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Diamond Upgrade questions

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Jarsie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
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25

Im new here. Ive been browsing for a while.


My husband and I have been married for 6 years. For Christmas, he said I can upgrade my center stone in my engagement ring.


My Engagement ring and Wedding ring were purchased from Baileys Banks & Biddle. That said, I actually purchased them through an employee and not through the actual store, so I paid no where near mall prices.


Unfortunately, the friend is no longer a friend, so I can''t go to them to get a upgrade.



My current center stone is:
Color: G
Cut: Good
Clarity: SI1
Carat Weight: .47
Engagment ring: Platnium 1.03 total carat weight
Wedding ring: Platinum .23 total carat weight.

Now... I consider my ring classic. I picked smaller diamonds for my wedding ring because I didn''t want the center stone to look smaller.
Now what I am considering upgrading somewhere from .75 to 1.00 (but I seem to be looking from .75 to .83 ish)
Color D-F
Clarity:FL-VS2
Cut:Ideal
budget $6,300
My biggest concerns are:
Im worried too big of a stone will overshadow my ring... which is why Im not exactly sold about getting close to a carat. I know it will change the look of my ring.
I think I want to purchase it over the Internet. I have reservations about doing this solely because I want to see the stone, but it looks like price wise I would get more for my dollar.

I have gone into a store just to check and see with the size and had them place the diamond over my center stone, but its still hard to tell what exactly it will look like.


I want a certified diamond. I also would like a optical light performance report (but perhaps i''m just reading into the hype of it). I also would like a serial number inscribed.


I live in the Dallas Fort Worth area so there are plenty of jewelers.


Im looking for opinions, so please let me know what you think. I appreciate any advise.


jarsiering1.JPG
 
i really don''t think up to a 1 ct will overpower you wedding set....Its all what you think tho. I think that a .75 would look lovely!
I do think you should stick with pricescope vendors because you will get a better price than what is out there and they all come with gia/ags reports and they will have the best cut diamonds with top notch optics.
 
I actually think a bigger stone will look great with your set. I would start with Whiteflash and Good Old Gold for PS vendors. They have many ideally cut stones and they are incredible. It isn''t hype!

The other question I have for you is why you are moving to a D-F stone? In an ideal cut round, with a certification from GIA or AGS, there is no need to go that high in color unless it''s a "mind clean" thing. An ideally cut G from GIA/AGS will look much whiter than your stone due to the cut alone. And if your current stone isn''t certed from GIA or AGS it likely is lower than a G to begin with. Just something to think about.
 
Since I purchased my diamonds from a friend and at cost from BB&B, I had to have my rings appraised (photographed and measured) for insurance reasons. There is no way I could ever buy my rings again for what I paid, but I could get them replaced with the jewelry appraisal.


I just wanted to do a upgrade. It is still possible I will go with a G, but a G is the lowest I will go. All the other stones in this set are a G. The cut is very good on all other times except the center.

I wish I had the documents with all the specs of the diamonds on it.. but that''s in the safety deposit box at the bank.
2.gif


Once this is all done, I will have to have it inspected again with the new stone so that I can update my insurance policy on the ring.
 
Yeah recommendations are welcome!

I also wanted peoples opinion on the size if people think that the 1.00 would overpower it.

For me its really hard to look at my ring, and try to visualize it with a larger stone. Maybe its because I have looked at it so long like this.

I also am trying to weed through what is hype on the Internet with the diamonds and what is not, which can be confusing!


The light reports on diamonds are a neat thing, I just don''t know much about them.

I went into Jared''s, and of course its the Leo and now the Peerless, which make me think that its just a name that''s copyright on their diamonds and they want me to pay more money because they call it some name.

Ive been looking on bluenile and thought I would go with them, but it would also be very nice to go with a company that will let me upgrade, which apparently GOG will let me do that. Does anyone know of any other retailers that will let you upgrade your diamond?

I guess I also will need to go into a jewelry store to have someone look at the diamond to make sure it matches what the paper work says before any return policy is up if I do purchase it on the Internet. Although I don''t know if that would be a good idea. I guess I would have to take it to an appraiser to make sure it is what the papers say it is.

I feel like a lost little puppy! LOL
 
Date: 11/28/2008 12:24:42 AM
Author: Jarsie
Yeah recommendations are welcome!


I also wanted peoples opinion on the size if people think that the 1.00 would overpower it.


For me its really hard to look at my ring, and try to visualize it with a larger stone. Maybe its because I have looked at it so long like this.


