What HAPPENED?!

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/11/2008 2:51:56 PM
Author: Modified Brilliant
Hey wish,

Is the spelling of ''fluorescence'' your typo or the appraiser''s???
Just wondering....

Jeff

LOL my typo

 

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/11/2008 2:54:11 PM
Author: Modified Brilliant
GIA uses the term ''square modified brilliant'' to describe your cut. They will use generic terms usually.

A culet may be described as ''none'' (GIA) ''pointed'' or I suppose ''closed'' (not a typical term)

Jeff

Thanks for your help!
That''s my point though! I do have a square modified brilliant possibly. I definitely do not have a radiant like what that appraiser wrote!

 

[wishinpink]

PS one last gripe. This appraiser was supposed to give me 2 copies of the report for insurance purposes right? In the report she needs to staple a copy of the GIA report. She stapled BOTH copies of the GIA report, to one copy of the report... so my other report has no GIA report copy....

 

[Fancy_yellow_gal]

Hey my cousin is a gemologist, she studied at G.I.A. and she has told me that the feathers and other characteristics of a diamond are natural from when they were formed underground. She said that feathers can''t grow. If it was very large and near any edges and was hit very hard it could chip or break there.

I have heard many stories of people buying from websites and getting something they weren''t expecting. If you are unsure about what you bought you should consider returning the diamond. Consider a place that has a store front and a staff to assist you. I can''t tell you how important it is to have that personal touch when you are trying to make an important purchase.

Let me know if you have any other questions ''cause I can ask my cousin for you. Good luck!

 

[LGK]

I really, really think the appraiser is the one who is incorrect. Your description of your appointment sounds incredibly unprofessional- every appraiser I''ve used has been very vocal, explains every step they''re going through to evaluate the diamond, encourages questions and DOESN''T ANSWER THE PHONE. Also "radiant" listed as the cut is just... kinda odd, too. All those things add up to: the appraiser wasn''t very good. It isn''t unusual for an inexperienced appraiser to err on the side of being over-critical either.

It''s annoying but I wouldn''t freak. It is unlikely that the feather grew, without a visible chip showing impact or something. Sure, it might be a borderline VS2/SI1, but probably not SI2 for real. GIA''s opinion would trump an appraiser''s for sure.

Lame, but I''d get it reappraised and try to get your $ back from the first one.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/11/2008 3:08:56 PM
Author: Fancy_yellow_gal
Hey my cousin is a gemologist, she studied at G.I.A. and she has told me that the feathers and other characteristics of a diamond are natural from when they were formed underground. She said that feathers can't grow. If it was very large and near any edges and was hit very hard it could chip or break there.

I have heard many stories of people buying from websites and getting something they weren't expecting. If you are unsure about what you bought you should consider returning the diamond. Consider a place that has a store front and a staff to assist you. I can't tell you how important it is to have that personal touch when you are trying to make an important purchase.

Let me know if you have any other questions 'cause I can ask my cousin for you. Good luck!

Welcome to Pricescope,

I don't know if returning the diamond is an option for Wishinpink as it was bought from a private party.

 

[wishinpink]

You guys are all so helpful! I am so grateful for you guys!

I''m going to email her a complaint of all these things and see if she''s willing to rectify it. If not, you guys will hear about it for sure, and if she is, I''m happy to clear her name as well. We shall see what happens.... I hope she messed up.

 

[wishinpink]

This is my complaint- Anyone have anything to say about it before I send it?



Dear Janet,

The following is an email documentation of my dissatisfaction with Friday's appointment.

This is what happened on Friday-

I came in for an appointment, we opened the envelope with my regent-cut diamond in it and you began to examine the diamond.

You remarked that the diamond matched the GIA report and that I could send payment to Andrea. I asked if there was anything different and you remarked, nothing, just that the feather is a little bigger than marked in the key of the GIA report. I called my boyfriend and he sent the payment to Andrea. I asked if I could look at the inclusion, and you said you would show me later (never happened.)

You printed out the report, and put it all together in an envelope and I go outside of your office to wait for Andrea to send confirmation of receiving payment. She sends confirmation, you give me the envelope while you are on the phone and I leave.

