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Any thoughts on this emerald cut?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MillieLou
  • Start date Start date
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MillieLou

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1.71-Carat Emerald Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com www.bluenile.com

I'd be very grateful!

Relevant info - I already have (and love) a K EC, so no issues with the colour. I just want a bigger one (current one is 7.5x5.4 ish). It will be a trade up so has to be BN. That's about my max budget and I want to maximise face up size, in case this is awful and someone would like to point me to a better one.

I simply do not know what I'm looking for. I've read previous threads on ECs, then look at the spinning videos and they all look exactly the same. I think, despite 20/20 vision, I just have defective diamond-eyes.

(If anyone wonders why I've started a new thread, I pulled the old one as it seems I hadn't made it clear enough one of the diamonds was my existing one, and I am a bit sensitive to criticism about it :( )

Thanks in advance.
 
The cutter that cut that one is kinda hit and miss.
ch is on the lower end of ok and it looks flashy so it has potential.
 
Karl_K said:
The cutter that cut that one is kinda hit and miss.
ch is on the lower end of ok and it looks flashy so it has potential.
Click to expand...

Thanks Karl! How do you find out crown height - is it just a visual from the video?

By potential - sorry for the stupid question - but what would I do to find out if this was a good'un? Because I really don't think I can tell the bad and good ones apart. Aside from mine (which to me looks beautiful but I understand the cut might not be great), I have literally never seen another EC diamond at close range in real life before, so I'm trying to train my eyes but not getting very far!
 
visual from the video.
They have to be seen in person to be anything more than having potential.
 
But when I see it in person... what then? I have nothing to compare it to. I think my existing diamond is beautiful but maybe I just haven't seen anything better... do you see what I mean?

I do wonder if I need to just call it quits and be happy with what I have, if I don't even know what I'm looking for! I feel bad bothering you all and being so clueless. I would totally pay for a concierge service if one existed.
 
Have you seen various types of ECs? Some with steps that are skinnier, some fatter? Some chunkier in shape, some skinnier? Do you know the type of look you like?
 
MillieLou said:
But when I see it in person... what then? I have nothing to compare it to. I think my existing diamond is beautiful but maybe I just haven't seen anything better... do you see what I mean?

I do wonder if I need to just call it quits and be happy with what I have, if I don't even know what I'm looking for! I feel bad bothering you all and being so clueless. I would totally pay for a concierge service if one existed.
Click to expand...

I highly recommend Jonathan of Distinctive Gem. He will vet stones for you.

Don't give up. Your perfect diamond is out there.
 
LLJsmom said:
Have you seen various types of ECs? Some with steps that are skinnier, some fatter? Some chunkier in shape, some skinnier? Do you know the type of look you like?
Click to expand...

Good question. I have spent many, many hours over many months online looking at every possible permutation - but in real life, none at all, except mine. I have a couple of casual acquaintances with EC rings so have have sneaky glances in conversation. That's it.

In the UK ECs are unusual, stones larger than half a carat are unusual, well cut stones are unusual. So there's just so little opportunity.

From videos and photos, I think I prefer a slightly more elongated look - my current stone is 1.40 and I really like it. But I would probably like skinnier or chunkier too!

I actually don't think I've seen an EC I don't like except perhaps the most extreme examples. I like them all. That's sort of the problem - they all just look pretty and sparkly in different ways. I see examples that look equally nice to my eye posted here and some will get criticised and others praised, and my face is like this :???:I thought I would be getting my eye in by now, but nope.

Diamond Girl 21 said:
I highly recommend Jonathan of Distinctive Gem. He will vet stones for you.

Don't give up. Your perfect diamond is out there.
Click to expand...

Thank you - I'm tied to BN as it's an upgrade - unless you mean that he offers a concierge service? I have watched a lot of the GoG educational videos on ECs and often prefer the example of a badly cut stone! I am hopeless.
 
So it sounds like you do truly appreciate ECs in general and find beauty in many types. So that's great! Then given that you don't have a list of "must have" requirements, just give the experts a little while to respond. If the experts like it, and they may be pickier than you, then there is a high chance you will like it. Don't give up. :) ECs are beautiful, and I am sure they will find one for you. Or create a thread or ask them to find suggestions for you. Just tell them BN because you are upgrading, and budget, and color, size requirements. I hesitate to suggest any because I don't really trust myself either. Mostly, except for the ones that look dead, I find them very beautiful too.
 
LLJsmom said:
So it sounds like you do truly appreciate ECs in general and find beauty in many types. So that's great! Then given that you don't have a list of "must have" requirements, just give the experts a little while to respond. If the experts like it, and they may be pickier than you, then there is a high chance you will like it. Don't give up. :) ECs are beautiful, and I am sure they will find one for you. Or create a thread or ask them to find suggestions for you. Just tell them BN because you are upgrading, and budget, and color, size requirements. I hesitate to suggest any because I don't really trust myself either. Mostly, except for the ones that look dead, I find them very beautiful too.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I do really love them - more than any other cut. I just wish I'd gone bigger!

