Opinions on my pick. 2.5 carats

[agc]

Date: 8/30/2008 7:19:49 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 8/30/2008 11:54:31 AM
Author: johnn
Guys, thanks sooo much for the posts. You have NO idea how much I appreicate your point of view''s, being good or bad! Either way, it''s good to hear all angles.

I ahve to say I''m terribly sorry. This stone IS in fact an EGL stone. I mixxed it up with another 2.5 carat G SI1 stone which WAS GIA my uncle was going to give me for $15K with the same setting. The reason I went down to the I color, now knowing it''s EGL stone, is to lower the price by $1200. I personally looked at the 2 stones, side by side, for a long time and I could never tell them apart. My uncle can though. I doubt my soon to be fiance or her friends and family would ever know anything. It does sparkle up a storm. I dont think anyone will know anything. I also obviously know I can get a better quality stone which would be smaller, but girls do love size.

nahhh,no way...something smells fishy....you should of bought the GIA stone.

wish i can buy a stone like that for $15K .a well cut 2.5 ct G SI1 stone with GIA report should be more like in the $30k range w/o the setting.

Dancing Fire that is my exact thought. I''ll take a well cut GIA 2.5 G SI1 for $15K any day of the week. I can see an EGL 2.5 I SI1 going for $12500 from his uncle but not a GIA 2.5 G SI1 for $15K.

 

[Shay37]

Date: 8/30/2008 7:48:57 PM
Author: agc

Date: 8/30/2008 7:19:49 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 8/30/2008 11:54:31 AM
Author: johnn
Guys, thanks sooo much for the posts. You have NO idea how much I appreicate your point of view''s, being good or bad! Either way, it''s good to hear all angles.

I ahve to say I''m terribly sorry. This stone IS in fact an EGL stone. I mixxed it up with another 2.5 carat G SI1 stone which WAS GIA my uncle was going to give me for $15K with the same setting. The reason I went down to the I color, now knowing it''s EGL stone, is to lower the price by $1200. I personally looked at the 2 stones, side by side, for a long time and I could never tell them apart. My uncle can though. I doubt my soon to be fiance or her friends and family would ever know anything. It does sparkle up a storm. I dont think anyone will know anything. I also obviously know I can get a better quality stone which would be smaller, but girls do love size.

nahhh,no way...something smells fishy....you should of bought the GIA stone.

wish i can buy a stone like that for $15K .a well cut 2.5 ct G SI1 stone with GIA report should be more like in the $30k range w/o the setting.

Dancing Fire that is my exact thought. I''ll take a well cut GIA 2.5 G SI1 for $15K any day of the week. I can see an EGL 2.5 I SI1 going for $12500 from his uncle but not a GIA 2.5 G SI1 for $15K.

Guys, I can understand the naysaying seeing as how I''m not exactly a newbie here. However, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have 7 uncles that would give me this same deal if they were in the business too. That''s because they love me awful. I rarely get involved in stuff like this, but please watch the paranoia. It really doesn''t help. If it was a friend of a friend, I would be worried. An uncle, not so much.

shay

 

[agc]

Shay,

There is no paranoia. $15K is not a remotely reasonable price for a GIA EX/EX/EX 2.5 ct G SI1 even if your loving uncle is a jeweler.

 

[Shay37]

Date: 8/30/2008 9:30:22 PM
Author: agc
Shay,

There is no paranoia. $15K is not a remotely reasonable price for a GIA EX/EX/EX 2.5 ct G SI1 even if your loving uncle is a jeweler.

so what would cost be?

shay

 

[agc]

Add 10K.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 8/30/2008 11:12:25 PM
Author: agc
Add 10K.

$25k??? i think it would cost more than $10k per ct in today's market. wish i knew his uncle

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 8/30/2008 7:30:16 PM
Author: honey22

Date: 8/28/2008 2:08:21 AM
Author: arjunajane

Yeah, I understand that SOME PS end up down grading in size for a smaller ''better'' stone. On the flip side I have seen the aftermath of your work convincing the dude that he needs some ideal .5 ct and her standing there disapointed saying ''It''s supposed to be like a perfect stone??? I can always upgrade.'' I think for the money you would have him get some 1.2 ideal stone and there is nothing wrong with the one he is getting.
John, if it looks good and you think she would like the larger diamond go for it.

