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Opinions on recycled Princess: Price and How to Present?

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SixFive

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2004
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First timer here with good news abounds...getting married to the one I love and started looking for a Christmas/Hannakuh time present for her. Learned alot here reading and talking with other men. Went on ebay looking for a 1.5 cr princess cut and found a 2.06 center in a 3.81 total ct VS2 platinum setting G color. There are 9 round stones - 5 in the wedding band, included and 4 in the setting for the engagement ring. Shane co values the cert at $18,500 just this year as the setting was just done. Obviously this will be appraised before the money is plunked down and I will know what I am getting if I contiunue with purchase. I bid and won at $11,000.

Any comments?

ALso will Shane co treat me like I bought it there if I can get the cert? I think they are a free upgrade for retail place right?
 
Oh, dear.

Did you talk to the seller first? Did he/she agree to have the ring appraised by a qualified independent appraiser and make the sale contingent on the item actually being what he/she claims? Did you arrange to pay via a legitimate escrow service? (Make sure you check out the escrow service carefully--many of them are scams.) Does he/she have spotless feedback and an ironclad no-questions-asked return policy?

I would never bid that much on ebay, myself, even if the seller seemed perfect. Many people have been burned.

Good luck with it!

(Edited to say, I see now that you plan to appraise before you pay. That's good. But I would still be wary.)
 
THe seller is a state away and willing to drive next week directly to Jewelers row here in Philadelphia - down the street from my office. The seller has no reputation and agreed to an appraisal and transfer of funds after the appraisal. At that point cash would be easiest or a cert check where we can walk over together to the appraiser and contain custody of the rings to my liking until i like it and am willing to pay.

I have no risk of loss unless i get bogus advice - but i picked the appraiser.
 
Do you have a picture of the ring? Link?
 
Just a generic pic was attached from sears or something! I will offer a pic as soon as i meet this woman. Before I purchase and then after the appraisal I will vet my analysis with you pros...

The appraiser said over the phone if the diamond is what she says it is and had no wierd peculiarities that it should be 15k diamond wholesale and that the other 9 diamonds and settings are gravy on top...i may buy it even if too gaudy and resell it or trade it for a smaller one with some better qualitys.
 
Make sure that the appraiser is chosen by you, not the seller.

I believe David Atlas is in Philadelphia. You should probably call to schedule an appointment in advance because he can get pretty busy. His contact information is in the list of appraisers at the top of the page.

I don't think that the warranty and upgrade program at Shane Co. is transferrable but they will be happy to tell you what their policy is if you ask them.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver
www.gemlab.us
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4914321309&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

Here is a picture that is an exact representation of the ring - i did not have a good enough pic to attach. It looks just like this - even better in person.

Had it appraised by Shannon Fiztpatrick on jewelers row where i met the seller here in philly (she flew in from Salt lake last night - and got sick). Paid her the $10k after all looked like it was advertised (VS-2, G, 2.05 center princess, 74.4% depth, girdle = Sl. thick, dimensions 7.0x*6.52*5 with a very good finish. THis thing is one month old and doesn't need polishing - doing it anyway...

Please comment - the appraiser couldn't stop gasping and I am thrilled if this is not a joke - pinch me

Dont forget total weight of all diamonds are 3.83 in platimnum setting. The engagement ring is appraised at $24,500 as of today (GIA apprasier) and the wedding band is $3000. All the other 9 .2 ct stones are vs g's.

Should I quit my job, maybe I can find another one! Pretty cocky for a cpa with 1 week of diamond experience - but please bring me to earth before I get barry manilow to stop singing in the middle of his concert in october to let me make the proposal!
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Buying from a private seller (not some big power seller) is usually a way to find a great deal..can be risky but a great deal...especially when she take a flight to meet you!!!...They are generally just looking to honestly unload and get whatever $ they can. GREAT JOB and congrats on the ring!!!
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"Should I quit my job, maybe I can find another one! Pretty cocky for a cpa with 1 week of diamond experience"

LOL...don't get too cocky!
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What's the table on the stone...?
 
Thanks for the input - it means alot - also would take some cats (re the shelter) but with us living together already we have 4 happy kittys already!
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The table is also 74% - any comments are appreciated? Would 70 be better?
 
So you've paid for it and it's now in your possession? I'm sure your fiancee will love it. Just breathe and be happy with your purchase.
 
I agree!
 
I wired the money while she was at the bank yesterday - 10k and then went and had it appriasied and immediately put it in for resizing - retightening and polishing to present as new. She said wholesale on the biggie was 13k or so. The just over 2 ct makes it a desired piece I suppose.

So i need more help if I can get it from you more experienced gem lovers...


1) How the hell do i play this thing off as NOT USED and not come out looking like I'm hiding something. It says SHANE CO in thier little tiny squiggly incription on both rings. I was thinking: tell her i got it over the web from shane co (setting) and that the diamond comes from Bartsky or a jewelers row shop. Bartsky wont mind taking credit i hope! She is experinced at jewelry and diamonds and very intuitive and common sensical. She will see the nice appraisal since the house is in her name and she'll have to contact insurance co for making a change to policy ....in other words, she's not the in the dark type...she's already been married to boot.

