Got my WF stone! (but not sure what to do)

[newbie124]

I got my stone today and we took it to the appraiser for a consult.

Before the appointment I was imagining how wowed she was going to be by our great find. Unfortunately, her assessment was that she was surprised and felt that AGS graded it somewhat loosely. She felt that it was on the lower end of G color and also thought it was closer to SI2

She did say that she felt it was still a good buy for what we paid, and it wasn''t necessarily a bad stone. But she said we should take it around and do some in-store comparisons to help us get a better idea. The light in the room also made it hard to determine the light return, so I left feeling kind of disappointed.

We then took it to one of the local jewelers around the corner. He pulled 2 stones around 1.5 ct. One was E SI1 the other was H VS1. Under the bright lights and next to the larger stones, ours actually held up pretty well. Even the jeweler commented on how well cut our stone was. I couldn''t even really tell the difference in color from our G and the E, and I''m usually pretty particular color differences. The H looked slightly whiter b/c it had medium fluorescence. The only major difference we could see was in size.

So then I was starting to feel pretty good about our stone. But the appraiser''s comments still tug at my thoughts...I guess it''s kind of hard to just trust your eye and not think about the numbers on paper!

In a way, I kind of feel like WF could have mentioned something when I was first asking about and comparing stones, especially as this is one of their Expert Cuts; but all the sales rep would say was how beautiful this stone was and how she knew I''d love it. The other odd thing was that they had the stone in the wrong paper wrapper. The sticker attached to it was for another diamond! Luckily, the certificate was correct, but we found that to be kind of an odd mistake. They had also forgotten to include the Letter of Verification. They emailed me to say that they would send the letter to me by email today and mail the paper form tomorrow, however I never got a follow up email. Not really a huge deal, but I expected a more flawless experience from such a reputable vendor, especially w/ the mixed up paper.

In any case, we have a few more days to think about it and do some more comparisons. I tried to take some pictures, but unfortunately couldn''t get a decent shot. Will try again tomorrow in the sunlight!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would have to say that there is a range of color, so any stone can be at the high or low end of the range. That would be true of clarity as well. So I really do not think the sales associate would be able to tell you any more than is on the cert other than it looks beautiful! As far as the paperwork confusion, that appears to be an unusual occurence as I have not heard of that happening before. But I''d certainly email again and remind them that you need the verification paper. I will tell you that this amount will likely be inflated, and I chose to insure my stones for the purchase price instead.

Bottom line, though, if the stone looks beautiful to you, then keep it! If not, I''d wait and see what comes in the next couple of weeks, especially since that stone was well under your original budget anyway.

 

[Shay37]

DS gave some sound advice. If the only reason that you''re hesitating is based on the appraiser''s comments versus what your eyes saw in a comparison, you may be one of those people who just need the mindcleaness of an ACA.

You can''t go with an SI1. you need a VS2 at worst. or something like that. I empathize. I just seem to have an (insane I know) obsession of knowing that it''s the tippy toppy bestest cut out there. I''m nuts. I admit it. My therapist loves me. His name is Brian the Cutter.

shay

 

[Jeanne61]

Hi Newbie,

I''m a newbie too!

I got my first (...read...of many to come)

WF diamond over Xmas.

The stone was shipped to me Dec 26 and also came without the Verification Letter. I contacted John & Vera @ WF (they were both great btw) who looked into it right away. It turned out the appraiser had completed the verification letter but in his haste to leave for the holidays, accidentally left my letter among others (yours too maybe?) on his desk. Vera emailed me a scanned copy of the letter and I''m just waiting for the original in the mail.

Re the wrong wrapper - did your appraiser confirm the AGS laser inscription on the diamond matched the certificate? If so, you''ll at least know for sure you have the right stone even if the color and clarity may be a bit off....I actually just had mine confirmed by EGL-USA today and saw the inscription under the microscope (pretty cool!)

Hope that helps!

 

[Shannon72781]

Hi Newbie,

Hmm...I''m sorry you are disappointed with your diamond. I basically have the "twin" of yours from WF

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-513834.htm

My FI proposed on 12/1/07 and I really love mine. It seems soooo white and it is completly eye clean. I''ve attached the link with my pics to help you out since we have basically the same stone (on paper).