Basically my requirements are:

Blue Nile
Budget 8500 USD max
J-K colour
Eye clean VS2 plus
Nice looking cut - perfection not required
Largest size (face up matters more than carat weight) within the above parameters - ideally 1.70ct+

Totally flexible on everything else - ratio, "flavour" of cut, I love them all!
 
good one..
nice steppy patterns face up. some contrast but not to much.
flashes with the slightest tilt side to side an as you move it back and forth no dead zones that dont fire.
walk the light accross the stone is the neatest thing to me. It catches a light source and tilting it slowly you can walk the lifgt back and forth. it will even change from fire to white at times as it moves accross.
that is somthing you can do for hours.
that is a great one.
.
 
Karl_K said:
good one..
nice steppy patterns face up. some contrast but not to much.
flashes with the slightest tilt side to side an as you move it back and forth no dead zones that dont fire.
walk the light accross the stone is the neatest thing to me. It catches a light source and tilting it slowly you can walk the lifgt back and forth. it will even change from fire to white at times as it moves accross.
that is somthing you can do for hours.
that is a great one.
.
Click to expand...

:) Yay!!!
 
Karl_K said:
good one..
nice steppy patterns face up. some contrast but not to much.
flashes with the slightest tilt side to side an as you move it back and forth no dead zones that dont fire.
walk the light accross the stone is the neatest thing to me. It catches a light source and tilting it slowly you can walk the lifgt back and forth. it will even change from fire to white at times as it moves accross.
that is somthing you can do for hours.
that is a great one.
.
Click to expand...

Thank you Karl, that's really helpful.

But... That's exactly what my current one does! I've been doing it for 3 months ;) It's flashy and sparkly and bright, and catches the light stepwise as I turn it. But you said the cut was off? (I don't think you realised it was actually the diamond I own). So am I looking for the wrong thing? I want to get it right before repeating any mistakes I've made. I just don't know whether to trust my eyes when I've nothing to compare it to.

Though if I'm already in possession of a nice EC I'm not sure I want to pay several thousand more for a slightly better one.

Donning my hard hat and putting my current diamond out there:

www.bluenile.com

Classic Four Claw Solitaire Engagement Ring in 14k White Gold | Blue Nile CH

This four-claw 14k white gold setting is designed to complement your choice of centre diamond.
www.bluenile.com www.bluenile.com
 
Ok lets do some testing, in the video the center of the stone looks dark.
Look at it in person from the closest distance you can focus.
Is the center dark to darkish?
If yes move it further away and at what distance does it go bright?
Now if yes with it held close again gently tilt it back and forth looking at the middle and each time increase the tilt does it flash with tilt if so how much tilt does it flash at?
 
Thank you Karl. I've done just as you said. I think it lights up when I turn it from pretty close, but it seems dependent on where the light source is. Here's a video in my work office which has nasty strip lights - what do you think?

 
It is well cut but not perfect and if nothing you saw during the test bugged you the only reason I would say upgrade is to a significantly larger stone.
It did show up in the video but thats high obstruction more so than eye viewing it.
way past my bedtime si im out 4 now.
 
Karl_K said:
It is well cut but not perfect and if nothing you saw during the test bugged you the only reason I would say upgrade is to a significantly larger stone.
It did show up in the video but thats high obstruction more so than eye viewing it.
way past my bedtime si im out 4 now.
Click to expand...
Karl, you're amazing. I really appreciate it so much. I feel so much better knowing it's at least not poorly cut and I haven't made a terrible mistake! I can live with not perfect =)2 Thank you.

PS sorry not to reply sooner - a mad 9 hours on the wards - it's 6pm here and I haven't even had my breakfast yet!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Your welcome.
 
I'm thinking if I am upgrading I may as well go to my dream 2ct size... Well, I do have a big birthday coming up... :???::eek-2:

Any thoughts on this one? The crown height seems better and I think it has stepwise progression of light, but I don't really know...

2.08-Carat Emerald Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com www.bluenile.com
 
As a slightly off-tangent thought, you seem to love your current stone but it’s the size that’s bugging you? How is it currently set? Do you think a setting that adds bulk (elegant bulk of course :)):lol:) would scratch your itch for less investment?

(I’m a step cut loving U.K. PSer so completely understand your frustrations in not being able to physically see many options!)
 
lissyflo said:
As a slightly off-tangent thought, you seem to love your current stone but it’s the size that’s bugging you? How is it currently set? Do you think a setting that adds bulk (elegant bulk of course :)):lol:) would scratch your itch for less investment?

