In need of some advice on loose diamonds

[luv2sparkle81]

Hello everyone!

I'm relatively new to this site and have enjoyed learning so much about diamonds since discovering this site. I'm in a bit of a situation with my engagement ring and am in need of some advice. Here's the scoop...

So my fiance and I got engaged in march of 2012. He proposed with a 1ct. Cushion solitare an we have since picked another setting that is more sparkly and more my style. He got this ring from a chain jeweler at the local mall (I have since learned my lesson on that!) and I have had nothing bit problems. First about 6 months after I had the ring the diamond fell out and I completely lost it. They replaced it according to their "warranty", however, the new diamond was less than stellar. Even though they were both graded H/SI1 the first diamond was completely eye clean. The replacement they initially gave me had a huge very visible black inclusion in it. I was not happy with it so they replaced it with a different diamond. It still has very visible inclusions but they are more white than black. At this point it has taken about 3 months to get my ring back so I was tired of disagreeing with them and I kept it. Since then the diamond has come loose out of the setting to the point of it moving around twice now. I had to have it sent in to be fixed. Just before Christmas while we were traveling the whole head fell off and into the sink of a restaurant we were at while I was washing my hands. Luckily it didn't fall down the drain. At this point I'm so aggravated with having had so many problems I want to trade in everything I have, get a loose diamond and go somewhere else.

My problem now is I've told them how unhappy I am with everything and they agreed to get some diamonds in for me to look at but I feel like I'm being slightly taken advantage of. The trade in value on everything is about $7500. She told me the max size I could get in the same range oh H/SI1 is about 1.25 cushion. Granted the best grading they have on any of their diamonds is EGL if that says anything. I'm even ok with getting another EGL, but I feel like for the price it should be significantly larger. I did a simple search on here for that grading and price range and I got selections up to the 1.8ct range. Am I even in the ball park? What's a reasonable expectation in that range for size? I apologize for the novel and appreciate any advice on how to handle this situation!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am truly sorry for all your problems. We always hate to hear these stories.

To back track a bit (this may not help you but it may help someone else), never rely on the jeweler's warranty only. If you had had that diamond ring insured, you could have started over with your ring elsewhere after you lost the first diamond (and hopefully with a cash refund so that you could buy at a competitive price and have the option of an excellent cut stone).

An EGL USA H SI1 may be roughly equal to a GIA I or J SI2 or I1, and a diamond with an easily visible black inclusion is going to be at least I1. So keep that in mind if you try to compare to GIA prices. (Be sure they are EGL USA graded and not international.) I am sorry you have to start over with this jeweler because you are correct that it won't be a great deal for you financially. Just take your time and NEVER feel pressured to take a diamond you don't love! And once you do, get your own jewelry insurance policy so that you have control of the replacement if you ever lose your ring or diamond again.

You might want to use jamesallen.com to familiarize yourself with good versus badly cut cushions and prices.

 

[luv2sparkle81]

Thank you very much for the advice. To tell you the truth it didn't even occur to me to have the diamond replaced by submitting a claim through our insurance since we have it insured. I guess they made it too east for us to have them replace it which is how they have you hooked to keep doing business with them.

Do you think it would be worth having them get it graded by GIA? I'm not even sure if they would do it. I will take a look at James Allen and see what I can find for comparison. Thanks again!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

It would protect you more if they'd get it graded by GIA, but they are still going to control the price and you and they will already know that the GIA grades will be lower. I doubt they'd do it, but you can always ask. I just want you to get a nicely cut stone with no visible inclusions this time. That might mean VS2 or higher in EGL.

 

[04diamond<3]

Thank you very much for the advice. To tell you the truth it didn't even occur to me to have the diamond replaced by submitting a claim through our insurance since we have it insured. I guess they made it too east for us to have them replace it which is how they have you hooked to keep doing business with them.

Do you think it would be worth having them get it graded by GIA? I'm not even sure if they would do it. I will take a look at James Allen and see what I can find for comparison. Thanks again!

Are you going to go with a different vendor? If so, we can help you find something within your $7.5k budget. We'll need to know what cut you like (antique vs. modern -more curshed ice or an 8 main etc).

 

[luv2sparkle81]

I would love to go with a different vendor all together but they won't refund our money so we are already out the $7500. I figured my only option to get away from them is to get a loose diamond and buy the setting and wedding band somewhere else. I just wasn't really prepared to start all over again in terms of finding something new. I think I may go for a solitare engagement ring and a 5 or 7 stone wedding band.

 

[04diamond<3]

I would love to go with a different vendor all together but they won't refund our money so we are already out the $7500. I figured my only option to get away from them is to get a loose diamond and buy the setting and wedding band somewhere else. I just wasn't really prepared to start all over again in terms of finding something new. I think I may go for a solitare engagement ring and a 5 or 7 stone wedding band.

Well then I'm not sure how you want us to help. If you just want to see what an H SI1 1.5 ct would cost then sure, search one of our vendor's sites. But if you have a stone in mind and want advice on it, there's not much we can do unless you can get us pictures and an aset image. GIA reports or EGL reports won't tell us much because the numbers are just number and don't tell us as much as they would if it were a round. I know that B2C jewelers has a lot of EGL stones if you want to look at them for comparison.

 

[luv2sparkle81]

I guess I am trying to figure out if I'm getting royally screwed over by them offering me a 1.25ct H/SI1 EGL stone for $7500 although I think I already know the answer. When I mentioned to the store manager that I was finding other diamonds online (on pricescope) for those stats in the 1.5-1.8 range she told me they are probably either wholesale or clarity enhanced diamonds without a warranty. I didn't think GIA or any other reputable grading company even graded clarity enhanced diamonds? Anyway I'm just trying to negotiate with them to get the best diamond for the money without getting screwed over but it doesn't look like that will happen

 

[04diamond<3]

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think our site has any clarity enhanced stones. So she's probably just jealous.

I did a search and here's what I found:

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-4210712-1.52-carat-Cushion-diamond-G-color-SI1-clarity.aspx

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-4210718-1.52-carat-Cushion-diamond-H-color-VS2-clarity.aspx

if you go down in color and clarity you could get something bigger

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-3883641-2.01-carat-Cushion-diamond-J-color-VS1-clarity.aspx (not sure what this looks like though)

 

[arkieb1]

I guess I am trying to figure out if I'm getting royally screwed over by them offering me a 1.25ct H/SI1 EGL stone for $7500 although I think I already know the answer. When I mentioned to the store manager that I was finding other diamonds online (on pricescope) for those stats in the 1.5-1.8 range she told me they are probably either wholesale or clarity enhanced diamonds without a warranty. I didn't think GIA or any other reputable grading company even graded clarity enhanced diamonds? Anyway I'm just trying to negotiate with them to get the best diamond for the money without getting screwed over but it doesn't look like that will happen

That is not true there are nice stones you can find via Pricescope that have NOT been enhanced or treated in anyway. You probably have a GIA International graded diamond. If you have one from EGL USA you are luckier because they are generally 1 to 2 shades out in colour and 1 to 2 in clarity. From EGL International they are graded in places that do not have strict standards so they are often 3 to 4 and it can be up to 5 and 6 grades out in colour compared to GIA in colour and around 2 or more in clarity.