If when you say ''your work'' you are referring to myself, I don''t know how you have reached this conclusion.
Not since I have been on PS has anybody purchased a stone I suggested to them, let alone one they/their girl were not happy with.

I''m not sure if you were talking to me?

If you are referring to other PS''ers at large who routinely assist guys with no idea what they are getting into to learn about their purchase and get the best buy for their money, I also think this is an unfair assessment. I have never seen somebody talked into a purchase of an ideal stone if they were not interested in the concept? I though what we did was find out the buyers'' needs and preferences, than advise them on stones in their budget?

anyway, if you please read my post I never said there is anything wrong with buying a bigger stone over a smaller h&A one, and neither did anyone else?

In any case, I am really confused by your answer.

Futuremrs - I have to say your tone came across a little condescening when you said ''you work'' etc. It''s almost like you are implying we are leading people astray with our advice. I have to point out that the majority of PS members are extrememly picking about cut, and I am sure that if you took a poll the majority of members would take an ideal cut stone over a smaller less well cut stone. I do believe you are in the minority when you would pick a size over cut quality. People come here for advice on how to get a gorgeous diamond, we tell them honestly, if you want it to sparkle and look fantastic, then cut is king. I honestly don''t believe many people would say, nup, I want a dead lifeless one as long as it''s big.

Agreed, thankyou Honey for the support.

I''m sorry to say, but I do see the point of agc and DF - no matter how much your uncle loves you, would he cut a deal where he is losing thousands..??
Also, the "freshly mined out of the ground" statement gives some reason for concern imho...

Johnn, I sincerely hope you get the ring of your dreams and it is everything you expected. However, I would implore you, if possible, to take the diamond to an Independent Appraiser - you can use the resources tab at the top of the page to find one close to you. If you are not able to do this with the loose diamond, at least make sure you do when the ring is finished.
You will need an appraisal for insurance purposes.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 8/30/2008 9:30:22 PM
Author: agc
Shay,

There is no paranoia. $15K is not a remotely reasonable price for a GIA EX/EX/EX 2.5 ct G SI1 even if your loving uncle is a jeweler.

don''t forget that $15K also including the diamond setting.

 

[:)]

Date: 8/30/2008 11:54:31 AM
Author: johnn
Guys, thanks sooo much for the posts. You have NO idea how much I appreicate your point of view''s, being good or bad! Either way, it''s good to hear all angles.

I ahve to say I''m terribly sorry. This stone IS in fact an EGL stone. I mixxed it up with another 2.5 carat G SI1 stone which WAS GIA my uncle was going to give me for $15K with the same setting. The reason I went down to the I color, now knowing it''s EGL stone, is to lower the price by $1200. I personally looked at the 2 stones, side by side, for a long time and I could never tell them apart. My uncle can though. I doubt my soon to be fiance or her friends and family would ever know anything. It does sparkle up a storm. I dont think anyone will know anything. I also obviously know I can get a better quality stone which would be smaller, but girls do love size.

I do not have the spec report in my hands, but I''m sure it''ll be ready for me to take when I pick up the ring in about 10 days or so. I just called my uncle now, and he said the rubber mold for the ring is going to be ready Tuesday. He is custom making the setting for me, becasue he has never seen anything like it. He loves the idea soo much, he is going to cast 5 more just like what I wanted. He also said, he has NEVER sold a setting to someone who wanted it so detailed. I told him exactly how I wanted it, in almost every shape way and form. Now I just have to measure her finger in her sleep. LOL.

Thanks so much for the replies, and there''s no way I''m some type of forum sponser trying to steal buisisness from other sponsers. My real name is John and I know next to nothing about diamonds. I will definetly post up the EGL report when I get it though!!! Thanks so much.

