I don''t see cut on GAL certif. Check out this picture, price

[srbr]

Today I just received a ring by mail for my wife for Christmas. Do you think I got a good deal or not? See pictures from the eBay auction I won the ring on. It game with GAL certificate that says it is worth retail price of $10,125 and I am scepticle about its appraised value. How do I know if the GAL certificate is genuine or not? It has a hologram at the bottom of the certiciate that looks legit - looks like the holograms found on credit cards.

(The eBay seller hides the identity of bidders to protect their privacy.) There is a copy of the GAL certificate on the auction listing - see following link.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2670462274&category=42948&rd=1

Or, go to ebay.com and do a search on item number: 2670462274

The ring looks pretty nice but I can see some small inclusions with the naked eye on the center 1 CT diamond and I''m not sure how it will sparkle; looks sort of cloudy in one area. The smaller Baguettes and round diamonds look nice so I''m not concerned with those. After reading some postings, I don''t understand where to see the diamond "cut" info on the GAL certif. The certif just shows:

Shape & Cut: Round Brilliant
Measurements: 6.20 x 4.00 MM
Weight: 1.00 Cts
Depth: 64.5%
Table: 64%
Clarity: I-1
Color: G
Note: Clarity Enhanced. Laser Drilled (treated)

My wife wants an upgraded wedding ring; she has recently refused to wear her wedding ring due to the small size compared to her friends''.

I plan to get it appraised locally; I only have 7 days to return the ring if I want to return it. How much does it generally cost to have a ring appraised independantly?

 

[canadiangrrl]

The appraisal value seems pretty inflated. There seem to be quite a few inflated appraisals on e-bay jewelry. I think they're designed to make the customer feel he's getting a great deal.

The center stone is a clarity enhanced stone that you say has obvious inclusions & lacks sparkle. It's cut deep (the depth percentage) and the table's big, too. It will likely leak a good deal of the light that enters it. That's the bare bones.

On the other hand, your wife's primary concern as you've stated it seems to be size, relative to the rings of her friends. If it meets her needs in that regard, and she's happy with it, keep it. You aren't likely to find much better in that size/price range.

An independent appraisal will run you in the ballpark of $100 or so.

 

[srbr]

I guess my main concern is do you think the center diamond was always I-1 clarity and was laser enhanced to try to get rid of some of the inclusions? Or, do you think the carity may have been as I-2 and after being treated, was graded as an I-1? Do you think treated/enhanced diamonds lose value as compared to un-treated/un-enhanced?

What is an ideal table and depth percentage? I want to know this in case I decide to upgrade the center stone at a later time. I am more likely to keep the ring due to I think it will be hard to find something better. My budget for the entire ring is around $2000.

Last week I took a marqui solitare back to Fred Meyer Jewlers that I paid $2,100 for since I knew my wife wanted about a 1 CT size ring, and the Marqui cut diamond was only about a .64 CT, G/H color, SI-1. But, I didn't understand the Clarity grade because I could see a little black dot of an inclusion on the girdle and I thought it would be too small of a diamond. So, I was excited when I was able to find a ring on eBay that had a high - stated value. The Marqui diamond ring was appraised at $3,000.

I value and appreciate your comments. Thanks.

 

[srbr]

Do you really suggest I show her the ring in advance? I was hoping to surprise her for Christmas. Although she has told me a ring is what she wants for Christmas, so I believe she is expecting one anyhow.

 

[canadiangrrl]

The stone was an I1 or worse (I2 or I3) before it was clarity enhanced. As far as I understand, the value of the stone is what it was before it was enhanced - so if you have an I3 that was enhanced to an I1 clarity, it should still be valued as an I3. Experts, please correct me if I'm wrong here.

Read the cut tutorial on this website. Go to www.gemappraisers.com for more info on cut grading. The center stone you purchased will not appear as large as a well cut 1 carat round, which generally has a diameter of around 6.5 mm. Yours is deep - your stone carries carat weight in its depth that you cannot see (but still pay for.) In all likelihood, that .64 marquise you mentioned looked equal to or bigger than your 1 carat stone.

Who graded the SI1 marquise that you purchased before? Try to stick with GIA, HRD, or EGL (New York branch) certs (and AGS for rounds.) They are known for their accuracy. Not all stones are graded equally. I have an I1 with inclusions that are very difficult to locate without a 10x loupe.

I would advise against placing too much weight on an appraisal issued by the seller. They are more of a sales tool than anything else. An independent appraiser will have zero vested interest in the outcome of your appraisal.

 

[canadiangrrl]

If she hasn't seen the ring, this is what I would do.

Return the ebay ring. It might be that magic carat mark you're aiming for, but the stone barks. I apologize for being blunt, but a laser drilled I1 with those kind of depth and table percentages isn't worth it.

