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Advice on another diamond?

ModdySmalls

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Messages
44
Hi all, I'm back! I am new to this site, so please let me know if I should be compiling my advice posts together instead of creating a new thread each time... I took a look after the helpful advice I got my antique diamond and wanted to know what you all thought of this one. The seller wants $5500. Thoughts?Image (1).jpgImage (2).jpgImage.jpg
 
The GIA is not considering this an "antique stone". I'm not thrilled with the cavity as the grade-setting characteristic but it is a VS, so....
I really like the shape appeal... the table and the crown height and the elongated shape. Obviously from this photo the fire is great. We don't know what type of lighting that is under but even with the best of "illusion" lighting a diamond that "struggles" can only do so much so I am liking this. You can see the warmth of its color but I'm really liking it. I think it is pretty. I was recently looking at a radiant that had mesmerizing sparkle but I was on the fence because I wasn't sure it actually had enough warmth for me. I do like the price of this stone. And I like that it was recently graded by GIA.
 
The GIA is not considering this an "antique stone". I'm not thrilled with the cavity as the grade-setting characteristic but it is a VS, so....
I really like the shape appeal... the table and the crown height and the elongated shape. Obviously from this photo the fire is great. We don't know what type of lighting that is under but even with the best of "illusion" lighting a diamond that "struggles" can only do so much so I am liking this. You can see the warmth of its color but I'm really liking it. I think it is pretty. I was recently looking at a radiant that had mesmerizing sparkle but I was on the fence because I wasn't sure it actually had enough warmth for me. I do like the price of this stone. And I like that it was recently graded by GIA.

Thank you so much. I’ve never purchased a ring online so this helps. There is a no return policy so that makes me nervous...
 
I wouldn't buy anything that expensive without a return policy.

Thank you! I wasn’t sure if this was a typical practice or not...
 
This stone is being sold by a PSer on Loupe Troupe. She has asked for pricing advice a couple of times here on the forum. “No returns” has always been the norm with LT sales where the seller is a consumer, not a vendor.

It’s a beautiful stone, but in my opinion $5500 in private sale sans return policy is an extremely high asking price. Take a look at Jewels by Grace’s current inventory for retail price comps.
 
I was trying not to comment but as an active pricescope member and seller I feel that this post is misleading and I am frustrated that advice is being sought without the proper information on the listing. The asking price is for a ring not a loose stone. This is my listing for a custom 18k solitaire not for a loose stone. I am selling towards an upgrade. I have been collecting for over 10 years and selling on eBay for 6. On eBay, I do offer returns. I mostly sell items in the $20-$500 where liability for return is much lower. In this case the cost for fully insured shipping is around $200. Best case return scenario, if the buyer changes their mind, I’m out around $200. Worst case scenario the item is lost in return shipping. Then who assumes liability? The seller (myself) could be put out around 12k (Original cost of ring + refund to buyer) For this reason no returns is a common practice on loupe troop. For this reason I (the seller) have supplied the buyer and was continuing to supply the buyer with countless pictures and videos of this ring (not loose stone) in various lighting conditions so that she can get a very accurate understanding of the quality and performance of the piece. Again this item and I’d assume most items sold on loupe troop are being sold by private sellers and not by business.
 
Hi Mjay, I understand what you are saying. You’re right, I didn’t provide enough context because I didn’t realize the stone being set in a ring would drastically change the advice I got. That’s my lack of knowledge in the arena of diamonds, rings, and selling/buying valuable jewelry online. I apologize and will fix these mistakes. My intention was definitely not to mislead, but I totally agree that I didn’t give enough information (not on purpose) because I didn’t know what was important to give to get the right advice. I think in the comments I even mentioned buying a ring, so I wasnt trying to hide that it was set already, I didn’t realize that matters when asking for input from experts in this area. My focus was on the diamond and not the ring itself (which is gorgeous...I obviously love the whole thing or I wouldn’t seek advice on it because I was considering buying it). Again, I’m sorry and I will fix. Thanks for pointing out my mistake, and I will be more careful in the future.
 
