Diamond-buying exp. with Good Old Gold, Morrell

[dmc]

I recently bought a diamond engagement ring from Good Old and jeweler Mark Morrell (see pics). The stories and advice I found on this forum were invaluable, so I though I'd share my own.

My search for a ring began at BlueNile.com, where I got a case of sticker shock. If I was to spend thousands for a stone, I wanted to know the good ones from the bad. So I ordered Fred Cuellar's book "How to Buy a Diamond." While it was a fine primer, I set it aside when I discovered PriceScope. I eventually came to know more about diamonds than the sales staff at Zales, Bailey Banks & Biddle and other Washington D.C. mall stores.

It soon became clear that cut was the most important of the Four C's. It's what gives diamonds their famous sparkle. A flawless, colorless diamond looks frozen spit if it's poorly cut. So I limited myself to vendors that divulged at least the crown and pavilion angles, measured in degrees. This ruled out the (mostly) GIA inventory at Blue Nile; GIA gives stones' angles as percentages, not precise degrees.

A few online jewelers were mentioned repeatedly on PriceScope: Nice Ice, White Flash and Good Old Gold. Of these, GOG's site was the most detailed on cut and had a broad inventory. I learned more about diamonds from this site there than anywhere else.


I selected three stones, including a Solasfera cut, of similar grades and hopped on a train to see Jonathan at GOG. We spent almost two hours looking at three diamonds under different lights. While the Solasfera had beautiful, pinprick points of fire, it wasn't enough to justify the premium in price. It was no more beautiful than a Hearts & Arrow cut, just different.

I narrowed my search to a 1.25 and a 1.26 carat H&A round. The larger stone boasted better slightly better specs on the Gemex meter, but to the naked eye, the 1.25 exhibited more fire. Jonathan peered at it through his FireScope and agreed. Forget the Gemex, he said. "What do you see here?" he asked, pointing to the stones.

Jonathan sent the 1.25 to Boca Raton, Fla., where appraiser Bill Schaumberg, aka Rockdoc, gave it a clean bill of health. Rockdoc then shipped it to my jeweler of choice: Mark Morrell in Concord, Mass. Mark's work is exquisite, and I was fortunate to find him on PriceScope. He helped me pick this setting, which is beautiful and sturdy enough for my active fiancee.

The stats:
Diamond: 1.25 carat Hearts & Arrow round
Grading Lab: AGS
Cut: Triple Ideal (0 symmetry, 0 polish, 0 proportions)
Clarity: VS2
Color: H
Ring: Six-prong platinum setting
Fluorescence: None

 

[dmc]

More pics from DMC.

 

[dmc]

Last one.

 

[Shay37]

Date: 3/10/2006 4:37:18 PM
Author: dmc
Last one.

Good grief, that ring is just scrumptious. I mean, it''s really beautiful enough to eat. Yummylicious!!!! Great story, but even without it, the pics tell it fine enough. Great job. Congrats.

shay

 

[Kaleigh]

DMC.
Wow, what an amazing stone and that MWM setting?? Ok I''m in heaven!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Small]

Wow...stunning

 

[mrssalvo]

A classic beauty. You surely cannot go wrong with a stone from GOG and a setting from MM. congrats..

 

[aaronx88]

Hi DMC,

I should be going down the same route as you with GOG and Mark Morrell. I have a couple of questions that I need to ask you.

1) When you are at GOG looking at diamonds, did you happened to see the Solasfera in person? If you do, how did it compare to the Eighternity? I''m located in Australia and does not have the luxury of viewing the diamond in person

2) You said that Mark Morrell helped you picked this setting. I thought this setting is the only setting that he has? Did he has other settings for you to choose from? Or else have to do a custom work.

Thank you.

Aaron

 

[dmc]

G'day Aaron! Funny you should write -- my fiancee is an Aussie. I proposed last month in Melbourne while we were visiting her family. Where do you live?

i actually viewed the Solasfera at GOG, not the Eighternity. (I've corrected my original post.) Like I said, the Solasfera had pinprick points of fire, compared with the larger flashes of fire from the H&A. I was actually underwhelmed by the Solasfera, given how much GOG's site raved about its light return. While it had a distinctive sparkle pattern, it wasn't noticeably prettier than the H&A's. Which one you prefer is a matter of taste. (I didn't bother with the Eighternity, because it has only a few more facets than an H&A and offers a slight impovement at best in light return. Not worth the extra money, IMO.)

For someone making a purchase from overseas, a diamond's measurements and the Gemex scores are all you have. In my estimation, the difference between High and Very High on the Gemex are insignificant. As long as you're in that territory, you're going to get a BEAUTIFUL stone. (the diff between Medium and Very High are a diff. story, i imagine).

