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I was surprised at the price/service in the mall...

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rsilvers

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Oct 26, 2002
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251
I walked into the mall store to get a feel for what the color and clarity values looked like. I got to see a lot and it was helpful. To get a feel for how their prices were, I decided to ask for some certificate so that I could write down the specs, and then try to price online what that should cost.

She caught me off guard when she said "Let me tell you what you would expect to pay for that." I said "It says $13,500 on the ring -- is that not your selling price?" She said "No, that is retail, and most mall stores would give you 10% off of that." She then pulled out a red Rappaport sheet, and looked over to color F, SI1. She said "The Rap guide says $6300 per ct. This is a 1.01 ct. Your price would be $5800."

So she took 8.9% off the Rap right off the bat. I was surprised by this. But when I got home and put the specs into a price-finder, I saw a (wide) range of $3700 to $6000 for the "same" thing. (example http://search.virtcert.com/cgi/u/1057/v.cgi?stock=401753&_s=1057&_p=abaz83&_c=&_fs=1&prestock=)

So my theory is that her price does not jive with the Rap report because the polish/sym/cut, etc. were below what the rap considers good. Am I correct?

Here are the specs of the stone she quoted me for (I don't actually want this one, but it is an example):

EGL
1.01 ct, round 6.27x6.19x3.99 mm
64% depth
60% table
11.8 crown
45 pav
girdle sl-thick to sl-ex thick
polish=good
sym=good
SI1
F
Fluor faint

So if my theory is correct in that they are being good for showing the Rap-sheet, but bad in using stones below the quality Rap intends to quote -- should I go there to buy a stone and say "I will go along with your 8% off Rap policy but you have to get me a well cut stone, such as a Tolkowsky cut with AGS 0 or 1a, ideal polish and sym and no fluor?." Does that sound like what I should do?
 
1. The stone has an EGL report. EGL USA is better, and GIA or AGS or HRD are stricter.
If that F = G or H and the SI1 = SI2 SI3 or I1 then ......

It is possible.

2. The cut is lousy. You would be better off buying a nice .90ct stone.

Complicated is it not?
 
Cut Nut,

I know that cut is lousy. I was never considering that stone at all. All I did was have them pull *any* stone that they had a cert for, then I wrote down the specs, then looked it up online. The goal was to check their prices. What I found was that their "trick" was to use color/clarity from the Rap sheet then skimp on cut, polish, and sym.

In any case, I think since they know what I am looking for now, they will offer a good cut/polish/sym for an online-style price.
 
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