Apatite v. Paraiba

[satine112]

As i''m sure some of you are aware, i''m building a ring with what i hope to be a paraiba tourmaline.

the gems that i have received are very heavily included, which is to be expected when it''s $300.

the gemologist at the jewelry store said that his jeweler probably wouldn''t want to set the stone for me, as it''s so included the liability is so high.

so - i have PT with is 7.5 on the moh''s scale, or apatite which is 5.

but, if the PT is so included, doesn''t it knock it down to a 5 or less??? am i better off with a flawless apatite, and then the risk of damage is the same as if i were to use the included PT??

thoughts?

 

[T L]

If a jeweler knows what they are doing, you should be able to set either. I suggest you find a better jeweler, preferably one that handles colored stones. Or even send it to a trusted Etsy dealer like Julia Kay Taylor for setting. She seems to understand how to set soft stones.

 

[satine112]

Thanks RH. The place i took the stones to was an upscale jewelery place downtown where i live. but the guy that helps me is younger.

i think i''m gonna nix apatite, think about this included PT i have, and spend the day looking at blue zircon and maybe get lucky?? lol

 

[chrono]

Both require a very skilled benchperson; perhaps your jewelller doesn’t feel confident and/or doesn’t want to assume risk of breakage.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Much of the blue zircon being sold today has been treated beyond the traditional heating. The Cambodian material would change from brown to blue with only heat. Now there are several other processes used, and the results are not always permanent. Stones over time will fade to a lighter color. Then change can happen in as short as a year or less.

It''s difficult to find the Cambodian material that is stable.

A blue apatite can be a very pretty stone, with a color similar to the tourmaline. These stones in fine qualities are much less expensive than the tourmaline. I''ve talked to jewelers who wouldn''t dare to set one, and others who set them often, and with out problems.

 

[satine112]

Thanks for the info on Zircon Gene.

i think i''ll pass if that''s the case. i do not want my blue turning brown.

my LOGR setting arrives tomorrow (i think) so i may just call in love with one of the PTs i have and see if i can get someone to set it.

i have 2, a traditional one at 1.5ct and another at 2ct but both are 6mmx8mm. the 2ct is very bottom heavy and the gem guy told me that because it''s so deep, it may eventually come loose in the setting. (shame, this one is a tad more neon than the other).

i''d take pics, but when i photograph them, they come up green??

 

[T L]

Take pics anyways, I would love to see them.

 

[LD]

I''ll echo TL / Chrono and say an experienced benchman will set either. However, you will need to assume the risk I would think. So if your gem breaks or chips during the setting process, you''ll have no comeback. That''s pretty normal if you haven''t bought the stone from the jeweller. Perhaps ask to speak to the benchman him/herself next time because sales people might not fully understand the complexity involved.

In terms of Paraiba Tourmaline, if your stone is heavily included it does depend on where the inclusions are, what they are etc and whether they may affect the integrity of the stone. If you search under my name for Paraiba you''ll see the first ever PT I bought which is a neon glowy blue is so included you can''t see through it! (It was my first purchase in my defence lol).

Apatite, again, I''ve had this set on a number of occasions BUT this is more brittle than a PT. It''s not an everyday ring are you aware of that?

I''m attaching a picture of the MOHS scale of hardness. People think that a 1 is the softest and then it goes up in equal grades of hardness to a 10. Actually that''s not correct, it''s not equal. So the difference between a 7 and a 5 is larger than you may think.

 

[m76steve]

if u r building a ring with the color of paraiba tourmaline-windex blue-the ring will b very nice-if u use appatite for the stone u must b very careful to what u brush the ring against-appatite is soft-there is lots of good african paraiba tourl on the market & it is rugged-good for a ring-shop around on ebay-take ur time & buy with safety because almost all buys r covered by ebay-enjoy ur ring....am watching...

 

[morecarats]

Date: 2/9/2010 3:58:35 PM
Author: PrecisionGem
Much of the blue zircon being sold today has been treated beyond the traditional heating. The Cambodian material would change from brown to blue with only heat. Now there are several other processes used, and the results are not always permanent. Stones over time will fade to a lighter color. Then change can happen in as short as a year or less.


It''s difficult to find the Cambodian material that is stable.


