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Please help evaluate this old cut!

Dreamer_D said:
I keep thinking about that setting. Am I crazy or did they insert a bezel into a raw gold nugget??
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I think it was just designed to look that way, for some godawful reason.
 
lala646 said:
I think it was just designed to look that way, for some godawful reason.
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I dunno… that weird textured yellow… crust?? .. visible from the side looks authentic. At least, it’s hard to imagine doing that on purpose!

(And now I’m imagining the person who commissioned this ring back in 1973 somehow finding this thread and quietly crying over our terrible feedback when everyone in real life always gushed and exclaimed how “unique” it was when she thrust her hand into their faces to show it off…)
 
Perhaps someone who mined gold for a living.

I envision removing the diamond and melting the ring down and using the gold for something beautiful… like a phoenix rising from the ashes she will be!
 
Dreamer_D said:
I dunno… that weird textured yellow… crust?? .. visible from the side looks authentic. At least, it’s hard to imagine doing that on purpose!

(And now I’m imagining the person who commissioned this ring back in 1973 somehow finding this thread and quietly crying over our terrible feedback when everyone in real life always gushed and exclaimed how “unique” it was when she thrust her hand into their faces to show it off…)
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I think it was a man's ring. It has very masculine vibes to me.
 
lala646 said:
I think it was a man's ring. It has very masculine vibes to me.
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Dreamer_D said:
I dunno… that weird textured yellow… crust?? .. visible from the side looks authentic. At least, it’s hard to imagine doing that on purpose!

(And now I’m imagining the person who commissioned this ring back in 1973 somehow finding this thread and quietly crying over our terrible feedback when everyone in real life always gushed and exclaimed how “unique” it was when she thrust her hand into their faces to show it off…)
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We might be offending a whole host of nugget ring lovers!

www.stuller.com

14K Yellow Nugget Ring

9091 / 14K Yellow / 18 mm / Polished / Mens Nugget Ring
www.stuller.com www.stuller.com
 
update from jeweler #1 - dimensions are 9.11 diameter x 5.72 depth. He thinks the color could be M but could be Q - it’s definitely warm but can’t get a good read till its free of the setting. My husband is not into the color. It would be my ring but also a gift from him so we’re working thru the color issue :). I was hoping the jeweler would say it’s definitely a K-L and I’d have her freed by now.

He also wasn’t very knowledgeable about the old cuts so tomorrow I’m going to see a GIA appraiser near me that specializes in antiques. Shout out to KarlK for posing a link to naja appraisers. I’d never have found her with out this link.

More soon!
 
How did I know it would be golf? Lol…. As a fellow golf wife, I feel pretty confident that across a lifetime, memberships and clubs and all the other expenses adds up to more than this diamond costs. Especially when he wants that 40k membership one day.
 
vitona526 said:
While I’m waiting, @lavenderdragonfly23 I’ve been searching for the status of your dream ring. Have you gotten it?
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You are so sweet! I don’t have it… yet.
167 days to go! I’m working OT through the school year and chucking away all my pennies in the meantime :pray:
 
vitona526 said:
Thank you everyone for the feed back! This sounds ridiculous …but I’m so happy to you think she’s pretty! I hold PS opinions in the highest regard.
@Lookinagain @lulu_ma @lavenderdragonfly23 @Mreader @lala646
I wish I could figure out multi quote …

My new loupe was just delivered and I see 2 spots that could be chips in the girdle. That could potentially be a deal breaker. The local jeweler is closed Monday so I will take it Tuesday. If he sees what I see, I’ll have to think on it. If he thinks the girdle looks good, I’ll have her removed from the setting and see about sending to GIA. Of course with photos posted here :)

My gut is telling me she’s not as warm as she looks in some of these photos and I don’t mind this shade of warmth even if it is M-N-O.
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This is a gorgeous diamond. Everything about it. Love, love, LOVE IT! The cutting and fire are quite exceptional. I think it's a keeper, girdle chips or not.

