Me again. What do you think of this one? [Urgent]

[AlwaysLearning]

Like I said in a previous post, my jeweler gets and sets their diamonds overseas, so I have to buy my diamond sight unseen. The next (first) time I see it, it will be set.

Here's the latest one they've sent me.

Round brilliant
Weight: 0.62ct
Colour: G
Clarity: VS1
Polish/Symmetry: EX/EX
Depth: 60.5
Table: 56
Measurements: 5.56-5.58 x 3.37
Price: $4310

I fiddled around with the cut advisor and it looks pretty good in general. Depth and table are within ideal proportions. Again, the jeweler has been unable to find crown and pavillion angles for me.

I know it's overpriced. But when I look at the 'average' price tables on PS, it seems kind of ridiculous. Do you think it's unreasonable?

I originally asked for a 0.66ct G VS2 and I was quoted $4310. This stone was quoted at $4730 but they said they would do it for $4310. I wish it were closer to 0.66ct but maybe I won't be able to tell the difference.

All comments welcome.

 

[Rank Amateur]

No stats and no looky until after it's set?

Why are you stuck with this one jeweler?

 

[AlwaysLearning]

Because I love their designs and either they intend to slaughter me on the ring or on the stone. I can set a someone else's stone but if I do that, they'll charge me an additional $1500 for the ring.

...the other reason is that I've already put down a deposit.

 

[Todd07]

If I understand your post, they are charging 4.3k for the stone plus an unknown for the setting?




I see you've read the tutorial on cut and the HCA tool. When i used the search by cut tool https://www.pricescope.com/sift.asp A 0.62c/G/VS1 with HCA div>



Thus $2k is a fair market price for what you are getting. Personally, I could justify 10-15% premium to work with a B&M but not 100% on the diamond, plus whatever they charge for the ring?




Buy a great diamond and go custom with another jeweler. There are plenty of posts in the show me the ring folder that will help you find a good custom jeweler. You can work with them to create a fantastic design at a fair price.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

The setting price is not an unknown. If you set one of their diamonds, it's $X. If you set a diamond you got elsewhere, then it's $X + $1500.

Curiously, the stone is about $1500 overpriced so their intention is to make ~$1.5K profit off me either way.

I'm going with Niwaka in Soho. They're a premium name so I guess that's just how much the name costs

Thanks for your comments. You've helped me think a little harder about it. I think I'm going to go with it seeing that I'm always going to be around these numbers. I think the stone has a good chance of being a nice one and after floating around price scope for the last 4 months, at least I can do it with my eyes open.

 

[aljdewey]

----------------
On 9/20/2004 11:45:09 AM AlwaysLearning wrote:

I think the stone has a good chance of being a nice one ----------------

How can you possibly know that? And how can you have "fiddled around" with the HCA? You don't have the information to use it!

If I told you a car was black and 4-door, do you think that would be enough information to determine it's worth/performance? I certainly don't.

I second the person who suggested going custom on the setting. Any decent benchman could make a similar setting design for you.

It is beyond me why anyone would relinquish control of the quality of their stone.

 

[hoorray]

If you are set on a Niwaka setting, I would pick out the stone from someone who gives you enough information to make a good decision, and the chance to see it and return it if you aren't happy with it, and take it to them to be set. As you said, it won't cost you more, and you have the ability to control and select what you are getting. You might even save a little if you find the right stone.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

Both good points. The fellow at Niwaka assures me that all of their stones fall into the TIC proportions. I don't know how they know this seeing that they don't have all the numbers with them but isn't it fair to assume that a brand name would impose some quality control on their merchandise? They showed me the stones they had in stock and I was happy enough with them. Indeed, they claimed that many of them were H&A. And with a quick look through the little fantasty scope thing, they looked impressive enough to me. Of course, I'm sure they weren't all true H&A but like I said, I think there's a good chance that it'll be a nice stone right? Maybe I should whip out my IS for some extra comfort... Bottom line, I guess I am relinquishing control over the quality of the stone. But I'm hoping I'm at least relinquishing it to a professional. I think that's part of what it means to buy from a brand name.

As for fiddling with the HCA, I plugged in the depth, table, culet (lack thereof), and then fiddled with the crown and pavillion angles just to see how sensitive everything was. I should, in principle, be able to read off the contour diagram on the right hand side of the page to see how performance varies with these unknown parameters. That's what it's there for right? As long as no one's lying to me, then there should be lots of red and orange in the little TIC box on the diagram. I know it's not a guarantee of good performance but the odds are good.

I really appreciate all of your comments. Thank you! I am committed (sucked in, perhaps) to this setting. I don't really want to make a custom copy for two reasons:

1. I've never seen anything similar here in NYC or online (well, at non-Japanese websites) so I don't know how easy it is to copy (Here's a picture. This only takes between 0.3 and 0.48ct so mine will be a custom job); and
2. I feel bad if my first gift to my (hopefully) future wife is a copy of what I really wanted to get her.

Using another stone and living with the penalty is a good option though. I was originally keen to go Niwaka all-the-way but now I'm not so sure. I still need to make a decision on this stone today.

 

[Todd07]

Candidly, it sounds like they are make an extra $2300 on the stone, not $1500. A stone with HCA of div>



Lop gave good advice - buy your stone seperately and pay the premium for the ring. This has less risk and may save you $800

 

[quaeritur]

I agree. Get your own stone and pay the setting fee. You get exactly everything that you want.

You said you'd feel bad if you were getting your wife-to-be a copy of what you really wanted to get her. But won't you feel equally bad getting her a lower quality diamond than you know you could have had?

 

[jesrush]

Yikes... what a ridiculous jeweler!!! I hope you know what you're getting into here because these people have:

A) shown they are unwilling to go the extra mile for customers (in this case--tracking down key sarin data) BTW--I bet they have NO IDEA what FIC proportions are...

B) shown they are intent on working with HUGE profit margins.

Just imagine if you run into some kind of problem! The stone isn't so hot, the ring is made a little too small or large, your fiancee's finger swells a little, a prong is too long, anything that might force you to work with them AFTER the purchase is completed.... that's the kind of service and pricing you'll have to look forward to on one of the most important purchases of your lifetime...

Personally I would run far far away and have a custom ring done. Forget a copy cat, instead design your own! Make it *exactly* what you want to give her...

-J