The following are my complaints:

1. You never showed me the report.

2. You did not explain anything in your report.

3. Once I returned home I noticed several discrepencies in your report. The first being that for shape and cut- you wrote that my diamond was a radiant. On the GIA report it states that I have a modified square brilliant. The second being that you wrote that the clarity was SI-2 when the GIA report states that the diamond was VS2 in clarity.

4. You never remarked at all during the appointment that there was a difference in clarity in the diamond, you told me to send payment saying that the diamond matched the GIA report, which leads me to believe either the discrepencies are mistakes, or you neglected to inform me there was a significant clarity difference before I sent payment. Not informing me represents a material difference because the difference of two clarity grades can be over $1000 in difference in price, which strongly affects my purchase decision and value of the purchase. As an appraiser, this was your responsibility to inform me about the diamond.

5. I was dissatisfied with the appointment because I felt rushed and confused. Things were not explained to me.

6. Additionally, there were other small mistakes- such as in the two reports, 1 report has two copies of the GIA certificate stapled to it, and the other has no copy of a GIA report included even though it states in the letter that it should be included.



This insurance report for my 0.91 carat H VS2 regent is therefore invalid because if I were to insure my diamond and something happens to it, in I would receive a 0.91 radiant cut H SI-2. This is wholly unacceptable and to rectify my concerns I ask that you make another appointment with me and address these issues.

 

[neatfreak]

Honestly, I think it''s a little harsh until you actually speak with her and try to figure out what happened...if I were her and got that email without any indication of you being upset when you left, I would probably immediately put a defense up, which is not what you want if you want something from her ya know?

I''d go over there or give her a call on Monday first personally.

 

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/11/2008 3:46:44 PM
Author: neatfreak
Honestly, I think it''s a little harsh until you actually speak with her and try to figure out what happened...if I were her and got that email without any indication of you being upset when you left, I would probably immediately put a defense up, which is not what you want if you want something from her ya know?

I''d go over there or give her a call on Monday first personally.

hmm, okay, you are right! I will give her a call on monday... but, I don''t know how to do it without feeling upset.... I will need to think about this some more...

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/11/2008 3:53:08 PM
Author: wishinpink

Date: 10/11/2008 3:46:44 PM

Author: neatfreak

Honestly, I think it''s a little harsh until you actually speak with her and try to figure out what happened...if I were her and got that email without any indication of you being upset when you left, I would probably immediately put a defense up, which is not what you want if you want something from her ya know?


I''d go over there or give her a call on Monday first personally.

hmm, okay, you are right! I will give her a call on monday... but, I don''t know how to do it without feeling upset.... I will need to think about this some more...

Just try to stay calm and remember that this could all be a misunderstanding. Try and frame it as a question of what happened rather than anger. Then, assuming she''s cooperative, maybe you can get your $ back or she will look at the stone again for free, etc. If you make her defensive right away she''ll probably be less likely to help you.

Just remember to give her the benefit of the doubt at first. Might be an honest mistake. Then pull out the big guns if you need them.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/11/2008 4:06:03 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 10/11/2008 3:53:08 PM
Author: wishinpink

Date: 10/11/2008 3:46:44 PM

Author: neatfreak

Honestly, I think it''s a little harsh until you actually speak with her and try to figure out what happened...if I were her and got that email without any indication of you being upset when you left, I would probably immediately put a defense up, which is not what you want if you want something from her ya know?


I''d go over there or give her a call on Monday first personally.

hmm, okay, you are right! I will give her a call on monday... but, I don''t know how to do it without feeling upset.... I will need to think about this some more...

Just try to stay calm and remember that this could all be a misunderstanding. Try and frame it as a question of what happened rather than anger. Then, assuming she''s cooperative, maybe you can get your $ back or she will look at the stone again for free, etc. If you make her defensive right away she''ll probably be less likely to help you.

Just remember to give her the benefit of the doubt at first. Might be an honest mistake. Then pull out the big guns if you need them.

Ditto, thritto and quadritto - Neat nailed it!

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Date: 10/11/2008 4:09:49 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 10/11/2008 4:06:03 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 10/11/2008 3:53:08 PM
Author: wishinpink

Date: 10/11/2008 3:46:44 PM

Author: neatfreak

Honestly, I think it''s a little harsh until you actually speak with her and try to figure out what happened...if I were her and got that email without any indication of you being upset when you left, I would probably immediately put a defense up, which is not what you want if you want something from her ya know?


