Is this colored diamond a good buy?

[pinkprashu]

I am interested in buying a FCD and I came across a diamond that is decribed as yellowish green and weighs 1 carat. It looks like it has a large feather near the girdle and is obviously not an ideal cut diamond like my ACA but I think it is rare to find an ideal cut diamond in fancy colors. Am I right?

How much can I expect to pay for this?

 

[kenny]

You can't grade a diamond with a pic but that looks more brown than yellowish green to me, which would bring the price WAY WAY down compared to a true Yellowish Green.
That's why I would not guess a price.

With any diamond the price depends on what it is, and you should NOT trust the seller to declare what it is.
A GIA grading report is the only document I'd trust enough to hand over MY money for a fancy colored diamond.
This is more important than ever with FCDs where subtle color differences (often not obvious to you or I even in person, let alone a pic) can mean huge price differences.

If it has a GIA report I'd try to compare it to others with prices listed on the Internet.
www.fancydiamonds.net has the largest inventory of FCDs I know of, around 750 right now.

If it does not have a GIA report I'd ask the seller to get it graded by GIA, or I would not consider buying it.
A report from any other lab or an "appraisal" from even the Queen of England herself could not get me to part with my money.
GIA is the authority for FCDs.

Yes, well-cut colored diamonds are very rare.
Since so much money is at stake colored diamonds are cut to make the color stronger (which increases the color grade and the price) and to save weight.
Unless you commission one from a cutter like Eightstar or Brian Gavin you have next to zero chance of stumbling upon a FCD cut for very fine light performance.
STILL . . . you can try.
I do.
This may anger an FCD vendor because they want to sell what they have in stock, and what they have is NOT cut for fine light performance.
It's not their fault; it is just tradition (and good business) with FCDs.

I've bought 20 FCDs and have returned 8 and one reason was I was not happy enough with the light performance of some.
STILL . . . I have kept some with so so light performance just because the color itself is so rare and wonderful.
Many serious collectors of FCDs do not care anything about light performance, but you can try to pursue it if you have the time and patience.

You could even buy one and have it cut down for better light performance.

 

[pinkprashu]

Kenny - Thanks for replying. You really have an awesome collection of FCD's.

I did look at fancydiamonds.net before posting but I know so little about FCD's I could not really judge what color the diamond I posted is and what I could pay for it. The seller has a 14 day return policy so I can try to get it if $1200 is a decent price to pay for it and have it checked by an appraiser and possibly send it to GIA to be graded if I like it enough to keep it.

 

[acebruin]

it doesn't have a GIA? it looks like a yellow brown / brown yellow to me...

how reputable is the seller? you might be out 1200$ if you don't like the stone at the end... think about what you're getting yourself into before committing... what if you don't get the diamond pictured but some other stone?

 

[pinkprashu]

it doesn't have a GIA? it looks like a yellow brown / brown yellow to me...

how reputable is the seller? you might be out 1200$ if you don't like the stone at the end... think about what you're getting yourself into before committing... what if you don't get the diamond pictured but some other stone?

acebruin - The seller has 100% positive feedback on ebay and is a top rated seller. So I think quite reputable and also has a 14 day return policy. I can see why you would be concerned but don't we all have to take a leap of faith sometimes. So I am asking the colored stone experts to tell me if this is not even worth pursuing

 

[stone-cold11]

Cross post into color stone?

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I manipulated the photo a bit and circled something on the girdle I'd ask about. The "feather" looks like a reflection of the tweezers, I'd still ask about that too.

At the one carat mark, I'd have the sale contingent on a GIA report. Should the diamond checkout, great! You've got a nice brownish yellow diamond (I see what they're trying to get at with green, but GIA won't see it that way I bet)

If it comes back as treated, the sale is void and you're not out a dime.

 

[pinkprashu]

I manipulated the photo a bit and circled something on the girdle I'd ask about. The "feather" looks like a reflection of the tweezers, I'd still ask about that too.

At the one carat mark, I'd have the sale contingent on a GIA report. Should the diamond checkout, great! You've got a nice brownish yellow diamond (I see what they're trying to get at with green, but GIA won't see it that way I bet)

If it comes back as treated, the sale is void and you're not out a dime.