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/newly-engaged-with-pics-of-ring.73625/

Good luck!

 

[Lorelei]

I think live with the diamond for a couple more days, take it out into different lighting conditions and see if you fall in love with it!! The cut is great on this diamond and I well know how some remarks about a new purchase can prey on your mind and make you question your decision, which could be the case with the appraiser. How would you have felt do you think, if she had been really enthusiastic about your diamond? You may never know for sure, but also this could be her normal professional manner that she is a little conservative in her opinions regarding her work, and it is this which may be having an influence on your feelings.

But if you are unhappy in a day or 2, you will have the option to return the diamond and look again.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/3/2008 10:34:47 PM
Author:newbie124


In a way, I kind of feel like WF could have mentioned something when I was first asking about and comparing stones, especially as this is one of their Expert Cuts; but all the sales rep would say was how beautiful this stone was and how she knew I''d love it. The other odd thing was that they had the stone in the wrong paper wrapper. The sticker attached to it was for another diamond! Luckily, the certificate was correct, but we found that to be kind of an odd mistake. They had also forgotten to include the Letter of Verification. They emailed me to say that they would send the letter to me by email today and mail the paper form tomorrow, however I never got a follow up email. Not really a huge deal, but I expected a more flawless experience from such a reputable vendor, especially w/ the mixed up paper.

In any case, we have a few more days to think about it and do some more comparisons. I tried to take some pictures, but unfortunately couldn''t get a decent shot. Will try again tomorrow in the sunlight!

Hi newbie,

I''m wondering, what exactly do you think WF could/should have mentioned? I''m just asking.

As for the color grade, I have a G, and while the appraiser never said it, in comparing mine with others, I''d call it (and have) a low G. As ds said, there''s a range involved. So, don''t feel bad about that, I don''t.

And regarding the clarity, she said it''s "closer" to an SI2. Sounds like it could be one that''s iffy, on the border so to speak...



I''m sorry you''re a bit doubtful now. Is it possible to take it to another appraiser, for a second opinion?

 

[newbie124]

Thanks everyone for your advice and encouraging words. I''ve really thought about nothing else since we got the stone! I kept taking it out of the wrapper, holding it up under different lights, putting it back in the wrapper, then taking it out again a little while later. I had to force myself not to take it out of the house with me today!

The more I look at it, the more I know I like the cut of this stone, and it''s pretty cool to see the arrows on it. I was kind of bummed about the appraiser''s assessment of the color, but after seeing it next to the E yesterday, I felt better about it (although the H made me wish mine had a bit of fluorescence . Lorelai had a good point about maybe our appraiser is usually conservative in our demeanor...I guess if the stone been graded an H SI2 on paper her assessment would probably have been more positive leaning, and I would''ve felt better even though it''s the exact same stone (of course, I''m sure the price also would be different if that were the case). And after all, I did go into this saying that Cut was going to be the most important "C" to me (with Clarity last), so I feel like I should hold up to those values, although I''m starting to find there sure are a lot of grey areas!

Honestly, I''m starting to feel that as long as the color continues to hold up in more side-by-side comparisons, the only thing I might wish to be different was if the stone was slightly bigger. But I know that''s mostly a budget issue that we''re going to have to figure out regarding what''s going to be comfortable for us. I know I could probably have a larger stone if I wanted a simple solitaire setting, but I''m pretty set on a pave halo (which probably will also have to be set in platinum for durability issues) so I may just have to settle for a smaller stone but a nicer setting. Sigh...decisions, decisions!

 

[newbie124]

Hi Shannon,

Wow, your WF stone really does seem to be our twin! Thanks for sharing the pics. Boy, I wish I were a size 3.5...that stone looks HUGE on your finger. Congrats on your engagement!

 

[newbie124]

Date: 1/4/2008 10:01:05 AM
Author: Ellen
Hi newbie,

I''m wondering, what exactly do you think WF could/should have mentioned? I''m just asking.