I''d go over there or give her a call on Monday first personally.

hmm, okay, you are right! I will give her a call on monday... but, I don''t know how to do it without feeling upset.... I will need to think about this some more...

Just try to stay calm and remember that this could all be a misunderstanding. Try and frame it as a question of what happened rather than anger. Then, assuming she''s cooperative, maybe you can get your $ back or she will look at the stone again for free, etc. If you make her defensive right away she''ll probably be less likely to help you.

Just remember to give her the benefit of the doubt at first. Might be an honest mistake. Then pull out the big guns if you need them.

Ditto, thritto and quadritto - Neat nailed it!

I agree on all counts!
It''s a good idea to speak to the appraiser and explain your feelings.
We are all human with "very slightly included" days and "slightly included" days. Some of us even have "imperfect" days
every once in a while.

Please follow up with us.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

 

[amyjokerette]

Wishinpink,

I wish you the best of luck with your attempt to either get the diamond re-appraised, get a partial refund, or return to the seller. If neither of those is possible then please, please, don''t forget how much you loved your diamond at the beginning. You were so excited about your Regent diamond and you still should be. If you are unable to fix the appraisal or return it, then just enjoy your diamond. Look at it with your eyes. If you cannot see the feather with your naked eyes, and the diamond looks gorgeous than enjoy it! This is a very exciting time!

 

[denverappraiser]

Hi Pink,

First off, I'm sorry that it's being difficult for you.

There are several issues at play here and you need to separate them out. I think a lot might be gained by a phone conversation with your appraiser.

1) Does the appraiser agree that it’s the same stone as the one described on the GIA report? If not, obviously your issue is with the seller, not the appraiser and not GIA, and the contents of GIA's report are irrelevant. If so, advance to #2.

2) Did the appraiser see the GIA report identifying it as a VS2 and stand by their SI2 grading? There’s always the possibility of a typo or simply a mistake. If it’s a mistake, ask her to correct it. If she's is unsure, ask for a new inspection, show her the GIA document and ask flat out if it's the right stone and if it is her expert opinion that GIA either made an error or that the stone has been damaged.

3) Assuming that it’s the correct stone and the appraiser stands by her position that it's an SI2, you have 3 possible scenerios. GIA was wrong, the appraiser is wrong, or the stone has been altered or damaged since GIA saw it (or, I suppose there are combinations of these).

If GOG was the original seller, they may have records including photomicrographs of the inclusion in question from when it was in their possession. I’m not sure if they would release these to you but it doesn’t hurt to ask (I wouldn’t give out this sort of information about one of my clients' property but I’m in a different position than a seller and it depends on their privacy policy. When they took the pictures, the stone was theirs, not the property of a client after all). It may also depend on when the sale was made, they probably don't keep this sort of thing forever.

Do you have a right of return with the seller, especially if it's the wrong stone for the paperwork or if it's been damaged? In particular, was your purchase dependent on approval by your chosen appraiser?

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

ps. Thank you all for recommending me.

 

[bgray]

Regarding the original seller: if GIA graded this stone (and it is the same stone and GOG sold it accordingly and it has not been damaged) I do not think the seller is obligated to return your money. The opinion of an appraiser is hardly a compelling reason. If I bought a D VS2 stone from Harry Winston accompanied by a valid GIA cert and then had it appraised for insurance and the appraiser said he felt it was closer to an Si1 then that does not require or impell Harry Winston to return my money or give me a discount. This is fact did happen to me. I was a bit miffed at first but loved my stone and after consulting with others in the industry realized that the appraisers vary widely in their assessments..............

 

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/11/2008 7:20:40 PM
Author: denverappraiser
Hi Pink,

First off, I''m sorry that it''s being difficult for you.

There are several issues at play here and you need to separate them out. I think a lot might be gained by a phone conversation with your appraiser.

1) Does the appraiser agree that it¡¦s the same stone as the one described on the GIA report? If not, obviously your issue is with the seller, not the appraiser and not GIA, and the contents of GIA''s report are irrelevant. If so, advance to #2.

