1 carat diamond valued at $13,000. In need of assistance

[khouri86]

So here's the deal. My gf really wants a 1 carat diamond engagement ring from tiffany's in the traditional 6 prong setting. However, I am in possession of a family diamond ring recently appraised at $13,000 and 1 carat. I do not currently have the actual appraisal in front of me so I have no more additional info. So it is a bit of a mystery. I would like to know what the quality of this ring is based on the info I have provided. My novice research has shown that it is likely F-D and probably VS1 or VVS2. Would you people agree? Also, Based on the info i provided, how does this diamond compare to a traditional 1 carat diamond from tiffanys? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, what is the typical price range of a 6 prong tiffany setting?

 

[danielxlin]

Even with the appraisal it's difficult to know what your family diamond actually is. Appraisers vary greatly. I can trot some antique junk to my local jewelry shop and basically they're going to put whatever value I want on that piece of paper. It's meaningless. Of course there are some very reputable appraisers, some of whom you can find on PS.

Without the appraisal and with just a bare $ quote it's impossible for anyone on the internet to give you any feedback. Do you have a picture?

If the family diamond isn't certified consider sending it to GIA to get the GIA specs. This can help considerably with re-sale or just to reassure the recipient of the ring. Sometimes a reputable jeweler can give you an estimate of color/clarity for no charge.

Tiffany Blue is the color of deprivation. You can get more for less elsewhere. If you want the absolute best quality diamond at a reasonable price check out Brian Gavin or the other recommended dealers (White Flash etc). BG has a 1.25 carat, H color, VS1, AGS Ideal diamond for a bank wire price of $10,848. It's not possible for Tiffany match this size, quality and price.

It's your responsibility to get your girlfriend the best possible diamond in your budget. Unless her Tiffany preference is ironclad and unyielding I suggest you not go that route.

 

[fiona00004]

Even with the appraisal it's difficult to know what your family diamond actually is. Appraisers vary greatly. I can trot some antique junk to my local jewelry shop and basically they're going to put whatever value I want on that piece of paper. It's meaningless. Of course there are some very reputable appraisers, some of whom you can find on PS.

Without the appraisal and with just a bare $ quote it's impossible for anyone on the internet to give you any feedback. Do you have a picture?

If the family diamond isn't certified consider sending it to GIA to get the GIA specs. This can help considerably with re-sale or just to reassure the recipient of the ring. Sometimes a reputable jeweler can give you an estimate of color/clarity for no charge.

Tiffany Blue is the color of deprivation. You can get more for less elsewhere. If you want the absolute best quality diamond at a reasonable price check out Brian Gavin or the other recommended dealers (White Flash etc). BG has a 1.25 carat, H color, VS1, AGS Ideal diamond for a bank wire price of $10,848. It's not possible for Tiffany match this size, quality and price.

It's your responsibility to get your girlfriend the best possible diamond in your budget. Unless her Tiffany preference is ironclad and unyielding I suggest you not go that route.

I agree. I suspect that when someone asks for Tiffany, they may not necessarily know just how much more it is priced at a premium and also, they may not know that there is excellent quality stuff out there that has a much more realistic cost. Maybe she meant tiffany style?

Maybe you can contact Brian Gavin at good old gold or whiteflash and talk with them what kind of ring your girlfriend wants and see what they can do for you...worth a shot!!

 

[denverappraiser]

You most definitely can’t work backwards from an appraisal value conclusion to a grade. You couldn’t even do that if you knew the exact methodology the appraiser used to come to their conclusions. If you want to know what you have, it should be in the description portion of the appraisal. Whether or not that’s correct or if the value conclusion is reasonable is an entirely different issue. Presumably your appraisers contact information should be in the report as well. They may be able to tell you more if you ask them.

Tiffany mostly sells VVS2-VS2, E-G with reasonably good cuts, set in one of several options for settings. I think they’re charging about $13k-$20k for them at the moment. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to talk to you about it.

Settings are all over the board. Tiffany won’t sell you just the setting so it’s a bit difficult to separate out the metal costs from the stone but let’s just say, they aren’t a particularly cheap place to buy stuff.

Most other makers are easier. They range from a bottom of about $300 to a top of maybe $1500. The difference has to do with the materials used, the method of manufacture, and the nature of the store. Some places cost more than others. It’s easy enough to check. Nearly everybody sells these. Ask. You can get a mounting that will accommodate any stone you want.