Rapaport Chart

[help_confused]

Hi everybody!

Does anybody know anything about the Rapaport guide for diamond pricing? I thought that the guide represented the lowest possible wholesale price for diamonds, but my friend managed to get a diamond from a trusted source for a price well below rate on the chart. Is this possible?

 

[Missrocks]

Rapaport is used a sort of pricing index / average. I would not use it as a "wholesale" list. How much over of how much below this list depends on the cut/ color/ clarity and carat weight of the diamond in question and the supply vs. demand.
For example, in a 1ct near colorless SI clarity will probably be sold below Rapaport list. A one carat colorless and VS - VVS stone with GIA EX cut, EX polish, EX symmetry may sell 5 -10 percent above this list. A 3 carat with high color, high clarity, high cut rating can sell to a customer for 25 percent plus over Rap. As the combo of the four c's get rarer expect to pay higher above this list.
Forgot to mention cut plays a big factor two. Most fancy shapes and poorly cut rounds (think severly steep and deep as example) will be sold below Rap, regardless of color/ clarity.

So to answer your question, it just depends on what the specs are on the diamond you are looking at...

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 3/30/2008 11:19:43 PM
Author:help_confused
Does anybody know anything about the Rapaport guide for diamond pricing? I thought that the guide represented the lowest possible wholesale price for diamonds]

Quite the opposite: the prices are "high cash asking prices" i.e., more or less the highest wholesale prices. This is why most stuff trades below or "back of" Rap. It''s also why the list is largely useless for consumers.

 

[strmrdr]

Any time a Jeweler starts talking Rap I hide my wallet because every time they have been trying too take me for a ride.

It is fun when you know the Internet pricing and approx wholesale price then let them go on and on and on then say BS! hehehehehehehehehe
I had one swear up and down his wholesale price was 50% higher than exact same stone on the PS search, I just wrote down a couple PS vendors URLs and the next time I was there handed it too him and said here is your new suppliers! (its right next door to a place I go too often too fix computers)
Rofl!

 

[denverappraiser]

Rap teaches you almost nothing useful as a consumer.

This article might be useful to understand why not.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Jewelry Appraisals in Denver