Can you help me decide on this OEC/OMC?

[luckygreen317]

That's what the seller said - I *kinda* buy it, but that assurance + INsurance just about does it for me - is that a reasonable way to look at it? It is (believed to be) an original antique and the girdle wear suggests that that's indeed the case.

@elizat and @AL12 -- you're both right, it isn't perfect, but I also wonder if I am letting "good enough" be the enemy of perfect! I tend to do that. Like, a lot. In life. I wouldn't be deeply sad to trade it in/sell it on in a few years, which isn't how I feel about my original e-ring stone (tranny+SBF = perfect and irreplaceable, just wish it could be fed & watered to grow to twice its size!!). In some ways, that feels a little like a good thing -- like, I will have a ring to enjoy and it won't be emotionally difficult to trade up later if I do find something perfect. I am afraid I will wait forever for perfect. (Or that tomorrow the perfect stone comes up. Literally it is impossible to know. Another reason to uninstall Instagram unless I"m actively looking for a new bauble!)

I spend rather a lot of time thinking about how much I wish I had a big diamond I could wear.

Maybe... has anybody had positive or negative experiences going for "good enough" instead of waiting for "perfect"? We are financially comfortable and I still could jump on something perfect if I saw it and figure out a way to sell this one even at a decent loss, so keeping it doesn't firmly close any doors, even though it would be quite financially inefficient to stone-hop.

My friend has a good rule that has served me well; ask yourself if you LOVE it. If I have the think about the answer then the answer probably is no. I have learned the hard way that I never fall in love with anything I purchase that is “good enough”.

With that said, I found the process of searching for “the one” (diamond) an enjoyable experience. However, OMC and OEC diamonds are in such demand right now making it difficult to have many choices. I

 

[elle_71125]

@elle_71125 - I hope you don't mind me tagging you here, but I read that your Clover is an O AVC, and I haven't seen many people bezel warmer-yellow stones in rose gold, although that would be the plan for the massive cushion above. May I ask, how do you find that the O/P color plays with 18k RG? Did your stone have any brown undertones, or just pure yellow?

First, I want to say I’m glad you returned the original diamond. I like to think your joy for a stone should be damn near infectious. And for that first diamond, you didn’t have it. It was more of a “I want to love this one, so this never ending search can be over” vibe. Which I totally get. Searching can be frustrating!

I absolutely adore the one you posted from Whitney. It’s very much my style…and it’s huge! It is warmer than you were hoping for but I think it checks some of the other boxes. I see that you have some diamonds already so you’re likely better with the whole color / undertone thing than I am. I’m a total novice when it comes to diamonds (gemstone girl here). My O colored diamond has more of a yellow undertone and negligible fluorescence. Still, I was surprised by how ”white” my AVC was. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not white by any means but it’s way less warm than I expected it to be. Kind of like the off white of old lace. I think setting it in yellow gold would have been the traditional choice but I adore rose gold and I felt like it made the color come alive. Here it is pre-setting, laying next to an 18k rose gold setting.


Probably the warmest it‘s ever looked (in a completely wood paneled room).
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHlSkByhtrV/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
So basically, I’m saying I don’t regret going with rose gold. It plays perfectly with my diamond.

 

[evergreen]

@elle_71125 that is oh so helpful. I think the faceting is very similar to an AVC, and I've noticed in the (many!) videos from Whitney that it's gently creamy face up but definitely yellow from the side! The setting will block the view of the girdle (bezel) & may put some struts over the pavilion so the faceup view predominates after it's set. I love rose gold, but never wear YG - this lady definitely needs warmth but I think it'll be as you observed, warm white can go with other warm tones in general. Thank you so much!!

 

[evergreen]

Oh oh oh oh she's here she's here she's heeeeeeeeeere!!!

Picked her up from FedEx on my way to work, so just in office lighting AND trying to play it cool staring a massive hunk of diamond in public places... Uh this diamond is immense and yet seems pretty plausibly manageable. may have said something NSFW when I first opened the box.



