Thoughts on this yellow diamond ring??

[minidancer]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-1-25CTW-RADIANT-FANCY-YELLOW-DIAMOND-14KT-W-GOLD-ENGAGEMENT-RING-GOL1589-/331419530970?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_Rings&hash=item4d2a24b6da

Thanks in advance.

 

[patricias]

Probably made in China.

 

[Gypsy]

Seller rating is suspicious. Accuses seller of selling new items as pre-owned.

 

[kenny]

No GIA report? No Deal!

 

[momhappy]

That seller has only 1 negative (out of almost 1500) in the past year, so I wouldn't necessarily consider that to be suspicious. I sold an item once and was actually scammed by the buyer and she was still allowed to leave negative feedback against me, so feedback is not always an accurate representation of the big picture. Having said that, feedback is definitely worth taking into consideration (especially when making big purchases) - it certainly indicates the need for more research.
That seller also has a 14-day grace period in which you could maybe have the ring inspected/appraised and they allow for returns. Although I have not purchased jewelry on EBay, I wouldn't necessarily deem a ring (of that particular price point) not worthy - I'd do some more research and then decide.

 

[WillyDiamond]

run.........don't walk

 

[kenny]

About eBay seller ratings ...
When it comes to FCDs ignorance is rampant so even 100% positive feedback means little to me.
Zillions are delighted with their EGL International graded diamonds from diamond districts or maul jewelers.

Happy customers, who don't know anything, mean nothing when you DO know a thing or two.

 

[elle_chris]

Jewels by Sam is Luxury Imports Corporation. They're in the diamond district on 47th st in Manhattan.
Just based on the address, I'd run from this listing.

 

[momhappy]

^and that's what I meant as part of doing your research. Looks like the overwhelming majority here has given you some good advice

 

[RockOnReen]

I've bought quite a bit of jewelry on eBay and I'm not sure I'd run from this listing just because of one negative feedback and the fact that the seller is in the NY diamond district. If you love the ring, try reaching out to the seller and see if he/she is good about answering any questions you might have or making you feel more comfortable about the sale. The 2 week return policy is also helpful and gives you time to really have the item checked out before you decide to keep it.

 

[elle_chris]

The reason I say run, is because I've been to the diamond district. It's very difficult to get a good deal. And to buy a diamond unseen from them is just begging for a problem.

Why chance it when there's so many better options...

ETA: don't like this. "Please contact us prior to return. Items needs to be approved for return. RMA number will be issued. 15% restocking fee for items returned without RMA number."

I don't understand why I would need any kind of approval from them to return an item. Either it's 100% returns, no questions asked, or it's something like the above..loosely phrased and open to interpretation.

 

[MollyMalone]

elle_chris, that RMA (return merchandise authorization) procedure is not unusual where there is a limited window for returns & RMAs are an orderly way for a merchant to know that a reurn is headed back in their direction (plus, some vendors use a different address for returns than what you see on the package you received from them). These are the reasons that eBay does not prohibit sellers from incorporating RMAs into their return MO.

fyi Brian Gavin & Good Old Good are examples of well regarded vendors who expect you to get an RMA number before sending off a return to them; if the RMA number isn't on the package you send them, they won't accept delivery.

 

[elle_chris]

I get that. It's the way it's phrased. The seller requires approval for returns. That sentence makes me uneasy. I've never seen it worded that way.

 

[ariel144]

I would buy a GIA graded stone from JA and get a 14k gold ring from Diamond Zone on ebay and have them set the stone.
Here are two $1,600/$1,700. The setting will probably cost you around $5-600. They have lots of antique style rings at reasonable prices.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-cut/0.71-carat-si1-clarity-sku-258753

Even though this 2nd one has that feather the faceting is an antique cushion faceting which are hard to find in yellow diamonds and the color of yellow is very pleasing.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-cut/0.60-carat-si2-clarity-sku-273259

You can get ASETS for both of these to check for leakage.

I'm just not a fan of the crushed ice faceting that is so prevalent in yellow diamonds. That facet pattern has a lot of leakage. Neither of these two stones are crushed ice.

I checked the radiant cuts but could not find the size or quality of cut that are in these two cushions and the prices seemed higher. Interesting as when I went to sell my 2.1c radiant I got a much lower price...if it had been a cushion cut or round the jeweler told me he would have been able to give me close to what I paid for it 8 years ago. Cushion cuts are just so popular today.

