shape
carat
color
clarity

How often does diamond and AGS report not match?

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

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
After reading through the pricescope forums, I recently purchased a diamond for the first time, and upon taking it to an appraiser, discovered that the diamond does not match the AGS report enclosed. The inscription was different, as well as the inclusions. Out of curiosity, how common is this? Is this not a big deal? Any feedback is much appreciated, as this is my absolute first time on pricescope as well as with diamonds.
 

Lorelei

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
42,064
Welcome to PS
35.gif


I would get something in writing from the appraiser to say that the diamond and report do not match, then contact your vendor ASAP. Possibly a mistake has been made somewhere, this isn''t a common scenario as vendors are most careful. Also should you ever want to sell or trade in the diamond it will be impossible without the correct grading report. Was it purchased from an online vendor?
 

oldminer

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Sep 3, 2000
Messages
6,691
Diamonds often get confused and put into incorrect envelopes. This is not a lab issue, but just a simple error which can be corrected. Someone will find the proper diamond and switch it with the incorrectly delivered one. Unless there is a question of honesty or unless the diamond was delivered a long time ago, I can''t imagine why someone selling it would not rush to make it right.
 

avlis

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
237
well now.. is this error in your favor or the seller''s favor? did you get a larger or better quality stone? (that never seems to be the case)
 

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
Date: 3/30/2007 8:50:49 AM
Author: avlis
well now.. is this error in your favor or the seller's favor? did you get a larger or better quality stone? (that never seems to be the case)

Neither. The stone is correct; the certificate is wrong. It is for a similar diamond. Carat weight is less than 1% different, and 1 color grade off. There is no financial gain for anyone. It mostly just feels sloppy. (There were a few other things.) It's more a matter of feeling somewhere between disappointed and offended, considering the vendor involved. I feel like my business was not big enough for them to care how it was done.
7.gif
 

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
Date: 3/30/2007 4:21:36 AM
Author: Lorelei
Welcome to PS
35.gif



I would get something in writing from the appraiser to say that the diamond and report do not match, then contact your vendor ASAP. Possibly a mistake has been made somewhere, this isn't a common scenario as vendors are most careful. Also should you ever want to sell or trade in the diamond it will be impossible without the correct grading report. Was it purchased from an online vendor?

Thank you for the warm welcome.
1.gif


My appraiser is willing to write something if necessary, but the diamond is small enough that it might not be necessary. It was purchased from an online vendor (unnamed for now, to be polite), one that is highly regarded. As I said in another reply, it feels more like carelessness, than anything malicious. I have emailed them, and will wait to see how they respond. However, I still don't feel great about it.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
Date: 3/30/2007 9:40:02 AM
Author: jc4


Date: 3/30/2007 8:50:49 AM
Author: avlis
well now.. is this error in your favor or the seller's favor? did you get a larger or better quality stone? (that never seems to be the case)

Neither. The stone is correct; the certificate is wrong. It is for a similar diamond. Carat weight is less than 1% different, and 1 color grade off. There is no financial gain for anyone. It mostly just feels sloppy. (There were a few other things.) It's more a matter of feeling somewhere between disappointed and offended, considering the vendor involved. I feel like my business was not big enough for them to care how it was done.
7.gif
Ah, I understand the situation now. This is not a mistake nor a malicious act on the part of the vendor and it appears that the stone you purchased could very well be the same stone as the one represented on the certificate. It is normal and accepted for the carat weight to be a slightest tiniest bit off (either more or less) from the cert and the colour or clarity to be either one grade up or down from the certificate. Remember that the lab report is not absolute because it is a subjective report done by a human being who could be having an off day. I would only be concerned if the carat weight is really different and the colour/clarity grade is 2 grades off. This has nothing to do with the vendor not caring about your business. Diamond grading is a very subjective art. That said, it doesn't hurt to bring this up with the vendor just to be on the safe side to be 100% sure that it is the correct stone.
 

risingsun

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
5,549
May I ask why you didn't call the vendor directly to discuss this upon being told about the discrepancy? A phone call may quickly resolve the issue. Assuming that your business/diamond was too "small" for the vendor to take seriously is a pretty big assumption, IMHO. Customer service seems to be a top priority for highly regarded online vendors--or least that has been my experience.
 

Regular Guy

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 6, 2004
Messages
5,962
Date: 3/30/2007 1:27:39 AM
Author:jc4
The inscription was different, as well as the inclusions.
The inscription...we''re talking about the identifying number. This is different, right?
 

Harriet

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
12,823
I was in a similar situation with respect to colour. Thanks to Oldminer, the vendor and I resolved the issue. I kept the stone, and am perfectly happy with it.
 

Lorelei

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
42,064
Date: 3/30/2007 9:48:47 AM
Author: jc4

Date: 3/30/2007 4:21:36 AM
Author: Lorelei
Welcome to PS
35.gif



I would get something in writing from the appraiser to say that the diamond and report do not match, then contact your vendor ASAP. Possibly a mistake has been made somewhere, this isn''t a common scenario as vendors are most careful. Also should you ever want to sell or trade in the diamond it will be impossible without the correct grading report. Was it purchased from an online vendor?

