Nervous... How to proceed with diamond purchase/What to do after sale?

[cypp]

Hello,

We are close to buying a diamond, and are seriously considering purchasing a branded Love Fire (has anyone ever heard of this brand? I googled it, and didn''t show up as a well recognized brand) GIA certified diamond. It is 2.21 ct, H, VS1, and scores 2.3 on the HCA and 1B on the DIY. The seller is giving it to us for $25,500 if paid by a check.

We''re not sure how to proceed... the jeweler is out of state, and would have to ship it to us to avoid tax. W''re not comfortable with that, what if they switch the stone?

We asked about getting it laser inscribed by GIA and then having it re-certified with the laser inscription on the document. They said it is fine, and would take 2 weeks.

Would they do the laser inscription BEFORE we buy the diamond, or only AFTER? I don''t really like the thought of paying $25,000 and not having the diamond for awhile.

Also, about the apprasial. Would we get the diamond appraised before we buy it, and have the appraiser come into the store.... or AFTER it''s already been laser inscribed?

It''s not the jeweler''s stone, so we''re not sure how to do this...

And lastly, does this diamond seem like a good buy?

2.21
H VS1
8.47 - 8.52 x 5.13 mm
Cut Grade: Excellent
Depth: 60.4 %
Table: 56 %
Crown Angle: 33.5°
Crown Height: 14.5 %
Pavilion Angle: 41.2°
Pavilion Depth: 43.5 %
Star length: 50 %
Lower Half: 80 %
Girdle: Thin to Medium, Faceted
Culet: None
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None


Thanks so much everyone.

 

[JulieN]

so it's not the jeweler's stone, but it's branded?

does that mean he's an authorized dealer? has he even seen it?

or this is just some random brand that is slapped on?

polish? symmetry, cut grade?

 

[cypp]

Hi Julie, I don''t think it''s brand he made up... I don''t know. I think he got the stone from another dealer or the manufactor? He''s been holding it for us for a week and said that they are pressuring him to send it back. It comes with a pamphlet, and is double certified with the original GIA certificate and the Love Fire certificate. It also has a Sarin report on the Love Fire certificate, but we don''t know how to read that.

The polish, symmetry, and cut grade is excellent...

 

[JulieN]

so what is a Love Fire? i googled it and it's not in the first 20 hits. post the Sarin...we know how to read it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Do they have a return policy? What people do if they are uncertain about the deal they are getting is to take the stone to an independent appraiser and have it evaluated. Then, if it is not what you expected, you can send it back for a full refund. I wouldn''t buy in a situation without an unconditional full refund policy. But it is good that it is a GIA excellent stone. I think the price sounds okay.

 

[whatmeworry]

Cypp,
Can you post the GIA report number? That would help

 

[RockDoc]

For a diamond that is this expensive, it makes better sense for you to have it shipped out to an appraiser, have it checked out before you purchase it.

If you were buying a house, you''d have it inspected, and appraised before you paid for it, wouldn''t you?

As far as any reliance on what the brand of the stone is, you should ask the seller :

What parameters of the cutting and other quality of the brand that assures me that I am getting a stone, that the brand name has some significance ?

Most diamond sellers that do brand their stones, will be happy to tell you what significance the branding has.

Most diamond sellers will send a stone to an appraiser without you paying for it up front, as long as the appraiser is well known and has references.

In most instances, after it is checked, and you decide you want it, then you pay the seller, and the appraiser will ship it directly to you.

Rockdoc

 

[cypp]

Date: 7/12/2006 10:31:44 PM
Author: JulieN
so what is a Love Fire? i googled it and it''s not in the first 20 hits. post the Sarin...we know how to read it.

I didn''t find it first when I googed it, but I eventually found some paragraphs about it here:

http://www.diamondgiveaway.com/Jewelry/premier.html#love (scroll down past eightstar)

http://crownejewelers.com/netscape-lovefire.htm


This is what the Sarin report says:

GIA Certificate Number: 15083703
Diamond Weight: 2.21
Diameter: 8.520 (8.47mm -8.52mm)
Table Percentage: 56%
Crown Percentage:14.5%
Crown Angle: 33.5
Pavilion Depth: 43.5%
Pavilion Angle: 41.2
Total Depth: 60.2%
Girdle Thickness: 0.82%

Does it translate into an excellent diamond....?

 

[cypp]

Date: 7/12/2006 10:35:47 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Do they have a return policy? What people do if they are uncertain about the deal they are getting is to take the stone to an independent appraiser and have it evaluated. Then, if it is not what you expected, you can send it back for a full refund. I wouldn''t buy in a situation without an unconditional full refund policy. But it is good that it is a GIA excellent stone. I think the price sounds okay.

We spoke to the seller today about getting it appraised. This is what he said: he will ship it to the appraiser, the appraiser will ship it back to him. If it''s not what it says on the GIA and Love Fire report, he said we don''t have to buy it. He didn''t go into detail about his return policy.

whatmeworry, the GIA report number is 15083703

 

[JulieN]

well, you''re nervous, and it''s 25K. have it sent to the appraiser of your choice.