Hi Mjay, I understand what you are saying. You’re right, I didn’t provide enough context because I didn’t realize the stone being set in a ring would drastically change the advice I got. That’s my lack of knowledge in the arena of diamonds, rings, and selling/buying valuable jewelry online. I apologize and will fix these mistakes. My intention was definitely not to mislead, but I totally agree that I didn’t give enough information (not on purpose) because I didn’t know what was important to give to get the right advice. I think in the comments I even mentioned buying a ring, so I wasnt trying to hide that it was set already, I didn’t realize that matters when asking for input from experts in this area. My focus was on the diamond and not the ring itself (which is gorgeous...I obviously love the whole thing or I wouldn’t seek advice on it because I was considering buying it). Again, I’m sorry and I will fix. Thanks for pointing out my mistake, and I will be more careful in the future.

Also, I didn’t know if it was kosher to say where I saw it and how much information to give (like all of the pictures you sent, etc) so I tried to keep it minimal and focused on the area I had the question about. I now see if I had mentioned LT maybe that would have changed the advice I got.
 
This stone is being sold by a PSer on Loupe Troupe. She has asked for pricing advice a couple of times here on the forum. “No returns” has always been the norm with LT sales where the seller is a consumer, not a vendor.

It’s a beautiful stone, but in my opinion $5500 in private sale sans return policy is an extremely high asking price. Take a look at Jewels by Grace’s current inventory for retail price comps.

Thank you for your help, and yes, I have sought frequent advice. I am currently looking for a ring right now, so if that’s not the norm to post multiple threads, please let me know! I don’t want to be annoying.
 
Hi all, I'm back! I am new to this site, so please let me know if I should be compiling my advice posts together instead of creating a new thread each time... I took a look after the helpful advice I got my antique diamond and wanted to know what you all thought of this one. The seller wants $5500. Thoughts?Image (1).jpgImage (2).jpgImage.jpg

I don’t know how to edit posts, but this is set in a ring.
 
@ModdySmalls I’m quite confident @Mjay’s ire is aimed at me, not you. You have done nothing that merits apologizing to anyone - here or in your other thread. RT is intended to be a place for newcomers to ask the questions they feel they need answers to to make purchases they feel good about; there is no formulae for what questions to ask and how to ask them and this is by design.
 
Oops, I didnt realize the stone was being sold on LT or that it was in a ring. When things are sold by private parties then not having a return policy is very common
 
I was trying not to comment but as an active pricescope member and seller I feel that this post is misleading and I am frustrated that advice is being sought without the proper information on the listing. The asking price is for a ring not a loose stone. This is my listing for a custom 18k solitaire not for a loose stone.
RT is a place for people to provide and justify opinions on value and value for money. I did not feel that your original asking price when you first listed this stone presented good value for money on the preloved market, and I explained my thoughts in one of the threads where you asked our opinions. I feel the same way now. Others may of course feel differently.

I am aware that you're selling a completed ring, not a loose stone, and as I said - the stone is beautiful. My justifications for my assertion re. your pricing:
1. The stone is of good clarity but is a trade-devalued colour - both less saturated and more saturated would be more valuable. It has no especial features or heritage (it isn't a branded stone, it wasn't cut by a well-known persona, it doesn't come with a popular story).
2. You are a private party, you are not well-known here on PS despite your tenure on other media, you do not offer return or upgrade or trade-in policies (understandably - but these policies have monetary worth to consumers).
3. Finally, the setting is neither particularly unique nor particularly intricate - it does not merit a premium preloved.

Retail comparison: GIA 1.31 K VS2 cushion-shaped OEC - $4695 with return and other vendor guarantees. Older certificate, but newer GIA certificates also won't provide proportions or cut grades on OECs, and this vendor will take additional macro images to verify surface condition.

I am selling towards an upgrade. I have been collecting for over 10 years and selling on eBay for 6. On eBay, I do offer returns.
Is this stone listed on eBay with a return policy?

