No success in upgrading my 1st e-ring

[upgrade-me]

Hi - I am a newbie and have been lurking for over a month. Reading the topics here prompted me to upgrade my initial e-ring from 10 yrs ago. My husband insisted on buying the e-ring himself and although I hinted at a round, I got a pear: .81 carats, E-VS2, IGI-certed.

Fast forward to now, the place that he bought it at has a 100% upgrade policy. I went today and asked to look at 1.50 carat rounds, G-SI2 diamonds. The woman (she was the initial salesperson who helped my husband 10 yrs ago) showed me a 1.30 carat H-SI2 GIA-certed diamond for $8,400. It looked pretty and I asked if she had a sarin report that came with it. This is when it started going downhill.

She asked why I needed it and I told her that I wanted to know crown and pavilion angles to find out how brilliant it would rank on the cut adviser. She said that this information wasn''t available and all the information I needed was on the GIA-cert. She also stated that GIA was the top lab and she that this should pretty satisfactory in itself (not in those exact words). I asked if they carried EGL certed diamonds and she said appallingly ''no - they tend to grade 2 grades lower than GIA''. The store''s top diamonds are all GIA diamonds because they are the best. I also asked if they had an idealscope and the quick reply was a no. At that point, I realized that she wasn''t going to be helpful at all and left.

How disappointing! I was willing to spend more money to get a bigger ring and this is the attitude and ignorance that is shown to me. I wasn''t trying to throw around big words or phrases, but apparently the little knowledge I learned from here threw her off. I guess I will have to wait a couple more years to save some more money and buy a bigger ring online from a PS vendor instead.

PS - she also brought in a 1.75ct H-VS2 GIA-certed ring which I never saw but it was marked $17,000. Were they totally going to rip me off or what?!?

Sorry for venting. I will just have to wait and save $.

Upgrade-me

 

[Regular Guy]

Dear Upgrade-me,

Sorry the experience was not fun that you reported on. Before giving up the baby with the bathwater, three possible things to consider:

1) You asked her about EGL, I take it, because their certificates do come with more information. I''m not sure that her criticism of them was wrong, actually. But, and more imporatantly, is it possible they either have AGS certed diamonds, which also come with some of the cut info you''re seeking, or could readily get them? They will be making money on you, after all.

2) This discussion recently suggests another solution, wheren you can either get third party help with their goods, or press them harder, despite their not being friendly, or liking you doing that,.

3) Soon (months away?) GIA will have more of the kind of information that will allow you to judge cut more easily. So you may be able to wait less long, and still use this store, but with a cert forthcoming from GIA down the line.

Best wishes,

 

[joycer]

Personally I''d run from any jeweller that was as unhelpful as she was. I''m not a jeweler, but I''d bet that most of the ones on PS would happily provide a sarin report for you among other tools like an idealscope image, in order to make an $8000 sale (since it doesn''t happen everyday for most jewelers). On the other hand, one suggestion you could offer was that you''d make the sale pending an inspection by an independent appraiser. I know some of the internet vendors here will send a diamond to an independent appraiser in your area to have it inspected and so you can see it and get the results of their inspection before you buy it. So if the jewelry store you already went to won''t allow that then I''d say go with a PS vendor. Of all the lurking I''ve done, hands done the prices here and quality are second to none.

-joycer

 

[upgrade-me]

Thank you both to Ira Z. and joycer.

At this point, I think I would tend to stay away from this B&M store. I didn''t appreciate the attitude I got from this salesperson and she in no way tried to help me out when I mentioned the information I was looking for. And this, coming from a sales rep with a minimum of 10 yrs experience in this business. It''s not like I was talking a foreign language. Instead of trying to be accomodating in some way, I got attitude. Why should I go back for a second serving of this? I''d rather spend my money wisely. I happened to pricescope the 2 diamonds she had on hand for me, 1.30 carat H-SI2 and the 1.75 ct H-VS2 and the store''s prices were quite a bit higher than PS vendors.

Alas, I''ve already waited 10 yrs for an upgrade. What''s another 1-2 yrs at this point. Thanks!

 

[AChiOAlumna]

I''m just playing devil''s advocate here....is it possible that this saleswoman was newer to the store?? Is there another sales associate in the store who may be more helpful to you?? You could always make a complaint to the manager of the store (who won''t want to lose your business) and let him/her know of your unpleasant experience. If they don''t have Sarins or ISs, then that''s fair, but the attitude is not...

I''m just thinking of a way to get the results you wanted...

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/24/2005 12

3:52 AM
Author: AChiOAlumna
I''m just playing devil''s advocate here....is it possible that this saleswoman was newer to the store?? Is there another sales associate in the store who may be more helpful to you?? You could always make a complaint to the manager of the store (who won''t want to lose your business) and let him/her know of your unpleasant experience. If they don''t have Sarins or ISs, then that''s fair, but the attitude is not...

I''m just thinking of a way to get the results you wanted...

no.....she said this is the same salesperson who sold her husband the ring 10 yrs ago.

 

[valeria101]

Wait a minute, why not just get that 1.5 cts now ?

Perhaps something like THIS will do

Or... THIS the IScope should be improved (it is still one of the "old" versions... but it looks darn promissing as is)

How bad does this sound ?

