Can you all help me plan a long term project?

[Polyhex]

Oh this way, way cheaper than I was expecting it to be. Did you reach out to Alex or was it a stone he listed?

I asked him and a number of other dealers to find a 5+ ct beautifully cut OEC, white-facing OEC down to OP color within my budget. If I am remembering correctly, it took 3 months for him to find the stone. I had to bug him a few times for him to know I was serious. Other dealers showed me a number of candidates, but Alex had simultaneously the best stone AND the lowest price by $5k!!! I actually got the stone + ring (including custom calibre cut emeralds and rose cut diamonds) for UNDER my original budget.

I’m sorry to threadjack @winnietucker

But @Polyhex
Have you posted somewhere pics of your gorgeous diamond before the recut tweak that was done?

I really need to do a thread but I have not, probably because it means so much to me and I'm shy. It was a wonderful candidate for a recut because it was already well proportioned but it had a huge girdle and a lot of depth, I think 67%+. It likely had been a 6+ ct stone which chipped and was fixed many years ago just by rounding the girdle in. A lot of people would not have recut it, but I wanted perfect symmetry and it was so so close. No loss of face up size in the recut, 10.7mm before and after.

Face up, pre recut:



Massive girdle, pre recut:



In a silver casting model of my ring, last photo before recut! You can see how a white metal bezel can lighten a lower-color OEC even more:

 

[winnietucker]

I asked him and a number of other dealers to find a 5+ ct beautifully cut OEC, white-facing OEC down to OP color within my budget. If I am remembering correctly, it took 3 months for him to find the stone. I had to bug him a few times for him to know I was serious. Other dealers showed me a number of candidates, but Alex had simultaneously the best stone AND the lowest price by $5k!!! I actually got the stone + ring (including custom calibre cut emeralds and rose cut diamonds) for UNDER my original budget.



I really need to do a thread but I have not, probably because it means so much to me and I'm shy. It was a wonderful candidate for a recut because it was already well proportioned but it had a huge girdle and a lot of depth, I think 67%+. It likely had been a 6+ ct stone which chipped and was fixed many years ago just by rounding the girdle in. A lot of people would not have recut it, but I wanted perfect symmetry and it was so so close. No loss of face up size in the recut, 10.7mm before and after.

Face up, pre recut:



Massive girdle, pre recut:



In a silver casting model of my ring, last photo before recut! You can see how a white metal bezel can lighten a lower-color OEC even more:

Good to know! I was under the impression he wouldn’t source stones and you had to be able to somehow snag them when he posts them on his IG. This may be a game changer. I’ll save up some cash and contact him. I know he mentioned on IG that he allows for upgrades so it’d work out well.

 

[caf]

I asked him and a number of other dealers to find a 5+ ct beautifully cut OEC, white-facing OEC down to OP color within my budget. If I am remembering correctly, it took 3 months for him to find the stone. I had to bug him a few times for him to know I was serious. Other dealers showed me a number of candidates, but Alex had simultaneously the best stone AND the lowest price by $5k!!! I actually got the stone + ring (including custom calibre cut emeralds and rose cut diamonds) for UNDER my original budget.



I really need to do a thread but I have not, probably because it means so much to me and I'm shy. It was a wonderful candidate for a recut because it was already well proportioned but it had a huge girdle and a lot of depth, I think 67%+. It likely had been a 6+ ct stone which chipped and was fixed many years ago just by rounding the girdle in. A lot of people would not have recut it, but I wanted perfect symmetry and it was so so close. No loss of face up size in the recut, 10.7mm before and after.

Face up, pre recut:



Massive girdle, pre recut:



In a silver casting model of my ring, last photo before recut! You can see how a white metal bezel can lighten a lower-color OEC even more:

@Polyhex That is one gorgeous stone! Love it after the recut! Enjoy it!

 

[Kim N]

@Polyhex this is such helpful info and your diamond is amazing! What are the color and clarity?

 

[Mreader]

I asked him and a number of other dealers to find a 5+ ct beautifully cut OEC, white-facing OEC down to OP color within my budget. If I am remembering correctly, it took 3 months for him to find the stone. I had to bug him a few times for him to know I was serious. Other dealers showed me a number of candidates, but Alex had simultaneously the best stone AND the lowest price by $5k!!! I actually got the stone + ring (including custom calibre cut emeralds and rose cut diamonds) for UNDER my original budget.



I really need to do a thread but I have not, probably because it means so much to me and I'm shy. It was a wonderful candidate for a recut because it was already well proportioned but it had a huge girdle and a lot of depth, I think 67%+. It likely had been a 6+ ct stone which chipped and was fixed many years ago just by rounding the girdle in. A lot of people would not have recut it, but I wanted perfect symmetry and it was so so close. No loss of face up size in the recut, 10.7mm before and after.

Face up, pre recut:



Massive girdle, pre recut:



In a silver casting model of my ring, last photo before recut! You can see how a white metal bezel can lighten a lower-color OEC even more:

That is just STUNNING. Wow wow wow.

