Robbins Brothers Retail Price vs Wholesale Price

[sunk1ssed404]

Hi All,

Had a quick question, how much do you think a 1 carat diamond from Robbins Brothers would cost vs a wholesale price?

Also, what would this specific diamond cost in retail prices? I searched on Pricescope but there were too many varying numbers.

Color: H
Cut: Ideal Plus (Hearts and Arrows)
Clarity: SI2
Carat: 1.77
Wholesale Price: $8300 (from my jeweler)

Trying to convince my friend that this is a good price compared to if he bought it from a retailer.

Thank you everyone if you can help!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Hi All,

Had a quick question, how much do you think a 1 carat diamond from Robbins Brothers would cost vs a wholesale price?

Also, what would this specific diamond cost in retail prices? I searched on Pricescope but there were too many varying numbers.

Color: H
Cut: Ideal Plus (Hearts and Arrows)
Clarity: SI2
Carat: 1.77
Wholesale Price: $8300 (from my jeweler)

Trying to convince my friend that this is a good price compared to if he bought it from a retailer.

Thank you everyone if you can help!

Sounds like an EGL graded stone? any pics of the hearts?

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Consumers do themselves a disservice by getting into a "wholesale vs retail" mentality. It's much better to simply compare offerings on an apples to apple basis, and consider price along with any value added aspects.

The fact is, there really is no clear distinction between retail and wholesale. "Retail" markups go from a couple of percent to the kind of full markups that you associate with old established luxury brands. In cases where the market has been volatile you may even see some retail prices BELOW wholesale!

The other element here is that there are huge differences in prices between diamonds that appear on paper to be similar. The Si2 category is especially wide ranging.

 

[denverappraiser]

Color: H
Cut: Ideal Plus (Hearts and Arrows)
Clarity: SI2
Carat: 1.77

This is the heart of the issue. H/SI2/Ideal plus according to whom? Even within well respected labs there's a big range here but it is simply not correct that these things are 'facts'. SI2 sometimes means I1. H can mean I, J or even K. That makes the comparison process remarkably difficult. The diamond search engine above is a great way to get comparison prices, even if you have no intention of buying from any of these people, but for this to work it's terribly important to be comparing apples to apples. Labs matter. Cut standards matter. There are other variables, like fluorescence, dealer type and location that matter.

As mentioned above, 'wholesale' is a terribly loaded word in this business and it does NOT mean what you think it does. Selling things one at a time directly to consumers is the definition of retail. Jewelers are welcome to sell to whoever they want and to charge whatever they want, but 'wholesale prices' is deceptive right out of the gate.

 

[oldminer]

What is the name of the independent grading laboratory that gave this diamond the color and clarity grade you mentioned?
If the lab is not GIA, AGSL, GCAL, what is the system of their cut grading?

If the lab is one no one here has heard of, or one of the notorious ones that we often gang up on, then all bets are off for making any meaningful comparisons to competing diamonds with legitimate grading.

Stores can compete with on-line sellers, but many choose to be less competitive than others. Big stores have big overhead and on-line retailers tend to have less costs. Having a one on one interaction live with a good sales person in a store is a benefit of buying face to face. Not having to deal with untrained idiots is a benefit to shopping and buying on-line. No one experiences exactly the same level of service and no one's expectations are quite the same as someone else. There is little doubt you can find the least costly and best cut diamonds from on-line vendors, but you can find many varieties of the many other types of diamonds at lower overall costs in stores if you shop enough and do not insist of a fine cut or insist on knowing the exact color and clarity you are selecting. Not everyone chooses to follow the pack. Some folks like the challenge of doing things their own particular way.

We need more information from you before we can really be of help.

 

[sunk1ssed404]

The lab that certified the diamond is EGL. I don't really care for the GIA diamonds just for the certificate and pay a high premium on the diamond.

 

[kenny]

The lab that certified the diamond is EGL. I don't really care for the GIA diamonds just for the certificate and pay a high premium on the diamond.

Wrong.

Consider this hypothetical example.