Find an online vendor with an excellent upgrade policy. Whiteflash & Dirt Cheap Diamonds are two very reputable vendors. If you want a round, you can get a well cut J SI1/S12 in the .70-.80 range. No, it's not a carat. But it will face up as big as the stone you ordered off of ebay, and it will sparkle and sing and dance.

Don't worry about the J colour, it will appear plenty white, and your mandate here, according to your wife, is size.

Heck, you can even go up to a K, if you set it in yellow gold, and get an even bigger stone.

OR - get a marquise, if she likes them. They appear large for their carat weight. Avoid princess & radiant cuts, because they can look small for their carat weight.

You can get a 14k Tiffany-style setting online for around $100. With the stone and the ring you'll be in around your 2k budget, and she'll have a lovely ring that can be traded in at a later date, when your circumstances permit.

Good luck!

 

[Caratz]

Return the stone.

Given that getting over 1 ct and staying under $2000 are your main goals, consider the following:

There is a 1.25 ct pear shaped J SI2 diamond on pricescope for $1962.

There is a 1.00 ct pear shaped K SI2 for $1572.

There is a 1.04 ct marquise K SI2 with an AGA IA cut for $1652.

There is a 1.03 ct round G SI2 for $1818.

These diamonds are not laser drilled.

You can do better!

 

[davisc02]

The diamond sounds awful. I agree with the others send it back immediately!!

Just a quick search on Dirt Cheap for example you can get a I colour SI2 .86 for around $1720 which measures 6.22 X 6.16, and comes under "very good cut" this stone will look bigger, have more sparkle and not have been treated in anyway you can then get a nice simple white gold mount for $100 - $150

 

[magna2]

It is understandable that you would want to buy at a bargain price but some diamonds regardless of the price is not worth buying. This diamond is one of those. The diamond is way too deep and the table way too large - the crown and pavillion angles for that kind of table and depth measurements would be very steep angles. Thus, as the eBay pictures show, a dead diamond.

Save yourself the cost of an independent appraisal and just return it pronto. Your wife might not like wearing her current ring due to sizes of her friend's diamonds; she'll definitely not be wearing this one due to the dead performance of the center stone.

 

[valeria101]

So, the apraisal is something around 5 times the value, and the weight of the stone does nothing to make it LOOK like a 1ct because of the ... cut. This is not a good deal you were offered: they should give way such things for free, with some excuse!




As for the black-spotted marq: why bother? There are plenty of eye clean SI2s out there, even if it does take a littlework to find them. Forget laser drilling: sometimes it is worth it, in a well cut, eye-clean stone with good color. The item you have received does not fit the bill. Even if you opt for laser enhancement, you should get a better deal and a better looking stone.

As suggested above, going for a lower color grade could aldo be the way to go. personally, I have nothing against laser enhancement - done right. However, the other caracteristics of the stone have no extra excuses. ANd, you should get a decent certificate (report) from a first tier lab, if laser drilling was the only enhancement.


Sorry, to say these, but I would get the money back and try to find a DECENT laser drilled stone instead from a reputable source (what you paid was no bargain, either).After all, what's the point of clarity enhancement if the result is an I1? Selling such stuff, just tarnishes the name of 'jewelry'!

On top of it all, I would skip the side stones and go for a solitaire with good craftmanship and looks (cheaper). After all, it sounds like the extra little sparklers were just a way to detract your attention from the major flaws of the merchandise (and make the thing look like a good deal, which it is not).

 

[bling]

i too agree with the others..you can find stones of much better quality from the online vendors here..and still stay within your budget..you and your wife will be much happier..imho..

 

[fire&ice]

Do you have to pay a restocking fee? Do you have to eat the shipping? How does this ring compare to what her friends have? This ring would not be my choice. But, it does have quite a bit of bang for the buck. At the end of the day, what do you think? Since you only have 7 days to return it, you may want to ask her. She may love it. She may want to go a different route. That way, you will know you have pleased her.

 

[spicolicpa]

the ring looks like it should be on Conan the Barbarians Woman.....looks kinda medieval...like those creepy knives you buy in cataloges that look like "Vlad the Butcher" had a garage sale

SRBR-no offense...if you like it and you think your girl will thats cool.

BUT I WOULD TAKE BACK THE ENHANCED "I3" FISHEYE. Pay their 100$ restocking fees. lick your wounds and start fresh with knowledge gained from this forum!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Um, that certificate says, "graded as mounting permits." This means the main diamond may be EVEN more included than an I1 after enhancement, but the prongs may cover a few bits of carbon or whatever. It may also be less that a G color. What a scam! I hope you return this ring and be sure to leave negative feedback for the seller. They are attempting to deceive!

Michelle

 

[valeria101]

Scam... I have no idea why someone would sell anything for 1/3 or so of its worth (what a G-I1, laser drilled, should be, forget about that 'appraisal'). I don't want to know!