As for the color grade, I have a G, and while the appraiser never said it, in comparing mine with others, I''d call it (and have) a low G. As ds said, there''s a range involved. So, don''t feel bad about that, I don''t.

And regarding the clarity, she said it''s ''closer'' to an SI2. Sounds like it could be one that''s iffy, on the border so to speak...

I''m sorry you''re a bit doubtful now. Is it possible to take it to another appraiser, for a second opinion?

Well, I guess during the whole selection process the sales rep pretty much said every diamond I asked about was a beautiful stone, which made me kind of wonder how helpful she was going to be when it came down to comparing the nitty gritties. For this one in particular, I had asked if she could check w/ the gemologists about the inclusions and tell me if it was eye clean. After they reviewed the stone they didn''t mention anything about it looking to have more inclusions than normal for an SI1 grade.

I know it''s all somewhat subjective, though, especially when it''s borderline. That was my wording when I wrote that the appraiser said she felt it was "closer" to SI2. She may have actually said "I would have expected this to be an SI2." In any case, I was probably also partly swayed by the fact that my friend who also worked w/ WF, had a rep who was pretty discerning and would tell them when she thought one stone was better in certain regards than another. Whereas my rep pretty much said everything looked good. So I guess it was mostly expectations on my part in wanting someone who was going to have a more critical eye. She was at least friendly and quick to respond

I think I''m OK not getting a second appraisal for now since I can''t really tell the color difference. The jeweler did also confirm that it seemed to be a low G. The clarity only makes a difference to me in terms of the price we paid...if it''s really bordering on an S12, then I''d have an issue paying the price of a more middle-of-the-road SI1. But the appraiser did feel that we paid a decent price, so it may not be worth arguing about.

I think it was mostly just hearing her negatively skewed assessments that affected me the most since I went in w/ higher expectations. I think at this point it''s just a matter of deciding whether I can live with the *size* of the stone more than anything else. (I feel like I''d be a perfect test subject right now for a marketing study with all the variables I''m trying to weigh in my head!)

 

[FacetFire]

I wouldn''t let an appraisal get to you too much. Just remember that a cert is one opinion, and each appraiser is another opinion. There is nothing to say that an appraiser can''t be very harsh on stones. I recently had my diamond stud earrings appraised, which though uncertified, I bought as H color and SI1 - SI2 clarity. The appraiser told me they were I color and I1 clarity. Now, I know they have inclusions, but there is no way these things are I1 clarity. And they seem too white to me to be I color too. You can see pics of them here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/yay-my-new-1-5-cttw-custom-four-prong-martini-studs-from-quest.54237/ I think he was just a very harsh grader. But I love my earrings for what they are, and I''m not letting his opinion get me down. Diamond grading is subjective and it''s also an art form, in my opinion. I think the real question is how you feel about the stone. Did you love it before you took it in to the appraiser?

 

[DIF]

A low G is still a G.
A low SI1 is still an SI1.
It almost sounds like you want a low G SI1 to be graded as a high H SI2 with the lower price.

Nature makes diamonds in continuous variations of color and clarity. Not in separate categories.
People separate them in to the categories and they have to place the boundries somewhere.
Imagine what a dilema it is for the grading lab and the stone's owner when a stone falls precicely on a boundry.

Besides, these categories are very very narrow.
You just told us that you couldn't even tell the difference between an E and a G with your own eyes.
That's three color grades, yet you unhappy about where your G falls within its one color grade.

It is understandable to be anxious about an expensive purchase of something that requires specialized knowledge to grade.
But I think you should relax.
AGS, WF and your appraier have assured you of what you have.
You can trust these 3 entities.

Save your money you are about to spend on another appraisal.

Enjoy your beautiful diamond.

 

[Mara]

Ellen asked the very question that I was going to...what do you think that WF should have told you about the stone?

Grading is subjective. A person at AGS grades it. Your appraiser graded it. Obviously those two appraisals of the color and clarity were not the same. That is not unusual. You could probably take it to 3 other appraisers and have them all say different things.

