Is this true?!

[Hammurabi]

Hi all,

I am very curious about this and would love to have you experts to confirm.

I was searching for a couple of diamonds for a pair of earrings and during the search i talked to a couple of retailers here in australia. One of them get back to me today and told me something i find a bit unusual.

I specifically asked for only H&A and must have GIA/AGS cert. They came back to me saying that they only located two, H&A, 0.5 and 0.51 ct RB with GIA cert. Thing is, on the cert itself it doesnt say H&A, because, told by SA, it cost the wholesaler money to have GIA to put the words ''Hearts and Arrows'' on the cert, so even (she claimed) they are H&A, because the wholesaler didnt pay GIA extra, they didnt put H&A on the cert itself.

She also claimed that the cert is a small cert, with no images, because imaged GIA cert only apply to diamonds 1ct or above.

Is that true?

As an FYI, the lady quoted the rocks in a 18k white gold setting for $5920 USD (and no, dont worry, i wont buy them, because I have decided on a pair of WF beauties heh)

 

[tanalasta]

Hello Australian

1. GIA only inscribe their Dossier GIA report number onto their diamonds. A laser subscription for anything else is extra ... that isn''t to say other people could inscribe H&A onto the diamond whether it was or not.
2. The stones are likely to be "GIA Diamond Dossier" reports which are commonly issued for stones under 1Ct. They are cheaper than the formal GIA reports as they do not include the plotting diagram for a vendor to obtain. However, they''re as much an authentic ''certificate'' as the grading report.
3 Which vendor did you use? Some Melbourne retailers will stock GIA certified stones that may fit H&A... many of which are online. You could also try GH''s store at www.preciousmetals.com.au

With the current Australian exchange rate and the pricescope discount - Whiteflash will also have plenty of stones that may fit your criteria. Glad you decided upon!!!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Mr T is correct

Most Aussie ice has not had a vacation in USA, so there are less GIA and far less AGS paper around, and we do not seem to have developed the same level of gross mistrust in jewellers, and the consequent need for grading reports on such small stones.

My policy is I grade everything over 0.90ct, more to protect my reputation from bad mouthing competitors.

GIA do not decide if a diamond is H&A''s or not.
If a dealer pays them to write it on the girdle of any old crap they will.
And finally, I have yet to meet a person who can pick a really nice non H&A''s from a H&A''s - it is a mind game in my book, which is fine if you like mind games. But then it should be D IF H&A''s????????????

 

[Hammurabi]

Thanks tanalasta and Garry H for clarifying that!! learn something new everyday

I wont name names here, but its a retailer on Collins Street in Melbourne, I actually didnt really look at Aussie online retailers because as you mentioned, tanalasta, with the current exchange rate, its actually very favorable for me to buy from WF.

Garry H, I know what you mean by mind games, to me its really a personal preference more than anything, my ering is an H&A stone and while its tiny, i got much joy out of viewing the arrows under the viewer every now and then (lame i know, but i love it heh). Thats why I was looking at the same thing for my earrings.

Oh Garry H, also, can I ask why is that theres such a huge price difference in Aus retailers and WF? i mean at nearly $6k USD thats very expensive! they say both stone are F color VS2 H&A, is that price the norm here? (I have never bought diamonds in Aus before) or is it just this retailer?

Thanks!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Different business models, different overhead structures.
Water costs vastly different prices, as does coke and food at different venues.

And dont forget to add GST and duty