DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!

[ame]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I didn't read word for word, but I certainly didn't see the term "dickwad" jump out at me in the post by the original poster, only by the appraiser in question. Either way, I know that if the above did in fact happen, I would be appalled as well, especially if my piece was handled with anything other than extreme care. There's directness and there is attitude. I'd definitely find the above characterizations--if accurate--to be attitude, not directness.

Appraising and grading do have subjectivity in their job description within reason. One grade in either way on a mounted ring, I can handle. Any more than that, I would want a pretty clear explanation. Then again, I mostly involve a professional to get the paperwork needed for insurance reasons and I would want the paperwork to be pretty close to the grading report and if not I'd want a pretty clear explanation as to why.

 

[TitanCi]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

Hello 2 year old thread!


GOOD GOD!!! $345 for an appraisal?


Here, in Cali, my apprasials cost me less than $100 ($55 IIRC). Yup.

 

[kenny]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I am the "horrible" appraiser mentioned here.

Bottom line, don't shoot the messenger. I was telling it straight, if you want comfy, go somewhere else.
I strongly disagree with David Atlas's comment that we should calmly accept big certs and that reliable grading in a white mount is not possible. Hello?
I have been grading in white settings for years and usually match GIA cert's 98% of the time without seeing the cert.

In my numerous observations, AGSL is usually one color grade softer than GIA but I thank them for pioneering the cut grade system
EGL New York was very close to GIA, a little harder on the clarity would have been fine but then Rap banned them. I am not sure about EGL LA.

I am really bothered about Rap banning EGL New York but I hear Rap was thinking about starting his own grading lab?
I am very happy EGL International has closed. I see NAJA is getting behind IDEX and I am very interested and hopeful that viable alternative/s to the Rap list can develop.

I would really appreciate if Pricescope would go through the links of this conversation and apply their terms of service.
I don't appreciate being called a dickwad as well as other allusions to me and others.

Kind regards,
Mark Bunda,

IMO you just did your business way more harm than good.
Your post's rude, unprofessional, impolite attitude (not to mention dredging up a 2+ year old post) makes me believe the OP's account of how poorly you treated her.
Before your post I had my doubts and was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt as it could have just been a grumpy customer having a bad day and/or embellishing her story.
After your post I believe her.

And what does your EGL rant/smokescreen have to do with the price of eggs in Ethiopia?

"Dickwad"?
Did you really write that?

 

[bgray]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I have used David Wolf and Mark Bunda and found them equally worthless. I now view these "independent appraisers" with the same deeply jaundiced eye as I do real estate appraisers. If your stone has a current reputable cert -i.e GIA or AGS an appraisal is largely useless. Use your purchase price as the insurance valuation and have it go up yearly to manage appreciation of value.

 

[maccers]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

It's another zombie thread!

Two years old or not, very revealing thread.

I definitely didn't see anyone use the word 'dickwad' until this threads resurrection.

I don't even know what that expression really means anyway.

 

[kenny]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I have used David Wolf and Mark Bunda and found them equally worthless. I now view these "independent appraisers" with the same deeply jaundiced eye as I do real estate appraisers. If your stone has a current reputable cert -i.e GIA or AGS an appraisal is largely useless. Use your purchase price as the insurance valuation and have it go up yearly to manage appreciation of value.

+1000

 

[elle_chris]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

When we decided to purchase a 2.52 G, VS2 stone, I wanted to see it first, make sure it matched the report, and an honest unbiased opinion of the stone. So I absolutely disagree that appraisers are worthless.

There is no way I would just wire that kind of money without seeing it first. That's just nuts to me.

bgray, what did you dislike about David Wolf?

 

[kenny]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I think appraisers have their place.
I do think a GIA report and recent receipt is adequate for insurance ... why would anyone want to pay a higher premium for an inflated value?

I think appraisers shoot themselves in the foot when issuing appraisals, since a zillion things affect the ability to GET the 'appraised value' in a sale.
People put weight on an "appraised value" when it is not worth the paper it's written on.

For example, when I buy a diamond, even from a reputable PS vendor, it is accompanied with an "appraisal" claiming it's worth 40% more than I just paid for it!

The public certainly shares the blame though.
They expect a simple answer to the complex question, "What is this worth?"

I also think Pricescope can often hold the hands of nervous uninformed people ... for free.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I think appraisers have their place.
I do think a GIA report and recent receipt is adequate for insurance ... why would anyone want to pay a higher premium for an inflated value?

..Kenny you purchased jewelry insurance?

 

[pyramid]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

Isn't this the old standards of grading, all the old charts on the internet used to say if you could see it face up it was VS2 and if you could see it ONLY from the bottom view it was VS1 (referring to the crystal in the table). Mark Bunda said in his post he was only
calling it what it was. Is this the hand holding of Pricescope that someone was talking about. I do notice that all the members pile on when a member is in distress. Didn't like the throwing her ring down bit though. Was interesting about the halo below the girdle effecting the look of clarity too. Would be good if Mark Bunda would offer us more expertise about diamond grading. I always like to hear what Dave Atlas, Neil Denver and all the other professional appraisers have to say as consumers are not trained in this.

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

Old thread you chose to bring back up? Never heard of you , but not doing any good to your reputation.