 

[Mreader]

I have no issue with waiting a bit. I plan to really step way from PS come spring so I can put this same focus/ energy on my yard and garden. That’ll help to kill any jewelry temptations. I expect 2021 to be 2020 pt 2 so I’m going to take this time to get my landscaping in order.

Good plan @winnietucker . Only in the last month have I started to be really active on PS again and it has been great seeing everyone's bling and bouncing ideas off each other but it has also led me to make a few unforeseen purchases....

 

[Polyhex]

@Polyhex this is such helpful info and your diamond is amazing! What are the color and clarity?

For a complicated reason related to insurance that turned out to be moot when I decided to self-insure, I didn't cert it. It has appraised with three different gemologists as M VS2, N VS2, and low N / high OP VS2. It was appraised as OP before the recut, so I believe the last one is most accurate.

 

[CoffeeAndDiamonds]

He hasn’t yet. We’ll see how it goes. He’s tried off and on for the past 4.5ish years. He got pretty close once but they went with someone who was closer to becoming a licensed engineer... because apparently the degree and the job title don’t make you an engineer (at least per that one company) and you have to also get a license through the state. I keep telling him to try for Boeing but he has no interest in them.

But I’m totally fine with waiting. If the ACA I’m watching gets snapped up, there are others I could go with.

I have a couple friends who worked at Boeing as engineers a while back and they speak very highly of their time there.

 

[winnietucker]

I have a couple friends who worked at Boeing as engineers a while back and they speak very highly of their time there.

Oh yeah, I have quite a few coworkers whose husbands work at Boeing and it’s only praise. Plus from what I can tell the money is really good. I heard the bonuses haven’t been great recently but TBF my husband’s bonuses suck too so it’s a wash.

 

[yssie]

I asked him and a number of other dealers to find a 5+ ct beautifully cut OEC, white-facing OEC down to OP color within my budget. If I am remembering correctly, it took 3 months for him to find the stone. I had to bug him a few times for him to know I was serious. Other dealers showed me a number of candidates, but Alex had simultaneously the best stone AND the lowest price by $5k!!! I actually got the stone + ring (including custom calibre cut emeralds and rose cut diamonds) for UNDER my original budget.



I really need to do a thread but I have not, probably because it means so much to me and I'm shy. It was a wonderful candidate for a recut because it was already well proportioned but it had a huge girdle and a lot of depth, I think 67%+. It likely had been a 6+ ct stone which chipped and was fixed many years ago just by rounding the girdle in. A lot of people would not have recut it, but I wanted perfect symmetry and it was so so close. No loss of face up size in the recut, 10.7mm before and after.

Face up, pre recut:



Massive girdle, pre recut:



In a silver casting model of my ring, last photo before recut! You can see how a white metal bezel can lighten a lower-color OEC even more:

WOW. What a success story. And good GOD your stone is perfection.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!

 

[xxxxxx]

@winnietucker I wouldn’t count on any upgrade policy besides WF, BG and HP. There have been several dealers who had a “upgrade” policy but then when people wanted to use it didn’t have it. I love Alex Park and his prices are so competitive (he also has offered me only great prices). But don’t count on a upgrade policy you read on Instagram. With an OEC you really should get it right the first time.

 

[Austina]

@winnietucker this is my L OEC in platinum. I’m not colour sensitive at all, and i think she looks pretty white both face on and side view.

 

[missy]

My goal is to upgrade these all over time. I would really prefer a set of OECs

This says it all IMO.


So not reading any of the other replies yet as I want to give you my honest thoughts as they pop into my head.

Do not settle.
Get exactly what you want.
A deal is only a deal if you are getting exactly what you want.
Do not settle.


If I asked you to answer from the heart/gut (without thinking) what is it that would make your heart sing? What do you really want?
What would that answer be?


If it is a set of OECs wait for that perfect for you set.
Anything less will fall short and not satisfy your proverbial itch or satiate your desire.

I am speaking from experience.
Be patient til you see what you really want.

 

[winnietucker]

@winnietucker this is my L OEC in platinum. I’m not colour sensitive at all, and i think she looks pretty white both face on and side view.

It’s gorgeous!

This says it all IMO.


So not reading any of the other replies yet as I want to give you my honest thoughts as they pop into my head.

Do not settle.
Get exactly what you want.
A deal is only a deal if you are getting exactly what you want.
Do not settle.


If I asked you to answer from the heart/gut (without thinking) what is it that would make your heart sing? What do you really want?
What would that answer be?


If it is a set of OECs wait for that perfect for you set.
Anything less will fall short and not satisfy your proverbial itch or satiate your desire.

I am speaking from experience.
Be patient til you see what you really want.

If money was no object a 2.5 - 3 ct K-M OEC with a marching band would be my ideal but in this daydream I could get a super ideal if I wanted to later as well. I like flexibility and change too.