2) THe wedding band itself mathces the engagement setting wonderfully. But don't most men just get one at a time...is this an issue or am I just overthinking. I get the feeling that when I say "honey I have your engagement setting at the jeweler awaiting our marriage" - in order to keep her from the mindset that she has freedom to design a different band - that it will come off as I got a deal for a recylced ring...maybe i should sell it and buy her what she wants in 2 years when we get married. It appraised for 3 so i could get 1200 right? THe value is in the engagement ring so I am waivering on what to do here...keeping it for that long seems a bit silly if most guys buy it with her at her whim and taste...

I'm a total 35 yr old rookie here if someone can offer thier experienced view.
 
ummmm, u think it's a good idea to start off an engagement with a lie? Just tell her the truth. What's the big deal.
 
SixFive,

Don't lie. It'll bite you. Just ask her ex-husband.

If you don't like the word 'used', try 'estate' or 'vintage'. If it's going to bother her, or you, that the ring has been worn before, take it to a customer jeweler, have the stones removed and have the whole thing remade from the ground up. It will result in a special piece that you had a hand in designing and that you can be proud of. Using your diamonds it should be possible to get a fantastic piece made for a very reasonable price. There are several custom platinumsmiths that frequent this forum that I'm sure would be happy to help you or talk to your friend at Bartsky.

What's wrong with her having the mindset that she has freedom to design a different band if she likes. Seems like a pretty good plan to me.

Neil Beaty GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver
 
Vintage Explanation possibility: "honey this vintage ring in the latest design setting is from a couple who were married for 4 days in July". I love this suggestion but not sure a ring worn for less than a week being polished to look and be presented as new jives. If it was like her first one that was an antique setting that would work VERY well.

Telling the Truth possibility: "Honey I got his for a steal on ebay". AS much as we are frugal and love it - she doesn't want to hear this even if it's the truth about her diamond - she doesn't want tiffany either so somewhere in the grey middle is answer here.

Lying possibility:

Fiance': Who designed this setting its beautiful? ME: The Shane Co. and I got it online (no shane co around here)

Fiance': How did you do find exactly what I wanted? ME: I searched the shops and interet for months until i saw something that made me tingly and this is it!

Fiance': Where can we take this back to I want a smaller one? Ummmm - here I'll take care of it...then go call the jeweler and have him play along for a trade up/down which i fund later in private. This guy is already giving me a ring box and aware of what I am doing.

The problem is balancing the perceptions: presenting the perfect ring and without mispepresnting the facts or circumstances. Am i making an mountain from nothing or does my bride to be need to know the nitty gritty. I dont see much of a lie here that even if i got totally busted I wouldn't be backpeddling much. Does she want to know that i got the ring for a bargain - shouldn't she get a ring without any concpetions attached. What am i hiding really - the source of the diamond - it comes from the earths crust right! I am all for living the truth as life is easy that way - I guess the answers depend on how inquisitive she gets. It's not like I'm putting it in a tiffany box!

Your opinions are pricless keep em coming. This girl wont care ultimately - thats why She's for me, but I don't want her to feel any less special than she should and certainly don't want to detract from the the beauty of the stones - they are what they are and they are beautiful!
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Am I losing it or am I attaching more mystique to this moment than is deserved?
 
SixFive,

Your dissembling.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a good deal. If you’re feeling guilty about the source or have some sort of lingering guilt about the ownership history, have your jeweler friend remake the piece. $500-$1000 will go a long way here and will convert it into something that is uniquely hers with no hidden baggage attached. You shouldn’t have to feel that there is something you need to conceal. The fact that you asked this question strikes me as a bad sign. The issue has as much to do with what’s going on in your heart as it does with what’s going on in hers.

Neil Beaty GG, ISA
Free, Useless advise in Denver
 
A bad sign??? I just don't want HER to associate this ring with this womans 4 day marriage - what the bargain represents essentially! Maybe it't me attaching the association a little bit strangely but I want this unbelievable ring to be the perfect gift for her - sound so bad?
 
I'll chime in with just one woman's perspective here...

I really like Neil's suggestion of having it remade. Then you get to tell her it's a custom piece you had made and the history doesn't matter. It shows your care and effort, and she gets a new ring.

If it were me, I wouldn't want the lie. Even if it was to make me happier, the bottom line is that I wouldn't want to start my engagement with a lie. However well-intentioned.

Plus, I really think that if you emphasize the part you said earlier about looking everywhere for the perfect ring for her, that is the important thing. Not that I know her, but to me it's more important that you scoured every source until you found exactly what you thought she'd like than the fact that the perfect item happened to show up pre-owned on e-bay.
 
Well I have been schooled since we spoke last. Mothers and men more married than I have made me see some light here.

First, I attached a pic to show this beauty off. And all this for around $8,500 after selling the included wedding band on consignment. 2.05 ct center VSII G with 4 other .2's.

I spoke to her about what she wants again and got what I expected. LOTS of answers. This is a dangerous move asking a woman what she want after you know she's already got it! BUT what i determined is that she doesn't really know except for things that I have already covered (raised princess >1.4 ct). She says she wants a classic design but not centerpiece with 2 side stones. While this pictured setting may not be what she want's (but I don't really know since it looks like a cutout she gave me - the rock IS what she want's. So I will give it to her like it is and we can swap the setting anytime she wants. I sold the wedd band for 1500 and all is well...this was fun thanks for the comments and help. The internet has saved me thousands here and so have you.

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Can anyone comment on the color in the stone's reflection - jsut prismatic effects right? Oh no I'
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ve bought glass!

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This has some better color in the reflection - what a beaut
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