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[yennyfire]

Pancake, I don't have any other pics. I'm not considering buying them (I would if I had an extra $2500!), but am trying to educate myself so that I can spot a real beauty when the time (and funding) comes.

As for the earrings being too big in bezels, we may both get kicked off of PS together, because I get what you're saying. I have really small earlobes and my 1.50 ctw studs didn't look good in my ears because they kind of hung off of my lobe. I recently traded them in for that reason (towards my wedding set). So if I'm able to replace them, I'll probably go with something smaller or else something maybe on a leverback that is supposed to hang off of my ear...if it were me, I'd go try on similar size stones in different settings to see what you like best before you do anything with your lovely stones.

MakingtheGrade, sorry that you didn't win that stone...your stone is still out there waiting for you!

 

[pancake]

Yenny - I am definitely going to try some stuff on to see how the size looks in my earlobes, in any case these are already set as studs with 6 prongs so that in itself should give me a decent idea. I actually don't know what the diameter of the stones is but since the TCW is estimated at 1.8ct I am guessing somewhere around the 6mm mark. So fine bezels would get them out to almost 7mm I guess, and 8 prongs would probably look even bigger to the eye. I don't think I'm a leverbacks girl, so if these don't work for me as studs, then I'll put one in a pendant and go on a search for a smaller pair to use as sidestones in a 3 stone ring...(groan, am just wondering how I would explain THAT purchase to my husband!!! Heck, I think he's still wondering how I managed to persuade him that I should buy these!)

 

[yennyfire]

I hear ya on the hubby. Heck, I'm considering trying to find a part time job that won't interfere with my kids schedule just to fuel my jewlery habit, lol!

 

[pancake]

lol, Yenny! Well - we have just acquired a large mortgage so I suspect that the next few years may become known as "The Great Pancake Bling Famine"

 

[yennyfire]

Snort...

 

[lizzyann]

Hi Ladies, I like Yenny am trying to learn more about OEC's and how to spot a good find. I learned a lot in my thread from LGK and other PSers who dropped by. I found a pic of a diamond and am curious to your opinion on it. I have been eyeing it for awhile as I like the patterning and was curious what you think of it. It is a .7 carat I VS1 oec. $900 measurements 5.55mm x 3.5 deep. supposedly no chips or nicks. Let me know your thoughts!

 

[pancake]

Lizzy, that stone looks beautiful - pretty symmetric and just like a snowflake in the patterning!

Coati - some more vendor pics of the twins to tide you (and me!) over:
(I am loving the Kozibe!)

 

[Laughinggravy0]

I had an OEC that I inherited and wore quite a bit as a pendent, but I'm just not into rounds so off it went to Erica. it had real presence and was a pretty stone, but just THE biggest pig to photograph.

LizyAnn, that is a lovely stone

 

[yssie]

Pancake - eeeek so late to this thread but

Have you decided what to do with them yet? Seriously gorgeous stones!!

 

[pancake]

Yo Yssie, thanks for the lovely comments! I "met" these stones last week and they are little FIREBALLS!

Face up they are so lively it is hard to see any body colour, but they are probably in the M-N-O range, beautiful warm stones, quite buttery from the side. They are very well matched - one has a slightly smaller table (only discernible in profile view) - and both super sparkly!! I don't have callipers to measure them, but holding them next to my EC I would estimate that they are about 6mm diameter or just a tick under (definitely wider than my EC, which is 5.2mm wide). The rose gold settings are actually really delicate and lovely, and more of that older, coppery colour rose gold than the pinker stuff more common nowadays.

They are the perfect size for my ears, definitely do not look loud and huge, but quite substantial

I think I am going to keep them as earrings but still unsure on whether to go with martini setting (and I think I would stay with 6 prongs, I am liking that look a lot) or bezels... I never wear rose or yellow gold but the RG sets off the colour of the stones so beautifully I am almost tempted to put them in RG bezels - which would match nothing but look stunning, I think!