 

[diamond dazed]

Although I'm pretty much in agreement with everyone else, that you ought to run to the post office to return it, I have to commend you for your willingness to do this for your wife. I'm reading your post thinking, "what a guy!" If my spouse refused to wear something because it wasn't as big as his buddy's, I think I'd say, "Great. Mind if I sell it and buy that new dishwasher I've had my eye on?" Really, it sounds like I'm joking, but iI commend you for looking past the ego-bruising part of what she's saying ("my diamond's too small"), and just responding to her need, or maybe her "desire"' is a better way to put it. That's pretty awesome.

Spend a few hours reading the the posts on this site and you'll soon know exactly what will light up her eyes on Christmas morning and make her the envy of all her friends that she bumps into at those after-Christmas sales -- and it ain't size!!

Keep us updated on how the refund process goes (if that's the route you choose), I'm really interested in hearing how repsonsive the E-Bay vendor is....


Kris

 

[MichelleCarmen]

In response to diamond dazed, I wanted to say yes, go for sparkle, not size. The other day I was in the mall talking to another woman and we compared rings and her diamond was probably about .75 and mine is only a .42 and get this, I FELT SORRY FOR HER!!! Although her diamond was a lot bigger, it wasn't pretty AT ALL, and mine blasted hers away. Hers was was yellow and extremely dull. It had good clarity, but was so dull that even under bright mall light, where ALL jewelry sparkles, it didn't do a thing. So, that said, go for a dynamite cut rather than a one carat. Go for the J SI1 or whatever was suggested above and look around and read as much as you can here on this website.

Michelle

 

[Mara]

sbr--what did you end up doing with this? I would also return the stone...that table and depth will be horrible...and the stone will look incredibly small. It won't look anything like a carat. She won't be happy with a bigger stone if it looks small and dingy next to her friends--from what it sounds like.




Good luck!!

 

[aljdewey]

SRBR: Hate to join with the masses, but no way would I keep this stone.




It's one thing to get a "deal" on ebay.....there are sporadic deals to be had. But there is just no way that anyone is going to put up a $10,000 (or even $5K) piece of jewelry with no reserve and let it sell for $1600.




Would you take out a want ad that says "I'll sell my $20K car to the highest bidder within 7 days".....and then take a high bid of $4K for the car? Of course you wouldn't!




Common sense should prevail here.

 

[canadiangrrl]

Here's some more food for thought - get very well cut, I1 clarity, non-drilled stone.

Check out the prices of I1 stones in your budget range on the main page of Pricecope - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. There's a substantial price difference between SI2 and I1 clarity...which allows you more bang for your buck - you can increase your carat weight at the expense of clarity. Stick with a round stone in an I1 - the cut of the round helps to mask inclusions. Stick with GIA or AGS stones - they tend to be more stringently graded than stones graded by other labs.

You *can* get a well cut, eyecleanish, non-drilled I1 stone - they do exist. I'm wearing a beautiful one right now.

Find an online vendor you can trust, and work with him/her. That's what I would do.

 

[srbr]

Everyone has been so helpful with your comments and feedback. I read through everyone's comments a couple of times and really took my options into consideration. According to the auction, I would have to pay a 5% re-stocking fee, which would be about $100 including cost to ship back to seller. I sent an E-mail to the seller on eBay who cheerfully said I could return the item and to my surprise, said I would be getting a full refund on the cost of the item, but that I would need to eat the shipping and handling costs to both receive the itme and to return it. So, all in all, I am only out a grand total $45; so that was a pleasant surprise. I have already returned the ring.

This is one of the best and most helpful forum's that I have ever found. I only wish I had seen this web site before I made some errors in purchasing diamonds that weren't too nice. I have been through the tutorials on this site, and I think Holloway should be nominated for a Nobel prize. Thanks again for all the great feedback. I will now get a diamond on-line after doing more research on price and ring settings.

 

[caratgirl]

I was so horrified when I read about this auction...I am so happy that you took all of the above advice and returned the ring. I am sure that you will find a much better ring now. Just keep posting for advice when you find stones that you are tempted to purchase.

This forum really is great.

 

[canadiangrrl]

Srbr, it's posts like your last one that make me smile.

I'm happy you returned the ring. Happy hunting for a new & better one.

 

[Mara]

sbr...so glad things worked out and you didn't get screwed in the end! Chalk one up for a good eBay seller and smart customer. Good luck with the search online and I am sure you will find people more than helpful here when you find some potential contenders

 

[fire&ice]

Ditto on returning the ring. Good luck in your search.

 

[Giangi]

Srbr, I'm so proud of you. You did the righ thing. That diamond looked pretty horrible.

Now, try to take your time and, If I were you, look for a pretty SI 3 or I 1 stone with a reputable cert. You'll be surprised to see that some nice stones can be found at $2000. These will be not completely eye clean, but absolutely great for the money! Hey, that's a good looking 1ct for $2K!