0.94ct E VS1 - why it''s not sparkling as I expect ?

[Lorelei]

It is looking good in these last photos.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 4/30/2009 1:00:54 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 4/30/2009 12:54:49 PM

Author: GemmaEdet

Sorry for so many pictures !!..

this one is outdoor env when there's tiny bit sunlight ( on the way out to garden, i saw a dead mouse from my cat

)

Anyway..


It looks more sparkling outdoor, but again !.. it's outdoor.. i dont' know what's the normal sparkling for E color

Sparkle isn't to do with colour but cut. Any colour grade diamond will sparkle if the cut is good. Do your friends or family have any diamonds you can look at in everyday lighting? That might give you a comparison.

I do have friends who have same spec diamonds, but not sure it's a good idea to compare side by side.. .... don't know..thought she might mind.. as she paid really high price(£1.5k more at the least ) for very similar one in hattoon garden :S.. and wasn't that interested when i told her about my internet shopping experience... anyway..

..can spy on it i guess

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 4/30/2009 1:04:29 PM
Author: Lorelei
It is looking good in these last photos.

Really ? !

I guess will be the lighting - outside in the garden, and the focus of the camera ?
hmm.. or it''s because I rinsed it quickly with water.?

 

[Lula]

I agree, it''s looking more sparkly in the last few photos. Maybe it was just in need of a cleaning. I have friends who clean their rings at least once a week and their rings look much better than mine in all sorts of light!

 

[cinnamon013]

What is your ring size? It doesn't seem to me that the stone is the dimensions on the cert?

 

[cinnamon013]

I was just thinking, maybe what you are missing is a little color in your diamond? Maybe the E just doesn''t give off the different colors?

 

[GemmaEdet]

I don''t know my ring size, but I do have small fingers compare to most of people.
Taht''s good, i thought it''s gonna look big on me, as my fingers are short.

haha. for some reason, camera does make my fingers look long

that''s unusual

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 4/30/2009 1:24:16 PM
Author: cinnamon013
What is your ring size? It doesn''t seem to me that the stone is the dimensions on the cert?

BTW, the picture I took was on my index fingers, as the temp ring with the diamond is too large for my ring fingers... that might be reason, as my index finger is longer.

 

[Stephan]

Sorry to ask this:
Did you have to pay customs in the UK?
How much percents approximately if I may ask?
Thank you!

 

[DiamondFlame]

I agree with the suggestions to take it to a jewelry store and see how well it performs in comparison to the other diamonds in the store. Otherwise find someone with a well cut RB solitaire and compare.

But based on the photos, it looks sparkly to me. If the sun hasn''t been shining lately, try a strong spotlight to see the ''fire'' scintillations.

 

[Stephan]

Perhaps should you choose a diamond with longer lower girdles (understand smaller arrows).

Perhaps could you try a shallower diamond.
One of my eyes is blind and I prefer shallower diamonds.
Some people on the forum prefer pavilion angles below 41 degrees, so do I.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 4/30/2009 2:19:49 PM
Author: QueenMum
Sorry to ask this:

Did you have to pay customs in the UK?

How much percents approximately if I may ask?

Thank you!

HI ! QueenMum, I bought it through bluenile in UK, so don''t need to pay customs tax.
Had a look at jamesallen site, they charge close to £900 custom tax for $6400 diamond...everything adds up is out of my budget !
Otherwise, I would very much like to have a H&A diamond
can''t believe there are so many beautiful reasonable-priced diamonds in USA... !!!

.. real experts out there !!!

 

[Stephan]

Date: 4/30/2009 2:32:07 PM
Author: GemmaEdet
HI ! QueenMum, I bought it through bluenile in UK, so don''t need to pay customs tax.
Had a look at jamesallen site, they charge close to £900 custom tax for $6400 diamond...everything adds up is out of my budget!
Otherwise, I would very much like to have a H&A diamond
can''t believe there are so many beautiful reasonable-priced diamonds in USA... !!!

.. real experts out there !!!

?!?
Here is what BlueNile says: United Kingdom: 15% VAT???
http://be.bluenile.co.uk/glossary.jsp?word=vat
And you didn''t have to pay?

 

[GemmaEdet]

that''s VAT, it''s different from custom tax- it''s what you pay when you input stuff from outside UK
VAT in uK is 15%..

 

[motownmama]

trust your eyes - don''t try to talk yourself into it if it doesn''t sparkle for you!

 

[Stephan]

Sorry I''m stupid.

In Belgium it''s 21%.

And we may not import loose diamonds, only set diamonds.

 

[strmrdr]

hmmm you really need to have a pro look at it.
It needs to be checked against the report.
Do they have independent appraisers in the UK?

 

[Maisie]

Safeguard is a good company to have value your jewellery in the UK

http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/safeguard/

 

[GemmaEdet]

Thanks for this!.
To be honest, i am very struggling to find a independent appraisal in London.
Went to a local shop, the guy took a 5 sec look at the diamond, and say, well, good color. D or E, can''t see inclusion under 10x loupe, so VS quality. Nothing more than what''s already stated on the GIA certificate. .

anyone recommendation for appraisal ?

 

[Pandora II]

OldManCoyote posted this in Coloured Stones a while back:

Eric Emms (www.ericemms.com) is a very competent gemologist working as an independent appraiser. He is based in Hatton Gardens.

QueenMum - VAT is currently 15% (was 17.5%). Duty is around 2% - 5% on imported jewellery, 0% on loose stones.

For some bizarre reason the sum I end up paying Fedex on imports never quite works out to exactly what I think it will be... very odd! Where are you based in Belgium? I used to spend a lot of time in Antwerp - I love the city and it was so nice to have a wide choice of food (try and find an Indian takeaway in Tuscany - let alone a decent one!)