In the past six weeks, my fiancee's married friends have remarked how unusually sparkly and bright her stone is, even by girls with bigger diamonds. I'm glad I went with an H&A with good crown/pavilion angles.
BTW, among her friends in Australia, the 1.25 stone was considered a ROCK, bigger than any diamonds we saw on her married friends or family (and we were there to attend a WEDDING). I felt a little awkward, like I was some showff sugar daddy from the U.S. of A. Different standards in Oz, I guess. Or lower diamond prices in the U.S.

I think the bottom line is, the H&A's that GOG picks out are the cream of the crop, and you won't go wrong. If you want a cut that no one else has and you're willing to sacrifice carat size/color/clarity to get it, then you might want a Solasfera. But I think an H&A is so far above the crap sold in most jewelry stores that it blows away 98 percent of the diamonds you'll see in everyday life.

As for Mark Morrell, he offers at least a dozen designs that are posted on his Web site. My six-pronger is his most popular, but I think most of his stuff is custom-made. He's designed at least one ring for a client overseas, so I think he could do the same for you.

Good luck with it, and feel free to write with other questions.

DMC
demian33-at-hotmail-dot-com

 

[strmrdr]

yummy!
congrates!

 

[Lorelei]

Perfect.

 

[aaronx88]

Hi DMC,

Guess what, I live in Melbourne right across the casino in Southbank. Do you enjoy your trip here and what do you think of Melbourne "One of the world's best city to live in

".

Thanks for your honest opinion on the Solasfera diamond. I'm originaly from Asia and the reason for me buying a Solasfera is because it is going to be a diamond that looks "different" in this region. I actually expected much more of the solasfera with the writeup from GOG website. I guess it is part of the sales pitch. I hope this photo (Browneyes solasfera ring) shows the distinctive sparkle pattern that you talked about.

As for your comments on 1.25ct "ROCK", it is definately way above the standard in Oz. Anything above 0.50ct is considered big here. Diamonds prices are also comparable to the USA depending on where you buy e.g www.diamondexchange.com.au in Melbourne. B & M shop is definately a NO NO.

Now, to the setting. Please elaborate more on the design and workmanship including feedback from your fiance's girlfriends. Are you overwhelmed by quality of the workmanship and the little heart shaped prong?

Mark's prices (US$1600) are high for a setting and I just found out from the forum of PlatinumSmith who is right here in Melbourne which is an advantage since I could be more involved. Take a read on this wonderful and thoughtful design by fellow PS'er Chinchy

http://www.pricescope.com/forum/topic37076.html

Thanks.

Aaron

 

[Tacori E-ring]

It is so elegant and classic. Congrats!

 

[dmc]

Aaron, we walked aound Melbourne's Southbank during my visit... it looks like a fun area to live in! I liked the city, though the weather was a bit cool for mid-summer (in the mid-teens, or mid-60s for us Yanks). We arrived just after record high temps and wildfires, so I guess I can't complain! "Four seasons in one day," as Crowded House says...

As for Morell's craftsmanship, it's excellent. I was drawn to his unique, three-prong design, but my girlfriend favored his "Starburst Solitaire." Mark's customer service was a key reason I settled on him. When I wrote with questions in the early stages of my quest, he wrote me detailed replies that were several pages long, explaining the pros and cons of different styles and metals He's meticulous, and it showed in all stages of the design.

While his six-pronger isn't as exotic as some of his offerings, when it arrived, my financee noticed details I hadn't. For example, the prongs are indeed heart-shaped where they clasp the diamond's crown. A nice touch, and one she constantly points out to her friends. Also, the ring has held its shine nicely. I attribute this partly to Mark's choice of alloy (which he explains at his site). In contrast, a friend here in D.C. who sports a B&M-bought platinum band has seen its sheen quickly dull.

I've also noticed the six-prong design accentuates the shape of a round diamond, as opposed to four prongs. This more common Tiffany-style setting gives round diamonds a squarish look, accenting the corners. Six prongs -- in platinum, not gold -- also exaggerate a diamond's diameter.

That said: I like the hammered men's band that Chinchy linked! I might ask Mark to make one like it. PlatinumSmith's stuff looks beautiful, and he is in your hometown. That's tough to beat. While I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Morrell, you have to consider the distance and time lag in communicating, given the dozen time zones between you. Another thing to consider is maintenance. You'll be able to leave the ring with PlatSmith for cleaning, knowing you can trust him. I have to find my own jeweler in D.C., as Morrell is hundreds of miles away.

In any case, best of luck with your choice. As for the Solasfera, I can't really comment on the picture you included. What I noticed in my visit to GOG was that H&A's threw off large, bright flashes of color while the Sola exhibited smaller but more numerous bright flashes. The overall light return seemed about the same., i.e., you want that pizza cut into 8 slices or 12?

Best,
Demian