SI's are such a mixed bag too because so many people think they are fabulous, fine, nothing to see. But other people might have sharper eyes or somehow be able to pick out things that others can't see. Again, subjective.

The beautiful thing is that the online vendors have return policies, so if you don't like the stone in person, you can return it and find one more to your liking either elsewhere or choose a higher color and clarity grade and spend more. Doesn't guarantee that the appraiser you take it to won't still see it as lower in color and clarity, again it's subjective.

The only guarantee you have is YOUR eyes as the buyer and the recipient as the wearer. You two are the only real people that stone has to blow away. If it doesn't, keep looking. But be sure you know what you are looking FOR because the next stone might be just as disappointing until you know that.

For what it's worth, I have a few stones from WF...some ACA and some ES and all are breathtaking. I am super picky on my stones and I would think that the one you have would be a knockout in person, the #'s are stellar and a G SI would be amazing. But unless you know what to really look for (maybe compare it to some maul stones)...you might not be as impressed.

LOL Shay...I am in the WF 12 step program too.

It's a good thing they don't charge by the hour!!

 

[Lorelei]

I think it was mostly just hearing her negatively skewed assessments that affected me the most since I went in w/ higher expectations


I think that is what has happened here in a nutshell. It is natural for us to want our new expensive purchase to be admired, especially if you take it for an expert opinion. It feels good to have enthusiastic and positive comments on our find, whether it be an appraiser with a diamond, mechanic with a car, surveyor with a house, or even a vet with a horse etc!! If we get more neutral feedback on a purchase of this magnitude, it can make you second guess your decisions and wisdom in purchasing. But opinions can vary between professionals, especially with such a subjective art as diamond grading.

However the appraiser did say some favourable things about your lovely rock, as I said previously her manner may be a more cautious type, I have found this to be the case with many professionals. What she said is well within acceptable realms for a diamond purchase, and the main thing is if you love it! You could always get another appraisal if you feel this would set your mind at rest.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 1/3/2008 10:34:47 PM
Author:newbie124
I got my stone today and we took it to the appraiser for a consult.

Before the appointment I was imagining how wowed she was going to be by our great find. Unfortunately, her assessment was that she was surprised and felt that AGS graded it somewhat loosely. She felt that it was on the lower end of G color and also thought it was closer to SI2

She did say that she felt it was still a good buy for what we paid, and it wasn't necessarily a bad stone. But she said we should take it around and do some in-store comparisons to help us get a better idea. The light in the room also made it hard to determine the light return, so I left feeling kind of disappointed.

We then took it to one of the local jewelers around the corner. He pulled 2 stones around 1.5 ct. One was E SI1 the other was H VS1. Under the bright lights and next to the larger stones, ours actually held up pretty well. Even the jeweler commented on how well cut our stone was. I couldn't even really tell the difference in color from our G and the E, and I'm usually pretty particular color differences. The H looked slightly whiter b/c it had medium fluorescence. The only major difference we could see was in size.

So then I was starting to feel pretty good about our stone. But the appraiser's comments still tug at my thoughts...I guess it's kind of hard to just trust your eye and not think about the numbers on paper!

In a way, I kind of feel like WF could have mentioned something when I was first asking about and comparing stones, especially as this is one of their Expert Cuts; but all the sales rep would say was how beautiful this stone was and how she knew I'd love it. The other odd thing was that they had the stone in the wrong paper wrapper. The sticker attached to it was for another diamond! Luckily, the certificate was correct, but we found that to be kind of an odd mistake. They had also forgotten to include the Letter of Verification. They emailed me to say that they would send the letter to me by email today and mail the paper form tomorrow, however I never got a follow up email. Not really a huge deal, but I expected a more flawless experience from such a reputable vendor, especially w/ the mixed up paper.

In any case, we have a few more days to think about it and do some more comparisons. I tried to take some pictures, but unfortunately couldn't get a decent shot. Will try again tomorrow in the sunlight!