The exact same diamond gets sent to GIA and also to EGL ...
GIA grades it J SI2 and it gets priced at $4,000.
EGL grades it H VS2 and it's priced at $5,000. (because everyone knows an H VS2 is worth much more than a J SI2)

BUT it's the exact same diamond and you end up paying LESS for it with a GIA report.

You say, "I don't really care for the GIA diamonds just for the certificate and pay a high premium on the diamond."
But what is really happening is you are paying $1,000 extra for being lied to about the grades.

Of course these numbers are made up but what they illustrate is true.

The high premium is for the EGL diamond, not the GIA one.
You are paying a high premium for being ignorant of rampant lab-grading fraud in the diamond industry.

 

[John P]

The lab that certified the diamond is EGL. I don't really care for the GIA diamonds just for the certificate and pay a high premium on the diamond.

I'd ask if that is your own judgment - or was it framed to you that way by someone selling diamonds with EGL paper?

Either way, these links may be of interest:

http://www.jckonline.com/2014/09/09/rapnet-bans-egl-reports-from-trading-network
http://www.diamonds.net/Magazine/Article.aspx?ArticleID=48446&RDRIssueID=130
http://www.diamondlawsuit.com/

 

[sunk1ssed404]

I've seen the diamond in person, and the H color is not yellow, and I trust my jeweler from LA. If it were 4 grades lower in color, I would noticed the yellow tint, and I've looked at it through a loop and seen the inclusions, and there was only 1 small inclusion, and no black inclusions.

My jeweler even showed me with the device he has that the cut was Ideal plus, with the Hearts and Arrows because I asked how do you compare the Ideal/Excellent/Very Good/Good cuts. When looking at the different diamonds he showed me and also the diamond I described above, the Ideal Cut plus, looks exactly like this photo here: http://www.heartsandarrows.com/images/perfect-hearts-and-arrows-large.png

Also, I read here that yeah EGL you shouldn't buy unless you're from New York or Los Angeles, and I'm from Los Angeles, and I trust my jeweler fully.

https://www.diamonds.pro/egl/

 

[canuk-gal]

I've seen the diamond in person, and the H color is not yellow, and I trust my jeweler from LA. If it were 4 grades lower in color, I would noticed the yellow tint, and I've looked at it through a loop and seen the inclusions, and there was only 1 small inclusion, and no black inclusions.

My jeweler even showed me with the device he has that the cut was Ideal plus, with the Hearts and Arrows because I asked how do you compare the Ideal/Excellent/Very Good/Good cuts. When looking at the different diamonds he showed me and also the diamond I described above, the Ideal Cut plus, looks exactly like this photo here: http://www.heartsandarrows.com/images/perfect-hearts-and-arrows-large.png

Also, I read here that yeah EGL you shouldn't buy unless you're from New York or Los Angeles, and I'm from Los Angeles, and I trust my jeweler fully.

https://www.diamonds.pro/egl/

Congratulations. (apparently) You do not need any PS advice.

cheers--Sharon

 

[ChristineRose]

EGL diamonds are always overpriced compared to GIA diamonds.

Every jeweler has at least a cubic zirconia color grading set, and a microscope and a loupe. Every jeweler knows how to grade a diamond. Yeah, there are a lot of details the average jeweler doesn't know, but they know enough. And they more know than you, you can count on that.

The EGL discount has be estimated at 2.5 grades. It's probably higher right now--EGL is not looking good. If they send a cert to EGL and it comes back off less than 2.5 grades, they throw the cert in the drawer and send it to GIA. Why wouldn't they? Why would a jeweler (who is better at grading diamonds than you are, remember), throw away money?

There's a lot to be said for working with a jeweler you like and trust. The solution to this is simple. Ask them to send the stone to GIA. If they balk, agree to pay for it--if it comes back as an Excellent cut, H SI2. Don't feel like you are "paying for a cert." You are, but the price of a cert is [u=http://www.gia.edu/gem-lab-fee-schedule]only $121[/u] and some patience. This is an $8,300 purchase. With the cert it becomes an $8,421 purchase. If they could "sell the cert" for a measly $150 it would be worth his time and he'd do. it. If it's truly what it says it is, you have a bargain. If they still say no, ask yourself if you really trust this guy/gal that much.

