Do OECs need vintage/period appropriate settings or will they look good in modern settings?

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I commented recently on my jeweler having these 4ctw OP VS OEC (maybe early transitional, I am not super well versed in telling them apart) stud earrings in his shop that make my heart pound!

I’ve been strongly considering buying them. They are currently in their original settings, but I don’t like the settings - they’re very closed up and I just don’t think they do the stones any favours - drawing out a lot of the yellow for example. If I did get them, I would want to set them in simple (modern) solitaire earring basket settings (6 or 8 prongs, haven’t decided).

What I can’t work out is whether that would look strange. I usually see people get OECs and put them in vintagey settings, to play up their old-world charm, but I gravitate towards no-muss, no-fuss for my daily earrings. I would also like to eventually do interesting jackets for the studs, which imo don’t look good with very complex basket/stud designs.

Any thoughts? Pictures of OECs in simple settings? Do you think it’s sacrilege to buy and scrap the vintage settings? (He won’t sell me just the stones, and I have no use for the settings, so I’d probably scrap them and put the gold towards the new setting).

Should I not take the risk? There’s no option to unmount and see the stone without the setting. Got to buy them the way they are.

All comments and thoughts are appreciated!

 

[Rfisher]

I don’t think old cut stones in simple basket earrings setting would look strange at all.

Sounds beautiful!

Edited to add
I’ve seen old cuts in plain basket earring settings from both peace&carat and Jbg.
I think the opposite - h&a in a collet setting would not be a personal choice even though I’m sure there’s some beautiful examples out there.

 

[MamaBee]

I would have them removed from the settings so you can make sure the girdles and anything covered by the vintage settings are undamaged. He can still sell you the settings with the diamonds. It’s just for your protection so you know what you’re buying. Then I would sell the vintage settings rather than scrap for the gold. Many people would be interested in those settings. I would get a setting that you love even though it may be modern.

 

[Wink]

I would have them removed from the settings so you can make sure the girdles and anything covered by the vintage settings are undamaged. He can still sell you the settings with the diamonds. It’s just for your protection so you know what you’re buying. Then I would sell the vintage settings rather than scrap for the gold. Many people would be interested in those settings. I would get a setting that you love even though it may be modern.

I don’t think old cut stones in simple basket earrings setting would look strange at all.

Sounds beautiful!

I agree with both previous posters. The diamond will look great in both modern or vintage settings. You will get much more selling the settings than as scrap.

Even if you sold them for less than the current cost to make them, it will be more than scrap.

Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I don’t think old cut stones in simple basket earrings setting would look strange at all.

Sounds beautiful!

Edited to add
I’ve seen old cuts in plain basket earring settings from both peace&carat and Jbg.
I think the opposite - h&a in a collet setting would not be a personal choice even though I’m sure there’s some beautiful examples out there.

Thank you so much for the advice! I definitely feel more inclined towards purchase if I do a simple basket setting.

I would have them removed from the settings so you can make sure the girdles and anything covered by the vintage settings are undamaged. He can still sell you the settings with the diamonds. It’s just for your protection so you know what you’re buying. Then I would sell the vintage settings rather than scrap for the gold. Many people would be interested in those settings. I would get a setting that you love even though it may be modern.

That’s a really good point, and one I hadn’t considered (damage). I will speak to him and see if that’s something he would be willing to do.

I agree with both previous posters. The diamond will look great in both modern or vintage settings. You will get much more selling the settings than as scrap.

Even if you sold them for less than the current cost to make them, it will be more than scrap.

Good luck, and enjoy!

So unfortunately my jeweler is located in india, and there is little value accorded here to settings in general. To put in perspective, a handforged solitaire ring setting by a competent jeweler in 18kt gold (let’s say a ring setting that weighs around 2 grams) will probably run you something like $175 today. Since the labour is only a small fraction, vintage settings are often worth only scrap value. That’s also why I think he wants to sell them in the settings only.

 

[Wink]

Thank you so much for the advice! I definitely feel more inclined towards purchase if I do a simple basket setting.



That’s a really good point, and one I hadn’t considered (damage). I will speak to him and see if that’s something he would be willing to do.



So unfortunately my jeweler is located in india, and there is little value accorded here to settings in general. To put in perspective, a handforged solitaire ring setting by a competent jeweler in 18kt gold (let’s say a ring setting that weighs around 2 grams) will probably run you something like $175 today. Since the labour is only a small fraction, vintage settings are often worth only scrap value. That’s also why I think he wants to sell them in the settings only.

This is very good to know. In the U. S., the labor is the major component of a new piece.

Good luck, enjoy your new beauties.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

This is very good to know. In the U. S., the labor is the major component of a new piece.

