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Diamond Stud Upgrade Dilemma.

J

Jambalaya

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
4,789
I have a pair of diamond studs which cost about 3k and I don't like them. I've had them for quite a while and I can't return them. They are 1.15 ctw, E Si1, and although I haven't run the numbers in a long time, I think they are something like 1.9 and 1.8 on the HCA. They are both GIA excellent, not that that means a lot, I know.

I don't like them because they just don't sparkle enough. One sparkles noticeably less than the others. No one ever comments on them, but once I had a pair of 0.60ctw Hearts on Fire studs and everybody commented on those. I rarely wear my current pair.

So I'm kind of stuck. I'd love a pair of BGD Signature studs. I have about 3k to spend, and I could get a very nice pair of BGD studs for 3k (just for the diamonds).

But if I bought the BGD studs, I'd still have the other studs - then I'd have 6k in two pairs, instead of 3k in one pair!

I'm guessing that my best bet is to see if I can sell my 3k duds to my local jeweler? (Most people wouldn't call them duds, but I'm a PSer with accordingly high standards!) They've given me fair prices in the past, although I have a feeling they might say they can't sell my studs because most people don't want to pay that much for a certified pair - I think in the past they've said they don't have much luck selling studs that are engagment-ring quality. Still, I could try, and see what they say.

Any other ideas?? Thanks in advance!
 
Hi Jamba - have you thought about Ebay? Or loup troop? Have never sold my jewelry however if I were to sell something this is probably the route I would take. Luckily I have a daughter and a few friends who aren't quite as fortunate as I, I usually pass pieces down to them.

It would be nice to sell the existing studs so that you have more $$ in your pocket to put towards the new pair.
 
Hi, Queenie, thanks for the reply. I've never sold anything online and wouldn't know where to start. I also don't like the idea of selling such an expensive item online because I don't want strangers to have my name and home address. I keep thinking they might come over, clock me on the head, and steal the rest of my stuff, since it would be obvious to them that I have expensive jewelry!

I think that 1.15 ctw is too big for me - they seem too large for my casual wardrobe and lifestyle, which is possibly another reason I don't wear them. I could get a very nice pair of 0.90 - 1ct studs from BGD for my 3k or under, keep the current earrings, and eventually have those earrings made into a 3-stone ring. (Some time in the future, I'd buy one more 0.50-ish stone, probably from BGD.) It doesn't free up any cash, but it also means I don't lose any of my original investment.

I think for me, the next step is to see if my usual local jeweler wants to buy my studs. I'd be delighted if they offered $2500 - the studs are certified GIA after all, high color, great cut by most people's standards, (under 2 on the HCA) and hardly worn. I could take a loss of up to 1k - so perhaps my personal limit for these is 2k, selling to my jeweler.

I feel so excited about the idea of a pair of Brian Gavin signature studs. For, they are a Holy Grail item.

I guess I'd sell them to the local jeweler for a minimum of 2k, and if that's not possible, perhaps I'll just keep them for another project. I don't think that selling online is really the right route for me. Probably no one here would want them anyway since I've just said they don't sparkle enough! Actually, they probably are very sparkly to most people, but I know that don't look like a pair of super-ideal H&A BGDs.

It will be interesting to see what the local jeweler offers.
 
You could also look at recutting or consignment as well. Recutting will give you some stunning new stones (for earrings or 3stone) and consignment will probably give you a bit more $$ without the work/risk of online sales.
 
Many of us have sold items on Loupetroop with no issues. You can see what responses you get and sell only to a known PSer. I recently bought a pair on LT close to that size. GIA XXX should sell there. I would list at the $3000 price as that is probably still close to retail and prepare to accept 20-25% off of that. I would also click report concern and have this thread taken down if you consider selling yourself. LT is easy. Just be sure you put your email address in the listing info because sometimes the message system doesn't work. Many people create an email address for PS purposes, too, if your real name is in your current email address.

Consignment with Erica or Grace is a super idea, too!

If your jeweler would offer you $2500, I would take it. But I would be happily surprised if they'd offer that much.
 
Can you post more info on the stones - GIA reports, etc.?

GIA EX + HCA <2 usually equals a beautiful stone; I'm wondering exactly what it is about these stones your eyes object to. I think - especially if you do decide to sell to the PS audience - that info can significantly impact what you can expect to get/how quickly they'll sell!
 
Thanks so much for the input everyone; I appreciate it.

I've just got the studs out, not having seen them for months. They do look very nice. I'm just not sure they sparkle quite as much as a BGD pair, but they do sparkle quite a lot. I'm just a little freaked bc people used to comment on my old Hearts on Fire ones, but not on these.

Consignment with Erika is an option - just read the terms.

Re-cut by Brian might be good, but I know he often can't turn them into Signatures, which is what I want.

Right now, I'm leaning toward keeping these and getting a smaller BGD pair. The reason is that the current ones look massive due to a really thick bezel that I had done locally. They look more like 0.70 each than 0.57/0.58. For me, they're not really an everyday pair - too dressy for daily wear.

