What should be my target % when trading in diamond?

[LC_88]

Looking to upgrade my wife’s solitaire. It’s 1ct E color SI1 “good” cut. It’s not certified so I know that I’m already losing value on that. I realize that return on investment is basically nonexistent for diamonds but am trying to figure how to how to not get completely run over. From browsing these forums, it looks like Wink at HPD may be my best bet to inquire with? Although maybe he doesn’t take non lab graded? If he does however, what’s generally best case scenario of a percentage of appraised value that you get back? I know there are so many variables, and that I won’t get best without AGS or GIA grading, just curious what people have seen? Very interested in a CBI anyway.

Any feedback at all is appreciate. Thanks for your time.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am not sure HPD (Wink) takes trade-ins other than CBI stones. And in general, how much you get will vary from place to place and will be affected by whether you overpaid in the first place. A wild guess is that you could lose half of what you paid. In that case, I'd set the original diamond in a pendant and start over with the ring stone. Not worth trading in many cases. I still have my original 1 ct stone which also was not well cut.

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

Here is a thread that has some information about trade-ins in general - there may be some helpful info for you:

Help with trade in I didn’t ask about

Hi, can someone please advise me on whether it’s worth it to trade in my center stone? Appraisal pictured, it is not GIA certified. A jeweler looked up the trade-in value for a GIA certified stone full 1.0 ct of the same quality and it was about $2000! I didn’t think it’s worth the price to...

www.pricescope.com

 

[John P]

From browsing these forums, it looks like Wink at HPD may be my best bet to inquire with? Although maybe he doesn’t take non lab graded? If he does however, what’s generally best case scenario of a percentage of appraised value that you get back? I know there are so many variables, and that I won’t get best without AGS or GIA grading, just curious what people have seen? Very interested in a CBI anyway.Any feedback at all is appreciate. Thanks for your time.

The value of a trade will depend on specific analysis of the subject diamond, regardless of who you approach.

Answering your specific question - info from HPD can be found here:
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/blog/blog-article/31

 

[MsShnooks]

What’s your reason for upgrading? Just size? If so, then I don’t think it’s worth for 1ct over 0.9ct as you won’t see the difference anyway. If youre after a better cut or colour etc, then it makes more sense.

I think you could check with several jeweller’s to see who can give you the best price.

 

[LC_88]

Thanks everyone. Yes again totally understand that it of course depends on the diamond. More looking to hear the highest value people have gotten back on trading in their stones. Like you bought for 10k, got 5k back (50% depreciation), wondering what the best case scenario someone has seen is.

 

[LC_88]

What’s your reason for upgrading? Just size? If so, then I don’t think it’s worth for 1ct over 0.9ct as you won’t see the difference anyway. If youre after a better cut or colour etc, then it makes more sense.

I think you could check with several jeweller’s to see who can give you the best price.

Yes size looking to go from the 1ct to 1.8-just under two

 

[lovedogs]

I think given that it isn't lab certified or well cut, you cannot expect to get much $ from it. I also don't think a % is the best way of thinking about this, since so many stores wildly overcharge for sub-par stones. If it's not certified then my guess is that the clarity is significantly worse than SI1, and the color is much lower than E (otherwise the people would have gotten it certified). It also may face up smaller than a 1ct stone if it is cut too deep. I think it will be important to get it certified so you at least know what you have. I think GIA certs aren't too expensive (at least the last time I checked).

Given the above (e.g. my assumption that it is likely H/I color, I1 or SI2 clarity, and "good" or "very good" cut), you are looking at getting ~1300 - 2,200 depending on the details. Just did some checking at brilliance.com since they have lots of stones ranging from well cut to "good", and also sell I1 stones.

See these examples:

1.00 Carat Diamond, Round, E Color, I1, EGL, D19675543

This Round shape, E color,I1 clarity, and Good make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the EGL

www.brilliance.com

1.15 Carat Diamond, Round, H Color, I1, EGL, D19675545

This Round shape, H color,I1 clarity, and Very Good make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the EGL

www.brilliance.com

**note that yours won't be 1.15, but just as an example.

Also note that the stones above are certified, come from a trusted retailer, and include return policies, so you would get less.

 

[MRBXXXFVVS1]

What about keeping it for a set of diamond studs?

 

[1ofakind]

If you or she are sentimental at all then definitely consider keeping it. My uncerted original diamond was set into a pendant that DH designed because I couldn't bear to trade it in. I would be heartbroken to lose it although my upgraded wedding ring is considerably more valuable.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I 2nd (or 3rd ) the resetting it as a pendant

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just noticed you said "appraised value" in your initial post. Unfortunately, the vast majority of diamond ring appraisals are hugely exaggerated. So that's why I was saying you might get half of the retail price, but definitely not half of the appraised value.

Looking at the link John Pollard posted, it said around half retail is around the usual offer from a wholesaler. I guess I was pretty accurate after all!

 

[lovedogs]

If you or she are sentimental at all then definitely consider keeping it. My uncerted original diamond was set into a pendant that DH designed because I couldn't bear to trade it in. I would be heartbroken to lose it although my upgraded wedding ring is considerably more valuable.

I would do this. IMHO less than 2k (or a touch more) trade in value just isn't worth the trading of a sentimental item. At least for many of us. Given that it is a relatively small amount of money (compared to a new stone), I highly recommend putting it into a necklace.

 

[LC_88]

Thanks all for your feedback. She already has a 1.4ct diamond pendant so not looking for that but maybe we’ll keep brainstorming.

 

[headlight]

I have done 3 “trade-ins” over the course of the past 30 years so I’ve had experience with this.
If your wife has sentimental attachment, keep it and end this conversation. Even though she has another diamond pendant, you could mount it in a basic, inexpensive pendant mounting and she can wear it for times when she doesn’t want to stand out too much like travel or other situations.
If there’s no sentimentality or attachment and you would just like to have a couple grand or whatever it would be to apply to the next purchase then you should pursue that.
With regard to the cut quality, jewelers take in stones all the time and send the lesser cut-quality ones out for recutting. Your stone could be a candidate for this. A jeweler knows their clientele and if it would be a stone they can sell. It doesn’t hurt to ask. I would gather data from a few sources and then make a decision.
I wouldn’t look at it in the context of how much value you can recoup. I would look at it as a vehicle toward getting into the next stone you want. If you would otherwise throw it in a drawer/jewelry box/safe and it’s just going to sit there, then if it were me I would want to make the value in it (and there is value in it) work for me toward getting where I want to be.
How long has she had the diamond? If it’s been a long time, you may not be losing as much as you think from what you paid based on increases in diamond prices.

 

[headlight]

Do you know what he paid for the diamond