If potential girdle chips are a deal-breaker and you decide to pass, give us a shout out! I'm sure someone here would love to find a diamond like that for $8500. I know I would (If I had $8500, that is :lol-2:). I'm currently camped out with the rest of the troops on Ban Island :mrgreen:
 
Sooo… the appraiser thinks it’s a 1910’s OEC. 2.91 carat color L, VS2. She said it does have some “bearding” on the girdle. Bearding is small girdle chips?

So I were planning to take her out. Eeeeeek!

Thoughts on GIA certifications? Someone recommend touching up the girdle before sending to GIA so the clarity won’t be affected. Thoughts on that? Is it expensive? And is it possible the diamond could be damaged by taking it out of the bezel?

Thank you for holding my hand thru this!
 
vitona526 said:
Sooo… the appraiser thinks it’s a 1910’s OEC. 2.91 carat color L, VS2. She said it does have some “bearding” on the girdle. Bearding is small girdle chips?

So I were planning to take her out. Eeeeeek!

Thoughts on GIA certifications? Someone recommend touching up the girdle before sending to GIA so the clarity won’t be affected. Thoughts on that? Is it expensive? And is it possible the diamond could be damaged by taking it out of the bezel?

Thank you for holding my hand thru this!
Click to expand...

As I understand it, “bearding” refers to tiny sandpaper-like marks on the girdle that extend slightly beyond its border and onto the surface of adjacent facets.

It looks like a “beard” under high magnification - and it’s a totally normal consequence of bruting (using another diamond to smooth or shape the girdle).

IMG_5751.jpegIMG_5752.jpeg

Fixing it would involve repolishing the first row of surrounding facets just a little.

For me, part of the reason I don’t like to repolish old cuts is that modern faceting equipment is different than it was a century ago and thus yields a different finish quality. The old tin laps were softer than the ones we use today and thereby left the facets slightly (microscopically) convex. This gives the diamond a different kind of (vitreous) luster that I personally adore and see as part of the charm and uniqueness of antique diamonds. It’s a quality that I don’t believe is possible to reproduce today, as it is an artifact of polishing equipment that no longer exists (to my knowledge).

When you repolish with modern equipment, you get modern (perfectly flat) facets and it may affect the original meet points (facet junctures).

Personally, I wouldn’t touch it. I prefer to preserve antique diamonds all of their original, imperfect charm whenever possible.

Antique diamonds will never get an “excellent” polish grade from the GIA anyway (I don’t think bearding would affect clarity grade).

This is just my personal bias, and I’m NOT an expert.

Perhaps the more qualified antique diamond experts here are a more important voice here however, so I defer to them in this case.

Is the certificate just for your own records, or does it serve some other purpose?
 
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Omg… could Willy get anymore more perfect??!?! Just shy of 3ct’s??! Ummm, YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU! :kiss2:

And possibly an L??!

Wait, did I miss what your plans are for her? Assuming Willy is a her?!? Ring, pendant, amazing pendant, the pendant to rule them all, or a pendant? I’m sending you pendant vibes can you tell? Hehe!

I was so excited for you before, and now I’m over the moon… pretty please post one million pictures with one of those micro lenses that fit on your cellphone so we can finally SEE her! ❤️

Side note, so glad you can’t see that I’ve refreshed this thread a bunch to make sure I didn’t miss any updates :lol:
 
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Oh, I got all excited and forgot…

I wouldn’t touch her girdle. Thats her thumbprint from her maker. She’s perfectly imperfect, just the way an antique diamond should be. Personally the only time I would have send an antique stone in would be if something was “structurally not sound”… I can’t think what I’m trying to say here, sorry I’m coming off a 12 hour shift and my brain is mush… structural integrity? And even then I would reach out to someone who works specifically with antique diamonds and could preserve as much of her possible.

I should stop typing I’m not even sure if I’m making sense :lol-2:
 
I would leave it alone. The bearding is just from the way they used to cut diamonds by basically rubbing two diamonds against each other lol It is a sign of its antiquity and because of that I would not touch it! There is always risk when a diamond goes on the wheel and the risk they will get ambitious and mess up your baby. Send it to GIA as is because it is cool to know and good for insurance, and don’t worry about the clarity bc you aren’t selling it.
 
vitona526 said:
Sooo… the appraiser thinks it’s a 1910’s OEC. 2.91 carat color L, VS2. She said it does have some “bearding” on the girdle. Bearding is small girdle chips?