Hi newbie,

Sorry about the 'sticker shock.' We have a system of checks & balances to be sure you get the right diamond, but we're apparently not as discriminating about those stickers on the parcel paper. You're right - it is odd and has not happened before to our knowledge. Regarding the LOV: I looked in your record and see we wrote to inform you that the LOV was not included at 12:32 PM yesterday. At 5:59 PM yesterday Vera emailed a scanned copy of it to you; it sounds like you didn’t get this? If not please contact us by phone or email and we will resend it. As Jeanne61 mentioned, we've had some trouble with timing and the appraiser who issues our verification letters. His holiday hours have been more limited than ours.

As for the appraisal it sounds like she was discriminating (which isn't a bad thing!). There is always subjectivity involved. The accepted trade standard with appraisals is +/- one grade for un-mounted stones. That increases when the stone is mounted. We are familiar with appraisers who tend to the high side, others who tend to the low, and others who are dead-on with the strict grading labs. It sounds like her assessment of color & clarity was largely in agreement with AGSL, which is logical if the appraiser is strict. As a cut-focused seller I’d be interested in hearing her placement of the diamond’s cut particulars: Did she run PGS software and share that cut grade assessment with you? If not, were you shown the diamond in a live ideal-scope, ASET and H&A viewer? Though we did not sell this one as a ‘true’ H&A diamond we consider its cut precision to be a definite value-add. It sounds like she had high standards for color/clarity. How much did she show you regarding cut, and how detailed was her appraisal in evaluation of its light performance? That’s our specialty so we’re obviously interested.

The bottom line is that you must be happy with the diamond and it’s only logical that input from a qualified professional carries weight in your feelings. We want you to be delighted - that is why we extend an examination period and lifetime trade-up. Please keep us informed.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 1/4/2008 11:00:18 AM
Author: newbie124

Date: 1/4/2008 10:01:05 AM
Author: Ellen
Hi newbie,

I'm wondering, what exactly do you think WF could/should have mentioned? I'm just asking.

As for the color grade, I have a G, and while the appraiser never said it, in comparing mine with others, I'd call it (and have) a low G. As ds said, there's a range involved. So, don't feel bad about that, I don't.

And regarding the clarity, she said it's 'closer' to an SI2. Sounds like it could be one that's iffy, on the border so to speak...

I'm sorry you're a bit doubtful now. Is it possible to take it to another appraiser, for a second opinion?

Well, I guess during the whole selection process the sales rep pretty much said every diamond I asked about was a beautiful stone, which made me kind of wonder how helpful she was going to be when it came down to comparing the nitty gritties. For this one in particular, I had asked if she could check w/ the gemologists about the inclusions and tell me if it was eye clean. After they reviewed the stone they didn't mention anything about it looking to have more inclusions than normal for an SI1 grade.

I know it's all somewhat subjective, though, especially when it's borderline. That was my wording when I wrote that the appraiser said she felt it was 'closer' to SI2. She may have actually said 'I would have expected this to be an SI2.' In any case, I was probably also partly swayed by the fact that my friend who also worked w/ WF, had a rep who was pretty discerning and would tell them when she thought one stone was better in certain regards than another. Whereas my rep pretty much said everything looked good. So I guess it was mostly expectations on my part in wanting someone who was going to have a more critical eye. She was at least friendly and quick to respond

I think I'm OK not getting a second appraisal for now since I can't really tell the color difference. The jeweler did also confirm that it seemed to be a low G. The clarity only makes a difference to me in terms of the price we paid...if it's really bordering on an S12, then I'd have an issue paying the price of a more middle-of-the-road SI1. But the appraiser did feel that we paid a decent price, so it may not be worth arguing about.

I think it was mostly just hearing her negatively skewed assessments that affected me the most since I went in w/ higher expectations. I think at this point it's just a matter of deciding whether I can live with the *size* of the stone more than anything else. (I feel like I'd be a perfect test subject right now for a marketing study with all the variables I'm trying to weigh in my head!)

It does not have more inclusions than normal for an SI1 or it would not be one. Therefor it would be hard for a sales associate to make the comment you are asking for.

As a member of the trade, I have never been offered a gem for a different price because it was in the top, middle or lower end of a grade, so there would not be any difference in price for you to negociate over. The grades are a range, and we pay based on the range that the diamond is in when we buy, and we sell the same way when we sell.

