Help, trying to decide in a hurry OEC LG

[Dreamer_D]

Yeah I am curious where these are all coming from. DK actually referred me to Alex Parks.

He is sending me the stone to see myself. I have NO idea what I am actually looking for so will get lots of stills and a few videos and maybe you all aren't sick of me yet and can help me evaluate.

Can you point out where the obstruction is? Is that were the petals go dark?

Yes obstruction is when petals go dark when light is blocked (obstructed) by your head or something. Some diamonds suffer from this worse than others. Nicely cut stones only do it when you hold it really really close and others do it from a distance. Well cut stones also only one or two of the pavilion mains (pie shape facets you see under the girdle) go dark at the same time and not two next to each other. Badly cut ones two to three or even all of them go dark at once making the center look lazy or dark all the time.

I kinda think you should just evaluate if you think it’s pretty and call it a day. Trust your eyes. Look at it in different lighting and from different angles. Pop it in your setting and see how it feels.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Like ideally all three of these pavilion mains (arrows you could say) wouldn’t be dark at the same time. But it could just be a weird angle. In person though if they go dark all at once like this in person then that area of the table will just look less lively and somewhat dark.



This is @HS4S_2 new transitional cut, a true antique. See how the central facets are all sort of chaotically lit up and no two beside each other are dark and certainly not three adjacent. Now these are different cut styles and your lab OEC has a weird combo of modern and antique that doesn’t typically exist in reality, but this here is the ideal to create a very lively stone that will never go dull or over dark under the table. There is some obstruction at 9 0’clock, you can’t avoid it in any diamond and old cuts especially are more prone, but it’s minimal and doesn’t detract in any way from its beauty.

 

[OboeGal]

@Dreamer_D, that is such good information!

 

[CSpan]

Like ideally all three of these pavilion mains (arrows you could say) wouldn’t be dark at the same time. But it could just be a weird angle. In person though if they go dark all at once like this in person then that area of the table will just look less lively and somewhat dark.



This is @HS4S_2 new transitional cut, a true antique. See how the central facets are all sort of chaotically lit up and no two beside each other are dark and certainly not three adjacent. Now these are different cut styles and your lab OEC has a weird combo of modern and antique that doesn’t typically exist in reality, but this here is the ideal to create a very lively stone that will never go dull or over dark under the table. There is some obstruction at 9 0’clock, you can’t avoid it in any diamond and old cuts especially are more prone, but it’s minimal and doesn’t detract in any way from its beauty.

This makes so much sense. Thank you and @Dreamer_D you are invaluable!

 

[CSpan]

I think one of you said something bout the color and it is spot on. This is so white. I'm used to the tint and it is throwing me.

Give it to me straight would i be better off going for a MRB? Would it look strange in that setting? I like the idea of an OEC but I can't see the pastel sparks like I see on PS. It doesn't seem super sparkly but I am also a novice at how OECs perform. Everything out there is super white which just seems more modern.

I may be losing all sense of perspective as well. I'm struggling with getting the setting right and doubting myself all over the place.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Looking at those pictures I am still seeing the issue with obstruction where a group of the pavilion mains is going dark at the same time. Do you see it in person and does it bother you?



In a well cut OEC You should be seeing a lot of fire in that lighting environment if it’s a jewelry store or spotlighting like a kitchen. Go outside under a tree on a sunny day in filtered light and you should see a lot of dispersion there — pastels etc. it should look very sparkly, like big chunky flashes of light and lots of reflecting colours from the environment.

Here is a video of my old cuts in a kitchen with pot lighting for example. These are well cut antiques (Old Europeans and transitional) except the smallest side stones which are MRBs

Personally I would get an MRB with ideal proportions and just enjoy the ideal optics. I don’t see the point of buying a less than perfectly cut lab diamond.

But you have it in person. What do your eyes tell you?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Here is my transitional in a grocery store. It is sort of the antique version of what the one you are considering is trying to emulate. See if yours looks like this in high spot lighting (like Home Depot). Make sure it’s really clean!

 

[CSpan]

Yeeaah. I will have to test drive in the kitchen but not seeing it. The smaller table is a thing too.

My stone, a transitional M and my grandmother's transitional G both sparkle nicely in Home Depot! I guess I was trying temper expectations of a OEC. I may take the setting to my local store and see what a MRB looks like. I wanted to honor the setting but maybe OEC is too far back for it.

Are "good" MRBs easier to find?

