getting two appraisals

[lyra]

I''m in the situation of having to appraise my new diamond mounted in order to get insurance. I bought it mounted. It is currently at the appraisers, and I hear back Tuesday. I''ve already purchased and arranged a remount to take place on Friday of next week, at my local jeweller. After Tuesday, I will have the insurance in place, and am thinking that maybe it would be a good idea at that time to have the stone unmounted (it''s going to be done anyway for the new setting), and having it reappraised loose, either by the original appraiser, or by a different one, I''m not sure.

My question is, what additional information would this second appraisal give me? The stone itself is uncerted. I''m happy with it, but I''m just wondering if there''s much more I could learn about it. Yes, I''m anal.

I don''t mind delaying the remount by a bit, but I wouldn''t go so far as to send it somewhere to be certified, as that''s a bigger expense, and I live in Canada. Thoughts?

 

[neatfreak]

Well, you could get a better estimate of it''s color and clarity for starters when it''s unmounted. Things can be hidden by prongs and color can be distorted when it''s set sometimes, so it would give you a better idea of that.

 

[lyra]

Thanks. I was also wondering about weight, and measurements being more precise. I don''t know if it would mean I could get all the information I could have on a certificate without having it certified, or not. Really, it''s just for my own knowledge and curiousity.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

If the original appraisal came from the jeweler you purchased it from, or his appraiser, it would be nice to have an independent analysis confirming all the details.

Here's some of the things a loose diamond appraisal will give you:

1. A more accurate color grading. Diamonds are properly color graded face down, which is difficult to do when mounted. A loose diamond also has no color perception influence from the metal of a setting.

2. A more accurate clarity grading, particularly if the stone is a high clarity with some VS or VVS sized inclusions located under a prong and difficult to see.

3. A more accurate cut grading, as there are measurements difficult to obtain on a mounted stone. They can be estimated, but nothing is as precise as direct measurement. The depth is a good example. It is often impossible to obtain a direct depth measurement on a mounted stone. Crown angle/height and pavilion angle/depth are two other all-important measurements which are more difficult to obtain on a mounted stone.

4. An exact carat weight versus an estimated carat weight.

These things are all nice to know and have documented. One thing I would recommend is to make sure the appraiser has the necessary equipment to get the above details. In particular a diamond master set and a Sarin machine, an OGI machine or DiamCalc software in conjunction with an Idealscope or ASET.

EGL has laboratories in both Toronto and Vancouver. You might consider shipping the stone or driving it in for one of their reports.