Online purchasers - do you see the stone before you have it set?

[TravelingGal]

In speaking with WF the other day, I was surprised to hear that over 90% of their customers just get the final product shipped to them without seeing the loose diamond first. Longtime clients of theirs undoubtedly trust their eye, and maybe that is why it has something to do with it? Or maybe the only one time free shipping?

I am looking into a cushion, so I really want to see it in person before I decide. Perhaps the RB buyers trust the numbers will produce the results? I am curious how many of you who have bought diamonds online have it set and completed before laying eyes on the diamond for the first time...

 

[gracie007]

I bought a stone from Mark T who sent the stone to a local jeweler for us to look at before we bought it. I am so glad he did because there were several stones that were amazing on paper that I didn''t like in person. Especially with cushions, you just can''t go by the numbers. I can''t recomend enough that you look at the stone in person.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 4/6/2006 5:42:18 PM
Author:TravelingGal

I was surprised to hear that over 90% of their customers just get the final product shipped to them without seeing the loose diamond first.

So... there is always the 10 %

I doubt more than that would care about detail - it''s a diamond, than it''s a diamond, full stop. Can''t even imagine how many diamonds are being bought truly blindly - either without any other opportunity but the return policy to see what one''s getting online, or without considering any choice locally - same thing.

 

[stermag]

Well, I will admit, I did not see the diamond in person before it was set. I saw magnified photos, idealscope, etc, but not the actual rock. I worked with Jim @ James Allen and was fairly confident of his opinion and trusted his eye. Besides, I knew that if the ring arrived and we were not 100% pleased with it, I could always send it back and exchange it for another (diamond). I didn''t have many reasons to doubt this was the right choice for us, also because I could not find many diamonds in that size that were within our budget.

It is a risk, I suppose, but everything turned out well for us. We also didn''t have the stone appraised before it was set, which some might prefer to do.

All in all, it depends on the level of trust you put in your vendor, how patient you are in the process (shipping stuff back and forth, etc).

I guess if, after seeing the photos Jim forwarded, I had any concerns about the diamond''s appearance visually, I would opt to look at it first, but I didn''t... hence the decision. It''s a personal one, in the end. I wonder if anybody has had a bad experience with one of the PS vendors after purchasing a diamond sight unseen... and by negative, I mean negative and not simply "I was unhappy with the stone and had to exchange it".

 

[butterfly 17]

I didn''t see any of the diamonds that I got from Whiteflash before having it set and sent to me.
I had Whiteflash send them to my appraiser and he checked out the stone for me and then he sent me pictures of the stone as well.

 

[jasper]

After consulting with my insurance company, and the two vendors involved, I had Nice Ice set my fiancée''s stone in a temporary setting (for insurance purposes). I received the stone, and inspected it. Then I let my local jeweller make the mount and set the stone in it:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/seattle-area-jewellers.18415/

-- Jasper
http://www.folds.net/diamond

 

[KristyDarling]

I had my vendor (James Allen) send over 2 stones for appraisal. I had not bought anything yet. He sent them directly to my appraiser here in the SF Bay Area (Nancy Stacy). We looked at them together and she gave me her unbiased, professional opinion on which one was a better performer. Nancy sent both stones back to JA while I made up my mind. I decided on a stone and after I paid my deposit, then had Jim make me a custom setting.

I guess I'm a RB owner that's part of that 10%!

 

[Small]

I''m another of those 10% and another RB owner.

I bought from Wink (Winfields). I saw all of the specs, the IS, magnified pictures, and then he sent me pictures myself. I pretty much knew what I wanted so all I was waiting to hear was that the inclusion was white and not black. I also consulted the psers and the ones that responded gave me a green light

I did my homework on the vendor and trusted that he was going to be as honest as everyone here claimed he was. I had a wonderful buying experience and couldn''t be happier with my purchase. Wink set the diamond and then it went to Richard Sherwood for appraisal. He also reported that the stone was a beauty

I guess in your situation with a cushion it''s different I''d probably want to see it before just buying.
Good luck

 

[lil_jay78]

Another one of the 10% here

I just got my diamond from WF earlier today I purchased the loose stone on it''s own, and as a first-time online purchaser, I decided to have it independently appraised for my own piece of mind. I''ve gotten screwed in the past, and though I did my research, just this one time will really set me at ease.

Anyway the stone I had my heart set on was almost purchased by another customer, plus I had not completely decided on the setting. As I thought the stone wouldn''t be on the market for long, I decided to go ahead and get it and then take it to my friend''s local jeweler to have it set.

You still have the 10-day(or up to 30 days, depending on which vendor you''re using) to return the stone if you''re not 100% satisfied with it.