I also am trying to weed through what is hype on the Internet with the diamonds and what is not, which can be confusing!



The light reports on diamonds are a neat thing, I just don''t know much about them.


I went into Jared''s, and of course its the Leo and now the Peerless, which make me think that its just a name that''s copyright on their diamonds and they want me to pay more money because they call it some name.


Ive been looking on bluenile and thought I would go with them, but it would also be very nice to go with a company that will let me upgrade, which apparently GOG will let me do that. Does anyone know of any other retailers that will let you upgrade your diamond?


I guess I also will need to go into a jewelry store to have someone look at the diamond to make sure it matches what the paper work says before any return policy is up if I do purchase it on the Internet. Although I don''t know if that would be a good idea. I guess I would have to take it to an appraiser to make sure it is what the papers say it is.


I feel like a lost little puppy! LOL
Click to expand...

Whiteflash also has a lifetime upgrade policy and they are very reputable too. Leo is BS. Peerless is just an AGS0 stone which you can get elsewhere for less.
 
I think a .75 to 1.00 would be lovely on your ring. Definitely get an ideal cut diamond and you''ll be happy with the results.
 
whiteflash, jamesallen, GOG........they all have lifetime upgrade policies. What buying diamonds on the internet(pricescope vendors im speaking for) does for someone is that they are cheaper and better quality for what you buy in retail, not to mention top notch service.

Again, no a 1 ct will not overpower you set

It sounds like you a little lost, i would recommend these to you to catch up on things
http://goodoldgold.com/4Cs/

And go thru the technologies
http://goodoldgold.com/Technologies/
 
Date: 11/28/2008 12:24:42 AM
Author: Jarsie
Yeah recommendations are welcome!

I also wanted peoples opinion on the size if people think that the 1.00 would overpower it.

For me its really hard to look at my ring, and try to visualize it with a larger stone. Maybe its because I have looked at it so long like this.

I also am trying to weed through what is hype on the Internet with the diamonds and what is not, which can be confusing!


The light reports on diamonds are a neat thing, I just don't know much about them.

I went into Jared's, and of course its the Leo and now the Peerless, which make me think that its just a name that's copyright on their diamonds and they want me to pay more money because they call it some name.

Ive been looking on bluenile and thought I would go with them, but it would also be very nice to go with a company that will let me upgrade, which apparently GOG will let me do that. Does anyone know of any other retailers that will let you upgrade your diamond?

I guess I also will need to go into a jewelry store to have someone look at the diamond to make sure it matches what the paper work says before any return policy is up if I do purchase it on the Internet. Although I don't know if that would be a good idea. I guess I would have to take it to an appraiser to make sure it is what the papers say it is.

I feel like a lost little puppy! LOL
Click to expand...
There is a jeweler in Dallas Fort Worth who allows upgrades. You may want to see him, he has all of the things that you are asking for, plus the advantage of your being able to see the diamonds and reports in person. He is a very occassional poster here on Pricescope. His name is Curtis Miller. He is in the World Trade Center and I believe that his name is also the name of his store.

Wink
 
Thanks for the information. I found his website and address via google.

I will see what i can do about checking him out. To bad he doesn''t have a diamond search on his website.
 
I actually think a 1 carat would look beautiful with your current side stone size and would in no way overwhelm it. But... you are the one who has to wear it/be comfortable with it!

That said, you said:

"I guess I also will need to go into a jewelry store to have someone look at the diamond to make sure it matches what the paper work says before any return policy is up if I do purchase it on the Internet. Although I don''t know if that would be a good idea. I guess I would have to take it to an appraiser to make sure it is what the papers say it is."

Please do not go to a jewelry store for this - you need an independent appraiser - independent being the operative term - you want someone who appraises only and does not sell any jewelry :)
 
Date: 11/28/2008 6:02:38 PM
Author: :)
I actually think a 1 carat would look beautiful with your current side stone size and would in no way overwhelm it. But... you are the one who has to wear it/be comfortable with it!

That said, you said:

''I guess I also will need to go into a jewelry store to have someone look at the diamond to make sure it matches what the paper work says before any return policy is up if I do purchase it on the Internet. Although I don''t know if that would be a good idea. I guess I would have to take it to an appraiser to make sure it is what the papers say it is.''

Please do not go to a jewelry store for this - you need an independent appraiser - independent being the operative term - you want someone who appraises only and does not sell any jewelry :)
Click to expand...
I think that depends entirely on whether or not you have a relationship with a local jeweler. If you do, it can be entirely reasonable to go into a local jeweler. Also, with even a modicum of practice you should be able to look at the paper and then at the diamond with a loupe and see for yourself, especially if the diamond is VS2 or lower.