So, the short answer is that I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them yet, apart from keep them on my ears

 

[lizzyann]

Pancake, we need earshots of those bad boys!

 

[stci]

Yes yes Pancake! Ear shot please!

I'm always frustrated cause I can't wear this type of setting. My piercing need to be strech!

 

[yssie]

Earshots!!


I'm loving the rose gold idea - though I'd still do eight - esp. if you can have someone make the more coppery kind, not the super pink stuff
I don't think they need to match your other pieces - they already don't, really, w/ your high-colour EC. I vote make them standalone stunners!

 

[pancake]

Sorry guys, I am a bad PSer... I am currently interstate working and left the Vanilla Twins at home But I will put up earshots as soon as I get back to them!

Yssie - I am a little concerned that 8 prongs will look too "busy", but I do realise that this is from looking at close-up, super-magnified photos here on PS. How do you find that your 8 prongers look in reality? Do you ever hanker for a bezel?

 

[yssie]

Sorry guys, I am a bad PSer... I am currently interstate working and left the Vanilla Twins at home But I will put up earshots as soon as I get back to them!

Yssie - I am a little concerned that 8 prongs will look too "busy", but I do realise that this is from looking at close-up, super-magnified photos here on PS. How do you find that your 8 prongers look in reality? Do you ever hanker for a bezel?

Vanilla twins, eh?

I was very nervous about 8prongs looking too busy on my stones (which are considerably smaller than yours, mind!). I actually lost sleep over it, and worried until I got them in my hands... in-person the prongs are so delicate, it is probably difficult to believe how understated they are IRL - they don't overwhelm my stones at all. I couldn't really believe it until I saw it!

What I do like about 8 vs 6 is the way they follow the snowflake patterns in the stones themselves - one prong for each part of the pattern. I highly doubt it's visible to the casual observer when I'm wearing them, it's just a nice symmetry for the mind! I also like the way 8prongs emphasizes the roundness of the stones - like 6prongs, just more so. Well, that and they really do add size to my lil' guys, but I think yours are so large that the boost extra prongs would give would be rather less noticeable

So no, no hankering to bezel these babies. I do have a thought though - I wear lots of drops with mine - pearl jackets, dangly jackets, and I don't think a lot of my drops would look quite "right" if my studs were bezeled instead of pronged, somehow.. I had most of them before I got the studs so that was definitely a consideration when I was choosing.


You're lucky, can't really go wrong with those

 

[Sky56]

My old mine cut diamond ring. Nice sparkly cushion shape. I find the chunky facet patterns very pleasing to the eye. I found it at a pawn shop for $850. Seems to be (this is approximate - my viewing in the setting as well as the guess by a jeweler) 1.25 carats (measures 7mm across) K color VVS1. Edges are in great condition (no chips) There were enameled Masonic symbols on each side of this men's ring from circa 1910 and I had a jeweler size the ring and remove those insignias because it looked very masculine and clunky on my hand before the changes. I feel this is a lucky find.

 

[Sky56]

My transitional cut diamond I bought at a coin shop. It has the large table and small culet indicative of transitional cut. Nice chunky facet pattern that is a little fireball on my neck. Again, guessing in the setting .75 carats, I or J color, VS1 clarity. It came in this modern rabbit-ears basket setting. This and the ring above are two of my favorite recent finds from my forays to shops which sell second-hand jewelry.

 

[Sky56]

My old mine cut diamond ring. Nice sparkly cushion shape. I find the chunky facet patterns very pleasing to the eye. I found it at a pawn shop for $850. Seems to be (this is approximate - my viewing in the setting as well as the guess by a jeweler) 1.25 carats (measures 7mm across) K color VVS1. Edges are in great condition (no chips) There were enameled Masonic symbols on each side of this men's ring from circa 1910 and I had a jeweler size the ring and remove those insignias because it looked very masculine and clunky on my hand before the changes. I feel this is a lucky find.

I think I was mistaken calling it 'old mine cut'- the diamond is an "Antique Cushion."