 

[CSpan]

@Dreamer_D

I'm not bowled over

 

[Dreamer_D]

It is much easier to find an ideal cut MRB in labs. Just post a thread and there are people here who will find you 10 options in as many minutes! (I mean, depending on time of day etc but you get my point).

I own an early ideal cut transitional and also a bunch of smaller OECs. No doubt OECs can look different than transitional cuts and sometimes less flashy. And I’ve owned some OECs in the past that did not wow me optically. But the OECs I own now and love are very very sparkly stones. Lots of bold flash and fire and pastels just like we all want. In person they can look like the pictures people post. Not always but in the right lighting. They have classic OEC proportions — greater than 65% depth, tables about 45%, higher than usual crowns, very short lower halves. They are all a little wonky. But they perform like the dickens.

I have seen some lab old style cuts that look amazing optically. Most of them were stones people recut to their specifications and they err towards transitionals a bit more than OECs in my opinion (though there is some variety). Alex Park has some very authentic looking OECs but they are rare in his feed and I don’t think you can just order them up. Most of the other new cut OECs are like this one you have. Not really authentic proportions and optically not what we might hope for.

I think an MRB would look just fine in your setting frankly. You are the only one who would know the difference! But finding a diamond that can keep up with your collection in terms of sparkle seems the most important thing.

 

[LightBright]

Another idea, you could look at Old Mine Rocks Shan Adams CZs which are available in OEC. You could get one to pop in your setting in a lower color. CZs generally have crazy fire even with not great cuts. Old Mine Rocks are old cuts, cut well. There are other old cut CZs on Etsy for even lower price point.

It seems to me like buying a very nice Old Cut Lab diamond might cost ten times as much for something that won’t be worn much. It will also will tie up your budget for other things in a rock you don’t actually want to invest mental energy in.

This will also allow you to test drive your original emerald setting to see how much you wear it without your original diamond. Will you not want to switch etc.

It’s worth considering a lower budget option while you decide so you don’t feel pressure to find that great lab old cut immediately.

You could also sell your emerald setting but I would not. If you do many PSers including myself will jump on it IMO. It’s special, keep it!

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[Dreamer_D]

If we are talking simulants there are many people very happy with moissanite OECs too. Julia B on Etsy seems to have access to some very high quality cuts. I’d consider it for an authentic setting like you have. I don’t wear simulants but this seems a special case.

 

[CSpan]

I went in another direction but I did want to post my photo of the DK stone in spotlight lighting. Just to close the loop.

https://imgur.com/a/sZrp6Vy

 

[CSpan]

If we are talking simulants there are many people very happy with moissanite OECs too. Julia B on Etsy seems to have access to some very high quality cuts. I’d consider it for an authentic setting like you have. I don’t wear simulants but this seems a special case.

Another idea, you could look at Old Mine Rocks Shan Adams CZs which are available in OEC. You could get one to pop in your setting in a lower color. CZs generally have crazy fire even with not great cuts. Old Mine Rocks are old cuts, cut well. There are other old cut CZs on Etsy for even lower price point.

It seems to me like buying a very nice Old Cut Lab diamond might cost ten times as much for something that won’t be worn much. It will also will tie up your budget for other things in a rock you don’t actually want to invest mental energy in.

This will also allow you to test drive your original emerald setting to see how much you wear it without your original diamond. Will you not want to switch etc.

It’s worth considering a lower budget option while you decide so you don’t feel pressure to find that great lab old cut immediately.

You could also sell your emerald setting but I would not. If you do many PSers including myself will jump on it IMO. It’s special, keep it!

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Thank you both. I hadn't considered that avenue. I think I can accept the cost since the setting is so special but I would love to get something in it and wear it again. My other concern is that the prongs have been the weakest link so setting and unsetting is risky, they move the channel for the emeralds every time I have them repaired.

Hopefully I can find an MRB and just enjoy "ideal" sparkle. I would love an OEC but maybe mined in a higher color. Or if more labs show up with different cutting in the future.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I went in another direction but I did want to post my photo of the DK stone in spotlight lighting. Just to close the loop.

https://imgur.com/a/sZrp6Vy

Yeah not much going on there. Your other diamonds light up and fire in that lighting?

 

[CSpan]

Yeah not much going on there. Your other diamonds light up and fire in that lighting?

Hugely. The original stone may or may be cut well but it is a firecracker. sparkle Sparkle all day long. Hell even my bands with tiny single cuts glitter in the kitchen.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Hugely. The original stone may or may be cut well but it is a firecracker. sparkle Sparkle all day long. Hell even my bands with tiny single cuts glitter in the kitchen.

Such a good comparison to be able to make!