How do I know I'm getting what I am paying for?

[Andrew1]

This may seem like a really dumb question, but here's my situation. My GF is not into very gaudy jewelry and she has small hands, so when I propose, I'm not looking for a center diamond bigger than 1.25ct. That said, I want to get a nice stone. I have been looking at stones in the VS1-VS2 clarity, E,F & G color with excellent to ideal cut grades. The stones have ranged from about $8,500-$11,000 that I have seen. I haven't done enough research to really work out the best price just yet, because I am in no hurry to propose. But, I am completely ignorant to the diamond trade and I'm concerned about spending that type of money with so little knowledge. If somebody handed me a VS2, G, Excellent cut and told me it was VS1,E, Ideal I would have no way of knowing. If I look at the stones side by side, I see color & clarity differences, but I can't tell the cut quality difference at all. Plus, if I order a stone online, I don't have that side by side comparison option. So what is it that stops someone from giving me a stone with a GIA cert that actually belongs to a different stone? Is it just basic jeweler etiquette and integrity at stake or is there some board of oversight that penalizes dishonest dealers? I hope I don't offend anyone with that question, but it has been nagging at me so I wanted to ask some experts.

 

[kenny]

Good question and a very reasonable concern.

You can take a diamond in to any jewelry store or pawn shop and they can test it to see if it is a real diamond.
Next I recommend getting a loupe and learning to identify your stone's inclusions, and verifying they match the GIA report plot.
Next you could get a calipers or micrometer and measure the stone to make sure the diameter and depth match the report.
Just be careful to not chip the girdle or the culet.

 

[Andrew1]

I like the idea of getting loupe. Thanks for the tips!

 

[TC1987]

eta: Since you are looking at high-color stones, a D is the same white as a colorless CZ. And E shouldn't look that much different. Even F or G, you should have to study a bit to see the tint vs. that colorless cz.

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I think if you buy an in-house diamond from one of the PS vendors who supply a lot of documentation online with the write-up and pictures of the stone, there is very little chance of it being not what you paid for. After all, all of that is published online for the whole world to see, haha. I have bought two stones from Good Old Gold and was very pleased.

If I recall correctly, there are some "weasel words" associated with even the GIA and AGS reports that essentially guarantee that it won't be more than one grade off in either color or clarity. The reason for that is that people grade the stones, and two people may not exactly agree, not that there is deliberate attempt to deceive the consumer.

If you read a lot on here, you will find the Pricescope "cheat" sheet for rounds. If you want to only look at a very narrow band of peak performers, see the NiceIce dot com site. Todd used to sell diamonds on Pricescope. There is also the Holloway Cut Adviser, HCA, a rejection tool. Don't pick a stone with score higher than 2, and lower score does not necessarily mean better.


For lab reports, this is what discussions on PS have said:
most of the best-cut round stones go to AGS, because their 000 grade is a tighter range than the GIA 3x
GIA 3x grade is more liberal, so what won't get AGS 000 will get sent to GIA, along with some that would qualify for AGS 000 grade
there are some GIA 3x that are not good performers -- use ASET image to rule them out and / or the HCA
GIA color grading is the most strict. AGS had been accused of being a bit "soft," like maybe can overstate some by 1 grade but not more.
EGS labs can be overstate the color or clarity by as much as TWO grades and that is why EGL stones should be lower priced: Their H color might really be a GIA J and should be priced like a J.

SI2 stones may be eyeclean, but generally are not these days. The best "eyeclean" SI2 stones get cherry-picked right away and will most likely be found in-house at some vendor, not in a virtual stone list.

 

[AprilBaby]

If your diamond is laser inscribed it has to match the number on the report. No chance of a switch.

 

[msop04]

OP, are you considering online vendors? If you post your budget for the stone, there are many people here that would be more than happy to help you decide what's best for you.

 

[arkieb1]

If your diamond is laser inscribed it has to match the number on the report. No chance of a switch.

I second this buy a diamond that has been laser inscribed this means it has a number laser cut into its girdle it should match the number and details on the certificate that comes with it.

Buy from a trusted and respected vendor, to eliminate the risk of anything untoward happening. And if you are still uncomfortable take it or send it to a trusted and respected appraiser. There is a list of both on here.

 

[heididdl]

All great advice. What is your budget for the stone we will help select a stone

 

[thediamondshopper]

While buying lazer inscribed would seem like an ideal solution I have heard a few stories of unscrupulous dealers lazering certificate numbers on. I am not saying this is likely and I would say next to impossible from Price Scope vendors but some companies will inscribe a diamond for less than $50, so this isnt fool proof. What is the best way to go IMO is to have it looked at by an independent appraiser, if you post your area Im sure some one could help you out with a great referral (if you are in Canada Id be more than happy to make some suggestions). Buying a loupe, and measuring tools would work, but keep in mind inclusions arent easy to map for trained graders, especially at the VS level, you would likely need a darkfeild microscope. This would be a very expensive route when an independent appraiser will likely cost less than $80. By independent I am referring to someone who just appraises diamonds, and I would expect them to have a minimum of a GG from GIA or another well respected institution.

