Italian heirloom for Old cut lovers

[Lilo]

Hello Ladies!

I am in the UK and new to this forum, although I have been inspired for months by your incredible sparklies!
I would like to contribute to the "old cut ****" by showing you my baby, inherited from my Italian grandmother. It is an old cushion cut/miner cut dating from the 1930''s, but I think the stone might have been cut earier than that, since I know my great grandfather was a jeweller.
Right, specs...it is 2.51Cts and D/E colour. There is a feather inclusion on one side that doesn''t show in the pictures, but is visible when you look at the ring under white light. The two baguettes are extra white too, but I dunno the specs because they haven''t been taken out of the setting like the other one has. I will post more pictures of the side with details of the tall crown and the curls on the basket, and one on my hand.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do when I wear it at work!Unfortunately due to its value I can''t fins anyone to insure it with in the UK. They ask a fortune!!!! Any advice on that side would be super!

Lilo

 

[Lilo]

Side view

 

[Lilo]

On my hand. I''m a size Us 4/ UK H

 

[iluvcarats]

That is just spectacular!
What a gorgeous ring

 

[Lilo]

Out of focus, but I was at work, hence the black suit!

 

[whitby_2773]

Holy. Tamole.

Good. Grief.

WOWOWOWOW!

lilo - now THAT is a ring!

wow. wow. unbelievable.

love it.

(trying to get jaw off floor)

wow.

just...

wow.

 

[MMT]

Wow thanks for the eye candy that''s gorgeous. How special that it was your grandmothers. Are you wearing it as an engagement ring?

 

[joflier]

(((GASP))) ..............(((thud))) that was my jaw smacking the floor

That is a seriously to-die-for ring!

 

[Lilo]

Thank you girls!! I am all basking in glory now...

In all truth the story is a bit stranger than simply "my gran left it for me ''cos she luved me so". She was actually a nasty piece of work and never called me by my name nor ever remembered my birthday. When she died my mum managed to save 2 rings from my aunts'' claws, one being this one, the other a 1960''s 3 cushion rubies with brilliant diamond halo (way too wide for my fingers). I got given this one because I am the only one in my family who is able to appreciate a nice stone, so in my mind this is a nice sort of payback for my gran being so awful to me. I know it''s not a lovely story, and I apologise, but not all family stories are sweet. Well, I got the ring and adore it, but I would have liked to know its story from my grandma. That is why I wouldn''t ever use it as an e/ring.
I use it as a RHR and I only wear it when I work (I work in a world-famous jewellery company) because I feel it belongs there.

I also have inherited a light blue, almost lilac sapphire, 7.47cts cut in a sugarloaf style, which I would like to set in a ring, but again my tiny size doesn''t allow for much fancy work, so I will have to post the photos here one day and ask for your advice on how to set it for a size 4!!!

Oh, all this dreaming is divine!!!!

 

[whitby_2773]

Date: 3/18/2009 9:42:59 AM
Author: Lilo
Thank you girls!! I am all basking in glory now...


In all truth the story is a bit stranger than simply ''my gran left it for me ''cos she luved me so''. She was actually a nasty piece of work and never called me by my name nor ever remembered my birthday. When she died my mum managed to save 2 rings from my aunts'' claws, one being this one, the other a 1960''s 3 cushion rubies with brilliant diamond halo (way too wide for my fingers). I got given this one because I am the only one in my family who is able to appreciate a nice stone, so in my mind this is a nice sort of payback for my gran being so awful to me. I know it''s not a lovely story, and I apologise, but not all family stories are sweet. Well, I got the ring and adore it, but I would have liked to know its story from my grandma. That is why I wouldn''t ever use it as an e/ring.

I use it as a RHR and I only wear it when I work (I work in a world-famous jewellery company) because I feel it belongs there.

I also have inherited a light blue, almost lilac sapphire, 7.47cts cut in a sugarloaf style, which I would like to set in a ring, but again my tiny size doesn''t allow for much fancy work, so I will have to post the photos here one day and ask for your advice on how to set it for a size 4!!!


Oh, all this dreaming is divine!!!!

bask away, lilo -

rings like that come along once in a lifetime - how lucky that the lifetime in which *this* ring made an appearance was yours!

and i am totally with you re ''not all family stories being sweet''. life is a mixed bag, and sadly not all the diamonds in the world belong to ''only the nice people''!

hopefully now, tho, this one will have found a home more fitting for its beauty.

enjoy! enjoy BIG time!

