Difference between Brian Gavin diamond and Whiteflash.

[diamondnewbieny]

Any knowledgeable friend here know what are the difference between these two vendors on their diamond? What is the specific detail in the diamond that make it a Brian Gavin signature line and what makes it ACA from Whiteflash?

I recently contacted BG to see if they will make an offer to my WF ACA so I can purchase they BG signature line for a stone that I am interested. But I got a response from BG that my ACA will not make it in their signature line and they will have to recut the diamond to make it their signature line.

I always thought they are both heart and arrows and ideal cut but I didn’t know there are specific details that are different. So anyone know what are the difference?

 

[whitewave]

I don’t know, but it sounds like BG has tighter parameters on their stones, or that they don’t prefer to do it. My guess

 

[lovedogs]

I don’t know, but it sounds like BG has tighter parameters on their stones, or that they don’t prefer to do it. My guess

I'm surprised that an ACA wouldn't meet BGD signature standards. Did they say why?

 

[bmfang]

Some history: Mr Gavin was one of the founders of Whiteflash. I think I have read on the site that if an ACA from during the period he was at Whiteflash is put to them for trade-in then they will accept it as part of their upgrade program.

Yup, here it is from their FAQ’s:

 

[MissGotRocks]

Brian Gavin was with WF for years until he opened up his own business. I feel quite certain that they are on par; sounds like he just doesn't want to take in a stone for trade. That's pretty common for jewelers to tell you that the stone you have doesn't meet their standards and they would have to recut. Just another way to say 1) we don't want to take a trade or 2) we will only offer you a deeply discounted price for it.

 

[whitewave]

Who told you that? (Maybe it’s someone who is new and doesn’t know about WF?)

 

[MissGotRocks]

Jewelers I have dealt with in the past - and not about any super ideal cut stone I have ever owned. Certainly not about a WF stone though I've never tried to trade one of their stones to someone else.
However, to take your stone in trade, they are not getting all cash for the sale. So they will take your stone and tell you it is inferior to what they have so they can offer you a far below market value for it. That way when they sell it or wholesale it, they make money on it too which means that the cash they made on the sale and the cash they made on the stone they took in trade pretty much evens them up. Trust me when I tell you I've traded in many stones and I've heard every story in the book. That's why being able to do business with a trusted vendor that has a great trade in policy is so worth it. However, they weren't around when I started buying diamonds 40+ years ago and most stones sold to average consumers weren't papered in those days either. It was your word against theirs. Your choice was either to play the game or walk away.

 

[tyty333]

Did he even see your stone or look at your Aset/idealscope images, AGS report?

 

[bmfang]

Did he even see your stone or look at your Aset/idealscope images, AGS report?

I suspect it wasn’t the man himself but one of his staff.

 

[tyty333]

I suspect it wasn’t the man himself but one of his staff.

That's my point. It doesn't have anything to do with the specific diamond and needing recut because BGD doesnt have any details about its cut.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

The sales associate actually took my diamond information and forwarded to Mr Gavin. And he said that my ACA won’t make it in their signature line and he will have to recut it to meet their requirements, so he does not want to take it.

 

[whitewave]

Well, then the only other explanation is his signature line has tighter parameters.

Would you mind telling us your ring stats? Thanks.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

Did he even see your stone or look at your Aset/idealscope images, AGS report?

Yes he did and told me it does not meet his standard for their signature line, but I thought ACA and their signature line is on par.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

This is the diamond specifications

 

[whitewave]

It could be a larger table or something like that. For instance, maybe BG signature only has up to 56.9% table and WF ACA can have a 58%.

This is just me guessing.

 

[whitewave]

This is the diamond specifications

This is a toughie

 

[whitewave]

Too shallow fo him?

 

[diamondnewbieny]

This is a toughie

Yea I would like to find out what did not meet their requirements.

 

[whitewave]

Too shallow fo him?

Nope, I found one of his with a 60.6 depth.

I have no idea.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

I'm surprised that an ACA wouldn't meet BGD signature standards. Did they say why?

No they just said they need to recut it.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Maybe they are not his preferred specs but remember he can buy diamonds like this himself all day long. If it is not a stone that he thinks he can quickly sell or move, it might just not be worth it to him.

 

[mrs-b]

Sounds like sour grapes to me - which is no surprise and understandable. Their split was acrimonious, so I wouldn't expect them to take each other's wares. I'll bet WF doesn't take BGD's stones either.

Their choice and fair enough.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

Maybe they are not his preferred specs but remember he can buy diamonds like this himself all day long. If it is not a stone that he thinks he can quickly sell or move, it might just not be worth it to him.

I’m actually trying to trade in for a stone almost double the price.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

If they don’t want to take WF stone, they could of tell me from the beginning, but they actually took the time and ask for the certificate and the specifications on the stone.

 

[EncikG]

Perhaps he wasn’t happy with the hearts view? I was contemplating the 2 vendors on a purchase (as opposed to a trade in) and had the following response.
I just put it down to retail chatter/rivalry ...

 

[the_mother_thing]

Could it be the ‘recut’ needed was perhaps really to polish out the girdle to remove the ACA inscription?

 

[bmfang]

Could it be the ‘recut’ needed was perhaps really to polish out the girdle to remove the ACA inscription?

From memory, ACA’s only just have the AGS report number inscribed on it, not any other branding (like the logos that BGD get laser inscribed on their stones).

 

[the_mother_thing]

From memory, ACA’s only just have the AGS report number inscribed on it, not any other branding (like the logos that BGD get laser inscribed on their stones).

Perhaps, but the AGS # corresponds with the AGS lab report, which denotes the diamond an ACA.

 

[lovedogs]

Perhaps he wasn’t happy with the hearts view? I was contemplating the 2 vendors on a purchase (as opposed to a trade in) and had the following response.
I just put it down to retail chatter/rivalry ...

Ugh, this definitely reads like rivalry and mostly nonsense. First of all, the upgrade policy of WF is tons better than the one of BGD. Having to upgrade 2 out of 3 (size, color, clarity) can be restrictive and tricky (the BG policy). I think it's BS that signature from BGD is somehow superior to ACA line. I think they just had a nasty split and that Brian doesn't want to sell an ACA (or doesn't think it'll net him enough $$ to make it worth it).

 

[bmfang]

Perhaps, but the AGS # corresponds with the AGS lab report, which denotes the diamond an ACA.

They could always send it back to AGS who would issue a new report with a new date on it and sans any WF ACA branding on the report.

As alluded to above, there are probably other reasons (and for the life of me ever since I started to really look into super ideal vendors, the web has been somewhat scrubbed clean of the reasons why Mr Gavin left WF and formed his own company).