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Local jeweler's rumors...True or false?

seedslinger

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
45
I took my ring to a local jeweler today and he told me some interesting things in conversation.

First thing he said was that right now is the best time to buy a diamond because it is before the holiday rush and the new year holiday that many manufacturers take.

He also said that spring is not a good time because the industry is gearing up for the wedding season.

Any truth to this?

Then he told me that 2 stones with the exact same certification, and numbers could be completely different. While I believe that there is a difference in every stone, I find it hard to believe that two GIA stones with the same numbers/grading could vary drastically. I mean, isn't that what certified grading is for? A standardization of sort.

Your thoughts?

Lastly, he told me that all the best stones get bought in person, and that the stones you see online, are not good. A typical brick and mortar sales pitch or gospel?
As always...thanks!
 

rubybeth

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
2,568
seedslinger|1316564954|3021761 said:
Lastly, he told me that all the best stones get bought in person, and that the stones you see online, are not good. A typical brick and mortar sales pitch or gospel?
As always...thanks!

Just flat out WRONG. I would not use this jeweler, he's lying.
 

mogster

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
364
seedslinger said:
Lastly, he told me that all the best stones get bought in person, and that the stones you see online, are not good.

There are good stones to be had online. It's hard to tell if he's just misguided (I'm sure there are a lot of people who think purchasing online is sketchy) or if he's fearmongering to get your business.
 

Lula

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
4,624
Two stones can indeed have the same proportions, the same color and clarity, and be approximately the same size and look very different because of differences in the quality of the rough, differences in the precision of the cutting, and difference in the minor facets http://www.goodoldgold.com/Articles/MinorFacets/. I do believe that cut grade is not an absolute standard, rather it exists on a continuum, with some stones being at the top of the cut grade and some stones barely making the bottom of the cut grade, if that makes sense.

I don't know about the "best time to buy" part of what he said. But just a few weeks ago, a local jeweler told me something similar about the best stones being bought in person, and that places like Blue Nile end up with the stones that have good numbers but so-so looks, because the Blue Nile customer can't compare stones in person. I do believe there is a grain of truth to that. But I also know that most of the bricks and mortar jewelry stores in my small city do not carry AGS 0 or GIA Ex cut stones, so they have a good reason to try to make you believe that their EGL or non-graded stones were purchased because of their "looks" and not their paper (grading report).
 

denverappraiser

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
9,150
1) Diamonds are not perishable, mining is not seasonal and cutters work most of the time. Yeah, there's some traders and some cutting houses who shut down occasionally but it's just not a problem and it doesn't have an affect on prices.

2) The diamond business is WAY bigger than the US. Not everyone has the same idea of 'holiday season'.

3) Most of the online jewelers are no more or less than a jewelry store somewhere that's trying to expand to a bigger sales turf. The Internet is the way to do that. ALL of the online people are buying from the same sources as your local jeweler. It's correct that the 'best' stones tend to be bought up for inventory but it's false that the local stores have some sort of advantage at this. 'Internet dealers' are no more and no less than a jewelry store in someone elses neighborhood. Some are better than others. In each case, the thing to look for is the character of the people behind the counter/keyboard. Start with that and you'll do fine. Without it and you're doomed.
 

makhro82

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 25, 2007
Messages
385
seedslinger|1316564954|3021761 said:
Then he told me that 2 stones with the exact same certification, and numbers could be completely different. While I believe that there is a difference in every stone, I find it hard to believe that two GIA stones with the same numbers/grading could vary drastically. I mean, isn'

Lastly, he told me that all the best stones get bought in person, and that the stones you see online, are not good. A typical brick and mortar sales pitch or gospel?
As always...thanks!


I don't have the world's fanciest diamond (J/SI1), but I would say 9/10 when I go into a jewelry store what I have is better than what they are selling and I purchased online. Most of the time they want to know my vendor and will quickly say they don't have anything of the same quality. Since I've been around Pricescope I haven't seen much in terms of diamonds that I would buy in a B &M. I don't think there is anything wrong with them, but I think Mark at ERD is my jeweler for life lol!
 

WinkHPD

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
May 3, 2001
Messages
7,516
denverappraiser|1316567462|3021784 said:
1) Diamonds are not perishable, mining is not seasonal and cutters work most of the time. Yeah, there's some traders and some cutting houses who shut down occasionally but it's just not a problem and it doesn't have an affect on prices.

2) The diamond business is WAY bigger than the US. Not everyone has the same idea of 'holiday season'.

3) Most of the online jewelers are no more or less than a jewelry store somewhere that's trying to expand to a bigger sales turf. The Internet is the way to do that. ALL of the online people are buying from the same sources as your local jeweler. It's correct that the 'best' stones tend to be bought up for inventory but it's false that the local stores have some sort of advantage at this. 'Internet dealers' are no more and no less than a jewelry store in someone elses neighborhood. Some are better than others. In each case, the thing to look for is the character of the people behind the counter/keyboard. Start with that and you'll do fine. Without it and you're doomed.

Well said Neil!

There is often a price bump at the beginning of the holiday season and sometimes a small drop in Jan or Feb, although this year there were major price increases in Jan-June in many of the size and quality grades. The biggest drain on my business planning is the holiday that they take in Belgium in August and then it takes another month to get back up to speed. Many of our US dealers take off in June or July. We retailers stay open pretty much all year round and hate it when our suppliers are unavailable.

Wink
 

slg47

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
9,667
seedslinger|1316564954|3021761 said:
I took my ring to a local jeweler today and he told me some interesting things in conversation.

First thing he said was that right now is the best time to buy a diamond because it is before the holiday rush and the new year holiday that many manufacturers take.

no.

He also said that spring is not a good time because the industry is gearing up for the wedding season.

Any truth to this?

no.

Then he told me that 2 stones with the exact same certification, and numbers could be completely different. While I believe that there is a difference in every stone, I find it hard to believe that two GIA stones with the same numbers/grading could vary drastically. I mean, isn't that what certified grading is for? A standardization of sort.

Your thoughts?

I am not sure what you mean by exact same certification. If you mean same color/clarity/cut grade, then yes. There is variation within GIA Ex cut grade and AGS0 cut grade. Also the numbers on the report are averaged and rounded, so even stones with the same numbers could have different nuances.

Lastly, he told me that all the best stones get bought in person, and that the stones you see online, are not good. A typical brick and mortar sales pitch or gospel?
As always...thanks!
there may be some truth to this...it is possible that stones that have been 'rejected' go back into the virtual inventory. however, many online dealers specialize in excellent stones and you can get truly excellent stones online.
 

CharmyPoo

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
7,007
I think at the minimum - stock should be more plentiful and selection greater in the off season.
 
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