What to look for in a dealer

[prs]

It's great your fiance' is fine with lower color, that will enable you to get a much bigger and better cut diamond. Here are three videos that provide a lot of info on color. I wish we'd seen them before we bought my wife's 2ct G for our 25th wedding anniversary!!!

Understanding GIA Diamond Color Part 1 LINK

Understanding GIA Diamond Color Part 2 LINK

Understanding GIA Diamond Color Part 3 LINK

You can be almost certain a VS2 stone will be eye clean, finding an eye clean SI1 will require some work, an eye clean SI2 will require work and luck.

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

Glad to see you and she have really discussed priorities - that is very important. As she is absolutely set on the largest possible carat weight you might find, the more information you can have, the better off you will be. When working with the local family jeweler having the diamond search right here on PS handy on your phone can be your 'real-time' friend. Also, do be mindful of which lab has created the diamond report, some dealers find interchanging GIA, IGI, EGL and others a common practice. Happy Hunting.

 

[distracts]

Thank you everyone for your advice! So she still couldn’t decide between white/yellow gold or between solitaire and halo, so she wants me to pick. I think I’m going with a solitaire in white gold though, so I want the best stone I can get. I’m thinking around $5000 give or take for just the stone. We’re also saving up for the wedding as well as a down payment on a house so I don’t want to spend too much even though I could afford more.

She looked at a bunch of stones in two jewelry places, and even looked at a couple under the microscope to see the differences in clarity. From what she was saying as she looked at them, the differences in cut didn’t make as much of an impact, although I still want to maximize that as much as possible for performance in all light environments as well as my own peace of mind. She put way more emphasis on size than I do and while she didn’t come right out and say it I think she’d be much happier with a carat or above so I may have to sacrifice some other parameters. Color isn’t really an issue, she even liked an L diamond that was set in yellow gold and couldn’t really see the color. In white gold I’m thinking H or I would probably be fine. Clarity is probably fine with either SI1 or SI2 as long as it’s eyeclean and doesn’t interfere with the light performance. And maybe the marks don‘t stand out too much if she ever decided to look with a magnifying glass. Ideally I think I’d like nothing on the table but at the budget I want that may not be possible with everything else.

Going to call the jeweler my family knows this week but in the meantime I’m looking up online diamonds to get an idea of what I can get otherwise. Thank you all for your help and advice.

I used the Pricescope diamond search (under the resources tab) to search for 1 ct+ of I/J/K colors with excellent HCA scores in your budget, and came up with a bunch. These are my favorites:

This Whiteflash diamond is a super ideal AND hits the 1.1 mark:

Diamond | 1.116 ct K VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4187452

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.116 carat K color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4187452

www.whiteflash.com

But for a less-ideal cut (which still has an excellent HCA score) you can get this 1.51 ct K from James Allen:

1.51 Carat round diamond

This 1.51 carat round diamond K color si2 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

And personally if she's not too fussed about cut quality AND not fussed about color, that is the one I would go with. It's a whole mm larger than a one carat, HCA score is good, you'd just need to get the lab report to see if the inclusions potentially pose any problems, but I think the grade-setting inclusion is just that whitish blob I can easily see on the video and that isn't going to be very visible in person. MOST of the options at that size weren't good but this one has a lot of potential.

To jump up visibly further in size required going way over your budget.

 

[distracts]

If you are open to a preowned ring, @lknvrb4 just listed this one: https://loupetroop.com/listings/rings/reduced-1-dot-51-j-si1-triple-x-vsbf

Good size, and can save money from what it would cost new. Picked out by a PSer so you already know the cut is great. If worried about buying secondhand you can pick out an appraiser to act as escrow and to check over the ring for you. Should be easy to resize to whatever size you need it to be. Personally if I was trying to buy something on a budget, this is how I'd go.

