NON GRADED STONE

[focusr3]

Ok so my jewler called today and said he got a few more cushions on hold for me to look at the question I have is he said his in house GIA Gemologist graded them. He said if i decide on one of those stones he could send it out to get the documentation. So the questions are if i purchase one of these stones.
He gave me the option GIA or AGS which one?
Should I ask for something in writing stating that the stone must meet or exceed his in store grade or the price will be renegotiated?
Should i not even bother with these stones?

 

[denverappraiser]

Should I ask for something in writing stating that the stone must meet or exceed his in store grade or the price will be renegotiated?

No, if the stones don't meet or exceed the grade advertised, the deal is off and HE pays the GIA bill. You owe nothing. He can make a new offer at a new price if he wishes but there should be no obligation on either one of you. If it grades out, you pay the full price plus the GIA bill, plus shipping and insurance.

 

[focusr3]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

 

[SB621]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

If it grades higher he should still honor the price. However, I bet you can find a better deal online. Especially wish cushions.

Is this a new cut cushion or an antique cushion?

It if is new I would do GIA. If it is an antique cushion I would go EGL (if they won't/ can't do that then go GIA).

 

[focusr3]

Well the first time i went in I told him i have done my research and wasn't going to get taken on price. He talked to me for alittle while( I felt like he was quizing me to see if i knew anything or was just blowing smoke) So at the end he said if i find a stone online i want he will get it or one of the same specs price set the stone I already picked a setting, lifetime sizing and warranty, full price i paid trade in/up, build the mounting and he is taking liability if for some reason the stone gets damaged he said 1/1,000,000 chance but for what it's worth for $300 over online price i think that is fair.

By the way he is covering all cost for the grading if I purchase the stone.

So I couldn't get a better deal online with the customer service for lifetime.

I only feel comfortable with GIA or AGS, I wouldn't use EGL. But i don't know if AGS or GIA would be better.

 

[JulieN]

he can only send it to AGSL if he is a member of AGS.

you might as well send it to AGS if he gave you the choice, and see what the light performance grade is. I believe the submitter does not have to buy the more expensive DQDs in order to get the light performance grade. GIA supposedly takes longer.

 

[meg_]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

If it grades higher he should still honor the price. However, I bet you can find a better deal online. Especially wish cushions.

Is this a new cut cushion or an antique cushion?

It if is new I would do GIA. If it is an antique cushion I would go EGL (if they won't/ can't do that then go GIA).

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you send an antique cushion to GIA?

 

[SB621]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

If it grades higher he should still honor the price. However, I bet you can find a better deal online. Especially wish cushions.

Is this a new cut cushion or an antique cushion?

It if is new I would do GIA. If it is an antique cushion I would go EGL (if they won't/ can't do that then go GIA).

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you send an antique cushion to GIA?

The short of it- industry standards for true antique/ old cuts is EGL. GIA has strict standards that don't allow for the niche with these diamonds. If you give them a GIA grading they will come back with much poorer grades in cut because they are being compared to Modern Round Brilliants. This devalues the diamond. It is essentially comparing apples to oranges.

Anyhow this is why places that deal with antique diamonds such as JbEG, OWD etc etc only have EGL certs.

 

[denverappraiser]

he can only send it to AGSL if he is a member of AGS.

you might as well send it to AGS if he gave you the choice, and see what the light performance grade is. I believe the submitter does not have to buy the more expensive DQDs in order to get the light performance grade. GIA supposedly takes longer.

AGSL only does work for the jewelery trade so most people can't submit it themselves but any jeweler or appraiser who wants to can submit stones.

 

[meg_]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

If it grades higher he should still honor the price. However, I bet you can find a better deal online. Especially wish cushions.

Is this a new cut cushion or an antique cushion?

It if is new I would do GIA. If it is an antique cushion I would go EGL (if they won't/ can't do that then go GIA).

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you send an antique cushion to GIA?

The short of it- industry standards for true antique/ old cuts is EGL. GIA has strict standards that don't allow for the niche with these diamonds. If you give them a GIA grading they will come back with much poorer grades in cut because they are being compared to Modern Round Brilliants. This devalues the diamond. It is essentially comparing apples to oranges.

Anyhow this is why places that deal with antique diamonds such as JbEG, OWD etc etc only have EGL certs.

Thank you for clarifying. That makes perfect sense.

 

[JulieN]

he can only send it to AGSL if he is a member of AGS.

you might as well send it to AGS if he gave you the choice, and see what the light performance grade is. I believe the submitter does not have to buy the more expensive DQDs in order to get the light performance grade. GIA supposedly takes longer.

AGSL only does work for the jewelery trade so most people can't submit it themselves but any jeweler or appraiser who wants to can submit stones.

Thanks for correcting me, I didn't know any jeweler or appraiser could submit.

 

[maccers]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

If it grades higher he should still honor the price. However, I bet you can find a better deal online. Especially wish cushions.

Is this a new cut cushion or an antique cushion?

It if is new I would do GIA. If it is an antique cushion I would go EGL (if they won't/ can't do that then go GIA).

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you send an antique cushion to GIA?

The short of it- industry standards for true antique/ old cuts is EGL. GIA has strict standards that don't allow for the niche with these diamonds. If you give them a GIA grading they will come back with much poorer grades in cut because they are being compared to Modern Round Brilliants. This devalues the diamond. It is essentially comparing apples to oranges.

Anyhow this is why places that deal with antique diamonds such as JbEG, OWD etc etc only have EGL certs.

I thought that GIA was/did create an OEC/antique category? I seem to recall a thread about that. However that doesn't mean that the other categories are graded with that in mind (e.g. cut)...maybe someone recalls this same thread?

 

[SB621]

But if i grades higher i should still only pay the origianl price right?

Also GIA or AGS?

If it grades higher he should still honor the price. However, I bet you can find a better deal online. Especially wish cushions.

Is this a new cut cushion or an antique cushion?

It if is new I would do GIA. If it is an antique cushion I would go EGL (if they won't/ can't do that then go GIA).

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you send an antique cushion to GIA?

The short of it- industry standards for true antique/ old cuts is EGL. GIA has strict standards that don't allow for the niche with these diamonds. If you give them a GIA grading they will come back with much poorer grades in cut because they are being compared to Modern Round Brilliants. This devalues the diamond. It is essentially comparing apples to oranges.

Anyhow this is why places that deal with antique diamonds such as JbEG, OWD etc etc only have EGL certs.

I thought that GIA was/did create an OEC/antique category? I seem to recall a thread about that. However that doesn't mean that the other categories are graded with that in mind (e.g. cut)...maybe someone recalls this same thread?

If they did I missed it. When I checked with them a few weeks ago they didn't even have antique cushion as a shape category.

 

[Christina...]

Which lab? Tough call! For me personally I think that I would prefer to have the AGSL light performance evaluation and since AGSL grades cut for fancies (I believe this includes cushions? ) I would want the pedigree and slight premium that the report adds. But, if I thought that I may sell the stone on the secondary market at some point, I think that it would sell better in general with a GIA report, since many non PSers aren't familiar with AGS and most consider GIA the authority.

I also understand that AGS in quicker, but there has been discussion recently that they may be softer on color grading too....