 

[Stephan]

Hi Pandora,
I live in Uccle, near to Brussels.

 

[taibe]

Date: 4/30/2009 6:31:25 PM
Author: Pandora II
OldManCoyote posted this in Coloured Stones a while back:

Eric Emms (www.ericemms.com) is a very competent gemologist working as an independent appraiser. He is based in Hatton Gardens.

QueenMum - VAT is currently 15% (was 17.5%). Duty is around 2% - 5% on imported jewellery, 0% on loose stones.

For some bizarre reason the sum I end up paying Fedex on imports never quite works out to exactly what I think it will be... very odd! Where are you based in Belgium? I used to spend a lot of time in Antwerp - I love the city and it was so nice to have a wide choice of food (try and find an Indian takeaway in Tuscany - let alone a decent one!)

The import duty for Diamond set in precious metal is 2.5%.

The exchange rate Fedex uses are set by HMRC on a monthly basis, the rate can be found on
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_RatesCodesTools&columns=1&id=ERATES_2009

Plus Fedex charges an additional 2.5% admin fee.

 

[GemmaEdet]

aaaaaa.. that means only 2.5% extra charge for FedEx if ordered diamond from US, it doesn''t sound too bad then.

thought was gonna be a premium ........ forgot that 900 pound ish already includes 15% VAT...

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/1/2009 5:07:47 AM
Author: GemmaEdet

aaaaaa.. that means only 2.5% extra charge for FedEx if ordered diamond from US, it doesn't sound too bad then.

thought was gonna be a premium ........ forgot that 900 pound ish already includes 15% VAT...

I just mentally add 20% to whatever the USA purchase price is - never had any nasty suprises that way.

The PITA with Fedex is you really have to watch the tracking as sometimes it can sit for days at Stansted and they won't tell you. Also, sometimes you have to pay in advance to release the goods (my preference) or else they bill you 6 weeks later by post. So if you don't pay up front don't assume that you've got out of paying...

I mainly buy coloured stones which means I buy overseas 99% of the time. For diamonds, I'm currently getting a better deal in the UK - mainly due to the exchange rate. When it was $2 to the pound it was madness to buy in the USA, but the savings aren't as good as they were.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Thanks a lot for your help here.

My hubby called Eric and asked about appraisal. Sadly he wasn't interested at all, or even helpful

bit dissappointed, thought he would be more helpful and friendly. When my hubby asked if he knows some appraisal in hatton gardens we could ask for favor, he said we could go and ask around, but defintely not his office..[

Understand he's not interested if we're not buying from him, but still no need to be 'unfriendly'..
what a day.


thanks everyone for big help in the past few days !!!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/1/2009 11:28:53 AM
Author: GemmaEdet
Thanks a lot for your help here.

My hubby called Eric and asked about appraisal. Sadly he wasn''t interested at all, or even helpful

bit dissappointed, thought he would be more helpful and friendly.

Wow, that is useful to know...

I use Richard Ogden in Burlington Arcade for anything I need doing as far as bench-work, prong checking etc and I know they did the insurance appraisal for my brother''s e-ring (which was one I used PS vendors in the USA for).

However they are not ''independent'' in the sense that they are also a jewellers selling to the public. They do have a qualified gemmologist onsite though.

I have a meeting with someone in a few weeks where I should be able to get a few names for this kind of thing, but in the meantime it might be worth giving Gem-A a call (Gemmological Association of Great Britain) - if anyone has suggestions they should.

 

[Winks_Elf]

Date: 4/30/2009 1:26:48 PM
Author: cinnamon013
I was just thinking, maybe what you are missing is a little color in your diamond? Maybe the E just doesn''t give off the different colors?

That''s exactly what I thought...either that or the stone has more white light return than colored.

Have you compared your stone with some that are more in the G-H color range? Some people love the icy white look, some love warm stones, and some folks like just a touch.

 

[taibe]

I think its been mentioned before but have you tried...

http://www.safeguardvaluations.co.uk/

They do open days at local H.Samuals, Goldsmiths and Ernest Jones, where they provide apprasial on the spot and post the formal documents. Prices are quite reasonable.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 5/1/2009 12:03:13 PM
Author: taibe
I think its been mentioned before but have you tried...

http://www.safeguardvaluations.co.uk/

They do open days at local H.Samuals, Goldsmiths and Ernest Jones, where they provide apprasial on the spot and post the formal documents. Prices are quite reasonable.

Thanks for this taibe !.

I took a look at it, so bad next time they do it in London will be in June, way after the return period.
Otherwerise,to have it valued, it needs to be posted to Birmingham, and return within 10 days ish..
Not very suitable for our current timing. But it''s defintely a good choice !

Thanks for this !

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 5/1/2009 11:28:53 AM
Author: GemmaEdet
Thanks a lot for your help here.

My hubby called Eric and asked about appraisal. Sadly he wasn''t interested at all, or even helpful

bit dissappointed, thought he would be more helpful and friendly. When my hubby asked if he knows some appraisal in hatton gardens we could ask for favor, he said we could go and ask around, but defintely not his office..[

Understand he''s not interested if we''re not buying from him, but still no need to be ''unfriendly''..
what a day.


thanks everyone for big help in the past few days !!!

I just want to check that you weren''t asking him to appraise it for free, as a "favour"? Appraisals do cost money, each person charges a different amount, so there isn''t really anyone who will do it for a favour...

I also want to reiterate what Lorelei said a few pages back about color being unrelated to sparkle. Your E color diamond will look whiter when viewed from the side, and crisper when viewed from the top compared to a lower color diamond, but the sparkle you speak of is related only to cut quality.