 

[denverappraiser]

I'm a giant fan of supporting local jewelers and if you trust and are happy with yours, by all means shop there. Just remember that, for the grading, you are relying on the jeweler and your own grading skills, not EGL. That said, it sounds like you're happy. What's the question?

RE: 'paying for the cert'. GIA publishes their service price list at www.gia.edu and they're grade any stone someone pays them to look at. You KNOW how much the cert cost from them. Bear in mind that the EGL papers weren't free although it's true that they're a little bit cheaper. For a 1.77 D-Z it costs $110-$121 from GIA depending on what report format the client chooses (plus shipping).

RE: New York and LA. What does the address of the dealer have to do with it?

 

[John P]

To the OP, it sounds like this is your main purpose:

Trying to convince my friend that this is a good price...

That's really what this is about, right? The diamond looks good to you. You want to assure your friend that it's offered for fair price and value. You could send it to GIA, as Christine Rose suggests, if you want to be sure the grading holds up. Do research the length of time for grading at-present.

Or you can skip all that and ask the following questions:

1. Does the diamond come with Unrestricted Trade-Up (100% credit toward a greater purchase with no restrictions)? If the answer is yes, period, the jeweler is saying: “I value the diamond enough that I’ll take it back and credit 100% of the amount what you paid towards something else, even if it's only $1 more.”

2. Does this diamond come with Cash Buy-Back (less a moderate restocking fee)? If the answer is yes, the jeweler is saying “I value the diamond enough that I’ll even pay cash to take it back; with or without you making a new purchase.”

The answer to these questions is meaningful, because offering no Trade-Up whatsoever can imply: “Take my diamonds away. I don’t ever want them coming back” ...And offering Restricted Trade-Up (where you must buy something 2X as expensive to trade it in) can imply: “Okay, I’ll take the diamond back, but I'll make sure to generate just-as-much new capital from you in the new sale.”

Unrestricted Trade-Up and Cash Buy Back policies are indicators that the jeweler places value on having the diamond back in his/her possession again.

Saying "no" to trade-up/buy-back, or creating limiters which work against you can imply that the seller doesn't believe in that diamond's long-term value. In such cases neither should you.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Your jeweler is NOT selling to you at wholesale. He is selling at retail. He buys wholesale and sells at retail. He wouldn't be able to pay his rent if he didn't make a profit on selling diamonds.

Here's a stone that is close to what that stone probably is in GIA grading:

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.74-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-727835

See, his deal isn't really wholesale because diamonds sell at that price retail. I personally don't trust jewelers like that.

 

[heididdl]

DONT" BE NIEVE......Buyer beware. I don't know where you heard that from.....My studs are EGL (I"m from New York) and I knew going in that they weren't F color....and everytime I show them to a jeweler they say oh are they J.........

quote="sunk1ssed404|1450640184|3963928"]I've seen the diamond in person, and the H color is not yellow, and I trust my jeweler from LA. If it were 4 grades lower in color, I would noticed the yellow tint, and I've looked at it through a loop and seen the inclusions, and there was only 1 small inclusion, and no black inclusions.

My jeweler even showed me with the device he has that the cut was Ideal plus, with the Hearts and Arrows because I asked how do you compare the Ideal/Excellent/Very Good/Good cuts. When looking at the different diamonds he showed me and also the diamond I described above, the Ideal Cut plus, looks exactly like this photo here: http://www.heartsandarrows.com/images/perfect-hearts-and-arrows-large.png

Also, I read here that yeah EGL you shouldn't buy unless you're from New York or Los Angeles, and I'm from Los Angeles, and I trust my jeweler fully.

https://www.diamonds.pro/egl/[/quote]

 

[kenny]

...
Wholesale Price: $8300 (from my jeweler)

...

So if your jeweler paid $8300 for it (what a retailer pays is the basic definition of wholesale price) what is your jeweler selling it for, aka retail?

Surely, it can't be $8300 ... unless this jeweler is a philanthropist instead of a business.
SURELY, you would not fall for that!

