#JOTW My Leon Upgrade: Emerald Cut with French Cut Sides!!!

[Ganesha]

oh my goodness, that ring is delicious! congratulations on your gorgeous upgrade!

 

[Trekkie]

Now that is perfection!

A glimpse of this ring tells me a lot of people will be going back to Leon...

 

[briolette]

Excuse me while I pick up my jaw from the floor....

It is so clean and elegant. I love it!

 

[princessfeedme]

princessfeedme, thanks for asking the question, I did want to comment on the SI1 clarity since we so often hear that with step cuts you "have to" go with VS clarity or better. I respectfully disagree. One has to look VERY closely and up close to see a couple of faint pepper-like specs in this EC stone. It doesn't affect the performance. In fact, I thought it was so clean I was thinking of sending it back to the GIA to get regraded b/c I thought maybe it could be VS2. But when I got it appraised, the "graduate gemologist" appraiser said it's definitely an SI1.

For performance, I think it's far more important to get the proportions right. And maybe color too? I love low colored antique cushions and even RBs, because of the colorful flashes/chunky color, but maybe higher color is better on a step cut? ALTHOUGH I have to immediately take that statement back, because a couple of years ago the JBeG owner who posted here (Erica? Grace?) had a STUNNING L or M color asscher made into a 5 stone by LM. That ring was/is a Pricescope classic (now owned by another lucky PS'er). So I guess I go back to getting an excellent cut.

Bottom line - an SI1 step cut, even a big one, should not be immediately excluded. Like any diamond, you need to see it to know. They can be a great value!

Thank you so much for addressing the clarity of your stone. It makes me more willing to slightly diverge from the dogma for step cuts!

 

[susimoo]

This is going in my list as one of my all time favourites!!!

Beautiful!!!!

 

[mimi72]

Thank you, everyone! I am enjoying wearing it. My husband asked, are you wearing the ring on vacation? My response was "of course! I'm not taking it off for the rest of my life!" Within reason, that is. Note - we're in the Smoky Mountains for the kids' spring break week...traveling overseas = probably a different story...

I'll stop posting pics "anytime now"
I know these are too dark...it's a bit overcast at the moment.
At this point it needs a cleaning!

 

[mimi72]

A couple more. None are great! I'm just desperately trying to get that one spectacular shot!!

 

[Amys Bling]

It's seriously stunning!!!

 

[NOYFB]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! I adore frenchies!!!

 

[Brownie22]

Your ring is perfect!

 

[sstephensid]

OMG! WOW. I'm not normally a fan of emerald cuts, but I LOVE your ring. It is gorgeous.

 

[Imdanny]

Magnifique!

Must say too your pictures are whimsical and fun!

Thank you and congratulations!

 

[MxMom]

Holy Crap! I just flooded my keyboard with drool. This ring has to be one of my all time favorites ever. Classic, beautiful.... Okay, I'll stop with the adjectives because there is not enough space here for all of them. Congratulations.

 

[jbgirl]

Mimi - your ring is incredible. I am trying to look into diamonds in a similar way - purchase from an auction. Do you have the name of the auction house you went through or any recommendations?

Thanks.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

So I'm at work and I yelled "Holy Crap, that's big!" Loudly. So embarrassed....
Other than that! Your ring is ahhhhhmazing!!!

 

[irisheyes9]

WOW!! Beautiful ring -- love the setting!

 

[Tuckins1]

Woweewoweewow!!!

 

[mimi72]

jbgirl, irisheyes, Tuckins...Thanks for your compliments! I am still loving my ring after having it for a few months now.

Sadly, just a couple of days ago I noticed that one of the delicate claw prongs has broken off. I don't remember snagging it on anything. I have yet to contact Leon since I don't really want to ship it back to NY and not have it for a couple of weeks but that's what I'll have to do. Don't know if they will take care of the repair or if it will be on me.

jbgirl, I used Ivey-Selkirk in St Louis. Many mid-size and larger metropolitan areas will have at least one higher-end auction house, just do a google search for ones in your area. A lot, including Ivey-Selkirk, will let you bid online or on the phone and then ship the item to you, so you don't have to buy from a local one. The only bad part about this is then you wouldn't be able to see the piece in person before buying, and of course, all sales are final in the auction world. Good luck.

 

[Skippy123]

Oh no! I hope if you do send it to him that he fixes it soon!

 

[VRBeauty]

I missed your thread the first time around, and I'm very glad it has resurfaced.

Your ring is absolutely beautiful! A classic in the making, and a design that I'm sure will be much copied! Wear it in good health!

And I do hope it's reunion with Leon is very short-lived, and that it will be back home with you soon.

 

[Laila619]

jbgirl, irisheyes, Tuckins...Thanks for your compliments! I am still loving my ring after having it for a few months now.

Sadly, just a couple of days ago I noticed that one of the delicate claw prongs has broken off. I don't remember snagging it on anything. I have yet to contact Leon since I don't really want to ship it back to NY and not have it for a couple of weeks but that's what I'll have to do. Don't know if they will take care of the repair or if it will be on me.

Oh, bummer! Well at least the stone is still secure. Hopefully Leon will fix it.

 

[Yimmers]

HOLY HAND GRENADE!

LOVE IT!!!!

 

[renogirl]

Your ring is absolutely stunning

Sorry it needs repair, hope all goes well and quickly!!!

 

[GliderPoss]

Yummmo! It looks divine and I will confess it was in part inspiration for my sapphire ring (combining emerald cut centre & princess sides). Congrats on such a beauty!

 

[pandabee]

Congratulations on your beautiful upgrade!!! Sorry to hear about the prong. Hopefully it gets fixed soon!

This is seriously such a stunner...I *love* the French cuts, they are so different from what you normally see out in the real world! I think this is probably what Angie's ring should have looked like if Brad had any design sense...

 

[mimi72]

Just checking in for a customer-service follow up report. I am pleased to say that my ring was shipped off to LM and back in my hands w/in 2 weeks with the prong repaired beautifully, polished up, and no charge. No complaints there! Glad to have it back safely on my finger. WISH I could get some decent photos! These are too dark.

 

[Malbec54]

SPECTACULAR!
I saw your ring yesterday and thought to myself how beautiful it was and how I wished I could see more pictures. How ironic that I was able to click on the link through the "frenchies" post!

You can NEVER post enough pictures btw....
Definitely, one of my top three favorite rings

 

[lorrissey]

This ring is gorgeous!!!!

Do you ever plan or do you ever wear a band with it?

 

[blingymo]

My barometer for a ring I love is how fast my heart is beating. This is a heart attack in the making.

 

[mimi72]

Thank you blingymo! And also to the last few kind posters.

lorrissey, no I don't plan on wearing a band with it (we passed our 12th anny this year). It stands on it's own and I prefer the simplicity of a single ring.

Wish my camera and photography skills were better!