So, I'm thinking perhaps of getting a pair of BGD studs of approx 0.85 ctw and setting them in the classic martini. There's currently a pair which look good in terms of the color and clarity that I like, and are 0.86 ctw. I think this size and setting would look very different from my current pair. Total cost including setting would be $2700. If I end up wearing the BGD ones all the time, I could then consign/sell/repurpose my current studs at a later date.

That's my thinking right now...although maybe silly to have two pairs. The huge-looking pair would be for best, though. :think:
 
Yssie|1456093943|3993768 said:
Can you post more info on the stones - GIA reports, etc.?

GIA EX + HCA <2 usually equals a beautiful stone; I'm wondering exactly what it is about these stones your eyes object to. I think - especially if you do decide to sell to the PS audience - that info can significantly impact what you can expect to get/how quickly they'll sell!
Click to expand...


Oh, thanks Yssie! Yeah, sometimes I wonder if I'm imagining them not being as sparkly as BGD. See, I have this tiny DBTY solitaire pendant by BGD - stone is only 0.23 - but I think it looks more sparkly than my studs. Although my studs have good stats, they're not hearts and arrows.

I will have to dig out the GIA reports - somewhere in the mess of my closet!
 
Definitely worth getting an opinion on recut potential, IMO.

Stones that are wildly-proportioned might be exceedingly difficult to recut into Signatures (or close), but stones that earn GIA EX + HCA 1-2 aren't going to be wildly-proportioned, I imagine greatly increasing the odds of winding up with a result you're happy with without undue weight loss. Potential depends on other factors as well (inclusion type and location comes first to mind) which is why you'll need an expert opinion.

I do want to say... please don't judge your jewellery by other people's commentary! There are quite literally thousands of reasons you might not be getting as many comments on these, reasons that have nothing to do with the stones themselves. Sometimes people are uncomfortable commenting on larger pieces - perhaps 1ctw is just larger than many people want to comment on to a stranger, especially given how much larger they must look in bezels! Maybe you're seeing more reserved people in your current day-to-day doings than you used to. Maybe, maybe! ::)
 
Jambalaya|1456094502|3993771 said:
Yssie|1456093943|3993768 said:
Can you post more info on the stones - GIA reports, etc.?

GIA EX + HCA <2 usually equals a beautiful stone; I'm wondering exactly what it is about these stones your eyes object to. I think - especially if you do decide to sell to the PS audience - that info can significantly impact what you can expect to get/how quickly they'll sell!
Click to expand...


Oh, thanks Yssie! Yeah, sometimes I wonder if I'm imagining them not being as sparkly as BGD. See, I have this tiny DBTY solitaire pendant by BGD - stone is only 0.23 - but I think it looks more sparkly than my studs. Although my studs have good stats, they're not hearts and arrows.

I will have to dig out the GIA reports - somewhere in the mess of my closet!
Click to expand...

Smaller stones return light differently compared to larger stones - they tend to sizzle and twinkle bright white, whereas larger stones have larger facets that will throw off fewer, larger, bolder flashes of light - the light return "rolls" off more than "sparks" off, if that makes any sense?

If you personally prefer that type of light return but want to keep your current size... I actually think a shallower stone with lower optical symmetry might just fit the bill better than a typical PS H&A!
 
Thanks, Yssie. So many choices! The other weird thing is that I also have a pendant with a tiny WF ACA diamond in it, and I don't think it sparkles like the BGD one. My eyes both have astigmatism - not sure if it's possible that my eyes prefer one cut over another! Also, my 1.15 studs are eyeclean SI2, not Si1 - I forgot. So I wonder if clouds are affecting the performance. Yes, I like that twinkly look that you described.

I have no idea if my current studs really are underperforming, if slightly, or if it's my imagination because I know they are not super-ideal cut BGD_type stones.

What does lower optical symmetry mean? A score outside the HCA standard of under 2? :errrr: :lol:
 
Here's some cut info on the current studs:

HCA 1.4
EX
EX
VG
VG

(61.4, 57, 34, 41.)



HCA also 1.4
EX
EX
VG
VG

(61.8, 55, 34, 41)


I rememebred them as being 1.8-ish in the HCA but I was wrong about that, too. Memory going with age!

I notice they both only score VG on Scintillation. Maybe that's the problem.
 
Hi Jambalaya, curious - you commented that they're too big, prob because if the bezel settings. Thoughts about moving them to a 4-prong or martini setting before selling them? May be worth a couple hundred $$ to see if a new setting makes them "talk" to you more.

-U
 
I'm thinking the bezels may have something to do with it too - they should not be terrible stones. You could also call BGD and see if they were interested in taking them in on trade - if they think they can recut them they might be interested but you would not get your 3k price I'm afraid.
 
Not sure if my experience is common but, I find people in my circle are more likely to comment on my smaller, less blingy jewelry than on my larger, higher-dollar pieces. And my larger pieces are not large compared to many here. I'm not sure if they assume that the larger stones are fake or they are uncomfortable commenting as my larger stones are much larger than most in my circle. Who knows? My larger stones are actually higher quality than my smaller stones and they are much more visually appealing so I know it is not a lack of quality in my nicer jewelry. Good luck figuring out what will work best for you.
 