I chucked a rose gold band in there (14k, would use 18k for setting though). I'm not even sure where those reflected colors are coming from.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Oh oh oh oh she's here she's here she's heeeeeeeeeere!!!

Picked her up from FedEx on my way to work, so just in office lighting AND trying to play it cool staring a massive hunk of diamond in public places... Uh this diamond is immense and yet seems pretty plausibly manageable. may have said something NSFW when I first opened the box.



I chucked a rose gold band in there (14k, would use 18k for setting though). I'm not even sure where those reflected colors are coming from.

Oh good Lord that is an amazing rock!!!!

I think I would have fainted opening the box!!!

 

[oldcutclubmember]

Oh oh oh oh she's here she's here she's heeeeeeeeeere!!!

Picked her up from FedEx on my way to work, so just in office lighting AND trying to play it cool staring a massive hunk of diamond in public places... Uh this diamond is immense and yet seems pretty plausibly manageable. may have said something NSFW when I first opened the box.



I chucked a rose gold band in there (14k, would use 18k for setting though). I'm not even sure where those reflected colors are coming from.

More pics please! How do you feel about it so far???

 

[Christinak]

Oh oh oh oh she's here she's here she's heeeeeeeeeere!!!

Picked her up from FedEx on my way to work, so just in office lighting AND trying to play it cool staring a massive hunk of diamond in public places... Uh this diamond is immense and yet seems pretty plausibly manageable. may have said something NSFW when I first opened the box.



I chucked a rose gold band in there (14k, would use 18k for setting though). I'm not even sure where those reflected colors are coming from.

WOW that is an amazing rock

 

[Mjay]

Oh oh oh oh she's here she's here she's heeeeeeeeeere!!!

Picked her up from FedEx on my way to work, so just in office lighting AND trying to play it cool staring a massive hunk of diamond in public places... Uh this diamond is immense and yet seems pretty plausibly manageable. may have said something NSFW when I first opened the box.



I chucked a rose gold band in there (14k, would use 18k for setting though). I'm not even sure where those reflected colors are coming from.

OH MY GOD!!!!! She is stunning! Congratulations

 

[evergreen]

More pics please! How do you feel about it so far???

I'm pretty psyched. Like... Oh, this 4ct thing looks just about right on my hand.

It performed like I thought it would in the "cafeteria area that brings out brightness/contrast but kills fire" and was a little dinky in the "bathroom lights that my 5-stone OEC band loves" - I think, for that one, it's because there aren't a ton of virtual facets compared to the SIZE. A crushed ice cushion would probably look amazing in my work bathroom. We have had no sun for what feels like MONTHS so I don't know when I'll get to test that! I am happy to see it doesn't have a very prominent Maltese cross, since that particular windmill behavior isn't to my taste (I think it's when they only will take turns being on and off, and not sometimes work together to be mostly on?). Still, the facets under the table aren't uniformly on or off, they do have some scintillation, so that's also good!

I'm reserving firm judgment until I can better evaluate color, but you better believe I'm getting used to the idea of a stone this size & that's going to make it hard to say no!

For scale... Size 6.5 ring finger, 7.0 glove size for other healthcare nerds.

 

[lulu_ma]

Seriously-we need more pics AND vids!

ETA: love the size of the stone on you! Do you like the color?

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I'm pretty psyched. Like... Oh, this 4ct thing looks just about right on my hand.

It performed like I thought it would in the "cafeteria area that brings out brightness/contrast but kills fire" and was a little dinky in the "bathroom lights that my 5-stone OEC band loves" - I think, for that one, it's because there aren't a ton of virtual facets compared to the SIZE. A crushed ice cushion would probably look amazing in my work bathroom. We have had no sun for what feels like MONTHS so I don't know when I'll get to test that! I am happy to see it doesn't have a very prominent Maltese cross, since that particular windmill behavior isn't to my taste (I think it's when they only will take turns being on and off, and not sometimes work together to be mostly on?). Still, the facets under the table aren't uniformly on or off, they do have some scintillation, so that's also good!

