please help me what can i do with my 1.04 ct diamond

[brownsuga]

hello first of all congratulations for this great site,

here is my problem and forgive my mistakes, i bought a ring looks good with a 1.05 ct on it round diamond, i paid 3000$ at a jewellery store, i thought i was doing a good deal, i was exited and showed to a couple of friends, one of them told me that it did not look that shiny, i started looking at it and as a mather fact it was more shiny at the store, i brought to a different jewellery to make sure it was a real diamond and they said it was but not the best quality something si3 or i1, i was very dissapointed and returned to the original store, to make my story short they didn'' t want to take it back so i am stuck with it, i want to offer it to my love but know that notice that i don''t watnt to give it to her like that, imagine how she would feel if one of her friend tells her that the diamond is not that nice, i can'' t make her go thru that, i was wondering if there is any special technique thru a lab or anything to make it more shiny, recut it , the ring is new and can''t afford to buy another one, what can you suggest me my friends, please help me. I know that you need to see the diamond but could you tell me if it is a very expensive technique and how much would i losse and how long does it take i want to pop the question around valentine''s day, i live in canada and honestly don'' t trust any jeweller so please help me. who do u guys suggest, i need a miracle, it don'' t matter if i have to ship it to the States but i rather have it done by a good professional, please feel free to advise me. Thank you.

extra question...do u think i paid too much or is it normal price at jewellers.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/21/2010 2:49:55 AM
Author:brownsuga
hello first of all congratulations for this great site,

here is my problem and forgive my mistakes, i bought a ring looks good with a 1.05 ct on it round diamond, i paid 3000$ at a jewellery store, i thought i was doing a good deal, i was exited and showed to a couple of friends, one of them told me that it did not look that shiny, i started looking at it and as a mather fact it was more shiny at the store, i brought to a different jewellery to make sure it was a real diamond and they said it was but not the best quality something si3 or i1, i was very dissapointed and returned to the original store, to make my story short they didn' t want to take it back so i am stuck with it, i want to offer it to my love but know that notice that i don't watnt to give it to her like that, imagine how she would feel if one of her friend tells her that the diamond is not that nice, i can' t make her go thru that, i was wondering if there is any special technique thru a lab or anything to make it more shiny, recut it , the ring is new and can't afford to buy another one, what can you suggest me my friends, please help me. I know that you need to see the diamond but could you tell me if it is a very expensive technique and how much would i losse and how long does it take i want to pop the question around valentine's day, i live in canada and honestly don' t trust any jeweller so please help me. who do u guys suggest, i need a miracle, it don' t matter if i have to ship it to the States but i rather have it done by a good professional, please feel free to advise me. Thank you.

extra question...do u think i paid too much or is it normal price at jewellers.

Hi Brownsuga and welcome!

I am so sorry to hear of your dilemma.....Firstly are you absolutely sure the vendor won't take it back? Maybe if you could find another diamond there, they might be willing to exchange this one.

Also make sure the diamond is scrupulously clean, it is possible the stone needs a good cleaning and it will look better once this has been done. Try some ammonia and hot water if the setting isn't white gold, soak, scrub carefully with a soft brush and rinse. If you do have a white gold setting, try some Mr Clean and hot water or plain dishwash detergent and hot water does a decent job.


It is cut which gives a diamond its beauty as it sounds like you are aware, can you post all the details of the proportions such as;

Type of lab grade ( GIA, AGS, EGL etc)
depth%
table%
crown and pavilion angles
star and lower girdle facet percents
girdle thickness
diameter in mm
fluorescence if applicable and strength
the grade making inclusions noted on the report if the stone has one such as clouds, feathers etc.

Then we will have a better idea of which lab graded the stone and the cut quality.

As to recutting it might be an option but it can take some time so it might not be done for Valentines day but you could certainly ask if it is possible. I would suggest contacting Brian Gavin at;

www.briangavindiamonds.com

Brian will be able to advise you whether it is feasible and if your diamond is a suitable candidate for recutting, and how much weight loss will be involved and costs involved. Also there is a possibility, although rare, that the stone could break or shatter whilst recutting, this is unusual but not unheard of. Brian will be able to advise as to the risks, but normally should the worst happen the owner of the stone has to take the loss.

As to pricing, its hard to say without more info such as the type of lab report, colour and exact clarity grade, cut quality etc so if you could post the above then we can get a better idea.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 1/21/2010 2:49:55 AM
Author:brownsuga
hello first of all congratulations for this great site,

here is my problem and forgive my mistakes, i bought a ring looks good with a 1.05 ct on it round diamond, i paid 3000$ at a jewellery store, i thought i was doing a good deal, i was exited and showed to a couple of friends, one of them told me that it did not look that shiny, i started looking at it and as a mather fact it was more shiny at the store, i brought to a different jewellery to make sure it was a real diamond and they said it was but not the best quality something si3 or i1, i was very dissapointed and returned to the original store, to make my story short they didn' t want to take it back so i am stuck with it, i want to offer it to my love but know that notice that i don't watnt to give it to her like that, imagine how she would feel if one of her friend tells her that the diamond is not that nice, i can' t make her go thru that, i was wondering if there is any special technique thru a lab or anything to make it more shiny, recut it , the ring is new and can't afford to buy another one, what can you suggest me my friends, please help me. I know that you need to see the diamond but could you tell me if it is a very expensive technique and how much would i losse and how long does it take i want to pop the question around valentine's day, i live in canada and honestly don' t trust any jeweller so please help me. who do u guys suggest, i need a miracle, it don' t matter if i have to ship it to the States but i rather have it done by a good professional, please feel free to advise me. Thank you.

extra question...do u think i paid too much or is it normal price at jewellers.

nahhh...forget the recut. why throw more good money into a

stone?

what you paid is what you'll get. $3000 will not buy a nice 1 ct stone.

