Pet peeve.

[Gypsy]

I love our new members. Please don't misconstrue this post.

But on RT it drives me a little nuts that someone with 5,000 plus posts will tell someone one thing (which is usually accurate) and then someone with anywhere from 12 to 130 posts comes on, shoots their mouth off (with inaccurate information) and their post is given the same weight as the other poster.

Sometimes I wonder why people don't pay more attention to WHO is giving them advice. What their post count is. And how long they've been here. It's all information that is readily available.

I'm not saying every person with a lower post count is ignorant, at all. But I do think that a lot of our long time members have more invested in making sure their comments are accurate and helpful, than some of the members who are only on here to buy one ring then bail.

Feel free to vent as you want.

 

[slg47]

I love our new members. Please don't misconstrue this post.

But on RT it drives me a little nuts that someone with 5,000 plus posts will tell someone one thing (which is usually accurate) and then someone with anywhere from 12 to 130 posts comes on, shoots their mouth off (with inaccurate information) and their post is given the same weight as the other poster.

Sometimes I wonder why people don't pay more attention to WHO is giving them advice. What their post count is. And how long they've been here. It's all information that is readily available.

I'm not saying every person with a lower post count is ignorant, at all. But I do think that a lot of our long time members have more invested in making sure their comments are accurate and helpful, than some of the members who are only on here to buy one ring then bail.

Feel free to vent as you want.

I have noticed this too. When I read advice I tend to approach it as not only who is giving it but how they are backing it up (articles? links? personal experience? etc.)

 

[maplefemme]

I'm pretty new, I wouldn't presume to give advice on specific diamond specs because quite frankly I lack the knowledge to give accurate advice.
I'm learning with humility from those more in the know on here and I find the process fascinating, there's so much more to diamonds, and the industry in general, that I never knew.

 

[kenny]

I hit 10,000 posts today and still don't know my @ss from a hole in the ground.

 

[MissStepcut]

To be fair though... PS has some groupthink that I don't believe applies to every diamond consumer. For example, the emphasis on H&A stones. I was chatting with a small town jeweler recently who told me that, while he just LOVES crisp arrows, when he places an H&A next to a Star129, the consumer will prefer the Star129 almost every time. Another thing that PS might over-emphasize is eye cleanness. Maul jewelers sell plenty of inclusions with small, visible-but-innocuous inclusions. Plenty of brides would rather receive a larger, subtly included diamond that's less than ideally cut, rather than the "Pricescope Perfect" rock, but of course that's generally what's recommended on RT. I am not sure what encounters motivated this particular thread, but in general, I think PS could use a little mind opening.

 

[yssie]

To be fair though... PS has some groupthink that I don't believe applies to every diamond consumer. For example, the emphasis on H&A stones. I was chatting with a small town jeweler recently who told me that, while he just LOVES crisp arrows, when he places an H&A next to a Star129, the consumer will prefer the Star129 almost every time. Another thing that PS might over-emphasize is eye cleanness. Maul jewelers sell plenty of inclusions with small, visible-but-innocuous inclusions. Plenty of brides would rather receive a larger, subtly included diamond that's less than ideally cut, rather than the "Pricescope Perfect" rock, but of course that's generally what's recommended on RT. I am not sure what encounters motivated this particular thread, but in general, I think PS could use a little mind opening.

I honestly can't think of a single RT regular who doesn't have and voice his/her own opinions on these issues and more, tradeperson or consumer, and they definitely aren't always in agreement!

I wouldn't pick the Star129

 

[Gypsy]

To be fair though... PS has some groupthink that I don't believe applies to every diamond consumer. For example, the emphasis on H&A stones. I was chatting with a small town jeweler recently who told me that, while he just LOVES crisp arrows, when he places an H&A next to a Star129, the consumer will prefer the Star129 almost every time. Another thing that PS might over-emphasize is eye cleanness. Maul jewelers sell plenty of inclusions with small, visible-but-innocuous inclusions. Plenty of brides would rather receive a larger, subtly included diamond that's less than ideally cut, rather than the "Pricescope Perfect" rock, but of course that's generally what's recommended on RT. I am not sure what encounters motivated this particular thread, but in general, I think PS could use a little mind opening.

