Where to buy older cut MQ?

[Tacori E-ring]

I think I have mentioned that my mother lost her grandmother''s ring. She is devastated and basically wants to custom design a ring to look like it. Her ring was a MQ cut but not a modern cut. It had beautiful chunky facets. Any idea where I could find a stone like this? TIA?

 

[neatfreak]

I might call ari at singlestone to start.

 

[reader]

Wow, no idea, but will be watching the project with great interest. Mind if I help you look?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

NF, thank you! Good suggestion. I am not a huge MQ fan but with the chunky facets it was amazing.

Reader, not at all! The original ring''s MQ was 1.2ish I think? I would have to have my mom look at her appraisal. The setting was PLT with very small bead set melee and the rest of the shank was engraved. I don''t think the appraiser took photos (odd right?) and not sure we have any photographs. I did draw the setting from memory but she wants as close to the original as she can get. I think it is insured for 10K. She has not spoken to her insurance company so hopefully they will let her work with anyone. The ring probably dates to the late 1890s. My grandmother was born in 1920 and the ring was her mother''s. Unfortunately she is not 100% with it she not sure she will remember when her mother got the ring if we ask. It was a STUNNING! I was holding out hope she would find it

 

[Tacori E-ring]

1.25 J VS2, band had 18 round diamond .18 ctw H VS, 4.2 grams of PLT

 

[reader]

Wonder if Erica could locate something like this? Would you object if I asked my local jeweler, he loves hunting bits for antique rings..

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 1/3/2010 8:10:05 PM
Author: reader
Wonder if Erica could locate something like this? Would you object if I asked my local jeweler, he loves hunting bits for antique rings..

Not at all. Thanks for the help! I am actually surprised it appraised as a J. It was a warm diamond but totally fit the antique feel and setting. I did ask my mom if she would consider switching to a round, maybe cushion b/c I think those would be easier to find. She was open to the idea but I know she would really love to replicate the ring the best we can. I am guessing the melee were single cuts but the appraisal wasn''t very detailed

My above post is what was listed. My mom is calling tomorrow to see if he took any photographs but none were included in the paperwork. I will see if I can find that sketch I did. It was a lovely setting.

 

[reader]

I wish Widget would see this, she has about the most perfect older marquise in a pearl clasp.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I miss widget and all her beautiful jewelry!!!!

 

[reader]

I think I found a stone in an ring. On ebay

 

[marcy]

Sorry to hear she lost her grandmother''s ring. Good luck finding her a MQ.

 

[ericad]

Hmmm, that''s a tricky one! Antique marquise cuts are so rare - I have only seen a few pop up over the past few years, usually at auctions and usually humongous. I agree that a large dealer like Singlestone is your best bet. Even if he doesn''t have something like it in stock, it''s the kind of thing he can keep an eye out for when he goes to shows, etc. If you''re patient and have feelers out with several dealers, I''m sure you''ll eventually find one.

I hope your mom is able to find it

 

[Tacori E-ring]

reader, that looks like a modern cut something I know my mom doesn''t want. Thanks for looking though!

Marcy, thanks. My grandmother''s rings just went missing as well (she also has an antique cut MQ) and we aren''t sure if she lost them or someone took them (she lives in a nursing home). The combo of the two is upsetting but it is just a thing. Thankfully my mother had insurance (something she has only had for the last couple of years). My grandmother did not.

erica, I wish you could have seen the ring. I know you would have appreciated it. Her appraiser said it was the most beautiful ring he had ever seen. My mom had more info on it for me. Seems it was given to her grandmother after her youngest was born (who knew "push presents" existed for so long?!?) so it dates to the 1920s. Never lost a melee and the engraving was still visible. Miracles happen. Hopefully she will find it.

 

[Miscka]

I was so hoping she would find it

I agree re:Ari, and also maybe email Erica & Grace to keep a look out? Wonder if Rhino would know anyone who could cut one?

I will also be following along, as this sounds like an absolute dream ring! I love the idea of MQ (like with baguettes) but I am so enamored with chunky facets.

Good luck!!!

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I found this one but it''s expensive

Ring

 

[Black Jade]

Don''t know if this will be helpful, but sometimes in the old days what we call marquise diamonds were called by the French word ''Navette''.
Don''t know if you can find one under that name.
Good luck with being able to find one. My grandmother''s engagement was also lost to the family and I know this is difficult to deal with. I was fortunate to find a ring that was very similar (though smaller) last year and bought it immediately, even though the price was a little high for what it was. I had been thinking for some time of having a replica made with an old stone, but I don''t think the modern filigree ever looks quite the same, so I was glad to find an older similar one.
Are you limiting your search to the US? I think that you might also find one in Europe, if you were able to look on the internet there, particularly Britain? My sense is that Europeans are less likely to update their antiques than we are. so many beautiful old rings here have had the diamonds reset and/or recut to moderns RBs.Best to you

 

[Lurchie]

Tacori,

I saw an older MQ stone yesterday in a local store (Boston) that sells antique jewelry. It was gorgeous! 1.5 carats, chunkier facets, minimal bowtie, but the rub is that it''s in its original setting - a beautiful pin. The SA indicated that they''d be willing to break up the piece but had to speak with the store owner. I was actually looking for a friend of mine who''s about to get engaged and is looking for an antique marquise. But I''m not sure he''s wedded to that shape and I got the sense from the SA that they''d be willing to break up the piece only if the buyer HAD to have a marquise. The store doesn''t have a website but the SA was willing to take a picture of the pin for me. Let me know if you''re interested!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks everyone for all your help! I would love to see a photo of that pin of the SA is willing! How sweet of you.

 

[Lurchie]

No problem! If I don''t get an email from the SA in the next day or two I''ll contact PS Admin and get you the name and contact info for the store. He sounded willing to work with someone long distance.

 

[Lurchie]

Hey Tacori,

So I haven''t heard back from the SA, but the store is Small Pleasures on Newbury Street in Boston. I bet if you called and asked to speak with Jared about the old MQ cut in the pin he''d be quite helpful. It looks like the Boston ladies are planning a GTG soon - maybe they can scope it out for you! I''ll post in their thread...

 

[Resonance.Of.Life]

lang''s antiques seems to have one...

http://www.langantiques.com/category/10/5/item/10-1-2523/

 

[ringthings]

Oh, how awful to loose such an old and sentimental piece. Sorry to hear it.

For photos, I''m not sure if this might help a little at all, but do you have any photos of your mom where she might be wearing the ring? I figured out some how old a few of my grandma''s jewelry and accessories were by looking at old photos and see if she was wearing them. I found that one ring she''d worn at least 30 years, if not more, and another ring was also old. I know photos are tiny, and since your ring was so old, there might not have been photos where she/someone might have been wearing the ring, but it might be worth a try.

I hope that you can replicate it, or that it might just turn up somehow?

I lost a ring of my own, just a cheap silver one, once, and that was upsetting-- even though it was not even 10 years old. I can''t imagine 100+ years or so. My other grandma had some of her costume jewelry lost, and she was very upset/angry/etc. too. Good luck in your project.. keep us updated!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Wow resonance, that is gorgeous!!!!!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Tacori I just saw this old cut marquise on ebay...(sorry the link isn''t clickable, my mac has issues with that

http://cgi.ebay.com/Art-Deco-Antique-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-Solid-Platinum_W0QQitemZ390159318020QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Fine_Jewelry?hash=item5ad74ebc04#ht_1702wt_1153