 

[Ambrose]

Thanks for the tips, @distracts ! I am somewhat worried about the K rating though. I think if I were going for a yellow gold setting then it would be fine but I don't know how it would stand up in a white gold setting. In your experience is it a noticeable thing? We may not have particularly discerning eyes but at some point one of us would notice. I was thinking of I or maybe J if it was a good deal and didn't contrast with the setting too much. I don't think she necessarily wants size above all else but she would like a nice size. A little bit over $5000 would be fine if it gets me a really nice diamond. I'll tweak the search function here some more.

 

[Ambrose]

This one seems pretty good, I think? Unless I'm missing the obvious it seems underpriced for the size and the inclusions don't really stand out.

1.29 Carat I SI1 Round Brilliant Natural Diamond GIA Certified Affinity Cut - D44288610

www.adiamor.com

Edit: Hmm, I see that the crown is significantly more shallow than recommended - this is why I like being able to see the cert. How would that affect the light performance? It still has an excellent HCA rating but I know that's only to rule out bad ones.

 

[sledge]

This one seems pretty good, I think? Unless I'm missing the obvious it seems underpriced for the size and the inclusions don't really stand out.

1.29 Carat I SI1 Round Brilliant Natural Diamond GIA Certified Affinity Cut - D44288610

www.adiamor.com

Not a fan of the CA/PA combo. Crown is too shallow and the pavilion will almost certainly exceed 41.2 when you factor in GIA rounding & averaging non-sense.

57 table, 60.3 depth, 32.5 crown, 41 pavilion & 80 LGF

More importantly, looking at the stone in the video it just feels.....dark. I'm sure the grey background is not helping matters, but the stone appears to have a brown tint to me, yet that is not disclosed on the cert.

I think we can do better.

 

[sledge]

GIA XXX 1.00ct H VS2 @ $5,422

1.00 Carat H VS2 Round Brilliant Natural Diamond GIA Certified Affinity Cut - D44143490

1.00 carat, Round, H Color, VS2 clarity, GIA Certified Diamond, Affinity Cut Natural Diamond, D44143490

www.adiamor.com

57 table, 61.9 depth, 34.5 crown, 40.8 pavilion & 75 LGF

Ideal proportions across the board. Gives you a bump in color and clarity without breaking the bank. Not quite as large as the 1.20+ stones. But still measures at a respectable 6.40mm spread.

No surprise since this stone has near perfect Tolk proportions, but it's pulling a 1.3 HCA.





GIA XXX 1.13 I VS1 @ $5,799

1.13-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

56 table, 62.5 depth, 35.5 crown, 40.6 pavilion & 75 LGF

Depth is just a smidge more than I normally like. And the crown is tipping on the upper side, but overall this stone still works very nicely. Look at the faceting in the video. This baby should be very firey!

The additional carat weight gets you closer to a 6.60mm spread. Also, manages to pull a 1.3 HCA confirming my thoughts about the proportions working nicely together.

 

[Ambrose]

Thanks for the tips, @sledge ! I’ll definitely keep those examples in mind.

So I called the guy and honestly I wasn’t particularly impressed. He was kind of pushy about some things over the phone and didn’t seem interested in what I had to say or my own ideas. He insisted that GIA was more strict than AGS and I shouldn’t trust any other grading system (he was a GIA examiner or whatever they’re called for years I guess), and made a big deal about fluorescence when every other place I’ve seen doesn’t really say it’s that big of a deal. He all but told me I wouldn’t be able to get a triple EX for the price range I had in mind and that the very good stones looked pretty much as good to where I wouldn’t notice. He also said that since he’s a wholesaler for the most part and mostly does business with retail shops that I’ll get the best price with him that I wouldn’t get at another place. Oh also that anything below an H would show color on white gold so to avoid that, which I thought might be the case but I’m not sure. I kind of wanted to tell him that I’ve been finding triple EX easy\ily within my price range and well over a carat but I didn’t feel like interrupting. He went on about being a gemologist for 40 years and how he knows what he’s talking about and seemed to be indirectly belittling the research I’ve done on my own, though he never came out and said it. But any range I wanted, he told me a different range would be better. I said I was hoping for an eyeclean SI and he said almost none of them would be and I probably can’t get anything eyeclean for around 5K and over a carat. I told him I wanted a triple EX and he said that very good was fine and a triple EX wasn’t likely in my price range. It was pretty discouraging but would likely be even moreso if I hadn’t done research here and other places to get an idea of what’s available. I‘ll still call on Wednesday since he’s going to pick up diamonds from the city and look for anything that fits my criteria, but I’m not hopeful. I might even meet with him just to see what he has to offer but at this point I’m definitely thinking I’ll have better luck online. Not actually planning on proposing for a couple of months so I may wait a bit before actually picking a diamond out, but when that time comes I’ll make a new post and get some feedback.