I do think we have group think. So I'm not debating that. But I don't think it is always bad. And I do think it is inevitable (and I actually had a post a few weeks ago about Group Think, specifically see here : [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/group-think.162466/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/group-think.162466/[/URL])

But to address specific points you raised MissStepCut

Most experienced RT posters (as differentiated from those who just shoot their mouths off) will recommend NEAR H&A everytime over ANY OTHER stone, IF the stone's price reflects it's "near" status AND the stone still has ideal light performance. Unless the issue is one of H&A being more "mindclean" for the individual. Most of the time however, 'near" H&A and H&A are priced very similarly, and H&A stones have upgrade and trade in policies that NEAR H&A stones will not have. That's why you see a bias toward H&A.

An you are right that many will NOT recommend Star129. But not for the reason you think. The reason they don't recommend the brand is because there is a large markup. You jeweler friend, of course, wants a larger sale so he is going to push for the more expensive stone. A 'generic' H&A is cheaper than a Star 129. And MOST people are trying to eek out size from their budget. It's a matter of bang for buck. Plus, many don't like the extra facets. I don't. I've seen Star129 in real life and they are very busy stones. You will never hear someone say that Star129's aren't well cut. And IF the person posting comments on the facets it is to say what their personal preference is (like I said, I don't personally care for them) and then recommend that the person who is interested in the Star129 go and see them in person-- and make up their minds for themselves (the antithesis of group think)

As you, yourself, said... most people are trying to get a larger stone. If the two stones are both ideal in light performance. But one is cheaper (Near H&A for example) and the other is significantly more (Star129) and the person is ambivalent about the facet structure... sure we tell them to go for size over a branded cut. But if someone really likes a Star129... then great. It's like someone liking emerald cuts over RB's. We aren't going to talk them into a RB. But we will make sure they understand that with an emerald cut they are going to have to go for higher color and clarity and will have less selection to chose from (and will therefore have to hunt harder) for an emerald cut. Once they have made an educated decision on the shape or facet structure... we will help them find the best emerald cut that we can find for them. It's very much about making an educated decision.

What you actually see on RT is a STRONG preference for ideal light performance in rounds and a strong preference for non-branded goods to squeeze out more size for the budget. And a huge emphasis on making sure people are making educated decisions.

Which brings us to your second point. Eyeclean. Most posters on RT are not shopping for themselves. Therefore you aren't going to get recommendations for people to spend THOUSANDS of dollars on a visibly included stone for SOMEONE ELSE. No one wants to propose and have their fiance say: "Um... why does it look like someone sprinkled salt and pepper in this diamond?" You want a gift to be as perfect as you can have it. IF someone tells us that their Lady has made an informed decision and WANTS a larger stone and WILL except a slightly visible white inclusion to get the size they want, then we will look for that. The emphasis is on INFORMED decision making. But most men who are shopping don't know ANYTHING specific at all about what their lady's want. Sure they may say that the woman wants a square or a round. But that's pretty much it. So IF the poster asking for advice doesn't say "inclusions are OKAY." We certainlyaren't going to recommend something that is visibly flawed for a gift for someone we've never met.

The diamonds in the MALL are usually poorly cut AND can be included. But that is a secondary consideration. Most of the time we steer people away from these stores because of A) Crappy Cut Quality on majority of goods and B) a huge markup for Ideal Cut stones. Not because of inclusions. But Yes, we do emphasize eye clean. Now, if the person is buying for themselves and they ask if a stone with a small inclusion is worthwhile AND THEY HAVE SEEN THE STONE... we have no objections. But again... we do tell people to make sure that the stone qualifies for upgrade and other policies, if those policies are important to them. Again, focus on informed decision making.

As you can see... you kinda got the jist of some of what the PS "group think" emphasizes but you are missing the big picture. PS doesn't care if you get an included Star129 as long as you realize what you are getting and go into the transaction with your eyes wide open. The biggest goal of PS group think emphasizes "a knowledgeable choice of the best stone for your preferences and your budget." The experienced PSer will ALWAYS ask a poster asking for advice to rank "cut, clarity, size and color" and then will set about following those guidelines in any recommendations.