No need to be sorry John! This explains a bit better the pricing on that honker your uncle was able to provide for you
It was probably graded by EGL Antwerp (guessing on the post that said it came from Belgium) which (like EGL Israel) has a bit of a reputation for ''softer'' grading (meaning giving a higher color or clarity than other labs or independent appraisers would give). Often these stones sell at a ''discount'' when vendors sell them for more of their true characteristics. What is really important here is that you saw this stone with your very own eyes and were happy with it (AND couldn''t see a differerence between that one and other stones graded by GIA with higher color grades!) We sit at our computers and have only the #s and report stats to be able to look at, you were able to see it for yourself. There is a probability that the stone is not a ''true'' I or a ''true'' Si1, that does not concern me as much because you have already said it sparkles like mad and that you could not see a difference between it and another stone of ''higher'' color and you have already examined it for clarity (''eyeclean'') issues (and we have the uncle factor so I don''t think he would overcharge you!). THe times I get worried are when someone overpays for a stone (when a vendor sells a stone at a price that does not match the stone based on an inflated report). It is really nice that your uncle was willing and able to wade through the listings and screen stones for you so that you were able to narrow it down to a few and then select a stone that as you said ''sparkles up a storm!'' - not everyone has an uncle or family member in the trade AND willing to do that! You got A LOTTA STONE and I bet her eyes will bug out of her head when she sees it!

I would not purchase a stone just because it had a GIA report - you are purchasing a stone to wear on the finger, not a report to wear on the finger. A GIA report does not mean a stone will be beautiful. There are plenty of ugly stones with GIA reports out there. As long as you pay appropriately for what you get (which again is usually my concern with EGL reports but again I am not so worried in your case!), and as long as you are happy, and if I could not tell a difference in stones, I also would have purchased the less expensive one too!

Good luck measuring her finger in her sleep!

 

[johnn]

Thanks for the input, guys, again, good or bad.

I will post pics here as soon as the finished product is ready. He said I can give it right back to him in a day or 10 years for the same money or more from what I paid. I dont think I''ll have a problem.

 

[Gizmo150808]

that''s a really good price for the 2.5ct SI I excellent cut.

I bought two diamond studs GIA heart and arrow half a carat each for $8200 total cost with setting I feel like a rip off after hearing how much you got your stones for.
If you want to see my diamond report on the stone check out GIA report here is the report number #16509049 and #16462919 i bought them cuz the were the exactly the same stones.

 

[johnn]

Hey everyone, a little more help would be greatly apreciated.

Like I said earlier, sorry to cause the confusion about the GIA EGL issue. It is an EGL Isreal stone which was also mixed up becasue I thought it was Belguim. I now know these are much cheaper compared to GIA stones. Is the anywhere on the net I can find examples on what the wholesale and retail of my particular stone costs? I dont see too many on the pricescope page. What do you guys think it's worth without the setting??? Thanks again PS for all the help. I dont think I could have seen clearly through this without your help. I have to figure out what to do at this point.

I went to him today and saw the custom setting he made. It looks to be great. He isn't setting any stones in it yet until I give him another green light.

 

[robh505]

I think you need to remember one thing, as much as your uncle is probably doing you a favor and providing a very nice stone at a premium which is less than he would normally sell other jewelry at, you are still spending thousands of dollars of your own money. For yourself, you deserve the piece of mind of knowing what you have and what it''s worth. There is no other way to determine this than to take the stone to an independant appraisor. There''s no way around it, your unlce is not independent and you cannot rely on his judgement now that you''re ready to pull the trigger.

This is even more important considering that the stone is graded by EGL Israel. There was a recent post on here if you search about just how terrible that lab can be at grading stones. In one instance, it''s so bad that they are getting sued for purposely inflating diamond stats to rip off consumers. What you need to do is get the stone appriased by an independent appraisor and then take what they tell you as the stats of the stone (quality of cut, color, clarity, size) and then do a search on pricescope for how much a diamond with those qualities would retail for. Only after doing all of that will you truely know what you have and what it''s worth. It''s something you need to do on your own.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 9/9/2008 7:09:34 PM
Author: johnn
Hey everyone, a little more help would be greatly apreciated.

Like I said earlier, sorry to cause the confusion about the GIA EGL issue. It is an EGL Isreal stone which was also mixed up becasue I thought it was Belguim. I now know these are much cheaper compared to GIA stones. Is the anywhere on the net I can find examples on what the wholesale and retail of my particular stone costs? I dont see too many on the pricescope page. What do you guys think it's worth without the setting??? Thanks again PS for all the help. I dont think I could have seen clearly through this without your help. I have to figure out what to do at this point.