Possibly a lot of this is the fact that I went from always being really busy in college to still very busy after college when we bought and decided to mostly DIY reno our first house. This is the first time in a really long time that I don’t have much to do outside of work. I also work less hours than I had to when I was in college and when I first graduated, so I currently have more free time than I’m used to. Maybe once I have kids to fill my free time I’ll be more content with what I have. I have no doubt that a lot of this is boredom.

Just sharing my thoughts on why I considered an ACA when my heart wants an OEC. The no upgrade policy makes me hesitant. What if I want (and get more comfortable with) a larger stone when I’m older? I’m not even 30 yet - I have decades of being blingy left. In my current area big stones kind of stick out (it’s not that nice an area, our Trader Joe’s sometimes has a security guard at night) but I want to move to a nicer area with good school district (if we have kids) and in the area I want to be in, 3+ cts probably wouldn’t stick out.

 

[missy]

Just sharing my thoughts on why I considered an ACA when my heart wants an OEC.

I understand. Just be cautious. An upgrade policy has rules and regulations and sometimes it isn’t as straightforward as one might wish. And it also depends (of course) on the inventory the vendor has at that time. I wish you the best and enjoy the deliberating and the search.

 

[Mreader]

This says it all IMO.


So not reading any of the other replies yet as I want to give you my honest thoughts as they pop into my head.

Do not settle.
Get exactly what you want.
A deal is only a deal if you are getting exactly what you want.
Do not settle.


If I asked you to answer from the heart/gut (without thinking) what is it that would make your heart sing? What do you really want?
What would that answer be?


If it is a set of OECs wait for that perfect for you set.
Anything less will fall short and not satisfy your proverbial itch or satiate your desire.

I am speaking from experience.
Be patient til you see what you really want.

@missy do you have a thread about having your stone then getting it back 2 years later? I want so hear that story! And Winnie as I said before I get where you are coming from (bc for me I like everything). I will say when I had first had my kid, my cc balance was the lowest it at ever been . I was too tired to shop.

 

[missy]

@missy do you have a thread about having your stone then getting it back 2 years later? I want so hear that story! And Winnie as I said before I get where you are coming from (bc for me I like everything). I will say when I had first had my kid, my cc balance was the lowest it at ever been . I was too tired to shop.

Here you go. I think I wrote about it in my SMTB thread. And good luck finding your dream stone. It’ll happen.

J is for Jumping with joy and over the moon in love with

My Bubbalahs. My dh who always shows how much he loves me and my heart swells with how much I love him and my dear grandma long gone but forever close in my heart and memories. If I may digress for just a moment. I cannot say enough about my darling husband. He always goes above and beyond and...

www.pricescope.com

 

[Cerulean]

It’s gorgeous!



If money was no object a 2.5 - 3 ct K-M OEC with a marching band would be my ideal but in this daydream I could get a super ideal if I wanted to later as well. I like flexibility and change too.

Possibly a lot of this is the fact that I went from always being really busy in college to still very busy after college when we bought and decided to mostly DIY reno our first house. This is the first time in a really long time that I don’t have much to do outside of work. I also work less hours than I had to when I was in college and when I first graduated, so I currently have more free time than I’m used to. Maybe once I have kids to fill my free time I’ll be more content with what I have. I have no doubt that a lot of this is boredom.

Just sharing my thoughts on why I considered an ACA when my heart wants an OEC. The no upgrade policy makes me hesitant. What if I want (and get more comfortable with) a larger stone when I’m older? I’m not even 30 yet - I have decades of being blingy left. In my current area big stones kind of stick out (it’s not that nice an area, our Trader Joe’s sometimes has a security guard at night) but I want to move to a nicer area with good school district (if we have kids) and in the area I want to be in, 3+ cts probably wouldn’t stick out.

I totally totally get where you are coming from in this whole thread. This year has blown and being stuck inside with a series of disappointments and lack of stimulation SUCKS and this forum has been a godsend in terms of having fun.

Honestly, if you are cool losing a bit of cash by changing things around - I don't see the harm in living with an ACA for a while, even knowing your goal is OECs. I too love OECs but keep getting tempted by the upgrade policies of WF. It is honestly brilliant and wish more vendors did it. It is also fun to have something to analyze, research, covet, etc. and I think part of the impulsiveness is coming from just desire to have something to look forward to. I wouldn't feel guilty about it, just know that it is an expensive thing to flip flop on and realize the drawbacks before you dive in. Expect $ losses.

Another thing that popped into my mind was I swear someone on this forum recut a super ideal into an OEC and lost very little weight - you could gradually upgrade size, enjoy the ride, and recut in the end. Risky? Probably. Bad fit for most people and maybe even downright stupid? Possibly.

Also just an FYI w/ Alex Parks, my sense is that he doesn't love wishy washy and tends to like clients know directly what they are after. I've interacted with him a few times, he was very nice but seemed to respond to directness.

 

[m1918]

It seems like your heart is really with an OEC! What about Victor Canera? I’m pretty sure he has a similar upgrade policy to Whiteflash.