I think you have come up against a situation that frequently happens: an appraiser makes off the cuff comments not knowing how negatively they can affect the buyer's feelings about a gem. Sometimes those comments are completely off base, sometimes not, but still a professional should comport him/herself like a professional and render opinions without clouding the enjoyment of the purchase unless there is a serious issue, such as the diamond clearly being over/under graded, the wrong stone, damaged, etc.

Your feelings are further compounded by your anticipation of how wowed the appraiser was going to be. She was not apparently prepared to be wowed and you do not mention the comments about the great cutting until you get to the retailer, so I do not know if she commented on the cutting or not, or even if she knew enough to be qualified to comment on the cutting. Did she whip out an ideal scope, a fire scope, a hearts and arrows viewer, an ASET or other instrument to assess the quality of the cut of your diamond? If not, why not? To most of the faithful here at Pricescope that is one of the primary reasons for taking a gem to the appraiser. (Other than verifying the gem is the same one as in the paperwork.)

I do not know who your appraiser was or what her qualifications are, so this is not intended to be any kind of commentary on her or her abilities, but these are questions that I have based on your description of the activities. Your comment "I kept taking it out of the wrapper, holding it up under different lights, putting it back in the wrapper, then taking it out again a little while later. I had to force myself not to take it out of the house with me today!", tells me the important part of this conversation, you love the look of the cutting and now have an appreciation for the beneficial affect of fluorescence.

I hope you will put aside the negative experience with your appraiser and love your stone for what it is, a gem that is within the parameters of what was promised to you, and extremely well cut, FAR better than the average stone that you will ever find at the mall. But if you decide that her opinion is too important to overlook, well, that is the benefit of dealing with a company that has an excellent return policy.

Wink

 

[newbie124]

Lorelai:
Yes, I think you got it spot on! I couldn't describe the experience more perfectly.

Also, since this was our very first appraisal, I didn't really know what to expect and hadn't even considered the possibility that maybe she's just a tough grader (although, in retrospect and after reading everyone's comments, this is obviously such a subjective art).

John:
Thank you for responding. I will get the paper info to you as soon as I get home and check.

Regarding the appraisal, this particular appraiser had a more laid back style (I was referred to her by a friend who also recently purchased from WF and I think she's been mentioned a few times on PS). It ended up being more of a consultation than a full appraisal since she knew we wanted to do a few more comparisons before committing to the stone.

She didn't actually talk about or tell us what instruments she was using. I saw her weigh the stone, view it under a microscope, and put it in this other machine that I'm guessing helped give the color grade. I think she was mostly concentrating on whether the stone matched the certificate then looking at cut and light return. She did say that it seemed to be well cut and that none of the inclusions compromised the integrity of the stone. As I mentioned earlier, the light in the room was kind of a greyish-blue that made everything look dull and flat. So we couldn't actually assess the sparkle till we left and took it to the jewelry store next door.

At the store, when the jeweler held it up to his GIA Excellent cut 1.5 stone, they sparkled exactly the same. He even admitted that he was impressed by the cut of ours. He pulled out a firescope and looked at both stones and said they were too similar to even offer one as a comparison to the other. (I didn't look under the firescope as I had stepped away to admire the setting we're considering Sorry I don't have more scientific numbers to offer regarding the cut assessment. However, I think we all basically agreed that there's no question this is an excellently cut stone. I was also worried before that, even w/ a good cut, it would give off more colored sparkles, which I don't really prefer. But I was nicely surprised by the light return on this one.

Basically, as I mentioned above, it now just comes down to whether or not we want to go up in size. But I'm glad I posted my thoughts on PS, b/c people here have at least helped put things in better perspective for me to get past the initial disappointment of the appraisal. I think I'm more comfortable now focusing on what looks good to my eyes and not worrying so much about what's on paper. So, thanks Pricescope!!

 

[Lorelei]

So glad I was able to help you!

 

[newbie124]

Oh, I also forgot to mention that I did receive the LOV. The email was sent later in the evening after I had already left so I didn't get it until this morning.