 

[LLJsmom]

Is it just me, or is this Robbins Brothers a recurring thing? Same person? Or just so happens that many people are falling for their lines?

Dear OP, Like another poster said, I think you sound awfully sure of yourself. I don't think you need help from PS.

 

[gr8leo87]

Let's break it down for you, point by point:

1. There's no premium on a diamond because it's from GIA. GIA IS the benchmark.

2. There are discounts on stones that are from Non-GIA comparable labs.

3. EGL is a Non-GIA comparable lab.

4. EGL stones are heavily discounted.

5. It makes no sense to get a stone certified by EGL if it would bring more money by getting certified by GIA, if it would receive the same grade.

6. Let your friend read this thread.

7. I bet he doesn't want wholesale anymore from your jeweller.

8. Did you also buy an EGL from this supplier?

 

[denverappraiser]

To the OP, it sounds like this is your main purpose:

Trying to convince my friend that this is a good price...

That's really what this is about, right? The diamond looks good to you. You want to assure your friend that it's offered for fair price and value. You could send it to GIA, as Christine Rose suggests, if you want to be sure the grading holds up. Do research the length of time for grading at-present.

Or you can skip all that and ask the following questions:

1. Does the diamond come with Unrestricted Trade-Up (100% credit toward a greater purchase with no restrictions)? If the answer is yes, period, the jeweler is saying: “I value the diamond enough that I’ll take it back and credit 100% of the amount what you paid towards something else, even if it's only $1 more.”

2. Does this diamond come with Cash Buy-Back (less a moderate restocking fee)? If the answer is yes, the jeweler is saying “I value the diamond enough that I’ll even pay cash to take it back; with or without you making a new purchase.”

The answer to these questions is meaningful, because offering no Trade-Up whatsoever can imply: “Take my diamonds away. I don’t ever want them coming back” ...And offering Restricted Trade-Up (where you must buy something 2X as expensive to trade it in) can imply: “Okay, I’ll take the diamond back, but I'll make sure to generate just-as-much new capital from you in the new sale.”

Unrestricted Trade-Up and Cash Buy Back policies are indicators that the jeweler places value on having the diamond back in his/her possession again.

Saying "no" to trade-up/buy-back, or creating limiters which work against you can imply that the seller doesn't believe in that diamond's long-term value. In such cases neither should you.

Aw, come on John. I'm with the jeweler here. Inventory is the curse of jewelers. $100,000 is paltry, and they want to fill up the inventory strategically with things that will sell well for them. How much money they have at their disposal and what sorts of goods they need at any particular has to do with a lot of things other than gemology. Agreeing to sell a particular stone is definitely NOT the same thing as agreeing to take it back into inventory on some unspecified date in the future. I like generous return policies and such as much as the next guy, but this is not, of itself, evidence of good or bad grading.

 

[denverappraiser]

Is it just me, or is this Robbins Brothers a recurring thing? Same person? Or just so happens that many people are falling for their lines?

Dear OP, Like another poster said, I think you sound awfully sure of yourself. I don't think you need help from PS.

RB is a chain of a dozen or so stores, mostly in and around southern California.

 

[John P]

To the OP, it sounds like this is your main purpose:

Trying to convince my friend that this is a good price...

That's really what this is about, right? The diamond looks good to you. You want to assure your friend that it's offered for fair price and value. You could send it to GIA, as Christine Rose suggests, if you want to be sure the grading holds up. Do research the length of time for grading at-present.

Or you can skip all that and ask the following questions:

1. Does the diamond come with Unrestricted Trade-Up (100% credit toward a greater purchase with no restrictions)? If the answer is yes, period, the jeweler is saying: “I value the diamond enough that I’ll take it back and credit 100% of the amount what you paid towards something else, even if it's only $1 more.”

2. Does this diamond come with Cash Buy-Back (less a moderate restocking fee)? If the answer is yes, the jeweler is saying “I value the diamond enough that I’ll even pay cash to take it back; with or without you making a new purchase.”

