appraisals, SI 1 clairty

[toansem]

This is my first time visiting this site. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with my questions.

my fiance's family lives in NY. While visiting them last year, we bought my engagement ring at one of the wholesale jewelers. The setting was not available at the time so the ring was picked up and kept for us by his family until the engagement.

3 stones: all rounds
carat wt: center = 1.02
2 side stones totaled = .30
color: all G
Clarity: all SI1
set in 18k yellow gold

The ring came with a store appraisal/certificate with the above information and the approximate replacement value of 7500.

Unfortunately, the paper was lost before it reached my hands. I've always been satisfied with the ring so i didn't think about getting an appraisal until a couple days ago. With the naked eye, I noticed 2 small "black dots" in the center stone and 1 in the side stone. each of the dots is no bigger than 1mm in diameter.

1. My question is if having these inclusions is still within the limits of the definition of SI1. when we bought the diamonds, the jeweler didn't point out these or any inclusions to us.

2. My second question is now that i have doubts about my diamond, i would really like to have it apprasied. How would i go about getting either GIA or EGL certified at this point and approximately how much would this cost?

3. And finally, if there's a difference between the GIA cert and store cert, will I still be able to go back to store to exchange for the proper diamon(s)...especially if the original store certificate is lost?

Thank you for listening to my story. I would really appreciate if you can help me with my concerns. thank you again.

 

[oldminer]

The water really is "over the dam". You may want to check the quality with an idependent appraiser near where you live. Maybe I could suggest someone if you let me know your general geographic location.

It is likely that the grading of the diamonds is a bit puffed (exaggerated). You can't be certain until someone knowedgeable and honest checks it for you. Armed with correct knowledge you might do some adjusting with the retailer who sold the ring to you.... Then again, they may just tell you that they disagree with your hired expert. Who knows who is right? Unfortunately, that's why there are som many lawsuits. ALWAYS shop BEFORE you pay your money. I can't urge people enough to either know what they are doing or hire someone to protect their intersts BEFORE they pay...It can be arranged and done very politely.

 

[bh26d]

I purchased a ring for my fiancee yesterday here in L.A. I'm a businessman, not a gemologist, but understand that SI1 should be visible only under a 10x scope to an untrained eye or barely visible to a trained eye.

(Looking for a professional answer myself) Is it possible that a feather in her SI1 expanded over time?

 

[oldminer]

"my fiance's family lives in NY. While visiting them last year, we bought my engagement ring at one of the wholesale jewelers."

You now say you bought the ring yesterday,. but I imagine you bought the diamonds last year while in NY. If the stones were not worn or used, then there would be no reason to consider "damage" or a change in their clarity grade.

Do you have insurance on them as SI1 clarity? How well do you know the jeweler in LA that made the mounting? How long did the jeweler have your stones for making the ring?
Did anyone look carefully at the diamnonds when they were bought so that they could judge if they are the same or different or damaged?

Lots of tough questions and you are out on a delicate limb. There may be a problem, but it may well be from the time the stones were purchased. Some SI1's do have eye visible blemishes, many don't. It is not a fixed answer. Many SI1's can have marks visible to the unaided eye when viewed from the pavilion. Less from the crown (top).

 

[toansem]

Dear Oldminer,
thank you for your replies. I now live in santa clara county up in northern CA. Do you have any reputable appraiser you can recommend to me? From one of your replies, are you suggesting that the clarity of the diamond changes over time... such as one year? what does "a feather expanding over time" mean? does this mean the qualities of most diamonds will go down over time?
thank you again.

 

[Derek]

Oldminer is getting the two of you confused...

toansem-
I'm just a regular guy but if you are just noticing the spots now they must not be too big so you may have an SI grade of some type. An independent appraiser will be able to make a judgement for you. Maybe it is just dirt and the stones need to be cleaned...
The 'feather' comment is a reference to bh26d's comments. Feather is a nice name for crack, typically white or gray in color from what I have seen. bh26d
was suggesting that perhaps the crack grew which is why you are just noticing it now. I've never seen a black one, but again I'm just a guy who has been shopping and learning for the last 6 months (luckily my girl friend is patient).

bh26d-
Two weekends ago I saw my first SI2 stone and I couldn't see the inclusions from the top (they were on the sides and somehow masked, I could see them from the bottom though). Up until this point I have been looking at VS2 and above because 99% of the time I can see the VS2 inclusion(s)when they are directly under the table. Yes, with my naked eye. Jewelers don't believe me until I prove it to them. Since then I have learned the term 'desireable inclusion'. That would be the SI2 stone I was looking at. As for all the VS2 stones, they were VS2 but the inclusions were not of the desireable type (at least to me) because they were directly under the table and I could see them.
-D

 

[oldminer]

A diamond may degrade over time and use in clarity. They will never improve in clarity, of course, and most remain the same if not worn or worn with due care over a lifetime.

I have no appraiser to recommend to you out there. Look in the appraisers section of the yellow pages and begin calling around to see if anyone is independent and qualified...

 

[kevd]

click the appraisers banner at the top - there are several CA appraisers listed.