 

[Dreamer_D]

That is about half the price of a well cut 1 ct diamond, so I am sorry to say that you got what you paid for

I think the best bet is to see if the store you bought from will exchange for another diamond, and use the specs that Lorelei suggested to get one that is well cut. Cut, not clarity which you mentioned, is what will determine how it looks.

For your 3k canadian you should be able to get a nice .6 to .7ct diamond.

 

[yssie]

Date: 1/21/2010 9:54:35 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
That is about half the price of a well cut 1 ct diamond, so I am sorry to say that you got what you paid for

I think the best bet is to see if the store you bought from will exchange for another diamond, and use the specs that Lorelei suggested to get one that is well cut. Cut, not clarity which you mentioned, is what will determine how it looks.

For your 3k canadian you should be able to get a nice .6 to .7ct diamond.

Agree with this bit.


I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it

 

[marcy]

Most jewelers have at least a 30 day return policy are you past that? I would certainly continue to pursue a refund or exchange with them. If they are not cooperative try their online customer service. It took me quite awhile but I finally got something resolved with a mall jeweler that way. Good luck.

 

[midnightsunmatt]

I''m sorry to hear about your dilemma. But DO NOT despair or overreact.

It''s not that bad. Everyone makes mistakes, and when you look back at your life when you''re old this likely this will not even be on your radar screen of things that really matter.

I would NOT get more involved with this diamond by trying to have it cut. Trying to do this will likely be complicated, expensive, and involve risks that are not wise to take on given your financial situation. I do however have several thoughts:

1. Go back to the store where you bought the stone. Attempt to EXCHANGE it for store credit towards another stone. A reputable jeweler should probably be willing to do this, especially given your situation, and especially if you agree to exchange it for a diamond more expensive than what you originally purchased. Most jeweler''s survive on repeat customers so it is not in their interest to crush people''s expectations.

2. If for some reason who you speak to is not willing to do this, ask to and arrange to speak to the owner or manager of the store. They perhaps will have more latitude to work with you than the average worker (depending on the store).

3. If this still doesn''t work, beg. Seriously. Maybe you can work out some kind of other arrangement. Perhaps you can get 75% of the stone''s purchase price on a exchange for another stone. Heck, even 50% isn''t bad if you are certain you do not want this diamond. You likely won''t be able to sell it for any more anyway.

4. If all else fails, don''t panic. Perhaps you can put off your planned date for a couple months until you can scrape together some more cash. If this isn''t financially possible, I would post all of your diamond''s specs online here so that the experts here can get some sense of what this diamond looks like, and just how big a problem you actually have here. It may not be as bad as you think. At least not so bad that it is flat embarrassing to give it to your beau initially. If she knows you have a limited budget, it''s not likely that she''s expecting to be blown away by the ring anyway. Many people start off with a lesser diamond and upgrade later as their financial circumstances improve. You will not be the first couple to not start out with a jawdropping diamond. In fact, most European couples have much much smaller diamonds, and a significant number do not even have diamond center stones.

Also, your beau will likely understand more than you think she will. You can gauge her reaction to the ring. If she''s less than thrilled, just be very honest and explain what happened to her. A big part of any ring is the symbolism of the gift. If she really loves you, all that is really NECESSARY in a ring is for her to know that you love her enough to get one and that you are willing to ask her to spend the rest of her life with you. Sure, she may have hoped for something else, but that is not something that is going to prevent her from being thrilled that you asked her to marry her, and that you tried to do the best you could to make her happy. Remember, you can always upgrade the diamond down the line when your financial circumstances permit you to do so.

 

[brownsuga]

Thank you guys for all your advises, i tried to return the diamond at the jewellery but i don'' t want to fight no more with the jeweller, so i am gonna tried to find a solution either a good clean up or recut, here are some specs from the certificate it doesn''t give much information, now that i am a member here i ve learned things alot of things, but anyways i like the ring and it''s the one i chose i am trying to be positive and move forward, but please tell me your suggestion, do u guys think a recut or just a good clean up, because honestly the only thing that really bothers me is that it does not shine that much any suggestions..and do u think 3000$ is a fair price for what i got, i read alot of threads and it seems everybody is buying very expensive diamonds i thought i was ok with a 3000$ dollar but now i feel cheap but well it''s all i can afford...and you are right she will love the ring not because of the value but the meaning so thank you for the encouragement guys but now give me suggestions thank you.