I'm reserving firm judgment until I can better evaluate color, but you better believe I'm getting used to the idea of a stone this size & that's going to make it hard to say no!

For scale... Size 6.5 ring finger, 7.0 glove size for other healthcare nerds.

Gorgeous! Looks great with your skin.

 

[junebug17]

Oh wow, I think it's gorgeous!!

 

[evergreen]

Seriously-we need more pics AND vids!

ETA: love the size of the stone on you! Do you like the color?

So far, I think it's quite a fine color - like, would I prefer it was whiter? Sure. If it was peachy brown like that OMC I would've been D-E-D dead. But as it is, it's creamy though not bothersome; definitely whiter face-up than obliquely. It would be bezeled in 18k rose gold, no melee, and I would be unlikely to wear it with a diamond band so the only comparison is to some semi-objective idea of "white" vs "warm". I'll need to keep checking in different lights, though. My office is very deliberately lit with warm, diffuse lighting! Found a white windowsill though. The yellow does have a hint of olive IMO. I made it smudgy with fingerprints and took some very unflattering photos.

 

[Mjay]

So far, I think it's quite a fine color - like, would I prefer it was whiter? Sure. If it was peachy brown like that OMC I would've been D-E-D dead. But as it is, it's creamy though not bothersome; definitely whiter face-up than obliquely. It would be bezeled in 18k rose gold, no melee, and I would be unlikely to wear it with a diamond band so the only comparison is to some semi-objective idea of "white" vs "warm". I'll need to keep checking in different lights, though. My office is very deliberately lit with warm, diffuse lighting! Found a white windowsill though. The yellow does have a hint of olive IMO. I made it smudgy with fingerprints and took some very unflattering photos.

Definitely looks to have olive tones in this pic. I think that is probably preferable since you plan to set it in rose gold. I think she will really sing in that rose gold bezel. How are you feeling about the cut? I think its stunning but its very different than the original stone that you returned.

 

[lulu_ma]

So far, I think it's quite a fine color - like, would I prefer it was whiter? Sure. If it was peachy brown like that OMC I would've been D-E-D dead. But as it is, it's creamy though not bothersome; definitely whiter face-up than obliquely. It would be bezeled in 18k rose gold, no melee, and I would be unlikely to wear it with a diamond band so the only comparison is to some semi-objective idea of "white" vs "warm". I'll need to keep checking in different lights, though. My office is very deliberately lit with warm, diffuse lighting! Found a white windowsill though. The yellow does have a hint of olive IMO. I made it smudgy with fingerprints and took some very unflattering photos.

Do you have one of those gem clips? What is the eval period?

The faceting is pretty<3

 

[evergreen]

Definitely looks to have olive tones in this pic. I think that is probably preferable since you plan to set it in rose gold. I think she will really sing in that rose gold bezel. How are you feeling about the cut? I think its stunning but its very different than the original stone that you returned.

Oh it's super different faceting. I like this one's symmetry much better. Seeing triangles as the primary reflection shape has been interesting; I'm used to blobs (love) or splinters (dislike... The initial OMC was more chaotic like that).

Do you have one of those gem clips? What is the eval period?

The faceting is pretty<3

I have a week to decide. I don't have one of those ring-looking ones, but I have a wire-with-a-plunger-style gem holder (surely there's a name for that sort of thing ) at home. I'm trying to wedge in moments of staring at her while not weirding out my colleagues, bringing more gem evaluation equipment didn't sound like a good idea.

 

[marymm]

That's an awfully pretty OMC, it seems really bright and open, I bet it will sing once set (should you decide to keep it).

I look forward to your further ruminations (and pics nudge nudge)

 

[Eli22]

HOLY MOLY! That is fantabulous, @evergreen !!! It looks perfect on your hand LOL at you trying to keep the bling on the DL at work!

