1.00 ct, G SI2 Oval, small black inclusion, $4500... Worth it?

[patient1]

I would greatly appreciate any help!!

I''m working with a local, reknowned jeweler in Austin, TX and really love this one stone -- but I want to make sure we''re making a good decision. I don''t have the GIA report with me, but here''s what I remember:

1.00 carat oval
G color (my jeweler said more like F, in her opinion)
SI2
Large table (forgot the %)
65.2% depth (pretty deep, but I couldn''t see a defined bowtie)
Very Good Cut
Good Polish
Good Symmetry
Medium blue flouresence

There is a pinpoint size black inclusion just just barely in the table, at 6 o''clock from the top of the diamond that is visible to the naked eye. The first time I viewed the diamond I couldn''t find it without the loop. This second time, if I was 3-4 inches from the diamond, I could see it in the store lighting.

The jeweler let me take out a loose .94 H, VS1 round and this loose oval into the street, both just sitting in a setting, on a really bright and sunny day. The oval really shined and I couldn''t really see the inclusion unless I really stared and the round ended up looking dark and ''glassy''. Not the same as the white and shimmery oval.

The diamond was priced at ~$5100, but the jewelry store gives a discount of 1% a month on how long they have had the diamond. They have had this one since June and she gave us a 10% discount, coming to ~$4500.

Is this a fair price? I''m willing to pay a tad bit extra to work with this jeweler, but I don''t want to overpay significantly. The jeweler said that they don''t sell too many ovals, so they don''t look to purchase any in the near future. She said she could help us buy one through their store, but she couldn''t guarantee a comparable stone wouldn''t have another black inclusion until it came in.

Thank you for any help you can give!

 

[LegacyGirl]

That price seems really high. If you go to the top of the page and pricescope the diamond the diamond you are looking at is about $1600 more than any diamond listed here. I''d pass on it, esp with the black inclusion.

 

[cincin090]

I''m from Austin TX too, just wondering which B&M store you''re looking at.

 

[cinnamon013]

It appears to me to be overpriced.

 

[patient1]

Date: 3/23/2008 10:12:43 PM
Author: cincin090
I''m from Austin TX too, just wondering which B&M store you''re looking at.

Kruger''s on 8th and Congress. They have AMAZING customer service! I think they just have a shortage of ovals... I may try to buy a diamond on my own (online) and have them make my setting. I just need to check if they do that. (I''m sure most stores do.)

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/23/2008 7:16:25 PM
Author:patient1
I would greatly appreciate any help!!

I'm working with a local, reknowned jeweler in Austin, TX and really love this one stone -- but I want to make sure we're making a good decision. I don't have the GIA report with me, but here's what I remember:

1.00 carat oval
G color (my jeweler said more like F, in her opinion)
SI2
Large table (forgot the %)
65.2% depth (pretty deep, but I couldn't see a defined bowtie)
Very Good Cut
Good Polish
Good Symmetry
Medium blue flouresence

There is a pinpoint size black inclusion just just barely in the table, at 6 o'clock from the top of the diamond that is visible to the naked eye. The first time I viewed the diamond I couldn't find it without the loop. This second time, if I was 3-4 inches from the diamond, I could see it in the store lighting.

The jeweler let me take out a loose .94 H, VS1 round and this loose oval into the street, both just sitting in a setting, on a really bright and sunny day. The oval really shined and I couldn't really see the inclusion unless I really stared and the round ended up looking dark and 'glassy'. Not the same as the white and shimmery oval.

The diamond was priced at ~$5100, but the jewelry store gives a discount of 1% a month on how long they have had the diamond. They have had this one since June and she gave us a 10% discount, coming to ~$4500.

Is this a fair price? I'm willing to pay a tad bit extra to work with this jeweler, but I don't want to overpay significantly. The jeweler said that they don't sell too many ovals, so they don't look to purchase any in the near future. She said she could help us buy one through their store, but she couldn't guarantee a comparable stone wouldn't have another black inclusion until it came in.

Thank you for any help you can give!

Some of the things that you wrote kinda got my spidey senses tingling! First, from the way you describe the performance of the round, I feel pretty certain that wasn't an ideal cut round. If it was, it would light up like a spot light in bright sunlight. But that doesn't matter, because comparing your oval to a poorly cut round won't help you make your choice. The correct comparison to help you make a decision isn't a poorly cut round to your oval, it is your oval compared to 3 or 4 other ovals of similar, better, or worse cuts. Only in those circumstances can you fairly judge your stone and determine if it is a good "value".

Also, the "discount" line, and the "we won't have any more in the future" line, and the "I can't guarantee they won't have a visible inclusion" line all sound like selling tactics aimed to make you feel rushed into a purchase. I have been down that road with my former jeweler, pre-PS, and he is also well respected in my area. I wanted some ECs so he called in a pair and said, "These are an amazing price, I had to buy so many other stones just to get this price!" and "I don't see these often" and then he showed us a comparison stone that was poorly cut (I now know) and really yellow to the eye. Of course my stones looked amazing next to that comparison point! Well we bought the stones and I learned an expensive lesson. They are very pretty but I know I could have done better with my money.

