Diamond Cutter International DCI

[konamonroe]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I recently purchased a diamond from these guys and they did a really good job. I would buy from them again. Great Diamond GReat Staff

Steve

 

[mountainrocks]

I'm glad you got a diamond that you're happy with.

Can you please post specs and pictures?

We all love eye candy.

 

[icelady]

Yes, we love pictures and diamond specs!

Did DCI cut the stone for you, or just find one for you?

Congratulations!

 

[Mara]

Nice accolade Steve. We'd love to see pictures and specs.

I assume the stone was not 'warped'?

DCI is Fred Cuellar's company...while I wouldn't do business with him for various reasons, seems like there are people who have been happy and the book makes interesting reading when its FREE.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Konmonroe you would not be Fred in disguise by any chance?

2 posts and both sound like free adverts.

 

[gmpi]

What a fitting name Kon getit ?(how was prison Criminal)

 

[konamonroe]

No advertisment here, I got good service and a good diamond and just wanted to let people know, here are the specs. 3.03 round I color, si1 clarity, 61% total depth, 58 table. 34.5 crown angle 16.2 crown height40.7 pav angle, small cutlet, good polish very good symmetry. I don't have a digital camera so I have to wait for my film to develop before I can post. And kona monroe is my dogs name. Have a good one.

 

[Nicrez]

Steve, Please post pictures and stats of the stone! So curious...

 

[caratgirl]

Sounds like a beautifully cut stone from the measurements. Congratulations!

 

[elmo]

----------------
On 2/23/2004 11:10:45 AM konamonroe wrote:

58 table. 34.5 crown angle 16.2 crown height
----------------

It sounds like a pretty stone.

I'm not a pro but 58 table along with 16.2% crown and 34.5 degree angle doesn't seem typical to me. A 55-56 table would often be in the 15.x% range, and a 58 table would have less height than that even.

 

[mike04456]

Well, it's not just the specs but also the price. A reasonable web price for that diamond would be around $19-21k.... care to share what you paid?

 

[derekinla]

Konamonroe,

You're one of the few who have had a good experience with DCI and I'm still a little bit skeptical of a convicted felon selling diamonds. Perhaps you could get Fred and Rick to come on by to Pricescope to share their expertise with us?

 

[konamonroe]

All I am mentioning is my experience. Every other opinion in this board is as valid as mine. I was aware of his background and checked into it. I looked at the houston BBB and only found 3 complaints over the last 5 years.. all of which have been resolved. As always let the buyer beware!

 

[konamonroe]

I paid 26.5k w/ setting. The inclusion is covered by one of the setting prongs and can't be seen. The center is clean as can be. What do you think of this price. The symmetry is VG and the polish is G.
ste

 

[pqcollectibles]

----------------
On 2/27/2004 11:55:38 PM konamonroe wrote:

I paid 26.5k w/ setting.

What do you think of this price.
ste----------------

Look back to LawGem's post. You musta got one whopper of a setting!

 

[konamonroe]

no just a standard platinum tiffany

 

[phoenixgirl]

The price you paid is not the deal of the century.

Here is a 3.05 I SI1 H&A for $24,857 This stone is larger than yours, has excellent symmetry and polish, is a H&A, and is less expensive.

Here is a stone comparable to yours: 3.03 I SI1 60.2D 58T VG VG, GIA Cert for $20,740

However, assuming that the symmetry and polish do not affect your stone's brilliance, it does score a 1.1 on the HCA, meaning that it probably has excellent brilliance and fire. You picked out a good stone, but the price was high. A standard tiffany setting doesn't cost that much!

But to play the devil's advocate, if DCI actually makes good on its claims -- that it will buy back your diamond for exactly what you paid for it at any time, refund the difference if the diamond market crashes, etc. -- then you would expect some kind of premium for those guarantees. However, I doubt that they would make it that easy -- they couldn't stay in business if they were to put those guarantees into practice very often.

 

[Mara]

Yes a standard platinum Tiff setting would be about $600 MAX. A more reasonably price would be around $400 online through various reputable vendors.




Definitely not a setting that is worth $5k.

A Tacori with 1.5ctw of pave all the way around...yeah that would be $5k...hehe.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

----------------
On 2/23/2004 11:10:45 AM konamonroe wrote:

No advertisment here, I got good service and a good diamond and just wanted to let people know, here are the specs. 3.03 round I color, si1 clarity, 61% total depth, 58 table. 34.5 crown angle 16.2 crown height40.7 pav angle, small cutlet, good polish very good symmetry. I don't have a digital camera so I have to wait for my film to develop before I can post. And kona monroe is my dogs name. Have a good one.----------------

You guys have all missed the point - either this is Fred, or it is some poor duped sucker who has been sold a phoney diamond that does not have these propotions.
"58 table. 34.5 crown angle 16.2 crown height"
58% and 34.5 = 14.4%
Or 58% and 16.2% = 37.6 degrees.

That is one very warped diamond!!

And surprise surprise it has exactly Tolkowsky angles.

Cant anyone else smell a rat?

 

[konamonroe]

How did I get duped, not sure I understand what you are saying. The proportions all look good....

 

[Mara]

What Garry is saying is that if this stone indeed has 58 table and 34.5 crown angle, the crown height would be 14.4%...NOT 16.2% as you noted.




