Pricing as compared to Rap

[mclapham]

I am looking for a G/H color stone, around .7 ct, VS2, with an ''ideal'' cut (though its hard to define that with a GIA cert - so basically looking at the recommended table/depth ratios, at least v.good polish, symmetry, no culet, no florescence etc).

Two jewellers i have spoken to basically tell me they''ll give me 15% off the Rap price, for table-depth around 60-60, VS2 (though i could clearly see black inclusions on the side of the stone).

How do you compare something against the Rap price?

 

[denverappraiser]

mclapham,

There have been quite a few discussions on this forum about Rap. It''s a magazine called the Rappaport Diamond Report that has broad distribution in the industry. Use the search function at the top of the page for discussions that contain the words ''Rap'', Rapp'', and ''Rappaport''. This is also discussed in the tutorial

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[YoungPapa]

mclapham,

Discounts to rapaport are meaningless. Offering you a diamond at fifteen back can be a fantastic deal. Offering you a diamond at fifteen back can be a terrible deal. It all depends on the diamond.

Assume you called my office looking for a .75ct G-VS2 diamond. Assume you were a pricescope regular and wanted nothing less than a full AGS report, perfect symmetry, perfect H&A and a great HCA score. No problems. I can find you a diamond that meets everyone of your specs in just a few minutes. Your price will be pretty close to list - five back of rap (maybe).

On the other hand, however, lets assume you just want a really nice looking diamond but you''re working on a budget. You want something that will have tons of sparkle and life but just don''t want to break the bank. You know she REALLY wants at least .75 (so going smaller isn''t an option) and you''ve decided not to buy less than G-VS2. No problems - you can find that diamond too. It''ll probably be a GIA graded diamond with a table in the 58-60 range and good polish and sym. Your cost - about twenty back of Rap.

But wait - there''s more. Let''s just assume for moment that you just want a .75ct G-VS2 and can''t spend a nickel over $2000. Well, you can find that diamond too. It''ll be an off-make with an EGL-overseas report but it will weigh .75ct and have a piece of paper calling the diamond "G-VS2". Your cost - about forty back of Rap.

In short, ignore discounts. Take the word "rap" and "rapaport" and purge them from your vocabulary. Compare diamonds of like quality from different sources and see what the price differences are. You''ll end up much farther ahead in the long run...

 

[noobie]

Date: 11/15/2004 8:38:37 PM
Author: YoungPapa

Assume you were a pricescope regular and wanted nothing less than a full AGS report, perfect symmetry, perfect H&A and a great HCA score. No problems. I can find you a diamond that meets everyone of your specs in just a few minutes.

Hey, I resemble that remark! And it was a couple of minutes... OK, a day with e-mail exchange.

 

[windowshopper]

hilarious response.............i hate the whole rappaport thing.................i am smart enough to know that If I dont "get" something there isnt much there..............its just a grid that says an evvs2 is (usually) worth more than an H VS2

 

[belle]

% off rap gimmick AND black inclusions? RUN!!!!!