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What is a reasonable price range?

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jadegreene

Rough_Rock
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Sep 14, 2003
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Hi, I''m new to this so forgive me for repetition. I am looking at a diamond ring to buy. The choices are:

a) a 52 pt E VS2 diamond that looks very sparkly and is set in white gold and white gold band. (EGL certified)which is $4200.

b)a 43 pt H VS1 diamond that doesn''t look so sparkly but is set in white gold with yellow gold band. (GIA certified)which is $3800.

c)a 50 pt G VS1 diamond that looks very sparkly and is set in white gold with white gold band. (GIA certified)which is $5600.

How do I work out which is better value? The one I like the look of best is (a) but I am not sure if I''m being foolish and should go for one of the GIA certified ones which are not as high a colour but better clarity, and I''m not sure if I''m being unfair to (b) because of its yellow gold band because I actually intend to have my choice reset in a yellow gold band anyway (but obviously keeping white gold setting).

What''s your advice?

Regards,

Jade Greene
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I have been looking at about the same carat weights, and the look of your prices are all way to high. I have finally decided on a .46 ct E VS1 for $1371 and a platinum ring for $500. You can find much better prices and quality on the net. There are a lot of high quality dealers on the net don't limit your search to B&M stores.

Just my opinion.
 
Just a word of advice: it's always best to buy the stone separately so that you can really look at it closely.
 
Seems like a lot to pay for any of these rings, particularly if you plan to change the setting. I recently got a .7 carat diamond, AGS0, G, VS2 from one of the vendors on this site for $3955, and that includes the $700 platinum head, 18K yellow gold setting with channel set side diamonds. (If you want to see pics, look under SHOW ME THE RING, "the search is over").
Although I understand the hardcore cutnut buyers in this forum are looking at loose stones, if you're not quite up to that intensity, I found there are several easy to use websites - with comfortable return policies. Order the stone and setting you want! Use the HCA cut advisor to help you, then look up close & personal for the final decision. It's unsettling, I know, to order from the internet, but the tax (and more) you save you can spend on an appraisal to confirm your choice - or take it back to your store and compare to those you are looking at now. Don't be hasty. Remember, certification only tells you what you have, it doesn't mean it's a great stone. There are some pretty bad certified stones out there. Good Luck.
 
Oh my! I just realised that you are all from the USA! Here I am quoting prices in Australian dollars at you!

That means it's about 2/3 of the price you were thinking, what difference does that make? Also it much much more difficult to buy over the internet here, many of the websites which are overseas do not ship here or do so at incredibly high insurance and shipping costs so it's not worth it. Incredibly high both because of the distance and the fact these are calculated in USD.

Does that alter your view at all? I'm leaning towards the $4200 ring. BTW it would be bought from the designer of the ring and he has said he is happy to reset it in yellow gold with no extra charge. I think he is banking on the fact I like it as it is and may decide not to change it, but it is a nice option to take it home and think it over outside the environment of the jeweller's.

Looking forward to your further advice.

Regards,

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I still think they are not exactly cheap. I think you'd better buy the stone loose and then have it set. Could you post the additional data from the reports?
Be sure to mention the EGL cert number so we can see which lab issued the report. Some of them are comparable to GIA and others are off by even 3 grades, at time. I don't think you want to buy a G/VS 2!
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You are still paying too much for any of those rings whether its AU or US--esp without knowing the cut. Get a .50c F VS on an internet site in an excellent cut (and they sell to AU too) for around $2000 MAX and then get a white gold solitaire setting or even something with side stones for under or around $500. Then you have an excellent cut that WILL sparkle like the dickens and it's custom made for the same price if not less than your most expensive set in your post. I'm not a fan of pre-set stones...tricky..tricky...




But if you have to buy from the 3 you posted...get the one that looks the best to your eye, regardless of color/clarity...what is the sparkle like and how does the overall stone and ring look? That is what you'll see for the rest of your life!
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Good luck!
 
Thanks for your advice everyone. BTW they were all round brilliants in 6 prong settings, sorry for not mentioning that, but that's really the only kind I wanted. I'm petite and I didn't want something too big or with shoulder settings that made it look swamping.

I take your point about seeing the loose stone, and I probably could easily enough but the setting cost is really not adding anything (especially since the designer offerred to reset on yello gold band if I choose within a month for no cost) and it is what it will look like on my hand. It is about $2500 in USD and with no insurance premium and shipping cost involved.

Also (and I may just be paranoid) I'm honestly less comfortable buying offshore simply because I don't really know my rights as well as I would here (am a corporate lawyer here at least - try not to hold that against me!).

So, after much agonising, we decided last night to go with the one I liked best of the 3, the very sparkly 52 points, E VS2 white gold ring.

I am thinking of getting it on the yello gold band though, after I've tried it for a little while so that will make it a little better value I guess. I have mostly yellow gold jewellery, brown hair and creamy complexion and would like a yellow gold wedding band. Do you think that will make much difference?

