I found this site a little too late in the process. Went to 47th street to buy my wife diamond earrings for
our 20th anniversary. I ended up in a store looking at 2 carat total weight set stones. I selected a pair before
completing negotiations and took them to a GIA appraiser on the block. He offers a verbal appraisal prior to
purchase for a reasonable price, in this case $50.
He liked the stones. They are as follows:
Weight: 2.04
Cut: Round
Color: G
Clarity: SI clarity enhanced
Med. girdle
58 table
1 culet/no culet
I had not been told that these were clarity enhanced by the store. The appraiser felt that the enhancement
was not a big deal. He explained the process and his info matched what I later read here. He put a retail price
of $8600 and a street price of $5712. He then asked me what I had been quoted. I explained that I had stated
that 3k was my limit and that that was the price as I understood it. He was very surprised stating that I must be mistaken.
Perhaps it was 3k/carat. His advice, at that price I could buy them and then turn around and sell them for a profit. Perhaps
they had taken them in from someone off the street for $1500 and thus could afford that price.
Long story short, returned to store and they wanted $4500. Long negotiation followed and I paid $3300 cash. Went back
for written appraisal and told appraiser the selling price. No comment good or bad. How did I do? Did I get a deal or leave
money on the table?
Dave
P.S. Got back to my parents'' house and they had dealt with the same store 20 years ago! Small world.
our 20th anniversary. I ended up in a store looking at 2 carat total weight set stones. I selected a pair before
completing negotiations and took them to a GIA appraiser on the block. He offers a verbal appraisal prior to
purchase for a reasonable price, in this case $50.
He liked the stones. They are as follows:
Weight: 2.04
Cut: Round
Color: G
Clarity: SI clarity enhanced
Med. girdle
58 table
1 culet/no culet
I had not been told that these were clarity enhanced by the store. The appraiser felt that the enhancement
was not a big deal. He explained the process and his info matched what I later read here. He put a retail price
of $8600 and a street price of $5712. He then asked me what I had been quoted. I explained that I had stated
that 3k was my limit and that that was the price as I understood it. He was very surprised stating that I must be mistaken.
Perhaps it was 3k/carat. His advice, at that price I could buy them and then turn around and sell them for a profit. Perhaps
they had taken them in from someone off the street for $1500 and thus could afford that price.
Long story short, returned to store and they wanted $4500. Long negotiation followed and I paid $3300 cash. Went back
for written appraisal and told appraiser the selling price. No comment good or bad. How did I do? Did I get a deal or leave
money on the table?
Dave
P.S. Got back to my parents'' house and they had dealt with the same store 20 years ago! Small world.
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