Good luck, enjoy your new beauties.

Thank you so much! I guess the flip side to getting your stuff set for cheap is of course that those settings themselves aren’t worth much. For something like a plain ring setting, labour would be a third or half of the total cost (the rest being metal and taxes). Even if you scale up to something vastly complex, for example those large necklaces that Indians are sort of famous for, labour would be maybe a quarter or fifth of the total price, if that. But that is also why if you then go to sell your jewelry you don’t get more than material cost and maybe a fraction of labour for it.

Haven’t fully decided to pull the trigger yet, but leaning heavily towards them!

 

[RosieR]

In my opinion vintage stones don’t need to be in vintage settings. I have a OEC solitaire ring which sits in a modern setting. It’s looks ok. The supporting diamonds are also old cuts (single cut) so it at least keeps in theme.
I have to say though that no one is really going to see the setting if you intend to wear them as studs.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

Do you love them? Are they a good deal?

I needed a pair of OECs for a 3 stone ring I am putting together from a solitaire I already had. I bought a pair off of eBay that were in the setting. I, too, had to buy them as is. They had some chips from age and wear. They just came back from the lapidary, and they now look beautiful and I only lost .01 ct. Originally they were 1.15 and 1.14. Off to GIA now!

And they were in modern baskets, too.

Just my experience.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

In my opinion vintage stones don’t need to be in vintage settings. I have a OEC solitaire ring which sits in a modern setting. It’s looks ok. The supporting diamonds are also old cuts (single cut) so it at least keeps in theme.
I have to say though that no one is really going to see the setting if you intend to wear them as studs.

I understand what you mean, but I just don’t like the settings and I feel like I’ll be able to see them, even if others won’t! But I’m glad you think a modern setting wouldn’t be out of place.

Do you love them? Are they a good deal?

I needed a pair of OECs for a 3 stone ring I am putting together from a solitaire I already had. I bought a pair off of eBay that were in the setting. I, too, had to buy them as is. They had some chips from age and wear. They just came back from the lapidary, and they now look beautiful and I only lost .01 ct. Originally they were 1.15 and 1.14. Off to GIA now!

And they were in modern baskets, too.

Just my experience.

The stones are lovely, and the price is good too! I love the faceting. I’m not so in love that I’m going to jump right this second, but I definitely am strongly leaning in that direction! Especially since others think my modern baskets plan isn’t bad

 

[lulu_ma]

Any updates? I hope we get to the see the finished product!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Any updates? I hope we get to the see the finished product!

I’m still thinking! It is a rather significant outlay of money even though it would be a good/decent “deal” (especially since my settings will come out to nearly free, since the gold will recycle and I only need to pay labour). I like to make sure I think things through. The thing that’s holding me back from just going “yep, pack it up” is that I do already have 3ctw MRB studs, so do I really need the 4ctw OECs? But then I think to myself that I could probably keep the OECs as my daily studs and turn the MRBs into longer statement earrings.

They’re earrings my jeweler has accepted to sell on behalf of a client, so they are “true old cuts”, which is of course a huge plus imo. Where I live, old cuts aren’t all that popular so I’m not afraid of this deal disappearing (plus I have an agreement with my jeweler, since my family has bought so much stuff from him over the years, they’re ‘tentatively’ on hold for me). If someone does come in wanting to buy with cash/card in hand, he will reach out to me at that point to ask me to confirm purchase and make payment, or release to the new buyer. The only risk I run is that if in that situation he can’t get through to me, I lose out on that deal. So far, when I asked, no one has enquired seriously about them.

I plan to visit them again in a week or so when I have some breathing room, and then take a final decision!

 

[LilAlex]

What I can’t work out is whether that would look strange.

Not the OP but this -- and the thread title -- is a great question. I have wondered this, too. Looking forward to additional expert opinions here!

 

[lulu_ma]

Umm if you already have 3 ctw mrb studs, then I wonder if you would consider buying an old cut bracelet or a rhr instead with those funds.

Then, you can actually see and enjoy the old cuts often…

I also have 3.2 ctw mrb studs (not PS quality) but I don’t think I will ever get old cut studs. I change my earrings frequently so that doesn’t seem like the best use of bling funds.

 

[Tonks]

I commented recently on my jeweler having these 4ctw OP VS OEC (maybe early transitional, I am not super well versed in telling them apart) stud earrings in his shop that make my heart pound!

I’ve been strongly considering buying them. They are currently in their original settings, but I don’t like the settings - they’re very closed up and I just don’t think they do the stones any favours - drawing out a lot of the yellow for example. If I did get them, I would want to set them in simple (modern) solitaire earring basket settings (6 or 8 prongs, haven’t decided).

