Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

How awfully bad of a cut is this?

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
M

mgongloff

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2004
Messages
16
I am a hopeless rookie and recently bought a round brilliant diamond for an engagement ring, with unfortunately little knowledge about cut.

I paid $4500. The jeweler, in the Diamond District, claimed the RAP was $7400 or something like that. Now I''m worried I really paid for something not worth more than, well, $4500.

It''s GIA certified, G color, VS1, one carat -- all that makes me happy.

Dimensions: 6.18x6.26x3.93 -- this seems OK, if a little small.

No culet, no flourescence, very good polish, good symmetry -- all this is OK by me.

Here''s what''s got me nervous:

Depth: 63.2
Table: 64.0

(I''ve got no idea what the pavilion, etc., are)

Girdle: Thin to Extremely Thick.

I think the diamond looks OK (I''ve stared at it nervously many times), but I just worry it''s not going to look as good as if I''d spent another $1500 or so on Blue Nile and got their "Very Good" or "Ideal" cut (this one only qualifies as "Good," though they don''t take girdle into consideration.

Am I giving my fiancee a piece of crap? Should I bail, postpone the question-popping, try to sell the diamond and start over?

Thanks for your help.
 
sad.gif


oh my. Well, I think for the cut quality, it wasn't a bad price. You're giving your gal a diamond...and it's a wonderful thing to do ...even if you gave her a brown piece of coal...However, it doesn't sound like you're all that impressed with the stone...In my opinion, if you won't go without food and it's not a hardship, I might spring for a better cut quality. I'm not saying it has to be a Hearts and Arrows, but I think you can do a whole lot better....
sad.gif
 
If you have paid your money and the deal is done, then pop the question, show her the ring and do it,,,,

She will likely find you are sort of a gem in the rough, too. Unless you are truly an unusual individual, you most likely have other characteristics that will bother her more than not selecting the exactly right diamond. That is what many women take on as their role, among many other things, to train, polish and finish their spouse. She will teach you and guide you. You will get older, learn and grow. You can replace your somewhat deep and ordinary cut diamond with a super one for some important anniversary. Give it a few years, say 5 or even 10, and provided all goes well, then make it a finely cut diamond that really suits her and you.

Not everything is perfectly accomplished the first time around. I didn't get my wife a diamond she really liked until we were married for 30 years. I finally figured it out, but I was a little slow on her efforts in refining my knowledge of what she liked. I also proved very resistant to other training I was subjected to, so it is just my personality, not my wife's sincere efforts to make me over.
appl.gif
 
LOL, Mr. Atlas. That is a gem of a statement!
1.gif
 
I don't know a lot about rounds...but how's this?

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=1899546
 
Thanks so much for your eloquent reply, Mr. Atlas.

You are echoing the voice in my head that says just set it and forget it. Now if only I could quiet all those other voices!

Oh, and I don't know if I can be fully polished, either.
 
Thanks, moremoremore. You're the angel/devil on my other shoulder, which says I won't feel right giving her something I'm not thrilled with.

I do think, though, that it could be problematic for me to start over again, especially since I've left myself very little time.

As for that diamond you linked, it looks fantastic -- except for the fluorescence. I've been trying to avoid it, but maybe I'm just being picky. I wish I'd been so picky about cut.
 
Hi, MG - welcome to PS!




I'd say this: If you have a return policy that gives a full refund, then exercise it.....that's what it's there for. Then come back here and let us help you find a very well-cut diamond.




If there is no opportunity to return it for full refund, though.....I wouldn't fret. Propose to her with the diamond you picked out....and don't postpone. You'd be surprised at how happy ANY diamond will make a woman that loves you if it's offered as a promise of a life together with you.
 
Trying to avoid flourescence??? Are you a mad man???? LOL.... Especially in a G! That sucker would face up SO white....it's not too often that medium flourescence has any negative impact u know!!!
 
Thanks, aljdewey.

The stated return policy is that they'll only take it back if an appraiser won't appraise it for the purchase price. I'm trying to make an appointment with an appraiser, but I sort of doubt I'll be able to get it appraised for lower than $4500. I may first just try going back to the store and begging, but I don't know how well that's going to work. Maybe they'll have mercy on me.

Thanks, too, for your reassuring words. You all are helping me keep in mind what's really important. As sick to my stomach as I feel right now, that's helpful.
 
"Trying to avoid flourescence??? Are you a mad man???? LOL.... Especially in a G! That sucker would face up SO white....it's not too often that medium flourescence has any negative impact u know!!!"

Ugh -- that's what the jeweler told me. I went into all this with just enough information to be dangerous to myself.
 


----------------
On 5/26/2004 2:36:48 PM oldminer wrote:





I finally figured it out, but I was a little slow on her efforts in refining my knowledge of what she liked. I also proved very resistant to other training I was subjected to, so it is just my personality, not my wife's sincere efforts to make me over.
appl.gif

----------------
Click to expand...

Very well said Dave, and oh so true for many of us.



As far as the diamond, recognize that you'll probably lose money on selling it. You need to go with your heart. If it's going to bug you and your to be that much, then replace it now. If you can live with it, I'd say give it to her now and you can always upgrade later and turn it into a pendant. Most newlyweds can use all the spare money they can get their hands on. I bought the e-ring, before Pricescope was even a glimmer in Leonid's eye and just recently turned it into a pendant.
 
are you kidding me? the jeweler told you that? That's total bs.
 
Thanks, Noobie.

"Most newlyweds can use all the spare money they can get their hands on."

That's playing a big part in all of this. We want to buy a place and have young'uns soon (we've been together 7 years), so this is almost a formality. She doesn't care that much about jewelry, so I know she'd rather us have money for a house and kids and stuff.

Still, I want everything to be as top-notch as possible and am just kicking myself for falling short.
 
