Phily jewelers'' row - Is the price right?

[tmahajan]

I am a newbie in diamond searching. Yesterday, I went to Philadelphia''s jewelers'' row, to Barsky Diamonds store based on some reviews on Pricescope. This was the first time I was looking at diamonds (though I have done some research before hand online). I found a diamond with following specs that was very beautiful:

- 1.5 ct
- SI1
- I/J color
- excellent cut
- GIA certified
- vg polish & symmetry

for $6900.

The salesperson said he was giving us a deal on the price, and then he showed us the rapaport report, where his quote was lower than the wholesale.

My questions are:
1) How is the reputation of Barsky store?
2) Is this the usual price range for this quality of diamond? Is it higher or lower than what it should cost?
3) Should I be checking other diamond attributes? What important attributes am I missing?
4) I really like this stone and the service at the store was great, so I just wanted to go ahead and purchase it. Should I look around some more before I make the decision...or does this deal sound reasonable and honest?
5) How/ when should I get the stone appraised?

Please help...

Thanks,
Trisha

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome!

There are some Philly PSers that might have had experience with this jeweller. What we need to know are the proportions of the diamond in order to help you judge if it is well cut, we need the -

depth%
table%
crown and pavilion angles
girdle thickness
diameter measurements

If you could get that info and post it, then we can go from there. Cut quality is incredibly important so you have a lovely diamond, but as you have seen it and love it then that is the main thing. Also it would appear you wrote I/ J colour, GIA does not split colour grades, it will be I or J, can you check that please? What you could do is to make the sale final on the diamond checking out to your satisfaction in all aspects with an independant appraisal and to check the pricing, here is a tool you can use to find an appraiser in your area - Dave Atlas posts here as Oldminer and works in Philadelphia as an expert appraiser so he might be your man for that,

https://www.pricescope.com/appr_list.aspx

David Atlas
GG, Sr. Mbr. NAJA, ASG
D. Atlas & Co., Inc.
415 Sargon Way, ste B
Horsham, PA 19044
Ph: 215-385-0258
www.datlas.com

 

[neatfreak]

If you do a search for barsky in the search field there are enough complaints that I wouldn''t buy from there personally...

 

[tmahajan]

Thanks for you guidance!

I will make sure to get the dimensions for the diamond ASAP. But, the color for the diamond is I or J, I just forgot exactly which one, because I looked at some other diamonds with similar spec.

Also, if I get appraisal from a third party company, what will it cost me?

I will make sure that I look at a few other stores before I make the call.

Thanks again!
Trisha

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/14/2008 2:41:26 PM
Author: tmahajan
Thanks for you guidance!

I will make sure to get the dimensions for the diamond ASAP. But, the color for the diamond is I or J, I just forgot exactly which one, because I looked at some other diamonds with similar spec.

Also, if I get appraisal from a third party company, what will it cost me?

I will make sure that I look at a few other stores before I make the call.

Thanks again!
Trisha

Hi Trisha,

I would do as Neat suggests in that case, check the jewellers out using the search tool. Thanks for the clarification on the colour also.

As to an appraisal, it can vary but if you call or email David Atlas, he should be able to give you an idea.

 

[oldminer]

"If you do a search for barsky in the search field there are enough complaints that I wouldn''t buy from there personally... "

One must realize that on Pricescope few B&M customers come here to rave about how well they were treated dealing with a retail store. They come here to pressure retailers into corrective action or to share their tale of woe with sympathetic, distant consumers. Barksy is in their 4th or 5th generation on Jewelers Row and they have thousands of very pleased and loyal customers and must by the very nature of retailing have some small number of upset clients, too. You can''t please everyone. I have assisted a few Pricescope complainants to get the ear of the owner there and as far as I know, every one of the problems was readily resolved. Most were resolved by Nate Barsky himself and without any urging from me at all. Harsh words and hurt feelings never die on the Internet, but are archived with a long life often well beyond their level of importance.

You can resolve most of the issue of value by obtaining the complete specs from the GIA report and then running a Pricescope search for similar diamonds.

I have found that buying from retail stores today is often much less pleasant an experience than buying on-line. It is a sad commentary and B&M jewelers are not alone in losing ground to the efficient, clean, polite on-line experience. Some folks really like to go into a store, get acquainted with the retailer and then shop in person. If you value this experience, you probably will find a family operated store, such as Barsky, rather unique in today''s world. No harm is done by shopping. You buy when you have enough facts from the best seller you have met, on-line or B&M.

