less_confused
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 72
So I bought some GIA certified diamonds - F SI1s
And this is where it gets interesting, at least to me. Whenever I bought diamond jewelry, I bought from a local San Francisco ''wholesaler'' named Steve Padis. I knew the 4cs, but not nearly to the extent that I should have. Worse for me, I never knew about GIA or AGS or EGL.
Mine is a common story - I was buying certified stones, certified by the vendor that is. I bet if I took those diamonds to get GIA certified, the VS2 I bought would be SI2 or worse.
In essence, I came to Pricescope with baggage: I thought SI2 stones were on the cloudy side of life. After all, that is what I had been seeing at my local vendor.
So I knew - absolutely knew - that only SI1 or better could possibly work for earrings.
Folks on Pricescope, however, advised me to consider SI2. Don''t take their word for it, they advised, go to a local jeweler. Problem was, the local jewelers tend to pull the same tricks - using EGL or ISI or in-house certifications. Meaning shabby grading. Taking the Pricescope members'' advice was actually counterproductive - it reinforced my view that SI2 stones are dirty and inclusions easily seen. Except that I didn''t report my experience, which would have probably helped.
I wish that I had gone to a reputable dealer and insisted on seeing GIA certified SI2 stones. Because when my SI1 stones arrived, they were clean clean clean. I used a 10X loupe and saw nothing. Which means, in all likelihood, the SI2 stones would have been fine as well.
What''s my point? Well several, actually:
1. Pricescope members know what they are talking about
2. Most B&M vendors are guilty of abusing the certification process. Most buyers are like me - wanting certification and the vendors oblige. Little do we know that there is certification and there is certification.
3. Online vendors vouched for on Pricescope are the best option for getting quality diamonds at a great price
And this is where it gets interesting, at least to me. Whenever I bought diamond jewelry, I bought from a local San Francisco ''wholesaler'' named Steve Padis. I knew the 4cs, but not nearly to the extent that I should have. Worse for me, I never knew about GIA or AGS or EGL.
Mine is a common story - I was buying certified stones, certified by the vendor that is. I bet if I took those diamonds to get GIA certified, the VS2 I bought would be SI2 or worse.
In essence, I came to Pricescope with baggage: I thought SI2 stones were on the cloudy side of life. After all, that is what I had been seeing at my local vendor.
So I knew - absolutely knew - that only SI1 or better could possibly work for earrings.
Folks on Pricescope, however, advised me to consider SI2. Don''t take their word for it, they advised, go to a local jeweler. Problem was, the local jewelers tend to pull the same tricks - using EGL or ISI or in-house certifications. Meaning shabby grading. Taking the Pricescope members'' advice was actually counterproductive - it reinforced my view that SI2 stones are dirty and inclusions easily seen. Except that I didn''t report my experience, which would have probably helped.
I wish that I had gone to a reputable dealer and insisted on seeing GIA certified SI2 stones. Because when my SI1 stones arrived, they were clean clean clean. I used a 10X loupe and saw nothing. Which means, in all likelihood, the SI2 stones would have been fine as well.
What''s my point? Well several, actually:
1. Pricescope members know what they are talking about
2. Most B&M vendors are guilty of abusing the certification process. Most buyers are like me - wanting certification and the vendors oblige. Little do we know that there is certification and there is certification.
3. Online vendors vouched for on Pricescope are the best option for getting quality diamonds at a great price
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