Jeweller refusing to provide IGI report number prior to purchase

[dasitmane]

Hi all,

My brother in law is looking to buy an engagement ring with a lab diamond and has found one he is considering buying. The ring is going to cost over $13,000 total. The jeweller has said the diamond is IGI certified, however is not willing to provide the IGI report number prior to purchase due to "company policy".

Is this normal?

 

[RetroQT]

Hi all,

My brother in law is looking to buy an engagement ring with a lab diamond and has found one he is considering buying. The ring is going to cost over $13,000 total. The jeweller has said the diamond is IGI certified, however is not willing to provide the IGI report number prior to purchase due to "company policy".

Is this normal?

That would be a huge waving red flag to me.

 

[DiamondsOnly]

Doesn’t seem right to me. I went to a big box jewelry store and tried on LGD ring that was $12,000 and the associate showed me the IGI report as well as the IGI report for a second ring….I didn’t buy either of them.

I would have him look elsewhere and this community is more than willing to help.

 

[Kya]

No. I would avoid this.

The lab report is a means of transparency. A good jeweler is happy when they have officially graded specs to share.

Unless anyone here can chime in and come up with a good reason why a jeweler would have a company policy of not sharing lab reports?

 

[EClove]

If you can provide details about what your BIL is looking for in a diamond or ring, this forum can provide some great alternatives!

 

[Karl_K]

Unless anyone here can chime in and come up with a good reason why a jeweler would have a company policy of not sharing lab reports?

To stop you or another jeweler selected by you from searching the report number online and finding the same diamond for far less money.
Its not a good reason, but it is the reason.
Online some have an even worse practice of hiding the reports unless you ask for them then send you a copy with the number removed from the report.

 

[Kya]

To stop you or another jeweler selected by you from searching the report number online and finding the same diamond for far less money.
Its not a good reason, but it is the reason.
Online some have an even worse practice of hiding the reports unless you ask for them then send you a copy with the number removed from the report.

Gosh I hadn’t thought of that…

 

[Kim N]

If you can provide details about what your BIL is looking for in a diamond or ring, this forum can provide some great alternatives!

Yes, we would be happy to help your BIL find a terrific diamond. I would not shop with the current jeweler.

 

[MightyDucks]

I would advise him to RUN away from that jeweler. I can’t ever imagine dropping that amount of money on a lab diamond without seeing a certificate.

 

[DejaWiz]

$13000 for a ring bearing a diamond that nothing is known about?
No way!

Allotting $10000 for a diamond (leaving a very generous $3000 for the setting), one could get a diamond like these:

diamond-UC60539GD | Frank Darling

Sustainably grown lab diamonds and conflict-free natural diamonds. Shop competitively priced GIA diamonds in every shape, from emerald cut to round brilliant.

frankdarling.com

https://www.distinctivegem.com/coll...nctive-oval-private-reserve-lab-grown-diamond

...whichever shape is being sought after, we are a free army of consumers and prosumers that can and will happily find the absolutely best diamond for just about every budget and desire.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

A dissenting voice.
If a person chooses to shop with a business and that business does a lot of research to find a diamond that fits that persons requirements. Then that person takes that information and finds the same diamond at a lower price - who is ripping off whom?

In the case Karl mentioned - there was a dodgy low ball company that listed diamonds they often even had no access to from one of PriceScopes longest supporters who were first to have videos on all their diamonds.
That company no longer displays certs, but gives them to you in minutes by request. That reduces the number of shopping arounders.
Classic switch and bait techniques did no one much good other than saving dozens of people a hundred bucks or so.
Then the low baller went broke taking hundreds of peoples hard earned deposits of full payments with them. That company was supported by another existing company that felt - presumably via association and commercial support - they had to pay for legal representation for the ripped off consumers.

end of rant

 

[Kya]

$13000 for a ring bearing a diamond that nothing is known about?
No way!

