my engagement ring

[suzan]

In 1977 when I got my engagement ring the appraisal said: .86-E color- VS quality. It is pear shape.Value $1400. We actually paid $900. We noticed an inclusion in the diamond that we saw with the unaided eye. The diamond dealer denied seeing any inclusion.

I just had an appraisal done by a gemologist-appraiser (grad of GIA and other credentials). He said the inclusion is definitely there and rated the ring:.93-F color-SI2.
He said that the price we paid ($900) shows the dealer knew the inclusion was there and wasn''t a VS.

Were the same standards used for grading in 1977 as today? Was $1400 the retail price if the ring had been as the 1977 appraisal claimed? Was $900 the right retail price for the ring I actually have? When I called the diamond dealer, the current dealer(his uncle has retired)said that rating standards were different back then. My mother-in-law,who sent us to that dealer,said the dealer might have done the appraisal for insurance purposes and gave us a wolesale price. Somehow that doesn''t sound like the answer. He never explained that to us and he denied the inclusion that we saw with an unaided eye. We were 21 and 23 at the time. Too young and trusting (especially since my mother-in-law swears by this guy). She says she has never had a problem with any diamonds she bought from him.

Thanks, Suzan

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Date: 3/8/2006 8:01:07 PM
Author:suzan
In 1977 when I got my engagement ring the appraisal said: .86-E color- VS quality. It is pear shape.Value $1400. We actually paid $900. We noticed an inclusion in the diamond that we saw with the unaided eye. The diamond dealer denied seeing any inclusion.

I just had an appraisal done by a gemologist-appraiser (grad of GIA and other credentials). He said the inclusion is definitely there and rated the ring:.93-F color-SI2.
He said that the price we paid ($900) shows the dealer knew the inclusion was there and wasn''t a VS.

Were the same standards used for grading in 1977 as today? Was $1400 the retail price if the ring had been as the 1977 appraisal claimed? Was $900 the right retail price for the ring I actually have? When I called the diamond dealer, the current dealer(his uncle has retired)said that rating standards were different back then. My mother-in-law,who sent us to that dealer,said the dealer might have done the appraisal for insurance purposes and gave us a wolesale price. Somehow that doesn''t sound like the answer. He never explained that to us and he denied the inclusion that we saw with an unaided eye. We were 21 and 23 at the time. Too young and trusting (especially since my mother-in-law swears by this guy). She says she has never had a problem with any diamonds she bought from him.

Thanks, Suzan

Hi Suzan,

If you could see the inclusion with your naked eye, then I don''t understand how a professional could not see it. Back in the seventies, many jewelers were still using terms like "very good" and "excellent" to describe color and clarity. Your jeweler possibly was not very adept at grading diamonds. The GIA grading scale that he used originally is the same scale used today. I would tend to agree with your gemologist appraiser and accept the fact that your diamond is not a VS stone. Some jewelers from decades past were great salespeople but not very knowledgable about diamond quality. Educated consumers today are keeping jewelers on their toes by asking pertinent questions and expecting honest and knowledgable answers. There is really no reason for incompetence in any profession.


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