 

[kcoursolle]

It''s hard to say much about the diamond without the proportions that Lorelei mentioned. Can you call and get those?

 

[tmahajan]

Hi

I found further details about the diamond:

1.5 ct
Depth: 63
Table: 54
Measurements: 7.38 x 7.31 x 4.64
Cut: VG
Color: J
Clarity: SI1
Polish: VG
Symmetry: Ex

and the cost is $6900. Hope this helps with answering the following questions:

Is this the usual price range for this quality of diamond? Is it higher or lower than what it should cost?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/15/2008 11:44:24 AM
Author: tmahajan
Hi


I found further details about the diamond:


1.5 ct

Depth: 63

Table: 54

Measurements: 7.38 x 7.31 x 4.64

Cut: VG

Color: J

Clarity: SI1

Polish: VG

Symmetry: Ex


and the cost is $6900. Hope this helps with answering the following questions:


Is this the usual price range for this quality of diamond? Is it higher or lower than what it should cost?

Normally I'd want the crown and pavilion angles, but with that depth I don't think you'd want this stone probably. Because it's deep it will face up smaller than it should and it'll be outside of the ideal cut range which can affect the sparkle. I'd keep looking personally...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/15/2008 11:49:59 AM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/15/2008 11:44:24 AM
Author: tmahajan
Hi


I found further details about the diamond:


1.5 ct

Depth: 63

Table: 54

Measurements: 7.38 x 7.31 x 4.64

Cut: VG

Color: J

Clarity: SI1

Polish: VG

Symmetry: Ex


and the cost is $6900. Hope this helps with answering the following questions:


Is this the usual price range for this quality of diamond? Is it higher or lower than what it should cost?

Normally I''d want the crown and pavilion angles, but with that depth I don''t think you''d want this stone probably. Because it''s deep it will face up smaller than it should and it''ll be outside of the ideal cut range which can affect the sparkle. I''d keep looking personally...

Ditto Neat.

 

[vadar]

I stopped in there when I first started looking for a stone. I talked with the salesguy for a while and he quoted me a price of $15,900 for a 2 ct, I color, SI2 diamond w/ a GIA cert. Don''t know the cut quality since I never followed up for the details, so it''s hard to compare, BUT I ended up buying online through WF a 2 ct, I color, SI1, AGS 0 ideal cut stone for $13,750... so that should give you an idea about what kind of markup they are making there. Now, I''m sure that I could have haggled for some time with Barsky and gotten a lower price out of them, but why bother? I still would''ve had to pay sales tax and I doubt that they would have been able to offer me an AGS0 stone for anywhere near what I got online.

 

[jstarfireb]

My friend got her engagement ring at Barsky Diamonds, and it's a beautifully cut 3-stone ring. She and her husband are very frugal and not easily duped, so I don't think they would have overpaid by much (I think they might have negotiated the price).

 

[tmahajan]

I have one more question. What is the difference does it make to have a GIA cert or EGL cert. I have been looking online and there is approx. $2000 price difference for exactly same diamond specifications (GIA being more expensive).

Thanks,
Trisha

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/15/2008 1:50:33 PM
Author: tmahajan
I have one more question. What is the difference does it make to have a GIA cert or EGL cert. I have been looking online and there is approx. $2000 price difference for exactly same diamond specifications (GIA being more expensive).


Thanks,

Trisha

EGL is often considered "soft" in their grading, so while an EGL cert might say a stone is an F VS2, GIA might really rate that stone an H SI2...which alters the price considerably (so really it might just have been cheaper to get a reliably graded GIA stone). Also there is some thought that most of the time the nicer stones are sent to GIA or AGS, so it might be harder to find a truly well cut EGL stone.

If you get it appraised before purchase there isn't anything wrong with EGL though, you just need to make sure you are getting what you paid for.

 

[tmahajan]

Thanks for the input!

I am thinking of looking at some online stores now. I was thinking of WhiteFlash and USAcerteddiamonds.

Please advice.

Thanks
Trisha

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/15/2008 2:36:22 PM
Author: tmahajan
Thanks for the input!


I am thinking of looking at some online stores now. I was thinking of WhiteFlash and USAcerteddiamonds.


Please advice.


Thanks

Trisha

Whiteflash is fantastic, I am dealing with them right now for some earrings! I have never worked with USA certed, but I am sure there are plenty of reviews of them if you do a search in the search box.

Also check out Good Old Gold and James Allen, although with JA you need to do a bit more legwork for yourself to make sure you are getting a good stone. WF and GOG make the process very painless.