 

[Shay37]

Date: 1/4/2008 11:29:35 AM
Author: Mara
Ellen asked the very question that I was going to...what do you think that WF should have told you about the stone?

Grading is subjective. A person at AGS grades it. Your appraiser graded it. Obviously those two appraisals of the color and clarity were not the same. That is not unusual. You could probably take it to 3 other appraisers and have them all say different things.

SI''s are such a mixed bag too because so many people think they are fabulous, fine, nothing to see. But other people might have sharper eyes or somehow be able to pick out things that others can''t see. Again, subjective.

The beautiful thing is that the online vendors have return policies, so if you don''t like the stone in person, you can return it and find one more to your liking either elsewhere or choose a higher color and clarity grade and spend more. Doesn''t guarantee that the appraiser you take it to won''t still see it as lower in color and clarity, again it''s subjective.

The only guarantee you have is YOUR eyes as the buyer and the recipient as the wearer. You two are the only real people that stone has to blow away. If it doesn''t, keep looking. But be sure you know what you are looking FOR because the next stone might be just as disappointing until you know that.

For what it''s worth, I have a few stones from WF...some ACA and some ES and all are breathtaking. I am super picky on my stones and I would think that the one you have would be a knockout in person, the #''s are stellar and a G SI would be amazing. But unless you know what to really look for (maybe compare it to some maul stones)...you might not be as impressed.

LOL Shay...I am in the WF 12 step program too.

It''s a good thing they don''t charge by the hour!!

It would not be cheap, would it, dear?

shay

 

[newbie124]

Date: 1/4/2008 12:01:10 PM
Author: JohnQuixote

Hi newbie,

Sorry about the 'sticker shock.' We have a system of checks & balances to be sure you get the right diamond, but we're apparently not as discriminating about those stickers on the parcel paper. You're right - it is odd and has not happened before to our knowledge.

For those following this thread and are curious, I think we managed to figure out the oddity of the "mixed up" parcel paper that came w/ our stone. I got home and looked at the sticker info and realized that it had the same AGS ID number as the stone we purchased. The confusing thing was that the measurements seemed to be slightly off from the cert, most obviously the weight 1.214 vs 1.22.

I emailed John asking if maybe we did get the right paper but for whatever reason there were differences when the measurements were taken? John confirmed (with relief that yes, we did indeed get the correct paper for this stone. I've quoted his explanation for the differences in numbers below since he explains it better than I probably could

"As you presume, the Sarin data can vary from the lab report because non-contact scanners are not 100% accurate. See this article for particulars:

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds_info/t/articles.aspx?articleid=538&zoneid=14

The girdle has the largest variation (the high number – 1.9% to 3.5%) because GIA and Sarin measure thinnest and thickest points at the 16 valleys between bezel & main ONLY. Meanwhile AGS measures thinnest & thickest points anywhere on the whole diamond. That’s why the ‘thickest’ number is larger on the AGS report than it is on the Sarin.

As for the carat weight; we are in a unique position compared to other sellers because Brian Gavin is the diamond cutter who designed our signature line. As such he is frequently onsite and selects many of our diamonds directly from the cutting room floor. In this case the factory in Antwerp measured the diamond at 1.214 carats, but the scale at AGS in Nevada weighed it at 1.220 carats. The pencil marking was done in the Antwerp factory, but we consider the official weight determined by the lab as the number of authority. Other sellers get their diamonds through a less direct chain that passes through many hands and many papers... In some ways you may find it kind of cool or romantic that you have original penciling on your briefke from the brillianteerer who crafted the rough diamond into your beautiful, finished product."

Indeed I do find it kind of cool that we have the original paper direct from Antwerp (and even better knowing that it was the RIGHT paper after all).

As an additional update, we took the stone to another retail store yesterday and compared it side by side to several similar diamonds. There was only one they showed us that I thought really rivaled the WF stone in cut and looks. However, as a VS1, it was also almost $2000 more and the size was the same (ct weight slightly smaller). So I'm really starting to think that this might be the one for us after all...still a few more days to decide, though, but will keep you guys posted!