Hypothetical senario about getting a nice diamond for less. Need your inputs!

[cheetahman]

I like the idea in theory, but sometimes in practice it doesn''t work out. The cheapest E/VS1 1.5ct stones that I found with a PriceScope search are 10K+ (and most of those come up as unavailable when you click on them), so you are probably a little shy on your 9K estimate.

On the other hand, if you are looking at E/VS1, Belle''s example might not work. I personally can tell a large difference between SI1 and SI2 and I have bad eyes. I''m betting that most people could tell between VS1 and SI2. That''s not to say the SI2 wouldn''t be beautiful, just that if your expectation is VS1 or something similar, there''s a high likelihood that you could tell the difference.

I''m sure the 8* and the H&A are fantastic (never seen one myself), but the EGL with a 0.8 HCA score that I found showed pretty good (not perfect) H&A when I looked at it at the appraiser''s. Also, when getting it set, the women working at the local jeweler''s were impressed (I guess that could have been something they say to everyone).

I applaud the idea and I''m a little disappointed I didn''t think of it myself. There''s a thread on here recently about someone with a 4ct rough stone that they bought for like $3500 and are having it cut. I don''t know the ins and outs of how that is, but as long as it doesn''t cost 20K to cut, it could be a deal, I guess.

 

[pyramid]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/financial-advise-recut-or-not.27188/=

 

[Dancing Fire]

d_vader

i had this stone recut. here''s the link .

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/from-a-1-47-ct-60-60-stone-to-a-1-15-ct-after-the-recut-by-infinity-diamonds.24501/

 

[perry]

yes, 8* does recut stones. So does HOF.

If that is what you want - by all means you can try.

However, not all diamonds are worth recutting.

Yes, diamonds are hard. But they can also have a lot of internal stress and can chip or fracture - even in normal use. NiceIce has some discussion on the issue as they screan their diamonds for internal stresses and reject ones that they think are good long term durable ( www.niceice.com ).

I have been told that most of the diamonds sent in for recutting to 8* have been evaluated for internal strain and defects first.

So, in order for your plan to work what you need to find is a good solid diamond that was poorly cut in the first place - and then have that diamond recut.

The rather large fly in the ointment is that diamonds are sold predomently by weight. Poorly cut diamonds are usually heavy - and you end up paying quite the premium to get the poorly cut diamond first. You will need someone to evaluate it for internal stresses and defects as well.

Note that no one will guarantee you the final quality of the final product. Color and clarity can change in the cutting process (within a range either way).

From my perspective I think your best bet is to: look for a "used" 8*, or deal with an 8* dealer and pay their price, or have an 8* dealer help you select a diamond to be recut, or look at other diamonds that are not 8* (or HOF, etc).

Me, I''d love to own an 8* or two. They are beautyful. I also like HOF. and other diamonds.

Let''s face it guys. I''d love to have my own 1/4 to 1/2 million dollar collection of all the well cut diamond brands and assorted other well cut diamonds just to compare.

Perhaps Pricescope could start a viewing rooms somewhere with such a collection so that people could honestly compare the differences in looks. Perhaps all the "advertisers" would be willing to donate a diamond or two to such an endevor.. (nothing wrong with asking - is there?)

Perry

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 11/4/2005 12:38:30 PM
Author: d_vader
Woah!

I didn''t think diamonds would shatter...I thought they were the hardest substances on earth!

And if it did happen wouldn''t the diamond cutter be liable?

Basically, I''m wondering why other people aren''t doing this! What can go wrong?

First, to your first queston.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You will have to sign an agreement to this FACT or the diamond cutter will not touch your stone. Period. Exclaimation Mark!

The probability of damage is VERY low, but the assumption of liability is NOT going to happen, at least not by any cutter that I have ever dealt with.

Now, as to what can go wrong.

Many things. You could buy a stone that was totally inappropriate for recutting. To shallow a crown, too shallow the entire stone, big nasty cleavage in a bad place or other problem. Once we recut an eye clean SI2 stone and after lowering the crown to bring the diamond into ideal parameters it allowed a cleavage on the edge of the stone to become readily eye visible, even though the diamond still graded an SI2.

