buyer's remorse - laser inscription not visible

[mugi]

Hello,
PS has so far been very helpful in making my decisions about a RB to buy. I've chosen a stone online, had it delivered loose and a setting made locally. My GF/now FI loves it as it looks decent enough she is actually willing to wear it (large diamonds are not very common around here, 0.2 ct or less, or even CZ are usual).

I am having second thoughts though, as my jeweller couldn't confirm the GIA laser inscription - just couldn't find any - neither him with 15x loupe nor his setter who was supposed to use 30x magnification. He confirmed it was a diamond and said it does have a good color and clarity and a really good cut among the ones he's seen but he also noted he is not a gemologist and couldn't confirm the GIA specs.

I have already asked GIA and their records say by the number of the Dossier that they did laser-inscribe that stone.

Here are the specs:
GIA 3xEXC, 0.42ct, H color, VS2 (crystal, feather, needle), faint flourescence
Height: 61.4%
Table: 56%
Crown: 35.0 deg
Pavilion: 40.6 deg
Star Facet: 50%
Lower Girdle Halves: 80%
Girdle: thin to slightly thick 3.5%
Culet: none

This is the stone: there's a 360 view here: https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-0-42-Carat-H-color-GIA-certified/D-920077

By the looks of the black inclusions I can tell the stone on the pictures is the same that I got. I am concerned about it matching the GIA Dossier I got. Time was not on my side so I decided to propose with it anyway. It seems I now only have two options: A) learn to live with it as is; B) have the stone unset, return it within the 30 days period and choose a different one that would fit the setting. I'd hate to go with B as I'd have to take the ring back from my FI. I was also thinking of using GIA's Verification Service maybe later this year but what if they say it doesn't match - it would already be far beyond the 30 day return period.

Do you guys think that the stone on picture could be the one on the report? Does it look Excellent to you?

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Number one problem...the jeweler is not a gemologist?

Did he try a 20x or 30x loupe? You might need that power to see a laser inscription. (Okay, I see that the setter supposedly had 30x but did you see him physically look for the inscription?)

You shouldn't have buyers remorse, but you do need a new jeweler. You want your jeweler to be a gemologist and have a diploma from GIA. I suspect he tried to cast doubt in your mind about the stone because he is mad you bought a diamond from the internet rather than from him. My trust in him is a LOT less than the diamond in question. Where did you buy the diamond?

Yes. That is an excellent diamond image.

 

[mugi]

Thanks for your reply. Around here, it's hard to find gemologists at all. I'd really have a hard time finding a gemologist with a GIA diploma. It's unlikely I would find one that would also make jewellery.
I was lucky to find a jeweller who would be willing to hand-make a setting in less than a week. He was very helpful and honest with me at all times.
As I wrote above, the guy who was setting the stone into the setting was using 30x magnification and couldn't find any inscription either.

 

[VRBeauty]

When I bought a pair of used earrings set with GIA-certed and inscribed stones, I also took them to a jeweler to verify the inscriptions. Fortunately I brought my earrings to a jeweler who had a microscope, because it took 40X mag to be able to read the inscriptions. If your jeweler was using a hand-held loupe, try to find a jeweler who can examine your diamond with a microscope.

BTW with a loupe, it was easy to see that one of the earrings was inscribed even if the inscription could not be read with a loupe. However, without the higher power magnification, it was far from clear that the second earring was inscribed.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thanks for your reply. Around here, it's hard to find gemologists at all. I'd really have a hard time finding a gemologist with a GIA diploma. It's unlikely I would find one that would also make jewellery.
I was lucky to find a jeweller who would be willing to hand-make a setting in less than a week. He was very helpful and honest with me at all times.
As I wrote above, the guy who was setting the stone into the setting was using 30x magnification and couldn't find any inscription either.

I am guessing you must live in a really remote area. I'd wait until you go to a larger city and have it looked at by a qualified gemologist. In the meantime, you can order a 40x loupe off of ebay (US seller) for under $4. I don't have one to tell you how well it works, but it might be worth the peace of mind in trying to find the inscription yourself.

Are you 100% sure that the stone you got back in the ring is the one you gave to them to set?

 

[mugi]

I suspect he tried to cast doubt in your mind about the stone because he is mad you bought a diamond from the internet rather than from him. My trust in him is a LOT less than the diamond in question. Where did you buy the diamond?

I don't think this is the case as he was very honest with me and he actually saved my ass - I originally ordered the same setting from a different jeweller who had a metal sample in-store and promised me a two-weeks delivery time but a week later told me he won't make it in another 2-3 weeks.
I got the diamond from Ritani and they claim they always check stones before shipping, that it has to match the GIA report.

Yes. That is an excellent diamond image.

