Ebay diamond with a EGL cert and good customer reviews

[MrsCWantsAnUprgade]

I am thinking about bidding on this diamond:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310153412195&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Am I a bit scared about bidding on ebay, but with the sellers good ratings and the EGL cert I am torn. Your thoughts?

 

[GCDC]

Again, I''m just a newbie. But when talking with diffferent diamond sellers, I was told that EGL may not be the same standards as GIA. For example, they might list something as F color but by GIA standards might be G or H. Just my 2 cents.

BTW, I buy on ebay often...and I would consider buying my eternity band there. But I''ll prob. buy it in the diamond district in NY. But I''m still looking there...just in case.

FWIW

 

[beechezz]

I''m not an expert by any means, but I don''t think there is enough information about this stone to warrant offering any amount of money. This could end up being a dud!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 1/1/2010 10:35:46 AM
Author:MrsCWantsAnUprgade
I am thinking about bidding on this diamond:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310153412195&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Am I a bit scared about bidding on ebay, but with the sellers good ratings and the EGL cert I am torn. Your thoughts?

cut too deep!!.

 

[serenitydiamonds]

I''d avoid EGL from ebay, especially with a not so great cut. If you''re going to go with an EGL stone I would recommend someone that you can talk to directly that''s very trustworthy, if not personally referred. In the EGL realm, there are a lot of vendors the specialize in super fine makes (top tier cuts) still at a fairly good discount, but you have to really trust who you are buying from.

--Joshua

 

[junebug17]

Another newbie here, but the stone is very deep (65.2)...a 1.5 stone should measure around 7.4, so I think this diamond will face up smaller than 1.5, probably closer to 1.25. Personally, I think I''d pass.

eta: Sorry, DF beat me to it

 

[MrsCWantsAnUprgade]

I went to the Halloway cut advisor and it said that the total visual performance was a 1.7 - Excellent within FIC range. What range should I be looking for if this is considered, sub-par?

 

[denverappraiser]

It’s definitely deep. That’s why the ‘good’ cut grade (good means bad in diamond cut lingo). Cut for brilliance, a 7.1mm stone will weigh about 1.33cts. This one was cut for weight because they wanted to get over that 1.50ct price point and they seem to have succeeded. Diamonds are priced per carat and heavier stones both cost more per carat and have more weight so the price goes up quickly. Dealers like this, consumers maybe not so much. There may also be issues with the clarity and color because of differences in standards between the various labs. EGL Israel, the lab that graded this stone, does not use the GIA grading scale and their idea of a VS2/G is often quite different from GIA’s. None of these are deal killers, it’s a matter of understanding what you’re buying and these are the reason that it has a lower price than some other 1.50/VS2/G’s that you see advertised. If you buy it I seriously suggest you get it inspected by your own expert during the 7 day return period. There are several potential zingers with a stone like this and you’re basically buying blind.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Sizzle]

although I think you CAN get good deals from ebay, and you don''t necessarily have to go through a "vendor" to find your dream stone (there are threads where people have found great deals via craigslist, classifieds and ebay). I think you need to consider what you are giving up when you by through that method. I see by your name that you are not opposed to upgrades. Why not look into a vendor with a good upgrade policy? Although I''m not one of the H&A obsessed, I think going through a vendor allows you to control the cut a bit more, and get a good deal with going just outside of the "ideal perameters". A deal is only a deal if you are getting exactly what you want. Don''t be seduced by the carat weight. If you''re working with a budget similar to that price, you can find some beautiful stones. why not list what you''re looking for and see if we can help?

 

[tyty333]

Cut too deep...and EGL Israel - no way!

 

[MrsCWantsAnUprgade]

Thanks for the input. Your posts helped me to reprioritize my "C''s". I would like a round stone that is 1.5 ct. or larger. Cut and carat are the most important criteria to me with cost being a close third. I think that I would like a G, VS2, but I am not opposed to a ring with lower color or clarity, just so that it looks very eye-clean and colorless. I am a bargain hunter and I am willing to wait until I find the right diamond at the right price. As for the setting, I am thinking about a six-pronged, high-set, tapered cathedral with no side stones. I''ll pair it with my original .25 ct. diamond wedding band. My ring size is 4.50.

 

[tyty333]

Are you sure you cant drop down to an eye-clean SI1? That would lower your cost and you shouldnt be able to tell the difference
between it and a VS2 (if it is truely eye-clean).