I can honestly say that in my six years and over 16,000 posts I have NEVER had an RT poster ASK for an included stone to get more size. NEVER. Quite the opposite. They come on asking for an IF or a VVS and we talk them down to a VS or an SI1 stone and tell them that eyeclean is good enough, they don't need "loupe clean."

I do know ONE PSer who made the decision to buy an included stone FOR HERSELF. And it has a very small white inclusion right in the center. It's otherwise stunning (fabulous cut) and she knew EXACTLY what she was getting when she bought it, AND she is planning on upgrading it for a larger "eyeclean" stone later on. This is her "starter" stone. I don't know anyone else that has done this though.

You should post a poll in RT and ask the newbies how many of them would be willing to buy a visibly included stone for their lady's to eek out more size. Many of them will NOT give up eyeclean to eek out .2 in size.

Hope this clarify things for you.

 

[MissStepcut]

Gypsy, thanks for your thoughtful response.

My point about Star129 wasn't so much the branded cut angle but the "busy appearance" angle. Many consumers don't have any interest in the whole sharp arrows/"perfect" light performance thing, and the PS standard isn't of much use to them. The PS standard for beauty may not be in line with the general populace, and that I think sometimes PS pushes their own ideals on others (see e.g. people looking for great deals on the secondary market are discouraged from buying unless it's a sub-2 HCA stone). I own a number of diamonds, none of which are HCA sub-2s. They're all still gorgeous, from the secondary market, and were steals in my eyes (though I suspect, if asked prior to purchase, PS would have directed me to Whiteflash immediately).

With regard to clarity, I find people pushing high clarity stones without really asking if that's what someone wants, or asking if someone's preferences are grounded in reality.

As for the jeweler, he hardly was pushing star129; quite the contrary made his preference for what I would call "pricescope perfect" diamonds quite clear. As is evidenced by my username, I don't have a lot of interest in RBs, we were just shooting the breeze.

 

[monarch64]

Never mind.

 

[rainytiina]

I don't care

 

[Mayk]

As a new poster who is in a different industry I have been here first out of necessity and then out of interest...I wouldn't dream of providing advice on a stone ( technical advice) but I do like to give my opinion on things like "I like these six settings which do you like" or stay away from EGL.. I know about this...and I love the SMTB thread. The rest has just become an extension of addiction and interest. This is a great time drain for me when I have the time to spare.

 

[Lula]

I've seen this in RT over the years I've been here. It typically happens more often in the spring/summer months when there are a lot of new posters -- usually men -- shopping for engagement rings for summer proposals. Dreamer started a thread about this last year, I think, about how the male posters tend to put more weight on the advice given to them by other male posters, even when the male poster has a far, far lower post count than the more experienced female poster. This is in RT. In CS, there seems to be an entirely different dynamic.

I visit several fora and I always check the post count of those responding to any questions I have. On watch fora, I am a lurker 99.9% of the time, because, even though I've been a mechanical watch enthusiast for several years, I am by no means an expert on all the different movements and technical minutia. But even though diamond cutting seems to involve just as much technical skill as watchmaking, many newbies coming here are focused more on getting a good deal than they are on learning about the art and science behind diamond cutting. Ever since the technical discussions were moved to their own sub-forum, RT has become a sort of online bazaar, where the focus is on haggling for the best deal. We are far, far away from the "connoisseur" model of a few years ago when diamonds -- and vendors -- were held to much higher standards. So I think the standards on RT have loosened considerably in the time I've been here, MsStepcut, and "perfect H&A" is recommended to posters only if they ask for it for mind clean reasons. This is vastly different than what was recommended on RT a few years ago, when I started lurking on PS.

As for the local jeweler's comments about Star129 stones, read enough archived threads and you'll see that the extra facets in a Star129 do indeed outperform a standard 57-facet RB, even in H&A stones, under jewelry store lighting. Those extra-facet stones perform best in a jewelry showroom. They don't do so well, especially in smaller carat weights, in indirect or low light. So it's no wonder consumers love them when they see them next to a conventionally-cut RB under jewelry store lighting, and it's no wonder that every mom-and-pop store in my mid-size city is now carrying their own "brand" of extra-facet RB stones. There's always more to the story...just got to spend a little time in the PS archives. I rarely believe anything local jewelers tell me anymore. There have been too many times it's been outright wrong (lack of education on their part) or just plain deceptive. But I digress.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Congrats Kenny!

