How to view potential diamonds under diff lighting condition?

[haagen_dazs]

How to view potential diamonds under diff lighting condition?

I read in the forums that when viewing diamonds at the store in person, it is best not to only judge the diamond''s brilliance/fire under store lighting only (mostly halogen)

I read about how its advisable to view diamonds under various lighting conditions such as day light, office fluorescent lighting.

How does one go about asking for this to be done?
Do you ask the seller to bring a few diamonds out to the street/walkway for you to view? That doesn''t seem practical.

Please advise on how you view potential diamonds under different lighting please?

 

[stone-cold11]

You are in Boston right? Not that far from GOG in Long Island, I would schedule an appointment with them and learn the ropes...

 

[kenny]

Do what I did.
Buy a few top contenders.
Bring them around with you for a few days.

Keep the best one.
Return the others.

When spending many thousands of dollars $100 in return shipping is nothing.
Being sure of what you buy is soooo worth it.

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 9/28/2009 4:05:14 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
You are in Boston right? Not that far from GOG in Long Island, I would schedule an appointment with them and learn the ropes...

i mean what happens if i want to view diamonds from other vendors who do not have that special diamond dock....

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 9/28/2009 4:18:31 PM
Author: kenny
Do what I did.

Buy a few top contenders.

Bring them around with you for a few days.


Keep the best one.

Return the others.


When spending many thousands of dollars $100 in return shipping is nothing.

Being sure of what you buy is soooo worth it.

maybe i could do this...
it will take a lot of liquid cash flow to make this happen

 

[kenny]

Check out your credit card billing cycle.

If you time it right you can get the money back into the account before you pay any finance charges.

Ask them to raise your credit limit if needed.
If they say no tell them the truth about what you are doing.
It can't hurt and it may just work.

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 9/28/2009 4:42:41 PM
Author: kenny
Check out your credit card billing cycle.


If you time it right you can get the money back into the account before you pay any finance charges.


Ask them to raise your credit limit if needed.

If they say no tell them the truth about what you are doing.

It can''t hurt and it may just work.

i wonder if that would simply piss of the vendor...
all that paper isnt too fair to them ( i know... the consumer rights comes first....)

 

[haagen_dazs]

i am wondering
vendors will not oblige to go outside to let you view the stones right?
is that too much to ask when at a B&M shop?

 

[hihowareyou]

I had one store offer to do this in all my searching and even then it was just outside into the arcade. It was a nice contrast since it was a heritage arcade with dim incandescent lighting but we were obviously clueless at the time and in that dazed and bewildered stage. I have to admit I was pretty impressed that they let us do it but given we knew nothing at the time it didn''t really help us at all.

 

[kenny]

I brought an ACA and a Solasfera into an Eightstar dealer.
Seeing all 3 side by side was sooooo worth it.

I asked the Eightstar dealer if we could take them outside.
She said, "Sure, I''ll go with you."

 

[D2B]

Kenny, what was your impression of the 3 once you took them outside (sorry for the threadjack)
db

 

[kenny]

It was a while ago so the memory is not fresh.
They were all absolutely stunning and I would have been happy with any of them.

Maybe someone could find the old thread with a search.

I do recall the Eightstar was MUCH more expensive (let say 40%) but not 40% more beautiful.

I kept the Solasfera.
Then a year or so later I bought an ACA.

Edit, I found the thread.
It was a solasfera and a round from GOG, not an ACA.
I did not document my impressions in the thread.
Sorry - This surprises me - I'm never shy about speaking up.

 

[Ellen]

I had a B&M let me take diamonds outside to look at. They came with me of course, but were happy to oblige. It never hurts to ask.

Also, you can get a better idea simply by taking the diamonds around the store. In many cases, the lighting is not the same all over. i.e. At this particular store, the lighting was much more "flattering" right over the cases. If I took the diamond and held it a few feet away (and in other parts of the store), the lesser stones would go "flat" once away from the counter. A nice diamond will always have at least a hint of sparkle, like it''s maybe just "sleeping", but should not go dead and look flat.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 9/28/2009 11:32:28 PM
Author: haagen_dazs
i am wondering
vendors will not oblige to go outside to let you view the stones right?
is that too much to ask when at a B&M shop?

Just ask them, haagen_dazs. They will, of course, come with you, but, yes, I have been able to take the diamond outside the shop to view it in different lighting.

 

[zabak80]

I like the first suggestion about purchasing several of them and keeping the one you like.

As for B&M stores, remember, you are the customer. It''s not unreasonable, considering you want to spend thousands of dollars, for you to take a walk with an associate outside.

After all, if you were buying a new car, you would want to take it for a test drive, right!!!! Or would the first time you drive it occur after you bought it?