Hello, I am hoping all of you can guide me in the right direction..
I have posted a few times about a 3.5 round carat stone I am looking at, and am wondering how or if I should get it appraised. It is from a local, well known jeweler that we have worked with in the past. The stone is rated a ''M'' thru EGL USA. It looked beautiful to us-lots of sparkle etc, and once I saw the stone I fell in love with it, and all my PS knowledge kind of went out the window. He told me it was ideal cut, VVS 1, M,but I didn''t get the specifics. He is also making up a wax for us to look at. I know many have concerns about EGL..... I guess we figured if we loved it, it was fine. But I also want to be sure that we are not getting ripped off. If I have the certificate, should I be happy with that? Will an appraiser give us an idea of value? Our jeweler keeps telling me "buy the stone not the paper" Hmmmm. Interestingly enough he has had that stone since 1990 or something, and said he actually forgot he had it. I found it going thru his "book of diamonds 2 carat +. He said he bought it because it was a great value. It faces up quite white compared to stones rated higher in color, and looked very clean under the scope. Do I say to him that I want to get it appraised? When you do that, do you pay for the diamond and then bring it back for a refund if you don''t want it? I guess having bought other jewelry from him, I have no reason NOT to trust him, it''s just that after everything I have read here, I am wary.
What is also confusing is the whole custom wax thing. THis jeweler offered to make us up a wax, since I could not find the setting I wanted. A week into that process, I found a jewelry designer (whose name I got off these boards) Maytal Hoftman, and she is terrific! She does handmade, custom jewelry and does not use the wax method. Her thoughts are that there are no substitutes for a handmade piece. Maytal is the designer who worked with Michael Beaudry for years, as well as other designers, and now is out on her own. She is in LA and I am in Mpls, so everything will have to be done via email etc. I am waiting to get pricing from both places and I know that will come into play, but really I want the better ring, and will pay for quality.
So I am looking for some advice on the stone and the wax-custom design process. We are going on Tues to look at the wax and the stone again. I know some of you would rather have a smaller stone and a higher-rated color, but I really liked the color and loved the size. My taste and my budget do not always agree!
I have posted a few times about a 3.5 round carat stone I am looking at, and am wondering how or if I should get it appraised. It is from a local, well known jeweler that we have worked with in the past. The stone is rated a ''M'' thru EGL USA. It looked beautiful to us-lots of sparkle etc, and once I saw the stone I fell in love with it, and all my PS knowledge kind of went out the window. He told me it was ideal cut, VVS 1, M,but I didn''t get the specifics. He is also making up a wax for us to look at. I know many have concerns about EGL..... I guess we figured if we loved it, it was fine. But I also want to be sure that we are not getting ripped off. If I have the certificate, should I be happy with that? Will an appraiser give us an idea of value? Our jeweler keeps telling me "buy the stone not the paper" Hmmmm. Interestingly enough he has had that stone since 1990 or something, and said he actually forgot he had it. I found it going thru his "book of diamonds 2 carat +. He said he bought it because it was a great value. It faces up quite white compared to stones rated higher in color, and looked very clean under the scope. Do I say to him that I want to get it appraised? When you do that, do you pay for the diamond and then bring it back for a refund if you don''t want it? I guess having bought other jewelry from him, I have no reason NOT to trust him, it''s just that after everything I have read here, I am wary.
What is also confusing is the whole custom wax thing. THis jeweler offered to make us up a wax, since I could not find the setting I wanted. A week into that process, I found a jewelry designer (whose name I got off these boards) Maytal Hoftman, and she is terrific! She does handmade, custom jewelry and does not use the wax method. Her thoughts are that there are no substitutes for a handmade piece. Maytal is the designer who worked with Michael Beaudry for years, as well as other designers, and now is out on her own. She is in LA and I am in Mpls, so everything will have to be done via email etc. I am waiting to get pricing from both places and I know that will come into play, but really I want the better ring, and will pay for quality.
So I am looking for some advice on the stone and the wax-custom design process. We are going on Tues to look at the wax and the stone again. I know some of you would rather have a smaller stone and a higher-rated color, but I really liked the color and loved the size. My taste and my budget do not always agree!
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