I mostly sell items in the $20-$500 where liability for return is much lower. In this case the cost for fully insured shipping is around $200. Best case return scenario, if the buyer changes their mind, I’m out around $200. Worst case scenario the item is lost in return shipping. Then who assumes liability? The seller (myself) could be put out around 12k (Original cost of ring + refund to buyer) For this reason no returns is a common practice on loupe troop.
The 'no returns' practice (not policy, just common practice, for better or worse) on LT is because private consumers don't generally allocate funds for inventory. If I sell something, I want to be able to use the proceeds immediately, and not have to wait X amount of time in case the buyer wants to send it back. For higher-value purchases (over ~$1-2k seems to be pretty common) I, and most PSers I've bought from on LT, are willing to extend a courtesy "hey, if it doesn't work for you let me know and we'll sort a return out" precisely because both parties need to feel good about the purchase - and for buyers that usually means having some safety net.

Regarding liability - you ship to your buyer with insurance or, if the piece is too high-value to insure without a commercial account, you solicit the services of an intermediary appraiser. On return, your buyer back ships to you with insurance (you can provide the label) or both parties sort out an appraiser agreement.

For this reason I (the seller) have supplied the buyer and was continuing to supply the buyer with countless pictures and videos of this ring (not loose stone) in various lighting conditions so that she can get a very accurate understanding of the quality and performance of the piece. Again this item and I’d assume most items sold on loupe troop are being sold by private sellers and not by business.
I realise I'm saying things that are likely unwelcome and are almost certainly uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of, and for that, I apologise.
 
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I think with items of this value, it is best to consign so that there is a return policy. I agree that LT items are almost always no return. I think you could sell branded cuts on LT with no return policy (and I have bought pairs of superideal diamonds on there myself), but there's no way I'd buy any other kind of diamond on there without a return policy. I have sold a diamond on there that was ideal cut, but a PSer recommended the stone to a friend so they had confidence to buy. I have also bought a GIA 3X diamond through LT, but the sale was with Neil Beaty (appraiser) as the intermediary who supplied me with an appraisal prior to my purchase. I don't see any circumstances that I could buy an antique cut stone without seeing it and without a return policy.
 
@diamondseeker2006 that's a good point, but one of the better known vendors that does consignment is sometimes non responsive. I would actually love to consign some stuff, but don't even get a response for things I bought from her business! I don't think I'm probably the only one with that experience unfortunately.
 
Hi Mjay, I understand what you are saying. You’re right, I didn’t provide enough context because I didn’t realize the stone being set in a ring would drastically change the advice I got. That’s my lack of knowledge in the arena of diamonds, rings, and selling/buying valuable jewelry online. I apologize and will fix these mistakes. My intention was definitely not to mislead, but I totally agree that I didn’t give enough information (not on purpose) because I didn’t know what was important to give to get the right advice. I think in the comments I even mentioned buying a ring, so I wasnt trying to hide that it was set already, I didn’t realize that matters when asking for input from experts in this area. My focus was on the diamond and not the ring itself (which is gorgeous...I obviously love the whole thing or I wouldn’t seek advice on it because I was considering buying it). Again, I’m sorry and I will fix. Thanks for pointing out my mistake, and I will be more careful in the future.

No worries. I totally understand it was a mistake. I was just frustrated because the post indicated that the price was for a loose stone and it wasn’t. The setting definitely has an effect on how I have it priced. I didn’t mean to hijack your thread. I was just like come on it’s not a loose stone! Are you looking for a warm stone or something whiter? If you start a thread on what you are looking for I’m sure there are many pricescopers, including myself, that would love to help you hunt it down!
 
I think with items of this value, it is best to consign so that there is a return policy. I agree that LT items are almost always no return. I think you could sell branded cuts on LT with no return policy (and I have bought pairs of superideal diamonds on there myself), but there's no way I'd buy any other kind of diamond on there without a return policy. I have sold a diamond on there that was ideal cut, but a PSer recommended the stone to a friend so they had confidence to buy. I have also bought a GIA 3X diamond through LT, but the sale was with Neil Beaty (appraiser) as the intermediary who supplied me with an appraisal prior to my purchase. I don't see any circumstances that I could buy an antique cut stone without seeing it and without a return policy.

