do certified stones cost more?

[sketch]

If you have two stones that are actually the same grade....

does the one that is certified cost more?
And is their a price difference between a GIA stone and an EGL etc...stone.
If there is ...then what is it?

I''m buying two .5 ct diamonds and just want to know if a jeweler is going to charge me more to buy ones that are certified.

Its not essential that they be certified, because they''re the side stones to a certified stone. But it would be nice.

thanks!

 

[Lugus]

You *can* pay a tiny bit more for a certified stone, but oftentimes you get what you pay for. If any uncertfied stone is selling for less than a certfied stone of the same specs, I would question if it truley had the same specs as the certified stones. GIA and AGS are generally thought of as the best certs, and might pay a bit more for them. To me, the price is negligable compared to the risk of not getting what I paid for.

For two .5 ct stones, the difference in price *should* be minimal. And I would argue that your reasoning behind them not being certified is flawed. If you set an uncertified G stone that was really a J next to a certified E, I think you'd be a switch opinions really fast. All this being said, I'm sure there are several uncertifed stones that appraise well being sold everyday. It's not a risk I would ever take though.

 

[sketch]

Thanks for the reply...

One of the stones is a stone he has in his store.
It looks fine next to my stone.

the other stone is one he'll need to buy. and I'll look at all of them together to make sure they look good together.

I guess the bottom line here is the certified stone shouldn't cost much more unless the uncertified one he's selling me really isn't the grade he says it is. LOL. Because cost is a matter of the grade...not if its certified or not.

Thanks again

 

[sketch]

The price went up with one guy...said he hadn't figured in the price of the prongs and adjustment....whatever....

The current front runner (whose price hasn't changed) said it would cost an extra 150 to have the stones certified...

I think i'd be better off paying 75 for an independent appraisal once he gets the stones in for me to look at. If they check out ok. And look good ...then we'll be good to go.

I have to get an appraisal done anyways for insurance. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

 

[pyramid]

Yes you are paying for the certificate when you pay for the stone but you are also getting assurance that the stone is the correct grade.

We enquired in the United Kingdom about getting a stone certified. It was 0.63 carat and the jeweller said to get it certified would be about £300 extra. I thought they were speaking rubbish and when I went to another independant jeweller and looked at a 0.75 carat diamond I asked how much to get it certified and he just said 'an extra £300 but we will be willing to send it in for you if you want'.


On todays currency converter on MSN.CO.UK
300 British Pound = 469.710 US Dollar

 

[oldminer]

Every single diamond is a separate entity. They are not such a distinct commodity that every equal stone costs the identical price. Some diamonds enter the market in distress and already have a cert with them that costs the seller nothing. Others, bought cheap, can have a cert that appears to have cost nothing. Sometimes you pay too much for a diamond and still must tack on a cert to get it sold. You work close, but you need to make a buck even on the slightly overpriced ones.

In other words, the consumer always pays for the cert and the stone, but because there are many levels of price for equal quality diamonds, the cert cost may appear to be fully absorbed in the stone price.

When it comes to diamonds with a GIA versus EGL report. Then one needs to consider if the color and clarity are indeed equal or if the issue is no really price, but grading differences from one report to another. This makes it more complex, like comparing apples to oranges.

$400 more for a cert on a small diamond is a high price. Dealers are saying this to discourage you from insisting on it. You will find someone selling diamonds WITH proper certs, for the right price. Just say no, and keep shopping til you do.

With the above approach, retailers in the UK will learn what US retailers have already learned. Give grading papers with the diamond and make a sale.....

 

[pyramid]

'With the above approach, retailers in the UK will learn what US retailers have already learned. Give grading papers with the diamond and make a sale.....'



Yes, I have noticed that one of the local independant jewellers has started selling loose diamonds on cards with IGI on them. I will be staying away from them also. When I get the diamond I am saving for I will get either GIA, AGS or HRD, I will also get an independent appraisal done on the stone. If this is all done to begin with I will have no remorse after buying the stone.

 

[sketch]

I guess I was basically trying to find out if there is an actual cost to the dealer to get the stone certified.

They've got the stone without paperwork. they send it to the lab, the lab charges them X amount. And they add that to the cost of the stone.

But as you say ...alot of stones hit the market with paperwork included. So that makes things more complicated.

 

[sketch]

so basically you need the whole story to find out what I'm paying for the stones and what I'm paying for the cert.

.5 c radiant cut diamond VS1 H COLOR $850.00
1000.00 with certification.

Thanks for the reply's everyone!