Am I stuck with a ring I don''t love? Options??

[CareBear]

Dem, do what you want with the EC but please DO NOT mess with your solitaire! Leave it as it! Don''t trade it for a higher color, small stone, reset to a 3 stone, etc. All of us love love love that ring of yours! That stone in that setting to me is the PERFECT ring! Whenever I think about upgrading, I go back to your threads, look at that ring of yours and drool.

As for the EC, I love 3 stone ECs. Perhaps you can do that?

If you know your hormones are affecting you, maybe you shouldn''t make any decisions until after the baby?

 

[isaku5]

Date: 6/22/2006 4:07:45 PM
Author: mrssalvo
here ya go isaku link to jade''s thread and since you thread jacked

what''s up with your asscher?

Still a work in progress

. Thanks for asking

 

[Demelza]

MGR -- I always appreciate your very wise posts. I agree that I think we''re very much alike in that once we start picking something apart, it''s kind of hard to stop. At first, I could deal with the angles being a tiny bit "off", but then I started noticing the color, and then the clarity!!! I think I will always wonder "what if" if I don''t at least try to pursue other options. If it turns out the financial loss will be too great, then perhaps I will rethink this whole endeavour, but I feel like I kind of have to explore all my options now in order to feel at peace later. I think I too might be a G girl for my ering stone. I just loved my last G -- it was super white ALL THE TIME FROM ALL ANGLES. Never thought I was particularly color sensitive until now. I do feel kind of stuck right now because I don''t have access to a good trade up policy, so I really want to see if I can get to a place where I have more freedom. It would be great to know that at any point in the future, I can go bigger, whiter, clearer, etc. I think it will help me to be more satisfied with where I am right now.

Mara -- You KNOW I''m totally mental, but thanks for loving me anyway! It does help to hear that my stone is great in case I do end up keeping it. And that means a lot coming from you!!!

Carebear -- Thanks for the compliment on my ring. It really IS beautiful and I think I need to remember that! I get so caught up in what''s not right about it that I forget how beautiful it really is. Perhaps a dip in the ultrasonic would help. I remember the last time I was feeling unhappy with my stone, a simple bath perked it (and me) right up.

Quick update: So far I''ve emailed JA, Wink, GOG, Pearlman''s and WF. I have to say that every single vendor has gotten back to me in a very timely manner (i.e. within a few hours!!) even just to say that they got my email and will look into what they can or can''t do for me. No one has said no, so that''s good news. But I''m just very impressed so far that everyone has taken the time to acknowledge my request. I just love that kind of prompt customer service!! So yay for that

!!!

 

[jadeleaves]

Demelza!

I''ve been checking to see if you have news on the gender of your baby! Are you going to have another ultrasound? I don''t have any booked at the moment, and I''m missing being able to see my little one

Re: upgrading both EC & RB - If you can get a good deal, go for it! Sorry I can''t remember where u got your RB from, but it looks splendid in all your pictures.

Good to know that every vendor got back to you promptly! I am in the process of getting a larger RB too, and it''s a little slow, just because supplies in the size I''m looking for are limited. Do let us know how you go!

Are you feeling the baby kicking yet?

 

[Demelza]

Date: 6/22/2006 7:06:08 PM
Author: jadeleaves
Demelza!


I''ve been checking to see if you have news on the gender of your baby! Are you going to have another ultrasound? I don''t have any booked at the moment, and I''m missing being able to see my little one

Re: upgrading both EC & RB - If you can get a good deal, go for it! Sorry I can''t remember where u got your RB from, but it looks splendid in all your pictures.


Good to know that every vendor got back to you promptly! I am in the process of getting a larger RB too, and it''s a little slow, just because supplies in the size I''m looking for are limited. Do let us know how you go!


Are you feeling the baby kicking yet?

Hi Fellow Pregger PSer -- No news on the gender. The tech either couldn''t detect it or didn''t write it down. We''re thinking of going to one of those private 3d ultraround clinics whose primary purpose is to determine gender and give you lots of cool pictures. We''re a little hesitant because it''s not medically necessary to have another ultrasound, but we really want to know the gender so I think we''ll go for it. I made an appt for 2 weeks from today. Can''t wait!!!

I think I''ve been feeling the baby kick, but I can''t tell for sure whether it''s the baby or gas, hehe. When did you start to feel the baby? How far along are you now?

What size RB are you looking for??? What stone are you trading in??

 

[MissGotRocks]

Let us know about your responses from the various vendors. I am sure it will all work out for you one way or another.

I remember the ''gas'' feeling - just feels like a little bubble popped or something - probably around the end of the fourth month if memory serves me correctly. It will get stronger and there will be no doubt about what it is! Such a wondrous, joyous time - enjoy!