 

[Catmom]

Even though the story''s not so sweet, the fact that it is a family ring is sweet! It''s fabulous !!

 

[Upgradable]

I''ve tried to post three times now how unbelievably gorgeous this ring is, and my computer keeps eating the post. It must also be in a swoon over how lovely this is!!!!

 

[tyty333]

That is one stunning stone! Its your ring now and you need to give it a happy story! Wear it and enjoy!

 

[Lilo]

Thank you Whitby and Upgradable for your sweet words, and thank you girls who looked at my post. The ring has definitely found a loving home!!! My customers sometimes ask me if it''s real because it just looks a bit too big on my hand but I never heard of too big a diamond, so I will grin and wear it!Hee hee. The long chunkier flashes of light it gives off are what I love the most.
I am looking to have a smaller version made to wear everyday. I am sourcing for a 3/4 to 1ct old cut to set with sapphires, and I like art deco settings. Maybe tapered baguette blue sapphs? or trapezoids? Any ideas with pictures to help would be great!
x
Lil

 

[Upgradable]

I think tapered baguette medium blue sapphires would be gorgeous, set in a twist on the Harry Winston setting. Luscious!!!

 

[tberube]

HOLY wow. That''s just incredible.....hold on, let me pick up my jaw off the floor...

 

[monarch64]

Amazing ring, Lilo! Interesting story behind it, too. I love hearing stories like that (I don''t like that your grandmother didn''t treat you well), more intriguing than the typical inheritance tales. Have fun getting it re-set, and you''re right--I''ve never heard of a "too big" diamond either!

 

[vespergirl]

Good lord, that is gorgeous!!! I am so jealous! I honestly love the current setting - wouldn''t change a thing. Beautiful!

 

[ericad]

Oh good heavens, I think I just had a stroke...

WOW, WOW, and WOW. That's simply stunning!

 

[Lilo]

Oh no I am not gonna change the current setting. I am talking about a new ring altogether, that might be more wearable on an everyday basis. a bit smaller with blue sapphires as accent stones.
More rings! More rings!

 

[ericad]

I confess I didn''t read through and misunderstood you were resetting it. I was just too flabbergasted and had to post my appreciation right away, lol! Just went and edited my post when I realized you are not resetting it. Duh!

Just not thinking too clearly at this moment, after having that luscious ring burned onto my brain. Have I mentioned...WOW!!!

 

[Lilo]

I''m honoured Erica! I have been on your website so many times my browser knows it before I type it in! Thanks!

 

[Kelli]

Wow! Just exquisite!

 

[pixley]

That''s magnificent, Lilo! I could just lose myself in that amazing stone! I love the setting too.

Your story makes me giggle. I had a cranky granny too - but I think a ring like that might''ve made up for her stinky attitude over the years! Would love to see the other goodies.

 

[Gailey]

Mumble, stutter, grunt, mumble, mumble, splutter, drool (you get the idea right)?

I had to just gaze at it for a while and regain my composure Lilo - it''s gorgeous. Made all the more gorgeous by the fact that you''re loving it and I''m sure your Grandmother is watching you and regretting what an evil old bat she was.

Thanks for sharing it. Sorry you can''t get insurance in the UK at a reasonable price. Best you hop on a plane and head over here to Canada with it. You''ll still be able to watch Corrie and drink good tea! I''ll even rustle up some M&S biccies to go with the tea!

Now don''t be a stranger, hop on over to Coloured Stones and let us help you with your sugar loaf sapphire.

 

[Lilo]

Oh the things I would do for a nice cup of PG tips....I''m hopping over for the sugarloaf discussion then! Will try and take piccies of the stone tonight and post them asap!
Hee hee this place is great! I could lose soooo many afternoons here instead of writing my thesis....

 

[swimmer]

Simply amazing.
That is gorgeous. More photos please!

 

[loriken214]

WOW, WOW and more WOW!!! I''m very sorry about the family history, but glad that you received this ring!

Lori

 

[Burk]

What a stunning ring! Can''t quit drooling. So fun about putting together something smaller for daily wear.. Please post pics when you''re done!! (I love sapphires!

)

 

[AmberGretchen]

BEAUTIFUL - what an amazing heirloom piece to have