shape
carat
color
clarity

Why dealers should see "it" before they sell "it"

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

niceice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,792
Here is a perfect example of why we insist on seeing every diamond that we sell as opposed to merely drop shipping it from our suppliers to our customers. This is a 0.724 carat, SI-1 clarity, H color diamond graded by the AGS Laboratory (AGSL 3729901) as having a thin, faceted girdle... Sounds great on paper, but OMG whoever faceted this puppy needed to clean their wheel! Needless to say, the diamond has been rejected and anybody looking for diamonds in this range of characteristics should avoid this one like the plague.

ags0003729901bearding.jpg


ags0003729901bearding3.jpg


Also note that although the diamond is inscribed as "H&A" that the actual pattern exhibited by the diamond is not crisp and complete enough to warrant an H&A grade by the legitimate dealers that we know... This might answer the question we see on the forum frequently about "the diamond is inscribed "H&A" does that mean that it is?" Not necessarily folks... Seeing is believing.

ags0003729901notarrows.jpg
ags0003729901nothearts.jpg


People - we urge you not to buy diamonds strictly "off paper" - buy from vendors that insist on seeing the diamonds they sell prior to selling them... This diamond is a perfect "case study" as to why this is important... If the diamond had been drop shipped to the customer, the customer may never have had it checked by an independent gemologist although they should have and might not have discovered that this diamond is a "real bummer" until years after the purchase...
 

Rank Amateur

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Messages
1,555
But it says H&A right on the girdle!!!! You mean it's not?!?!
 

Sierra Nevada

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 17, 2002
Messages
63
Very interesting photographs. The girdle looks chippy or gauged, is that what dirty wheel does?
 

Rank Amateur

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Messages
1,555
The girdle almost looks like it is rounded, or tilted back toward the table.
 

LesleyH

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 28, 2000
Messages
506
This is precisely why we bring every diamond that is not in our inventory in house before it is shipped out to the customer. In addition to being able to catch any problems in advance, we cannot imagine a customer receiving a diamond without paperwork verifying that the diamond is the diamond that matches the certificate and that is in an undamaged condition.

Buy informed!!

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com
 

niceice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,792
As far as the proportions go, the diamond is well made... But the girdle, whoa! the pictures don't even do the "reality" of how chewed up it is justice... And the diamond was just graded in January of this year...
 

Lanee

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
534
So how does a diamond get all of that damage around the girdle?
 

niceice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,792
Since we're not diamond cutters, we can't tell you for sure. However we've heard that it's from not cleaning the wheel enough during the polishing process... Pretty ugly though... Maybe Brian, Barry or one of the other cutters can tell us...
 

justme

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 5, 2002
Messages
184
Great lesson in reputable vendor 101 - thanks R&T!

Nice to know your looking out for all!
 

Binister

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 3, 2003
Messages
16
I have been reading these forums for the last few months and am very happy at the quality of information I have seen here. Being in the market for an e-ring I was wondering what exactly people are seeing in this picture? I don't really have much to compare it to so would it be possible to post a picture of a clean girdle as a comparison? Even a verbal description of the problem would be great. Thanks!

Rgrds,
Rob
 

niceice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,792

----------------
On 3/10/2003 9:24:34 PM Binister wrote:
I have been reading these forums for the last few months and am very happy at the quality of information I have seen here. Being in the market for an e-ring I was wondering what exactly people are seeing in this picture? I don't really have much to compare it to so would it be possible to post a picture of a clean girdle as a comparison? Even a verbal description of the problem would be great. Thanks!

Rgrds,
Rob
----------------
Here's what a faceted girdle is supposed to look like:

gia12312268ins2.jpg


Notice that this girdle isn't covered with a bunch of hash marks... The girdle edge on the 0.74 carat, H, SI-1 pictured at the beginning of this thread looks all scratched up... This is what is "should" look like...
 

Binister

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 3, 2003
Messages
16
eek.gif
Yowsers! That is a big difference. Thanks for posting the picture for comparison NiceIce. Is this type of information ever found on a GIA or AGS report?

On a related note, I am looking at a diamond that has a girdle thickness of 1.1 to 1.8 (avg. of 1.4). Is this range too large or something to be concerned with? Just curious.
eek.gif
 

niceice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,792

----------------
On 3/10/2003 10:52:46 PM Binister wrote:
eek.gif
Yowsers! That is a big difference. Thanks for posting the picture for comparison NiceIce. Is this type of information ever found on a GIA or AGS report?

On a related note, I am looking at a diamond that has a girdle thickness of 1.1 to 1.8 (avg. of 1.4). Is this range too large or something to be concerned with? Just curious.
eek.gif
----------------
The information should have been noted on the lab report, but it wasn't... This is why it's a good idea to work with one of the dealers who insists on seeing everything that they sell to ensure that the characteristics of the diamond match those described on the lab report...

1.1 Thin to 1.8% medium, no problem...
 

Rhino

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
6,340
Excellent points nice. There are so many positives to having a professional jeweler/gemologist inspect the diamonds that people are purchasing... seriously, you've only scratched the surface. We called in a stone last week for a client that was listed on the search engine here as an H&A diamond that we'd be embarrased to call it such. I don't have the files with me but you know exactly what I'm talking about. Of course the price was incredible and when I see something that sounds too good to be true ... you know the rest.
2.gif


All the best,
Rhino
 

niceice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,792
So many of the diamonds are listed as "H&A" simply because the cutter misunderstands the concept... We've had cutters tell us that their entire inventory is "H&A" because it was graded as having GIA Excellent or AGS polish and symmetry with zero proportions - that little bit of misinformation couldn't be further from the truth... And because the cutters listed the diamond as an "H&A" under the "comments" section of the dealer only multiple listings that the virtual-only-inventory dealers rely on the diamond was listed incorrectly on their listings... Raising the public awareness is what this forum is all about, let's hope they get the message.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top