Chase035
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2007
- Messages
- 191
After three years of lurking, I recently purchased an ER from BN. Since the diamond didn''t come with Ideal-Scope images, I wanted to have someone I could trust have a look. I considered several local appraisers but, in the end, I decided to go with David Atlas of Diamond Gem Laboratories of America (DGLA) in Horsham, PA. It was nice to be able to rely on a highly regarded member of the Pricescope community. Needless to say, I am very happy with that decision. Below, I have outlined a few reasons why I think you should consider him if you are looking for a trustworthy appraiser.
1: Timely. I had my stone shipped directly to the DGLA office. David Atlas (DA) appraised the diamond unset the same day (within an hour or two its receipt) and provided me with a very thorough report. After I shipped the stone back to BN to be mounted, I had it sent back to him so he could finish his report. He completed the paperwork for the setting, set me his report, and had the diamond shipped next day service on its way to me by noon (again, within an hour or two of its receipt).
2: Thorough: His appraisal included Idealscope, AGS ASET, and Hearts and Arrows images from their Sarin combined with DiamCalc. He verified that his Sarin measurements closely matched the rounded GIA values on the Diamond Dossier. His description of the stone''s quality was more detailed than I had seen on other appraisals I have come across. It included his Sarin measurements, a description of the cut class, and comments about everything you''d find on the GIA report (not just the Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight like you''ll find on some reports). He even sent me Ray Trace results and included a picture of the set piece.
3: Responsiveness: Dave responded to every email I sent, often within an hour and sometimes within minutes. As you''ll learn below, this can not be overstated considering just how many emails I sent and questions I asked.
4: Willingness to Answer Questions: We exchanged upwards of 50 emails (52 by my count). Each email contained a host of questions I had. Since he was seeing the stone before I was, I had a lot to ask and Dave took the time to answer every single question I had. He not only eased my uncertainty about the stone, but also enlightened me about the industry along the way. Our exchanges were more personable than I could have gotten elsewhere, even from a local appraiser/jeweler.
5: Pricing: David''s fees were very reasonable ($125 for an out-of-state appraisal). By the time I was done, i felt like I owed him money considering all the time he took answering my questions and the caliber of the report he delivered. I''d have paid much more than this for the services he provided.
6: Reputation: David Atlas'' reputation is second to none. I am 100% convinced Blue Nile treated me better knowing he would be appraising their stone. The setting I bought was supposed to have an H average color and VS2 average clarity. I voiced my concern that the quality would take away from my colorless center stone, reminding them again that I''d be having David Atlas do the appraisal. According to Mr. Atlas himself, the setting they sent me had E-F range color and VVS range clarity.
7: Consumer Friendly: Blue Nile sent me an inflated "appraisal" with their stone. If I hadn''t gone to David Atlas, I''d be paying significantly more than I had to for Jeweler''s Mutual to insure the stone. His realistic appraisal reflected accurate market pricing while still leaving enough cushion the possibility of inflation. Very pleased with the approach he took, as it will save me $$ in the long run.
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There are many great appraisers on Pricescope and I''m sure you''d be in good hands with many of them. From my experience, I strongly recommend you consider David Atlas of DGLA.
1: Timely. I had my stone shipped directly to the DGLA office. David Atlas (DA) appraised the diamond unset the same day (within an hour or two its receipt) and provided me with a very thorough report. After I shipped the stone back to BN to be mounted, I had it sent back to him so he could finish his report. He completed the paperwork for the setting, set me his report, and had the diamond shipped next day service on its way to me by noon (again, within an hour or two of its receipt).
2: Thorough: His appraisal included Idealscope, AGS ASET, and Hearts and Arrows images from their Sarin combined with DiamCalc. He verified that his Sarin measurements closely matched the rounded GIA values on the Diamond Dossier. His description of the stone''s quality was more detailed than I had seen on other appraisals I have come across. It included his Sarin measurements, a description of the cut class, and comments about everything you''d find on the GIA report (not just the Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight like you''ll find on some reports). He even sent me Ray Trace results and included a picture of the set piece.
3: Responsiveness: Dave responded to every email I sent, often within an hour and sometimes within minutes. As you''ll learn below, this can not be overstated considering just how many emails I sent and questions I asked.
4: Willingness to Answer Questions: We exchanged upwards of 50 emails (52 by my count). Each email contained a host of questions I had. Since he was seeing the stone before I was, I had a lot to ask and Dave took the time to answer every single question I had. He not only eased my uncertainty about the stone, but also enlightened me about the industry along the way. Our exchanges were more personable than I could have gotten elsewhere, even from a local appraiser/jeweler.
5: Pricing: David''s fees were very reasonable ($125 for an out-of-state appraisal). By the time I was done, i felt like I owed him money considering all the time he took answering my questions and the caliber of the report he delivered. I''d have paid much more than this for the services he provided.
6: Reputation: David Atlas'' reputation is second to none. I am 100% convinced Blue Nile treated me better knowing he would be appraising their stone. The setting I bought was supposed to have an H average color and VS2 average clarity. I voiced my concern that the quality would take away from my colorless center stone, reminding them again that I''d be having David Atlas do the appraisal. According to Mr. Atlas himself, the setting they sent me had E-F range color and VVS range clarity.
7: Consumer Friendly: Blue Nile sent me an inflated "appraisal" with their stone. If I hadn''t gone to David Atlas, I''d be paying significantly more than I had to for Jeweler''s Mutual to insure the stone. His realistic appraisal reflected accurate market pricing while still leaving enough cushion the possibility of inflation. Very pleased with the approach he took, as it will save me $$ in the long run.
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There are many great appraisers on Pricescope and I''m sure you''d be in good hands with many of them. From my experience, I strongly recommend you consider David Atlas of DGLA.
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