 

[michela002]

I can understand you not wanting to give them any business, and if you choose to go with a PS vendor and nix the B&M that makes sense.

However, if you want to give it a last-ditch effort, I''d recommend going in there and ask for the manage. Say you have come back despite the unhelpful treatment you received from the first salesperson, and they have one chance to win your business. Explain you are not an idiot, you know about diamonds, and if you ask for information about a stone you expect to get it. You want to upgrade, you have X to spend, and for them to win your business, you demand X, Y and Z. They can either choose to provide the information you want (smart) or lose your business. I wager the manager/owner should be more helpful!

Seems like it should be a simple choice for them! And if you get even 1% of less-than-optimal treatment you know for sure what the right move is!

Good luck!

 

[upgrade-me]

To Ana - yes, I did see those links for those diamonds before.

Unfortunately, I don''t have the $8,000 now. I would have traded-in my current pear (at 100% of what my husband paid for it) and upgraded to a 1.50 carats. I only have about $5,000 to buy the 1.50 ct now . I needed the trade-in value to get it to $8,000.

So, I will wait.

To indecisive - I know you are pretty much telling me to give them a second chance, but I''m just not going to bother. I also think that their prices are over-priced. For a 1.30 H-SI2 at $8,400 is too much (I pricescoped this diamond and it appears to be $1,400 more than the HIGHEST priced diamond) and the H-VS2, 1.75 carat was $17,000 which was $2,000 more than the highest priced diamond on pricescope.

What happens if I wanted to upgrade again after 1.50 cts (my husband doesn''t even have a clue about that comment). How much more will have to pay again?!? Just chalk it up to experience and hold out for better.

THANKS!

 

[bluedawg]

My situation with an upgrade was somewhat similar to yours: after 10 years of marriage, we have begun to look for an upgrade diamond and setting as well.

We have been doing business with the same store since DH bought my diamond 11 years ago... and always thought they were good. Despite the negative comments from locals (that they have the "used car sales approach" we were always pleased. Until I started researching my upgarde here at PS, that is.

Our B&M store had nothing with a GIA or AGS cert. They kept bringing us very ugly stones and insisting that they were "ideal" cut but had no paperwork to back them up. They became very negative-- downright nasty-- when we discussed the internet and online diamond dealers. And the last straw was that we found out (too late) that they overcharged us by almost 100% for a setting, all the while claiming that they were giving us a great deal because we were such loyal customers!

So we are done with that store...

However, your story doesn''t seem so bad. I agree that GIA stones are going to be graded more strictly than EGL. Her prices *will* be higher than online because of the overhead involved in running a B&M store, at least. It is distressing that so many jewelers will not happily run a Sarin nor carry an Idealscope in the store... but this is VERY typical!

I plan to buy my upgrade stone online after checking out almost every local diamond dealer. The mall stores are usually so bad-- they sometimes don''t know as much as I do about their own merchandise. I have seen a few pretty diamonds at the independent stores but there is only one store that offers a Sarin or other analysis. That store is great-- but the prices are through-the-roof!

Best of luck with your upgrade.

 

[michela002]

Date: 4/24/2005 11

0:52 AM
Author: upgrade-me

To indecisive - I know you are pretty much telling me to give them a second chance, but I''m just not going to bother. I also think that their prices are over-priced.

Oh no fair enough. I don''t think I''d go back there either! I was just suggesting an approach if you, despite the treatment, decided you wanted to go back becauase you didn''t want to feel like the money spent on the original pear was wasted. But by not going back there you could turn your pear into a necklace or something

I''m sure you''ll end up with something more fabulous and at not that different price, plus get to keep your pear, by going online. Good luck!!

 

[upgrade-me]

To indecisive -

Yes! I''ve already thought of making my pear into a pendant, and I''ve already mentioned this to the hubby. But, I must wait to get an upgraded DER before even contemplating the pear pendant any fuirther! Thanks for the idea...

 

[pqcollectibles]

Or sell the pear, on consignment, and add those $$$$$ to your savings. You might have enough to purchase the diamond you'd like outright now.

 

[Mara]

Keep in mind also that a 1.5c stone...assuming something like H SI1 will not be $8k..it will be more like $9k today, and probably more like $10k by the time the next 2 years rolls around, with the way the price hikes are happening now.

About 6 months ago there was a 1.75 H SI2 online, well cut, for $9500. That same stone now would be about $11500. So depressing!

There is a 1.54 H VS2 online H&A for $12300; and a 1.54 H SI2 for $9063. Today's prices.

So make sure to take that into account when you are thinking of shopping in the future. The word on the street too is that price hike for 2c+ stones within 4 months of 20%. Ridiculous!

 

[upgrade-me]

To Mara -

Yes, I realize that prices will go up, but unfortunately, when I mentioned to my hubby that I wanted to upgrade, I said in a couple of years. Within a wk, I changed my mind and said now! We just don''t have the money to buy the 1.5 carat now since I''m not going to trade in at the place where he initially purchased it.

I will just have to hope he''ll make some nice money in the next couple of years or, there is always the lottery (lol). Oh well, one can only wish..

Thanks