Thank you for the warm welcome.
1.gif


My appraiser is willing to write something if necessary, but the diamond is small enough that it might not be necessary. It was purchased from an online vendor (unnamed for now, to be polite), one that is highly regarded. As I said in another reply, it feels more like carelessness, than anything malicious. I have emailed them, and will wait to see how they respond. However, I still don''t feel great about it.
Glad to be able to help you. To clarify, the inscribed number on the diamond and the report don''t match right? This would indicate that you could have the wrong diamond and a mistake has been made somewhere, I bet the vendor will email you with rapidity and soon this will be sorted out. I do feel for you, it is a big purchase and terrible when things go wrong, but I am sure they will be made right for you, let us know how you get on and what the vendor says.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
Date: 3/30/2007 10:02:58 AM
Author: Regular Guy


Date: 3/30/2007 1:27:39 AM
Author:jc4
The inscription was different, as well as the inclusions.
The inscription...we're talking about the identifying number. This is different, right?
I see that I missed this important tit bit of information.
6.gif

This certainly clues me in that you were sent the wrong diamond. Do contact the vendor ASAP and I'm sure it will be corrected. As OldMiner stated earlier, it is most likely a human error on the part of the vendor.
 

Harriet

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
12,823
Ditto.
 

crown1

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
1,682
you say it is too small for the vendor to care about. would you mind to reveal the stone''s carat weight?
 

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
Date: 3/30/2007 10:01:55 AM
Author: risingsun
May I ask why you didn''t call the vendor directly to discuss this upon being told about the discrepancy? A phone call may quickly resolve the issue. Assuming that your business/diamond was too ''small'' for the vendor to take seriously is a pretty big assumption, IMHO. Customer service seems to be a top priority for highly regarded online vendors--or least that has been my experience.

I did contact them, as I mentioned above that I emailed them. At the time, I was waiting to hear back. I was mainly just curious how common this is, and how worried I should be. Since this was my first time, I just wanted to get perspective from more experienced people before I got too worried. At this point, customer service has contacted me, and all that is left is to see how they handle it.
 

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
Date: 3/30/2007 10:02:58 AM
Author: Regular Guy
Date: 3/30/2007 1:27:39 AM

Author:jc4

The inscription was different, as well as the inclusions.

The inscription...we''re talking about the identifying number. This is different, right?

Yes. The AGS report # is laser inscribed. The report # on the certificate was different than the stone.
 

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
Date: 3/30/2007 10:44:33 AM
Author: crown1
you say it is too small for the vendor to care about. would you mind to reveal the stone''s carat weight?

It''s about .4 carats. Small compared to the 1 carats and bigger everyone else seem to be talking about.
 

Lorelei

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
42,064
The size doesn't make any difference, even though .4 is perfectly decent, if a mistake has been made, it has been made and the vendor should make it right with all speed. Have you heard back from them yet?
 

curiopotter

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
658
In my opinion, you need to make a phone call to get this resolved, and not use email. If you called, you probably would have been helped and apologized to right away. Email always insues long waits and by the time they get your email and get back to you, your frustration level is usually at it's highest.

Please call them; I hope they resolve this problem soon, and send you the correct AGS report.
 

elmo

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2003
Messages
1,160
You''re going to need two appraisals now aren''t you. Vendor should at least pay for the first one if not both.
 

WinkHPD

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
May 3, 2001
Messages
7,516
I am NOT the vendor involved, but here is my take on it.

A phone call would have gotten a quick apology and a response before the weekend started, assuming this was found out before the weekend.

There is NOT any diamond that is too small for us to care about. This is a simple mistake that will be rectified asap by any reputable vendor, and if it is a well respected vendor here, then you are dealing with a reputable vendor.

Our reputations are all that we have and we all work hard to protect them, this is a perfect example of why many people suggest using an independant appraiser. Should the stone have been verified before shipping? Of course. Are we all so busy that sometimes the things that should happen don''t? Of course.

Betting it gets fixed fast!

Wink
 

aljdewey

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
9,170
Date: 3/30/2007 10:01:55 AM
Author: risingsun

May I ask why you didn''t call the vendor directly to discuss this upon being told about the discrepancy? A phone call may quickly resolve the issue. Assuming that your business/diamond was too ''small'' for the vendor to take seriously is a pretty big assumption, IMHO. Customer service seems to be a top priority for highly regarded online vendors--or least that has been my experience.
I absolutely agree with this and heartily second it.

I think it''s a leap to think "oh, my purchase isn''t significant enough, so the vendor didn''t care about getting the documentation right."

People make mistakes. As long as they are willing to make it right (i.e. get the proper documentation to you), I don''t see why this wouldn''t be just resolved by phoning the vendor.
33.gif
33.gif
As RS pointed out, customer service is a priority for most of the oft-recommended vendors here.
 

aljdewey

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
9,170
I don''t see why everyone''s jumping to the conclusion that he got the wrong diamond.

If a diamond and a grading report don''t match, it''s possible that he either got the wrong diamond OR got the wrong documentation.

