Need Advice! Is This a Good Deal for this Diamond??

[blushbliss]

I found a diamond via craigslist that I am interested in purchasing as an upgrade. I currently have a .75 ct, I colour, very good cut, vs1 diamond, and the new diamond is a 1.58 ct. I colour, Excellent cut, Si2 clarity. This new diamond is also GIA certified and inscribed, while my current one is not (my diamonds specs are also verified by an independent gemmologist, not an accredited lab). The person selling it was attempting to sell their whole ring, but I asked for the loose diamond price which was 7500. We ended up working out a deal where we are going to exchange diamonds and I will pay the difference in price (this way he is not left with a diamond-less setting).

Now, my stone was purchased from a jeweller with, of course, the dreaded mark up. The stone was about 5400, but appraised at 7100. The seller purchased from bluenile and hence avoided the giant mark up. He has offered me 2500 off for the value of my stone, so I would pay the remaining 5000. 2500 seems very low considering the price we initially paid at the jewelry store, but its not far off when you look up a diamond on bluenile with similar specs.

The diamond scored a 1.1 on the Holloway cut advisor. Here is the GIA Certificate exerpt: http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=2146411423&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547


My question is, would you take this deal? Is 7500 dollars too much? Is 2500 dollars not enough credit for my current diamond?

 

[alma123]

I think $2500 is a fair price for your diamond and $7500 is pretty-well priced as well (for you as the buyer). I think it's a bonus the seller is willing to buy your old one.

I would take the deal as long as the new diamond is eye-clean.

 

[blushbliss]

Thanks for your response! I get to see the ring in person tomorrow and I am really hoping it is eye clean. The diamond plot doesn't look too busy so I have my hopes up

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I'd be cautious with a feather as the primary inclusion and the clouds not shown. I hope you will meet him at a jeweler so that the stone can be verified as the one in the cert and you can also get the jeweler's opinion on the clarity. The money part sounds okay to me. But I wouldn't buy a diamond from a Craiglist ad without having it verified by an appraiser or jeweler/gemologist.

Oh, and his setting isn't going to take your .75. It will be too small for a setting that held a 1.58 ct stone.

 

[UberClaire]

I think you could talk him down on price. You could buy that diamond new from a reputable retailer for not that much more money. Also, based on the inclusion plot, I have a feeling it may be more included than you were hoping for. Definitely don't buy it without having a jeweler verify that it is the same stone from the certificate.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think you could talk him down on price. You could buy that diamond new from a reputable retailer for not that much more money. Also, based on the inclusion plot, I have a feeling it may be more included than you were hoping for. Definitely don't buy it without having a jeweler verify that it is the same stone from the certificate.

I agree with this. If the jeweler thinks the inclusions are not reducing the brilliance of the stone and the feather does not reach the surface, etc., then I might offer him $4000 and your diamond. A total of $7500 isn't that great of a deal for you.

 

[blushbliss]

I think you could talk him down on price. You could buy that diamond new from a reputable retailer for not that much more money. Also, based on the inclusion plot, I have a feeling it may be more included than you were hoping for. Definitely don't buy it without having a jeweler verify that it is the same stone from the certificate.

We will definitely be going to a jeweller to verify the stone before any diamonds or cash is exchanged. Can you tell me why you think the diamond may be more included than the diamond plot shows? I am not overly familiar with diamond plots, but I thought they looked to be types of inclusions that may only be visible at the 10x magnification like the twinning wisps. The clouds are also near the side which appears like they could be covered by a prong.. so long as it doesn't affect its visual performance.

I will definitely update this thread later tonight after I get to see the stone in person.

 

[blushbliss]

Hello Diamondseeker,

And thank you for your response. Could you tell me why feathers are not ideal as a main inclusion? Is it likely to be visible with the naked eye?

Thanks!

 

[UberClaire]

Feather is a nice way of saying crack -- feathers are small cracks in the diamond. The concern is that a feather might reach close to the outside of the diamond and make the stone more likely to chip or splinter if you were to hit it with enough force.

It's hard to tell from that plot, but it looks like there may be a crystal right under the table with a cloud on top of it (?), and there are several other crystals on the periphery. The inclusion plot doesn't tell you if those are dark carbon crystals or not, so they may not be noticeable in real life. There are a couple of feathers under the table too, and inclusions under the table can often appear magnified. It always makes me nervous when an inclusion plot says things "not shown," in this case additional clouds, pinpoints, and surface graining. It varies from stone to stone, and this one may be beautiful in real life, but on paper the amount and types of inclusions for this stone make me nervous. Before you buy, I would make sure you get to look at the diamond in different types of light and under magnification if you choose to do that.