Hope this helps. You pick the stone for performance and the setting and spend less than the cost of this ring...your choices.

 

[minidancer]

Thanks for your advice everyone. Definitely walking (running) from this eBay listing!

 

[minidancer]

What do you think of these two settings?

Diamond Zone:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/151542141701?_mwBanner=1

DBL:

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php?crn=199&rn=1689&action=show_detail&edit_item=0

With this stone:

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-yellow-diamond-65ct-fancy-light-yellow-vvs1-cushion-cut-diamond-gia-r6239

 

[ariel144]

this setting with the GIA .6c cushion from JA...this stone is a "FANCY YELLOW"...not fancy light yellow or Y/Z and will have more color. The .71 from JA is a Y/Z. I would choose the .6c Fancy Yellow for the cut and gorgeous yellow color. You don't want a pale yellow do you?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-DIAMOND-SEMI-MOUNT-CUSHION-ROUND-ENGAGEMENT-RING-COCKTAIL-FILIGREE-HALO-/400839327931?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_Rings&hash=item5d53e2c0bb

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-cut/0.60-carat-si2-clarity-sku-273259

Good luck with your search.

 

[minidancer]

Hi Ariel,

I don't mind getting a FLY colored stone, but I also like the JA one. I like the light yellow color.

What do you think about the two settings?

 

[ariel144]

Hi Ariel,

I don't mind getting a FLY colored stone, but I also like the JA one. I like the light yellow color.

What do you think about the two settings?

If you can afford the DBL setting I would get that one. They do wonderful work. Their antique cut FY cushions (custom cut by Yoram, I believe) are more expensive. That facet pattern is rare especially in a colored stone. Couldn't believe JA had one with that cut. Would be a great combo. Have you looked at Gabriel NY settings. They make lovely halos and might be less expensive. Haven't checked JA for their halos, which would be the most convenient to have them set the stone if that one is your choice.

You can pick 3 stones and get the ASETs on all 3 to check for leakage.

 

[chrono]

Note that the FLY can be quite light, depending on the strength and type of light source. Of the two settings your posted, I prefer the workmanship of the DBL setting because the DZ setting is very blobby and uneven.

 

[chrono]

You can pick 3 stones and get the ASETs on all 3 to check for leakage.

ASET is useless for coloured stones because they are not cut to minimize leakage; they are cut to maximize colour which is what sets the price.

 

[ariel144]

You can pick 3 stones and get the ASETs on all 3 to check for leakage.

ASET is useless for coloured stones because they are not cut to minimize leakage; they are cut to maximize colour which is what sets the price.

yes the crusched ice faceting are cut to show color but the 2 stones on JA are NOT that type of faceting....rare facet patterns for colored diamonds. That is why I suggested getting an ASET on both of them. One is a .6 FY and one a .7 Y/Z and from an ASET you could see which one might be the best performer, plus get the gemologist's take on which one performs the best.

 

[chrono]

I am sorry but I disagree. Regardless of facet pattern, ASET is useless for FCDs. One looks at how well colour is returned to the eye, not how much/little leakage it has. A video is best for gauging the performance of FCDs. Even if two FCDs are in the same colour grade category, the colour can vary greatly if one is in the upper range and the other is in the lower range of the same colour grade. This has a large impact on pricing.

 

[ariel144]

I am sorry but I disagree. Regardless of facet pattern, ASET is useless for FCDs. One looks at how well colour is returned to the eye, not how much/little leakage it has. A video is best for gauging the performance of FCDs. Even if two FCDs are in the same colour grade category, the colour can vary greatly if one is in the upper range and the other is in the lower range of the same colour grade. This has a large impact on pricing.

A picture is worth a thousand words as we all know. yes, leakage in colored diamonds helps to retain more color and so colored diamonds are USUALLY cut that way but there are colored diamonds cut also for light return and retaining color. I personally prefer the faceting on colored stones cut for light return that receive the GIA designation of Fancy Yellow or better. Yoram cuts these branded yellow antique cushions for Diamonds by Lauren.

They have one but more expensive than the antique cushion on JA and it is already set in a ring.

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/old-mine-brilliant-53ct-branded-dbl-modern-antique-diamond-gia-r5176

And here is a light yellow radiant that has the faceting of a princess....beautiful!
http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-yellow-diamond-100ct-fancy-light-yellow-vs2-radiant-cut-gia-gorgeous-stone-r5584
David can set a light yellow in a yellow gold cup to make the stone face up with more color and save money from buying a vivid or intense yellow.