A blue apatite can be a very pretty stone, with a color similar to the tourmaline. These stones in fine qualities are much less expensive than the tourmaline. I''ve talked to jewelers who wouldn''t dare to set one, and others who set them often, and with out problems.

This is interesting information about blue zircon treatments. Can you supply a reference? I deal extensively in Cambodian zircon and have had many samples tested at AIGS during the last year, and haven''t come across these other treatments. Thus far I haven''t seen any color stability problems with blue zircon, but I would like to be educated about this issue. I''m sure the folks at AIGS would be interested about these new treatments as well.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Re-reading my post, it isn''t clear. The Cambodian material that is only heated is stable. THey are taking zircon from other locations now, and treating them to blue, and some of these other treatments are not stable.

I buy zircon from a guy from Cambodia, who deals with the miners and his information is that mining in Cambodia is getting pretty dried up, not much being found, especially in any larger sizes. His material is only cooked, no other treatments. I was talking just last week with him, and he was telling me about these other treatments, and how the stone start to fade over time and need to be re-treated. His english is tough to follow, and I was paying more attention to the rough stones I was sorting through. This guys name is Dan Ly. I buy from him every year.

 

[LD]

Satine - I know when you started on this journey you were also considering other blue stones that had a similar look to a Paraiba. I came across this and wondered if it would be something you''d consider?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-90-Ct-Elegantly-Clean-Natural-Swiss-Blue-Topaz-Gem_W0QQitemZ200435596641QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLoose_Gemstones_1?hash=item2eaae47d61

I suspect the photo has been photoshopped so it''s likely to be less neon than this in person but I would think it''ll still be very bright and lively. I haven''t bought from this seller either but it''s not an expensive stone and you''ll potentially get a big look from it.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/9/2010 5:44:31 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds


I'll echo TL / Chrono and say an experienced benchman will set either. However, you will need to assume the risk I would think. So if your gem breaks or chips during the setting process, you'll have no comeback. That's pretty normal if you haven't bought the stone from the jeweller. Perhaps ask to speak to the benchman him/herself next time because sales people might not fully understand the complexity involved.

In terms of Paraiba Tourmaline, if your stone is heavily included it does depend on where the inclusions are, what they are etc and whether they may affect the integrity of the stone. If you search under my name for Paraiba you'll see the first ever PT I bought which is a neon glowy blue is so included you can't see through it! (It was my first purchase in my defence lol).

Apatite, again, I've had this set on a number of occasions BUT this is more brittle than a PT. It's not an everyday ring are you aware of that?

I'm attaching a picture of the MOHS scale of hardness. People think that a 1 is the softest and then it goes up in equal grades of hardness to a 10. Actually that's not correct, it's not equal. So the difference between a 7 and a 5 is larger than you may think.

Slightly off topic, but I find it fascinating that the disparity in hardness between corundum (#9) and diamond (#10) is larger than that between talc (#1) and corundum (#9). Diamond is trully amazing material.

 

[morecarats]

Date: 2/10/2010 8:03:38 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/9/2010 5:44:31 PM

Author: LovingDiamonds



I''ll echo TL / Chrono and say an experienced benchman will set either. However, you will need to assume the risk I would think. So if your gem breaks or chips during the setting process, you''ll have no comeback. That''s pretty normal if you haven''t bought the stone from the jeweller. Perhaps ask to speak to the benchman him/herself next time because sales people might not fully understand the complexity involved.


In terms of Paraiba Tourmaline, if your stone is heavily included it does depend on where the inclusions are, what they are etc and whether they may affect the integrity of the stone. If you search under my name for Paraiba you''ll see the first ever PT I bought which is a neon glowy blue is so included you can''t see through it! (It was my first purchase in my defence lol).


Apatite, again, I''ve had this set on a number of occasions BUT this is more brittle than a PT. It''s not an everyday ring are you aware of that?


I''m attaching a picture of the MOHS scale of hardness. People think that a 1 is the softest and then it goes up in equal grades of hardness to a 10. Actually that''s not correct, it''s not equal. So the difference between a 7 and a 5 is larger than you may think.

Slightly off topic, but I find it fascinating that the disparity in hardness between corundum (#9) and diamond (#10) is larger than that between talc (#1) and corundum (#9). Diamond is trully amazing material.

In relative terms, diamomd is about 4 times harder than corundum. But corundum is about 400 times harder than talc.