 

[Demelza]

Date: 6/22/2006 7:28:56 PM
Author: MissGotRocks
Let us know about your responses from the various vendors. I am sure it will all work out for you one way or another.


I remember the ''gas'' feeling - just feels like a little bubble popped or something - probably around the end of the fourth month if memory serves me correctly. It will get stronger and there will be no doubt about what it is! Such a wondrous, joyous time - enjoy!

Yup, that''s exactly how it feels to me too! I''ll be 5 months on Monday and it feels like little bubble pops. Very good description.

Well, I''ve heard back from 2 vendors with definitive answers. Both offered me the consignment option. If the stones sell, I can either take the cash or purchase stones through them. If I choose the latter, the commission would be waived with one vendor and significantly reduced with the other. Both suggested very reasonable prices, I think. The only problem, of course, is that there is no telling how long this process might take. It could take weeks or months....or longer, I suppose. And then who knows what kind of inventory would be available. Or what the prices might be like. There are already a couple of stones I might be interested in, but I''m not sure they''d be there in a few months. So, that''s the current update. I''m still waiting on a couple of other vendors. I''ll keep ya posted!!

 

[jadeleaves]

Date: 6/22/2006 7:22:19 PM
Author: Demelza
Hi Fellow Pregger PSer -- No news on the gender. The tech either couldn''t detect it or didn''t write it down. We''re thinking of going to one of those private 3d ultraround clinics whose primary purpose is to determine gender and give you lots of cool pictures. We''re a little hesitant because it''s not medically necessary to have another ultrasound, but we really want to know the gender so I think we''ll go for it. I made an appt for 2 weeks from today. Can''t wait!!!


I think I''ve been feeling the baby kick, but I can''t tell for sure whether it''s the baby or gas, hehe. When did you start to feel the baby? How far along are you now?


What size RB are you looking for??? What stone are you trading in??

Hello!

Ohh I bet you are excited about the appt in 2 wks time! I''m like you - I NEED to know whether it''s a boy or girl. Can''t stand the suspense

I''m 25 1/2 wks now, and I started feeling Button kicked at around 18wks (actually felt it earlier, but 18wks was when i KNEW it was definitely the baby and not gas

).

I''m trading in my 1.56 G Si1 H&A RB - it''s been sitting in my jewelry box unset for almost a year now, so I thought I''ll trade it in for a larger RB around 2.5-2.8ct. It''s so hard to find stones in that size at the moment. Tim from GOG is burning up the phones trying to locate one for me.

Have u narrowed down what you''ll like to upgrade to?

 

[MissGotRocks]

Is the jeweler you got this current stone from totally out of the question in terms of upgrade?

 

[Demelza]

Date: 6/22/2006 9:06:26 PM
Author: MissGotRocks
Is the jeweler you got this current stone from totally out of the question in terms of upgrade?

I think so. The only reason I was able to upgrade my 1.5 was because she was willing to buy it for herself. She is a one woman operation who simply doesn''t have the resources to buy back my stone. It''s possible she could contact Keppie Kiger, the company from whom she got the stone, and see if they''d be willing to take the stone in on trade, but then I''d be stuck again with no upgrade policy for the future. And I''d be limited to only one company''s inventory. I hate feeling stuck! How were you able to upgrade, MGR? You mentioned earlier feeling stuck by bad trade up policies? Do you feel like this stone is "the one"? Do you ever get the upgrade bug?

 

[MissGotRocks]

My very first stone was purchased by my husband from a local jeweler in 1976. He literally poured out a bag of stones that were all in the same size range and let hubby pick which one he wanted. Can you believe that????? The appraisal that I got with it said color good, clarity good. That''s it! After about 10 years we realized it was as yellow as p** and went back to him to see about trading it. I guess it was in the now infamous 80''s when diamond prices hit the roof. We didn''t know that; just knew that the price difference between that stone (.75) and a one carat was astronomical. We got in the car and laughed all the way home. Truth is, the joke was on us! We thought it was just him being ridiculous - NOT!!!!