The fact that an appraiser is "independent" does not assure that you will get a good answer or service from him/her/

I sent a diamond on approval some months ago, the lady called and told me the "independent" appraiser had told her I was charging her to much and sent her to a "friend" who could give her a better deal. When I got the stone back from her it was covered in a heavy layer of nose grease and did indeed look horrible. Hmmm, I wonder how THAT happened?

It is one of the oldest tricks in the book and it was done by an "independent" appraiser. I wish she would have shared the name with me, as I would have LOVED to have made his life miserable with all of the appraisal organizations he supposedly had credentials with. After Christmas I will write an article for Pricescope about what to be aware of when having an "independent" appraisal done. Most appraisers are good and wonderful at what they do, especially the ones in our Pricescope family, but there are bad appraisers, just as there are bad jewelers, so I can not leave the comment in red unchallenged.

Wink

P.S. The sale was not lost, only delayed as I sold the diamond in question to a wonderful lady who loves it. I do feel badly for the lady who bought the other stone from the appraisers "friend" as she did NOT get what she thought she was getting, or what she deserved. I would bet good money though that the "appraiser" did receive a healthy kickback. It happens all too often and little can be done about it when the offended parties actually believe that the "appraiser" was doing them a favor and thus refuse to share the name. Sigh.
 
Date: 11/29/2008 4:16:22 PM
Author: Wink

Date: 11/28/2008 6:02:38 PM
Author: :)
I actually think a 1 carat would look beautiful with your current side stone size and would in no way overwhelm it. But... you are the one who has to wear it/be comfortable with it!

That said, you said:

''I guess I also will need to go into a jewelry store to have someone look at the diamond to make sure it matches what the paper work says before any return policy is up if I do purchase it on the Internet. Although I don''t know if that would be a good idea. I guess I would have to take it to an appraiser to make sure it is what the papers say it is.''

Please do not go to a jewelry store for this - you need an independent appraiser - independent being the operative term - you want someone who appraises only and does not sell any jewelry :)
Click to expand...
I think that depends entirely on whether or not you have a relationship with a local jeweler. If you do, it can be entirely reasonable to go into a local jeweler. Also, with even a modicum of practice you should be able to look at the paper and then at the diamond with a loupe and see for yourself, especially if the diamond is VS2 or lower.

The fact that an appraiser is ''independent'' does not assure that you will get a good answer or service from him/her/

I sent a diamond on approval some months ago, the lady called and told me the ''independent'' appraiser had told her I was charging her to much and sent her to a ''friend'' who could give her a better deal. When I got the stone back from her it was covered in a heavy layer of nose grease and did indeed look horrible. Hmmm, I wonder how THAT happened?

It is one of the oldest tricks in the book and it was done by an ''independent'' appraiser. I wish she would have shared the name with me, as I would have LOVED to have made his life miserable with all of the appraisal organizations he supposedly had credentials with. After Christmas I will write an article for Pricescope about what to be aware of when having an ''independent'' appraisal done. Most appraisers are good and wonderful at what they do, especially the ones in our Pricescope family, but there are bad appraisers, just as there are bad jewelers, so I can not leave the comment in red unchallenged.

Wink

P.S. The sale was not lost, only delayed as I sold the diamond in question to a wonderful lady who loves it. I do feel badly for the lady who bought the other stone from the appraisers ''friend'' as she did NOT get what she thought she was getting, or what she deserved. I would bet good money though that the ''appraiser'' did receive a healthy kickback. It happens all too often and little can be done about it when the offended parties actually believe that the ''appraiser'' was doing them a favor and thus refuse to share the name. Sigh.
Click to expand...
Yikes
38.gif

I will say, though, that that appraiser was not actually truly independent in the true sense of the term.
Your article on that topic should be an excellent educational resource to refer newcomers to. Get cracking on it as soon as the holidays are over!!
 
Date: 11/29/2008 4:46:57 PM
Author: :)

Yikes
38.gif

I will say, though, that that appraiser was not actually truly independent in the true sense of the term.
Your article on that topic should be an excellent educational resource to refer newcomers to. Get cracking on it as soon as the holidays are over!!
Click to expand...

Aye Aye :)!

I have a vague memory of Andre telling me the same thing...

Wink

(Or maybe not so vague, lol)
 
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