J 1.006ct SI2 vs F 0.9ct SI2

[MissDimity]

Hi all,

4 weeks ago I found "my dream" ring in a shop window. We purchased it and had it resized and asked for the centre diamond ( J 1ct S12) to be certified. Upon collecting the ring after it had been resized we were given a valuation and not a certificate. We asked again for the centre stone to be independently certified. "Sure" said the jeweller, saying it should be a week.

2 weeks pass and it comes back as a "TLB" 1 ct SI2 diamond, the jeweler offers us a discount and reply we just want it to be replaced with the diamond (J 1ct "eye clean" SI2) we originally thought we bought. "Fine" he says should be ready in a week. 2 weeks pass and we finally here back from him. He says he can replace it with an F 0.9ct SI2 diamond or he will keep looking for a J 1ct SI2 diamond

Which would be better?
Jeweler hasn''t purchased any replacement diamonds yet, and we are expected to make a decision over the phone, but we can''t judge anything ie CUT, CLARITY over the phone, any advice????

 

[kcoursolle]

Neither of them are any good because without a GIA or AGS...or even EGL certificate you really have NO idea what you are getting. I say go back in there and ask for GIA or AGS or bust. If he can''t provide that I think you should consider working with another jeweler to make you a new dream ring. There is something fishy about this situation.

 

[honey22]

You should get a full refund (which you are entitled to) and come back here. We will help you find a great stone.

 

[MissDimity]

kcoursolle I agree with you, the fact the first diamond that was in the ring was advertised wrong, and there was no certificate kept with the diamond in the store seemed fishy to me too.

He says he is purchasing it from outside the store and that it will come with a certificate IGL, GSL, EGL, DCLA or GIA.
Is it reasonable for him to purchase a selection of diamonds, for us then to view certificates and the diamonds , and select one of those? Is that an option sometimes given?

Don''t know what to do? my bf has paid for the ring in full and I rang the department of fair trading (Australia) and we are still entitled to a refund.

The ring was looked so nice and at half the original price the jeweler sold it at ($ 4500 AUD down from $7990), I doubt we would get the same ring made for that price elsewhere.

Description: 1ct ( J SI2) bezel set in 18k white gold in a cathedral prong, set in a 18k yellow gold band with channel set diamonds on the shoulders ( H colour 0.30 TCW)

However now I have doubts on the authenticity of everything else i.e shoulder diamonds, 18k gold

 

[MissDimity]

honey thinking of getting a refund, and going elsewhere. But everyone talks of american based places diamond jewelers, however I am stuck in the land downunder ( Sydney, Australia).

 

[swingirl]

REFUND! There are a number of Aussies on PS. Some have bought from the US and others have found local vendors they liked. If you post a thread asking for recommendations from fellow Aussies I bet you''ll get some replies.

 

[kmci]

I''d get a refund and run!!! The other problem is the AU$ which makes things more expensive as diamonds are usually bought in US$ (or so I believe)

 

[Cynd33]

If you can, get a refund.

I can recommend a great wholesaler where i purchased my diamond and they could definately help you within your budget and price range. Located in the CBD as well, she is absolutely beautiful and helped me find my perfect cushion.

if you call http://www.diamondspecialist.com.au/http://www.diamondspecialists.com.au and ask for Morag, tell her Cindy referred you and she will help you out. Not sure if she will remember me exactly as it was several months since i last spoke to her but she will be able to sort you out a good deal. Oh and pretty sure they do competitive price matching as well... their website is not that great but I have been down to their offices and they are a very professional company - much better than any of the other wholesalers i visited!!

Good luck!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 11/6/2008 2:19:35 AM
Author: Cynd33
If you can, get a refund.

I can recommend a great wholesaler where i purchased my diamond and they could definately help you within your budget and price range. Located in the CBD as well, she is absolutely beautiful and helped me find my perfect cushion.

if you call http://www.diamondspecialist.com.au/http://www.diamondspecialists.com.au/ and ask for Morag, tell her Cindy referred you and she will help you out. Not sure if she will remember me exactly as it was several months since i last spoke to her but she will be able to sort you out a good deal. Oh and pretty sure they do competitive price matching as well... their website is not that great but I have been down to their offices and they are a very professional company - much better than any of the other wholesalers i visited!!

Good luck!

cynd33, just fyi, the generally agreed knowledge around here is that there is no such thing as a "diamond wholesaler" when you are talking from a consumers'' POV..by definition, they are selling to the public, so they are a retailer - "wholesaling" is really just a gimmick..

I''m glad this store were able to help you though

 

[Deelight]

MissDimity

I don''t know what part of Oz your in but some I can think of off the top of my head are:

Sydney
Delphi Diamonds Claireabelle got her beautiful Legacy Replica from there and it is beautiful. You will have to call and make an appointment with them to view stones though she was really happy with the final product.

Melbourne
Garry''s Store
Holloway Diamonds also has beautiful stuff, I have seen his catalouge and it is all YUMMY.


Those would be my suggestions down under maybe someone else would have more too add

 

[MMT]

What is "TLB"?

 

[Cynd33]

Date: 11/6/2008 5:19:49 AM
Author: arjunajane

Date: 11/6/2008 2:19:35 AM
Author: Cynd33
If you can, get a refund.

I can recommend a great wholesaler where i purchased my diamond and they could definately help you within your budget and price range. Located in the CBD as well, she is absolutely beautiful and helped me find my perfect cushion.

if you call http://www.diamondspecialist.com.au/http://www.diamondspecialists.com.au/ and ask for Morag, tell her Cindy referred you and she will help you out. Not sure if she will remember me exactly as it was several months since i last spoke to her but she will be able to sort you out a good deal. Oh and pretty sure they do competitive price matching as well... their website is not that great but I have been down to their offices and they are a very professional company - much better than any of the other wholesalers i visited!!

Good luck!

cynd33, just fyi, the generally agreed knowledge around here is that there is no such thing as a ''diamond wholesaler'' when you are talking from a consumers'' POV..by definition, they are selling to the public, so they are a retailer - ''wholesaling'' is really just a gimmick..

I''m glad this store were able to help you though

Hi arjunajane,

thanks for the clarification... i had no idea there was a differentiation as i was totally going by what my friends and the companies had told me

- in saying that, how would they differ from your standard B&M as they were certainly not your typical store in Westfields? Or is it still the same thing?

i found the service was great and i did see a significant difference in the prices between the retailers and than the typical big mall jewellery stores. Best of luck with your search MissDimity... hope your wait is not too long!

 

[MissDimity]

Cynd33: Still waiting.... almost 4 weeks now for the jeweler to find a replacement diamond of equal value to the one we thought we bought.

My mother said to me today " do you think that he is deliberately making you wait so when he eventually gets back to you , you will be so sick of waiting, that you would just settle for anything".. she has a point, it doesn''t take long ( 2-3 days) to find, buy and have a diamond delivered over the internet.

Do not understand why it has taken so long. Anyhow, I will see what he comes up with and if it''s not right, we will request a refund and go elsewhere.


MMT= "TLB" stands for Top Light Brown, hence the reason why I am disappointed with him selling a brown diamond as a "J" colour. The extremes of colour aren''t even in the same class. Brown ( champagne or cognac diamonds, they are all the same) are worth 70-80% less per carat than "white diamonds".