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

Hot damn I almost went blind!!! This is 10000000000000000% better than the first stone you saw and the possibilities to set this baby are endless! I love everything about it, congrats on this beauty of a stone!

 

[evergreen]

Continuing the work lighting environments...


And in comparison to default JA melee color:

I'll try to figure out the video thing tomorrow when I'm back on my computer!

 

[lulu_ma]

Continuing the work lighting environments...


And in comparison to default JA melee color:

I'll try to figure out the video thing tomorrow when I'm back on my computer!

Keep the pics coming! She’s so pretty. I’m curious-what’s her depth %?

 

[evergreen]

Keep the pics coming! She’s so pretty. I’m curious-what’s her depth %?

67% IIRC - mid-upper 60s for sure. I'm usually a SPREAD girl but I hear this helps with fire, and in contrast to my other transitionals which have depths in the upper 50s, there's definitely a lot of accidental fire and dispersion coming through!

Didn't get a chance to figure out video posting, but maybe later this afternoon. We're tootling off to a fabulous long weekend without the kids and I've got the diamond in my bag...!

Faint fluorescence, compared to none for the target ring and strong for the platinum one.

Not super poofy, much of the depth is in the pavilion.

 

[lulu_ma]

Love the fluoro! Depth is very similar to my MM

 

[evergreen]

So, we brought her on vacation to an elegant, but unfortunately very ivory/beige, hotel room. I'm now certain I love the size and the cut. I'm trying to convince myself the color will be ok.

Bezel-set in rose gold, potentially with an unplated 14-18k white gold inner bezel, has always been the plan. I seldom wear white metal any more, and never ever wear yellow gold.

The hint of not-butter-yellow is real, but I can't decide if it's leaning more olive or more brown. Next to 18k rose, she REALLY picks up the color - I can't decide if that's good or going to make her look... Weird?

I didn't bring enough 14k rose along (target ring is 14k rose but it's so delicate there's not enough for visual color comparison). That bezel necklace isn't real RG, or if it is it's 14k plated.

 

[emmy12]

The picture with it on the RG chain is drawing out more green-olive hues to my eye, but not in the ring pictures (is the ring laying flat around the stone YG or RG?

 

[evergreen]

The picture with it on the RG chain is drawing out more green-olive hues to my eye, but not in the ring pictures (is the ring laying flat around the stone YG or RG?

It's 18k rose gold. I think the more pink the "rose" tone, the more green comes out...

 

[evergreen]

Sparkle!!

 

[Cerulean]

It’s a lovely stone. It’s big and gorgeous!

However, I see the conflict at play! The stone appears to have a combination of yellow, green and brown.

If you’re trying to convince yourself you’ll like it, I worry if you’re already playing a game you shouldn’t. It’s a lot of money, and although it’s a fabulous price for a HUGE rock, if you don’t love the tint now, I don’t know that it will grow on you. It doesn’t appear to be an antique, so the only thing that’s really unusual about it is the price.

If you do decide to keep it, I recommend as yellow-leaning of an alloy as possible. Would you consider peach gold? The more coppery the color, the more it’s going play up the green hues. That’s probably your eye can’t quite tell if it likes what it sees. Green and red are complementary colors, meaning they increase their contrast when next to one another.

Given your hesitation about the tint and desire to set in RG, I’d pass on this one. I know you’re eager to finally end the search, but you’re looking for something very specific and I think in your heart of hearts you know want a purely brown tinted stone.

 

[Mjay]

Its a big purchase and you need to love it. Imo, if your having hesitations about the tint; it’s not your stone. I do want to add that I personally do think it looks lovely in the 18k rose gold.

 

[luckygreen317]

Continuing the work lighting environments...


And in comparison to default JA melee color:

I'll try to figure out the video thing tomorrow when I'm back on my computer!

I LOVE the warmth and can’t wait to see the ring when it’s done.