Did I over pay?

[Vangrocks]

Hello everyone,
I posted already in regards to this but I received one reply that didn't help me understand any further but made me more concerned and confused. So here is the diamond detail.
Cushion Modified Brilliant cut 1.30 , color I, clarity SI2, polish-very good, symmetry-very good, and fluorescence-none. Price paid was $5,735.
May some one be able to give me some insight on this please? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[tyty333]

Is it graded (GIA, AGS, EGL...)?

Up-close pictures? Link to stone with pictures?

Edit...

I couldnt find any nicely cut stones close to your specs but here are some to compare with...

higher clarity
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.30-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-sku-257285 $4550
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.31-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-sku-375739 $4450

 

[flyingpig]

A similar stone from James Allen starts at 4.5k ( diamond only). Gia graded

From a premier vendor like good old gold, a VS2 stone is 6k. They offer value added services and light performance images.
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-3-ct-i-vs2-signature-modern-cut-cushion-cushion-diamond.html

Just to give you a perspective.

 

[Vangrocks]

Yes it is GIA certified. Looks like we may have slightly over paid. Yikes. We wanted to upgrade. In concerened with the over paying but they have a good upgrade program where they will buy back this diamind at what we paid so long as we agree to double the amount. But I dont want to go that route if I walk away feeling slightly skammed.

 

[Sphene]

You may have paid slightly over the odds - however with no visuals and full specs its hard to compare with other diamonds - you may have paid just right - next time let PSers help you

 

[tyty333]

Yes it is GIA certified. Looks like we may have slightly over paid. Yikes. We wanted to upgrade. In concerened with the over paying but they have a good upgrade program where they will buy back this diamind at what we paid so long as we agree to double the amount. But I dont want to go that route if I walk away feeling slightly skammed.

On-line prices are usually cheaper and have the same type of upgrade policy (or even a better upgrade policy). That being said,
there are a lot of people who like to shop in person and want to see what they are buying. Brick and mortar stores may have to
charge a little more to maintain the store. Some of our on-line vendors also have store fronts but can still offer lower prices
because of high on-line volumes.

I guess, more importantly to me is whether you got a well cut stone for your money. How did you determine if it was well cut?
Did you get an aset? Did you look at it in various lighting conditions. We have a lot of PSers that know how to pick well cut
cushions. Do you know what to look for? I hope you were able to find one.

 

[mrs-b]

Hi Vangrocks -

Can you post the GIA report number so we can look it up? It might have spectacular stats in its cut (I'm not sure how that would work, but it might make you feel better somehow...) Also - can I ask from whom you bought it? Is it too late to return it and try for something that might be better value?

 

[Vangrocks]

Yes. I do have a GIA cert. I will attach a copy of this. Hopefully I do this right.
Yes it would be too late to return it unfortunately. We were concidering upgrading and that is what brought me to look into all of this.
The jewelry store I purchased it from is a family owned business and were wondeful with me. But since I've become interested in learning more on diamonds it has my mind wondering about it.
Here is the attachment

 

[Vangrocks]

Thanks for your reply. What are thr recommended on line stores and how do I learn about there upgrade policies?
The GIA report says it is well cut...among other things I don't understsnd at all. I am trying to learn though. Not as simple as I thought. Whew!
What is an ASET?

 

[flyingpig]

There is no GIA cut grade for cushion modified brilliant. All they grade is symmetry and polish, in addition to color and clarity. Moreover, the information is severely lacking in regards to proportions. Only table and depth percentages are available. Therefore, GIA report alone is insufficient to make any informed decision in this case. Thats where additional light performance images are useful. ASET is one of them along with idealscope. Preferred vendors provide these. Please follow the good old gold link I listed. Red is bright area, blue is contrast, and green/white is light leakage.
Here is a thread ( edit
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ags-grading-system-aset-angular-spectrum-evaluation-tool.30509/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ags-grading-system-aset-angular-spectrum-evaluation-tool.30509/[/URL]

 

[Vangrocks]

Flyingpig, is my GIA report a usual report? It is the only one I have ever seen. You mentioned the info is severely lacking in proportion. Is that because it is a cushion cut or is the report not a good one? Should there have been more info included here?

 

[flyingpig]

That is the way it is for cushion modified brilliant. Again please see the good old old link and the GIA report. You will see a similar format and similar amount of information. This applies to other fancy shaped diamonds and modified shapes
http://www.gia.edu/gia-faq-analysis-grading-system-fancy-shape-diamond

I recommend you utilize the search engine and some googling. There is just so much information. Round brilliant is one, princess is a different animal, and cushion modified brillaint is another completely different topic.

 

[Vangrocks]

Thank you flyingpig. Lot's to learn and you have been helpful.

Tyty333 what on-line locations are recommended and how do I find out about there upgrading policies.

As for my current situation how would you guys recommend I go about upgrading my ring? The current store it was purchased from offers a buy back at cost but then I need to agree to double the original cost. Does anyone have recommendations or suggestions if there is another way to go about this where I could potentially receive a full return on my purchase price of my current ring? Or is that just high hopingredients on my end?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Good Old Gold can find superior cut cushions, and they allow 100% of the price of the diamond towards upgrades. And the upgrade can be any amount higher, not double! They are excellent with any fancy shape stones. Call them if they don't have exactly what you want in stock. There are a lot of poorly cut cushions out there, so it is good to work with a vendor that actually can access well cut ones. They will make you a video of the stones you are considering, and there are tons already posted. Here's a good educational one to get you started:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O7H8E_MYRM

If you look at the stone already posted, you can see an ASET image showing light return. Lots of red is good, and there'll be some blue for contrast and green for adequate light return. What you don't want to see is lots of the background color, which indicates leakage, which means less brilliance. This is a very nice cushion close to what you paid but with much better clarity and it's well cut.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-3-ct-i-vs2-signature-modern-cut-cushion-cushion-diamond.html

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Okay, I just reread some of your posts. So the diamond was not purchased recently and that is why you are past the return period? You probably need to just use the current diamond for a right hand ring or a pendant and when you are ready to upgrade, start over with a vendor who can access well cut diamonds at a better price with a better upgrade policy. Many of us were in that position not knowing enough when buying the first time (me included). Just don't keep making the same mistake.

 

[flyingpig]

Vangrocks

I also re-read your posts. I have couple questions

First, you mentioned about "upgrading" and looking at online vendors. Are you hoping to trade-in your diamond with a new vendor for the full value you paid to the original vendor you worked with? If so, what's not how it works. Upgrading policy applies to products that are bought from the same store. In your case, if you are doing "upgrading" with another vendor, it would be selling your diamond at the resale market, at 50%~70% of what you paid.

Second, if you are still thinking about upgrading, do you know what exactly you want in terms of diamond shape and your budget? There are many preferred vendors for round brilliant: james allen, whiteflash, brian gavin, good old gold, high performance diamond.. even Bluenile is a consideration. If you are interested in fancy shaped diamonds, your choice is relatively limited. It is the best to clarify what you want, so that people here can provide you appropriate information.

 

[Vangrocks]

That is correct diamondseeker2006. The diamond is not a recent purchase. Ive had it for years. Just recently started to consider looking into an upgrade. I am certain I am interested in a round diamond this time around.
Would I be a fool to go back to my jeweler (more educated this time around) and look into what they can offer and then bring what they offer to PS to see what folks here think?
Also if I decide to for-go my local jeweler here. How can I go about trading in or selling the diamond I currently own?