I think consignment would be a great idea! Thank you for the advice.
 
RT is a place for people to provide and justify opinions on value and value for money. I did not feel that your original asking price when you first listed this stone presented good value for money on the preloved market, and I explained my thoughts in one of the threads where you asked our opinions. I feel the same way now. Others may of course feel differently.

I am aware that you're selling a completed ring, not a loose stone, and as I said - the stone is beautiful. My justifications for my assertion re. your pricing:
1. The stone is of good clarity but is a trade-devalued colour - both less saturated and more saturated would be more valuable. It has no especial features or heritage (it isn't a branded stone, it wasn't cut by a well-known persona, it doesn't come with a popular story).
2. You are a private party, you are not well-known here on PS despite your tenure on other media, you do not offer return or upgrade or trade-in policies (understandably - but these policies have monetary worth to consumers).
3. Finally, the setting is neither particularly unique nor particularly intricate - it does not merit a premium preloved.

Retail comparison: GIA 1.31 K VS2 cushion-shaped OEC - $4695 with return and other vendor guarantees. Older certificate, but newer GIA certificates also won't provide proportions or cut grades on OECs, and this vendor will take additional macro images to verify surface condition.


Is this stone listed on eBay with a return policy?


The 'no returns' practice (not policy, just common practice, for better or worse) on LT is because private consumers don't generally allocate funds for inventory. If I sell something, I want to be able to use the proceeds immediately, and not have to wait X amount of time in case the buyer wants to send it back. For higher-value purchases (over ~$1-2k seems to be pretty common) I, and most PSers I've bought from on LT, are willing to extend a courtesy "hey, if it doesn't work for you let me know and we'll sort a return out" precisely because both parties need to feel good about the purchase - and for buyers that usually means having some safety net.

Regarding liability - you ship to your buyer with insurance or, if the piece is too high-value to insure without a commercial account, you solicit the services of an intermediary appraiser. On return, your buyer back ships to you with insurance (you can provide the label) or both parties sort out an appraiser agreement.


I realise I'm saying things that are likely unwelcome and are almost certainly uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of, and for that, I apologise.


My concern is not posting on pricescope. I definitely recommend seeking out advice when making this kind of purchase. I just think OP should have disclosed that the price was for a solitaire not a loose stone. I understand it is a simple setting but it is well made and not cheap. Of course I wouldn’t want either party to feel bad about the sale/purchase. As a private party seller my goal was to provide plenty of pictures, videos and information so that the buyer gets a pretty accurate understanding of the item before they purchase it. I was just going to post a thread about return shipping so this helps. I have no problem offering them I just want to make sure it is done safely. Like I said, I’m not used to selling higher value items so perhaps I should better research and understand the logistics before listing it. Yssie your advice is always welcome and appreciated. You are not offending you are being helpful.
 
@ModdySmalls I’m quite confident @Mjay’s ire is aimed at me, not you. You have done nothing that merits apologizing to anyone - here or in your other thread. RT is intended to be a place for newcomers to ask the questions they feel they need answers to to make purchases they feel good about; there is no formulae for what questions to ask and how to ask them and this is by design.

Thanks for your reply and your help so far. I really appreciate the input and just really didn’t want to offend anyone or violate norms of this site. I really appreciate your input—thank you!
 
No worries. I totally understand it was a mistake. I was just frustrated because the post indicated that the price was for a loose stone and it wasn’t. The setting definitely has an effect on how I have it priced. I didn’t mean to hijack your thread. I was just like come on it’s not a loose stone! Are you looking for a warm stone or something whiter? If you start a thread on what you are looking for I’m sure there are many pricescopers, including myself, that would love to help you hunt it down!

In understand--glad we could clear it up! Once I get a good list of what I am looking for going, I'll make a new thread. I really liked the color of the stone in the ring listed on LT, and the size is good, too. Thanks for your help.
 
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