HI:

How about a reset into martini settings (or something similar) and adding diamond jackets from IDJ? The jackets will be less expensive and are versatile. IMHO, diamond jackets really represent "added" value.

cheers--Sharon
 
I have sold a couple really nice and expensive pieces of jewelry on eBay and done very well. My jeweler did okay by me when I traded in my lack luster studs to buy larger ones. A trade in is the only way you'll get better $$$ amount if you can't sell them outright . But you will never get $3000.00 for your first pair. I hope I'm wrong but history says otherwise.
 
I rarely comment on other people's jewelry (other than at PS get-togethers), and never a stranger's. It makes me uncomfortable for strangers to comment on mine, so I just don't do it. I don't think the comments of others is an indication that the diamonds are not as pretty as previous ones.

Ahhh, just reread and saw that you corrected clarity to SI2. That has to be the problem, not the cut. I almost never recommend SI2 because it certainly may interfere with light return. That will further reduce what you can sell them for, too.
 
Can you take pictures of your earrings? Front and side views? I'm wondering if the thick bezels are obstructing light.

I would suggest looking into a recut analysis from bgd and setting them in a different settng before selling the studs.
 
So many good ideas! It's a little overwhelming. I'm grateful to everybody for the input.

Pinto, I thought the cut was good enough that all or most light will be returned out the top of the table. My understanding is that bezeling an ideal cut is fine, for that reason. But perhaps I'm misinformed.

Diamondseeker, how likely is it that clouds will obscure light performance? The stones are completely eye-clean. Do Si2s usually have issues with light performance, or is it something that's uncommon in that grade? if it's common, perhaps I should stick with V2s? I don't mind a diamond that not totally eyeclean as long as it's a very, very small spot, but I don't want low clarity to interfere with light performance.

Recutting is a possibility. I'm not sure about resetting because I do think it's the stones that I don't like.

Thanks!
 
Could you show us some photos? It would be good to see what they look like! I presume you've given them a good clean, too? I wear my studs pretty much 24/7 and am frequently horrified by the amount of dirt they collect up.....
 
I'm in a busy patch right now - only have a little time later in the day. Sorry for no photos.

I'm thinking of keeping my 1.15ctw in their huge bezels, for formal occasions or parties, or when I just want to look very luxe. They do sparkle - I'm just being a picky PSer, and they look enormous.

Today I saw a woman with diamond studs that were small, but just so sparkly. They looked great. In this vein, I'm considering getting a pair of BGD studs at 0.80ctw, set in those cute classic martini settings. It would be about $2300 total. With the size and the martini setting, it would be quite a different look from the big pair, and I think great for my casual everyday lifestyle.

I do also have some "starter" studs from many years ago, about 0.30 ctw set in white gold baskets, and another pair I inherited that are 0.45ctw set in yellow gold. I'm satisfied with the sparkle of both pairs. I like having three distinct sizes to choose from. The 0.45ctw pair in YG are particularly sparkly with very nice vintage settings so feel quite dressy but also quite small - great for going out for dinner. Then, when I'm really dressed down but still want to feel good, like running errands and going grocery shopping, I wear the 0.30ctw pair.

So my only reservation is, do I really need four pairs of studs?? They all have quite different settings and different metal colors though. Maybe I could do the martini settings in rose gold.

Four pairs seems like overkill but I do use my current three pairs for quite different situations. I just feel that the 1.15ctw pair is too dressy for everyday and the 0.45ctw pair is smaller than I'd like for everyday, with a vintage setting I don't want to wear everyday. I like having a big pair (1.15) to impress when I want to, and it would cost approx $4800 to replace those with BGDs - too much for me.

So in terms of individual stone sizes, each earring would be: 0.15, 0.23, 0.40, 0.57. Too similar?? Different settings and metal colors. A wardrobe of studs!
 
I should add that BGD Signature studs are a real Holy Grail item for me, but with that 2.3k I could buy something lovely from Kiki McDonough... :think:
 
Bump. Do you think that four pairs of studs in differing weights and metal colors/settings is too many, if I buy a fourth pair at 0.80 ctw? Each diamond is/would be 0.15, 0.23, 0.40, 0.56. Settings are/would be, in order, WG basket, yellow gold vintage, BGD 3-prong martini WG or RG, and the last pair is WG bezel.
 
Is there such thing as too many?? ;))

If you get good use out of all 4 pairs, then it's not too many in my opinion. Sounds like you have a couple of pairs for more special occasions that will get some wear. If the 0.4's you're considering will get a lot of wear because they're versatile and functional for everyday, then I think it's probably worth it. And for metal color, I'd choose the color that you will wear the most. If it's rose gold, then go for it, but don't choose rose gold because it's different than your other studs. I know 4 pairs seem like a lot, but if the ones you're considering buying will get a lot of use, then go for it!
 
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