 

[satine112]

Ok, this is the stone i am considering.

it is more blue/turquoise in real life, but photographs on the green side.

it is $280, 1.54ct, heavily included, as to be expected. 6mmX8mm and there are 2 black spots in the corner, which i think the prongs can cover. thoughts???

 

[satine112]

And here it is sitting in the setting, which i received today.

 

[T L]

Satine,
Can you photograph it in brighter light? It's hard to see the color well. It looks like you took the photo in a dim room. When setting it, I would advise your jeweler NOT to use an ultrasonic cleaner on it.

 

[LD]

Can you also photograph it with a cream or white background? The black of the jewellery box emphasizes the window and is a little detracting. Try putting the ring on and balancing the stone in the setting. Then stand by a window and take some photos. It''s a bit of a balancing act but will allow you to see what it will actually look like set.

 

[satine112]

i went to the jeweler today, and after much conversation i am returning the stone AND the setting and i am just done with the whole thing.

thanks for all of your help, etc.

i''ll find a piece of plastic that''s pretty and neon, as i''ve kind of lost interest in doing this "project".

i''m glad that all of you still enjoy building jewelry though, but for me, it''s just too stressful and too much work

thanks again to everyone!

 

[T L]

Satine,
I''m sorry. Jewelry building is fun, but you picked one of the most difficult stones to come by at a reasonable price, neon glowy paraiba. A few years ago, you would have had much more to pick from. Is the LOGR at least decent? I can''t tell from your pictures too well.

 

[satine112]

the jeweler said that the prongs needed ...i forget the word, so i''ll say "scored". it needed the indents in the inside to hold the stone better, and they could have engraved it in but the prongs were so thin that it wouldn''t have been good. like, it needed to be a bit thicker. the diamonds were single cut and an "i3" he said. said it must have come from overseas. how he knew that, i''ll never know. lol

from a normal person''s point of view, it looked fine though.

 

[RockHugger]

Be careful with jewelers and their ''opinions'' of your goods. From the second you walk in that store you are a potential sale. And they will talk bad about your goods, so you feel bad about them and then will come back and buy from them. Its part of the ''game''.
I have had it happen a few time myself, and I know a few people here have fallen victim to these sales techniques. I find it rude and annoying, but with internet sales going up, they need to make money somehow.

I would take it to another jeweler before you give up. You have the stone, and the setting, so you are almost done! If you see nothing wrong with your settings diamonds, then the jewelers comment means nothing. You are wearing it now him. I dont see anything wrong with it in the picture personally.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/13/2010 10:38:16 PM
Author: satine112
the jeweler said that the prongs needed ...i forget the word, so i''ll say ''scored''. it needed the indents in the inside to hold the stone better, and they could have engraved it in but the prongs were so thin that it wouldn''t have been good. like, it needed to be a bit thicker. the diamonds were single cut and an ''i3'' he said. said it must have come from overseas. how he knew that, i''ll never know. lol

from a normal person''s point of view, it looked fine though.

Like RockHugger, I also agree that jewelers like to berate jewelry to make you come back to them. As for the setting, it''s inexpensive, and if you''re happy with it, I might keep it for a future stone. My jeweler has to sometimes "score" the prongs too. This is to allow a stone to hold better if it''s slightly bigger than the appropriate size for the ring, that''s pretty standard. I also never had problems with LOGR prongs. I have had problems with lan.bo4 prongs. I even reused the prongs on one rose gold setting fine, and the stone was a bit too fat for the setting, but my jeweler made it fit. If the diamonds sparkle well and are not ''frozen spit'' looking, that would be acceptable to me. If they are frozen spit looking, I would return the ring.

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 2/14/2010 7:48:18 AM
Author: RockHugger
Be careful with jewelers and their ''opinions'' of your goods. From the second you walk in that store you are a potential sale. And they will talk bad about your goods, so you feel bad about them and then will come back and buy from them. Its part of the ''game''.

I have had it happen a few time myself, and I know a few people here have fallen victim to these sales techniques. I find it rude and annoying, but with internet sales going up, they need to make money somehow.


I would take it to another jeweler before you give up. You have the stone, and the setting, so you are almost done! If you see nothing wrong with your settings diamonds, then the jewelers comment means nothing. You are wearing it now him. I dont see anything wrong with it in the picture personally.

