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Upgrading stone size, more than once. Anyone do this ?

M

mhbc1234

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
11
Has anyone constantly upgraded their diamond stone to a larger carat, until they go to the desired carat ?
What traders do this with no problem ? upgrading and buy back ? Is it easy as it sounds ?

I want to do a few upgrades in size, over a long period of time and wonder if i will have any problems doing so ?
Also because Im in Aus, will it be harder ? I want a good trader that will give me the least hassles, and just do trade ups with them when my budget allows. I also want the option of selling the stone back to them (if and when i tire of it ).

thanks
 
mhbc,

when you upgrade just carat weight but keep the shape constant, as you go up in size the visual difference might not be as noticeable. E.g the visual increase from 1 to 2 carat (6.5mm vs 8mm) would be larger than a visual difference from a 3 to 4 carat (9mm vs 10mm, all numbers are approximate). There's also the issue of losing money when you upgrade (i.e buying a diamond 10 years ago and trading it up later at the same price you purchased it for but diamond prices might have risen by quite a bit then) There's an earlier thread on this board regarding upgrade policies and the pros and cons of it.

If you want to upgrade over time I would suggest you find a vendor with a good upgrade policy (100% trade in value, no odd "stocking" fee or unusually high spending requirements for next upgrade etc). I have upgraded once (1.5 round to 3ish cushion) but will be switching vendors for my next upgrade because my original vendor only accepts certain shapes and cuts for their upgrade policy, and the shape I want now does not qualify for their upgrade policy. So if changing shapes is something you might want to do, this is something to consider as well. I am not sure about the Australian market, perhaps others who have more experience would chime in.
 
hi
thanks for that

so what will you do with your current stone if you are going to a diff vendor ? keep ?

and how do you find online vendors. when buying a ct stone, was that done online or did you see it in person ?
 
Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash allow repeated upgrades. The buyback policies differ. Currently WF will buyback (in-house stones) at 70% of the purchase price within the first year. Good Old Gold will buyback at 75% as long as the stone is covered under their lifetime policies. For more details, see thier sites. Good Old Gold will consign a stone for you that you later decide to sell.
 
I am not an expert, but I upgraded twice with GOG. You should keep in mind that you have to pay tax on reciept of each purchase/upgrade of 10% and this is not refunded when you send your diamond back to upgrade.


I am sure their will be others more knowledgable than me that can steer you in the right direction.

Good luck! :wavey:
 
I upgraded once with whiteflash and twice through BGD. it was simple and painless in both cases.
 
I have upgraded 4 times in 10 years with my local B&M ( from 0.82ct to 1.20ct to 1.50ct to 2ct and now with 3.16ct) and I don't think I'm done yet :naughty:

I was able to trade in my old ring with 100% original purchase value for all of my upgrades and I did not have to pay twice of the original purchase value as per their store policy since I'm a long time customer. In my case, the manager and SA are very accommodating and superb customer service.

I suggest you purchase your first ring thru a vendor either online or local that has excellent upgrade policy and ask them all the questions you have regarding future upgrades prior to making the decision.

If I cant trade in my old ring, then I would keep it for future heirloom and just purchase another ring as upgrade.
 
mhbc1234|1348454219|3273422 said:
hi
thanks for that

so what will you do with your current stone if you are going to a diff vendor ? keep ?

and how do you find online vendors. when buying a ct stone, was that done online or did you see it in person ?
Click to expand...

I intend to use my current stone and either sell it on my own or use it as a trade in with another vendor (whom I will also likely buy my new stone from).

For the 1.5 I didn't see it in person, but for the 3 carat I flew over to see it. For my next upgrade I also intend to see it in person before deciding, especially since it's a fancy shape and at that price point seeing it in person makes it more comfortable for me. It helps that I live close enough to the diamond district.

There are quite a few reputable online vendors here; GOG (who takes excellent videos), JA (great service and pictures), BGD and Whiteflash. May I know what is the stone shape/size you are considering?
 
"I intend to use my current stone and either sell it on my own or use it as a trade in with another vendor (whom I will also likely buy my new stone from).

For the 1.5 I didn't see it in person, but for the 3 carat I flew over to see it. For my next upgrade I also intend to see it in person before deciding, especially since it's a fancy shape and at that price point seeing it in person makes it more comfortable for me. It helps that I live close enough to the diamond district.

There are quite a few reputable online vendors here; GOG (who takes excellent videos), JA (great service and pictures), BGD and Whiteflash. May I know what is the stone shape/size you are considering? "

I am thinking of a round solitaire, over 3ct. I also considered combining purchase with a holiday to the usa (im from aus). do those vendors you mentioned give you credit for a diamond you already have, that you havent purchased off them ? a trade in

many thanks
 
mhbc,

I don't know if the vendors I mentioned will give "credit" for a diamond I possess but did not buy from them, because it depends on each vendor's policies, how popular the shape is and how well cut it is. My guess is for them the bottomline is are they able to sell it easily for a profit in the market? A well cut round or cushion with perhaps lower color and clarity could probably sell well in the market here, whereas a D IF cushion cut might be easier to trade in in Hong Kong. It is best that you approach each vendor individually and ask them about their policies.
 
I upgraded with GOG twice and considered a third time but the price of diamonds have gone up so much that even though I'll get full credit, it costs more right now to buy what I currently own! The experience is very quick, easy and hassle free. I bought all mine sight unseen but with all the light performance tests run on it, they lived up to expectation.
 
I'm in the midst of upgrade #2 with BGD.

Upgrade #1 was trading in a BGD signature round pendant and BGD signature round studs for a BGD signature Quadex ring. Now I am in the process of trading in the Quadex for a BG Blue diamond. Very painless!

I believe ID Jewelry will buy back from any vendor.
 
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