 

[yennyfire]

Gypsy, thanks for your thoughtful response.

My point about Star129 wasn't so much the branded cut angle but the "busy appearance" angle. Many consumers don't have any interest in the whole sharp arrows/"perfect" light performance thing, and the PS standard isn't of much use to them. The PS standard for beauty may not be in line with the general populace, and that I think sometimes PS pushes their own ideals on others (see e.g. people looking for great deals on the secondary market are discouraged from buying unless it's a sub-2 HCA stone). I own a number of diamonds, none of which are HCA sub-2s. They're all still gorgeous, from the secondary market, and were steals in my eyes (though I suspect, if asked prior to purchase, PS would have directed me to Whiteflash immediately).

With regard to clarity, I find people pushing high clarity stones without really asking if that's what someone wants, or asking if someone's preferences are grounded in reality. As for the jeweler, he hardly was pushing star129; quite the contrary made his preference for what I would call "pricescope perfect" diamonds quite clear. As is evidenced by my username, I don't have a lot of interest in RBs, we were just shooting the breeze.

I would disagree with this statement. In most cases, unless the poster has specified that they want a VS1 or above, most of the time, the PS experts suggest VS2 or SI1clarity (if eyeclean to the poster's satisfaction) to help the poster get the most stone for their money.

On the topic of Gypsy's post, I DO pay way more attention to the PS regulars with lots of posts to their name as opposed to a newbie (which I consider myself, btw). There are also those who don't have 10K posts to their name who clearly know what they are talking about (i.e. JenniferW, minmin, rosetta, to name a couple). It seems kinda rude for someone with 2 posts to come here and spout off their "knowledge" without taking the time to get the feel of the community, the general spirit of the group etc. I rarely comment on the "is this stone good" posts because I know that someone with way more expertise than I have will likely respond. I love to share my opinion on the "which do you prefer" threads, b/c clearly, it's my opinion and the poster can take the feedback or not. I also love to congratulate the newly engaged...it's a warm reminder of a special time in my own life.

 

[Lula]

I also love to congratulate the newly engaged...it's a warm reminder of a special time in my own life.

Yenny, what a wonderful sentiment!

 

[Laila619]

Miss Stepcut, I agree with what you wrote.

My DH proposed with a Leo diamond from Jared, which I really love and it's ridiculously sparkly in all types of lighting. However, when I came to PS, I found out that "maul" stores are to be avoided and I began to think my Leo was not good. So, for an "upgrade" I bought an AGS 0 round cut in 2009 after reading about H&A stones here. And you know what I've come to realize? That I don't like the AGS 0 stone all that much. I don't think it's that spectacular or anything. In many lighting situations, the Leo blows it out of the water. It has far more sparkle and scintillation. Ah well. Live and learn.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Miss Stepcut, I agree with what you wrote.

My DH proposed with a Leo diamond from Jared, which I really love and it's ridiculously sparkly in all types of lighting. However, when I came to PS, I found out that "maul" stores are to be avoided and I began to think my Leo was not good. So, for an "upgrade" I bought an AGS 0 round cut in 2009 after reading about H&A stones here. And you know what I've come to realize? That I don't like the AGS 0 stone all that much. I don't think it's that spectacular or anything. In many lighting situations, the Leo blows it out of the water. It has far more sparkle and scintillation. Ah well. Live and learn.

This is my problem with the way stones are recommended here. Of course you want to buy a stone that looks excellent and and performs well, but the majority rule here is that you cannot find one without going to WF, GOG, or the other vendors recommended here. Anyone that comes in mentioning that they bought a maul store ring gets FAR less praise for it (even if it is a brilliant stone), than someone that bought an AGS 0 from WF. PSers generally have a higher standard than your typical consumer, and I think it can really limit someone that comes here hoping for advice, particularly for their small budget.

 

[jewelerman]

Congrats Kenny!

Is the congrats for his number of posts or not knowing his a$$ from a hole in the ground?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Miss Stepcut, I agree with what you wrote.