A stone doesn't have to be "ideal" to be pretty....I mean, it seems like you got a good value..if you had overpaid, well, then, that would be a different story!
1.gif
 
moremoremore:

"are you kidding me? the jeweler told you that? That's total bs."

Well, he didn't use quite those words, exactly, but he did tell me that in near-colorless stones, a little bit of fluorescence would actually make them look better.

I'm glad I trusted my instinct and didn't listen to him. If only I'd trusted the other part of my instinct that was telling me to wait on the purchase...
 
If they won't give you a refund, maybe you can ask if they'll let you exchange it for a different stone from them. That way, they still have your business, and you're a happy customer. It can't hurt to ask. And by doing that, you can give them a range for the proportions that you're looking for, and hopefully find a better cut diamond. Being in the diamond district, they should have access to stones that fall within your cut criteria. That may be an approach to consider.
 


----------------
On 5/26/2004 3:05:35 PM mgongloff wrote:





I know she'd rather us have money for a house and kids and stuff.

----------------
Click to expand...

I think you just answered the question.



I know how you feel, being a perfectionist myself. However, when you have your house and the kids, you'll forget about it pretty quick. Trust me. Besides, a little baby cereal on the ring and you wouldn't be able to see the difference anyways
2.gif

 
But anyway, you're all saying the things I need to hear. I'm just glad to know it's not the end of the world -- and, yes, that I didn't get ripped off.

Thanks again for all the replies.
 
Magnum:

"If they won't give you a refund, maybe you can ask if they'll let you exchange it for a different stone from them."

That's an excellent suggestion, and I plan to try that. Alas, I have to wait until Friday, when they re-open after the Jewish holiday, but I think I can survive.

Thanks.
 
Noobie:

"I know how you feel, being a perfectionist myself. However, when you have your house and the kids, you'll forget about it pretty quick. Trust me. Besides, a little baby cereal on the ring and you wouldn't be able to see the difference anyways."

Heh. Good point.

Of course, then I get to worry about making the kids perfect.
 
Actually, that's what I was saying..the flourescence is a good thing...it sounded like you didn't want any...e/t the jeweler told you it was a good thing? Confused...not the first time...Just be happy with your ring and be sure to post pix!!
1.gif
 
Noobie:

"Actually, that's what I was saying..the flourescence is a good thing...it sounded like you didn't want any...e/t the jeweler told you it was a good thing? Confused...not the first time...Just be happy with your ring and be sure to post pix!!"

Sorry -- I meant the jeweler told me that fluorescence was a good thing. I had it in my head that it was not a good thing, to avoid it at all costs.
 
If I told you that this is the most beautifully cut diamond I have ever seen, I would be liying, but a diamond doesn't have to be ideal to be pretty. You paid a really good price for a G/VS 1carater. That's for sure. But, you traded down cut. All in all, it could be a nice stone considering the price you've paid --it's a good value in my opinion. If you can't return it, just give it to her. A diamond is always a diamond. As long as she can't see any ugly inclusion with her naked eye and sees a nice, sparly stone she will be VERY happy. That's for sure.
2.gif

So, as others have said, don't cry a river if you can't return it. You paid a fair price for a fair stone. If you came and said you paid $9000 for it, I would have questioned, but at $4.5K it doesn't seem THAT bad. If this stone doesn't make you sleep at night, give it to her and down the road either upgrade it or put it in a pendant.
2.gif

Best of luck, and don't feel bad: you were trying to make her happy (and she will be!)!
9.gif
 
Thanks for your insight, Giangi. I'm going to return to the original jeweler Friday morning and see if they'll work with me on an upgrade. If not, I'm going to take your and others' advice and just give it to her and accept it.
 
Dave's reply is wonderful and so true... But if it really bothers you, go back and try to gte them to give you an upgrade. You may want to take the tact that you just were thinking about it and wanted a better cut or whatever versus blaming them or insuting the diamond (not that you plan to but you know what I am trying to say
2.gif
)...the old "you get more with honey than vinegar" thing...In the end if you can manipulate them to get what YOU want, it'll be worth it. Good luck!
 
mgongloff,
see If you can return it for a credit, towards the next stone, with a better cut.at a 64% table: that's bigger diameter than my dinner table.girdle: thin to extremely thick, that's a lot of varience. always be careful of those magic number stones. At 1 ct, 1.5, 2.0, etc. some cutter will try to keep at or a little bit above those numbers.Try to hide some weight somewhere else in the stone so they can get more money.
 
In light of everyone's advice that you try to take it back and get something better, you ought to think about whether or not you can afford to step up beyond this, and if it makes sense. If they will take it back in trade for something better cut that's the same price, you should consider it. However, if it doesn't make sense for you to trade up, just feel good about it and move on to the next steps of being engaged! That is really what this is about. There are many many brides out there who's stones are not "perfect" for what ever reason. (This forum is a skewed view of reality when it comes to diamonds -- we're talking about a VERY small percentage of all diamonds as we split hairs on the angles etc.) My original stone certainly has it non-perfect specs, but I still love it, and loved having it on my finger for 17 years before I got my new "perfect" stone. As Dave said, there are lots of future occasions to trade up -- you don't have to do it all right now. My advice, enjoy your moment and don't let the details make you feel worse for it.

And Dave, my husband has also successfully resisted my most sincere efforts of "refining" him, and that just makes me love him more for who he really is. After 18 years, I know now -- he's not changin...
9.gif
.
 
Well, for one thing...how about losing the Vs1? And going to a Vs2 or even a good Si1? That would make up the price difference right there. It's just a shame to spend all that money and not be happy...
 
Please keep us posted on what happens... and congratulations on your upcoming marriage (and kids and a house, and pets and an SUV!
1.gif
2.gif
)

Lynn
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top