laser engraved stones

[asscherisme]

Does a laser engraved stone really protect you from getting swindled by a dishonest jewler? From what I have read, getting a stone laser engraved is not hard and polishing off a laser engraving is not hard. So if ia jeweler is intent on switching a stone you drop off to them, couldn''t they laser engrave the lesser stone to match the one they swap?

In other words, I have read so much about laser engraving protecting people against getting swapped but a dishonest jeweler is a dishonest jeweler. And if someone knows what their stone looks like, arn''t they much less likely to be fooled?

I think that choosing a jewler who you trust is much much better protection than laser engraving. An honest jeweler would not risk their reputation over one stone.

What do you all think?

My stone by the way is not laser engraved and for a while I regretted that I should have had it done before my ring was assembled.

What do you all think?

And is your stone laser engraved? If not, do you regret it? Would you go so far as to take apart the ring to have it done?

 

[DiamondExpert]

For ID purposes, it''s more important to be familiar with the inclusions - nature, number, relative position, etc. - than a laser inscription.

On the other hand, how many jewelers have a diamond wheel handy for removing a laser inscription?....damn few.

I believe that the number of times that a jeweler switches a stone is grandly magnified in the minds of the public, compared to the number of times it actually happens!

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Hi assch,

I can understand your concerns about "dishonesty." However, our industry is based on trust and reputation.
Most, if not all jewelers are unwilling to ruin their reputation not only in the industry but in their community over
a stone switching incident. I recall one jeweler switching diamonds for CZ''s and he was prosecuted
and sent to jail. This is very rare.
It''s always a plus to have a laser inscription but it''s equally important to "know your diamond" and the location,
size and nature of the inclusions. Spend some quality time getting to know your diamond under 10x magnification.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

 

[[email protected]]

You read my mind!! I''ve just purchased a laser inscribed diamond and had it mounted in a ring. Now, I need to resize the ring and all the thoughts of stone switching, polishing off the number and inscribing another stone with the same number crosses my mind all the time.

I reckon that you''re right. If a jeweller is intent on swapping the stone, he will. BUT...I think having a laser inscribed diamond does help in a sense. There is always the time factor. For instance, i''m bringing my stone into the workshop and waiting while they resize (approx 2 hours). I don''t think they would have enough time to swap the stone, engrave, yada yada. Also, assuming a jeweller is dischonest and is a stone swapper. He is less likely to go through all the trouble of swapping a laser inscribed stone, compared with a non inscribed one. That''s my reasoning anyway.

It is however always wise to go to a trusted jeweller anyway.

Anyone any thoughts?

 

[Regular Guy]

Does it really make any sense to lock your car? A thief can take it anyway.

Date: 4/1/2007 2:57:36 PM
Author:asscherisme

And is your stone laser engraved? If not, do you regret it? Would you go so far as to take apart the ring to have it done?

I feel it is by good fortune, that mine is laser engraved. I think if it were not, and were assembled, I would let it be.

 

[zoebartlett]

We were thinking of doing it but we decided not to. If we did, the stone would always be ours and we wouldn''t be able to trade it in for an upgrade. I''m not sure that we would want to trade it in (for sentementality reasons) anyway. It''s not expensive to do but we passed.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That subject did not come up until I was ready to have my first stone sent to me, and I opted to go ahead and get it rather than wait a few extra days to have that done. There are two reasons I simply would not worry about this. One is that I only use highly reputable jewelers that have been in business a long time to do repairs, sizing, etc., and the other is that my ring is insured. If my stone was stolen/switched, it would be a simple matter to prove that it was not the stone I had insured. So I don''t worry about having a laser inscription at all. I guess there is one more reason. There are SO few hearts and arrows stones around here, I''d know my stone was switched if it was switched for a less symmetrical diamond. I think having a H&A stone makes it extremely unlikely that it would be switched because it would be so noticeable.

 

[yeewl]

Hi,

I used to have the same thoughts as you. Being a consumer, I often worried the craftman will or accidentally ''switched'' the diamond as I have an IGI(Japan) H&A diamond that wasn''t lasered inscripted. So I have to learn how to recognise the stone.

Is it worth the money, reputation just to switch 1 diamond and then ruin all their years of building trust in the diamond community?

It takes years to build on that trust and just a day to ruin it all. When words spread around, this person will close shop in no time or maybe worse, in jail.

Just like gary had mentioned, how many people has diamond wheel handy to remove the number and also how much does it cost to purchase a laser inscription machine to inscript a new number after erasing the old?

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 4/1/2007 6:42:24 PM
Author: yeewl
Is it worth the money, reputation just to switch 1 diamond and then ruin all their years of building trust in the diamond community?

Probably not, so you''re likely in good shape...but...

So I have to learn how to recognise the stone.

let''s say you do get a bum jeweler who has the moxie, and decides he will switch the stone. Then what. You know your stone, and identify the one returned to you is not yours. Then what? The switcher just backs down and says you win? Maybe more likely he says you''re crazy. Even if a constable is brought in, and a charting of inclusions is even pulled out, do we think that will end it, against the jeweler''s statement that no switch was made.

Alternately, how more clear that, by mutual agreement before the diamond is turned over, and after it is returned, that the number matches on both sides of the transaction, is it the same stone?

But, maybe you''d prefer not to ask...and generally they do not assume to do so. Of course, they may have that machine that erases and restores these numbers...and though it''s not likely they do...this discussion is about degrees of liklihood.

I''m not sure how to treat this situation, but having an inscription does give you the option for not only trusting, but verifying a bit more conclusively.

 

[yeewl]

Hello again,

Thank you for your concern and also to hi-light some key issues.

Just like all the other members mentioned in this thread, go to someone you can trust. The craftman I have been using has been in this line for years. I did had some reservation in the beginning about leaving my stone there.

But in the course of time, after letting them set a few of my items (with and without any laser inscription) and also semi precious stones like the emerald ring which you can see from the picture, I am comfortable to trust them so I continued to engage their service often and also recommended friends there too.

Most of the friends had purchased GIA stones with laser inscription. Besides, since they opt to choose those ready casing that are on displayed all they need to do is just leave the stone to be set and collect them 2 hours later. Just bring along their GIA dossier to countercheck.

I have a couple of diamonds with GIA and HRD laser inscripted on the girdle while the others, smaller stones (0.02 to 0.20). Those were the ones without any laser inscription, besides the larger IGI stone.

Normally, before we start on any new setting, increase/reduce ring size with diamond already set in it or even just plating, we (mutually) use the loupe and recognise the diamond. It comes in handy if your diamond has some sort of marking like, feather, white inclusion etc. For my case, I always carry with me the idealscope and the ASET scope to look at my diamond before and after the job''s done.

After the job is done, we will use the loupe and check the diamonds again.

For simple things like increase or decrease of ring size if it''s in 18 K white/yellow gold or just plating, it takes them less than 2 hours to complete the job and i either sits there to wait or does window shopping before coming back to collect the item.

 

[kcoursolle]

I think about it like stealing a bike.

A bike stealer sees two bikes... One has a chain on it and the other one doesn''t. Both bikes are pretty similar. While he could pick the bike with the chain and steal it if he went to the effort, he''d probably just walk off with the unchained bike.


A laser inscription is similar. A swindler would have to go to quite a bit more effort to swap a stone with an inscription. However, I can''t say I''m really that worried about it either way. Stone swaping is rare and knowing the inclusions in your stone can help.