Fancy Colored Diamond Collection

[loriken214]

Kenny,

I'm late to the party, but what are your plans for these priceless beauties??? My DH is impressed, too!

Lori

 

[kenny]

Kenny,

I'm late to the party, but what are your plans for these priceless beauties??? My DH is impressed, too!

Lori

Thanks all.
Lori, some may eventually make it into a ring or bracelet but for now they just sit in a cold dark bank vault.
But, man oh man, they are so cool to take out and see in different lighting, especially under a partially shady tree.

That green OEC round really freaks me out.
It's not a chameleon in that it changes hue but the color saturation itself varies a great deal with lighting and environment more than any other FCD.
Probably it is at its richest green under an evenly overcast sky.

 

[yssie]

I just saw the updates in this thread, minutes before you directed me to it on RT - choosing and purchasing the newest two in-person must have been an amazing and rewarding experience!! I so wish I'd been able to ogle your collection IRL at the conference - they make for such a beautiful, mesmerizing composition


Thank you for sharing them with us

 

[T L]

Kenny,
Do they lose any value if they're set into jewelry? Just curious as an untouched piece might be worth more, especially at such a small size.

Oh man, I would have a heart attack giving those to a jeweler to set unless it were Harry Winston's jewelers themselves.

 

[kenny]

I'm not sure.
Poor clarity seems to not kill FCD's value as much as with colorless diamonds so maybe a few microscopic chips on the girdle from setting would not lower their value unless it was an IF or VVS1.
I thought I read on RT that setting an IF diamond results in it dropping to at least VVS1.

I'd think a collection of loose FCDs would be harder to sell together than if they were nicely set, especially by one of the swanky jewelers like VCA.
That goes more to speed of sale vs value though.

 

[TristanC]

I finally get what you mean by seeing FCDs in real life. I decided to walk into stores to check out FCDs, and realised 2 things.

1) They are extremely scarce in B&M stores
2) Their colours are vastly different from one another.

I only handled 4, a light pinkish brown (ugly), a vivid yellow heart (very pretty), a cocktail with 3 yellow pears, 1 greenish yellow pear, 2 brownish pinks - pear and round. It was a very visible ring, large and attention grabbing. But not to my taste. I did then get to hold a 1.5++ ct radiant purplish pink with sidestones. I was gazing at it for a long time, only to then look at the price tag... $400K.

I gently set it down, and thanked the store. The search for real life experience continues...

 

[kenny]

I did then get to hold a 1.5++ ct radiant purplish pink with sidestones.
I was gazing at it for a long time, only to then look at the price tag... $400K.

I gently set it down, and thanked the store.
The search for real life experience continues...

Girlfriend, you need one of these:
1. A rich SO
2. A winning lottery ticket
3. A good macro lens

#3 works for me.

 

[kenny]

A couple new pics of my tiny step cuts . . . with a good macro lens.



A bit of table glare does a deep FCD good.

 

[kenny]

Ignore double post.

 

[tsavvy]

Your collection is spectacular and the photos of your pink EC are amazing! You must have the patience of a saint to set up all of your photos. Thank you for such enjoyable eye candy

 

[kenny]

Thanks.
Yes they take a long time to get right, but I enjoy the challenge.

Here's the 0.33 ct GIA Fancy Vivid Yellow VVS1 asscher served up on the bottom of a highly-reflective sterling sliver tray.
Up close the silver's texture looks like sunlight on a distant lake . . . but with a 200-pound asscher floating on the surface.

 

[athenaworth]

This is seriously jewelry **** at its best.

 

[Laila619]

This is seriously jewelry **** at its best.

Truth!

 

[acebruin]

seriously man... wowza! maybe i should take mine to visit you and have them in a photo shoot as well...

 

[kenny]

I don't mean to grate on your nerves but had a grate idea. - An FCD salad.

When I was cooking today I discovered a grate new diamond cutting technique that I just have to share.
First you'll need a grater made from my secret patented super hard alloy - ORDER NOW! Only one million dollars - free shipping.

When you grate a white diamond at different angles you get diamonds of various colors.
Who knew?

I realize you may be skeptical, but it's really quite simple when you factor in the valence potential transmorgified by the spectrographic derivative of the Fourier transform integrated with the cosine of the angle you hold the grater - just like when you grate a really good artisan Romano from Trader Joe's.

Oh, and my 1754-carat white round natural diamond isn't windowing.
It just happens to have inclusions that match my bamboo cutting board.

 

[TristanC]

Who cares about the coloured diamonds. Look at that great honking colourless. Quick, give mouawad a call now!

On the other hand, I realise that you seem to be displaying a german steel bolstered chef's knife. Tsk tsk. Quick go do a search for bob kramer... I think I might have given you an alternative outlet for all your FCD money that is burning a hole in your pocket.

Hmm, I wonder if my rabbits would eat your FCDs

 

[kenny]

Tristan, darn you.
I just watched several of his videos and now I want a knife that was handmade by Bob Kramer himself.
Demand is so great he had to start a lottery (for the privilege of buying one) instead of a waiting list.

Honestly, I think I'll settle for replacing my electric knife sharpener.
I'm all motivated now to buy one of his Japanese 1000/6000 honing stones and develop my honing skills on my old Henckels Four Star set.
I realize I'm the last person who should criticize anyone's spending habits, but I just can't see spending $3000 one one knife.