This is an interesting and common perspective, but as with most things has two sides. Whether this is part of the "game" all depends on the jeweler in question and your relationship with them. In many cases when they nicely say something is of less than adequate quality they are not trying to sell you something else, but trying to protect you from wasting your money on junk. When I had a small shop I can remember many times when people would come in with some junky stuff that they''d bought online or at a maul store. Since I''m not too inclined to talk badly about other sellers I would merely pull out the microscope and let them SEE what they were really buying. No sales pitch, no trying to sway them to my stuff, just straight info. They''d invariably just look at me, look at their piece under the scope again, say, "Thanks for letting see this like this" and walk out. One guy, who''s a friend, had wanted a a rather expensive tennis bracelet, but opted to buy one of similar carat weigh at a local maul "sale". I showed it to him under the ''scope and he got a little flustered and said, "Well it looks like she''ll be getting fleece this Christmas". I said, "At least you won''t be getting "fleeced" this Christmas, Larry". None of the people that I''d helped bought from me at when I helped them, but a significant number came back to discuss other projects later and a few did buy.

The moral here is that you can tell when someone is only trying to sell and when someone is offering advice from years of being in the business as a real attempt to help. If you feel that someone is just trying to sell, then walk away and find someone who does want to help. I''d suggest looking for a jeweler who has a microscope on their counter, or close by, and is willing to use it to explain what they are talking about. Doing their own bench work or having a bench jeweler available to talk to also helps a great deal. If you can find someone who is INVOLVED in jewelry, and not just selling it, then you should consider using them as much as possible. Finding the right person to work with will make your projects FUN, easier, of higher quality and give you a much better understanding of how this all goes together.

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 2/13/2010 10:38:16 PM
Author: satine112
the jeweler said that the prongs needed ...i forget the word, so i''ll say ''scored''. it needed the indents in the inside to hold the stone better, and they could have engraved it in but the prongs were so thin that it wouldn''t have been good. like, it needed to be a bit thicker.

ALL prongs have to have "seats" cut into them to hold the stones. This locates the stone in it''s vertical position properly as well as making it possible to bend the prong in the appropriate place without the stone slipping or chipping from having too much pressure being placed on it during setting. Were the prongs too thin ? Well maybe, it all depends on how long and how big around they are. How high the stone is set also factors into whether a prong is too thin. It also depends on how rough you are on your jewelery. Thinnish, long prongs bend rather easily if they are hit, but on the other hand they also give a little bit, adding some protection to the stone from banging around which isn''t enough to bend the prong. Stones that are included or soft, such as the stone you''ve shown, may benefit from being set into thinnish prongs...as long as you are aware of the possibility of bending the prongs and are careful when wearing the piece.

If you like the way the piece looks then it really doesn''t matter what the grades of the diamonds are. As long as they are held securely and the piece is not falling apart, then I''d suggest finding a bench person who knows how to set this and wants to work with you.

 

[RockHugger]

Date: 2/14/2010 2:29:14 PM
Author: Michael_E

Date: 2/14/2010 7:48:18 AM
Author: RockHugger
Be careful with jewelers and their ''opinions'' of your goods. From the second you walk in that store you are a potential sale. And they will talk bad about your goods, so you feel bad about them and then will come back and buy from them. Its part of the ''game''.

I have had it happen a few time myself, and I know a few people here have fallen victim to these sales techniques. I find it rude and annoying, but with internet sales going up, they need to make money somehow.


I would take it to another jeweler before you give up. You have the stone, and the setting, so you are almost done! If you see nothing wrong with your settings diamonds, then the jewelers comment means nothing. You are wearing it now him. I dont see anything wrong with it in the picture personally.

This is an interesting and common perspective, but as with most things has two sides. Whether this is part of the ''game'' all depends on the jeweler in question and your relationship with them. In many cases when they nicely say something is of less than adequate quality they are not trying to sell you something else, but trying to protect you from wasting your money on junk. When I had a small shop I can remember many times when people would come in with some junky stuff that they''d bought online or at a maul store. Since I''m not too inclined to talk badly about other sellers I would merely pull out the microscope and let them SEE what they were really buying. No sales pitch, no trying to sway them to my stuff, just straight info. They''d invariably just look at me, look at their piece under the scope again, say, ''Thanks for letting see this like this'' and walk out. One guy, who''s a friend, had wanted a a rather expensive tennis bracelet, but opted to buy one of similar carat weigh at a local maul ''sale''. I showed it to him under the ''scope and he got a little flustered and said, ''Well it looks like she''ll be getting fleece this Christmas''. I said, ''At least you won''t be getting ''fleeced'' this Christmas, Larry''. None of the people that I''d helped bought from me at when I helped them, but a significant number came back to discuss other projects later and a few did buy.

