Urgent advice if possible - Now at intergem

[GemFever]

Dear PSers,

I dunno what got into me with diamonds... Could u advise me again if this is a good deal or not?

I'm at intergem right now, and saw a beautiful OEC... 1.58, around M color, VS- range... Very pretty under the bright lights of the booth. 5.5K... Is it worth it? The faceting is pretty.

Gosh, what has gotten into me?

 

[Enerchi]

Hey there, hope this isn't too late! I'm sorry I am NOT WELL VERSED in OEC's but flipped onto OldWorldDiamonds.com just to quickly check price comparisons for you and they do not have any M's but in the 1.55 - 1.59 range, the prices are $7K - $17K with colours in the F - L range.

An example:

Stock #: OWA28600
Carat Weight: 1.58
Color: K
Clarity: SI2
Measure: 7.41*7.39*4.6
Cert: EGLNY
Depth: 61.9
Table: 50
Polish: Very Good
Symetry: Good
Girdle: tn
Flourescence: N/A
Culet: Medium
Price: 6,419.00


and another:
Stock #: OWA23787
Carat Weight: 1.58
Color: I
Clarity: VS1
Measure: 7.50*7.47*4.6
Cert: N/A
Depth: 61.4
Table: 48
Polish: Good
Symetry: Good
Girdle: tn
Flourescence: N/A
Culet: Medium
Price: 14,072.00

I know the feeling of "should I?" and not having someone to bounce the ideas off of!

I can't offer you anything more than just a price/spec comparison. I hope you get further guidance!

 

[GemFever]

Enerchi, thanks so much for posting! Not too late, we're having lunch I'll go back and look at it after that. Never thought I'd be considering a 1.5ct diamond at this point in my life. I suppose if I return my AVC for 75%... The GOG buy back policy.. Gaaah

 

[webdiva]

I would only do it if they have a return policy....

 

[Enerchi]

Enerchi, thanks so much for posting! Not too late, we're having lunch I'll go back and look at it after that. Never thought I'd be considering a 1.5ct diamond at this point in my life. I suppose if I return my AVC for 75%... The GOG buy back policy.. Gaaah

WHAT??? You are returning your AVC????? ARE you WELL woman???

I wish the experts would chime in - colour, facet pattern, culet, depth, high crown, small table... are all key items but I can't recall what to be looking for - I'm sorry I'm not more helpful for you.

Return policy and time to examine on your own lighting conditions would be key. Keep posting - eager to learn from you!!!

 

[GemFever]

Good point. Will ask. Thanks!

 

[GemFever]

Enerchi -- I know right, about the AVC... But I can't just afford 5.5K. Under the spotlight of the booth, the 1.5 OEC competes quite healthily with the avc... Ok, I think return policy will make or break the deal here. Will update!

 

[webdiva]

Enerchi -- I know right, about the AVC... But I can't just afford 5.5K. Under the spotlight of the booth, the 1.5 OEC competes quite healthily with the avc... Ok, I think return policy will make or break the deal here. Will update!

Can they go to a window with you? Away from those crazy lights?

 

[Enerchi]

Ditto Webdiva's thought - get to some natural lighting - even a bathroom or hallway where you aren't surrounded by a bazillion pin point halogen bulbs designed to make you bring out your credit card!!!

Walk outside if possible - no matter what the weather is outside, it would give you a perspective on colour. Bring a white piece of paper and see if you can bring their loupe with you outside too - check the clarity for yourself.

 

[GemFever]

Webdiva, I think I'll ask them to do that. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Does it have an EGL report? It has to be graded...that would be my other requirement besides return policy! You might be able to sell your AVC on pre-loved at 20% off, so try that before doing a buy-back if you buy this stone!

 

[distracts]

In my experience, all prices at Intergem are negotiable 10-25% off, and more so Sunday before closing. I have never tried to buy a diamond there though, only colored stones, and they certainly may have less leeway for negotiation on diamonds. But it can't hurt to try - negotiation at Intergem seems to be expected.

 

[GemFever]

Negotiated to 5K. Left a deposit, will go back tomorrow. Will post my iPhone pics as soon as I get home tonight. Thanks so much for everyone's help!

 

[Enerchi]

Get all the specs before you leave so you can get input from the experts here. Grading report by who? Photos will be good to view. Great you were able to negotiate a price. Any appraisers there who could advise on the spot?

 

[Christina...]

very cool I'm looking forward to pics and keeping my fingers crossed that this turns out to be a winner for you!!!

 

[GemFever]

Hey guys!

Well, I'm home. So conflicted. Will post pics.

There is no appraisal at the moment, but it can be done. This was my first intergem show, and my first diamond purchase outside of the easy experience with GOG, so I was incredibly overwhelmed. The people seem nice though.

I initially wanted to get a smaller diamond to possibly put into a pendant. I found a .5ct YG ring that I like from the same vendor, and I took it home with me (my deposit for the bigger diamond covered the price of this one, so it came home with for a "test drive." I think I'll keep it though).

