When to exchange your ring

[RosieR]

Hello fellow jewellery lovers.
A few years back I decided I would like to add a large (for me) diamond ring to my collection for my 40th birthday. Early on in my search I came across a beautiful 2+ carat old emerald cut diamond with an emerald halo in its original Art Deco setting. I fell in love, but before I could do my due diligence, a trader snapped it up. Later I came across a 2.66 carat OEC at a pawn brokers. As all I could think about was the 1st ring (even though this was about a year later) and feeling the sting of having lost out. I bought the 2.66, thinking I could jazz it up by making it a moi et toi or upgrading at a later date.

Fast forward to today and I have a lovely 2.62 repolished OEC in an Erica winters setting, but I'm bored stupid by it. Is it nice? Yes, does it capture my heart, not really.

The reason I started this thread was I’ve found the trader who has the original Art Deco ring. It never sold and she’s had it the whole time! I’d like to contact her to see if she would be open to a part exchange or swap. What questions would you ask so you don’t get screwed over?

(Thanks for reading)

 

[Lookinagain]

maybe send both to an independent appraiser to try to get an idea of both, assuming neither is certified? You don't say whether the price for the EC at the time you saw it was close or not to the price of the OEC, so I guess I would at least want an independent appraisal and ask for them to value them at replacement cost (not the inflated price that many appraisals give). Then I'd try to go from there to see if there was a way to make a deal.

 

[RosieR]

maybe send both to an independent appraiser to try to get an idea of both, assuming neither is certified? You don't say whether the price for the EC at the time you saw it was close or not to the price of the OEC, so I guess I would at least want an independent appraisal and ask for them to value them at replacement cost (not the inflated price that many appraisals give). Then I'd try to go from there to see if there was a way to make a deal.

Thanks for taking the time to read my overly long post! That’s such a good idea. Then at least both parties feel as if they have had a fair shake.

The Price of the EC and OEC were comparable at the price of purchase in 2019.

My stone was graded by anchor cert, who are affiliated with the British assays office here in the uk. They use GIA master stones to grade and are not as soft as other grading labs here in the uk (stones usually come back 2-3 grades lower esp in colour with an anchor cert) There is no mention of who graded the EC ring.

 

[Calliecake]

I’m sorry Rosie. At the end of the day you want to look down at your hand and love your ring. I would talk to the store that has the emerald cut and see if they would do be willing to purchase your OEC knowing you want to purchase their ring.

I hope this works out for you. It sounds like this emerald cut makes your heart sing.

A few years ago I sold a ring to a local jeweler. I ended up getting half what I paid for it. I was fine with that.

 

[kenny]

Hello fellow jewellery lovers.
A few years back I decided I would like to add a large (for me) diamond ring to my collection for my 40th birthday. Early on in my search I came across a beautiful 2+ carat old emerald cut diamond with an emerald halo in its original Art Deco setting. I fell in love, but before I could do my due diligence, a trader snapped it up. Later I came across a 2.66 carat OEC at a pawn brokers. As all I could think about was the 1st ring (even though this was about a year later) and feeling the sting of having lost out. I bought the 2.66, thinking I could jazz it up by making it a moi et toi or upgrading at a later date.

Fast forward to today and I have a lovely 2.62 repolished OEC in an Erica winters setting, but I'm bored stupid by it. Is it nice? Yes, does it capture my heart, not really.

The reason I started this thread was I’ve found the trader who has the original Art Deco ring. It never sold and she’s had it the whole time! I’d like to contact her to see if she would be open to a part exchange or swap. What questions would you ask so you don’t get screwed over?

(Thanks for reading)

What is a 'trader'?
A private seller, retail vendor?

 

[RosieR]

What is a 'trader'?
A private seller, retail vendor?

Sorry, that should have said retail vendor. They bought the ring from another retail vendor I’d purchased another piece from previously.

 

[kenny]

Thanks.

