ...

 

[arkieb1]

Thanks Kenny that is really cool!!!! I wish you owned an AVC as well, so you could do a side by side comparison like that to show the height of each crown/side on pic that would be fascinating as well.

 

[kenny]

The previous pic compared diamonds with similar face up size.
This one compares diamonds with the same carat weight.

I just looked up a 1 ct round ACA and a 1 ct Octavia.
In this comparison the relative width of the pics were adjusted to what the diamonds an actually are.
Round ACA diameter = 6.4 mm
Octavia width = 5.7 mm

Of course I didn't make them 6 mm on my monitor, I made them near 6 inches, but only the relative width matters.

I think the Octavia still has more surface area in its side view.
What do you think?

 

[arkieb1]

It's a similar idea to a well cut Antique cushion what you lose looking directly down (how the stone faces up) you gain in plumpness in the crown and the depth. The Octavia works better 3 dimensionally than the RB, doesn't it....

 

[kenny]

Thanks Kenny that is really cool!!!! I wish you owned an AVC as well, so you could do a side by side comparison like that to show the height of each crown/side on pic that would be fascinating as well.

Maybe we could talk Jonathan at GOG into taking a pic comparing side views of several cuts of the same weight.

 

[arkieb1]

That's a great idea. I've been tossing up between wanting an AVC and an Octavia for a while now or maybe both one day if I can afford it so I am sure there are other people that would be into seeing the differences as well!!!! I've also been wondering how an Octavia would look in a halo.