 

[kenny]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I think appraisers have their place.
I do think a GIA report and recent receipt is adequate for insurance ... why would anyone want to pay a higher premium for an inflated value?

..Kenny you purchased jewelry insurance?

No, I didn't say that.
This thread is about appraisers and why people use them.

 

[CRYSTAL24K]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I think that there is something to be said regarding attitude or "bedside manner" that translates to jewelry. I feel comfortable getting my appraisals done by 1 out of the 3 high end jewelry stores in my town because they are professional, friendly (not overly) and tend to stick to the facts. The other two were ruled out because, one was sporadic and rarely returned calls (not respectful IMO) and the other one was trying too hard to be friendly and decidedly less interested in discussing the nuts and bolts of diamonds.

Anyone can have a bad day, however that is no excuse for what the OP went through. There is a way just to state the facts without making the person getting their jewelry appraised feel belittled or insignificant. I want someone who will treat my jewelry with respect no matter what they put on the report. Most jewelry is directly correlated with sentiment- a milestone achieved, a child born, a gift from a parent, a union formalized etc... and appraisers should be sensitive to this. I believe that the OP would not have been so upset with the appraisal given had she and her jewelry been given the respect it deserved: a cleaning before examination, the appraisers assessment and her questions answered.

I am not saying that his appraisal was wrong because I do not know. I am just saying that I feel badly that she had to go through this horrible experience for something that she was so excited about and his attitude definitely influenced her to write this post.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I have used David Wolf and Mark Bunda and found them equally worthless. I now view these "independent appraisers" with the same deeply jaundiced eye as I do real estate appraisers. If your stone has a current reputable cert -i.e GIA or AGS an appraisal is largely useless. Use your purchase price as the insurance valuation and have it go up yearly to manage appreciation of value.

+1000

I also agree totally with the bold. I buy AGS or GIA graded stones from vendors who provide Idealscope and other images. The diamond is worth what I paid, assuming I bought the stone new, and that is the insurance value I want to pay for. In the case of a second hand stone, I see more of a reason to get an appraisal as the diamond could have been damaged since the original grading and you may not have info like an IS image.

I don't think the appraiser is obligated to grade the same as the lab report if they feel the stone is lower. However, kind and courteous customer service is a really good idea for anyone who has a business and would like referrals.

 

[mdmc]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

I am the "horrible" appraiser mentioned here.

Bottom line, don't shoot the messenger. I was telling it straight, if you want comfy, go somewhere else.

I strongly disagree with David Atlas's comment that we should calmly accept big certs and that reliable grading in a white mount is not possible. Hello?

I have been grading in white settings for years and usually match GIA cert's 98% of the time without seeing the cert.

In my numerous observations, AGSL is usually one color grade softer than GIA but I thank them for pioneering the cut grade system

EGL New York was very close to GIA, a little harder on the clarity would have been fine but then Rap banned them. I am not sure about EGL LA.

I am really bothered about Rap banning EGL New York but I hear Rap was thinking about starting his own grading lab?

I am very happy EGL International has closed. I see NAJA is getting behind IDEX and I am very interested and hopeful that viable alternative/s to the Rap list can develop.

I would really appreciate if Pricescope would go through the links of this conversation and apply their terms of service.

I don't appreciate being called a dickwad as well as other allusions to me and others.



Kind regards,


Mark Bunda, FGAA, NAJA, AAA

BUNDA Jewelry Appraisers & Auctioneers

608 Fifth Avenue #701
New York, NY 10020


www.jewelry.time.com

If I had any reservation about what the OP posted you have completely dispelled them. Your post 2 years later was totally rude.

 

[MelisendeDiamonds]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

Well I see two difficult individuals who attempted to complete a business transaction and their ego(s) got in the way.

Mr. Bunda wanted $345 for his time.
Frankixtah wanted an appraisal for insurance purposes and to confirm what she purchased.

Customer didn't need Mr. Bunda's opinion on how GIA would grade color & clarity or how he feels about AGSL being a softer lab when it comes to color or clarity than GIAL.

Mr. Bunda didn't need a very proud consumer who took it personally that his opinion and guess of the stone's qualities did not match the grading report by AGSL or that he wasn't validating the value(s) of her purchase.

Now many appraisers may very well make a guess and not look at the report until afterwards as it may influence the appraisal but really for this customer's purposes that really was not necessary.

Frankie's goals should have been communicated up front and she should have just focussed him on how she wanted the appraisal written instead of taking offence to his grading or subjective comments. I can't see why she needed an appraiser's guess on what GIA would have graded it, if so sending it to GIA would have been a better plan.

Mr. Bunda should have evaluated the stone on his own, then read the report and adjusted the appraisal given the information on the grading report and his customer's requirements for the appraisal.

Lesson to customers, make it clear precisely what you need up front and what details you need on the appraisal report so you don't waste your time and the appraisers. The responsibility is on both parties to communicate their needs properly and beforehand.

 

[derbygal]

Re: DO NOT GO TO NYC APPRAISER MARK BUNDA - HORRIBLE EXPERIE

Throwing Frankie's ring down crossed a line for me. Shouldn't a customer have their rings treated with respect?????