I went to him today and saw the custom setting he made. It looks to be great. He isn't setting any stones in it yet until I give him another green light.

how about buying the G SI1 GIA stone? much better deal for $15K

 

[lovegem]

John, If your uncle still has the GIA stone in stock, I will have to ditto DanceFire's suggestion, get that stone instead of this EGL stone. I find it weird that you come up with pieces of info one at a time. It appears to me that your uncle (after all these talking about this EGL stone) still hasn't shown you the certificate. Does he have the certificate? If he has, can you ask him to show you just so you know what you are buying. You can tell him it is for insurance purpose if you don't want to ruin the relationship. Do you have to stone with you? Can you take the stone to an independent appraiser?

 

[johnn]

I dont have the stone with me. He clearly told me that he has the certificate and spec sheet. I have to take his word on it. He already gave me the info anyway.

I think I should do this:

Call him and tell him I thought this was a GIA stone from the begining. I was not educated on the whole GIA stones are worth 20% easily or more than EGL, especially EGL Isreal. I AM NOW, thanks PS. I will ask him, if the original offer of the G SI1 GIA stone is still available. I will also ask/tell him that was a great super deal, not this I SI1 EGL-Isreal stone. The GIA stone will be a super deal if it is what he says it is. I will absolutely have whatever stone I get from him apraised. Maybee he really did give me a smokin deal on the GIA, and when I told him I want to go a little cheaper, he gave me this EGL rock and figured that he''s saving em $1200, that he didn''t need to give me such a crazy deal. Who knows, but I''ll get it out of him. He''s an old-timer and i guess he didn''t think twice that I''d get into my homework this deep. Do you guys think me plan is good? A quick answer would be great becasue I want a ring to get engaged and I dont want to keep him waiting. He thinks I am getting her finger size as of right now. He isn''t doing anything till then. He also did make the custom setting I wanted and is sitting on it, along with 5 others.

Thanks so much PS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[vespergirl]

Hey there, not to add another layer of debate into the mix, but I have a 2.01 ct G SI1 EGL Israel stone that lives up to the cert. It is also listed as a Hearts & Arrows stone on the cert, and when viewed through an Idealscope, you can see the well-formed hearts & arrows. All I''m saying is that you shouldn''t necessarily eliminate an EGL stone, especially one that you''ve seen & liked with your own eyes. If you''re going to save a bunch of money, and you liked it as well as the GIA, it may be worth considering.

If you want to see some pics of my stone, here are some links:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-2-ct-rb-upgrade-old-setting-p.73980/

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-off-your-egl-stone.77225/

 

[robh505]

The EGL stone could definitely be the better stone. The only way to know is to take it to a qualified independent appraisor. You''re rolling the dice if you don''t.

 

[johnn]

The stone defiently looks killer compared to the GIA stone. It looks exactly the same to me, by eye and with the little magnafying eyeglass thing.

I''m confused as to what to do at this point. I think I need to let all the info settle in my mind for another day to figure it out, and read more of your posts. Thanks guys.

 

[:)]

Date: 9/10/2008 1:27:54 PM
Author: johnn
The stone defiently looks killer compared to the GIA stone. It looks exactly the same to me, by eye and with the little magnafying eyeglass thing.

I''m confused as to what to do at this point. I think I need to let all the info settle in my mind for another day to figure it out, and read more of your posts. Thanks guys.

Johnn - PLEASE BUY WITH YOUR EYES!!! The fact that a stone has a GIA report does NOT mean it is a good stone. GIA is more reliable in terms of grading, but just because a stone has a GIA report does not mean it is well cut. You have not posted the specs on the GIA stone, so it is absolutely impossible for anyone to say it is a ''better stone''. It could be a totally horribly cut stone. It sounds like you like the performance of the EGL one better. Have you looked at it in multiple lighting situations such as outdoors, in direct sunlight, shaded sunlight, in office lighting, etc? Is your hesitation the fact that it has an EGL report? You could take it to an independent appraiser (not a jeweler who sells jewelry, but a person who truly does appraisals only for a living) if that would make you feel better, although I suspect your uncle sold it to you at a price point consistent with the true grading.