So I were planning to take her out. Eeeeeek!

Thoughts on GIA certifications? Someone recommend touching up the girdle before sending to GIA so the clarity won’t be affected. Thoughts on that? Is it expensive? And is it possible the diamond could be damaged by taking it out of the bezel?

Thank you for holding my hand thru this!
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Yes it can be damaged coming out of the bezel. It’s not surgery but I’d still choose someone very experienced and reputable.
 
@Dr_Diesel great info! Thank you! The appraiser said “bearding” but wrote “a few small chips on the girdle” image.jpg
The GIA cert would be for me but also in case I decide to sell her … if I change my mind or decide she’s too warm for me. I like to have an escape route from large purchases. Lol. Hence my obsession with making sure I can sell her for $8500. The appraiser assured me I could, but a GIA cert would help.

@lavenderdragonfly23 you make perfect sense, retouching only when absolutely necessary. And my husband is really into the pendant idea too! But I’m set on a ring. And I’m also refreshing this thread a few times a day lol.

@Dreamer_D it may not be actual surgery but I feel like I’m sending my baby in for surgery and I’m nervous! There are no vintage jewelry specialists around here! I could drive 1.5 hours to Pearlman jewelers. They seem to have a good reputation here. Or I trust the local jeweler, pray, and cross my fingers :eek-2:
 
lavenderdragonfly23 said:
Omg… could Willy get anymore more perfect??!?! Just shy of 3ct’s??! Ummm, YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU! :kiss2:

And possibly an L??!

Wait, did I miss what your plans are for her? Assuming Willy is a her?!? Ring, pendant, amazing pendant, the pendant to rule them all, or a pendant? I’m sending you pendant vibes can you tell? Hehe!

I was so excited for you before, and now I’m over the moon… pretty please post one million pictures with one of those micro lenses that fit on your cellphone so we can finally SEE her! ❤️

Side note, so glad you can’t see that I’ve refreshed this thread a bunch to make sure I didn’t miss any updates :lol:
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I need to get a micro lense!
 
vitona526 said:
@Dr_Diesel great info! Thank you! The appraiser said “bearding” but wrote “a few small chips on the girdle” image.jpg
The GIA cert would be for me but also in case I decide to sell her … if I change my mind or decide she’s too warm for me. I like to have an escape route from large purchases. Lol. Hence my obsession with making sure I can sell her for $8500. The appraiser assured me I could, but a GIA cert would help.

@lavenderdragonfly23 you make perfect sense, retouching only when absolutely necessary. And my husband is really into the pendant idea too! But I’m set on a ring. And I’m also refreshing this thread a few times a day lol.

@Dreamer_D it may not be actual surgery but I feel like I’m sending my baby in for surgery and I’m nervous! There are no vintage jewelry specialists around here! I could drive 1.5 hours to Pearlman jewelers. They seem to have a good reputation here. Or I trust the local jeweler, pray, and cross my fingers :eek-2:
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You could always send it to Sako, especially if you intend to do a project with him. He has been entrusted to do restorations for museum pieces, so you could not be in better hands!

...and IF you do need to sell it for $8500, tag me in a preloved post and I won't haggle for one dime of it - chips or no chips!
 
That looks like a pretty diamond @Dreamer_D ! Did you hold your phone up to the loupe lense?
 
vitona526 said:
That looks like a pretty diamond @Dreamer_D ! Did you hold your phone up to the loupe lense?
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Yeah hold the loupe near the camera lens and just experiment with distance between camera lens and loupe and diamond. Then you gotta edit the picture so the diamond is full frame.

And also want to say I forbid you from selling this diamond even if the color “bothers you” … this is a once in a lifetime find. A 2.9ct for the price you paid? With amazing cut? Never again. Keep it. You would regret selling it forever. I get wanting a safety net, but also, sometimes you have to make a little commitment. And this diamond deserves commitment. It doesn’t serve to be scrutinized over something as sillly as color when we are talking about such a rare and special treasure and the full story of how you found it.
 
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