Don't feel rushed, there are other ovals out there if you aren't 100% sure about this one. If it helps, Good Old Gold is a jeweler many PSers use and they have sold people on here ovals that are pretty killer (Kaleigh got hers there I believe, you should try to find her posts). And Good Old Gold has video tutorials that will actually let you see 4 ovals next to each other: http://www.goodoldgold.com/video/ Scroll neear the bottom of the page to the section called "Product Comparisons" and they have a video called "Comparing four 2ct Ovals. One with average symmetry. One with a more notable bowtie and 2 beauts" At the very least this may give you a comparison point to judge the oval you are considering. Just as a price comparion, they also have a similar size but E color and eye-clean SI1 stone that is the same price as the one you are considering http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/2859/. That difference in color and eye-cleanliness is worth a lot of $$.

ETA: I just watched that oval video on GOG, how informative! That was a video they filmed for a customer who couldnt come into the stone to compare the stones in person. Amazing.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

DD

 

[bam2k]

Hi Patient1,

I would pass on this stone as well. I would seek out something that is eye clean. For the $4500 you could find a higher quality stone. A visible black inclusion could really become an annoyance down the road. The shimmer and bling factor may cause you to overlook this stone''s imperfection in the short term.

Please check out some of the pricescope vendor diamonds to see some of the possibilities for an oval.

Best of Luck with your shopping!

Bam2k

 

[arjunajane]

Please pass on this one! Dreamer has given you some really good advice, and I second heading over to GOG to check out their selection. The easiest thing is just to decide what it is you''re after in size, colour and clarity and send an email to Jon, then he will make sure you get The Best Cut stone in your pricerange. If customer service is important to you as mentioned, you will not be dispapoointed with Good Old Gold.

 

[Imdanny]

Some of the things that you wrote kinda got my spidey senses tingling!

Spidey senses. ROTFL!

 

[patient1]

Thank you all for your help! dreamer_dachsie -- Thank you SO much for the wonderful advice! I will definitely be looking closer at GOG and their videos. I looked at James Allen, Blue nile and Whiteflash last night. I agree an online vendor is the way to go... I''ll probably still have my ring setting custom made through the B&M jeweler here; I just need to see if they''ll work with an outside stone (which I''m sure they will).

I see many people recommend ''posting'' specifications to have a diamond found for them... Where should I post this information?? And do I contact Jon through the Good Old Gold website?

Thanks again so much for your help!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Patient1, great news! You can contact Jon through their website I believe, they have contact information there. Tell him what you are looking for and he can go from there. I am not totally sure that James Allen of WF will provide videos, they may only provide pictures, but it is really important to get the images of fancies b/c you really can't judge them from the numbers. But when you get more information about a tone you are interested in, you can post it here is RockyTalky, just start a new thread. There aren't a lot of oval experts here as far as I know, it isn't a very popular shape these days, but people will give you all the help they can I'm sure! Sometimes people will ask the PS community to help them find stones, but with ovals it is probably best to go through a trusted vendor directly because they are a less common cut.

BTW, GOG and EF (not sure about James Allen) also give lifetime trade-up policies, so if that is something you care about then those vendors may be better than Bluenile, which doesn't have that type of policy. I have heard it said also that Bluenile has less information about their stones aavilable to consumers, which is a big downside since you really need to see it before you buy. You may also want to try Engagement rings direct, many people use them and seem really happy. Try a search on PS for "ovals" and see what you get too, you may get better advice that way.

As for a custom setting, both WF and Engagement Rings Direct do really great custom work (again, try a search for "custom" and those company names and you will see the products). You can probably get your local B& to make your ring, no problem, the only issue is that most/many places will not insure a stone that they did not provide, and so you will have to get your own insurance for you loose stone while it is being set (if you want, some people don't get insurance but there are many many stories of chipping or damage to stones by local jewelers on here). Jewelers Mutual an Chubb are insurance companies that many people use to insure loose stones and I dont' think it is too expensive. If you bought a stone from GOG or WF and had them set it, they would insure the stone during setting. Just food for thought.

Good luck, can't wait to see how things go!

DD

 

[luckynumber7]

hi,

just read your posts and i''m glad to hear you''re passing up on the stone. it didn''t seem to be the best stone from what i read.

anyway, good luck on your stone hunt. please let us know what happens.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just wanted to add that I had the complete satisfaction dealing with Jon at Good Old Gold. If he does not have what you want in inventory, he can get some in. He has a great eye plus many instruments that evaluate stone quality. You aren''t likely to get this at a local jeweler. Not to mention you almost always get a better price on a better quality stone. Then, as you said, you can buy your setting locally if you want.

 

[LegacyGirl]

I''m glad you''re passing on the stone!