I will certainly email the seller about this and see what he says. In the mean time, I am posting one more photo of diamond -

 

[LD]

I have serious reservations whether this diamond would be graded as a yellowish green (based on the photo which of course may not be accurate). In fact, I doubt whether if you sent it to a lab whether it would have green anywhere in the report. These diamonds are quite easy to come across and are not terribly expensive so please be aware of that and haggle with the vendor (if you feel it may be overpriced). If the vendor has a good reputation and is willing to accept returns then make sure you protect yourself by buying with a credit card and paying via Paypal. That way, you should be covered if the diamond arrives and isn't what you were expecting.

On a positive note, these diamonds can be very pretty and if you're not expecting a green diamond but would be happy with a nice looking brownish/greyish/yellow then go for it. Once set it may perform very nicely so it's worth looking at.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Pink,

You can look at other websites like Diamonds by Lauren and Leibish(the one Kenny mentioned). Look under yellow green diamonds.
If this diamond is yellowish/green and a round I think it would be a good price, possibly even a great price. Here is what I would do.

Contact seller after looking at other websites and ask very straight forwardly if this is in fact a yellowish green as the photo doesn't reflect this color. Tell nicely, but pointly that you hope he is honest with you because if the stone lokks like the photo and is not green you will certainly send it back and leave poor feedback.
I have used this myself and I have gotten good resuts. They tell me what it really is and then I usually don't bid or make an offer.
I say thanks a lot. If the vendor is bid for desire, he has been honest when I have asked. But most of his stones now are brown/yellow diamonds. I have gotten a muddy green diamond from him .38 pts with orange flur. But had to send back some that were browny.

My 2 cents.
Annette

 

[pinkprashu]

I have serious reservations whether this diamond would be graded as a yellowish green (based on the photo which of course may not be accurate). In fact, I doubt whether if you sent it to a lab whether it would have green anywhere in the report. These diamonds are quite easy to come across and are not terribly expensive so please be aware of that and haggle with the vendor (if you feel it may be overpriced). If the vendor has a good reputation and is willing to accept returns then make sure you protect yourself by buying with a credit card and paying via Paypal. That way, you should be covered if the diamond arrives and isn't what you were expecting.

On a positive note, these diamonds can be very pretty and if you're not expecting a green diamond but would be happy with a nice looking brownish/greyish/yellow then go for it. Once set it may perform very nicely so it's worth looking at.

Thank you for the reply. I also don't think there is much green in this diamond. I agree with you it could be a yellowish brown diamond and honestly I am okay with that. I am willing to take chances if there is some potential here. If it is in fact a natural yellowish brown diamond and I am getting it for a decent price, I will be happy. If I don't decide to buy then I will make sure I take all the precautions because I have been burnt about6 years ago selling something on ebay and I am very cautious now.

 

[acebruin]

i think your main concern here is NOT the actual color of the stone... it's the origin of the stone that you should be concern about, whether it's natural or treated... even a 1 carat brown diamond, 1200$ would be a great price for it... so again, beware buying stones that are not graded by GIA... i'd be very wary especially if you're getting it from ebay... i understand the seller is a top seller as you mentioned... but that doesn't mean anything to me really... unless you've dealt with the seller before... as far as 100% feedback, that's easily achieved on ebay nowadays... i've started using ebay since 97, and can't even remember when i've stopped buying or selling or ebay... it's been years... sad really...

my point is, if you have 1200$ to spare and don't mind if things don't go your way... hope for the best and prepare for the worse...

 

[acebruin]

oh and i'm also a firm believer of you get what you pay for... and if it's too good to be true, it is!

 

[kenny]

It is possible the kind of people they sell to ARE happy, but (since they don't "need" a GIA report) don't know what they are buying.
They think they know.
Hope springs eternal, they say.
Look how many people play the Lottery.

Gee, if I got (rather, thought I got) a Round Yellowish Green 1 ct diamond for $1,200 I'd be happy too . . . unless I knew better than to trust the seller on specs, and that a real one WOULD sell for many many times that price.

It is possible every customer WAS ripped off, but ignorance is bliss; hence the 100% positive feeback.

People WANT to believe they are clever and can find killer deals, and only suckers go the GIA route.
Those people do not go the GIA route.
They keep EGL in business, and also vendors who sell ungraded stones.

People vary; a few CAN find great deals at estate sales even thrift stores because they have advanced knowledge.
I'm just saying 100% positive feedback does not translate to a 100% chance this really IS a 1-ct Fancy Yellow Green natural diamond with color of natural origin.

I suspect these vendors know much more about what they are selling than their target customers do, and hope it stays that way.