Urgent! Need advice on how much to offer!

[galeteia]

My sweetie an I have been searching for a pre-engagement promise-type ring, since I won''t get the official e-ring until shortly before we get married (for paperwork reasons) next May.

I was really hoping that I could find a three-stone ring with our birthstones (his sapphire, mine topaz) but a blue-and-yellow combo for a 3 stone isn''t a popular combination.

We''re both students, and don''t have the $$ to have a new ring custom-made for us, so I gave up on finding a sapphire-topaz combination.

I was searching through Ebay, and found this, exactly what I was hoping for! It''s a bit larger overall than I was looking for, but the band width to pear width to oval centre ratio is perfect! The proportions are ideal.

I messaged the seller and asked for additional pics to see the overall proportions, and he promptly replied that he would send me photos today. Here they are (hope they work). He''s been very nice and attentive. It appears he and his wife in the business of sleuthing out used jewellery and selling it online.

He said that if we make a ''reasonable offer'' he''ll set it as a ''buy it now'' and we can secure it right away. They have an excellent seller rating.

The band is 10k, the pears are 5mm x 3mm (I think about .4, maybe, according to my size chart) and the oval center is 7mm X 5mm (so approx. 1 ct size, it looks like)

Neither of us have bought any jellewery to speak of before, and have no idea what to offer for a used ring like this.

I need to get back to him soon on what we are offering-- can anyone tell me what price is reasonable?

 

[galeteia]

Other views:

 

[galeteia]

3rd photo: (love those proportions!)

 

[galeteia]

And lastly:

 

[galeteia]

The ring is a little dirty, I know, but my best friend has a jeweller who can clean it and resize it for me.

It''s a 7.5 size, and I''m a very snug 7, with a big knuckle and a fairly pudgy finger.

 

[riogems]

What kind of stones are the pears? They don''t appear to be topaz (just my random guess from the picture) -- but are probably citrine. If it is some kind of closeout or deal find on ebay, I think you should be able to get it for not much at all. I think you may want to keep your offer under $150-$200. I think a good buy on it would be $60-$100.

Rather than get back to him on what you''re offering (after all, ebay has a proxy bidding system) -- you may want to ask him if he is interested in selling it to make you his best offer.

 

[galeteia]

Date: 5/22/2006 4:07:17 PM
Author: riogems
What kind of stones are the pears? They don''t appear to be topaz (just my random guess from the picture) -- but are probably citrine. If it is some kind of closeout or deal find on ebay, I think you should be able to get it for not much at all.

What is a ''closeout'' deal? (Have I mentioned I''m a total newbie on this sort of thing?)

It says the pears are yellow topaz, but the guy repeated stresses that he isn''t an expert, although he has ''invested in testers'' so there are no guarantees.

If it is citrine, that is just as fine with me, since citrine is also November''s birthsone, and I like citrines better than topazes!

Here is the Ebay Listing if you''d like to take a look.

 

[riogems]

Oh - I meant maybe he bought a closeout from someone who was having trouble selling it. An ebay seller can get a good deal buy buying things that other people are having trouble selling. He does say he is not a gemologist and doesn''t really know what he is doing, so you have to take his assessment with a grain of salt. And this means you have to hope it is a real sapphire too. Although he is not good with photography, the sapphire is a very dark color, which means it should be affordable.

On ebay you can offer whatever you like, and they have a proxy system. I dont'' imagine this auction will get run up very high. You can put it on your watchlist, and then place a bid in the final hour of the auction.

This seller really doesn''t know what he is doing. This is kind of a red flag. For example, in another auction he sold a "vintage solid platinum band." There was something wrong with the auction -- if it was really a solid platinum band, it would have weighed more than he disclosed. Also, he took an best offer for less than the price of platinum. This is a sign of something fishy (although the buyer left a positive feedback, they may not know any better). It''s things like this that would tell me you should probably cap your bidding at about $60 on this ring.

 

[galeteia]

Is it more likely, with the 10k gold, that the gems are fake?

 

[riogems]

No, I don''t think that means they are fake. It doesn''t mean they aren''t fake either though. If you take a look at what the seller is selling rings for through their feedback history, I think an offer of $60 may be fair.

 

[galeteia]

Do you think I should email him back asking if he can give me a ballpark figure? Do you think we''d get scammed if we asked him to suggest a price?

 

[belle]

just ask him what a 'reasonable offer' is. or bid on the auction and see what happens. this is a used ring and the center stone looks to show signs of wear. that and the fact that the piece is supposedly 10kt. gold...i wouldn't pay too much for it. i would seriously consider outright bidding. most ebay items sell at market value, unless shill bidding is involved.

 

[windowshopper]

i wouldnt pay for than $50...........it looks like a very inexpensive piece of jewelry and the color of the stones looks fake

 

[galeteia]

I''ve emailed him and asked what he considers a ''reasonable offer''. I am also digging through his past transactions and seeing what other people bought, and for how much.

 

[belle]

Date: 5/22/2006 10:07:10 PM
Author: Galateia
I''ve emailed him and asked what he considers a ''reasonable offer''. I am also digging through his past transactions and seeing what other people bought, and for how much.

excellent. a proactive approach should serve you well. best of luck!

 

[galeteia]

Sweet, he gave his price at $40. We can swing that, and he said he''s tested them with a thermal tester, so they aren''t glass.

He''s been very attentive and decent, especially with taking extra close-up photos and sending them to us.

I''m so excited. It would be hard spending a winter with an ''Invisible Boyfriend'' as my mother put it!

This way, I can have my visual reminder of our commitment, and get used to wearing a ring on that finger!

Thanks for all your help, everyone!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Good for you! I hope you love the ring and we will look forward to hand pics once you get it!

 

[galeteia]

I'm so excited!

We bought it this morning, paid for it, and it's being shipped. It turns out that the seller has college kids of his own, and that he and his wife understood first-hand how students struggle to make ends meet. He wished us both luck and prosperity with our school and future. My boyfriend and I suspect he tried to cut us as much of a deal as he could, considering our student finances.

All in all, he was amazing to work with, and once I get the ring and can confirm it's the real deal, I will be effusive in my feedback comments.

Now all I have to do is wait to find out when my S.O. will be coming up to see me this summer!

I understand all you girls hankering for that ring, asking "When?" "Soon." "How soon?" "Soon." "But when?" "I said, soon, woman!"

He'd never actually _say_ it like that, but I think I am wearing down his patience. I can't help it-- I want to see my sweetie and my ring!

 

[FireGoddess]

Well, you can hardly go wrong for $40!!! I can''t wait to see it and hope you are thrilled with it!!

 

[galeteia]

My sweetie came up last week with the ring, and it is PERFECT! It''s actually very small and delicate, and the colours are lovely.

The sapphire is a little dark, but has some very interesting inclusions and colour variances in it when I backlight it. The stone has character, and I really like it.

All I have is a webcam at the moment, but I''ll ask to borrow my friend''s digital camera on Thursday.

Here it is, and thanks for all your help!

 

[FireGoddess]

Well that looks like a lovely promise ring - congrats!