 

[rubyprincess]

I'm really new to the old cut diamonds and love them. Can someone point to a good primer to learn about the different cuts? I thin I like the transitionals best but googling info on them doesn't yield much. Thanks so much.

 

[stci]

My transitional cut diamond I bought at a coin shop. It has the large table and small culet indicative of transitional cut. Nice chunky facet pattern that is a little fireball on my neck. Again, guessing in the setting .75 carats, I or J color, VS1 clarity. It came in this modern rabbit-ears basket setting. This and the ring above are two of my favorite recent finds from my forays to shops which sell second-hand jewelry.

Are you sure about that?

 

[pancake]

stci - presumably that was a typo and the depth and table were reversed.

Today I have more tales of my lack of self-control to share with you. They are not major purchases but fun nonetheless...

The first is a 18K WG ring with 7 x 5pt and 6 x 1pt baguettes. This is my birthday gift (birthday is next weekend, not a "milestone" birthday so I am pretty stoked to be receiving a nice piece of jewellery!).

The second is a loose 27pt H, SI1 OEC. I am not sure exactly what I bought this for but I figure that if I collect enough stones then eventually I'll find a use for them, haha. Possibilities at this stage would be for this to be part of an eventual 5 stone ring, or perhaps a sidestone in a 3 stone. It was well-priced and I liked the facet pattern, so why not, right?? The pic of this is low-res, sorry.

 

[rubyprincess]

PANCAKE! That baguette band is pure perfection. Saving that one in the files! Thanks for posting.

 

[pancake]

Thanks Rubyprincess! It won't arrive for a couple of weeks at least (that's the seller's picture) but I am looking forward to seeing it on my RH - it is the right size already so I'll be ready to go!

 

[yennyfire]

Wow pancake, you've been a busy girl! I am in love with those earrings and can't wait to see earshots and that baguette band is tdf! Waaa....I still haven't found a job to support my habit, so no new bling for me....

 

[Sky56]

My transitional cut diamond I bought at a coin shop. It has the large table and small culet indicative of transitional cut. Nice chunky facet pattern that is a little fireball on my neck. Again, guessing in the setting .75 carats, I or J color, VS1 clarity. It came in this modern rabbit-ears basket setting. This and the ring above are two of my favorite recent finds from my forays to shops which sell second-hand jewelry.

Are you sure about that?

I am an amateur consumer re: diamonds, so I can't say I am 100% sure. But the seller (a coin and second-hand jewelry shop) thought it was a transitional cut. Then, I showed to to two other jewelers and they both thought it was a transitional cut...so I think it is.
I know this probably doesn't mean anything (and sounds very unscientific) but it does not look like a MRB. I love wearing it.

 

[stci]

My transitional cut diamond I bought at a coin shop. It has the large table and small culet indicative of transitional cut. Nice chunky facet pattern that is a little fireball on my neck. Again, guessing in the setting .75 carats, I or J color, VS1 clarity. It came in this modern rabbit-ears basket setting. This and the ring above are two of my favorite recent finds from my forays to shops which sell second-hand jewelry.

Are you sure about that?

I am an amateur consumer re: diamonds, so I can't say I am 100% sure. But the seller (a coin and second-hand jewelry shop) thought it was a transitional cut. Then, I showed to to two other jewelers and they both thought it was a transitional cut...so I think it is.
I know this probably doesn't mean anything (and sounds very unscientific) but it does not look like a MRB. I love wearing it.

I have no doubt about the transitional cut Dear but you have to invert the phrase in red. It's small table and large culet whatever, the culet may be small too. Anyway, it's a gorgeous diamond for sure!

 

[Sky56]

Thank you!

 

[ludmila.k]

my antique 18ct and platinum swirl ring....LOVE IT

 

[Sky56]

Your ring is beautiful! Thanks everyone for posting your pictures of your great old cuts. I am very much enjoying this thread as I am a big fan of these vintage diamonds.

 

[bleeblue]

Could the experts here please let me know if this is a tranny? I just get so confused with all the different cuts...