lachance22
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2004
- Messages
- 20
February 7, 2005
Dear Price Scope Members:
This post is in regard to the outstanding level of quality, customer-service, honesty, and overall excellence from both Lesley Harris and Brian Gavin of Whiteflash. If you are in the process of making a diamond purchase than my experience may steer you in the right direction.
My journey started out in the Boston Diamond District back in July, 2004. One day I visited four “reputable” stores that are said to be some of the best in town. I thought I had educated myself enough about the 4 C’s that I was ready to make a purchase. By the end of the day, I found myself discouraged because I had found no one I wanted to do business with. At each store visited a salesperson showed me 2-3 diamonds and then attempted to “close-the-deal” in a matter of minutes. By the end of the day I felt overwhelmed and no longer had confidence with my search.
From store-to-store and salesperson-to-salesperson there was nothing consistent with what they were saying. After visiting well over twenty stores, I decided to begin looking on the Internet for information on what diamonds should cost based on the spec’s I was looking for. Fortunately, I found myself here on Pricescope where I learned about companies such as Whiteflash. As I began to read posts and the informational tools provided on this site, I immediately realized I was not in any position to buy a diamond - most of language was completely Greek to me. So, I educated myself and slowly came to the conclusion that the only acceptable diamond purchase for me was going to be an AGS 000 H&A.
I spent hours on the phone with both Lesley and Brian at Whiteflash. It was refreshing for me to have two well-educated diamond professionals now assisting me with my search. They were giving me a lot more relevant information and putting forth more effort than any face-to-face salesperson was willing to provide. I feel like they got to know me more on a personal level and seemed more interested in helping fill my need rather than simply selling me the first diamond they put their hands on.
I used the inventory listings for “A Cut Above” H&A here on Pricescope and would then call Brian and ask him to pull the diamond(s) to discuss each stone. I narrowed my search to an AGS 000 “A Cut Above” H&A, I, VS2, 1.506 crt. The diamond scored a .90 on the Cut Advisor and was discounted a price for $10,174.00 here on Pricescope. I made the purchase around 2 PM on a Thursday by faxing a “Permission to Charge Credit Card” form.
That night around 6:30 PM, I received a phone call from Brian with some bad news. He began to explain to me that this diamond was not going to make me happy. That in his heart he couldn’t sell me this stone because it was “Grainy.” I hadn’t yet heard this term. Brian explained, “It’s grainy like wood is sometimes grainy. It’s something you would probably never be able to see, but I know in my heart this diamond is not what you are paying for and cannot be sold as a ‘A Cut Above.’” He sent the stone back to the lab to have the inscription “A Cut Above” removed from the girdle. Brian reimbursed my money and we were back to square one.
Who does that? Would any over-the-counter salesperson even be able to tell if a diamond was grainy and would they prevent me from making a purchase even if they could? My gut instinct is absolutely not!
I ended up purchasing a gorgeous AGS 000 H&A, J, VS1, 1.584 crt and then hired Whiteflash to custom build the setting. My ring appraised for almost $6,000 more than what I paid for it. Megan, my now fiancé, absolutely loves her diamond. She can’t get over how well it reflects light and says it’s the most beautiful diamond/ring she’s ever seen. I completely surprised her with my proposal and she said the ring couldn’t be more perfect . . . that if she saw 100 diamond rings she would pick out this one.
I was a bit wary about the J color, even though Lesley assured me to buy with confidence. My wariness was no longer a factor when the Independent Appraiser (one of the best in Boston) pulled it from its package and said, “Wow, that’s a DE or F color.” He was stunned when he hooked up to his machine and read the actual color grade. He explained that it appears so white because of how well the diamond is cut. He also said I couldn’t find a diamond cut this well at Tiffany’s and if I did they would be asking about twice the cost.
I feel extremely lucky to have purchased a diamond from such professionals. Their integrity is unshakeable and it shows in their work. The first few people I told about purchasing a diamond asked where I bought it. When I told them from Whiteflash in Houston, TX they were perplexed and asked, “You bought a diamond over the Internet? You’re crazy!” I understood their gut reaction as my opinion was once like theirs – and still is for people making purchases from vendors selling on bid-sites such as Ebay – ie. Shanoa & Company.
Ultimately, I did not purchase my diamond over the Internet. I used it as a resource to educate myself and research available inventories. I purchased my diamond from Brian Gavin and Lesley Harris of Whiteflash who gave me the ample time I required. I am extremely happy I did.
I highly recommend you to consider Whiteflash when making your diamond purchase.
Sincerely,
David D.
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