 

[Andrew1]

I haven't settled on an exact budget just yet and I am in Riverside, CA. I want a high quality stone, but I'm wondering now if I am overdoing it a bit. I want a eye-clean 1.25ct-ish stone that will sparkle nicely and ! How it looks under a microscope will be of no concern to her I'm sure but I'm not going to buy a stone with obvious inclusions either. Even as low-key as she is with her jewelry, all girls want their ring to sparkle a bit more than their friends, right? lol Seeing where the market is(in my trips to Robbins Bros, Jewelry Exchange, Hill St in LA & Whiteflash) I will be probably be spending $10,000(+/-) for the stones & setting that I have looked at initially. I am planning to get a 3 stone ring with .50ct stones on the sides of the center stone. I'm comfortable with that, but I'm not 100% sure that I need to spend that kind of money to get the desired look of her ring. Suggestions?

 

[JulieN]

I would probably put something smaller, .2-.4 on the sides, that will bring the cost down a little bit. There's no significant way of bringing the cost down unless you can find some I SI2 or J color that you like.

 

[RockyRacoon]

Since you're an afternoon drive from LA, might I suggest checking out:

Victor Canera ( www.victorcanera.com )
Singlestone ( www.singlestone.com )
Jewels by Erica Grace might also be a good option ( www.jewelsbyericagrace.com )

All of these are very reputable vendors, who might be able to help you refine what you're looking for in-person.

 

[denverappraiser]

Not surprisingly I’ve been watching this thread to see what people advise and I’ve stayed out of it since I’m not what you would call an unbiased observer on this topic. I make a significant portion of my living answering this exact question so feel free to take my thoughts as having a serious conflict of interest.

Girdle inscriptions are handy. So are plotting diagrams. Recognizing a stone as matching the one on the lab report isn’t usually all that difficult and the standard way it’s done is by comparing things like the weight, overall dimensions, fluorescence and obvious things on the plotting diagram. Girdle inscriptions are actually a fairly new addition. Although it’s a straightforward thing to remove an inscription, it’s a significant chore to add one, especially if we’re talking about details like GIA’s or someone else’s logo. The tool to do it is expensive and unusual, and most of the people who have one won’t put GIA’s or anyone else’s brand on it. It’s worth noting that they’re easy to miss. It’s quite small and for stones that aren’t brand new, the carbon gets cleaned out and they can be hard to spot. With mounted stones they can also be obscured by the setting. All this means that the presence of an inscription, especially one with the lab logo and one that’s mentioned on the report, is an extremely good sign that you’ve got the correct stone. Absence of one is not necessarily a sign against unless you really know what you’re looking for and are looking at an unmounted stone.

Yes, the credibility of the jeweler is at stake. Buy from a jeweler you trust. That may seem flippant but it’s the first step, and it’s not a gemological question. Get referrals from friends, read reviews, look at their displays and website, read their terms and conditions. Do whatever it is that you do to decide where you like to shop and go beyond who claims to have the cheapest prices. They pretty much all claim that and it’s pretty much always wrong. As a corollary to this, leave bread crumbs for the next guy. If you have a good or bad experience, write reviews about it, and support the stores that treat you well.

Telling the difference between an E/VS1 and an F/SI1 is the REASON you’re buying a stone with a credible lab report attached. Who you’re relying on for this information is the lab. They are not all the same and this is a topic that gets discussed here a lot. As with the jeweler, the lab is putting their name and reputation on the line every time they write a report and the decision of which labs deserve your trust and what don’t is not a gemological property. It’s important. Some are trying to represent consumer interests and some are writing reports to help sellers. Choosing carefully here can save a LOT of trouble.

No, there's no license requirement for jewelers and there's no oversight beyond the general fair trade rules that apply to all merchants. The same applies to appraisers and labs by the way.

Trust but verify. Here’s the conflict part. If your seller has told you or not told you something that makes you nervous about the deal, get it checked out. You don’t have to take their word for it. Hire a professional to answer your questions. You don’t use the guy at the store or the 'appraiser' they recommend. It’s not a second opinion if it comes from the same source as the first. It’s not generally very expensive, it doesn’t take very long to do, and it buys peace of mind if nothing else. There’s a list of local appraisers at the top of the page under the ‘resources’ tab.

 

[Andrew1]

Thanks everyone! I feel a more prepared having read through all of your comments.