 

[Sharon101]

I think it sounds like a very good deal for everyone involved. I think your uncle will have the pleasure of knowing he was part of your life in a good way. Your girlfriend will get an enormous er to really show off with, and you will be getting a great buy.

All I can say is that for the amount you are spending, you cant over analyse it seeing as it is over 2 carats, performs well to the eyes, and has a killer setting also.

Now Im sure that the grading may be soft, and or the cut is not the very best, but in real life, people dont analyse every detail, they just look at the overall effect.

My h. and I just came back from a jewellery fair as traders, so everything was wholesale, and there were many buys like the one you seem to have there. In fact I ended up choosing 4 carat earrings that I know will look amazing for a very low price. I know that the price is correct for the specs, but in real life they will look like big beauties because my eyes tell me that. Infact, I could have bought 6 carats for $20,000 but didnt because they were too big....not because they didnt look amazing.

Lately we sold a 4 carat tennis bracelet to a very close friend for the wholesale price that we bought it. It was a very good buy for her and she did not over analyse it. It is also in the low gradings, but actually performed with heaps of fire. She paid about $3000 and was thrilled.

My point is, dont rock the boat and make a good transaction turn sour. Realistically, your money could buy a much smaller diamond if you go by the cut criteria of the real cut is king followers. That is not wrong, and whatever anyone chooses is fine, but dont think you will get all that plus the size you have now because its not possible.

Infact, look around at what you can get for the money you have spent and this will show you how it is in the real world. I dont know how much your setting is worth, but if it has been hand made, it would be worth abit.

And for the record, I saw perfect, & beautifully cut diamonds at the show too, some up to $33,000 a carat US......and they were beautiful, no arguments there!!!! But surprisingly my 4 carat ave. cut got a thousand compliments, as it does most days. The lighting at the show was incredible for my ring as you could imagine!

 

[Dancing Fire]

i don''t know John....

as of now your uncle haven''t shown you a lab report of any kind,still sound fishy too me

 

[mommy2iz]

i''m standing up for the EGL stones, too. i just received my D/SI3 EGL and it''s to die for! i couldn''t be happier. go with the basics of great cut. then line up the stones meeting that criteria (regardless of cert), and choose the one that makes your heart go pitter-pat. that''s what will make your significant other happy now, and keep a smile on their face every time they look at their ring for years to come. good luck to you!!!

 

[lovegem]

John, have you taken the stones (the GIA and EGL stones) to different lighting conditions to compare them? Diamonds behave differently in different lights. Don''t just view them in his store.

 

[bgray]

Date: 9/10/2008 7:40:36 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
i don''t know John....

as of now your uncle haven''t shown you a lab report of any kind,still sound fishy too me

I agree: there is something that doesnt sound right about all this: the Uncle, the confusion with the lab reports, etc. For everyone who says "buy with your eyes" and why is everyone so negative etc its because we all know how overwhelming and confusing and emotional diamond and jewelry buying can be. We all know that we you look at a diamond under the bright store lights it look glittering and wonderful no matter how much you have read and researched. If John doesnt care that his stone is EGL Israel and that the cut is not "perfect" then that is totally fine BUT he must care a little. He is asking here for our advice and thats what he has been given. I guarantee that 98%, possibly 99.9, of us on this board would never buy this stone with what we have learned so far.

 

[emeraldlover1]

Date: 9/9/2008 7:09:34 PM
Author: johnn
Hey everyone, a little more help would be greatly apreciated.

Like I said earlier, sorry to cause the confusion about the GIA EGL issue. It is an EGL Isreal stone which was also mixed up becasue I thought it was Belguim. I now know these are much cheaper compared to GIA stones. Is the anywhere on the net I can find examples on what the wholesale and retail of my particular stone costs? I dont see too many on the pricescope page. What do you guys think it''s worth without the setting??? Thanks again PS for all the help. I dont think I could have seen clearly through this without your help. I have to figure out what to do at this point.

I went to him today and saw the custom setting he made. It looks to be great. He isn''t setting any stones in it yet until I give him another green light.

