GIA G appraised as H

[MarionC]

A G diamond, that I have out on approval, was appraised as an H by a reputable GIA gemologist using master stones. Is that a big deal? What about cost difference?
[I hope this is not considered double posting. I asked this question at the end of a thread that was pretty much finished and I was concerned that the question would not be seen.]

 

[missy]

When you come right down to it the grading is still not an exact science though it can be close. I would go with the GIA G because that is the formal grade however it can be a high H which might be what your appraiser found. Did you ask him/her if it was a low G or high H in his/her opinion? Not sure of the cost difference but you can check that out using the diamond search feature here under resources.

 

[MarionC]

When you come right down to it the grading is still not an exact science though it can be close. I would go with the GIA G because that is the formal grade however it can be a high H which might be what your appraiser found. Did you ask him/her if it was a low G or high H in his/her opinion? Not sure of the cost difference but you can check that out using the diamond search feature here under resources.

Thanks, Missy. He said if it really was a G it was the lowest possible G, but it definitely looked like an H to him - so I guess it's on the line and GIA was "generous".
It's an Asscher, which, at least for me, makes doing a comp difficult, but I'll give it a try. I doubt the vendor would give a discount though.
I just hate to overpay. The diamond looks white to me and I'm fairly color sensitive, so it's more a "mind & money" thing.

 

[missy]

I see what you mean. It's difficult because the formal GIA grade trumps the appraiser's opinion. I doubt the seller will give you a discount. If it looks white (G) to you then as long as you can get over the "mind clean" issue and you love it and you think the price is fair I would get it. Not sure how difficult it is to get this cut. Also is the appraiser a neutral 3rd party?

 

[MarionC]

I see what you mean. It's difficult because the formal GIA grade trumps the appraiser's opinion. I doubt the seller will give you a discount. If it looks white (G) to you then as long as you can get over the "mind clean" issue and you love it and you think the price is fair I would get it. Not sure how difficult it is to get this cut. Also is the appraiser a neutral 3rd party?

Yes, I agree with you about not getting a discount. It's a very pretty stone and it took a long time to find it, but it's so much money for me "for a whim" that I am really soul searching. I think the appraiser was neutral. I've known him for 20+ years. I was in the shop where he works discussing having a custom setting made for the stone and he asked to examine it closely. He seemed apologetic about his finding. But you never know - they might lose the custom job right now, but if I don't keep this diamond they might think they can sell me another one. It seems a little far-fetched, but I might be naive!

 

[missy]

Jimmianne, if this was my predicament I would spend the money for a more objective appraisal from an independent appraiser. Your appraiser who I am sure is knowledgeable is not for sure objective since he does sell diamonds. It would be worth the cost of an appraisal from an independent appraiser for peace of mind given your doubts. Good luck with your decision!

 

[MarionC]

Thanks! good advice. Oh to be back in ignorance where you walk in a store and say "hey - that's pretty - I'll buy it!" and then live happily ever after

 

[artdecolover71]

I would go to an independent appraiser personally....

 

[MarionC]

Great advice, both of you. I just contacted an independent appraiser. I hope I am pleasantly surprised with her report! But in any event, this will give me the information I've been trying to "intuit" out of research....and thin air.

 

[artdecolover71]

It will be peace of mind! That's usually a gift in and of itself!

 

[oldminer]

For sure, an objective opinion is essential. However, if an appraiser does occasionally put their own money up to buy a diamond from a person who wishes to sell, then that appraiser has the confidence to trust their own grading decisions and may have learned a few lessons the hard way about proper grading that exceeds the learning of those who never buy or sell. Food for thought.

Another issue is the likely size difference between your diamond and the Master diamond used for grading. larger diamonds look darker in any color than smaller ones of the same GIA color. Some appraisers really don't have a good handle on how to make that mental adjustment for the size variance. Others may be more experienced.