My DH proposed with a Leo diamond from Jared, which I really love and it's ridiculously sparkly in all types of lighting. However, when I came to PS, I found out that "maul" stores are to be avoided and I began to think my Leo was not good. So, for an "upgrade" I bought an AGS 0 round cut in 2009 after reading about H&A stones here. And you know what I've come to realize? That I don't like the AGS 0 stone all that much. I don't think it's that spectacular or anything. In many lighting situations, the Leo blows it out of the water. It has far more sparkle and scintillation. Ah well. Live and learn.

The reason I would avoid Jared is not because you can't get a beautiful stone there, but because you will usually overpay for the stone there. I looked at Hearts on Fire diamonds locally to decide if I wanted an H&A diamond and they were priced 30%+ higher than comparable stones from PS vendors! I really can't speak to Jared's in particular, but usually stones will be overpriced at those chain jewelers. So the reason to steer someone away from that decision is NOT because the stone is of lesser quality (if it is indeed well cut), but it is to help the person get more for their money elsewhere. I chose a generic H&A over HoF, Star129, Eightstar, etc. because I knew it had ideal light return and would allow me to get the most for my money.

But to agree with others, this forum if anything recommends lower color and clarity rather than higher!!! I think I am one of the few that prefers VS and H or higher stones for myself. But for the record, I helped my son-in-law pick a diamond for my daughter, and hers is not H&A, it is a premium select (third tier) from WF and you can't tell it from one of my ACA's. For her it didn't matter because she doesn't care about diamond specs. But because I do care, I prefer the top level of stones for myself and can afford to pay for it (other than I don't pay for fancy branded cuts).

Gypsy, I also agree with your original post!

 

[Lula]

Miss Stepcut, I agree with what you wrote.

My DH proposed with a Leo diamond from Jared, which I really love and it's ridiculously sparkly in all types of lighting. However, when I came to PS, I found out that "maul" stores are to be avoided and I began to think my Leo was not good. So, for an "upgrade" I bought an AGS 0 round cut in 2009 after reading about H&A stones here. And you know what I've come to realize? That I don't like the AGS 0 stone all that much. I don't think it's that spectacular or anything. In many lighting situations, the Leo blows it out of the water. It has far more sparkle and scintillation. Ah well. Live and learn.

This is my problem with the way stones are recommended here. Of course you want to buy a stone that looks excellent and and performs well, but the majority rule here is that you cannot find one without going to WF, GOG, or the other vendors recommended here. Anyone that comes in mentioning that they bought a maul store ring gets FAR less praise for it (even if it is a brilliant stone), than someone that bought an AGS 0 from WF. PSers generally have a higher standard than your typical consumer, and I think it can really limit someone that comes here hoping for advice, particularly for their small budget.

I agree that regular posters can be overly harsh toward mall stores. And, I also agree, you can get some great deals in mall stores, and on the secondary market, if you know what you're doing. The problem is most people don't spend the amount of time needed to educate their minds -- and eyes -- about diamonds. The other problem is most jewelry stores don't educate their staff members, and the push is to make sales. Customers get caught up in the sales pitch and spend way too much money for merchandise that is not always what it claims to be, and is typically way overpriced. If someone says they want to buy local, that person is given a lot of help on the right way to do that. There are many consumers who have purchased stones from B&M stores with the help of people on RT.

Laila, I'm not doubting that your Leo diamond is a very beautiful stone. I've seen Star 129 and Leo diamonds in person and they, too, are very well-cut and are beautiful diamonds. They do have a very different "look" to them compared to traditional 57-facet stones, and, many people prefer that look. Again, I've seen regular posters explain that to consumers asking about these stones, to make sure consumers understand the differences. There are many threads in the archives that explain the pros/cons of extra facets. In fact, I think these threads mention than in stones larger than 1 carat, the extra facets are a benefit to the stone's appearance. In stones less than 1 carat, the extra facets may produce more pinflash at the expense of larger chunks of white light and fire.

And what's the deal with dissing WF on this thread? I see many more people being referred to JA and BGD than I do WF!

On the rare occasions I recommend a stone to someone, I often use WF's database because it's the easiest and quickest to navigate.

Anyway, this is a major threadjack away from Gypsy's original topic. Sorry, Gypsy.