I have been following your story and I wanted to commend you on asking the questions and taking the feedback that you get seriously. I think sometimes when,"good deal" and "family friend" or even, "family" included with the deal it is hard to believe that such "good deals" exist. Don''t get me wrong, deals exist, but the amount in which some people have claimed to have got deals leads us to question if you are really getting what your vendor, family or not is telling you, you''re getting. Whew, hope I said that right. Anyway, my point is that I think you are learning more through this thread about the stone/s you are considering. Ultimatley you have to make the choice and now I think you''ll be making an educated choice based on what you have learned as well as your ability to now process the info your uncle is giving you on any given stone.

Choosing a diamond requires absorbing a lot of info in a short amount of time. Their are guidlines but they are just that. Eventually you will have to decide which stone looks the best to you and hopefully the guidlines will help you eliminate some stones. Since your uncle is family, are you close enough with him to tell him what you have learned? Even so much as telling him that you know what the average price of a GIA stone that most consumers would pay without discount may help give you some clarity in your discussions with him. I don''t doubt for a second that he is giving you a deal. If he is giving you a rediculous deal then I hope you come back and fill us in on who your uncle is

just kidding. Good luck!

 

[emeraldlover1]

Date: 9/10/2008 7:10:55 PM
Author: Sharon101
I think it sounds like a very good deal for everyone involved. I think your uncle will have the pleasure of knowing he was part of your life in a good way. Your girlfriend will get an enormous er to really show off with, and you will be getting a great buy.

All I can say is that for the amount you are spending, you cant over analyse it seeing as it is over 2 carats, performs well to the eyes, and has a killer setting also.

Now Im sure that the grading may be soft, and or the cut is not the very best, but in real life, people dont analyse every detail, they just look at the overall effect.

My h. and I just came back from a jewellery fair as traders, so everything was wholesale, and there were many buys like the one you seem to have there. In fact I ended up choosing 4 carat earrings that I know will look amazing for a very low price. I know that the price is correct for the specs, but in real life they will look like big beauties because my eyes tell me that. Infact, I could have bought 6 carats for $20,000 but didnt because they were too big....not because they didnt look amazing.

Lately we sold a 4 carat tennis bracelet to a very close friend for the wholesale price that we bought it. It was a very good buy for her and she did not over analyse it. It is also in the low gradings, but actually performed with heaps of fire. She paid about $3000 and was thrilled.

My point is, dont rock the boat and make a good transaction turn sour. Realistically, your money could buy a much smaller diamond if you go by the cut criteria of the real cut is king followers. That is not wrong, and whatever anyone chooses is fine, but dont think you will get all that plus the size you have now because its not possible.

Infact, look around at what you can get for the money you have spent and this will show you how it is in the real world. I dont know how much your setting is worth, but if it has been hand made, it would be worth abit.

And for the record, I saw perfect, & beautifully cut diamonds at the show too, some up to $33,000 a carat US......and they were beautiful, no arguments there!!!! But surprisingly my 4 carat ave. cut got a thousand compliments, as it does most days. The lighting at the show was incredible for my ring as you could imagine!

Can I come with you to the next fair??

I need 4ct earings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I''m kidding and so jealous. Pics please!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 9/10/2008 7:10:55 PM
Author: Sharon101


My h. and I just came back from a jewellery fair as traders, so everything was wholesale, and there were many buys like the one you seem to have there. In fact I ended up choosing 4 carat earrings that I know will look amazing for a very low price. I know that the price is correct for the specs, but in real life they will look like big beauties because my eyes tell me that. Infact, I could have bought 6 carats for $20,000 but didnt because they were too big....not because they didnt look amazing.

6 ct for $20K?....i want to see a pic of this salt & pepper stone.

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 9/11/2008 2:09:05 AM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 9/10/2008 7:10:55 PM
Author: Sharon101


My h. and I just came back from a jewellery fair as traders, so everything was wholesale, and there were many buys like the one you seem to have there. In fact I ended up choosing 4 carat earrings that I know will look amazing for a very low price. I know that the price is correct for the specs, but in real life they will look like big beauties because my eyes tell me that. Infact, I could have bought 6 carats for $20,000 but didnt because they were too big....not because they didnt look amazing.