He says a few posts later that he has the right diamond, so I''m guessing the vendor simply pulled the wrong grading report. Sounds to me like they sent the correct stone but the wrong paperwork. Again, easily rectified.
 

aljdewey

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
9,170
Date: 3/30/2007 10:04:01 AM
Author: Harriet

I was in a similar situation with respect to colour.
I don''t feel like that''s a similar issue.

In your case, the issue wasn''t ''vendor error''. The vendor represented the stone as an AGS, I-grade stone, and that''s what it was....a stone that did achieve a color grade of I from the AGS.

In your case, the appraiser disagreed with AGS''s opinion on color. That''s a professional difference of opinion, but it''s not a vendor error.
1.gif
 

elmo

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2003
Messages
1,160
Date: 4/2/2007 12:04:06 PM
Author: aljdewey
I don''t see why everyone''s jumping to the conclusion that he got the wrong diamond.
Al, I think you need to read the post. When the laser inscription and the report number don''t match, the vendor very likely screwed up and not the lab.

I have no problem with someone pointing out a vendor who was sloppy enough to get stones mixed up. Of course as Wink says it probably happens to everyone at some point.
 

risingsun

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
5,549
Date: 3/30/2007 9:40:02 AM
Author: jc4


Date: 3/30/2007 8:50:49 AM
Author: avlis
well now.. is this error in your favor or the seller's favor? did you get a larger or better quality stone? (that never seems to be the case)

Neither. The stone is correct; the certificate is wrong. It is for a similar diamond. Carat weight is less than 1% different, and 1 color grade off. There is no financial gain for anyone. It mostly just feels sloppy. (There were a few other things.) It's more a matter of feeling somewhere between disappointed and offended, considering the vendor involved. I feel like my business was not big enough for them to care how it was done.
7.gif
The OP stated that the stone was correct and the cert was wrong. It appears as if the wrong cert may have been pulled and included with the stone. Should be able to be easily corrected. Some of us are just pointing out that a phone call, rather than a email, could have more quickly resolved the situation.
1.gif
 

elmo

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2003
Messages
1,160
Ah - thank you. It wasn''t clear to me that the inscription and inclusions matched what was actually expected but if buyer says it''s correct, good enough.
 

aljdewey

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
9,170
Date: 4/2/2007 1:10:38 PM
Author: elmo

Date: 4/2/2007 12:04:06 PM
Author: aljdewey
I don''t see why everyone''s jumping to the conclusion that he got the wrong diamond.
Al, I think you need to read the post. When the laser inscription and the report number don''t match, the vendor very likely screwed up and not the lab.

I have no problem with someone pointing out a vendor who was sloppy enough to get stones mixed up. Of course as Wink says it probably happens to everyone at some point.
Elmo, with every due respect, it''s you who needs to go back and reread the post....
2.gif
You''re reading two separate comments together, and you shouldn''t be.

In my first post (that you clipped my comment from), my point was this: everyone''s assuming he got the wrong diamond. He just as easily may have gotten the wrong *grading report* (but the right diamond). Everyone''s assuming it''s the DIAMOND that''s not right....and it may be that it''s the GRADING REPORT that''s incorrect.

In other words, if he purchased a .42 diamond, it''s possible that he did receive the .42 diamond he intended to purchase but got a .44 grading report (meaning he was sent the wrong documentation but not the wrong diamond.) Everyone assumes that it''s the wrong diamond; it could as easily be the wrong documentation......

And, if you go back and carefully read the OP''s comments, that''s exactly what he says happened....he got the diamond he intended to purchase, but the grading report was the wrong report.

That''s ALL my first entry into this thread pointed out.

You''re reading my second comment (about vendor error) and thinking it applies to the OP''s situation. It doesn''t....that''s why it''s a separate post. That second comment applies only to Harriet''s comment "I had a similar situation". Her similiar situation wasn''t a ''vendor error'' (as this one is). She bought a stone that was sold as an AGS graded I stone, and her appraiser said it was a K.

I pointed out that situation wasn''t a vendor error situation, so it''s not really the same as this one (which IS a vendor mistake, but might be the wrong grading report with the right diamond.
 

jc4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
8
Date: 4/2/2007 9:17:07 AM
Author: Wink
I am NOT the vendor involved, but here is my take on it.


A phone call would have gotten a quick apology and a response before the weekend started, assuming this was found out before the weekend.


There is NOT any diamond that is too small for us to care about. This is a simple mistake that will be rectified asap by any reputable vendor, and if it is a well respected vendor here, then you are dealing with a reputable vendor.


Our reputations are all that we have and we all work hard to protect them, this is a perfect example of why many people suggest using an independant appraiser. Should the stone have been verified before shipping? Of course. Are we all so busy that sometimes the things that should happen don''t? Of course.


Betting it gets fixed fast!


Wink

Thank you for your reply. As a vendor, your perspective is much appreciated. This was all I was looking for -- some reassurance for an inexperienced first timer. There were some other things besides the mismatched certificate that caused the comment about being a small purchase. (For the record: diamond correct, certificate incorrect.)

The vendor did respond to me immediately the next morning. (Email was used because it was after business hours.)
 

risingsun

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
5,549
Has this been resolved to your satisfaction?
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top