Am I getting ripped off

[pdzwilewsk]

Asscher cut
6.01 X 5.91 X 4.13mm

1.2 carat
H Color
Clarity VS1

Finish
Polish Excellent
Symmetry Very good
Flourescence None

Table 59%
depth 69.9%
small culet
thick to very thick girdle


I paid $7500 for the diamond and the platinum ring. So I guess if the platinum is $400 then I got the diamond for $7100.


Because of people on this board I went from an I color to the H color. I dropped down from a 1.26 caret and also dropped down from a VVS1. I will say that the any inclusions on this one are minimal and are on the bottom and sides of the stone.

Anyone know if this was good? I went to the diamond district in NYC, so I know that internet prices are cheaper. The jeweler continued to say that he only sells premium cut so I think I went to a more upscale place. Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[chrono]

It is very difficult to answer your question about the cut of the asscher without any pictures since asschers are all about the steps. I'm glad that you choose to go up in colour and down in clarity. As for pricing, I've seen asscher diamonds listed at 1.2 H VS1 from $5K to $6K in the PS database.

 

[pdzwilewsk]

Yeah, I dont have any pictures yet, but am getting it appraised tomorrow. They should give me some pictures. I will say that I was shocked when the jeweler quoted a higher price when I went up in color, but down in caret and clarity. I paid 7,000 for the I color stone, but to jump to an H it was 7500. Is there a reason for this disparity? The jeweler said that the new stone is worth 8K, but I have no idea if he was just trying to assuage my concerns regarding the price.

 

[chrono]

That's strange, if anything else, the price should drop a little since the colour grade increase was 1 notch, but the clarity drop grade was 2 notches. Does this new stone look better (the step pattern) to you compared to the I stone? Is this one GIA certified?

 

[pdzwilewsk]

It may have improved only slightly, but I did not find any problems with the step pattern. The stone does sparkle well. It is GIA certified, unlike the "I" color stone which was EGL certified.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 8/13/2007 4:36:59 PM
Author: pdzwilewsk
It is GIA certified, unlike the 'I' color stone which was EGL certified.

THAT's part of the price jump. An EGL "I" is probably equivalent to a GIA "J" or "K" ... so instead of jumping ONE color grade (for which $500 doesn't sound too bad actually) you actually jumped 2-3 grades.

I can't remember the other stats of the old stone but from #s alone, the new stone sounds nice. I have a GIA "H" myself and have LOVED it for 2 yrs. No regrets about color AT ALL. Whiter than white!

Platinum is pretty pricey too -- I'd expect the setting is more like 1K of your total -- in which case the price is quite close to online pricing.

CONGRATS!!! Come back with PIX!!! And let us know what the appraisers says!



ETA: if it makes you feel more secure: many folks around here think EX in polish shows the cutter was SUPER careful with the stone ... taking SPECIAL care because they think its a "good" one. No evidence to support that other than lots of talk around here -- but thought you'd like to know!

 

[pdzwilewsk]

Thanks! I wasn''t aware that color changed the price so much. I thought that carat size was the highest determinant out of all the characteristics for price. When I saw that I dropped down in carat size by .06 and went from a VVS1 to a VS1, I thought that the price should have been lower than the previous stone''s price. I did know from reading on this site that EGL often has a lesser standard for color, so I am happy that I raised the color and it is now GIA certified.

Once the jeweler lowered his price from the asking price, he really was obstinate about going lower. I did get him to knock off 100 extra though. I sure will post pictures. I am having it mounted on a tiffany band with a knife edge. Plain, simple and classy, just what my sweetheart is. I am glad to hear that the 7500 price is reasonable for this stone and ring. If there are any other people who have anything to add, good or bad, I would be delighted to hear more. Are the measurements good? Is the thick to very thick girdle a bad thing to have? Is the drop from a 1.26 to a 1.2 carat that noticeable (it is afterall a 5% drop)?

 

[chrono]

EGL USA can sometimes be a bit lax in clarity and colour grading but not always. If the stone checks out as accurate per the cert, then it is a very good buy. GIA certs tend to be accurate (sometimes even a bit stricter) so you are very safe.

The thick to VThick girdle isn''t bad in itself; it just means some weight is hidden in the girdle and the stone probably looks a wee bit smaller than it potentially could. There is nothing unsafe or risky about the girdle. The drop from 1.26ct to 1.2ct is probably miniscule - this is just the carat weight. The face up appearance is also dependent on its total depth. To be sure of the difference in size, what is the previous dimensions of the EGL I VVS1 asscher?

 

[pdzwilewsk]

Not sure about the "I" color dimensions. I took the "H" color stone into the appraiser. He said the same thing about the EGL Europe, that they were off by as much as 2 categories in color and off by as much as 1 category in clarity.

As for the "H" stone, he said that the color was a low "G" and that the clarity was a VVS2 instead of a VS1. I was pleasantly surpirsed by these results. He did say that he would be comfortable with what was actually in the GIA certificate, but it appears that the color and clarity were better.

So I may have went from a K or J color with the EGL certified "I" color stone, to a low "G". Moreover, if the appraiser was correct with the EGL on clarity, then I only really dropped down from a VVS1 to a VVS2. This to me is the best result, I could expect. It only cost me $500 extra for this new stone, for a grand total, including the ring and setting, of $7500.

I am not sure if the apprasier took any photos, but if he did I will try and post them. Hopefully once the stone is mounted I can take a picture for all of you. Thanks so much!