The answer to these questions is meaningful, because offering no Trade-Up whatsoever can imply: “Take my diamonds away. I don’t ever want them coming back” ...And offering Restricted Trade-Up (where you must buy something 2X as expensive to trade it in) can imply: “Okay, I’ll take the diamond back, but I'll make sure to generate just-as-much new capital from you in the new sale.”

Unrestricted Trade-Up and Cash Buy Back policies are indicators that the jeweler places value on having the diamond back in his/her possession again.

Saying "no" to trade-up/buy-back, or creating limiters which work against you can imply that the seller doesn't believe in that diamond's long-term value. In such cases neither should you.

Aw, come on John. I'm with the jeweler here. Inventory is the curse of jewelers. $100,000 is paltry, and they want to fill up the inventory strategically with things that will sell well for them. How much money they have at their disposal and what sorts of goods they need at any particular has to do with a lot of things other than gemology. Agreeing to sell a particular stone is definitely NOT the same thing as agreeing to take it back into inventory on some unspecified date in the future. I like generous return policies and such as much as the next guy, but this is not, of itself, evidence of good or bad grading.

Say Neil, do you still think VCRs and fax machines are groovy? (tongue in cheek) I mean, I "get" the old-school sign above the jewelry counter proclaiming "All sales final. No returns..." but commerce has evolved.

We're living in a customer-friendly age. It's everywhere around us. "No-hassle returns, satisfaction guarantees, etc," and not just online. Look around and you'll find liberal return periods and 100% trade-up policies among the best brick & mortar jewelers.

To the point: "Is it good or bad grading?" was not one of the OP's original questions. He asked whether the diamond is being sold for a fair price. With the given information we can't know. You endorsed sending it to GIA, which would establish some sort of independent grading/value. As I said before that's fine, if time-consuming. I added a more direct suggestion; see if the jeweler stands behind it 100% financially.

By the way, I'm glad you noted the position above. For me it makes the retailers offering their clients trade-up and buy-back options on the diamonds they sell stand out as progressive and customer-friendly.

 

[denverappraiser]

Yes, I think VCRs are goovy.

I love friendly dealers and I definitely consider things like return policies. No Refunds, to me, means No Sale. That said, this is not a gemological property. You said that if the jeweler believed in their own grading, they would be willing to take it into inventory. This is not correct. They might, but that decision is mostly about other things.

This highlights one of the other things about self-described 'wholesalers'. This is routinely a mask to say that , in exchange for crappy retail policies, you'll get lower prices. That's the way it works in a lot of other industries after all. Each dealer has their own added value for shopping there, and each customer gets to decide what's valuable to them and what's not, but there's not really a very direct link between low value-add and low prices. There might be, but it's a mistake to assume it.

 

[denverappraiser]

Also, I read here that yeah EGL you shouldn't buy unless you're from New York or Los Angeles.
https://www.diamonds.pro/egl/

By the way, the article you linked to says nothing of the kind. It says the best EGL labs are the ones in New York and LA (There are labs all over the word that use that name). Even at that they specifically recommend against relying on them and it has nothing whatever to do with where either the buyer or the dealer are located.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

VCR's are groovy. I once had one that with a camera that was so big you had to heft in on your shoulder. No way that you could film anything discretely! I still have it, by the way. It's still groovy, but not getting much use these days.

Anyway, I understand where John is coming from but I agree with Neil. Trade-up and buyback policies represent guarantees that a merchant is making that involve actual liabilities that most most businesses are unwilling to take on. It is conservative financial practice that cannot really be faulted and the vast majority of jewelry companies do not offer it. On the other hand, companies that do offer these benefits put themselves in a strong position to be seen as very consumer friendly. And I do believe the market is definitely turning in this direction. As they say, millennials "want it all"! And who can blame them

So, I don't think it is really fair to judge a jeweler's veracity in recommending a particular diamond on the basis of his willingness to commit to bringing the stone back into his inventory at some unknown future date. In fact, the majority of jewelers and online sellers today do not even carry actual inventories of diamonds, relying primarily on memo goods and virtual listings.

I should add that there is no good excuse for an "all sales final, no return" policy.