Allotting $10000 for a diamond (leaving a very generous $3000 for the setting), one could get a diamond like these:

diamond-UC60539GD | Frank Darling

Sustainably grown lab diamonds and conflict-free natural diamonds. Shop competitively priced GIA diamonds in every shape, from emerald cut to round brilliant.

frankdarling.com

https://www.distinctivegem.com/coll...nctive-oval-private-reserve-lab-grown-diamond

...whichever shape is being sought after, we are a free army of consumers and prosumers that can and will happily find the absolutely best diamond for just about every budget and desire.

That oval is an excellent find!

A dissenting voice.
If a person chooses to shop with a business and that business does a lot of research to find a diamond that fits that persons requirements. Then that person takes that information and finds the same diamond at a lower price - who is ripping off whom?

In the case Karl mentioned - there was a dodgy low ball company that listed diamonds they often even had no access to from one of PriceScopes longest supporters who were first to have videos on all their diamonds.
That company no longer displays certs, but gives them to you in minutes by request. That reduces the number of shopping arounders.
Classic switch and bait techniques did no one much good other than saving dozens of people a hundred bucks or so.
Then the low baller went broke taking hundreds of peoples hard earned deposits of full payments with them. That company was supported by another existing company that felt - presumably via association and commercial support - they had to pay for legal representation for the ripped off consumers.

end of rant

Yikes That is sickeningly unethical from all angles….

That lowball company should be put out of business. But also, if a person has a vendor do the legwork to source a stone, it behooves him/her to purchase it from said vendor.

So from your post I’m taking it that some vendors might (understandably) be hesitant to disclose reports to minimize risk of bait and switch!

That said, while I earlier posted no way would I consider, I take it back somewhat:
Ultimately a trustworthy vendor is more important than a preview of an actual report number, assuming that
1- I genuinely trust the trust the vendor
2- all the specs as per the report are disclosed to make a sound decision - and
3- The stone is easily returnable if there is a problem.

 

[emmy12]

Hi all,

My brother in law is looking to buy an engagement ring with a lab diamond and has found one he is considering buying. The ring is going to cost over $13,000 total. The jeweller has said the diamond is IGI certified, however is not willing to provide the IGI report number prior to purchase due to "company policy".

Is this normal?

I agree it sounds a bit like a red flag from the jeweler... are they willing to at least show him the diamond + loupe and the report in person to verify they match? If they won't even do that, run fast in the other direction.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I agree it sounds a bit like a red flag from the jeweler... are they willing to at least show him the diamond + loupe and the report in person to verify they match? If they won't even do that, run fast in the other direction.

We have no hesitation showing certs on diamonds we own in my stores.
but when they are virtual we share the pertinent info but not numbers.

 

[emmy12]

We have no hesitation showing certs on diamonds we own in my stores.
but when they are virtual we share the pertinent info but not numbers.

Oh that's a completely different scenario from what I was thinking was going on here. I had assumed the jeweler of the OP's BIL had that stone on hand in the shop and was not going to show certs

 

[tkyasx78]

most of my stones I pay per stone for overnigh shipping to have shipped in so I can see them in person, I had better be able to see the cert

I would run so fast! I would never support that jeweler or any other who would withhold the info on a specific diamond prior to purchase. This isn’t a gumball machine purchase. After spending hours at the store, sorting in the office through hundreds of options for the perfect stone and then having a custom setting made for the perfect stone, I had better know what I am paying for.

if a jeweler cannot trust me by letting me see the IGI number and cert. on a specific Diamond that I am buying to compare it to the one on the girdle prior to purchase, that jeweler has no business selling to me at all.

my jeweler and I have to trust each other. I would never give him my money if he was acting like that. In my opinion- to me… it is bad form and shady to not release that before purchase.

 

[Ionysis]

The jeweller should provide a copy of the report with the number redacted. Consumer has all relevant info and peace of mind. Jeweller has comfort the consumer won’t go to another party to buy the same diamond. There. Easy.

 

[ariel144]

To stop you or another jeweler selected by you from searching the report number online and finding the same diamond for far less money.
Its not a good reason, but it is the reason.
Online some have an even worse practice of hiding the reports unless you ask for them then send you a copy with the number removed from the report.

James Allen used to do that but not any more. Now you can view the report with the stone online. That old policy was so annoying!!!!