6 ct for $20K?....i want to see a pic of this salt & pepper stone.

I wont hyjack this thread too much but in the spirit of everyone saying the p[rice is too low, i was just pointing out that there are low prices when you are dealing with poorer grades and are buying wholesale.....and I suppose cash helps too.

I would love to have shown a photo but I didnt get one of the 6 carat earrings. In truth, one looked a little better than the other,(meaning one was a bit worse) but there was no pepper in them at all. To the casual observer they looked a million dollars and then some. I was really scared that they looked way too over the top in showing off wealth. Even my mouth was almost open to the floor!!!!!

Now, Im not saying that they would look better or as good as an excellent cut diamond, but chances are I wouldnt be standing next to someone wearing excellent cut earrings anyway!!!! Also, even if I was, I think the huge size would be very eye catching and may make up for the less perfect specs. There was still sparkle and they appeared very lively. My only complaint was that there wasnt alot of fire, rather more brightness and pin point scintilation. They were an excellent steal for the money but as I said too big for me personally.
I will post photos of the smaller pair though which are definately not high quality but look fine for earrings!

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 9/10/2008 9:54:11 PM
Author: emeraldlover1

Date: 9/10/2008 7:10:55 PM
Author: Sharon101
I think it sounds like a very good deal for everyone involved. I think your uncle will have the pleasure of knowing he was part of your life in a good way. Your girlfriend will get an enormous er to really show off with, and you will be getting a great buy.

All I can say is that for the amount you are spending, you cant over analyse it seeing as it is over 2 carats, performs well to the eyes, and has a killer setting also.

Now Im sure that the grading may be soft, and or the cut is not the very best, but in real life, people dont analyse every detail, they just look at the overall effect.

My h. and I just came back from a jewellery fair as traders, so everything was wholesale, and there were many buys like the one you seem to have there. In fact I ended up choosing 4 carat earrings that I know will look amazing for a very low price. I know that the price is correct for the specs, but in real life they will look like big beauties because my eyes tell me that. Infact, I could have bought 6 carats for $20,000 but didnt because they were too big....not because they didnt look amazing.

Lately we sold a 4 carat tennis bracelet to a very close friend for the wholesale price that we bought it. It was a very good buy for her and she did not over analyse it. It is also in the low gradings, but actually performed with heaps of fire. She paid about $3000 and was thrilled.

My point is, dont rock the boat and make a good transaction turn sour. Realistically, your money could buy a much smaller diamond if you go by the cut criteria of the real cut is king followers. That is not wrong, and whatever anyone chooses is fine, but dont think you will get all that plus the size you have now because its not possible.

Infact, look around at what you can get for the money you have spent and this will show you how it is in the real world. I dont know how much your setting is worth, but if it has been hand made, it would be worth abit.

And for the record, I saw perfect, & beautifully cut diamonds at the show too, some up to $33,000 a carat US......and they were beautiful, no arguments there!!!! But surprisingly my 4 carat ave. cut got a thousand compliments, as it does most days. The lighting at the show was incredible for my ring as you could imagine!

Can I come with you to the next fair??

I need 4ct earings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I''m kidding and so jealous. Pics please!

You might not really be jealous when you see them!!!!!

I openly admit that the quality is on the low side, but they are good enough to trick the eye and be worn as earrings. Im not saying that they are a bargain ,likely that they are the correct price for what they are. Many here would rather a top cut and sacrifice the size, whereas I am obviously doing the opposite! But also using my eyes to judge the tradeoff.

I would never wear something if it `looked` bad quality to me so in that way Im picky. I would never wear a diamond that looked foggy,or was not eye clean, like frozen spit, or cloudy. I would never wear a diamond that was big if it looked compromised as that would defeat having a big stone imo.

Also I think a great setting can really `work` for your stone (if it needs a little help). ie good quality halo or etenity ring can lift the whole look on your finger. Also keeping it clean is important.

But, yes, having access to wholesale is great. Im imagining that the USA internet price would be similar to our Australian wholesale price???? And our dollar has not helped us either lately in having low prices!!!!