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How to buy a vintage OEC?

Thanks again, @Dreamer_D. I'm really looking forward to my appointments in LA, but I know I will be overwhelmed and unsure evaluating them live compared to on a screen.
 
EllieTO said:
I saw the Exquisite 2.7 ct too, but it's way larger than I'm looking for. Maybe someone can post it in the someone should buy this thread!



The Sako stone won't be an online purchase, I'm going to see it in person! Did you see the full instagram post with videos from several angles? But they're all the glamour shot style. I was also wondering about the tilt, I wasn't sure if that's the same as the light leakage you were demonstrating in the photos from yesterday or the day before.
1739430534713.png

Here's the cert. I'll have to see how I feel about the inclusion on the table in person, but should I be worried about the additional clouds and internal graining?

1739429704266.png

He will also see if he can pull any other stones for me.
Click to expand...

Additional clouds and internal graining are not an issue as long as the stone looks transparent.

Again, a great price for the specs. If this one is a performer irl, snatch it up.
 
I have some more sparkly videos on this gloomy So Cal day, just for funsies. I went back to Collins today to refresh my memory before heading up to LA this weekend, and looked at the 3 contenders side by side. Flip back to pages 1-3 for earlier videos and discussions on these same stones. Nothing new, I just finally got a good video of #1. And I also got a shot of the pancake crown on #2. It has been really helpful to go back multiple times. The first time was very overwhelming, and now I'm able to focus more and see them better, if that makes sense.

I have to give one more shout out to Collins, they are so awesome. Not super helpful with evaluating the cuts, but very patient and pleasant.

L to R in the picture and videos: #2, #1, #5.

https://imgur.com/a/NB3wO32

I have a favorite, but not sharing until after LA. So much could change!

1739494309463.png
 
For my LA trip... Sako is pulling two other stones for me. My other stops are JbG and Jacob K - no specific stones in mind, just going to see what they have. I got some videos but none caught my eye.

#19. Can we tell anything from this video? I sure can't. But it's a 1.5 ct that he says looks like a 2, so I assume very shallow.

#20. This one doesn't speak to me, partly because of the dark center. But it might be educational to see it in person
https://jewelsbygrace.smugmug.com/L...d-European-Cut-Diamond-GIA-FB-SI1/i-5thF5tJ/A
 
EllieTO said:
For my LA trip... Sako is pulling two other stones for me. My other stops are JbG and Jacob K - no specific stones in mind, just going to see what they have. I got some videos but none caught my eye.

#19. Can we tell anything from this video? I sure can't. But it's a 1.5 ct that he says looks like a 2, so I assume very shallow.

#20. This one doesn't speak to me, partly because of the dark center. But it might be educational to see it in person
https://jewelsbygrace.smugmug.com/L...d-European-Cut-Diamond-GIA-FB-SI1/i-5thF5tJ/A
Click to expand...

No on #19. RE: #20, the person taking the vid is likely wearing black or dark blue.
 
EllieTO said:
I have some more sparkly videos on this gloomy So Cal day, just for funsies. I went back to Collins today to refresh my memory before heading up to LA this weekend, and looked at the 3 contenders side by side. Flip back to pages 1-3 for earlier videos and discussions on these same stones. Nothing new, I just finally got a good video of #1. And I also got a shot of the pancake crown on #2. It has been really helpful to go back multiple times. The first time was very overwhelming, and now I'm able to focus more and see them better, if that makes sense.

I have to give one more shout out to Collins, they are so awesome. Not super helpful with evaluating the cuts, but very patient and pleasant.

L to R in the picture and videos: #2, #1, #5.

https://imgur.com/a/NB3wO32

I have a favorite, but not sharing until after LA. So much could change!

1739494309463.png
Click to expand...

All three of these are quite nice. I like 1 and 5 better bc I like volume in my old cuts and the flatter crown and overall shallowness of 2 seems to be creating a bit less contrast and the patterning isn’t as pretty. But I don’t see a dog here. It would come down to how they look in different lighting and how you like to enjoy looking at them.
 
lulu_ma said:
No on #19. RE: #20, the person taking the vid is likely wearing black or dark blue.
Click to expand...

Agreed 19 has a mushy center.

20 I think you’d need to see it in person to assess the obstruction. This video isn’t super helpful but the center is showing a fair bit of obstruction and you’d need to see what you think in person.
 
Happy Valentine's Day!

I'll give a full debrief later, but first just want to get opinions on this new contender. I don't want to share specs or the source yet. What do we think of it? I loved it in person, but second guessing a bit now. Are there any potential concerns? I might be struggling with the paradox of choice now.