 

[purrfectpear]

There''s EGL (hit and miss), and then there''s EGL Isreal (not on a bet)

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I wouldn''t spend over $2500 on an ebay diamond because that is all I am willing to lose if I choose to buy one. Even then I am looking for a private seller who is likely selling a ring they have no use for anymore. For over 6k you can get a really nice stone from a pricescope vendor and the return policies are your safety net.

 

[Rockdiamond]

I don't want to comment on any other seller- just make points in general.
I'm going to jump on the "it's too deep" bandwagon.

There are other effects of a too deep diamond besides just the spread.
I always advise folks to make sure to get actual photos of the diamond.

 

[LD]

A critical thing missing from that Ebay advert is an actual photo of the diamond for sale. I don''t buy diamonds using numbers. I use my eyes. The photo looks like a stock photo and so doesn''t tell you anything. Not having a photo of the actual diamond, from all angles, would have me running for the hills!

 

[rte]

Lots of good points here.
You mentioned your a bargain hunter and willing to wait until you find the right diamond at the right price.

I did this last year
It took me a 1/2 year to find a worthy RB diamond.
I found it on the other side of the US private party from a broken engagement.
Another 1/2 a year of negotiating (seller had receipts and was looking for 100% money back)

Diamond was GIA certed but not inscribed (problem here was) Neither I nor the seller wanted to send 10K across country to persons unknown.
Eventually the seller became more relistic on price and agreed to send the diamond to an Independent appraiser.

Enter Independent appraiser >>> ( Neil Beaty )

Neil gave me his honest opinion/appraisal, sent the diamond off to GIA for a recert and laser inscription.
Neil also brokered the transfer of buyer/seller monies....both parties very happy with the transaction.

 

[MrsCWantsAnUprgade]

I definitely would be willing to purchase a G-SI1. I am happy to hear that an eye-clean SI-1 doesn’t just exist in my dreams! My husband and I would like to stay in the $6K range. Will I be able to get what I am looking for and still stay within my budget or am I being unrealistic? As I read the "Knowledge" articles (very addictive, might I add) I see that a diamond with a bit of flouresents may look more colorless. Is this why so many Pricescopers seem to have "I" or "J" diamonds?! I may change my Used ID from MrsCWantsAnUpGrade to MrsCIsGettingHookedOnPricescope. Has a ring to it, yes? I have spent 5+ hours here today researching and looking at all of your amazing diamonds of all shapes and sizes.

 

[MrsCWantsAnUprgade]

Rte,
How did you go about finding a diamond being sold by an individual. I think that this would be risky, but worth considering.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

For that price if you look I think you can find some ideal cut diamonds in the 1.2 range which would look much bigger and a lot more sparkly and beautiful. You may have to sacrifice a little color or clarity, but the diamond will still probably look loads better (and you''d be confident in your purchase).

 

[Lorelei]

I would much rather have this diamond if it is eyeclean,

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1274571.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

 

[rte]

Date: 1/1/2010 9:35:12 PM
Author: MrsCWantsAnUprgade
Rte,
How did you go about finding a diamond being sold by an individual. I think that this would be risky, but worth considering.

Long read but here goes
Honestly hours and hours on the computer.....I put the word out with a few friends at local jewelry shops, Pawn shops and general word of mouth looking for the right distressed diamond.

We knew what we were looking for, a quality 1ct princess cut to go into a custom Movado style setting.
After making a trip to Vegas again to the Movado store where we first saw the ring, we changed to a RB diamond.

The side view of the princess cut in the setting just didn''t look right anymore.....
We started looking for a RB no less than 1ct up to 1.5ct (Setting required this)

Back to square one with a Round cut bringing more money than a Princess cut.
I only went after AGS and GIA certed diamonds.
After checking out what felt like 1000''s of different diamonds and every diamond site I could search out for preowned,divorced,sell/trade classifieds and broken heart sites.
I ended up searching some of the same certificate numbers more then a few times till I started to make a list of what was already looked at by cert number.

Lots of hours later I kept comming back to the same few diamonds on different internet locations.

One in particular After bouncing emails off numerous sites and not getting the right questions answered........
I finally got to the point where the seller was just too flaky and I dismissed the diamond.
Had a real tough time with the seller wanting 100% return on the complete ring when I was just looking for a center diamond.

Months later after the seller trys every option he can think of to sell the ring OR loose diamond to get the most of his spent money back, he starts to get the IDEA that my money is good

After months of being on the fence with a dozen different quality diamonds and sellers, I finally scored a 1.4 F VS2

just looked like the best deal.

One thing I did find was most of the diamonds I ran across were not the quality we were looking for and the Private Party sellers are more trying than the diamond search.