But...how do I know who is right?

[angelwings33]

I am a little confused. I went to get my grandmother''s ring graded/appraised last week. I wanted to have the set stone graded but I got different answers from all three of the appraisers I went to. It is a 1.16 carat diamond and there is no certificate for it...

One appraiser said it was color F and VVS2

One appraiser said it was color F and VS1

The last appraiser said it was color G and VS2.

My question is: How am I supposed to know who is right? Is there any company out there that can grade my diamond based on legitimate results?


I am so new at all this, so I hope none of this is too confusing.

 

[haagen_dazs]

people here would say that appraisal is not a rocket science
it would probably be a F or a high G
and it would be a VS1 (average of all three grades)

 

[tap02150]

Color is tough to determine right on, especially when already set.

 

[stone-cold11]

Grading is an opinion of the appraiser, not exact.

Color in a stone is not in clearly define steps, same for clarity grade.

 

[Sam82]

When I had a ring my grandmother gave me appraised, the appraiser gave me ranges.

So the color was E-F
and the clarity was SI2-I1

Like others said, it''s hard to determine when the stone is set. Is it for an insurance appraisal?

 

[diagem]

Even grading reports by laboratories like GIA-AGS-EGL etc.., are based on opinions and are not guarantees...

 

[angelwings33]

Im not getting it appraised for insurance purposes, no. I am only interested in the value of the piece for myself. I cannot believe the incosistency I have met concerning this issue! it is so frustrating....

there has to be someone or something that grades purely on exact measurements, right?
this just seems so juvenile for a diamond industry that is hundreds of years old.

 

[Sam82]

Date: 9/28/2009 11:17:30 AM
Author: angelwings33
Im not getting it appraised for insurance purposes, no. I am only interested in the value of the piece for myself. I cannot believe the incosistency I have met concerning this issue! it is so frustrating....


there has to be someone or something that grades purely on exact measurements, right?

this just seems so juvenile for a diamond industry that is hundreds of years old.

I''m sorry you feel so frustrated. Like we''ve said, mounted stones are harder to grade and appraise. If you really want more accuracy, you would have to take the stone out of the setting. Do you really want to know that bad? I it sounds like you have a beautiful colorless or very near colorless diamond. And it sounds like it''s eye clean. Congrats and enjoy.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 9/28/2009 11:17:30 AM
Author: angelwings33
Im not getting it appraised for insurance purposes, no. I am only interested in the value of the piece for myself. I cannot believe the incosistency I have met concerning this issue! it is so frustrating....


there has to be someone or something that grades purely on exact measurements, right?

this just seems so juvenile for a diamond industry that is hundreds of years old.

It''s not juvenile-it''s that they can''t give you an exact answer with the stone mounted. There just ISN''T a way to do it. A prong could be hiding a large inclusion or chip...the stone could look whiter because of the setting...it''s all variable.

You can send the stone to AGS or GIA who will give you a definitive answer but you''d have to unmount it.

 

[kenny]

Yes, another vote for calling GIA.

Anyone can send them a loose diamond for grading.
You don't have to be a business, you just have to register with them.

There is very wide agreement that a grade from GIA is as definitive as it gets.

 

[Sam82]

Out of pure curiosity, why did you have the ring appraised 3 times?

 

[denverappraiser]

I’m sorry for your frustration. The limitations of the appraisal process should have been explained to you by your appraisers as part of the service you paid for. As has been pointed out above, the first limitation has to do with inspecting the stones in the mounting. The second limitation has to do with applying the grading scale. Even on unmounted stones the boundaries are not well defined and not everyone will make the same grade determination on the same stone. Lastly, not all graders are equally skilled or equally equipped. You mentioned that you got 3 different ‘appraisals’. This is a bit peculiar because a thorough appraisal is a fair amount of work and leads to a significant expense. The difference between a professional appraisal and a quick opinion from someone who happens to work in a jewelry store is considerable.

The question of your purpose in seeking an appraisal is actually an important one. Any statement of ‘value’ contains an element of what it’s worth to whom, when and under what circumstances. For insurance issues, the question is to define what it is so that your insurer can replace it in the case of a loss. These reports generally are skewed in favor of the client and often include highly inflated grading and value conclusions. There are other types of appraisals. For example, some people are looking to find out what they have with an eye towards how much they can expect to sell it for if they choose to do so. The hope of the client is that they can use the appraisal report as an advertisement to facilitate this and are often looking for advice on how best to make a sale. Another version would be for a client who made a new purchase and is wondering if what the received was properly represented by the seller. These are all very different issues.

One of the first steps of an appraisal involves grading the stones and this seems to be the first, and possibly only, sticking point for you. As mentioned above, grades are not something that’s carved in stone and most appraisers are estimating what GIA would call it. This makes GIA the obvious choice for whom to be the arbiter of a dispute. This will result in a ‘certificate’, which mostly resolves the question of weight, clarity and color. This isn’t every question you might have but it does resolve the ones in the header.

You say your objective is to learn the value for your own information. What do you mean by ‘value’? Did ANY of your appraisers ask this question?

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Upgradable]

Neil, you rock!! Literally and figuratively! Thanks for the great explanation.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Actually, that''s not such a huge disparity for mounted grading.

You''ve got an F-G color stone, with two appraisers stating F and one stating G. So it''s probably an F or a high G.

You''ve got three different opinions on clarity, VVS2, VS1 & VS2. With two appraisers calling it VS1 or VVS2 and one calling it VS2, it probably lies on the higher end. Say VS1 as a median point.

That''s not too wide a range for a mounted stone. If you unmounted it, the range would narrow even more, with the GIA giving the "final call" where everybody stops arguing.

 

[angelwings33]

Thank you so much denverappraiser and sherwood for a better explanation. to sam82: i was told by a friend that not all appraisers will give you the save answers, so I decided to go to 3 different people.
I really dont know what else I can do but everyone seems to say that a certificate from GIA is my best bet. So i think the next step is for me to take care of that.
Thanks again for everyones help!

 

[Sam82]

Well, I wish you the best of luck. Did you post any pictures of the piece?

 

[tap02150]

For a 1.16 ct diamond, is three appraisals, mounting the stone, sending and paying GIA, remounting the stone really worth it? And for what purposes? Just to know? To sell?

I think i read here that diamonds when resold get about 35-50% of what it cost/worth. I could be completely off, and i can''t seem to find the thread.

 

[angelwings33]

It was my grandmother''s ring so it is very important to me, i dont mind the extra effort to figure out its worth-because to me it is worth more than $ can buy.

 

[Sam82]

Date: 9/29/2009 9:44:16 AM
Author: angelwings33
It was my grandmother''s ring so it is very important to me, i dont mind the extra effort to figure out its worth-because to me it is worth more than $ can buy.

I''m kind of confused now. There''s never going to be an exact value for a ring. For example store A might sell a 1 ct, ideal cut, D, VS1 stone for $8,000 whereas store B might sell the same stone for $10,00 (I just made the figures up). I personally think that you might be taking it a little far now. If it''s only for sentimental value why take the stone out and have it regraded? You already had the stone appraised three times. Maybe you should try and enjoy what your grandmother gave you if you simply want to wear it.