Oh, and if you’re still reading, can you, personally, give me the lowest color rating you think still looks good on white gold? That’s one sticking point I have when trying to figure out what to get and I’m not sure how low I can go, particularly if I’m buying online and can’t see the performance myself.

 

[lovedogs]

Thanks for the tips, @sledge ! I’ll definitely keep those examples in mind.

So I called the guy and honestly I wasn’t particularly impressed. He was kind of pushy about some things over the phone and didn’t seem interested in what I had to say or my own ideas. He insisted that GIA was more strict than AGS and I shouldn’t trust any other grading system (he was a GIA examiner or whatever they’re called for years I guess), and made a big deal about fluorescence when every other place I’ve seen doesn’t really say it’s that big of a deal. He all but told me I wouldn’t be able to get a triple EX for the price range I had in mind and that the very good stones looked pretty much as good to where I wouldn’t notice. He also said that since he’s a wholesaler for the most part and mostly does business with retail shops that I’ll get the best price with him that I wouldn’t get at another place. Oh also that anything below an H would show color on white gold so to avoid that, which I thought might be the case but I’m not sure. I kind of wanted to tell him that I’ve been finding triple EX easy\ily within my price range and well over a carat but I didn’t feel like interrupting. He went on about being a gemologist for 40 years and how he knows what he’s talking about and seemed to be indirectly belittling the research I’ve done on my own, though he never came out and said it. But any range I wanted, he told me a different range would be better. I said I was hoping for an eyeclean SI and he said almost none of them would be and I probably can’t get anything eyeclean for around 5K and over a carat. I told him I wanted a triple EX and he said that very good was fine and a triple EX wasn’t likely in my price range. It was pretty discouraging but would likely be even moreso if I hadn’t done research here and other places to get an idea of what’s available. I‘ll still call on Wednesday since he’s going to pick up diamonds from the city and look for anything that fits my criteria, but I’m not hopeful. I might even meet with him just to see what he has to offer but at this point I’m definitely thinking I’ll have better luck online. Not actually planning on proposing for a couple of months so I may wait a bit before actually picking a diamond out, but when that time comes I’ll make a new post and get some feedback.

Oh, and if you’re still reading, can you, personally, give me the lowest color rating you think still looks good on white gold? That’s one sticking point I have when trying to figure out what to get and I’m not sure how low I can go, particularly if I’m buying online and can’t see the performance myself.

ew, this person sounds like a total ass*ole. No thanks. I would run away quickly. There is no such thing as a "wholesaler" in the way he is suggesting--it's just freaking nonsense. And "very good" GIA stones are horrible, so don't even consider that. He is just outright lying about what you can get, becuase he is hoping you won't do your research and realize he is trying to overcharge you for a crappy product. People like this make me literally furious.

In terms of the lowest color for white gold, it's a personal preference. There is no right or wrong. If you want to know what is the lowest color that won't show any tint in white gold, I would say probably H/I. So that might be the only thing he's right about.

 

[distracts]

@Ambrose that experience sounds pretty typical for dealing with an average jeweler/diamond dealer.