The faceting pattern in the bigger stone is similar to the little one. It's like the design you see on quilts very often... I guess it's like the stone DreamerD has posted in the PreLoved section. It's not quite the pattern I'm lusting after... I like the big oval-round facets more than the pointy ones. That's what I love about my AVC.

I did get to take the diamond outdoors, and looked at it for a while (while my FI and the seller took a smoke break). It's beautiful. I'm used to warm colors (AVC is an L), so that didn't bother me. It looked pretty white outdoors.

When I came inside though, it would sometimes do this thing where it looked like a mirror--very cold. But I think that's because it was clean. When they cleaned my AVC, it also started doing a similar thing, but to a lesser extent. I'll post a couple pics of this phenomenon.

Now I feel dumb, but I forgot to take sideways pics of it. It has a nice high crown though.

I think what I'll do is call my mom and ask her if she wants it. All her gold jewelry and her single (small) diamond set were stolen this March, so maybe she's ready to start afresh...

 

[GemFever]

and some more pics...

(the first one is the ~.5 one, also no appraisal)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Both look like they have potential! So do you have the diameter measurement on the larger stone? And did you look at it with a loupe? You must look at it with a loupe, not only to check internal clarity but especially to check for chips on the girdle.

 

[GemFever]

D'oh! I feel like such a n00b. I don't have that info! But my friend is there now, maybe she can scout for me... (I live a 40 min drive away).

 

[Christina...]

D'oh! I feel like such a n00b. I don't have that info! But my friend is there now, maybe she can scout for me... (I live a 40 min drive away).

It's so hard to remember everything when your excited! Just for reference what size is your AVC?

 

[GemFever]

It's a 1.11ct. Here's its listing:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7807/

 

[GemFever]

My friend wasn't able to get the additional info at this time, so I guess I'll look at it tomorrow. Gotta make up my mind... mom seemed semi-interested, she'll get back to me in an hour. Oh ho ho, choices, choices!

 

[Christina...]

It looks like it performs very differently than the AVC (which is gorgeous btw). In some of the pics the OEC goes really dark but the AVC stays very bright. When they are both bright they look very white for an L and M. Do you see much of a difference in the body color? Would you keep the OEC in it's setting or reset it?

 

[GemFever]

Christina, thanks for the compliment on the AVC!

I think it does perform a little differently... but I think a part of it was that the AVC had all my finger oil on it, and the OEC was clean. Would that be possible? When the AVC is totally clean, it also does the whole "let's look cold like a mirror for about 5 minutes" thing.

I would definitely reset it. Probably in a YG bezel, cause I love bezels. Then again, IF it comes into my family, it will probably be through my mom, and she'll be making the decisions regarding settings

 

[Christina...]

Christina, thanks for the compliment on the AVC!
but I think a part of it was that the AVC h
I think it does perform a little differently... ad all my finger oil on it, and the OEC was clean. Would that be possible? When the AVC is totally clean, it also does the whole "let's look cold like a mirror for about 5 minutes" thing.

I would definitely reset it. Probably in a YG bezel, cause I love bezels. Then again, IF it comes into my family, it will probably be through my mom, and she'll be making the decisions regarding settings

I'm not sure. I know that a well cut round can go quite dark in some lighting environments and it's possible the difference in cuts is making one appear bright and the other dark in the same light situation, I'm not sure though, one of the cut nuts will have a much better idea. I think it looks like it has potential though. But it sounds like you've already decided to keep your AVC and hand off the OEC?

 

[GemFever]

Christina, thanks again for your time and attention

I think I have decided that I can't afford this stone for myself. I don't want to be broke all summer :-/

But, I would love additional feedback to help my mom in her decision making process. She will give me a call this evening an we'll discuss it. I don't want to influence her into getting a stone that's not a keeper, I guess.

If she decides against it, I'll post the seller info here an will remove my hold on it, so if anyone else is in the DC area and wants to look at it...

 

[distracts]

If she decides against it, I'll post the seller info here an will remove my hold on it, so if anyone else is in the DC area and wants to look at it...

Pfft, even if she decides FOR it, post the seller info if they have anything else remotely worthwhile - I am going to Intergem in Dallas next weekend and am compiling my list of "must hit" vendors.

 

[GemFever]

Oh, for sure. Sorry, I'm not very Intergem experienced. I should have thought of that right away.

They're called Efim Gilin Vintage Jewelry. They're Russian, from New York.

 

[Enerchi]

wow - that .5 looks totally like Dreamers! Wonder ... is it??? or was that just a typical setting of the time?

So you aren't that interested in the OEC after all? Keeping your AVC??

 

[GemFever]

Enerchi... sigh, I am interested, but I can't afford it I'm crazy impulsive when it comes to stones, but... maybe not THAT impulsive. Especially since I had no plans for a bigger diamond... I just wanted a smaller pretty one to put in this pendant:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73947184/unique-14k-yellow-gold-pink-sapphire

But I think it is a great deal, so I'm hoping my mom might want it. Though I'm sure she also had absolutely no plans of getting herself a fairly fat diamond. Still waiting for her call.