CharmyPoo
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2004
- Messages
- 7,007
I usually don't post about my purchases until the final piece is done but I am so excited that I have to share this one. Plus, it would be mean to withhold much longer given all the spoilers. Some of you have been following my search for the perfect OEC over the past year and not being able to find the right one. Well, the right one is finally here and it was worth the pain, risk and hours of searching - the satisfaction and love for a diamond ... I didn't think it was possible but now I understand.
I was bitten by the OEC bug and snagged my first 1.7ct back in 2011 which I adored and still adore (see here) followed by a 1.65ct transitional cut and a few other 1ct OECs for a special project. It wasn’t long before I had the urge for an uber OEC to ultimately use as an e-ring upgrade. I had a long list of requirements that was hard to meet and sometimes I thought it was impossible.
My Hit List
Cut: Well cut OEC with a small flower center and minimal obstruction
Carat: > 2.5ct
Color: As white as possible (no lower than GIA J)
Clarity: Eye and Mind Clean (VS + for me)
Table: Tiny table under 50%
Price: Dirt Cheap … as little as possible
I searched all over the internet, on eBay, in Chicago and in NYC, had vendors looked … but no one had what I wanted in terms of specs (and that was not even considering price). Fast forward to November 2012, I came close and picked up another old cut from eBay which was a 2.1 ct EGL I transitional cut (I know many PSers have seen this auction). It was a good price and beautiful stone but not for me – too much obstruction for my liking and there was a teensy bit too much color as an e-ring replacement. After much debate, I ended up returning the ring to the seller and it is now in another happy home.
Dreamer_D and ForteKitty put up with all my whining for a long time trying to find the diamond and debating a number of purchases. Around the holidays, Dreamer found a potential stone off eBay that had bad photos but we saw potential and all the specs sounded about right. The seller was incredibly difficult to deal with – no proper pictures, didn’t answer questions, had to talk on the phone, only available in the middle of the night, will only accept cash, had to deal in person at his local bank, will not send to my appraiser on my dime, needed a notary to sign estate papers … the list continued onto outright strange things like calling me at strange hours and refusing to hang up, telling me odd private stories. I think most people would have given up after week one but I somehow put up with it for two months because I just couldn’t get my mind off that diamond and setting.
Anyways, long story short – I almost walked away from the deal on multiple occasions (including on the day of the transaction after I flew to meet him) … but I didn’t give up and made it through scoring this amazing diamond (and ring) which is everything I wanted. I am so glad I didn’t give up!
The Specs According to Me
Cut: Amazingly well cut for an old stone with next to no obstruction <- CHECK
Size: 9 mm – guessing around 2.6 to 2.7 ct <- CHECK
Color: Thinking it is a GIA H/I based on comparison to my other stones <- CHECK
Clarity: Unable to find inclusions with a 60x microscope (I know there must be some) <- CHECK
Table: Probably low to mid 40s <- CHECK
Price: Very happy with price and was already offered more than double by a pawn shop <- CHECK
The diamond is everything I wanted and I am even more appreciative of it because of how rare such a diamond is. The bonus is that the platinum setting is gorgeous and in perfect condition … a style that is pretty timeless. The downside is that it is a size 8 which is way too big for me.
I was bitten by the OEC bug and snagged my first 1.7ct back in 2011 which I adored and still adore (see here) followed by a 1.65ct transitional cut and a few other 1ct OECs for a special project. It wasn’t long before I had the urge for an uber OEC to ultimately use as an e-ring upgrade. I had a long list of requirements that was hard to meet and sometimes I thought it was impossible.
My Hit List
Cut: Well cut OEC with a small flower center and minimal obstruction
Carat: > 2.5ct
Color: As white as possible (no lower than GIA J)
Clarity: Eye and Mind Clean (VS + for me)
Table: Tiny table under 50%
Price: Dirt Cheap … as little as possible
I searched all over the internet, on eBay, in Chicago and in NYC, had vendors looked … but no one had what I wanted in terms of specs (and that was not even considering price). Fast forward to November 2012, I came close and picked up another old cut from eBay which was a 2.1 ct EGL I transitional cut (I know many PSers have seen this auction). It was a good price and beautiful stone but not for me – too much obstruction for my liking and there was a teensy bit too much color as an e-ring replacement. After much debate, I ended up returning the ring to the seller and it is now in another happy home.
Dreamer_D and ForteKitty put up with all my whining for a long time trying to find the diamond and debating a number of purchases. Around the holidays, Dreamer found a potential stone off eBay that had bad photos but we saw potential and all the specs sounded about right. The seller was incredibly difficult to deal with – no proper pictures, didn’t answer questions, had to talk on the phone, only available in the middle of the night, will only accept cash, had to deal in person at his local bank, will not send to my appraiser on my dime, needed a notary to sign estate papers … the list continued onto outright strange things like calling me at strange hours and refusing to hang up, telling me odd private stories. I think most people would have given up after week one but I somehow put up with it for two months because I just couldn’t get my mind off that diamond and setting.
Anyways, long story short – I almost walked away from the deal on multiple occasions (including on the day of the transaction after I flew to meet him) … but I didn’t give up and made it through scoring this amazing diamond (and ring) which is everything I wanted. I am so glad I didn’t give up!
The Specs According to Me
Cut: Amazingly well cut for an old stone with next to no obstruction <- CHECK
Size: 9 mm – guessing around 2.6 to 2.7 ct <- CHECK
Color: Thinking it is a GIA H/I based on comparison to my other stones <- CHECK
Clarity: Unable to find inclusions with a 60x microscope (I know there must be some) <- CHECK
Table: Probably low to mid 40s <- CHECK
Price: Very happy with price and was already offered more than double by a pawn shop <- CHECK
The diamond is everything I wanted and I am even more appreciative of it because of how rare such a diamond is. The bonus is that the platinum setting is gorgeous and in perfect condition … a style that is pretty timeless. The downside is that it is a size 8 which is way too big for me.
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