I'm totally fine with J colors in white metals. Some people here are fine with K. Can you still see tint, especially at an angle and in certain lighting? Of course. The question is just whether you are bothered by it. If she wasn't bothered by an L, I'd get a huge K, no matter what color it's going in.

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

He also said that since he’s a wholesaler for the most part and mostly does business with retail shops that I’ll get the best price with him that I wouldn’t get at another place.

Just for clarity - there are no wholesalers (zero) that sell directly to the public.

 

[jp201845]

Too many red flags with this dealer, as @lovedogs pointed out run away from this scammer and don't look back.

I would recommend reaching out to Martin @ USA Certed Diamonds he is a recommended vendor on PS and great at finding you a nice stone at a competitive price and he will work with your budget.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Glad you had the discernment to realize that guy probably didn't have your best interest in mind. I've been here for 14 years and have YET to see the friend of the family jeweler give the best quality stones at the best price.

This is what you should buy. This is someone known on the forum and who I'd personally trust. But you can ask her to send the ring to the appraiser Neil Beatty and you can pay him for an appraisal to check out the diamond to make sure it is in the condition on the report. It's not expensive and it will protect the seller and the buyer. He can hold the stone until you pay the seller and then she can tell him to ship the ring to you. This is a terrific deal, seriously, even if you replace the setting (but I'd just have a jeweler polish and size it, personally, as it is a beautiful setting). Just think how surprised she'll be to get a 1.5 ct ring!!! (Any diamond you buy may be pre-owned, so just get over that part.)

More pictures: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/id-jewelry-found-me-a-winner.211027/

If you are open to a preowned ring, @lknvrb4 just listed this one: https://loupetroop.com/listings/rings/reduced-1-dot-51-j-si1-triple-x-vsbf

Good size, and can save money from what it would cost new. Picked out by a PSer so you already know the cut is great. If worried about buying secondhand you can pick out an appraiser to act as escrow and to check over the ring for you. Should be easy to resize to whatever size you need it to be. Personally if I was trying to buy something on a budget, this is how I'd go.

 

[distracts]

That sounds like a fairly typical experience with a jeweler. You have to look long and hard to find ones who I would consider knowledgeable to my standards AND respectful of the consumer and their knowledge and preferences.

 

[sledge]

Wow, so sorry to hear this @Ambrose.

Just my 2 cents but I wouldn't even waste your time talking to him further. He's already made up his mind and shown you zero respect. The situation won't improve.

If you are open to an online purchase we can help guide you to a much better stone in your price range then him.

I'd talk to Brian, @Diamond_Hawk, with B2C as they can bring stones in and do advanced images. Also he is knowledgeable.

A second alternative would be Yeukitel with ID Jewelry (IDJ) in NYC. He has a knack of finding "PS quality" stones on limited budgets. He can also do SARIN reports and advanced images.

If you want an "easy button solution" a super ideal vendor like WF packs a lot of punch and tends to be cheaper than the other super ideal vendors.

 

[Alexiszoe]

Since your soon to be fiance's top priority is size, going with @sledge 's suggestion of ID Jewelry, B2C or even James Allen would be a good idea to maximize what your fiance and you want.

You can get a beauty that's near super ideal proportions while maximizing size. I also think @diamondseeker2006 and @distracts suggestion for that pre-owned ring is a great idea and worth considering.

Super ideals are lovely but does come at a premium, so something's gotta give if you go down that route (size, color etc). Given your fiance's and your criteria I do feel the previous posters have given you some great ideas on where to go.

 

[Ambrose]

Glad you had the discernment to realize that guy probably didn't have your best interest in mind. I've been here for 14 years and have YET to see the friend of the family jeweler give the best quality stones at the best price.

