Chipped diamond - help!

[Queenky]

I just got my engagement ring a month ago - it was custom-made and we were told that the diamond was of great quality. The diamond was appraised for 9K and it is insured. I believe it''s either IF or VVS1. Today my diamond chipped - it''s extremely noticable, like a crack on the side - a huge piece is missing. I was so confused - I thought diamonds don''t chip and the thought that it might be fake terrified me. I''ve been searching on the web and found out that it happens, but many specialists say that it happens very rarely and those are diamonds of bad quality. Is that normal that a good diamond chips? I know I can get the money out of the insurance company, but I wonder if my jeweler appraised the diamond properly. I have no trust in him. Plus the insurance rates will go up and they are already extremely high. What are my chances to replace this stone through the jeweler? Should he take the responsibility?

Thank you.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Just because your diamond chipped does not make it a bad diamond. A cleavage plane in that area was exposed during cutting. You possibly dinged your ring in just the right way with the right amount of force and the chip occurred. Upsetting to their owners, but it does happen. Other people wear their diamonds a lifetime and get lucky not to chip them. Unless your jeweler had some very specific tests run on the diamond, he was as much unaware of the risk with this particular diamond as you were.

You might ask about having the diamond repolished. The diamond will have to be examined first to see if polishing is feasible. If it can be polished, you will loose a bit of carat weight. Might be worth investigating, tho, to help keep costs down.

 

[windowshopper]

well yes diamonds do chip--quite often but conversely you can have a klutz like me smack the hell out of her stone on more than few occasions and nothing happens.

please tell us what type of cert your stone has and what type of inclusions
did you purchase the stone from a reputable store and who is it

who appraised the stone? any comments?

unfortunately unless the stone has been tampered with, is filled or is NOT what it was represented to be the selling jeweler has no obligation to you

i hope others will weigh in

 

[valeria101]

Yeah... diamond crack allright regardless of clarity and cost. An opened and very high setting does nothing to protect them

details of cut (thin girdle, shallow crown... ) may make one piece relatively brittle or not. How was it set ?

I doubt the jeweler is in the position to replace the stone unless the crack happens whie he is handling it (which didn't). This is one bit for the insurance company to handle.

Sorry to hear this.

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 2/17/2005 8:21:46 AM
Author:Queenky
I just got my engagement ring a month ago - it was custom-made and we were told that the diamond was of great quality. The diamond was appraised for 9K and it is insured. I believe it''s either IF or VVS1. Today my diamond chipped - it''s extremely noticable, like a crack on the side - a huge piece is missing. I was so confused - I thought diamonds don''t chip and the thought that it might be fake terrified me. I''ve been searching on the web and found out that it happens, but many specialists say that it happens very rarely and those are diamonds of bad quality. Is that normal that a good diamond chips? I know I can get the money out of the insurance company, but I wonder if my jeweler appraised the diamond properly. I have no trust in him. Plus the insurance rates will go up and they are already extremely high. What are my chances to replace this stone through the jeweler? Should he take the responsibility?

Thank you.

Queenky,

I''m sorry to hear of your loss.
I agree with Steve, this is what you bought the insurance is for. Contact your agent.

I''m a little surprised about some of your comments. You mention that the stone is either IF or VVS1 and that you have had it appraised. What does the appraisal say? The appraisal report that you submitted when you bought the insurance policy is what will be used by the insurance company to determine the quality of the replacement stone. The details of this report and the insurance policy are important.

You mention that you don’t trust your jeweler, and presumably your appraiser (it sounds like these are these same person). I recommend that you find an independent appraiser to assist you and find another jeweler with whom you can build a better relationship. There are high quality jewelers in almost every community and there is no reason for you to patronize someone that you feel is untrustworthy.

First things first. Call your insurance agent and explain the problem. They will probably send you to an appraiser to assess the damages and recommend a remedy. After you get the facts, you will have the opportunity to decide if you want to proceed with the claim or if you just want to deal with it on your own.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[codex57]

Diamonds are hard to SCRATCH, not chip That hardness and indestructible stuff you hear about diamonds relates to scratching.

 

[loupe]

First, I am sorry that this happened. Let me address the appraiser question for you as that is what I do. The appraiser would probably have noticed anything that would compromise the diamond when they inspected it. With such a high clarity grade, there would not have been any surface reaching fractures in the diamond. Did this diamond have a laboratory grading report? If so, the grading report, the appraisal and the ring should be shown to your insurance adjuster. Some diamonds are under tremendous strain when cut into the shapes that best utilize the rough. It has nothing to do with the quality of the diamond unless it was heavily included accompanied by strain and daily wear. Make sure that your insurance policy covers the ring for damage as well as theft and loss. Since the person who sold you the ring also appraised it, there was no objective opinion of value. Give the jeweler the chance to see the ring, stay calm, ask them what can be done and if you don''t get the answers that you want, you are perfectly within your rights to find a repalcement diamond somewhere else through your insurance company.

Good luck to you and don''t panic.

loupe