2) Did the appraiser see the GIA report identifying it as a VS2 and stand by their SI2 grading? There¡¦s always the possibility of a typo or simply a mistake. If it¡¦s a mistake, ask her to correct it. If she''s is unsure, ask for a new inspection, show her the GIA document and ask flat out if it''s the right stone and if it is her expert opinion that GIA either made an error or that the stone has been damaged.

3) Assuming that it¡¦s the correct stone and the appraiser stands by her position that it''s an SI2, you have 3 possible scenerios. GIA was wrong, the appraiser is wrong, or the stone has been altered or damaged since GIA saw it (or, I suppose there are combinations of these).

If GOG was the original seller, they may have records including photomicrographs of the inclusion in question from when it was in their possession. I¡¦m not sure if they would release these to you but it doesn¡¦t hurt to ask (I wouldn¡¦t give out this sort of information about one of my clients'' property but I¡¦m in a different position than a seller and it depends on their privacy policy. When they took the pictures, the stone was theirs, not the property of a client after all). It may also depend on when the sale was made, they probably don''t keep this sort of thing forever.

Do you have a right of return with the seller, especially if it''s the wrong stone for the paperwork or if it''s been damaged? In particular, was your purchase dependent on approval by your chosen appraiser?

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

ps. Thank you all for recommending me.

Thank you so much for your help!!

1) The appraiser told me it was the same stone- and told me to send money.
2) She saw the GIA report, did not say whether or not they stand by their grading. Did not even tell me she graded it an SI2 ( I saw on the report when i went home. )
3) I''m not sure about the right to return- the point of the appraiser was to make sure the stone wasn''t damaged and was the right one, but the appraiser was the one who told me to send the money, and it''s already sent. If the stone was damaged, I wouldn''t know because the appraiser didn''t tell me =(.

 

[purrfectpear]

If the appraiser made a mistake then they will correct it.

However, I would not like to see appraisers change their appraisals simply because the customer doesn''t like the results. When we start having appraisers bend to the will of the customer, we might as well have customers walk in the door with what they want it say.

As to the staple incident, they have a nifty solution for that. It''s called a staple remover.

 

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/11/2008 6:53:53 PM
Author: amyjokerette
Wishinpink,

I wish you the best of luck with your attempt to either get the diamond re-appraised, get a partial refund, or return to the seller. If neither of those is possible then please, please, don''t forget how much you loved your diamond at the beginning. You were so excited about your Regent diamond and you still should be. If you are unable to fix the appraisal or return it, then just enjoy your diamond. Look at it with your eyes. If you cannot see the feather with your naked eyes, and the diamond looks gorgeous than enjoy it! This is a very exciting time!

AHH! You guys are my voice of reason!

I have calmed down a lot, I shall speak with the appraiser reasonably and in a gracious nature via telephone I did leave her a message earlier when I was angry saying that she needed to call me back, but there was no yelling or anything ridiculous. I will behave myself.

And... you guys are right. Maybe I can just pretend/hope the appraiser was wrong! If they''re not wrong, it''s probably too late anyway, so I''ll just have to remember how much I liked the diamond to begin with!

Thanks a bunch all of you! I will follow up on Monday or when I speak with her!

 

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/11/2008 7:46:12 PM
Author: purrfectpear
If the appraiser made a mistake then they will correct it.

However, I would not like to see appraisers change their appraisals simply because the customer doesn''t like the results. When we start having appraisers bend to the will of the customer, we might as well have customers walk in the door with what they want it say.

As to the staple incident, they have a nifty solution for that. It''s called a staple remover.

I''m not trying to change the results of the appraiser. I am angry that the appraiser either did not tell me the clarity of the diamond had dropped two grades and told me to send money anyway, or typo''d. Either way, had she gone through the report with me or let me read it before, this wouldn''t have happened.

The staple incident was irritating because she first stapled everything together- then realized she didn''t staple the certs on, removed the staples, and then stapled both certs on one report, which she all stuffed into the envelope the diamond was in and stapled shut, so I wasn''t able to look at it. This was all done in a hurry because she wanted to rush the appointment.

I hope the appraiser will correct the mistake if there is one. If there isn''t a mistake in the clarity level, then that appraiser caused me to pay someone for a stone I thought I was buying as a VS2. I don''t know how she will correct that mistake.