This is what you should buy. This is someone known on the forum and who I'd personally trust. But you can ask her to send the ring to the appraiser Neil Beatty and you can pay him for an appraisal to check out the diamond to make sure it is in the condition on the report. It's not expensive and it will protect the seller and the buyer. He can hold the stone until you pay the seller and then she can tell him to ship the ring to you. This is a terrific deal, seriously, even if you replace the setting (but I'd just have a jeweler polish and size it, personally, as it is a beautiful setting). Just think how surprised she'll be to get a 1.5 ct ring!!! (Any diamond you buy may be pre-owned, so just get over that part.)

More pictures: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/id-jewelry-found-me-a-winner.211027/

Thanks a lot for the suggestion. That is definitely more size than I could get otherwise so it’s a very tempting price point. Plus I’d have plenty left over for a new setting and even the appraisal when you compare it to other stones I saw. I am slightly concerned about all of the feathering near the edge - should I be worried about the integrity of the stone down the line? I’m not so concerned about the color of the fluorescence but I’ve heard a strong fluorescence usually gives the stone a hazy or milky look. The rest of the commenters in that thread seem to love it so maybe I’m overthinking it. @sledge everyone here says you have a really good eye and can pick out things well, do you think this is a good stone? Pavilion is a touch over the recommended amount but HCA gives it a 1.2.

Oh and for the appraiser, I really like that idea of him holding it in escrow just in case. I don’t need the ring right away anyway so I wouldn’t mind waiting. Would I be able to use that appraisal for insurance purposes too or would I have to get it done again?

I initially thought I wouldn’t get a used stone but when I think about it I have no idea where the other stones have been either. I definitely want a different setting though, even though that one is very nice, just so I can say it’s “hers”. She’d like that.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thanks a lot for the suggestion. That is definitely more size than I could get otherwise so it’s a very tempting price point. Plus I’d have plenty left over for a new setting and even the appraisal when you compare it to other stones I saw. I am slightly concerned about all of the feathering near the edge - should I be worried about the integrity of the stone down the line? I’m not so concerned about the color of the fluorescence but I’ve heard a strong fluorescence usually gives the stone a hazy or milky look. The rest of the commenters in that thread seem to love it so maybe I’m overthinking it. @sledge everyone here says you have a really good eye and can pick out things well, do you think this is a good stone? Pavilion is a touch over the recommended amount but HCA gives it a 1.2.

Oh and for the appraiser, I really like that idea of him holding it in escrow just in case. I don’t need the ring right away anyway so I wouldn’t mind waiting. Would I be able to use that appraisal for insurance purposes too or would I have to get it done again?

I initially thought I wouldn’t get a used stone but when I think about it I have no idea where the other stones have been either. I definitely want a different setting though, even though that one is very nice, just so I can say it’s “hers”. She’d like that.

Yes, you could definitely use the appraisal for insurance. I'd tell the appraiser to please not over value it, though, so that you don't pay premiums that are too high.

Neil could tell you about the feathers, but as far as I have ever heard, SI1 feathers shouldn't have structural problems. I wouldn't go lower clarity than that. Obviously, if there was something wrong, you could not go through with the sale and you'd only be out the cost of the appraisal. I did it once and I believe the cost was under $100.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just looked at Whiteflash and you can get a 1 ct. J SI1-VS2 in the mid-$5k range. I have WF diamonds and love them. But when you said that size mattered to her after you two went shopping, that swayed me toward the loupetroop ring. But if you think she'd think a 1 ct is plenty big, WF has some good choices.

Just a note, if you get the stone on LT, you might consider getting the new setting from ID Jewelry since they sold the stone originally. Sometimes people have difficulty getting a diamond that was bought elsewhere set locally. But if you do try local, I would tell them that you bought the ring second hand. There seems to be resentment when someone tells a local jeweler they bought their diamond online. Your situation is different, so you can tell the truth and say the ring is second hand and you had it independently appraised before buying. The problem sometimes is that the jeweler will not insure the diamond during setting if not bought from them. Damage from setting a diamond is extremely rare, but just be aware.

