ERD Cushion - Girdle Concern

[sub80]

I''m previewing a cushion from Mark T at ERD. If we buy this it would be mounted in a platinum micropave setting (similar to Novo).

Carat Color Clarity Depth Tbl Lab Gdl Cul Sym Pol Flr Measurements
2.51 F SI1 68.7% 65% GIA vtn-xtk no vg ex no 7.94-7.77x5.34

My concern is that the girdle has two areas that are Very Thin. Both areas are in the middle of the span, (not at the corners) and are directly across from each other. Furthermore, their is a feather that runs horizontal to one of the thin areas; Mark assured me that though it is very close to the edge it is completely contained in the girdle.

My wife can be hard on rings. We have three small children and granite countertops. We love this stone except fot this concern, and I don''t want to buy something that I have to worry about everyday. I know there is always some risk of chipping, cleaving (I''ve read the article on PS which was helpful) and I understand the argument for insurance. But...everyday risk and insurance aside, would you share my concern or am I too worried about this?

Thanks for your help. Any other comments on the diamond (constructive or otherwise) would also be appreciated.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/6/2009 2:11:31 PM
Author:sub80
I'm previewing a cushion from Mark T at ERD. If we buy this it would be mounted in a platinum micropave setting (similar to Novo).

Carat Color Clarity Depth Tbl Lab Gdl Cul Sym Pol Flr Measurements
2.51 F SI1 68.7% 65% GIA vtn-xtk no vg ex no 7.94-7.77x5.34

My concern is that the girdle has two areas that are Very Thin. Both areas are in the middle of the span, (not at the corners) and are directly across from each other. Furthermore, their is a feather that runs horizontal to one of the thin areas; Mark assured me that though it is very close to the edge it is completely contained in the girdle.

My wife can be hard on rings. We have three small children and granite countertops. We love this stone except fot this concern, and I don't want to buy something that I have to worry about everyday. I know there is always some risk of chipping, cleaving (I've read the article on PS which was helpful) and I understand the argument for insurance. But...everyday risk and insurance aside, would you share my concern or am I too worried about this?

Thanks for your help. Any other comments on the diamond (constructive or otherwise) would also be appreciated.

I would trust Mark's judgement if he doesn't think the girdle is an issue, but what I would do is to get an independant appraisal on the diamond during the return period to give you peace of mind, this is a sizeable purchase and could give you reassurance that the girdle is not a durability issue. This is what I would do anyway if I were in your position.

Here is a tool you can use to find an appraiser in your area.

https://www.pricescope.com/appr_list.aspx

Having said that, unfortunately there are no guarantees that a diamond won't chip or break as you know, yes there are things to be cautious of and to get checked out such as very thin girdles ( which you have done) but bad luck or a hard blow can regrettably sometimes cause damage. So make sure the diamond is insured against damage, wear with care and enjoy!

 

[chrono]

I second Lorelei's suggestion. Personally, I think it's fine and your wife should enjoy wearing it whilst insured. For a piece of mind, you always have the option of having an independant appraiser take a look at it and have the sale contingent on it passing his inspection.

 

[sub80]

Thansk Lor and Chrono. I do have an appointment with a good appraiser (I used him before several times and he''s listed here) so that may help with the decision.

I''m torn on the insurance. I certainly going to add it to homeowers for theft, but the loss/damage insurance seems pricey to me. I think in my area (Seattle) it''s in the neighborhood of 1.3% for jewelers mutual. I''m not sure it''s worth it. Anyone know any better options? (feels like I''m hijacking my own thread).

 

[chrono]

For such an expensive stone, I''d insure it. I think the price for JM is reasonable. Imagine if it was damaged and you have to fork out $$$ again!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/6/2009 2:53:29 PM
Author: sub80
Thansk Lor and Chrono. I do have an appointment with a good appraiser (I used him before several times and he''s listed here) so that may help with the decision.

I''m torn on the insurance. I certainly going to add it to homeowers for theft, but the loss/damage insurance seems pricey to me. I think in my area (Seattle) it''s in the neighborhood of 1.3% for jewelers mutual. I''m not sure it''s worth it. Anyone know any better options? (feels like I''m hijacking my own thread).

Thats great you have the appt with the appraiser!

The thing with insurance, if something happened and you could afford to replace the diamond without financial difficulty then maybe you don''t need insurance. If you couldn''t afford to replace it easily then I think you definitely need it.

 

[sub80]

If we end up buying it what I might do is insure it (loss and damage) for the first 3-5 years and if it makes it through that period with no issues, switch it over to homeowners after that.

 

[JulieN]

Date: 2/6/2009 3:28:40 PM
Author: sub80
If we end up buying it what I might do is insure it (loss and damage) for the first 3-5 years and if it makes it through that period with no issues, switch it over to homeowners after that.

That''s an interesting way of thinking. Given that damage is very unlikely if we''re talking about expecting damage in 5 years, it doesn''t seem to make sense to me, unless you feel confident that you may be able to repair or replace it in 5 years. Like, I''ve been on PS for 3.5 years or so, and how many times have there been posts about the main stone being damaged due to an accident by the wearer (not an accident caused by the setter) have been very low, like less than 5 probably. And that is with the large number of stones/posters that go through PS a year.

 

[sub80]

Julie,

Thanks. Your comment about the rare nature of the wearer damaging a diamond actually makes me feel much better. Regadring the insurance, I guess my thought process is that over the course of five years shes probably going to knock it around a bit and if it makes it through that time period unscathed, then I would feel better about the durablility of the diamond and chance of chipping/breaking.

Thanks very much for your feedback!

 

[purrfectpear]

I''m a firm believer in insurance for any diamond over $5K-$10K. That''s the price point where I personally would hate to shell out the money to replace. For some it might be higher, or lower.

I have 2 ct. pear. I live alone, don''t have little one''s at home, and don''t even do my own dishes. In short, I think I''m "easy" on rings. That said, I did knock my hand into a doorframe as I was walking through a couple of weeks ago, and noticed the sound of a tiny rattle last week. Sure enough the stone is loose (I''ve only been wearing it since April 0.

Believe me I rest a lot easier knowing "it''s insured" against loss, theft, damage of any kind.

 

[EightStar_jr]

I would highly recommend insuring your diamond. As a cutter, we see a great number of chipped and damaged diamonds come through our shop. I have also seen stones which had no surface flaws and no large feathers when first polished which have chipped nearly in half after being worn for as little as one year.

All in all, not insuring an expensive piece of jewelry is similar to not insuring your car or your home. Yes, you may save quite a bit of money, but when you need insurance, you NEED it.

That being said, Jewelers Mutual is one of the easiest insurance companies to work with. They work well with their client to provide an adequate replacement in an agreeable time frame.

Cheers,

Dana