The stone could shatter, not at all likely, but possible. What is more likely is that you could get a "runner", a diamond with an inclusion on the edge that keeps running into the stone as you attempt to polish a new girdle. This more often happens with a damaged stone that is being recut, it would be rare on a recut such as you are wanting.

Youi could buy a stone that was highly grained with a crystal lattice structure that simply makes it hard to recut. I had EightStar recut a diamond for me once that took 9 days just to polish the table facet. Even the cutter/evaluater at EightStar missed that graining when estimating the recut weight of the diamond. Normally they will spot the things that will make a diamond difficult to recut, but if they can miss something when they do it for a living, what are the odds that you might buy an innapropriate stone.

However, if you find the right stone, at a more realistic price than you listed before, it could be a great deal! I recommend that you try to find a great buy on a stone and get permission to return it within ten days if your cutter says it can not be cut to your desires, then hustle to your favorite vendor and ask him to have a good cutter look at it.

Wink

 

[cantrell24x]

Hi, I had the exact same idea as you a couple years ago. It worked out great for me. I would recommend not going to the mall for your stone though. Get something through one if the interwebby dealers that you have a return period on. Have it sent directly to Eightstar or whomever who ever, whatever. The original cut of the diamond will have everything to do with how much weiht will be lost when recut (hypothetically) by 8*. So if they nix the idea start over till you get a good candidate. My wife''s diamond was purchased as a 2.08 L si2. After I got it back from 8* it was 1.74 the measurements are 7.87/7.88 I have checked around and there are 2c diamonds for sale out there that are not this wide so regardless of if you buy the 8*''s look bigger, or not my wife''s diamond is wider than the average 1.74 diamond. I opted not to send the diamond to GIA because I was on a deadline to propose on our "dating anniversary." Anyhow sorry to ramble I just wanted to tell you your not that far off base. The recutting by 8* is going to be a little more expensive than you guessed so make sure to get a good deal on the diamond first. I would read the thread about J si1/2 stones on here and apply some of that to your search if possible.

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Date: 11/4/2005 2:47:59 PM
Author: d_vader

Date: 11/4/2005 2:34:04 PM
Author: mrssalvo
if you have a budget of 9K you can get a very nice stone without the headache or risk of having it recut..

Yeah, but it won''t be a H&A or an 8*.

I totally do not understand this comment. Why would you not find a 1 Ct H&A for a 9K-budget? It sounds like a very reasonable budget.

And if your scenario would work, why do I not buy all these ugly cut stones before they are sent to the mall-stores, in order to re-cut them to Infinity''s?

To sum it up, my advise is simple: Re-cutting is only interesting if you already own a diamond, and it has an emotional value, which is more important than its commercial value. At that point in time, re-cutting it and losing weight and most probably commercial value is of no importance anymore. In all other cases, with the very very odd exception, re-cutting is not a cost-saving option.

Live long,

 

[valeria101]

1.5 cts ,E-VS1 & 5k would probably afford allot of carving down before it ceases being a bargain. The problem is... where to find one!


There seem to be a rather good recipe for finding ''cheap diamonds'' - looking for estate sales for a couple of months and not counting your labor cost for the process

This forum doesn''t do that (estate sales), but others do.


Otherwise, diamond ''bargains'' tend to look rather spooky.

This darling below is the largest single cut I''ve ever had the honor to find. Fortunately not in flesh, but on some random website. The seller even had put up a beautifully executed 40x picture! I wouldn''t be surprised they didn''t go any further with the faceting because the thing would not have held together all that well. I kept the portrait as a nice example of strain and twinning. Scary gem - nice ''mineral display'' for about a third of the price you would expect for the grades. Much like the 5k for 1.5 cts E/VS.

Hope this helps.

 

[perry]

I agree with the estate sales idea. If you are willing to look and know what to look for - you should eventually be able to get some reasonable stones at good prices. Of course, you will probably end up buying some junk in the process so that your total cost could be higher.

Of course, large estate stones are rare.

But, I may be willing to consider such a scenerio for the future. A nice hobby I think. But first, I think I will take a basic gemology class so that I can tell the stones apart with certainty.


Perry

 

[d_vader]

Thanks everyone!

These are all great replies...i need a minute to read through these more carefully!

Thanks again!