What I can’t work out is whether that would look strange. I usually see people get OECs and put them in vintagey settings, to play up their old-world charm, but I gravitate towards no-muss, no-fuss for my daily earrings. I would also like to eventually do interesting jackets for the studs, which imo don’t look good with very complex basket/stud designs.

Any thoughts? Pictures of OECs in simple settings? Do you think it’s sacrilege to buy and scrap the vintage settings? (He won’t sell me just the stones, and I have no use for the settings, so I’d probably scrap them and put the gold towards the new setting).

Should I not take the risk? There’s no option to unmount and see the stone without the setting. Got to buy them the way they are.

All comments and thoughts are appreciated!

Well, I am happy to enable you on this front!

I have two pairs of studs, one modern (2.22 ctw HPD studs made by the amazing @Wink in a platinum eight prong setting), and one old cut but kind of modern in that they are new old cuts (2.14 ctw Canera European Rounds in a bezel setting). I adore them both and they have completely different personalities. It may seem crazy or wasteful to some to have two pairs of studs, but I realized that studs are literally all I wear anymore in terms of earrings, so some variation was nice, even if I was the only one to appreciate the variation.

Photos of my incredible @Victor Canera studs (and yes, I am WAY overdue to post a SMTB about these). While I’m guessing Victor might say that a bezel setting is a traditional setting, I do in fact find it to be quite modern and love the juxtaposition with the old cut of the stones (though these are newer OECs).

Hope that helps!





CERs in bezel on left, HPDs in 8 prong on the right. Both are G color.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Umm if you already have 3 ctw mrb studs, then I wonder if you would consider buying an old cut bracelet or a rhr instead with those funds.

Then, you can actually see and enjoy the old cuts often…

I also have 3.2 ctw mrb studs (not PS quality) but I don’t think I will ever get old cut studs. I change my earrings frequently so that doesn’t seem like the best use of bling funds.

I don’t like the whole solitaire bracelet look, which is why the bracelet is out; and I don’t think I could do an OEC RHR emotionally lol it would mess with me (my ex ER-to-be was an old cut transitional-ish diamond that actually got me obsessed with old cuts in the first place). I thought of doing a pendant, but I already have a MRB pendant and I am not much of a pendant/necklace girl anyway.

Another thing I could do would be sell the MRBs. I actually bought them from the same jeweler… hmm. Maybe I could ask him what it would cost me to sell these and buy those. I always thought I would NEVER upgrade my studs but you know, here we are

Good things to ponder! Thank you!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Well, I am happy to enable you on this front!

I have two pairs of studs, one modern (2.22 ctw HPD studs made by the amazing @Wink in a platinum eight prong setting), and one old cut but kind of modern in that they are new old cuts (2.14 ctw Canera European Rounds in a bezel setting). I adore them both and they have completely different personalities. It may seem crazy or wasteful to some to have two pairs of studs, but I realized that studs are literally all I wear anymore in terms of earrings, so some variation was nice, even if I was the only one to appreciate the variation.

Photos of my incredible @Victor Canera studs (and yes, I am WAY overdue to post a SMTB about these). While I’m guessing Victor might say that a bezel setting is a traditional setting, I do in fact find it to be quite modern and love the juxtaposition with the old cut of the stones (though these are newer OECs).

Hope that helps!





CERs in bezel on left, HPDs in 8 prong on the right. Both are G color.

Oh Lordy, those are STUUUUNNING! I just love them both. You’re definitely giving me ideas

 

[Tonks]

Oh Lordy, those are STUUUUNNING! I just love them both. You’re definitely giving me ideas

Happy to enable….I may or may not have photos somewhere of bracelets that are non-solitaire old cut ones. Hang on and I will look.

And also, if you decide against earrings later you could always repurpose them as side stones in a ring….

 

[lulu_ma]

I don’t like the whole solitaire bracelet look, which is why the bracelet is out; and I don’t think I could do an OEC RHR emotionally lol it would mess with me (my ex ER-to-be was an old cut transitional-ish diamond that actually got me obsessed with old cuts in the first place). I thought of doing a pendant, but I already have a MRB pendant and I am not much of a pendant/necklace girl anyway.

Another thing I could do would be sell the MRBs. I actually bought them from the same jeweler… hmm. Maybe I could ask him what it would cost me to sell these and buy those. I always thought I would NEVER upgrade my studs but you know, here we are

Good things to ponder! Thank you!

Btw, this is the type of bracelet that I was thinking of. I stupidly let this one get away at NY JAWS-so I’m totally projecting here!

I think it would be gorgeous on its own or stacked!