 

[ladykemma]

have you seen it in person?
for 25k i would get an airline ticket and fly to see it. southwest airlines $288 each way.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I don''t care how many appraisals it has, I''d be very sure of the return policy on the diamond! I''d want it sent to ME to look at, and then I''d get an appriasal and send it back if it wasn''t what I wanted. If there is not a reasonable return policy, I wouldn''t trust them enough to buy the stone.

 

[cypp]

Rockdoc,

When I looked up LoveFire on the internet, on this site:

http://www.diamondgiveaway.com/Jewelry/premier.html#love

it says that "Each LoveFire Diamond is laser inscribed with the LoveFire logo and a unique identification number that allows you to easily identify your particular diamond."

I asked the seller if it has a logo or indentification number, he called back and said No.

That makes me a little uncomfortable... he also doesn''t seem to happy about us wanting it to be sent to an appraiser. He said it is already GIA certified and branded, why does it need to be sent to an appraiser? He also said he wants a $5K check deposit on it, and that he would ship it to the appraiser, the appraiser would ship it back to him, and if we want it, we would pay the balance with a check and he''d ship it to us to avoid the tax issue. But since the stone does not have a laser inscription, or even a Love Fire logo, what if the stone is switched from the one that was appraised?

 

[JulieN]

you can have another appraisal after it is set and completed in the ring.

give the GIA number to Love Fire and ask if they cut it.

 

[cypp]

Hi Julie, he did say that he would ship it to the appraiser (AGA... the David Atlas company, I think?) but he just doesn''t seem too happy about it.

Ladykemma, we did see it in person... it looks like a good diamond, but then again we''re not experts or anything. The jeweler is about almost an hours drive from us, but in another state. He was going to ship it to us to avoid tax, instead of us walking out of the store with the stone. I am weary of a switch though...

diamondseeker2006, thanks for your response. I''m going to call again and try to get a firm answer about the return policy.

Does the Sarin report translate into a good diamond, for $25,500?

 

[RockDoc]

Date: 7/13/2006 4:33:38 PM
Author: cypp

Rockdoc,

When I looked up LoveFire on the internet, on this site:

http://www.diamondgiveaway.com/Jewelry/premier.html#love

it says that ''Each LoveFire Diamond is laser inscribed with the LoveFire logo and a unique identification number that allows you to easily identify your particular diamond.''

I asked the seller if it has a logo or indentification number, he called back and said No.

That makes me a little uncomfortable... he also doesn''t seem to happy about us wanting it to be sent to an appraiser. He said it is already GIA certified and branded, why does it need to be sent to an appraiser? He also said he wants a $5K check deposit on it, and that he would ship it to the appraiser, the appraiser would ship it back to him, and if we want it, we would pay the balance with a check and he''d ship it to us to avoid the tax issue. But since the stone does not have a laser inscription, or even a Love Fire logo, what if the stone is switched from the one that was appraised?

I agree with you. If Love Fire is a brand that inscribes their stones, then it SHOULD have the inscription.

Find a seller that will send the diamond without you risking anything in addition to the shipping costs.

If you sent the stone here, decided to buy it, and then paid the seller, there is no reason to ship it back to the seller....

That would incur extra shipping charges needlessly.

Too many good sellers that don''t have a problem with the reviewing of what they are selling to have to be concerned or nervous about the transaction.

This should be "fun" rather than a nervous situation.

Rockdoc

 

[codex57]

If you are laser inscribing something personal (not the inscription from Love Fire that should already be there), there''s no way a jeweler will let you do that before buying it. I mean, what if you decide you don''t want it. What''s he going to do with a laser inscribed diamond?

 

[Rod]

Date: 7/13/2006 4:33:38 PM
Author: cypp

Rockdoc,

When I looked up LoveFire on the internet, on this site:

http://www.diamondgiveaway.com/Jewelry/premier.html#love

it says that ''Each LoveFire Diamond is laser inscribed with the LoveFire logo and a unique identification number that allows you to easily identify your particular diamond.''

I asked the seller if it has a logo or indentification number, he called back and said No.

That makes me a little uncomfortable... he also doesn''t seem to happy about us wanting it to be sent to an appraiser. He said it is already GIA certified and branded, why does it need to be sent to an appraiser? He also said he wants a $5K check deposit on it, and that he would ship it to the appraiser, the appraiser would ship it back to him, and if we want it, we would pay the balance with a check and he''d ship it to us to avoid the tax issue. But since the stone does not have a laser inscription, or even a Love Fire logo, what if the stone is switched from the one that was appraised?

Something smells fishy with that. If it is indeed a branded stone and LoveFire Diamonds are laser inscribed, then this stone would HAVE to have the inscription. This doesn''t mean it''s not a beautiful stone, but if you''re paying for a branded stone, it has to have the branding. I would be a bit skeptical if I were you..........

 

[whatmeworry]

Hi Cypp,

www.tachediamonds.com is the website for the maker of LoveFire (one word for all you googlers). Their telephone number in NY is 212-371-1234.

no logo or id number is uncomfortable. the appraissal process that they want to do is uncomfortable also.