I found a guy through the newspaper that was a GG and working as an appraiser. He supposedly had a contact in New York to purchase stones from and sell them at a ''wholesale'' price. He took my stone in trade and I got a one carat stone. Looking back, probably one of the nicest I had out of all the trades. It was very pretty but then I got greedy. Called him back and said I love it but could I trade for a bigger stone? And so it went for several years - added a few dollars to it and got bigger stones - never quite achieved the look or sparkle I wanted - and of course that had to be attributed to cut. The last stone I had from him was 1.82. It had a dark center in some lighting and I wasn''t happy with it. He had fallen out of contact with his NY connection - if he ever really existed - and after many promises never came up with another stone. I would literally cry in frustration - and I called every jeweler from here to New York trying to find a way to trade my stone. Alot of them told me I had a nice stone and to just forget about it! Wow - what a trip that was! I could tell you something about everyone of those stones that I didn''t like but of course I never knew why they looked like that. Color/clarity was all any one spoke of and increasing the color and clarity in these stones was not getting me where I wanted to be. One of them was an E color - course these were all uncerted stones - but still not right.

After finally realizing that he wasn''t going to come through for me, I went to a jeweler in our area that accepted trades. He told me that the cut and quality of the stone I had was not on par with what he sold and that I would take a hit to trade it. I basically traded that stone in for one that was not a lot bigger and maybe one color grade difference and maybe to the tune of something like $4500. That was years ago and it was alot of money for a trade but I really had no choice - keep what I didn''t like or pay the $$. After I coughed up the additional money I knew I was in with him then and could once again trade when I wanted. That was an H 60/60 (GIA cert) stone and I always felt I could see color in the stone - again probably all due to cut. Then I got on the internet when it was up and coming and found out something about cut. LIGHTS WENT OFF! Bingo! Here had been my problem and I had no idea. I went back to him and traded that stone for an ideal cut stone and WOW - everything I had ever imagined a diamond should be!

Sorry for the novel but I can''t explain my situation in a couple of sentences. The current stone I have I found on his website and though I wasn''t interested in trading right then I hated to pass the opportunity. Hubby again said just go for it and I was off and running! Do I every consider upgrading? Yes - but this stone has so many things I like about it that I am hesitant to ''mess it up'' with another trade. I don''t want to go down in color (G) or clarity (SI1) and as you know in this size range the slightest upward movement is major $$. He currently as a 2.54 stone that is almost identical in my specs except that it is a VS2 and the price difference is over $10,000.00. I am sure you would see a difference in size but it''s not like jumping half carat so I don''t think it would really be worth the additional money. I really love my stone so I don''t have alot of reason to trade up again. I would consider resetting it - and may very well do that in a year or so. This larger stone was put in my PrecisionSet mounting and it still looks a little squished to me. PS would reset it but after the fiasco Leila went through I''m not sure I''m interested. Just something to ponder on days when I have the time. . .

Again, sorry for the ramble but my guess is that if you are going to start all over again with another vendor that you will take a hit. You are probably in a much better position as you are beginning with a certed stone - no one can really argue the specs of it with you. If it is really important to you and you find a possible situation that you can work in, I''d say go for it. Waiting in this diamond market just costs more money. You really do have a beautiful stone though so either way you have a win/win situation. You either get to keep this beauty or find another beauty. What a deal!

Thanks for your updates and keep us posted - best of luck to you!

 

[Demelza]

MGR -- Wow, that's quite a long diamond upgrading journey you've been on. I'm so happy for you that you finally have the "right" stone....at least for now. It IS stunning indeed!! If you don't mind me asking, who is your jeweler and what is his website? Thanks for sharing your story -- it gives me hope that maybe I'll be able to get it right one of these days. Or come to the conclusion that I already got it right.

Update: It looks like I've heard from all the vendors I've written to. At this point, it seems clear that my best (and really only) option is to sell the stones on consignment and then buy wherever I like. I've had 2 offers to buy the stones outright, but that would mean taking a serious financial hit I'm not willing to take. Selling on consignment and then buying from the place who sold them for me will offer me the best chance of recouping as much money as possible. I suppose it's possible I might not even lose very much at all that way. BUT it could take a long time and one never knows what diamond prices will do in the meantime. I feel stuck and kind of discouraged. I think at this point it might make the most sense to just hold off for now and see if all this settles down after pregnancy. If I still feel dissatisfied then, I can reevaluate. Since I don't wear my emerald cut, however, I might just send that off and see what happens. It's just sitting in my jewelry box anyway. All this frustration sure has brought home the importance of a good trade up policy!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Demelza,

You really have little to lose by listing them on consignment, right? If they sell, then you can buy a new diamond with specs that you prefer. If the e-ring doesn''t sell, then you at least know you have a beautiful ring even though it may not have everything you want. I imagine most of us question something about our rings everytime we read PS!

 

[mrssalvo]

Dem,
I think you should go ahead and consign the EC if it''s just sitting in your jewelry box. Might as well put it out there and see what happens. If it sells quickly it might give you some encouragement that your gorgeous round will too. Especially with all the info you have on your stone. whomever is consigning it shouldn''t have too tough a time with that beauty.