Similarly, if you had 58 table and 16.2% crown height, angle is 37.6.




So what you posted does not add up basically. Either it's 58 and 34.5 or 58 and 37.6. The two are not interchangeable...the 34.5 angle yields a 1.1 EX on the HCA...while the 37.6 angle yields a not-so-good 3.1.




Makes a huge difference in how the stone 'measures' up. Is your paperwork incorrect or did you mistype? If it says that on the paperwork, I would get a 2nd appraisal because that doesn't seem right. Not to mention the $5k you overpaid. And people wonder why Fred is suspicious.

 

[Greatcall]

ONCE AGAIN THE REGULARS HERE ARE QUICK TO CRITICIZE. THEY QUESTION THE ANGLES, THE PRICE THE PLACE WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT, YOU ETC...

IF YOURE HAPPY WITH YOUR RING AND DIAMOND THATS ALL THAT MATTERS!!!!!


STOP DOUBTING AND QUESTIONING YOURSELF. AND SECOND OF ALL THIS IS THE WRONG FORUM TO ASK ABOUT A NON BIAS VIEW. NO MATTER WHAT SOMEONE HERE CAN ALWAYS GET IT TO YOU FOR CHEAPER. NEXT TIME YOU GO BUY A PIECE OF JEWELLERY BRING ONE OF THE "EXPERTS" FROM HERE WITH YOU.

CHEERS

 

[konamonroe]

Here are all the angles

crown angle 34.5
crown height 16.1
pavil angle 40.7
pavil depth 43.1
Cutley
.04
table 58
total depth 60.9

Color (i)1
Clarity si1
polish g
symmetry vg

That is what is printed, I also have the detailed report for all the facets if that is helpful

 

[pqcollectibles]

I have to ask, Kona....... Which Grading Lab evaluated the diamond?? GIA, AGS, EGL???

 

[Nicrez]

Great call, just a thought if Kona didn't want input, he wouldn't be ON this board. What he is getting is both positive and negative on his stone purchase according to the sepcs and price he stated. Either he is looking for everyone to tell him it's a thumbs up or not. I think people are quick to smell a rat, and in the diamond business there are so many. That's why this formu is so hlepful, and FREE...Mara and LawGem are being suspicious because they know diamonds well, just look at their posts and how long they have been here...

My guess is Kona might get a favorable report, or better yet, he could get an accurate one by third parties who don't care WHERE he got the stone, but more like IF he got ripped off...and if someon has a record, they are suspect, that's all....

 

[PreCiouSJeWeL920]

I did not check this post until now. Anyway this diamond was offered to me last summer. The price was $24700 at the time. I almost went with it. It was GIA certified. They do send it to you mount it in order to valid they warranty which was not recommended in Fred's book. The night before I was going to call them that I liked to buy, I went on line to try to get some more info on the company. I did not know why I did that. But then I found out about the complaint against them on BBB record. I did not understand it at the time. Because if they offer lifetime buy back guarrantee on their diamond, Why would anybody file a complaint? Then I came across DT and found GOG. I emailed Jonathan about a request of looking for a 3ct diamond. He responded within a week and my search is over. Now I have a beautiful 3.16ct J SI1 and H&A diamond. I personally compared mine with a 3.34ct H SI1, I could not tell the color difference facing up in all different lighting conditions. That saved me thousands dollars. I am very happy. Jonathan told me that if I ever gona upgrade I probably have to at lease go an F in order to see the color difference.
I just threw all the info on that diamond a few weeks ago. If I remember it right, On the Mega report the girdle profile is wavy. From the pictures they sent me via email, it looked like a beautiful diamond. If you are happy with it you should keep it. If not send it back they have buy back guarrantee any time you are dissatisefied, don't they? Good luck to you!

 

[Greatcall]

Thanks Nicrez.

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!

CAN YOU PLEASE CLARIFY IT

CHEERS

 

[phoenixgirl]

Fred Cuellar's first degree felony theft conviction is what people are alluding to here, as well as the way that he offers free "advice" about buying diamonds, but has created standards and terms ("warped" -- all diamonds other than his, and "bonded" -- only his magic diamonds) in his "educational" book that lead people to believe they can only safely buy from him.

The prices of diamonds are not fixed. You are right that there is always a way to get the same thing for less. However, when people come here and realize that they could have paid significantly less for not much more research, then they may wish they had come here first.

There's not an unbiased person in the world. In my biased, subjective opinion, however, it's better to dispense advice that you think is helpful than to criticize people's advice in your spare time. It's more of a karma thing.

 

[Mara]

GreatCall...I think what Nicrez is saying is that Kona came looking for the help. Everyone's opinion makes a difference. He asked for people's opinion and advice and he is getting it. No one is going to pat him on the back and say 'great deal buddy' when that may not be the truth and there are red flags going up on the purchase.




Also, note that no one is saying 'hey buy from this vendor' in this thread AT ALL. So don't get your panties in a bunch. There have only been comparisons made to GENERAL online pricing along with specific stone examples on what his stone may compare to. He *asked* if he got a good deal. So again, he is requesting the opinions.




I suggest he get an indepedent appraisal and find out for sure from a real expert what is going on with this stone. The specs don't make sense, that is the bottom line here, it has nothing to do with a conspiracy theory.

 

[konamonroe]

GIA