 

[John P]

You said that if the jeweler believed in their own grading, they would be willing to take it into inventory.

That's not what I said Neil. I said taking it back reflects how the jeweler values what they are selling. This is not about grading (...you keep saying that word - Inigo Montoya ).

One of the reasons our industry is seen negatively is that anyone who has tried to sell a diamond back to a jeweler knows the typical offer is about 25% of the original purchase price. It’s extremely frustrating. After all, a diamond should maintain its relative value, unless it was sold with inflated grading, undisclosed issues or pedestrian cut-quality depreciation... Uh oh. Woops! As it stands, those things are rife in commercial markets, and relative to this thread "EGL" is a synonym for those afflictions. Yet many in the trade shrug and say "Golly, that's just the way it is." I refuse to do that.

Sellers offering unrestricted trade-up or cash buy-back stand out. They’re screening their goods for accurate grading at a minimum, and high cutting standards if they're progressive. They are willing to pay out of their pocket to take the diamond they sold to their customers back if needed, confident in its long-term value.

So, I don't think it is really fair to judge a jeweler's veracity in recommending a particular diamond on the basis of his willingness to commit to bringing the stone back into his inventory at some unknown future date. In fact, the majority of jewelers and online sellers today do not even carry actual inventories of diamonds, relying primarily on memo goods and virtual listings.

Right, and no problem. Different models permit diversity. Your company has some of those guarantees Bryan, thus your objectivity is appreciated. But with that said, and relative to the original post, if the OP's jeweler is standing behind the diamond with liberal return and trade/buy guarantees it would be a positive indicator to me. Regardless of the alphabet-grading-soup we cannot pin down from the info at hand.

 

[chrono]

So, in addition to the H&A viewer, which looks at the symmetry, your jeweller also let you view the diamond through an Idealscope and ASET viewer? If you are concerned about cut quality, you should be looking at the ASET and IS image, not the H&A image.

 

[denverappraiser]

John,

Retailing costs money. Sales people are paid. Landlords are paid. Advertisers are paid, insurance companies are paid, jewelers are making a profit, and taxes are paid by all of these folks. There are others, but you get the point. None of this comes back on resale. Expecting dealers to buy things back at the original selling price is ridiculous, and no one does it in any industry. I know that’s not what you’re saying, but it establishes the principle. It’s entirely reasonable that consumers selling things back to the trade get less than the prices they pay when they buy. The fact that this frustrates people who were told something else during the sales presentation, or who thought they heard something that wasn’t actually there, changes nothing. It’s reasonable, it’s the way it works, and it will continue to be the way it works, with diamonds and everything else you buy.

That said, much of the frustration has to do with how much less. Losing 10% to a ‘restocking’ fee or some such thing seems reasonable while losing 90% to a pawnshop seems unfair. People expect this with clothing or VCRs, but somehow diamonds are supposed to be different. I can’t provide short answer for what is reasonable and it’s different with different items and in different situations. I spend quite a bit of time as an appraiser talking about this topic, but I have to say a lot of the issue has to do with client expectations and where they got those expectations. That loops us back to the EGL question. A year from now, heck a week from now, someone is going to look at those grading specs, Google up some chart converting them to value, and use that data to decide what their stone is 'worth'. Alternatively, they’ll look up comps on a site like this one and come to the same conclusion. All of what’s discussed in the thread above will be lost in the question.

Another big source of disconnect is when some appraiser, possibly even me, provides a value for insurance. Even when done correctly, this is an estimate of the cost to replace the piece with another one of like kind and quality at retail, new, locally. This may be substantially different from the transaction price and, like the above, consumers tend to take it to mean that the transaction was a great bargain and go with the appraisal when they think of ‘value’. Value that gets lost when they can’t realize it on resale. That’s if the appraisal is reasonable. If it’s nonsense, and many are, it just gets worse.

 

[John P]

John, Retailing costs money. Sales people are paid. Landlords are paid. Advertisers are paid, insurance companies are paid, jewelers are making a profit, and taxes are paid by all of these folks. There are others, but you get the point. None of this comes back on resale. Expecting dealers to buy things back at the original selling price is ridiculous, and no one does it in any industry. I know that’s not what you’re saying, but it establishes the principle.

