Short Version:
1) Does it matter if a GIA diamond is graded in the US or overseas?
2) Does it matter who cuts the diamond?
Long Version:
I'm in the process of shopping for an engagement ring. I have been looking online, researching, and doing my homework so that I could be prepared when I went to see the jeweler. Prices may be better online, but I wanted to at least try supporting local businesses before going to the cheaper rings online.
So I go to the jeweler, and he tells me two things which both seemed odd because I hadn't heard either mentioned in any diamond buying guide or during the course of my research. First, I asked him whether his diamonds were certified, and he said most all of them were, but he could send off for certification of any stone that wasn't if I was interested in a certain diamond. In particular I mentioned that I was looking for GIA certification. After mentioning this, he goes into a sales pitch about how the GIA certified diamonds he has were all certified in the US. In explaining why this should matter to me, he said that since GIA now has labs in other countries, particularly India, that if I buy a GIA stone online then I am probably getting one from India, which has lower standards/quality control than GIA US diamonds. Now in researching diamond grading/certificates, I know that there is a big difference between EGL USA and EGL International/Israel, but this was the first time I had heard anybody claim there was a difference in GIA labs that warranted only buying GIA US (and paying more).
The second issue that sounded extremely fishy was who cut the diamond. He said that all his diamonds were cut in Belgium, which is the most expensive place to have a diamond cut - $800 to be precise; whereas diamonds bought online or elsewhere are typically cut in India or some other place, and cost $35-50 to be cut. I pressed for more information as to why who cut the diamond should matter, because in my mind, if a diamond is graded an as an Excellent cut by GIA then it is an Excellent cut regardless of who cut it. He compared it to running a car through a car wash vs. having a car professionally detailed - i.e., the end result is the same, but one is going to look more brilliant than the other. In this case, he claimed that the Belgian (more expensive) cutters create a more brilliant stone than the cheaper cutters, that will maintain its brilliance longer. There was also some bit in there about diamonds getting dirty fast, but have Belgian cutter diamonds helps keep them shiny (however, I'm not quite sure about that part because I had become very incredulous at this point and started to zone out). Maybe he's right, after all, I'm not a jeweler; however, I am still failing to see the logic in how two stones that are identical in all respects except who cut them, can be different enough to warrant an $800 price difference.
My gut tells me that this guy is just trying to get an extra grand out of the deal - but I'm here to learn and be corrected if I'm wrong, so I would sincerely appreciate any advice/input from the board. Thanks!
1) Does it matter if a GIA diamond is graded in the US or overseas?
2) Does it matter who cuts the diamond?
Long Version:
I'm in the process of shopping for an engagement ring. I have been looking online, researching, and doing my homework so that I could be prepared when I went to see the jeweler. Prices may be better online, but I wanted to at least try supporting local businesses before going to the cheaper rings online.
So I go to the jeweler, and he tells me two things which both seemed odd because I hadn't heard either mentioned in any diamond buying guide or during the course of my research. First, I asked him whether his diamonds were certified, and he said most all of them were, but he could send off for certification of any stone that wasn't if I was interested in a certain diamond. In particular I mentioned that I was looking for GIA certification. After mentioning this, he goes into a sales pitch about how the GIA certified diamonds he has were all certified in the US. In explaining why this should matter to me, he said that since GIA now has labs in other countries, particularly India, that if I buy a GIA stone online then I am probably getting one from India, which has lower standards/quality control than GIA US diamonds. Now in researching diamond grading/certificates, I know that there is a big difference between EGL USA and EGL International/Israel, but this was the first time I had heard anybody claim there was a difference in GIA labs that warranted only buying GIA US (and paying more).
The second issue that sounded extremely fishy was who cut the diamond. He said that all his diamonds were cut in Belgium, which is the most expensive place to have a diamond cut - $800 to be precise; whereas diamonds bought online or elsewhere are typically cut in India or some other place, and cost $35-50 to be cut. I pressed for more information as to why who cut the diamond should matter, because in my mind, if a diamond is graded an as an Excellent cut by GIA then it is an Excellent cut regardless of who cut it. He compared it to running a car through a car wash vs. having a car professionally detailed - i.e., the end result is the same, but one is going to look more brilliant than the other. In this case, he claimed that the Belgian (more expensive) cutters create a more brilliant stone than the cheaper cutters, that will maintain its brilliance longer. There was also some bit in there about diamonds getting dirty fast, but have Belgian cutter diamonds helps keep them shiny (however, I'm not quite sure about that part because I had become very incredulous at this point and started to zone out). Maybe he's right, after all, I'm not a jeweler; however, I am still failing to see the logic in how two stones that are identical in all respects except who cut them, can be different enough to warrant an $800 price difference.
My gut tells me that this guy is just trying to get an extra grand out of the deal - but I'm here to learn and be corrected if I'm wrong, so I would sincerely appreciate any advice/input from the board. Thanks!
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