 

[arjunajane]

Wishin, I don''t have any more or better advice to offer - the developments in this thread since I first posted are of course significant!
I just want to say I would definately be peeved if my money for an appraisal was spent in the way you describe (ie. answering phonecalls, not clarifying/explaining, giving Wrong advice)..
I really wish you the best and hope it can be resolved quickly and relatively painlessly.

 

[PrincessDijon]

Good luck to you wishinpink....

Keep us posted on your situation....

 

[Rhea]

I''d be upset too. I hope that you''re able to get some clarification on Monday when you contact her.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 10/11/2008 7:46:12 PM
Author: purrfectpear
If the appraiser made a mistake then they will correct it.

However, I would not like to see appraisers change their appraisals simply because the customer doesn''t like the results. When we start having appraisers bend to the will of the customer, we might as well have customers walk in the door with what they want it say.

As to the staple incident, they have a nifty solution for that. It''s called a staple remover.

PP, in all fairness have you even read this thread?
Your response is so far off base, it leaves one thinking you may not have grasped the OP''s actual problem.?

 

[LD]

From one of your original posts it sounds like the Appraiser re-typed the information from the GIA report? If that''s the case, I''m pretty sure that the discrepancies could be typos because she hasn''t made any mention that the cut or clarity are different. I suspect she was having a bad and rushed day (inexcusable) ........... I do hope you manage to get this sorted out. Good luck for Monday.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/11/2008 7:46:12 PM
Author: purrfectpear
If the appraiser made a mistake then they will correct it.

However, I would not like to see appraisers change their appraisals simply because the customer doesn't like the results. When we start having appraisers bend to the will of the customer, we might as well have customers walk in the door with what they want it say.

As to the staple incident, they have a nifty solution for that. It's called a staple remover.

Not a case of that even being in question PP, the OP asked an appraiser to check out a diamond she was interested in buying and check that all was in order with it - same diamond which matched the report, colour and clarity H VS2 as stated. The appraiser graded the rock SI2 clarity and from what we can gather, didn't tell the purchaser that her professional opinion was that the clarity was 2 grades lower, so the OP bought the diamond believing it was VS2 clarity as stated on the report and it would appear wasn't given this piece of information which might have affected her purchase decision if she had been given this info. Whether this info is accurate concerning the clarity grading, a mistake, miscommunication or any other scenario etc etc remains to be seen.

 

[wishinpink]

I really do appreciate all of your advice and help! I spent about an hour staring at the diamond last night, and I found the feather! I can see the feather with my eyes- does this mean it isn''t a VS2 and is in fact a SI2? I was heartbroken over that for a long time last night, and when I told my boyfriend he was really sad too. Then again I''ve heard of people seeing inclusions in their VS2''s too.

I''m so thankful for all your help, I''ve cooled down a lot, and maybe it''s just a small human error thing, and nothing I need to fret over. I think it''s just the importance of this diamond, the fact that I wanted everything to turn out really well, and the gravity of this much money that had me more worried and uptight. I''ve decided not to think about possibilities anymore until I speak to the appraiser on Monday.

Will of course keep you guys updated! I really, really appreciate all the words of advice, caution, and help!

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Wishin, if you'd like a verbal second opinion on the clarity (only), and whether the feather has extended (which is unlikely), I would do it for you at no charge except for shipping to and fro.

Since you guys are students and all...

If we used Fedex 2nd Day Air, it would cost you about $45 each way with insurance.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/12/2008 1:05:34 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
Wishin, if you''d like a verbal second opinion on the clarity (only), and whether the feather has extended (which is unlikely), I would do it for you at no charge except for shipping to and fro.

Since you guys are students and all...

If we used Fedex 2nd Day Air, it would cost you about $45 each way with insurance.

Rich, you are a wonderful man!

 

[wishinpink]

Date: 10/12/2008 1:05:34 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
Wishin, if you''d like a verbal second opinion on the clarity (only), and whether the feather has extended (which is unlikely), I would do it for you at no charge except for shipping to and fro.

Since you guys are students and all...

If we used Fedex 2nd Day Air, it would cost you about $45 each way with insurance.

That is too kind!!!!!!!! You are so, so nice!! Thank you so much for your offer! I really appreciate it.

On Monday I am going to first call the appraiser and try to visit her if possible. Then, I will take the diamond to my local jeweler and see if they can give me a quick second opinion. If nothing works out, I will definitely think about sending this diamond to you!