Opinions on price/ jeweler?

[jvsaun]

Went to Diamonds Direct in Southpark in Charlotte, NC today and had a look around at settings and stones. Anyone have any opinion of them?

I got a price on the following stone:
Carat: 1.22
Color: H
Clarity: VS1
Cut: Ideal, excellent symmetry & polish
Depth: 61.6%
Table: 56%
Crown: 15%
Pavillion: 43%
Girdle: Medium
Fluor: None

The stone looked very good to my (untrained) eye and looked a bit better than a couple of other stones we looked at. The HCA seems to rate this pretty well (.9) but its on %''s and not angles..so I''m not sure how much I should trust it.

The main concern I have is that this diamond has an EGL cert (not sure if it was a US lab or elsewhere, didn''t know anything about EGL until I got back home to look)

anyway, the diamond is priced at about $6800 (I can''t remember exactly how much).This seems a little high compared to internet pricing, but they say they will beat any price in the US on a GIA or EGL cert''ed diamond, so I''m pretty sure I can get them to move somewhat on the price(hopefully enough to account for NC 7.5% sales tax). They also offer full price paid on trade-in to a bigger stone of any size (not 2x the price like I''ve seen elsewhere at some B&M jewelers)

We were also looking at a platinum setting by Scott Kay:
http://www.scottkay.com/shell.asp?m=s
click Skip Intro->Engagement and Wedding Sets->Engagement Rings->Solitaires
2nd one down on the left. This is priced at $975, I have no clue if this is a good price or not.

Thanks

 

[Magnum]

Hi jvsaun,

I don't really know much about that diamond district, so I can't help there.

As far as a comparable price on the stone, that depends if its a hearts & arrows stone. Running a cut quality search on pricescope it seems that a 1.22 H VS1 AGS0 H&A runs about $7300. If it's not H&A it should be a little less (maybe 5-10% ?) and the fact that it's an EGL report means it should be discounted a little, too. So, the $6800 seems like a reasonable price, especially considering that it's a non-internet store, with pretty good custmoner service policies. That's also assuming it's a true H VS1. if it were rreally an I VS2, it should be significantly less expensive ($500-$1000 less), which brings me to the EGL reports.

From what I gather from the experts on this forum, GIA and AGS are the most strict and consistent in their grading, but that EGL USA is trying to get more strict/consistent and is definitely better than EGL labs outside of the US. That being said, since grading is somewhat subjective, even GIA and AGS can make mistakes and it's best to have any stone verified and examined by an INDEPENDENT appraiser.

As far as the HCA score, while it's true that angles are definitely more accurate, with a score of .9 using percentages, even when you use the angles, it should still be at least below 2, and most likely a top performing stone. Since there's been a lot of discussion about it lately, while the HCA doesn't GUARANTEE a great stone, I think it's a great tool to use to focus your efforts on stones that have the potential to be excellent. Once you narrow it down, there are relatively inexpensive ways to confirm your decision, like using an idealscope (~$25), a H&A viewer (~$25), and the opinion of an independent appraiser. That's not to mention the most important factor -- how's it looks to YOU in different lightings, which in the end is what really matters.

So, without any more info, it seems like a good stone for a good price.

Best of luck in your search.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Accurately Graded EGL diamonds offer buyers great bang for the buck. The hitch is "Accurately Graded". The diamond is competitively priced for the grade and clarity stated. You've seen it in person and liked what you saw. The performance pleased your eye, so the main concern is value. Will you be getting what you will pay for.

Ask the jeweler if they are willing send the diamond to an appraiser prior to purchase. If not, you might make purchase contingent upon a satisfactory evaluation by an independent appraiser. You'll learn if the diamond is as represented and get an objective opinion on the fair market value as well.

 

[diamondsman]

The stone has nice measurments,BUT.... the price is about $1,000.00 more than it should be!considering the fact that it's E.G.L.
Even comparing the same type of stone with a G.IA. cert. should be around $300.00 less.
It's very easy for you to compare prices ,Go on to different sites on the web, compare prices on similar stones,and then make your decison.

good luck

 

[valeria101]

from all I know, the chance that this stone would actuall be an HCA 6

are very slim. It should be a nice one, even taking into account a variation of htese HCA scores by one unit or more - safe enough for my taste. Also, according to PS listed prices for non H&A (and your stone is not sold as one, so looking at H&A prices may not help much) the lowest price is 5800 (an EGL certed 1.25cts), with your 6800 somewhere towards mid-range.

There are plenty (if not the majority) of EGL stones with terrible HCA ratings - and I am not very tempted by them.

Only a little detail can be seen in the setting's picture. As far as I know, these are quite well made - if you like the model. And the price seems in line with what is charged for anything but the simplest ones. An often recounted word of wisedom on PS reads that a paper-clip-type setting is rather desirable to get with the stone and let the girl choose her own later... Does this make sense to you?

 

[jvsaun]

Thanks for the responses. I'll see how much they will budge on price and work from there. I certainly have no issue buying off the internet, it just becomes more of a hassle to get it set.

 

[Magnum]

I just wanted to make a quick point about something you said. I'm not trying to convince you to buy on the internet. Not at all. I've purchased two stones in the last couple of months, one on the internet, and one not. I'f you're happy with the price, service and the stone you're getting, than I think that's awesome. But I'd have to disagree when you said it's a hassle to get the stone set if you bought it on the internet. A lot of sites that sell loose stones offer a huge selection of designer settings you can get your stone set in after it's independently appraised, and if you want it set locally, any reputable local jeweler should be more than happy to take your money to set a stone in one of their settings.

Anyway, the stone you're looking at sounds like it is very beautiful, and if you decide to get it, and sure it'll make you very happy.

Let us know how you search turns out.