The certificate is issue by F.G.A. AND E.G.L. laboratories anyone knows this laboratories...

shape round
weight 1.05 ct
clarity si3
color f
measurements 6,5 x 3,7 mm
proportion grade good
finish grade good
And that''s all that is written on it....thank you guys..attach is a couple of pictures of the ring.

 

[brownsuga]

another picture don'' t know how to put them together sorry.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/30/2010 6:20:45 AM
Author: brownsuga

Thank you guys for all your advises, i tried to return the diamond at the jewellery but i don'' t want to fight no more with the jeweller, so i am gonna tried to find a solution either a good clean up or recut, here are some specs from the certificate it doesn''t give much information, now that i am a member here i ve learned things alot of things, but anyways i like the ring and it''s the one i chose i am trying to be positive and move forward, but please tell me your suggestion, do u guys think a recut or just a good clean up, because honestly the only thing that really bothers me is that it does not shine that much any suggestions..and do u think 3000$ is a fair price for what i got, i read alot of threads and it seems everybody is buying very expensive diamonds i thought i was ok with a 3000$ dollar but now i feel cheap but well it''s all i can afford...and you are right she will love the ring not because of the value but the meaning so thank you for the encouragement guys but now give me suggestions thank you.

The certificate is issue by F.G.A. AND E.G.L. laboratories anyone knows this laboratories...

shape round
weight 1.05 ct
clarity si3
color f
measurements 6,5 x 3,7 mm
proportion grade good
finish grade good

And that''s all that is written on it....thank you guys..attach is a couple of pictures of the ring.

Hi brownsuga

You can read more on EGL labs here, typically EGL graded diamonds are priced lower than GIA or AGS because in some cases the colour and clarity can be lower than stated. Did the store give you a hard time when you tried to exchange the stone?

Have you cleaned the diamond yet? If not, give it a good clean and rinse and see if that helps, you could try a professional cleaning at a jewellers which isn''t very expensive.

 

[stone-cold11]

Sorry, but EGL is known to be loose in color and clarity grading compared to GIA/AGS, so it is discounted in trade and hence the price. This is probably a clarity issue and probably not much can be done for it with a re-cut.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 1/30/2010 6:20:45 AM
Author: brownsuga

Thank you guys for all your advises, i tried to return the diamond at the jewellery but i don' t want to fight no more with the jeweller, so i am gonna tried to find a solution either a good clean up or recut, here are some specs from the certificate it doesn't give much information, now that i am a member here i ve learned things alot of things, but anyways i like the ring and it's the one i chose i am trying to be positive and move forward, but please tell me your suggestion, do u guys think a recut or just a good clean up, because honestly the only thing that really bothers me is that it does not shine that much any suggestions..and do u think 3000$ is a fair price for what i got, i read alot of threads and it seems everybody is buying very expensive diamonds i thought i was ok with a 3000$ dollar but now i feel cheap but well it's all i can afford...and you are right she will love the ring not because of the value but the meaning so thank you for the encouragement guys but now give me suggestions thank you.

nothing wrong with a $3000 budget,just that you bought the wrong kind of stone. you could of purchased a beautiful 3/4 ct.

 

[HVVS]

That''s a shallow diamond. I''d pursue a credit card reversal, or otherwise negotiate with the jeweler to take it back and find something else. For $3000, I''d not tire of fighting for quite some time.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,

You haven''t mentioned what the return policy was and how long ago you purchased the ring. If it''s not past the cut-off point (or wasn''t when you attempted to return it) it seems you have recourse.

Is there anything similar to small-claims court in Canada? Here in the US a person can file against another for under $50 and you do not need to hire a lawyer (you represent yourself).

If I were you, I''d do everything in my power to force the jeweler to give my money back!

 

[brownsuga]

here in canada there is small claims, but as i said i don'' t want to fight no more, i bought the ring 5 months ago but left it in the drawer for about 3month the policy for the jeweller was 30 days, anyways as i said already don'' t feel like fighting prefer do see if there is a way to make it nicer, it supposed to be an important moment and i won''t let the jeweller steal that precious moment by making my life hard, i did a mistake but i love my girl and this the diamond i bought so it is an important diamond to me now, so let'' s make it nicer...i will try the advice about cleaning it thank you all...and keep givind me advices ...by the way i ll wait till middle march to ask her to marry me, 21 of march ...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/2/2010 12:17:16 AM
Author: brownsuga
here in canada there is small claims, but as i said i don'' t want to fight no more, i bought the ring 5 months ago but left it in the drawer for about 3month the policy for the jeweller was 30 days, anyways as i said already don'' t feel like fighting prefer do see if there is a way to make it nicer, it supposed to be an important moment and i won''t let the jeweller steal that precious moment by making my life hard, i did a mistake but i love my girl and this the diamond i bought so it is an important diamond to me now, so let'' s make it nicer...i will try the advice about cleaning it thank you all...and keep givind me advices ...by the way i ll wait till middle march to ask her to marry me, 21 of march ...

Thanks for the update, definitely try a good cleaning and see what that does, also a daily cleaning isn''t excessive if the ring has been worn so let your fiancee know to make sure she cleans it daily also.

Best of luck with the proposal!!