Enhanced Blue Diamond Questions

[biggiby]

I am considering buying a blue enhanced diamond and have a few questions, but here are it''s stat''s first:

2.2 carats
Radiant cut
SI-1 (enhanced)
fancy deep blue enhanced - (appears blue with a bit of aqua/green as well)

Asking price is approx $7,000

So, my questions are:

1 - Is this a good price for this quality diamond?

2 - What does "enhanced" mean? Inclusions "fixed" or color changed?

3 - What would be a good return offer to make instead of just paying asking price? What should I expect in making offers?

4 - This diamond is appraised by the "National Gemological Laboratories, Inc." in NYC, NY - and I can''t seem to find much on them, any advice regarding this (it''s not an eBay ring)?

Any help anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wse]

price is about average...

enhanced meaning they took a poor colored diamond and treated it.. normally with radiation to change its color to blue

normally these enhanced colored diamonds you cant haggle much on them here in the city...

 

[Pandora II]

Enhanced means several things.

Enhanced colour where it is irradiated (you may want to take a geiger counter with you

), or it may be that it has also been filled. They can laser through the stone to burn out inclusions and then fill the holes in with something else afterwards.

The fact that they have put enhanced after both the clarity and the colour probably means they have done both.

It will impact considerably on the value. I would also want a full apraisal that tells me what possible problems there could be with the integrity of the stone.

Personally I would be far more bothered by the enhanced clarity than the enhanced colour and for that alone it would be a No from me.

But everyone has their own cut off points on acceptability.

Just want to add - if you are thinking of buying this stone as a potential investment, forget it. Gemstones are VERY rarely and investment anyway.

 

[jewelerman]

I like what Pandora had to say ,but would like to add that there may be future problems with cleaning enhanced stones as well as setting challenges.I myself would not invest $7,000 in an enhanced stone ...not so much because of color but because the stone may be graded as a SI1 after enhancement but was most likely an I3 before enhancement and this quality has inner integrity weaknesses.Ive never heard of the lab that created the grade report.

 

[biggiby]

Thank you for the input.

Another question,
If the appraiser is relatively unknown and the color AND clarity are enhanced, what would be a reasonable counter-offer to ask from the original asking price of approx $7,000?

Any input?

 

[nclrgirl]

I also would not buy a clarity enhanced stone.

As far as color enhanced goes, for blue stones they irradiate them. This is important to mention if you get the stone set or the setting worked on afterward, as irradiated stones should not be heated as much. I''m not really sure what it would do to the stone if it did get heated too much though. Just passing along what a couple of jewelers have told me.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 7/5/2008 1:21:44 AM
Author: biggiby
Thank you for the input.

Another question,
If the appraiser is relatively unknown and the color AND clarity are enhanced, what would be a reasonable counter-offer to ask from the original asking price of approx $7,000?

Any input?

Can''t help, I just wouldn''t go there at all. Too many potential problems.

If you want a blue stone, you''d be better to spend your money on a sapphire.

 

[The Joker]

Date: 7/5/2008 1:21:44 AM
Author: biggiby
Thank you for the input.

Another question,
If the appraiser is relatively unknown and the color AND clarity are enhanced, what would be a reasonable counter-offer to ask from the original asking price of approx $7,000?

Any input?

If YOU want a color and clarity enhanced blue diamond, you could offer 10-15% less than asking price. Most merchants will consider such an offer. The worse that could happen is they say NO. A lot depends on the merchant and how much they have invested and how much they need $6000.

Joker....

 

[biggiby]

I realize several of you would not purchase an enhanced diamond and I have asked the same questions myself, but this is what she really wants, so....

Can I get a general consensus on what you all think would be a good/reasonable counter-offer, on my part, from the original asking price of just over $7,000??

Any additional tips?

 

[Pandora II]

I would suggest taking it to an INDEPENDENT appraiser and asking them for a frank and honest opinion as to the extent of the enhancement and value.

Your girlfriend does understand the potential dangers involved in setting or working on an enhanced stone doesn''t she?

 

[coatimundi_org]

You should let your girlfriend know that this diamond is probably fracture filled which means inclusions are filled with a molten glass. Reputable labs will not grade fracture filled diamonds, because you cannot ascertain actual clarity--only apparent clarity. This stone's apparent clarity is Si1. I'm guessing its actual clarity is more along the lines of I3. This does you no good with durability issues, jewelers torch, etc.

If you did buy this stone, it could be damaged in the setting process. If the ring ever went in for repair, a jewelers torch could melt the glass filler, and you could potentially have filler seeping out of the stone.

I second finding a beautiful sapphire or other blue gem. The 7k? Seems a bit steep for something that could break easily. 7k can get you a beautiful blue and durable stone.

 

[biggiby]

Anyone have any idea how much it costs to (approximately):

Irradiate a diamond?

To clarity enhance a diamond?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 7/8/2008 7:19:02 PM
Author: biggiby

Anyone have any idea how much it costs to (approximately):

Irradiate a diamond?

To clarity enhance a diamond?

Not a lot. A few hundred for CI and maybe the same for irradiation?