shape
carat
color
clarity

Will they kick me out the door if I bring these toys into B&M stores?

Karl_K

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Aug 4, 2008
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14,627
some will lol
 

bright&shiny

Brilliant_Rock
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May 11, 2009
Messages
1,259
I ask. If they say no, we politely leave because we aren’t buying anything there.

I don’t start with the tools, by the way. They come out if something is interesting or for comparative purposes.

I don’t discuss much. Too many SA’s want to pontificate on the “real” criterion- color, clarity and like to remind me there is no such thing as “super ideal”. Of course, that is not an industry term, so I understand the point, but cut is so much more than the GIA label…. If they are genuinely curious I might show them the viewer and have them take a look. Most aren’t interested at all.
So, where are you going to take them? I find these encounters fascinating. ;)2
 

sledge

Ideal_Rock
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Easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

If they don't like it, blow them a kiss. Sometimes you just gotta turn on the charm! :lol-2:
 

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
33,852
@Garry H (Cut Nut) , Is my I-scope the original "shot glass" version? martini.gif :lol-2:.
I also have the newer "cone shape" version.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,239
I've walked into any number of places with UV light, loupe, and calipers! Never had any issues - but am often asked if I'm trade - "nope, just a hobbyist" ::)

The calipers come in surprisingly handy. I don't ever use them on gemstones I don't own - if I want a stone measured I'll ask them to do it. But for chain and shank widths, motif sizes, random things like "will this box fit into my travel case" - invaluable!
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

Super_Ideal_Rock
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@Garry H (Cut Nut) , Is my I-scope the original "shot glass" version? martini.gif :lol-2:.
I also have the newer "cone shape" version.
Yes - maybe it was Rockdiamond David who called it a shot glass?.
For the younger folk - you can pop the pink insert out and use it as a generous shot glass.
It was my first model 20 years ago.
The shot glass also works well for taking photos because it lets lots of light thru :)

Looking forward to your 'research and experiances DF!

BTW I just ran a little search on 1.00ct GIA Excellents and 18.7% were +63.1%
So You will not have any trouble finding 'fails"
 

Dancing Fire

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Yes - maybe it was Rockdiamond David who called it a shot glass?.
For the younger folk - you can pop the pink insert out and use it as a generous shot glass.
It was my first model 20 years ago.
Yup, RD sent it to me. :devil::bigsmile:

20 yrs ago? ...must be worth a lot of $$$ today. ;))
 

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
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BTW I just ran a little search on 1.00ct GIA Excellents and 18.7% were +63.1%
So You will not have any trouble finding 'fails"
What is the diameter on a 1ct at 63.1% depth?... 6.30mm with a thick girdle?
 

heididdl

Ideal_Rock
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Oct 25, 2012
Messages
2,928
I thought we were on line shopper lol so why would we need to bring them with lol
 

Rockdiamond

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 7, 2009
Messages
9,707
What if a consumer whips out the tools but doesn’t know how to properly interpret the data?
How effective is the hand held unit?
Yes DF..... let’s look at some EX cut grade 1.00 6.2mm bulge masters and have a shot in a pink glass!!!
 

denverappraiser

Ideal_Rock
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Jul 21, 2004
Messages
9,150
Jewelers have a valid security problem with customers who bring in their own tools. Even tweezers are a risk. Definitely ask first. Use theirs if they have them.

That said, one effect of just happening to have an IS is your purse is that it immediately identifies you as an Internet educated customer. It almost certainly means Pricescope. This tends to route you to an SA who best can answer your questions. That’s a good thing. it might get you the boot, but that’s not all bad either.

FWIW, knowing how to properly use a loupe and tweezers has the same general effect without pegging it to Pricescope.
 

Double E

Brilliant_Rock
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Jun 23, 2018
Messages
956
Send me a set of these, I'll let you know~
 

RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
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Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,699
Let us know how it goes!
 

Wink

Brilliant_Rock
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Joined
May 24, 2021
Messages
814
While I think that the use of the tools will be a great benefit to those jewelers who have taken the time to educate themselves to the benefits of providing well cut diamonds to their customers, the tools will be rightly perceived of as a strong threat to those jewelers who continue to sell based only on price and three of the four C's. The reactions of the jewelers with whom you share the request to use the tools will tell you a LOT about the quality of the jeweler whose store you are in.

Some thoughts about the tools.

I like the tools and when I had a regular Bricks and Mortar location I loved sharing the large ASET desktop version that I got from AGS with my clients. What I enjoyed the most was showing my clients why certain diamonds looked relatively lifeless in real life and then showing them what a well cut diamond looked like, both with the eye and also with the tools.

Personally, I think one of the greatest benefits of using the tools, is learning to see with your eye what you are going to see with the tool, before you use the tool. John Pollard likens this to learning to drink wine. When you first experience wine, you do not have the palate to discern if it is a good wine or a great wine so you do not need to spend a lot of money on great wines.

As you drink wines over time, your palate develops and soon you can tell with just a careful sniff of the glass of wine before you if it is a good, better, or great wine. While this may be a sad thing for your pocket book, it is a great thing for your enjoyment of wine.

I believe that the tools being discussed here are great for helping you develop a strong visual palate. Over time, with even minimal practice, you will quickly be able to tell a poor diamond cut from a good diamond cut. With more time ad practice examining diamond cut, you will graduate from being able to differentiate a good diamond cut from a great diamond cut.

The tools will guide you as you travel on this journey, and eventually you will see with 90 - 95% accuracy what you are going to see with the tools.

With that goal in mind, take the tools with you when you look at diamonds. If a store does not like it or does not know what they are, find another store. If a store brings out their desk top version of the tools, enjoy the show, it will be a good one!

Wink
 

Dancing Fire

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Apr 3, 2004
Messages
33,852
I wanna view a 1ct $1999 weekend special at Zale's with these tools... :devil:
 
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