 

[RosieR]

I’m sorry Rosie. At the end of the day you want to look down at your hand and love your ring. I would talk to the store that has the emerald cut and see if they would do be willing to purchase your OEC knowing you want to purchase their ring.

I hope this works out for you. It sounds like this emerald cut makes your heart sing.

A few years ago I sold a ring to a local jeweler. I ended up getting half what I paid for it. I was fine with that.

Don’t feel bad, I still have a pretty ring if it doesn’t work out. Just I think I may prefer the Art Deco emerald more.

I’ll bare in mind I may loose out financially.

 

[LilAlex]

The reason I started this thread was I’ve found the trader who has the original Art Deco ring. It never sold and she’s had it the whole time! I’d like to contact her to see if she would be open to a part exchange or swap. What questions would you ask so you don’t get screwed over?

You're in a tough spot, imo. You never want to be negotiating for something that you desperately want. Even for cars, they say to have a few models picked out.

Not knowing who this person is, it's hard to gauge how receptive they would be to a trade of a better stone for a lesser one, plus some cash. You may need to separate the two transactions; it's unlikely that this seller would simultaneously be your best buyer. But who knows.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Can you afford to buy the emerald ring straight off? If it hasn’t sold after all this time I wonder if the trader would be open to a negotiation and you could haggle the price down. Then maybe sell the OEC if needed?

 

[RosieR]

You're in a tough spot, imo. You never want to be negotiating for something that you desperately want. Even for cars, they say to have a few models picked out.

Not knowing who this person is, it's hard to gauge how receptive they would be to a trade of a better stone for a lesser one, plus some cash. You may need to separate the two transactions; it's unlikely that this seller would simultaneously be your best buyer. But who knows.

After sending an email to the new owner of the emerald Art Deco ring yesterday, I feel a lot calmer. I’ll follow up with a phone call next month if I don’t hear back.
My ring isn’t that bad, I just like this one more. If it doesn’t work out I have other options, and a lovely ring that I could just keep.
I just want to present myself with facts and a cool head so no mistakes are made.

 

[RosieR]

Can you afford to buy the emerald ring straight off? If it hasn’t sold after all this time I wonder if the trader would be open to a negotiation and you could haggle the price down. Then maybe sell the OEC if needed?

The new owner tends to (in my opinion) price their jewellery incredibly high. After I lost out on the ring, and bought OEC I found it a few months later for £8,000 more than what my jeweller was willing to sell it to me for. I think this is why it has not sold, and why I would not out right buy this ring, i just don’t think it’s worth it.
I don’t want to be stressed out over trying to private sell my OEC to get it. The pawn broker I bought my OEC from has an upgrade/ buy back policy, but I’d still be short for the Art Deco emerald. I could always upgrade my ring with my pawn broker guy, or buy another old cut to make a moi et toi, which was my original idea. I have options it’s just an idea and wanted to run it by others incase I was making a mistake.

 

[Lookinagain]

The new owner tends to (in my opinion) price their jewellery incredibly high. After I lost out on the ring, and bought OEC I found it a few months later for £8,000 more than what my jeweller was willing to sell it to me for. I think this is why it has not sold, and why I would not out right buy this ring, i just don’t think it’s worth it.
I don’t want to be stressed out over trying to private sell my OEC to get it. The pawn broker I bought my OEC from has an upgrade/ buy back policy, but I’d still be short for the Art Deco emerald. I could always upgrade my ring with my pawn broker guy, or buy another old cut to make a moi et toi, which was my original idea. I have options it’s just an idea and wanted to run it by others incase I was making a mistake.

Well you have the advantage of knowing what they paid. They may have even paid a bit less as a vendor. So definitely take that into account. They can't sell it at their asking price and it's probably because of the high mark up. I'm not good at this stuff so I don't know if you should let them know what the original jeweler was asking, however they seem to have a good bit of money tied up in a piece they can't sell, so a much smaller profit may suit them, just to get their cash back out to buy something else.

 

[Mreader]

I stumbled upon this thread and though it’s a year old, I’m curious what you ended up doing @RosieR and if you got the deco ring?