 

[Ambrose]

Okay, so if I were to have it sent to an appraiser and have them act as escrow, how would I go about doing that? Would I contact them directly, or would the seller? I'm assuming I'd need to have it reset separately - should I do that before having it appraised so that the appraisal still counts for insurance? I'm doing a really simple setting so I don't care much if the setting is insured, just the diamond. Thank you everybody for your immense help!

 

[Ambrose]

I called him back, mostly just to be polite since he did all of my cousins’ rings and they‘re all really happy with the result and I don’t want to rock the boat. They also have more money though so I think that even if they got good rings they paid way more than they needed to, but it isn’t my business.

He told me he had a couple of G’s and H’s of SI1 or SI2 quality in my range and one J, didn’t even mention the cut until I asked and said they were all very good or excellent. Told me I could come down and look whenever I wanted. I said that it might be tough since I’m an hour away and this weekend was busy. Not sure if I want to bother going but again I don’t want to be rude and sour his relationship with my relatives. I’ll see what happens with this preowned ring first and decide where I’ll go from there.

 

[JPie]

Good call. It wouldn't make sense to take up more of his time until you've already passed on your first preference.

 

[sledge]

I am slightly concerned about all of the feathering near the edge - should I be worried about the integrity of the stone down the line? I’m not so concerned about the color of the fluorescence but I’ve heard a strong fluorescence usually gives the stone a hazy or milky look. The rest of the commenters in that thread seem to love it so maybe I’m overthinking it. @sledge everyone here says you have a really good eye and can pick out things well, do you think this is a good stone? Pavilion is a touch over the recommended amount but HCA gives it a 1.2.

I pulled the cert and HCA for reference, and am attaching so you have them. Proportions of the existing stone are as follows:

56 table, 61.5 depth, 34 crown, 41 pavilion, 80 LGF's and 50 stars

Aside from pulling a respectable 1.2 HCA score, I like to also look at how HCA is predicting the stone to perform. We can see that light return and fire score "excellent" which is the highest rating available. Scintillation and spread score "very good" which is a click lower.

Scintillation is both white and fire "sparkles" that are created from moving and tilting the diamond. When done well these flashes or sparkles makes for an interesting diamond.

Diamond Performance Explained

Did you know that "fire" and "scintillation" are not the same thing? "Contrast" and "leakage" also differ from each other.

www.pricescope.com

Of course, spread is just the dimensions of the diamond. It's not uncommon to see a "very good" score on the best of diamonds. You can see under the "looks like" part of the HCA the stone is sizing big for it's carat weight, which is a good thing.

A few key things to keep in mind:

1. GIA reports show rounded & averaged values. So actual values will be +/- what the reported values show.

2. HCA utilizes data from the GIA report to make additional assumptions about cut quality. It ignores minor facets. Consequently, it's a great elimination tool and can give us a rough idea of what to expect, but because it's making assumptions on rounded & averaged data it's just a good guess at best. True cut has to be examined further.

I will continue my thoughts in a different post. I have to leave and will need about an hour to get back to this thread.

 

[sledge]

Sorry, it took me longer than expected to circle back to this thread.

As I was saying the HCA is a good rejection tool but it's still making guesses about how a stone may perform. Obviously when you see a stone with your own eyes and/or have advanced images to provide additional insight to light performance and cut symmetry then those things supersede the HCA.

I didn't see any advanced images such as ASET, IS or H&A images posted of the stone in question. However, there was several photos in different light conditions showcasing the stone which looked very good IMO.

If you are seriously interested I think it's a reasonable ask for a video in different lighting environments to showcase how the stone performs.

Also, while you won't be able to get a hearts image (requires unmounted stone so you can photograph the pavilion) it is possible to obtain an ASET or IS image which would help confirm the expected light performance based on the proportions and gorgeous still pics posted. So requesting an ASET image is also a reasonable ask, especially the seller also being a PS'er.

