Independent Appraisers?

[cestmoi]

Hi folks

I stumbled onto this site doing a google search for the market price for a 1 carat "G" color, VS2, V Good cut round diamond with EGL certification that I recently put money down on as I''m getting married in Dec 2008... the Tiffany ring setting is being resized so I only put down a deposit until it is ready (also purchased a couple of wedding bands)...

Since the jewelry store has a 30 day pricing guarantee, I''m not that worried about the price as I believe I got a great deal - $5000 taxes included for the solitaire! I''ve checked many diamond stores since June 2008 (Nevada & TN) and none of the diamonds I looked at looked as clean as this one under a loupe for my price range. My problem is that I follow the old adage - if something seems to be too good to be true, it usually is as I''ve been looking at diamonds retailing at $6500 to $7500 range with (no name certificates) and they''re all only I color/SI1 or SI2 quality.

So, I''m half waiting for the jeweler to screw me on this by doing a switcheroo when I get my diamond set on a re-sized tiffany ring. I won''t be picking it up until a couple months later. Planning ahead, I''d like to know where can I take this diamond to so that it can be objectively appraised in or around Nashville, TN? After reading several posts, I see how easily the jewelers can hide a more flawed diamond under prongs, or put some chemical to make the diamond look whiter than it really is, etc. How would I truly know that the diamond I have is the original one I looked at when it''s set on a Tiffany ring?! <--- a rhetorical question folks, no need to answer...

My true purpose of this post is WHERE CAN I FIND A REPUTABLE INDEPENDENT APPRAISER who will not screw me either in Nashville TN?


Thanks in advance!!

jeff

 

[Richard Sherwood]

The thing you need to be aware of is that your EGL certified "G VS2" is probably not, which is why you are getting the "deal which is too good to be true".

You''re probably getting exactly what you''re paying for, and don''t have to worry about being switched on or some other type of screwing.

And of course, an appraiser is the one who will be able to help you in this instance. You might try searching the appraisal database located under "resources" in the top right of your screen.

 

[Regular Guy]

Jeff,

Richard, who just wrote to you, is one of the best...so you may choose to simply ignore my following suggestion, and give him a shout.

Absent that, I looked at the log he pointed to, saw these guys referenced there, and Mapquest tells me they''re about 1/2 hour away from you.

Regards,

 

[JulieN]

btw, most people want the flaws hidden under prongs.

 

[cestmoi]

Date: 9/7/2008 1:47:42 AM
Author: Regular Guy
Jeff,


Richard, who just wrote to you, is one of the best...so you may choose to simply ignore my following suggestion, and give him a shout.


Absent that, I looked at the log he pointed to, saw these guys referenced there, and Mapquest tells me they''re about 1/2 hour away from you.


Regards,

Thanks to Richard and you for the quick replies! I''ll certainly give the jeweler the benefit of the doubt for now and bring it to an appraiser (looks like the web link you gave me is a perfect one as it is pretty close to me) immediately after getting the ring.

I''ll be sure to get the jeweler to map the inclusions (is that the term?) and put it in writing the quality of diamond, including pictures before I walk out that door. Not familiar with EGLs, but do they have some sort of numbering system so that I can look it up online much like GIA to confirm if it''s a real certification or fake?

 

[cestmoi]

Date: 9/7/2008 2:21:09 AM
Author: JulieN
btw, most people want the flaws hidden under prongs.

I understand this, but what I was concerned about is this:

Me: selected a diamond I liked. got them to resize ring

Jeweler: resizes ring, but puts in an inferior diamond that I didn''t choose and in order to prevent me from finding out, hides the flaws in the prongs

Me: happily looks at it with inexperienced eye under loupe and goes on my merry way and getting ripped a thousand or so...

I don''t mind them hiding any flaws on the diamond that I CHOSE. I mind alot if they were giving me a diamond that I didn''t choose!