In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Pictures

[Jlafber]

I'm new to the community and wanted to share my first experience with the forum and see what everyone thinks. I'm sure others have heard similar sales pitches from the jeweler and wanted to see what I'm really getting.

I've been searching for the perfect setting with my fiancee and finally came across one that we like. Our priorities are equal light performance and carat. Here is a picture



The stone is GIA graded at
Carot = 1.57
Color = I
Clarity = SI2
Cut = Good

Which I know on paper does not sound that good. However it looked really good in this setting and had a lot of sparkle even outside of direct light. I did look at the stone with a loup and it was very hard to notice the inclusions. I've seen other stone with big feathers and black marks so have some idea of what to look for. My fiancee was happy with this stone and I would purchase it for the right price.

Question 1) Does the GIA grading lie? Can a stone with this GIA rating really perform better than on paper?
Question 2) The price for this ring is 18k. Based on the GIA grading the stone should not be more than 10k
Question 3) The setting is semi-custom for the stone and made from platinum, and although did not separately price just the setting, the jeweler claimed similar ones would run around 6k. This also seems high?

What we liked about the setting was how low profile the ring was, the halo was recessed down and not flush with the stone, and the halo was proportionally smaller the the center stone. Has anyone seen similar settings?

 

[pyramid]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

The diamond looks see through like you can see the material from behind. Is that correct or is it a reflection of the box. Diamonds should not be see through. As you say it is custom made is this just an example with a fake diamond or is this the actual ring.

 

[doberman]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

I color? OK. SI2? Not great. And good cut? Ouch. IMO you are overpaying considerably at 18K. I would pass; there are a lot of diamonds/settings out there. Ask to see an excellent/ideal cut diamond and compare it to this one and you may change your mind.

 

[Jlafber]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

The stone in this picture is the actual setting. I'm not sure what is making it look "see through" I took the picture with my camera phone.

 

[marymm]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

First, pricing in bricks-and-mortar stores is always higher than would be found at online vendors.

Second, if your two highest priorities are light performance and carat weight, going with a "good" cut will not meet your needs.

For comparison, I ran a PS diamond search for loose GIA I-SI2 stones with carat weight range of 1.56-1.58ct, and the prices ranged from $8020 to $10500 --

As an example, here's a James Allen 1.56ct I-SI2 with a price of $10,100 - it is a GIA Triple X, meaning Excellent cut, Excellent Symmetry, and Excellent Polish. It's primary inclusions are twinning wisps, which appear to be white or clear, so it is quite likely this JA diamond is eyeclean. http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-238987. It's HCA score is 1.8 Excellent. (See more on the HCA tool here, https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

JA has many halo ring settings, but here are a couple in Platinum ranging in price from $2375 to $2800:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...o-pave-set-diamond-engagement-ring-item-18297
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...-diamond-halo-pave-engagement-ring-item-18314
http://www.jamesallen.com/wedding-r...e-set-engagement-ring-round-center-item-18459

JA also offers a discount to PS members of between 1-5% on their loose diamonds (not on the settings).

So, comparatively speaking, you could buy a better-performing GIA Triple X diamond at about the same carat weight, with a Platinum diamond ring setting, for between apx $14,000 and $15,000 (not including whatever diamond discount is applicable) - and you'd get all the excellent JA upgrade/warranty/customer service policies.

If you are set on buying locally, I'd suggest you educate yourself a little more on diamond cut and pricing, so you know what you are looking at the jewelry stores.

 

[Cluless]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

This setting looks similar

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIAMOND-SEMI-MOUNT-ROUND-HALO-SPLIT-SHANK-ENGAGEMENT-RING-1ct-1-5ct-PAVE-SETTING-/400610468916?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_Rings&hash=item5d463ea434

 

[msop04]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

I color? OK. SI2? Not great. And good cut? Ouch. IMO you are overpaying considerably at 18K. I would pass; there are a lot of diamonds/settings out there. Ask to see an excellent/ideal cut diamond and compare it to this one and you may change your mind.

This exactly. If the stone is $10K, then they are asking $8K for the setting???!! You can get a Victor Canera or Steven Kirsch hand forged (and extremely well made) setting for less than that. Run. Run away.

What about any of these? Any of these would leave you with $4K+ to spend on a setting. You could have ERD make you a similar setting for much less... or even have VC or SK make one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-216787 (7.49 x 7.52 mm) HCA 1.5, $12,270
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-i-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-247547 (7.64 x 7.67) HCA 1.8, $13,770

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...1.668-j-vs1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104066186034 (7.67 x 7.69), AGS Ideal, $13,295, Wire Price: $12,896!! ^^ ***I would put this stone on hold ASAP!!!*** It is GORGEOUS!! ^^

 

[JulieN]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

Post the report number

 

[hawk25]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

Have you personally seen a better cut diamond? One of the problems with the average consumer is that they don't know what an ideal cut stone looks like, so once they see a 'good' cut diamond like the one you saw, they think it's the most sparkly thing ever.

Some would say ignorance is bliss... but you're here now on PS

 

[Niel]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

Question 1) Does the GIA grading lie? Can a stone with this GIA rating really perform better than on paper?

It would be unwise to buy a stone from GIA thats graded good hoping they made a mistake and it was actually awesome.

Now there are some stones that may not meet gia XXX criteria, or under a 2 on the HCA score, but this I dont think, falling in the GOOD category, would be worth purchasing

Lets assume 18k is your budget?

http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-57-Carat-I-color-GIA-certified/D-V9QHRM

http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/halo-micropave-diamond-band-engagement-ring-in-platinum/5006
I say that one because ive had that setting, and if youre looking for a setting, sits low, and is flush with the band, its perfect... also comes with a prong version.

 

[leoshraeder]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

GIA does not lie. Not at the Good level. Good is really bad. If you had seen well cut diamonds side by side the differences are huge.

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

Listen to the experts and don't settle.

 

[msop04]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

Question 1) Does the GIA grading lie? Can a stone with this GIA rating really perform better than on paper?

It would be unwise to buy a stone from GIA thats graded good hoping they made a mistake and it was actually awesome.

Niel, this cracked me up! (sorry for the threadjack, OP)

 

[Gypsy]

Re: In Store Experience & Questions from Beginner w/ Picture

Run down of GIA cut grades.

Excellent: Some are better than others. Run through HCA https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca. Anything 2 and under is good, even without an idealscope (though ideally you want an idealscope image). Anything 3 and under get and idealscope image.
Very good: Not good enough
Good: Poor
Fair: Foul
Poor: Execrable