Where to get a Sarin?

[enb]

Hi all,

Let me first compliment you guys for having the most comprehensive and helpful diamond education website available on the web.

My question is:

How does an individual consumer go about finding a LOCAL Sarin report? I live in Austin, TX and have happened upon one person in my area who has a Sarin, but he charges a whopping $150/per carat to provide just the report (no appraisal!). Since my stone is a 3 carat radiant, that would be $450 for the report. This seemed ridiculously high, considering I found a PS post from a couple of years ago that estimated about $10 for the Sarin report.

Do B&M jewelers ever have a Sarin machine or is it just appraisers? Should I just start calling every jeweler in the phone book?

Thanks for any input you can give me on this...

 

[enb]

Correction: I just called to check his quoted internet price of 150/carat for the ''Sarin Report.'' I asked how much to *just* get the measurements and was quoted about $75. Did not tell him that it was for a 3 carat stone, though. MUCH better than $450, but still higher than I was hoping to pay. Also, do not know what the difference between a ''Sarin report'' and *just* the measurements are. I know from the appraiser''s website that the ''Sarin Report'' does not include an appraisal. That is 20% more in addition to the 150/carat.

Just wanted to be clear in the interest of full disclosure. Any advice?

 

[Richard Sherwood]

I normally don''t comment on other appraiser''s pricing, ENB, but this guy sounds like he''s living in a dream world.

In my opinion, a reasonable price for a Sarin or OGI report would be up to $50 max (I charge $30. I''ve heard of some appraisers charging only $10 or $20).

I''m not sure what is meant by "just the measurements". If he''s talking about just giving the diameter and depth of the stone, which is what most appraisers are talking about when giving "just the measurements", it is about 60 seconds of work which most appraisers would feel guilty charging any money for.

I''d keep calling around.

 

[enb]

Rich-

Thanks for the reply.

I will just keep calling around town...Hopefully, more than one person in Austin has a Sarin

 

[denverappraiser]

Try calling Sarin. They have a pretty good idea who has their equipment. They have a competitor called OGI Tech. A google search should produce the US address for both of them.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[RockDoc]

Date: 7/15/2005 6:03:36 PM
Author:enb
Hi all,

Let me first compliment you guys for having the most comprehensive and helpful diamond education website available on the web.

My question is:

How does an individual consumer go about finding a LOCAL Sarin report? I live in Austin, TX and have happened upon one person in my area who has a Sarin, but he charges a whopping $150/per carat to provide just the report (no appraisal!). Since my stone is a 3 carat radiant, that would be $450 for the report. This seemed ridiculously high, considering I found a PS post from a couple of years ago that estimated about $10 for the Sarin report.

Do B&M jewelers ever have a Sarin machine or is it just appraisers? Should I just start calling every jeweler in the phone book?

Thanks for any input you can give me on this...

Not being a Texas geographical wiz..... Whiteflash is in Houston, and they have a Sarin machine.

Don''t know if Austin is close to Houston.

However, I know Dave Atlas, Neil and I also have Sarin with the new DIA Pro software ( I would advise you to ask about the unit and the software the person has).

Richard Sherwood has the OGI unit.

Jonathon at Good Old Gold and Nice Ice have both.

$ 150 Per Carat! I think you can find people who are selling stones, that would be glad to provide the Sarin report for you without charging you.

If this is for a stone that you already own, pick from the appraisers above and get all the testing done, not just the Sarin.
I am sure that for that price you''ll get an extremely thorough report with many other informative testing results for that amount of money.


Hope this helps

Rockdoc

 

[enb]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Rockdoc - Houston is about 2.5 - 3 hours from Austin, but I go there every once in a while. If I can''t find anyone local, I will definitely send/take it to one of the trusted PS vendors.

 

[Ann]

Date: 7/18/2005 11:47:46 AM
Author: enb
Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Rockdoc - Houston is about 2.5 - 3 hours from Austin, but I go there every once in a while. If I can''t find anyone local, I will definitely send/take it to one of the trusted PS vendors.

enb,

Fora 3ct stone, I would most surely have every report I could get my hands on. Just read the "I broke my diamond" thread!

I live in Houston and if I had to I would drive to Austin for something like that. Heck, I''d drive there for almost no reason, love Austin. (daughter is at UT.) !

 

[enb]

You are right Ann--I will get the report

BTW, I love Austin too--Just graduated from UT Law in May and plan on staying here for a while!