Yellow diamonds that don't have the crushed ice faceting are rare, so I was surprised to find 2 on JA. It's all a matter of personal preference.

I've collected some videos showing each type of faceting on yellow diamonds to help the OP decide what she prefers. These videos are so interesting. Also please note on DBL site they back light their photos which in a colored stone tends to show more color in yellow daimonds. You can watch this happen in one of Jon's videos where he shows the color by having the light come from behind the stones.

DBL also has videos of their branded antique yellow cushions which i have posted. They are more expensive, as they should be, but for the budget of the OP I thought the antique cut FY cushion on JA was a very nice stone on her limited budget, based on all the stones on JA, and DBL.

Good Old Gold posts ASETS on their FY AVC's to show the light return, MegaScopes to prove performance, and videos to show the color intensity.

I hope this helps.

cut for color by Yoram on DBL
FY antique cushion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN_CQsT2QlI

3 FIY cushions
" fancy colors cut diff. from ones cut for ideal optics as light leakage causes intensity in color"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isNjbbb8QBQ


FLYB AVC (fancy yellow cut for performance)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOX3YnYi6Rw

Understanding color in Fancy yellow diamonds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkdPlE7Q1lk

Y/Z + fancy light yellow brown cut for performance (AVC's)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjL6T--QfXc

FLY AVC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goSxhm9AYNc

Fancy Brown Yellow AVC ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxeqr_R_Xl8

Yellow diamonds...Diamonds by Lauren (Branded cut for color old antique cushions)

cut for performance and color by Yoram
FY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN_CQsT2QlI

WX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=343Y_6S1zVY

YZ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Zpij0X0pA

DBL antique yellow cushion in pink diamond halo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU7XpWLIzw8&index=5&list=PL9606DDBCA2A038E0

 

[minidancer]

Ariel,

I'm sorry I haven't responded sooner, things have been crazy at work. Thank you so much for these videos. I finally got a chance to watch them today, and they are super helpful to see different shades/cuts of yellow in a video format!

______

With David's help, I have narrowed it down to two stones and one beautiful setting from DBL. My priorities are size and color...

Here is the stone David recommends, based on budget:

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/yellow-cushion-cut-diamond-93ct-fancy-light-yellow-si1-cushion-cut-gia-lovely-color-r4515

Here is stone 2, which is a little pricier:

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-yellow-diamond-84ct-fancy-intense-yellow-si2-cushion-cut-diamond-gia-r6229

I like both. I plan on setting it in this gorgeous setting:

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/semi-mount-ring-dainty-diamond-solitaire-so3791

Can you yellow-diamond-lovers please please help me choose? I am leaning toward the first stone based on budget, but if the second one will be much nicer, I think I could make the stretch. Thanks in advance for your input!!

 

[VRBeauty]

Get the second one if you can. I have a FLY diamond, and surrounded by a heavy yellow gold setting, it often "reads" off-white rather than yellow.

 

[minidancer]

Thanks for the input... I definitely wouldn't want it off white-ish.

 

[momhappy]

I fully agree with VRBeauty. When it comes to yellows, I'm not a fan of the lighter shades. I would definitely choose the second one.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi everyone! Interesting discussion.
A few points – leakage ( in the proper patterning) is in no way a negative on a fancy colored cushion or radiant cut, and the same thing holds true for colorless.
When using aset it's very important to understand the way light moves.
The supposition that the brightest lights are coming from overhead may or may not be true – however it doesn't matter because the diamond is very rarely facing with the table straight up when you're looking at it. For this reason a lot of light enters the diamond from the sides and even the pavilion. That's why white in ASET is not an intrinsic negative any more than red is automatically good. Sometimes too much red is a negative.

Leakage is like the boogeyman around here- just say any diamond has leakage if you want to insult the cut.

Photography: I take the pictures for the DBL site. I have never purposely lit a diamond from behind- ever.
Having said that- all of the top level systems for photographing diamonds-this would include Glamour shots, and diamonds spinning on the little platform – all of these systems have more light behind the diamond then in front of it.
If you think about it, the transparency of a diamond and the diminutive size makes it impossible to light one side and not the other.

 

[minidancer]

Can anyone comment on whether the fancy intense stone is a good stone?? Just looking for a little affirmation that I'm making a good choice