(I’m a step cut loving U.K. PSer so completely understand your frustrations in not being able to physically see many options!)
Click to expand...

Thank you @lissyflo - yes I am actually really happy with how it looks (which may admittedly be as I don't know any better - but my uneducated eye thinks it's beautiful). I love the EC shape and that's definitely what I would always want. But yeah... the size. Which makes no sense as I'm in the UK where there is zero social pressure to have big diamonds, and my finger size is 4. So, I don't know, is it just getting accustomed to the size (DSS)... Or psychologically being at the 2 carat mark, as I would not want to go bigger, so it kind of feels that I could relax and enjoy what I knew to be my forever stone? Does that make sense?

The setting is a basic solitaire which is plain, lightweight and thin, but that's kind of what I wanted. I had in the back of my mind that I might upgrade which is why I didn't go for an expensive setting. I would probably want the same style in platinum as my forever setting. Sorry the video was not working so I've reactivated it so you can see.
 
MillieLou said:
Good question. I have spent many, many hours over many months online looking at every possible permutation - but in real life, none at all, except mine. I have a couple of casual acquaintances with EC rings so have have sneaky glances in conversation. That's it.

In the UK ECs are unusual, stones larger than half a carat are unusual, well cut stones are unusual. So there's just so little opportunity.

From videos and photos, I think I prefer a slightly more elongated look - my current stone is 1.40 and I really like it. But I would probably like skinnier or chunkier too!

I actually don't think I've seen an EC I don't like except perhaps the most extreme examples. I like them all. That's sort of the problem - they all just look pretty and sparkly in different ways. I see examples that look equally nice to my eye posted here and some will get criticised and others praised, and my face is like this :???:I thought I would be getting my eye in by now, but nope.



Thank you - I'm tied to BN as it's an upgrade - unless you mean that he offers a concierge service? I have watched a lot of the GoG educational videos on ECs and often prefer the example of a badly cut stone! I am hopeless.
Click to expand...

He does offer concierge services, but I'm not sure if he works with BN. You could contact him to check.

You're not hopeless. The only thing that really matters is how you feel about the stone. If you love it, then it's perfect.

Good luck!
 
I love your set in the video: classic, elegant, your wedding band suits the engagement ring perfectly, and your stone looks a lovely size.

How does BN upgrading work - would they be able to keep your current stone until you’d had a chance to see a new contender from them in person? That could be a win/win if so. If you weren’t wowed by the larger option, you could return it, take back your original stone and just be out by the shipping costs. I’m not sure that’s something they offer though?
 
lissyflo said:
I love your set in the video: classic, elegant, your wedding band suits the engagement ring perfectly, and your stone looks a lovely size.

How does BN upgrading work - would they be able to keep your current stone until you’d had a chance to see a new contender from them in person? That could be a win/win if so. If you weren’t wowed by the larger option, you could return it, take back your original stone and just be out by the shipping costs. I’m not sure that’s something they offer though?
Click to expand...

Thank you lissyflo - your comments mean a lot to me! It's helpful to have a fellow UK-er view. I wonder if my perspective gets a bit skewed here at times.

BN don't offer that as such, but I can't imagine there would be anything to stop me buying the new stone outright to view it alongside my existing one, and then either returning it or arranging an upgrade.

I'm a bit torn though. A part of me thinks that if I just get the "dream" ring (2 carats nicely cut EC) the itch will be scratched and I will be satisfied. But another part of me wonders if it's the consumer carousel ie there's always just one more thing / something slightly bigger and better and then I think I'll be done... but will I? Will I just move onto settings, bands, other pieces of jewellery (which I don't have any interest in right now, but maybe that will creep in...)
 
IIRC BN requires you to spend 2x each time you upgrade, so I would go as big as you want this time round! If you go <2ct and then you really want a 2ct you’ll have to spend a lot more to make it happen.
 
AllAboardTheBlingTrain said:
IIRC BN requires you to spend 2x each time you upgrade, so I would go as big as you want this time round! If you go <2ct and then you really want a 2ct you’ll have to spend a lot more to make it happen.
Click to expand...

Yes you are completely right about that. I think I will only do it for 2 carats, if I do it at all.
 
@Karl_K

I am so sorry to trouble you again. You have been more than kind and generous with your time on my journey and I don't know how to thank you. I think after your amazing guidance, my eyes are starting to train and I do see the darkness in the centre. After a lot of thought I am leaning towards upgrading to the diamond in my OP. I like the elongated proportion and face up size. You mentioned the cut is kind of hit and miss but looks flashy and has it has potential. Brutal honesty - is it better than the one I have now? Would you go for it? I don't want to make another mistake...
 
@MillieLou can you repost the link and say this one so we are one the same page. thanks!
 
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