In regards to the proportions they all fall within the ideal range. Even the steep 41 pavilion you are concerned about as it's paired with a very complimentary and inverse shallow 34 crown. For me, because of the rounding and averaging of every GIA stone and how the values are reported, they make me a little more nervous than say a 34.5/40.8 combo. Mostly I am worried about one or more actual pavilion values creeping over the 41.2 mark which is when you can start leaking light. It can be very hard to find a stone with a reported GIA 41 pavilion that doesn't creep past that threshold. But it is possible. Just saw one yesterday for a 34.5/41 combo but they had the luxury of a SARIN report to confirm all actual values and not just a neutered GIA report.

While you won't get a SARIN on this stone, an ASET would help identify any potential problem areas. Based on the seller's happiness and fact she is a PS member I doubt there are issues. Still the ASET is a reassurance check it nothing more.

The one thing I saw that did concern me a little is the VSB fluor. First, you have to determine if are you okay with bluish tints in certain lighting conditions. Some love it and some hate it, yet others are impartial. There is no right or wrong but just a preference only you can decide. Enough pictures was provided to know you will likely see blue in certain situations.

One advantage of VSBF is it is the most sensitive to UV/VV light. There is a large debate about whitening effects. I would anticipate you would see some whitening in certain environments. More than my wife's MBF stone, which if we've seen benefit it's been so minimal we couldn't discern a difference.

Also the stronger the fluor level the higher the risk of a cloudy or hazy stone. Yet GIA did a study that says the bulk majority don't experience negative effects. My own personal preference is to assume they all have the potential to be a problem so you put in the diligence to properly vet the stone and pleasantly surprised to learn it's good vs assuming all is good, buying and then finding it to have issues.

There was one picture posted that looked a bit hazy to me. I'm not saying it was. It could have been an array of things, but it would be something I'd want to discuss with the seller and be 100% clear you don't want any negative effects. I anticipate she would assure you there aren't any and I think you have to trust her; however, I would advise that will be something you will have the 3rd party appraiser verify.

Also, the stone was last certified in 2014. Again, I would assume the seller took good care of the stone but stuff happens with normal wear and tear. Maybe she banged her hand against something and it wasn't hard enough to cause concern and something she may not even remember. My wife bent a prong on her e-ring and swears she babies it and has no idea how it happened for instance. Again, stuff happens.

For this reason, I think it's a reasonable ask that the appraiser verify no additional damage has been done to the stone and that (at your expense) you would like to have the certification updated and re-verified. Assuming the stone comes back the same or better grades, then you complete the sale. Otherwise you have an option to renegotiate the price based on lower results or walk from the sale without penalty.

Alternatively the appraiser may tell you this is a waste of time and money and if you trust his opinion and are ecstatic with the stone you could complete the sale.

I would use a mutually agreeable appraiser near you so you can view the stone in person before purchase. Think of escrow, etc as buying a house. A 3rd party helps close the deal and transfer money while reducing risk for both parties. It's a great option IMO.

Lastly, as you are aware, you will struggle to find a stone of this size, color and cut for your budget. I think it's a very worthwhile consideration. If buying new I think you will be stuck around the 1.10-1.20ct range max and maybe spend a few hundred more. IMO, the stone is priced to sell and a good bargain I'd consider if in your situation.

 

[Ambrose]