About the clarity - it's an SI1, and I'm honestly not sure if what I see in these videos are dust or inclusions - but it shouldn't matter, right? It looked fine to my naked eye.

#21
Three videos, all the same stone
https://imgur.com/a/q3Cclkm
 
21 looks beautiful to my eyes! That is the best lighting for old cuts I find, so it’s not a direct comparison to the previous videos in spot lighting which is a bit harsh for these old ladies that were on made to be viewed in candle and gas lamps. But you are seeing them in person! You can judge which you like, but based on this video I don’t see any red flags. Check obstruction in person and look at in on tilt just to cover the bases of course.

For clarity, I don’t really give a hoot as long as I can’t see it with my naked eyes. I have old cut diamonds ranging from VS2 to I1 and the inclusions in some of the I1s look pretty darn nasty in close-up photography or under the loop. But I can’t see a thing with my eyes or even in casual photography so it doesn’t bother me. I wouldn’t be concerned about an SI1 as long as I was happy how it looked in person.
 
#21 has nice petals. I think I see an inclusion on the table when I zoom in but if it’s eye clean then no biggie.

Is this one an L? How did you like it compared with Sako’s J?

At this point, you’ve seen a variety of flavors cut-wise so just go with the stone that speaks to you.

Just keep in mind that you’ll want to ask Caysie to use melee that matches the center stone color wise.

Let us know what you decide!
 
Wow, the Park one is pretty, but I'm not looking to buy sight unseen unless it's with a good return policy and buyer protections.

Thank you for the opinions on 21. I'm sorry I'm not sharing much now because I'm trying to decide, so keeping them a bit more anonymous. I will share more about my trip at some point.

I'm still very undecided on size. I'm considering three at the moment, between 7.1 and 8.2 mm and 2x price difference. What I really want is to see them all side by side in my own place at my own leisure, in different light etc. So I might do a crazy thing and buy more than one. Just trying to think through the logistics of return policies, shipping costs etc.
 
EllieTO said:
So I might do a crazy thing and buy more than one. Just trying to think through the logistics of return policies, shipping costs etc.
Click to expand...
Nothing to take lightly but also not crazy. Read all the printed policies, and ask questions - so no suprises.

I thought of it as helpful ‘tuition’ - not as wasted.


Best wishes!
 
Dreamer_D said:
Yes you are focusing on things that are more an artifact of lighting rather than the facets themselves. Understandable but there’s a point where your also have to trust your vendor. That’s why you are paying them to help you. Otherwise just buy on eBay!

I think 14 is a perfect OEC with great proportions. I would buy it if I was looking. I also like 15 a lot and would also buy it myself. I’m less keen on 16 as I think the lower halves (the big pavilion mains that create the pie shapes under the table) are too short and the table too big to support them which i think it making it a little over-dark under the table. But it’s still a nice make.

All three are very nice examples of OECs. There is no reason to reject them.
Click to expand...

I agree with Dreamer - 14 looks like beautiful faceting and a lovely color. I would order it to see in person if I were looking.
 
I have made a decision!

Drum roll please... :appl:

#21 is Sako's 1.49 J SI1 and I confirmed the purchase with him today! :kiss2:
Thank you @maryjane04 for posting it for me! It really is everything I was looking for.

I thought it was very nice in person. The facet pattern was perfect and I couldn't see the inclusions on the table by eye. I checked for tilt and windowing by eye and with a loupe and couldn't see anything. I spent a lot of time with it, and Sako's dad was so lovely (Sako actually wasn't available). I was doubting it a bit looking back at the videos, but I think I loved it enough in person. It looked the way I would expect a AVR/CER to look (not that I've seen one in person). I hope I end up loving it when it arrives and I get to know it on my own time.

Here's another video he sent me before my visit. The 1.49 is on the left, and on the right is a 1.54 J VS2 that I saw as well, but it was $2K more and I didn't like it any better.
https://imgur.com/a/FKAeKcE

I'm struggling to let go of #1. I even named it (terrible, I know). It was the one to which I compared every other stone I saw - which was actually helpful, because I could easily pass on most other stones. Sako was my last stop, and at that time #1 was still my top choice. I may still consider it if I don't end up loving the Sako stone. And if it sells, then it was meant to be someone else's treasure and I hope they will love it just as much.

My other front runner is #17. I think it's beautiful and a better value than #1 (same color, larger, and would cost less). I would have to order it to see it in person, but I'm ok with the return policy if it comes to it. This would only be if I find the Sako stone too small, which I doubt.

So I think I will wait for the Sako stone and live with it for a few days. If I don't love how it looks or if I find it too small, then I'll think about next steps.
 