Lastly, there are good master sets and less than good sets floating around. It really can take years to develop eight or ten really reliably graded master diamonds. The system for creating excellent master diamond sets is almost completely broken with only one diamond dealer I know of willing to create sets in cooperation with GIA and AGS. These sets are exceedingly costly even for small size stones.

The difference between a mod G and a mid H is visible to expert eyes, but few stones are mid grade. Making a call near the edge of one color to another is more difficult and more subjective.

Hope this helps...

 

[MarionC]

For sure, an objective opinion is essential. However, if an appraiser does occasionally put their own money up to buy a diamond from a person who wishes to sell, then that appraiser has the confidence to trust their own grading decisions and may have learned a few lessons the hard way about proper grading that exceeds the learning of those who never buy or sell. Food for thought.

Another issue is the likely size difference between your diamond and the Master diamond used for grading. larger diamonds look darker in any color than smaller ones of the same GIA color. Some appraisers really don't have a good handle on how to make that mental adjustment for the size variance. Others may be more experienced.

Lastly, there are good master sets and less than good sets floating around. It really can take years to develop eight or ten really reliably graded master diamonds. The system for creating excellent master diamond sets is almost completely broken with only one diamond dealer I know of willing to create sets in cooperation with GIA and GAS. These sets are exceedingly costly even for small size stones.

The difference between a mod G and a mid H is visible to expert eyes, but few stones are mid grade. Making a call near the edge of one color to another is more difficult and more subjective.

Hope this helps...

Diamonds are so much more complicated than I ever imagined!
The diamond in question is perhaps a bit "large" - 1.5 - so perhaps that entered into the equation.
Oldminer, thanks for the ~food for thought~.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Your stone is currently in a setting, correct? GIA grades stones out of the setting, if yours was set when the appraiser looked at it, then that could be where the disparity is coming from. Otherwise, I'd chalk it up to subjectivity. You have the GIA report stating it's a G and that's what it will be sold as in the event you resell it in the future. So you're not really overpaying for it.

 

[MarionC]

Your stone is currently in a setting, correct? GIA grades stones out of the setting, if yours was set when the appraiser looked at it, then that could be where the disparity is coming from. Otherwise, I'd chalk it up to subjectivity. You have the GIA report stating it's a G and that's what it will be sold as in the event you resell it in the future. So you're not really overpaying for it.

Thanks! that really helps, and was my concern.
[And it was appraised in the setting.]

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I don't bother with appraisals on new diamonds with GIA reports because my insurance allows me to add things with the sales receipts. If you like the diamond, as Missy said, all that really counts is the GIA grading. Lots of stones are borderline on color and that can go both ways. However, I would not insure with an appraisal that said a color grade lower because that would affect the replacement if it was lost or stolen. So you'd have to get another appraisal if you are needing this for insurance. I wish you could use an appraiser that has an ASET, though, because that would tell you the one thing you did not get from your vendor.

 

[MarionC]

I don't bother with appraisals on new diamonds with GIA reports because my insurance allows me to add things with the sales receipts. If you like the diamond, as Missy said, all that really counts is the GIA grading. Lots of stones are borderline on color and that can go both ways. However, I would not insure with an appraisal that said a color grade lower because that would affect the replacement if it was lost or stolen. So you'd have to get another appraisal if you are needing this for insurance. I wish you could use an appraiser that has an ASET, though, because that would tell you the one thing you did not get from your vendor.

The independent GIA appraisal I'm getting on Friday is more of a consultation, less formal with no write-up [unless I want one]. I may also have her take the diamond out of the setting so I can send the setting back, and then she could really see the stone.

Wow - by the time I get done scrutinizing this diamond it's going to want a week off in a nice dark jewelry box. The more I look at it the more attached I get and the less the grading matters. That's probably the ultimate bottom line, but it will give peace of mind to have an unbiased opinion to compare to the GIA.
Everyone here has been so helpful! and not only that, you guys get what it's all about. I'm afraid my non-bling friends would want to have me put away. Of course I'd be glad to go to the nut house if I could take my diamonds with me.