Okay as much as I absolutely hate it I think I'll need to pass on that ring. It's such a good deal so it kills me. If I were buying for myself I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat - it's objectively a fantastic stone for the price. But I thought about it and I pictured asking my girlfriend if she'd be alright taking a stone from a pre-owned ring and using it in her engagement ring and I can't picture her saying yes, and also I don't know how she'd feel about the fluorescence. Yes, I know there's literally no difference between the diamond in the store and one on a ring. Yes, I know the ones in the store may very well have also been on other rings. Yes, she would never have to find out. But I'd know. And I know what she wants and the things she's choosy about. I'll buy pre-owned for just about anything, but for this particular item, I really think she would want something made directly for her, even if it isn't as big or as nice. If she were helping me shop, she would pass on it, and so I must as well. Because in the end it's for her, and rather than getting the quantitatively optimal stone that I can, I'll get what she would like most. So I'll wait and in a couple of months when I'm ready to propose I'll ask for some help picking out a stone. After all I want to have it within the 30 day window jussst in case I need to return. Thank you @sledge, @diamondseeker2006, @distracts, and everyone else. I'll have to contact the seller again to let her know I've reconsidered my interest. It's a shame but that stone for that price should be bought up quickly I'd think.

 

[lovedogs]

Okay as much as I absolutely hate it I think I'll need to pass on that ring. It's such a good deal so it kills me. If I were buying for myself I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat - it's objectively a fantastic stone for the price. But I thought about it and I pictured asking my girlfriend if she'd be alright taking a stone from a pre-owned ring and using it in her engagement ring and I can't picture her saying yes, and also I don't know how she'd feel about the fluorescence. Yes, I know there's literally no difference between the diamond in the store and one on a ring. Yes, I know the ones in the store may very well have also been on other rings. Yes, she would never have to find out. But I'd know. And I know what she wants and the things she's choosy about. I'll buy pre-owned for just about anything, but for this particular item, I really think she would want something made directly for her, even if it isn't as big or as nice. If she were helping me shop, she would pass on it, and so I must as well. Because in the end it's for her, and rather than getting the quantitatively optimal stone that I can, I'll get what she would like most. So I'll wait and in a couple of months when I'm ready to propose I'll ask for some help picking out a stone. After all I want to have it within the 30 day window jussst in case I need to return. Thank you @sledge, @diamondseeker2006, @distracts, and everyone else. I'll have to contact the seller again to let her know I've reconsidered my interest. It's a shame but that stone for that price should be bought up quickly I'd think.

This is exactly the right attitude, good for you! If she wouldn't want a stone purchased from another person (vs. a store), then don't buy her one. Definitely don't settle with something she wouldn't be 10000% happy with. In the end, it's all about what she wants.

 

[sledge]

Good call. Give them what they want, exactly what they want. When you're ready, we will be here to help.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

It's always wise to buy and propose within the 30 days just in case. However, at a vendor like Whiteflash, you can change the diamond at any time as long as it cost $1 more! Glad you thought about what she would want most!

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

Okay as much as I absolutely hate it I think I'll need to pass on that ring. It's such a good deal so it kills me. If I were buying for myself I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat - it's objectively a fantastic stone for the price. But I thought about it and I pictured asking my girlfriend if she'd be alright taking a stone from a pre-owned ring and using it in her engagement ring and I can't picture her saying yes, and also I don't know how she'd feel about the fluorescence. Yes, I know there's literally no difference between the diamond in the store and one on a ring. Yes, I know the ones in the store may very well have also been on other rings. Yes, she would never have to find out. But I'd know. And I know what she wants and the things she's choosy about. I'll buy pre-owned for just about anything, but for this particular item, I really think she would want something made directly for her, even if it isn't as big or as nice. If she were helping me shop, she would pass on it, and so I must as well. Because in the end it's for her, and rather than getting the quantitatively optimal stone that I can, I'll get what she would like most. So I'll wait and in a couple of months when I'm ready to propose I'll ask for some help picking out a stone. After all I want to have it within the 30 day window jussst in case I need to return. Thank you @sledge, @diamondseeker2006, @distracts, and everyone else. I'll have to contact the seller again to let her know I've reconsidered my interest. It's a shame but that stone for that price should be bought up quickly I'd think.

Sometimes in a forum like this people get so wrapped up in numbers and performance parameters the sentiment of the moment gets lost a bit.

FWIW, I think your priorities keep the sentiment and the romance squarely where it belongs. Best wishes!