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And here are brief notes on the rest of my visit, in case anyone is interested.

Jacob K was my first stop. I saw #19 and a few others, but I didn't really like any of them. I finally saw what is meant by a fish eye, so that was educational. He had a good selection and some nice settings. I may have found what I was looking for on another day, but not at this time.

Then I walked by Single Stone by chance, and called them up to ask if they would see me, but they wanted nothing to do with me and my budget. :lol-2:

Jewels by Grace was next. Grace and the ladies in the office were awesome. Grace had a nice selection and was very helpful talking through the pros and cons of stones. At the end she told me to go buy #1. I pretty much saw all of these posted on her instagram today - I wouldn't be surprised if they did this post after they pulled them all out for me.

I saw #20 (1.45 L), and the center was indeed dark. Not as dark as in the video, but enough that it bothered me. It was so helpful to see that one in person. I also saw the 1.63 M that I was interested in, and it was very nice (Grace called it happy, and it did look happy), but it didn't have the facet pattern I was looking for. I really loved the bottom row second ring (both the setting and the stone), but it was too large and I think too high priced for a QR. I also learned that I can't do black carbon inclusions, even tiny ones. I can't remember which stone it was, but I noticed them immediately and when I looked with a loupe I was shocked at how small they actually were. No carbon spots under the table for me!

Last stop was Sako's dad, who is a sweetheart. I looked at the 1.49 J SI1, another 1.54 J VS2 and a 2.49 QR that I thought was really pretty and a killer deal. All day I was discounting stones in comparison to #1, and I didn't take any videos all day, until I saw the 1.49 that I decided to buy (videos above, #21).

It was quite the day - 2.5 hours to drive up, spent about 3-4 hours there, then over 3 hours home. But it was worth it.
 
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awesome visit! Thank you for sharing it with us :love:

Congrats on finding ‘the one’ - it’s beautiful!
 
I am so happy for you @EllieTO I really do hope that you love Sako's stone. I mean at this point you've seen a lot of very good options. There's really no right or wrong. We are all working with the 5C's whenever we shop for a diamond and it's even harder with old cuts. I really think you've picked a very nice sized stone that will fit perfectly into CVB's Cora setting.

I was chatting to someone today about what a great deal this stone is. It's cheaper than Alex's M stone, so if you're like me and love a deal then this is it. Of course it's also really pretty too!
 
EllieTO said:
I have made a decision!

Drum roll please... :appl:

#21 is Sako's 1.49 J SI1 and I confirmed the purchase with him today! :kiss2:
Thank you @maryjane04 for posting it for me! It really is everything I was looking for.

I thought it was very nice in person. The facet pattern was perfect and I couldn't see the inclusions on the table by eye. I checked for tilt and windowing by eye and with a loupe and couldn't see anything. I spent a lot of time with it, and Sako's dad was so lovely (Sako actually wasn't available). I was doubting it a bit looking back at the videos, but I think I loved it enough in person. It looked the way I would expect a AVR/CER to look (not that I've seen one in person). I hope I end up loving it when it arrives and I get to know it on my own time.

Here's another video he sent me before my visit. The 1.49 is on the left, and on the right is a 1.54 J VS2 that I saw as well, but it was $2K more and I didn't like it any better.
https://imgur.com/a/FKAeKcE

I'm struggling to let go of #1. I even named it (terrible, I know). It was the one to which I compared every other stone I saw - which was actually helpful, because I could easily pass on most other stones. Sako was my last stop, and at that time #1 was still my top choice. I may still consider it if I don't end up loving the Sako stone. And if it sells, then it was meant to be someone else's treasure and I hope they will love it just as much.

My other front runner is #17. I think it's beautiful and a better value than #1 (same color, larger, and would cost less). I would have to order it to see it in person, but I'm ok with the return policy if it comes to it. This would only be if I find the Sako stone too small, which I doubt.

So I think I will wait for the Sako stone and live with it for a few days. If I don't love how it looks or if I find it too small, then I'll think about next steps.
Click to expand...

Haha-I was so rooting for Sako’s stone-if you couldn’t tell. It looks beautifully cut and is a great value for the price!

I also liked the Collin’s L but there’s such a price differential and Sako’s stone is a J, too boot.
 
Oh yay!!!! I was holding my breath when you said you had made a decision and when you said Sako’s stone, I literally yelled, YESSSS! My hubby looked at me like what?!? I told him a PS’er just bought a beautiful old mine … he laughed at me and then asked to see which one you bought…

He says, “Congrats, that’s a really nice one!” :clap:

I’m so relieved you picked the Sako one, that’s was my favorite one of all the stones you posted… it’s perfect and has everything you were looking for and who doesn’t love a great deal!