This calmed me down a little. Thank you Have you also looked at the 360 view video?

BTW with a loupe, it was easy to see that one of the earrings was inscribed even if the inscription could not be read with a loupe. However, without the higher power magnification, it was far from clear that the second earring was inscribed.

I also thought there would at least be a sign of an inscription but the jeweller said they couldn't find *any* and that he did try hard enough.

I am guessing you must live in a really remote area. I'd wait until you go to a larger city and have it looked at by a qualified gemologist. In the meantime, you can order a 40x loupe off of ebay (US seller) for under $4. I don't have one to tell you how well it works, but it might be worth the peace of mind in trying to find the inscription yourself.

Are you 100% sure that the stone you got back in the ring is the one you gave to them to set?

I'm in a small country in Europe. It's not about the area it's about the entire location
I bought a 15x ok-quality eye-loupe and tried to locate it myself under several lightings and angles. It was already set though, so there was about 25% chance it was covered by a prong.
By the 360 video that is at the link in the first post, I am 100% sure that the stone in the ring is the one on the video. The two dark inclusions in the crown near the surface do match.

 

[tyty333]

I dont think 15x will do it. I have to use a 30x to see mine and then I can only see that it's there. I cant actually read it.
I think if you want to read it you would probably need that 40x like VRBeatuy and DS said.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ahhh, well now I understand about your location!

I see extremely little reason to be concerned that you have the wrong stone because Ritani is a very reputable company. I have a 20x loupe and cannot see the inscription on my diamonds, if that gives you any comfort. I did just order one of the cheap 40x loupes from ebay because now I am curious how much magnification is really needed to see them!

I did just look at the video and your stone is gorgeous! H color is about my favorite color and I also like VS clarity. So I think you made an excellent choice! I just think the inscription is so tiny that it has to have higher magnification to see it. I hope you have a way you can get one of the inexpensive 40x loupes!

 

[WinkHPD]

DS gives you some great comments and I would add only that sometimes during the setting process the black that is in the original inscription comes out in the ultrasonic.

If that has happened, now you have an inscription that is incredibly hard to see without a very powerful loupe, or better yet, a dark field microscope like we jewelers like to use. The dark field behind the gem and the light coming in from the sides highlights hard to see things, like colorless inscriptions on the girdle.

You do not mention which small country in Europe that you live in, but your trains and buses are so good there that you are not too far from a larger city if you wish. When my wife and I were there some years ago we traveled to Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Paris and a few other places with never more than a few hours on the train and usually only an hour or less. If you google around you can probably find a jeweler somewhere with a scope who can help you.

Wink

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh wow, Wink! That is VERY good to know about the black from the inscription possibly being removed in the ultrasonic!

 

[mugi]

Thank you guys for your very helpful info.

I did just look at the video and your stone is gorgeous! H color is about my favorite color and I also like VS clarity. So I think you made an excellent choice!

Thank you very much for your feedback. I really have no experience with this and although my stone does shine like crazy I have nothing to compare it with. In the one store around (which actually has larger than 0.2ct diamonds to look at) they mostly had VG stones or worse, or if Excellent then only about 1ct for 13k EUR or so, so this hardly compares.

Which kind of a loupe would you guys recommend? A folding type like this one (folding) or a handheld like this (handheld) or microscope like these (microscope1) (microscope2). Or do you think I can find a 40x eyepiece similar to this one: (eyepiece 10x)?

By the way, for those interested this is what GIA told me about inscription not being visible:

the only way to remove the inscription is by polishing the diamond with a diamond embedded polishing wheel. Diamond is carbon; when any laser hits adiamond with enough energy, the diamond crystal will turn into carbon. The “black letters’ often seen in the inscription is from carbon residue caused by the laser. When the carbon is removed, the inscription is still there, but may be difficult to find.

Two methods that remove carbon (black) from the inscription are: direct polishing of the girdle with polishing compounds that are used in the normal procedure of jewelry manufacturing, to polish the gold or platinum. Or, deep soaking: boiling the diamond in hydrofluoric acid (or similar), in a pressure cooker like device overnight, or bombing: a volatile chemical reaction used in the jewelry industry to strip gold. To preserve the carbon (black) in the inscription: do not polish the inscribed girdle area, or protect the inscribed girdle area before polishing.

 

[mugi]

Which kind of a loupe would you guys recommend? A folding type like this one (folding) or a handheld like this (handheld) or microscope like these (microscope1) (microscope2). Or do you think I can find a 40x eyepiece similar to this one: (eyepiece 10x)?

Hi, any recommendations about this?

 

[arkieb1]

I have a few different Belomo loupes, which I love because I throw them in my purse and they are indestructible but you will never see an inscription with a 10 x one.