 

[yssie]

I've seen this in RT over the years I've been here. It typically happens more often in the spring/summer months when there are a lot of new posters -- usually men -- shopping for engagement rings for summer proposals. Dreamer started a thread about this last year, I think, about how the male posters tend to put more weight on the advice given to them by other male posters, even when the male poster has a far, far lower post count than the more experienced female poster. This is in RT. In CS, there seems to be an entirely different dynamic.

I visit several fora and I always check the post count of those responding to any questions I have. On watch fora, I am a lurker 99.9% of the time, because, even though I've been a mechanical watch enthusiast for several years, I am by no means an expert on all the different movements and technical minutia. But even though diamond cutting seems to involve just as much technical skill as watchmaking, many newbies coming here are focused more on getting a good deal than they are on learning about the art and science behind diamond cutting. Ever since the technical discussions were moved to their own sub-forum, RT has become a sort of online bazaar, where the focus is on haggling for the best deal. We are far, far away from the "connoisseur" model of a few years ago when diamonds -- and vendors -- were held to much higher standards. So I think the standards on RT have loosened considerably in the time I've been here, MsStepcut, and "perfect H&A" is recommended to posters only if they ask for it for mind clean reasons. This is vastly different than what was recommended on RT a few years ago, when I started lurking on PS.

As for the local jeweler's comments about Star129 stones, read enough archived threads and you'll see that the extra facets in a Star129 do indeed outperform a standard 57-facet RB, even in H&A stones, under jewelry store lighting. Those extra-facet stones perform best in a jewelry showroom. They don't do so well, especially in smaller carat weights, in indirect or low light. So it's no wonder consumers love them when they see them next to a conventionally-cut RB under jewelry store lighting, and it's no wonder that every mom-and-pop store in my mid-size city is now carrying their own "brand" of extra-facet RB stones. There's always more to the story...just got to spend a little time in the PS archives. I rarely believe anything local jewelers tell me anymore. There have been too many times it's been outright wrong (lack of education on their part) or just plain deceptive. But I digress.

Definitely agree - this model is not working. That subforum is just about as dead as it can be. I can't imagine it is actually fulfilling it's intended purpose at this point, which I understand was to entice the experts back by providing them with easy-to-find fodder for debate... the debates have long died out

 

[fieryred33143]

Forgive me for being naive, especially since I don't use PS for its true purpose but I'm assuming that those asking questions are going to weigh all the advice they receive and do what they feel is best for them. good for those posters for not seeing post count and letting perhaps popularity sway their decision. Also, knowing that we have a community of people who love to talk and debate, if someone truly does post something completely inaccurate, the regs won't skip a beat in correcting them.

 

[junebug17]

Forgive me for being naive, especially since I don't use PS for its true purpose but I'm assuming that those asking questions are going to weigh all the advice they receive and do what they feel is best for them. good for those posters for not seeing post count and letting perhaps popularity sway their decision. Also, knowing that we have a community of people who love to talk and debate, if someone truly does post something completely inaccurate, the regs won't skip a beat in correcting them.

I agree with you fiery, I was going to say something similar but you summed it up for me. Especially the bolded part.

 

[sillyberry]

::snip:: I do know ONE PSer who made the decision to buy an included stone FOR HERSELF. And it has a very small white inclusion right in the center. It's otherwise stunning (fabulous cut) and she knew EXACTLY what she was getting when she bought it, AND she is planning on upgrading it for a larger "eyeclean" stone later on. This is her "starter" stone. I don't know anyone else that has done this though. ::snip::

Me! I have a similar very small white inclusion right in the center (or slightly off-center, really). I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows it is there, though, since no one else has spent time staring intently at the stone...but I'm sure a PSer could spot it without much effort! Definitely worth it for me, as I don't think we could have hit the size we wanted otherwise.

Total threadjack, but I figured I could reply to you in your own thread.

 

[Gypsy]

::snip:: I do know ONE PSer who made the decision to buy an included stone FOR HERSELF. And it has a very small white inclusion right in the center. It's otherwise stunning (fabulous cut) and she knew EXACTLY what she was getting when she bought it, AND she is planning on upgrading it for a larger "eyeclean" stone later on. This is her "starter" stone. I don't know anyone else that has done this though. ::snip::

Me! I have a similar very small white inclusion right in the center (or slightly off-center, really). I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows it is there, though, since no one else has spent time staring intently at the stone...but I'm sure a PSer could spot it without much effort! Definitely worth it for me, as I don't think we could have hit the size we wanted otherwise.

