Confused!

[ckfern]

I bid on a diamond on ebay and got a great deal for a 2.01. The certificate says GSL but I am a little iffy now. The seller says he will refund my money if its not what he says and paypal says the purchase is covered. the certificate says its a G Si1. I have pics of the diamond he took. Can anyone help me figuring out if this is legit? I''m not sure if you can PM here, or someone can post there email that is an expert on these things. Anny help would be appreciated!

 

[Moh 10]

Personally, I'd never buy a diamond without an AGS or GIA report.
Other labs can give higher grades, so you don't really know WHAT you got - hence you don't know if you got a great deal or not.
(I'd almost guarantee you could have gotten a better stone for less from a PS vendor)

If that "G SI1" is really what AGS/GIA would call an H, I, J - SI2, I1, I2, or worse then you didn't get a great deal after all.

Next I'd never buy a diamond on eBay.
We have heard too many horror stories here.
IMHO reputable diamond vendors don't need eBay.
People selling diamonds usually know their true worth, on eBay they prey on gullible buyers who don't.

I'd return it or cancel the sale.

Stick around here and learn about diamonds.
Protect yourself, get educated.

 

[ckfern]

I have not paid yet. the seller does offer pick up but hes in florida and i''m in nj. Maybe I can get a friend of mine to meet with him somewhere and verify the diamond quality.

 

[Moh 10]

Sure select your own reputable appraiser - but of course there goes $100 or $200 that could have gone towards a sure thing instead of this risky purchase.

 

[treefrog]

I would be extremely cautious. Lots of people out there very willing to take your money. If it was me, I would want to absolutely confirm the seller actually had a diamond to sell. Ask for something specific... maybe... Can I see a picture of it with the grading report in the background? Anybody can post pictures in an ebay add of anything. I could grab an image of a grading report and diamond from anywhere online and post it in an e-bay ad. Doesn''t mean I have it.

Two years ago, I was selling a snowmobile. I had pictures in my ad. One guy questioned that I had it because he found a Craigslist ad with the same picture in it. Lower price too. I looked at the Craigslist ad and it was definitely the picture I used in my ad. Unlike the fake seller, I was able to produce a second picture from obviously the same location but from a slightly different angle. Since I hadn''t posted that picture in my ad, and the other "seller" couldn''t give that picture, I proved that... well that I actually was more likely to have it than the Craigslist guy. He wound up buying it from me. It was a tough sell though... proving that I actually had it.

My gut instinct is RUN.

 

[Lorelei]

Ebay can be fraught with difficulties when buying a diamond as I am sure you are aware - what is your budget and what exactly are you looking for? Maybe we could find you some great diamonds from a trusted vendor you might like?

 

[treefrog]

Isn''t Richard in FL? Sarasota, I believe. Maybe he could take a look at it for you. At least ask the buyer if he could get it to somebody for an appraisal. I suspect you won''t hear back from the seller after that request... or that he will say it''s inconvenient or something. You probably work hard for your money... I don''t want to see you lose it.

Treefrog

 

[ckfern]

I have a 1 carat already and I''m looking to upgrade. I want to sell my diamond and get another. Maybe $6k? It doesn''t have to be a 2 carat, maybe a 1.75 an up?

 

[ckfern]

This person is in Fort Lauderdale, so it says on ebay. I emailed him and asked if that is possible we will see what he says. I am not planning to pay him without some legit proof and though paypal says they will refund all my money i am very weary of what they say. thank you everyone so much for your help.. everyone is so helpful! If anyone knows of any good appraisors in that area please let me know.

 

[Moh 10]

ckfern you mentioned only clarity, color and carat.
What about cut?

Did you know that the quality of the cut is more important to a diamond's beauty than clarity or color?
Few buyers do.
A well-cut J SI2 will be much more beautiful than a poorly cut D IF.

Most diamonds are cut so they are as heavy as possible not as beautiful as possible.
Cutting for beauty grinds away more material - so if it was cut well that 2.01 carat may have ended up being only 1.6 carat.
Now why should cutters do that when everyone understands carat but few understand cut?

So, stick around here and learn about cut.
Become one of the lucky few with a well-cut diamond.
All her friends will go gah gah over it.

 

[ckfern]

I have the report but i doesn''t let me attach it.

 

[Moh 10]

Make sure the size of the file you are trying to attach is under 100 Kb and rename it something unique.

PS's will not upload a file with a name that has been used before.

Still if the report is not AGS or GIA I'd not buy the stone. Period.

YMMV.

 

[ckfern]

Question- can you get any stone GIA certified? couldn''t you appraise the diamond anywhere and then take it to GIA for a full appraisal?

 

[Moh 10]

Date: 7/29/2009 2:10:55 PM
Author: ckfern
Question- can you get any stone GIA certified? couldn't you appraise the diamond anywhere and then take it to GIA for a full appraisal?

You can do whatever you want, but are you talking about before or after the sale? - And if after the sale there may not be time during the seller's money-back period for GIA to grade it.

You can appraise it anywhere but I'd only trust an appraiser with a good reputation and credentials.

You can open an account with GIA and send them stones to grade.
GIA does not appraise, or certify diamonds, they grade them subject to all their disclaimers.

Not sure why any customer would do this, when they could just buy a GIA stone.

If the seller thought GIA would really give this stone G SI1 they would have sent it to GIA, and it would be priced accordingly.
Here's an idea - tell the seller to send it to GIA (and offer to pay the $200 or so) and if it comes back G SI1 you will buy it at that price. (Oh, but we still don't know if it has good cut.)
I'll bet the seller will hang up the phone.

99.99% of the time you get what you pay for. . .
If it sounds too good to be true . . .

 

[ckfern]

You make valid points MOH 10, thanks so much! Though i keep trying to rename the file it still doesn''t work so i figured i would type some of what the certificate says, though it could be way off from what it really is if it is true how does it look?

measurement 7.95x4.98mm
weight 2.01 carats

depth 62%
table 60%
girdle thin

 

[Moh 10]

Sounds deep.

Do you have the crown and pavilion angles in degrees or even in percentages?

 

[ckfern]

no after that is polish and symmetry

 

[Moh 10]

Date: 7/29/2009 2:32:16 PM
Author: ckfern
no after that is polish and symmetry

Without those number you can''t determine cut quality, so don''t buy it.

Cut is more important to beauty than color or clarity.