Item has bad pics but set in heavy platinum - would that give you hope of gem quality?

[Mreader]

Ok so this is probably a silly question but here goes. There is a ring I am considering but photos are bad - questions for additional photos lead to more bad photos. An inexperienced ebayer I am sure. I don't want to post the pics for fear of lurkers. It's a gemstone and diamond ring and it is set in platinum - pretty heavy at about 7 grams.

Do you think the fact that it is set in plat vs white gold would lean toward it being better quality? Or have you seen crappy melee stones etc. even in plat?

It is not an old or antique piece btw. So diamonds are mrb.

It's a no return. Very well priced (marked down from a previous higher price, probably bc photos suck).

 

[lala646]

Use of certain synthetic gems has been pervasive in the past, so personally I don't think weight necessarily correlates to high quality gems or melee. But depending on what "very well priced" means to you, I've rolled the dice a few times in the past and been pleasantly surprised.

 

[Mreader]

Use of certain synthetic gems has been pervasive in the past, so personally I don't think weight necessarily correlates to high quality gems or melee. But depending on what "very well priced" means to you, I've rolled the dice a few times in the past and been pleasantly surprised.

I can tell you that they originally had the price around 750 and now it’s 375. Thanks so much for your input! I just really wish they had returns. Grrrr.

 

[lala646]

I can tell you that they originally had the price around 750 and now it’s 375. Thanks so much for your input! I just really wish they had returns. Grrrr.

Hmmm, I see your dilemma! For that price, I might be swayed to roll the dice. If it's 7-ish grams, you'll have around $200 in platinum alone.

Would you still be interested in the piece for the price if you knew the stones were middling quality?

 

[Mreader]

Hmmm, I see your dilemma! For that price, I might be swayed to roll the dice. If it's 7-ish grams, you'll have around $200 in platinum alone.

Would you still be interested in the piece for the price if you knew the stones were middling quality?

Not so much for the gemstone bc at the price point it's at I just assume all the treatments are present. It's more if the diamonds are dull and not sparkly - that would bug me.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

In my experience the underside, the gallery of the ring gives it away in terms of quality that would suggest higher quality gemstones. Hollowed out, unpolished galleries lead me to believe the piece is not as well made as one might expect in a quality piece.

 

[LilAlex]

There is a ring I am considering but photos are bad - questions for additional photos lead to more bad photos. An inexperienced ebayer I am sure.

I disagree with this. Crummy photos are an actual eBay strategy. Nothing ever looks better IRL than the photos on eBay. If it's only a little worse, that's a coup on eBay. It goes along with the "it was my gramma's and she only wore it to church," etc.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I disagree with this. Crummy photos are an actual eBay strategy. Nothing ever looks better IRL than the photos on eBay. If it's only a little worse, that's a coup on eBay. It goes along with the "it was my gramma's and she only wore it to church," etc.

This can be so true. I usually look through a seller’s listings and feedback when I see bad photos. If the seller has a history of selling jewelry with decent photos and the item I’m interested in has bad photos then it’s a red flag.

 

[Mreader]

I disagree with this. Crummy photos are an actual eBay strategy. Nothing ever looks better IRL than the photos on eBay. If it's only a little worse, that's a coup on eBay. It goes along with the "it was my gramma's and she only wore it to church," etc.

Yes but sometimes it’s legitimately someone who isn’t good at tech. It’s happened before lol. Lisa’s advice about feedback is a good one.

 

[Mreader]

In my experience the underside, the gallery of the ring gives it away in terms of quality that would suggest higher quality gemstones. Hollowed out, unpolished galleries lead me to believe the piece is not as well made as one might expect in a quality piece.

This is a tension setting so more modern so no real gallery. I ended up passing for now btw.

 

[dk168]

Some of the custom CS rings as seen on PS in the past have a high ratio for ring setting and the cost of CS.

Therefore, I personally do not believe the weight of the ring setting, or the metal being used, is indicative of the CS stone quality myself.

However, I could be wrong.

DK

 

[Dreamer_D]

I disagree with this. Crummy photos are an actual eBay strategy. Nothing ever looks better IRL than the photos on eBay. If it's only a little worse, that's a coup on eBay. It goes along with the "it was my gramma's and she only wore it to church," etc.

I disagree and everything I have bought is better in person than in the photos. Buying from people who don’t typically sell fine jewelry — private sellers, small pawn shops — often means they don’t know how to photograph diamonds or jewels, and some never clean their pieces either. Buying from such people often results in better prices. Your experience may be the rule, but the exceptions are where the deals are in my experience.