The moral here is that you can tell when someone is only trying to sell and when someone is offering advice from years of being in the business as a real attempt to help. If you feel that someone is just trying to sell, then walk away and find someone who does want to help. I''d suggest looking for a jeweler who has a microscope on their counter, or close by, and is willing to use it to explain what they are talking about. Doing their own bench work or having a bench jeweler available to talk to also helps a great deal. If you can find someone who is INVOLVED in jewelry, and not just selling it, then you should consider using them as much as possible. Finding the right person to work with will make your projects FUN, easier, of higher quality and give you a much better understanding of how this all goes together.

Yes there are good jewelers like yourself who are honestly trying to help the customer, but sadly there are alot of ones who are just trying to make a sale. Thats why those who buy stones should educate themselves as much as possable when buying and setting stones so you dont get pulled in by this type of technique.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/14/2010 2:29:14 PM
Author: Michael_E
This is an interesting and common perspective, but as with most things has two sides. Whether this is part of the ''game'' all depends on the jeweler in question and your relationship with them. In many cases when they nicely say something is of less than adequate quality they are not trying to sell you something else, but trying to protect you from wasting your money on junk. When I had a small shop I can remember many times when people would come in with some junky stuff that they''d bought online or at a maul store. Since I''m not too inclined to talk badly about other sellers I would merely pull out the microscope and let them SEE what they were really buying. No sales pitch, no trying to sway them to my stuff, just straight info. They''d invariably just look at me, look at their piece under the scope again, say, ''Thanks for letting see this like this'' and walk out. One guy, who''s a friend, had wanted a a rather expensive tennis bracelet, but opted to buy one of similar carat weigh at a local maul ''sale''. I showed it to him under the ''scope and he got a little flustered and said, ''Well it looks like she''ll be getting fleece this Christmas''. I said, ''At least you won''t be getting ''fleeced'' this Christmas, Larry''. None of the people that I''d helped bought from me at when I helped them, but a significant number came back to discuss other projects later and a few did buy.

The moral here is that you can tell when someone is only trying to sell and when someone is offering advice from years of being in the business as a real attempt to help. If you feel that someone is just trying to sell, then walk away and find someone who does want to help. I''d suggest looking for a jeweler who has a microscope on their counter, or close by, and is willing to use it to explain what they are talking about. Doing their own bench work or having a bench jeweler available to talk to also helps a great deal. If you can find someone who is INVOLVED in jewelry, and not just selling it, then you should consider using them as much as possible. Finding the right person to work with will make your projects FUN, easier, of higher quality and give you a much better understanding of how this all goes together.

I agree that there are honest jewelers that do try to help you to avoid junky settings and stones. It''s the ones that are overly obnoxious about it that drive me crazy. You know, the snobby types that act like nothing compares to what they have, or they act like idiots in an effort to make you look down at your merchandise.

 

[LD]

Date: 2/14/2010 6:18:09 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/14/2010 2:29:14 PM
Author: Michael_E
This is an interesting and common perspective, but as with most things has two sides. Whether this is part of the ''game'' all depends on the jeweler in question and your relationship with them. In many cases when they nicely say something is of less than adequate quality they are not trying to sell you something else, but trying to protect you from wasting your money on junk. When I had a small shop I can remember many times when people would come in with some junky stuff that they''d bought online or at a maul store. Since I''m not too inclined to talk badly about other sellers I would merely pull out the microscope and let them SEE what they were really buying. No sales pitch, no trying to sway them to my stuff, just straight info. They''d invariably just look at me, look at their piece under the scope again, say, ''Thanks for letting see this like this'' and walk out. One guy, who''s a friend, had wanted a a rather expensive tennis bracelet, but opted to buy one of similar carat weigh at a local maul ''sale''. I showed it to him under the ''scope and he got a little flustered and said, ''Well it looks like she''ll be getting fleece this Christmas''. I said, ''At least you won''t be getting ''fleeced'' this Christmas, Larry''. None of the people that I''d helped bought from me at when I helped them, but a significant number came back to discuss other projects later and a few did buy.