Total threadjack, but I figured I could reply to you in your own thread.

Hi Sillyberry, it's funny I just remembered that Asscher_girl also did this. So there are two of you now. LOL. It's a very exclusive club. I would have done this if I had a brilliant cut. Small white inclusions are birthmarks, IMO. But my hubby picked my stone for me and he is OCD. A visible inclusion in any of my diamonds would drive him batty.

BTW-- threadjacks are great. I enjoy them. No worries.

 

[coati]

Forgive me for being naive, especially since I don't use PS for its true purpose but I'm assuming that those asking questions are going to weigh all the advice they receive and do what they feel is best for them. good for those posters for not seeing post count and letting perhaps popularity sway their decision. Also, knowing that we have a community of people who love to talk and debate, if someone truly does post something completely inaccurate, the regs won't skip a beat in correcting them.

Yep, I think the bolded for the most part. Ya can't control which posts are given the most weight. (I remember the threads about males getting more kudos than females and the threads encouraging newbies to say "thank you" after they've been helped--I completely understand these sentiments too) The community compensates like fiery stated, and there's always a learning curve. I remember when I was a newbie (in '07) wading into RT-trying to help and being careful about it. This place can be daunting to new members, and I really think there is simply a desire to fit in. I've seen knowledgeable consumers and trade jump in to correct inaccurate info. This place is huge with tons of topics, and it can be hard for those reg RT folks to catch it all. Ebb and flow-it all works out in the wash.

 

[Kaleigh]

If they stick around they will know who knows their stuff. Not to say newbies don't.. But it's the manner in which the info is articulated. When I joined almost 7 years ago, I kept my trap shut... I wanted to learn and got my as* handed to me a few times. The education here has been awesome.. We value you a lot, and know the time and effort you have put in here on RT.....

I have been absent but will be here more often now..

 

[slg47]

If they stick around they will know who knows their stuff. Not to say newbies don't.. But it's the manner in which the info is articulated. When I joined almost 7 years ago, I kept my trap shut... I wanted to learn and got my as* handed to me a few times. The education here has been awesome.. We value you a lot, and know the time and effort you have put in here on RT.....

I have been absent but will be here more often now..

Kaleigh good to see you

 

[TristanC]

Well I'm really new, but I try to contribute as much as I can. Which is typically through a comment on an observation of the situation rather than a discussion of the specific diamond in question.

So from the mindset of someone new, I think it is really good to share what you know as fact, and state an opinion on what you THINK you know, and occasionally to state what you MIGHT PERHAPS know in response to people. Diversity is of course the point of forums. It is only when people fail to make distinctions between fact and opinion that many people are told the wrong things.

I also do feel as a newcomer to PS that the standard answers tend to gravitate towards JA/BGD/WF, and the best H&A stone that people can get for their money (typically SI1, H-I colour) and with a preference for larger sizes within the range. This is fine, so long as most people are getting their needs served

I actually applaud the patience of the long time posters in correcting people time and again about their errors with EGL, or with false assumptions about SI2 or I1/I2 stones and "Deals" in particular.

The one and only thing I feel really uncomfortable with PS is when certain people just ask strangers to get a temporary ring, and to then go and ask the girl exactly what they want for their E-ring rather than doing it themselves. I mean, I know this can obviously be a good thing in some cases, but I can't imagine how much doubt must be going through the mind of someone on the fence of giving his beloved a good surprise when he is faced with a wall of virtual doubt.

 

[Dancing Fire]

The one and only thing I feel really uncomfortable with PS is when certain people just ask strangers to get a temporary ring, and to then go and ask the girl exactly what they want for their E-ring rather than doing it themselves. I mean, I know this can obviously be a good thing in some cases, but I can't imagine how much doubt must be going through the mind of someone on the fence of giving his beloved a good surprise when he is faced with a wall of virtual doubt.

yeah,but lets assume the guy orders a $6k custom made ring and the girl hates the style then what? trash the $6k ring?