Now, setting ideas… what are you thinking?!? I’m so relieved… you picked the best one ❤️
 
EllieTO said:
Then I walked by Single Stone by chance, and called them up to ask if they would see me, but they wanted nothing to do with me and my budget. :lol-2:
Click to expand...

OMG. :lol-2:

Curious what tipped the scales to 22 over 1? What was the price difference? There is a big color difference…

I also cannot abide black inclusions at all.
 
Love Single Stone!!! Omg that’s so funny though, lol! If only they had a scratch and dent section, I would sooo shop that section hard :lol:

I would be down for shopping for bands sometime … we might be planning an LA spring break trip and I might accidently end up there and Niessing lol!
 
I love your choice! And from the nicest guy too. :kiss2:
 
Dreamer_D said:
OMG. :lol-2:

Curious what tipped the scales to 22 over 1? What was the price difference? There is a big color difference…

I also cannot abide black inclusions at all.
Click to expand...

I think it was #1 was almost double the price!
 
lavenderdragonfly23 said:
Oh yay!!!! I was holding my breath when you said you had made a decision and when you said Sako’s stone, I literally yelled, YESSSS! My hubby looked at me like what?!? I told him a PS’er just bought a beautiful old mine … he laughed at me and then asked to see which one you bought…

He says, “Congrats, that’s a really nice one!” :clap:

I’m so relieved you picked the Sako one, that’s was my favorite one of all the stones you posted… it’s perfect and has everything you were looking for and who doesn’t love a great deal!

Now, setting ideas… what are you thinking?!? I’m so relieved… you picked the best one ❤️
Click to expand...
That's so sweet, thank you!
I was pretty set on CvB's Cora, but I've read some not-so-good things so I'm looking into it a bit more...

lavenderdragonfly23 said:
Love Single Stone!!! Omg that’s so funny though, lol! If only they had a scratch and dent section, I would sooo shop that section hard :lol:



I would be down for shopping for bands sometime … we might be planning an LA spring break trip and I might accidently end up there and Niessing lol!
Click to expand...
Scratch & dent... would that be everything pre-owned and SI1 or lower? I'm down for that!

Dreamer_D said:
OMG. :lol-2:

Curious what tipped the scales to 22 over 1? What was the price difference? There is a big color difference…

I also cannot abide black inclusions at all.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's a 2x price difference, but I didn't want price to be the main driver, i.e. I didn't want to pick a less expensive one that I didn't love as much just to save money. I really think #1 is magical, but ultimately, the Sako one is a beautiful cut (as confirmed by everyone here too!) and also the size and price point I was originally looking for, I just got distracted along the way. I'm still a bit unsure about what size I want, and I hope having the Sako one in hand to play with at home will help me finally confirm.

Sako's is 1.49 J SI1, 7.2 x 7.2 mm, $4950
#1 is 1.89 L VS2, 7.7 x 8.0 mm, $9500
If I want to go up to 8 mm, then I would seriously consider #17, which is 2.1 L and the same price (and no tax)

But I hope Sako's will be a final decision!
 
EllieTO said:
That's so sweet, thank you!
I was pretty set on CvB's Cora, but I've read some not-so-good things so I'm looking into it a bit more...


Scratch & dent... would that be everything pre-owned and SI1 or lower? I'm down for that!


Yes, it's a 2x price difference, but I didn't want price to be the main driver, i.e. I didn't want to pick a less expensive one that I didn't love as much just to save money. I really think #1 is magical, but ultimately, the Sako one is a beautiful cut (as confirmed by everyone here too!) and also the size and price point I was originally looking for, I just got distracted along the way. I'm still a bit unsure about what size I want, and I hope having the Sako one in hand to play with at home will help me finally confirm.

Sako's is 1.49 J SI1, 7.2 x 7.2 mm, $4950
#1 is 1.89 L VS2, 7.7 x 8.0 mm, $9500
If I want to go up to 8 mm, then I would seriously consider #17, which is 2.1 L and the same price (and no tax)

But I hope Sako's will be a final decision!
Click to expand...

I like your plan. In my experience that’s a notable size difference but since you plan to set it into an elaborate setting with a lot of visual presence I don’t think it will make such a bite difference to the overall effect of the ring. Better to save the 5K IMO, just in principal and all else equal. The main benefit of the extra mm is that the facets are larger and more visible. The light play is a bit different. But 7.2 to 8.1 is a big difference in terms of hand presence. I wear an 8mm and think it’s a perfect size for daily wear but my ring size is very large.

I think you will know how you feel after playing with it in your own home for a while. I’m looking forward to your impressions!
 
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