is this worth it? calling all opinions please!

[lillei]

As a jewelry lover since the beginning of time, I have to admit that since I started reading through these forums I''m afraid I may be a bit naive when it comes to value. There seem to be so many knowlegeable people on this site, so please feel free to let me know what you think! I''ve made a down payment on a wedding band, and am starting to get nervous on the price...$7500.

The band is a size 5 eternity, set in platinum. There are 3 rows of diamonds, totaling to 3.2 carats. It is a channel set band...princess in the center row, and rounds on the edges. The jeweler told me that it valued at nearly $10,000, but is charging me a lower price because the ring was made two years ago, when diamond and platinum prices were lower. I originally though it was a great deal, but know I have no idea! Anybody have input?

 

[mrssalvo]

without know the quality of the stones, it''s hard to guess. I would take it to an indepentant appraiser, before purchase if the jeweler will send it for you. Or, buy it and contigent upon a return if it doesn''t appraise for what you pay and take it right after you buy it. The price doesn''t sound way out of line..

 

[lillei]

Thanks for the feedback. I don''t know the quality of the stones, but the ring comes from a highly respected jeweler in my area. I do know that my e-ring is a color of F, and the colors between the two rings didn''t appear to contrast. I''m not even sure what the size of the stones are! All I know is that the center row of princess totals to 2 carats and the rounds total to 1.2

 

[valeria101]

Does it look like this by any chance?

The picture comes from Signedpieces.com They claim F-G/VS or better for their little diamonds. It is normal practice to quote split grades (like the ''VS'' or ''F-G'') for these small stones.

 

[pinkflamingo]

If you really like the design, go for it! I don''t know if it is really a "deal" though, look at this one from WF:
it is 3.5 carats in plat for $6250
ring

obviously, yours is a different style, so if you love the style, get it. i would be careful with color and clarity, the one on WF is F-G color and VS clarity. If the one you are looking at does not specify clarity, I would assume it is probably not very good, look for cloudy diamonds and specks.

I also second the appraisal rec.

 

[lillei]

Hey guys. Thanks for the responses. The ring is somewhat similar to the second one posted by whiteflash...at least in regards to width. That one is gorgeous; I wish I could try it on!!! Geesh...now I''m really wondering if it''s worth it. That one by wf has more diamonds and is cheaper to boot! I think that wf is pretty respected by you guys on here. I''ve never bought a piece of jewelry without seeing it first though.

 

[apexboys]

General rule of thumb.

Get it appraised by an independent GIA graduate gemologist. You should pay between 40-50% lower than the appraisal.

Then you did alright.

Rex.

 

[StonesThrow]

Date: 3/6/2006 2:15:25 AM
Author: apexboys
General rule of thumb.


Get it appraised by an independent GIA graduate gemologist. You should pay between 40-50% lower than the appraisal.


Then you did alright.


Rex.

If an appraiser gives you a value that''s almost twice as much as you paid (as you seem to be saying), it seems to me that this situation would result in a great disservice to the customer. Said customer brings the appraisal to an insurance company to insure the piece, and pays through the nose because that appraisal is needlessly high.

The 40-50%...I got reeled in by this ploy in my pre-PS days shopping at mall jewelers as a way to make the customer *think* they''re getting a fantastic deal.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/6/2006 2:15:25 AM
Author: apexboys
General rule of thumb.


Get it appraised by an independent GIA graduate gemologist. You should pay between 40-50% lower than the appraisal.


Then you did alright.


Rex.

Hi Rex and welcome. Actually an GIA graduate gemologist is not the same thing as an independant appraiser. My local jeweler is a GIA graduate gemologist, very nice and educated but isn''t qualified to evalulate a stone nor may have a personal interest in the sale. It''s always best to use someone who is an indepentant outside source. It''s true many appraisals are inflated and this is something you should discuss with whomever is doing you appraisal because you will pay higher insurance premiums for insuring the high amount. The appraisal should be just over what you paid or enough to replace it without taking a loss. I suggested taking this peice to an indepentant appraiser to see if it has been overprieced by the stone based on the quality of the stones etc..she surely wouldn''t want to pay $7500 for a ring that is only valued or appraises for $4500.
Here''s a link that explains it better than I ever could..

 

[lillei]

Thanks again for the replies, but I think I''m even more confused. So, I understand that I should definitely have someone else appraise the ring. How does that work? Do you have to purchase the ring first, and bring it back on the contigency that the appraisal might not match up to what the orignal jeweler says it is? And to the last reply by Stonesthrow...are you saying that it wouldn''t be a good deal to buy the ring at a lower price with a high appraisal because the appraisal value would cost more to insure the ring? Wouldn''t it be kind of the same deal anyway? As in, the money I''m saving on the outright purchase gets put on insurance? To tell you the truth, I only went to this jeweler because my FI and I were looking into having a piece custom made, and they had done an excellent job on another piece I had done. I loved the look of this one band originally, but thought the band might be too thick. The jeweler had offered to make a smaller version for me...smaller stones, and width. On the smaller band to be made, I was quoted $6150, and that was for 18k wg with a total carat weight of 2.5. After I looked at the two prices, I realized there wasn''t that much of a difference in price...especially considering that the original ring was set in platinum and had 3.2 carats. That''s when I was told that the price for the custom design wasn''t much better because the prices of diamonds and platinum have gone up since the orginal ring was made 2 years ago. I was told that if by chance that ring was sold, or I wanted a new one from scratch...the total would be around $9800. I have to go back to the jeweler today concerning by FI''s wr. I''m hoping I can find out some more info about mine. Maybe I can even get a few pics to post!

 

[lillei]

ooohhhh...mrssalvo....you must have posted the same time I was, so my response sounds a little redundant. woops! thanks for the advice though; I''m gonna go check out that link!

 

[mrssalvo]

here''s another good Link from Richard Sherwood''s site. He actually did my appraisal last year

 

[lillei]

Thanks for both of those links!