 

[Tonks]

Happy to enable….I may or may not have photos somewhere of bracelets that are non-solitaire old cut ones. Hang on and I will look.

And also, if you decide against earrings later you could always repurpose them as side stones in a ring….

Aha! Found them. At one point I was seriously thinking about a twin stone bracelet and I still think it would be gorgeous and SO wearable.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Happy to enable….I may or may not have photos somewhere of bracelets that are non-solitaire old cut ones. Hang on and I will look.

And also, if you decide against earrings later you could always repurpose them as side stones in a ring….

I am wondering what kind of centre stone could handle 1.5ct each diamonds as side stones manifesting this into my life

But I could turn my MRBs into a toi et moi, if I decide against the statement earrings. Hmm. More thought is needed, but I love the ideas!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Btw, this is the type of bracelet that I was thinking of. I stupidly let this one get away at NY JAWS-so I’m totally projecting here!

I think it would be gorgeous on its own or stacked!

Ooh that is beautiful!! I do love the tennis bracelet idea. It would be a giant pain to find a bracelet with so many nice OECs though, but it’s definitely an idea to keep in mind!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Aha! Found them. At one point I was seriously thinking about a twin stone bracelet and I still think it would be gorgeous and SO wearable.

Ooh that’s really pretty! Not exactly my style but I definitely see how that’s very wearable. Great idea to keep in my back pocket if I ever end up with some extra stones

 

[Tonks]

I am wondering what kind of centre stone could handle 1.5ct each diamonds as side stones manifesting this into my life

But I could turn my MRBs into a toi et moi, if I decide against the statement earrings. Hmm. More thought is needed, but I love the ideas!

MANIFEST

 

[Tonks]

I am wondering what kind of centre stone could handle 1.5ct each diamonds as side stones manifesting this into my life

But I could turn my MRBs into a toi et moi, if I decide against the statement earrings. Hmm. More thought is needed, but I love the ideas!

As to what kind of center stone, let me show you this that I tried on several years ago. Stats in the second photo. Center 3.20, sides 2.30 each. I mean, I’d wear it.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

As to what kind of center stone, let me show you this that I tried on several years ago. Stats in the second photo. Center 3.20, sides 2.30 each. I mean, I’d wear it.

That's amazing. Like, holy hell. WHAT a ring! I don't usually like 3 stones but that is something else altogether.

 

[Wink]

This is exactly the kind of thread I love to see on Pricescope.

Why?

• One or more Pricescopers offering helpful advice to another Pricescoper.
• One pricescoper sharing beautiful jewelry and compliments to two different competitors on Pricescope.
  • I really appreciate the compliment.
  • I really enjoy seeing the work by one of my competitors.
  • It is so appropriate that the competitors here are also friends with one another.
  • It is good that Pricescopers realize that those of us in the trade expect you to buy where you find what you want. It makes us all work harder to keep earning your business, so it benefits the non trade Pricescopers.
• All of us get to see what is desired and what has happened.
• This is why Pricescope is such a great place to be a part of.

 

[lulu_ma]

This is exactly the kind of thread I love to see on Pricescope.

Why?

• One or more Pricescopers offering helpful advice to another Pricescoper.
• One pricescoper sharing beautiful jewelry and compliments to two different competitors on Pricescope.
  • I really appreciate the compliment.
  • I really enjoy seeing the work by one of my competitors.
  • It is so appropriate that the competitors here are also friends with one another.
  • It is good that Pricescopers realize that those of us in the trade expect you to buy where you find what you want. It makes us all work harder to keep earning your business, so it benefits the non trade Pricescopers.
• All of us get to see what is desired and what has happened.
• This is why Pricescope is such a great place to be a part of.

I love your comments @Wink ! While, I have never personally done business with you yet, I wouldn't hesitant to!

As an slight aside, life is too short to be unnecessarily mean-spirited...

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Mini update y’all: I’m doing it! My jeweler is super nice and agreed to basically swap out the settings for free since the labour is pretty minimal

He’ll take a bit of time to make them and will text me when they are ready. I’m excited!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Another mini update and appreciation post for my jeweler who is basically making me new settings for free instead of using stock ones at hand - he had me drop in today to see the finished setting before he set the stone to make sure I would like it. He’d remembered my telling him offhand that I really didn’t like rounds in squarish basket settings so he didn’t give me the basic 4 prong setting (obviously I didn’t ask because it felt rude to try and specify when he isn’t charging me the labour at all), he made a different 6 prong one (and incorporated a kind of sentimental element for me in the basket). He did say he’s going to take a little bit of time to set as he has a bunch of projects cropping up in time for the wedding season at the end of the year… but I’m in no hurry!