It's not what I am saying.

Here is what I am saying.

11 of Pricescope's Featured Sponsors currently offer Trade Up Policies for their diamonds.
- Three offer 100% credit toward a purchase of equal or greater value
- One offers 100% credit toward a new purchase of 50% greater value
- One offers 70% credit toward any purchase or 100% if you double the original carat weight
- The others offer 100% credit toward a purchase of 2x the original amount or more

5 of those sponsors offer Buy-Back Policies for their diamonds.
- One offers 80% cash back
- One offers 75% cash back
- One offers 70% cash back for 1 year (in house diamonds)
- One offers 70% cash back for 2 years
- One offers 50% cash back for GIA-AGS graded I+ SI1+

That's what I am saying.

The above is far superior, to a consumer, than "All Sales Final." And while many will never trade-up or need to cash out their diamond - knocking on wood against emergencies - these policies provide comfort and confidence. Oh, and there are MANY people who do exercise trade-up over time...multiple times...(you know who you are )

That loops us back to the EGL question. A year from now, heck a week from now, someone is going to look at those grading specs, Google up some chart converting them to value, and use that data to decide what their stone is worth. Alternatively, they’ll look up comps on a site like this one and come to the same conclusion. All of what’s discussed in the thread above will be lost in the question.

Right. This is why I posed the question initially: A seller who offers policies like the above is, in essence, protecting the client with a certain level of stored value. By the way, I've known sellers of EGL diamonds who offered 100% trade-up... How could they do it? Because they sold it for a fair price relative to what they knew it was worth. They could recoup what was needed if it was ever traded in (seller win). For their customers, if any became disenchanted with EGL paper, they could return and apply 100% of what they paid towards something with different paper (client win).

 

[Andelain]

I've seen the diamond in person, and the H color is not yellow, and I trust my jeweler from LA. If it were 4 grades lower in color, I would noticed the yellow tint, and I've looked at it through a loop and seen the inclusions, and there was only 1 small inclusion, and no black inclusions.

My jeweler even showed me with the device he has that the cut was Ideal plus, with the Hearts and Arrows because I asked how do you compare the Ideal/Excellent/Very Good/Good cuts. When looking at the different diamonds he showed me and also the diamond I described above, the Ideal Cut plus, looks exactly like this photo here: http://www.heartsandarrows.com/images/perfect-hearts-and-arrows-large.png

Also, I read here that yeah EGL you shouldn't buy unless you're from New York or Los Angeles, and I'm from Los Angeles, and I trust my jeweler fully.

https://www.diamonds.pro/egl/

Then it's obvious you don't need us, now do you?

Go forth, and waste our time no more.

 

[kenny]

I've seen the diamond in person, and the H color is not yellow, and I trust my jeweler from LA. If it were 4 grades lower in color, I would noticed the yellow tint, and I've looked at it through a loop and seen the inclusions, and there was only 1 small inclusion, and no black inclusions.

My jeweler even showed me with the device he has that the cut was Ideal plus, with the Hearts and Arrows because I asked how do you compare the Ideal/Excellent/Very Good/Good cuts. When looking at the different diamonds he showed me and also the diamond I described above, the Ideal Cut plus, looks exactly like this photo here: http://www.heartsandarrows.com/images/perfect-hearts-and-arrows-large.png

Also, I read here that yeah EGL you shouldn't buy unless you're from New York or Los Angeles, and I'm from Los Angeles, and I trust my jeweler fully.

https://www.diamonds.pro/egl/

Then it's obvious you don't need us, now do you?

Go forth, and waste our time no more.

Actually if my suspicion is correct they (RB) DO need us ... very much.
In my 10 years reading PS I've been surprised how many posts document customers getting ripped off at Robber's Brothers, I mean Robbin's Brothers.

I suspect this another of our recent surge of RB fight-back threads started by a shill for Robbin's Brothers.
Then again, perhaps the OP is someone who bought from them, learned their mistake, and is trying to feel better by improving RB's image.