I'll send in the details of the certificate later today, just don't have it beside me at present. I would like to know what you think of it.

Also, another sort of ring etiquette question. Re the cost of the ring, my fiance and I have looked around for a couple of months and now are ready to get it. If he were to buy the ring straight out it would make it difficult for him immediately as he is going overseas for work and will get reimbursed for the costs on his return so having the cash on him now is useful.

However, my folks from interstate (who I don't see often) are staying with me while he's away and I know Mum especially would love to see the ring.
So what we're doing is that I'm paying for it now and he's putting the money in my account again when he gets back and reimbursed (in about 3-4 weeks depending on the bureaucracy). I don't think he minds at all, he gets on well with Mum and knows she will get a kick out of the ring too. But I just wondered if this is unusually tacky of us.

I thought of getting him to choose a stone in the US (where he's going) but he will be working pretty flat out, in LA without a car, and since we earn our pay in Aussie dollars the US stones are very expensive to us if not to locals.

Anyway, I'll be back this arvo with the certificate details.

Ciao,
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Hey Jade Green - sounds like you found a ring you're happy with. Just be sure to make that trip to an independent appraiser - I assume there is a window for return if it doesn't meet your expectations on paper.

As to the pay/reimburse so mom can see it, this is what the rest of your life will be like. You will be forever moving money back and forth in your marriage, supporting each other in a way that makes it work out best for both of you. Tacky? No - just what any good relationship is made of - give and take, sharing, trust, and working together to get what you both want (the ring and the flexibility for your fiance). Sounds very generous of both of you if you ask me.

Congrats!
 
Thanks so much. And thanks everyone for your input.

I am happy with it. Now it's on my finger in the dimmer office light I like it even more.

I will get it appraised, though I have a certificate of valuation from the jeweller which I'll use for insurance immediately. And yes, if their appraisal in the valuation certificate doesn't stack up there's a guarantee.

BTW I got the EGL Certificate original and it says -
.52 cts
round brilliant 5.12 - 5.09 x 3.19mm
Depth 62.5%
Table width 62%
Crown Height 13%
Pavillion Depth 43%
Girdle thick, faceted
Polish, and Symmetry Good
No Culet
VS2 Nil Graining
E colour
No fluorescence

Does that sound consistent to you? Thanks again for all your help. I am sure I'll be back soon enough too - there were some lovely little diamond earrings in the jewellers which gave me the idea for my wedding outfit. Must research further about suitable diamonds for earrings.

Thanks again!

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PS How do you tell which of the EGL Labs it was?
 
Hey, do you speak italian?
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The lab which issued the report is EGL Israel. I suppose the report # starts with 2.
The cut is fairly nice. The stone is a bit deep due to the thick girdle, but should still be pretty.
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The table is outside the ideal range but still considered good.
Plus, you have the possibility to return if something isn't correct.
 
Hey, do you speak italian?
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The lab which issued the report is EGL Israel. I suppose the report # starts with 2.
The cut is fairly nice. The stone is a bit deep due to the thick girdle, but should still be pretty.
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The table is outside the ideal range but still considered good.
Plus, you have the possibility to return if something isn't correct.
 
Hey Jade Green

Don't accept the certificate of valuation from the jeweler as accurate. I made that mistake 10 years ago and had huge problems with insurance when it came time to make a claim.

Pay for an independent appraisal, for two reasons - first, the insurance company will have more info if needed, and second, it will confirm the quality of your stone. If you run your numbers on the cut advisor at this site, you will see that this stone has an overly thick girdle, which usually indicates that it was cut for weight and you can find a stone that is larger in diameter for the same weight/price. It's not a great cut, but you seem happy and that is essential. However, if the appraiser disagrees with the Israel EGL grading (and that may well be the case) it could be a G S1, for example, and that gives you bargaining power to go back to the jeweler and ask that your price be adjusted accordingly. Even if you don't want to bargain him down, at least you know what you really have - no suprises later.
 
Good advice, Marty!
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Thanks so much Marty and Giangi! And everyone else who gave tips. I happy with it because it sparkles and it's from my fiance and we chose it together, but I am hard-headed enough to want to value it properly too. Will do.

As a short term measure (since with folks visiting for 2 weeks valuation isn't an option for a little while) I will get it noted on my contents insurance, which allows claiming an item of jewellery up to AUD10,000 and this is my only piece of intrinsic value (though I have more sentimental things that are irreplaceable). That should get me to October when life goes back near normal and I can look for an appraiser. Do I just go to a reputable jeweller for that?

Now that I look at it I can see what you mean about the cut not being the most fantastic, but it is very pretty. I guess that is the price of having something a little larger than average, which this is if my research is anything to go by. In fact I worried at first that it was too big and flashy, but I'm comfortable with it now. Though I could hardly bear take it off last night.

Thanks again for your help.

Regards,

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Sorry Giangi, no Italian ever stuck in my brain, no matter how hard my neighbours tried.
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