The moral here is that you can tell when someone is only trying to sell and when someone is offering advice from years of being in the business as a real attempt to help. If you feel that someone is just trying to sell, then walk away and find someone who does want to help. I''d suggest looking for a jeweler who has a microscope on their counter, or close by, and is willing to use it to explain what they are talking about. Doing their own bench work or having a bench jeweler available to talk to also helps a great deal. If you can find someone who is INVOLVED in jewelry, and not just selling it, then you should consider using them as much as possible. Finding the right person to work with will make your projects FUN, easier, of higher quality and give you a much better understanding of how this all goes together.

I agree that there are honest jewelers that do try to help you to avoid junky settings and stones. It''s the ones that are overly obnoxious about it that drive me crazy. You know, the snobby types that act like nothing compares to what they have, or they act like idiots in an effort to make you look down at your merchandise.

When confronted with a jeweller who has "anything bought from anywhere else is likely to be rubbish" attitude, I always find it useful to ask them if they could source the same thing for me at the same price.

A good jeweller will value your business Satine and not try to make you feel bad. A good benchman will make something work if humanely possible. Change your jeweller sweetie!

 

[RockHugger]

Date: 2/14/2010 6:38:53 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds

Date: 2/14/2010 6:18:09 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/14/2010 2:29:14 PM
Author: Michael_E
This is an interesting and common perspective, but as with most things has two sides. Whether this is part of the ''game'' all depends on the jeweler in question and your relationship with them. In many cases when they nicely say something is of less than adequate quality they are not trying to sell you something else, but trying to protect you from wasting your money on junk. When I had a small shop I can remember many times when people would come in with some junky stuff that they''d bought online or at a maul store. Since I''m not too inclined to talk badly about other sellers I would merely pull out the microscope and let them SEE what they were really buying. No sales pitch, no trying to sway them to my stuff, just straight info. They''d invariably just look at me, look at their piece under the scope again, say, ''Thanks for letting see this like this'' and walk out. One guy, who''s a friend, had wanted a a rather expensive tennis bracelet, but opted to buy one of similar carat weigh at a local maul ''sale''. I showed it to him under the ''scope and he got a little flustered and said, ''Well it looks like she''ll be getting fleece this Christmas''. I said, ''At least you won''t be getting ''fleeced'' this Christmas, Larry''. None of the people that I''d helped bought from me at when I helped them, but a significant number came back to discuss other projects later and a few did buy.

The moral here is that you can tell when someone is only trying to sell and when someone is offering advice from years of being in the business as a real attempt to help. If you feel that someone is just trying to sell, then walk away and find someone who does want to help. I''d suggest looking for a jeweler who has a microscope on their counter, or close by, and is willing to use it to explain what they are talking about. Doing their own bench work or having a bench jeweler available to talk to also helps a great deal. If you can find someone who is INVOLVED in jewelry, and not just selling it, then you should consider using them as much as possible. Finding the right person to work with will make your projects FUN, easier, of higher quality and give you a much better understanding of how this all goes together.

I agree that there are honest jewelers that do try to help you to avoid junky settings and stones. It''s the ones that are overly obnoxious about it that drive me crazy. You know, the snobby types that act like nothing compares to what they have, or they act like idiots in an effort to make you look down at your merchandise.

When confronted with a jeweller who has ''anything bought from anywhere else is likely to be rubbish'' attitude, I always find it useful to ask them if they could source the same thing for me at the same price.

A good jeweller will value your business Satine and not try to make you feel bad. A good benchman will make something work if humanely possible. Change your jeweller sweetie!

I took my diamond ring to be appraised at a jewlers, and after talking with him, told him I purchased the diamond online. The guy handed me the appraisal for $2400. Yeah...
1.15ct SI2 emerald diamond, and a custom made .8ct 14kt gold setting for $2400. After I told him I didnt agree with the appraisal, and he told me its what he could get the ring for me for, and the feather inclusion in my stone was soooooo bad. If he had rings that size/clarity going for $2400, he would have a line around the block of diamond investors and resalers. After complaints with the mall management, I got my money back and will NEVER go to him again.