Oh and I don't recommend feeding your bunnies FCDs.
They've already ruined my teeth.
But if you DO, the green ones are the tastiest.

 

[TristanC]

Kenny... if you think pricescope is obsessive, you haven't even been to some of the other far more obscure male hobby forums. Dave Martell runs a site named kitchen knife forums and in there are people who are obsessed about pursuing the sharpest edge possible and discussions on metallurgy and other specifics. Fun bunch. Go check it out. Oh, and the lottery is just to get a chance to get on a waitlist to wait 5 years for a knife that will be priced at the point that you get the knife. hahaha. madness. Right now a chef's knife from him is about 15K on ebay, not 3K.

Don't get bob's sharpener, get a King Combination 1000/6000 stone. You might want to search for Murray Carter, an american, pierre rodrigue - a canadian, then of course old school is japanese, where there are 81 year old masters still working the forge... Really purist stuff. If you're anything like me you'll get a kick out of it. Bob's stuff is mad expensive, others are still very affordable. My knives can go through paper without effort by the way, more smoothly than a bic penknife or whatever you use there with those disposable blades.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

 

[yennyfire]

Kenny, I think that's the best use of a grater I've seen in quite a while! Your collection is stunning! I love the contrast of all of those vivid colors together...simply too beautiful for words.

Tristan, I can't imagine a $15K knife. Wow! Does it make the food taste better? Just curious since I'll never own one and my poor palette may be missing out....

 

[TristanC]

It is a bit like how most people can't imagine paying 30K for a perfect 1.5ct D IF stone, they can get a slightly compromised J SI2 eye clean for much less, and the ridiculous price difference can be saved.

Then you go to the point of getting a 1.5ct pink or blue diamond and people just shrug and say what? Of the few that know it, they most likely won't pay the kind of price for it... so it is a niche within a niche. Same as those knives.

I don't think they make your food taste better. But the question should be, does a 1.5ct D IF center stone make your life a little happier than a SI2 1.5ct J stone?

 

[y2kitty]

Are you going to buy anything in the 4th of July sale Kenny?

 

[kenny]

OMG Tristan, I've been reading that knifeforum.
What a hoot!

When someone posts a pic of a nice knife edge they call it "knife pron". Hahaha.

Wow $15K for a knife!!!!!! BTW a 1.5 ct D IF ranges from $45K to 70K on Bluenile today.
Tomorrow, probably more.

Thanks Yennyfire.

Herekitty, nothing is calling out my name right now, well lots of them are screaming KENNY!!!, but nothing I can swing now.

 

[TristanC]

Can I just ask something... when you return a diamond to Leibish, more than 30 days after the event of purchase - they still let you upgrade to a different stone? How do they manage this? I see a no questions asked money back guarantee, but not an upgrade policy.

Well we have "Gem Pron" here, and even Espressoporn (my other passion) on other forums, so all forums have their own pron.

 

[kenny]

Can I just ask something... when you return a diamond to Leibish, more than 30 days after the event of purchase - they still let you upgrade to a different stone? How do they manage this? I see a no questions asked money back guarantee, but not an upgrade policy.

Believe it or not I actually have not bothered to read Leibish's policy, or if I did it was years ago, but perhaps they make decisions on a case by case basis.
Also I would't be surprised if their decisions take into account wanting to keep a good repeat customer coming back again and again instead of going to the competition.
Relationships are important.

I notice GOG has a lifetime guarantee only on certain stones, probably only the best, the diamonds they know will be easier to sell in the future, or are proud to carry.
Perhaps all vendors feel this way so don't want to publish a policy that would apply to less-desireable stones.
This is a dilemma for them since it would make some of their inventory seem . . . well . . . less desirable.
In this case NOT publishing an official policy may be a more workable policy.
Ambiguity offers flexibility.

I'm just speculating here, but by all means contact Leibish and ask them.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Grate Photo Kenny!

Man I would have been scared one might have gotten shredded by accident

ETA- amazing photos- and lovely stones Kenny- congratulations on owning them.

 

[TristanC]

Hmm, ok, I was just wondering how you winged it with the number of back and forths that have happened in your collection.

From my perspective is, in 2 weeks I'm putting down the full payment and picking up the stone that looks to be what I'm after (so long as it appeals in person). You know how it is with FCDs, its pink, its round, it is pretty, and it is more than half a carat. When the stars align it is better to get it first if it measures up in person.

After that event, I still have till January to finalise the setting. So I'm just thinking that if something comes up that is nicer or better suited for my needs, I would like to change it up.

Guess I'll speak to Leibish.

 

[kenny]

That's a very good strategy.
This way you have a great stone but may get an even better one by the end of 2011.
Besides keeping the stone safe and undamaged also put away the GIA report, which you must return undamaged too.

I check the new listings every morning, but do tell them what your ideal stone would be.
Maybe they can offer it to you before listing if since they know you are a serious customer.

RD, thanks.
I was VERY careful setting up the shot.
I'm sure stainless steel can't scratch a diamond but my focus was on placing each one slowly and precisely so two diamonds would never rub together.

I'll shoot and post more pics when I can.
It's fun.
The Rainbow Collection is my muse.

 

[ededdeddy]

Kenny I think you got the ROY G. BIV in diamonds! (That's how I learned the colors of the rainbow).

 

[blondie~]

I love your FCD salad Kenny.
I trust you made it far far away from your sink.

 

[Arkteia]

Fantastic colors...