With the help of everyone here, final choice between these 2!

[Steve88]

 

[yssie]

ASET looks exactly as I expected.
Steve - you can refer to my explanation on Pg 3 and decide how you feel

 

[Steve88]

Great call @yssie ! I just reread your post on page 3 and you hit it straight on.

So my question is, I know the diamond cut is average and that the shine of it won’t be as beautiful and shiny as the lower colored white flash diamonds, but does that mean that the diamond will be a below average rock? Does this ASET image give any red flags?

I reread your post and i think you mostly meant that it’s not always bad to give up a bit of shine so I can upgrade in color grade right? Is this ASET imagine considered below average at all?

 

[yssie]

Great call @yssie ! I just reread your post on page 3 and you hit it straight on.

So my question is, I know the diamond cut is average and that the shine of it won’t be as beautiful and shiny as the lower colored white flash diamonds, but does that mean that the diamond will be a below average rock? Does this ASET image give any red flags?

I reread your post and i think you mostly meant that it’s not always bad to give up a bit of shine so I can upgrade in color grade right? Is this ASET imagine considered below average at all?

Not exactly what I meant to convey - let me try to clarify a bit.

Rockdiamond (David - owner of Diamonds by Lauren in NYC) often points out that maximum light return is achieved by a mirror. And a diamond that looked like a mirror would be the most boring diamond in the world: a diamond comes to life because of how our eyes interpret phenomena like contrast (our eyes see a black and white chessboard as brighter and more interesting than a blank white piece of paper), light escape (our eyes note the change between facets beginning and ceasing light return at whatever angle you're observing from more than they notice constant behaviour). There's a happy balance between *quantity* and *type* of light return, and finding that balance depends on a lot of things - the stone's other characteristics, the consumer's priorities...

This ASET confirms what we saw in the video - this is a stone that will be very bright around the edges and slightly less bright under the center compared to a precision-cut super-ideal RB. Slightly less - a non-hobbyist would probably see the difference in a side-by-side comparison but it would likely not be memorable; I'd wager a hobbyist would see the difference and it would likely be memorable. With this stone... you are sacrificing some brightness to maximize this stone's coloured light return potential. Those italicized words are important. A precision-cut super-ideal will be brighter throughout under most types of lighting. A precision-cut super-ideal may well exhibit more coloured light return through various lighting environments.

However - this stone's ASET is not bad, or even mediocre, by any definition of those words! In fact -there isn't a person around who wouldn't call it 'beautiful' and 'lively'. On PS we're usually looking for the absolute best of the best - 'beautiful' and 'lively' just isn't really good enough, and when you're talking about precision-cut super-ideals that means "slightly less bright under the table" just isn't really good enough. But... in YOUR case, given this particular stone's other characteristics and your specific priorities, I said that I personally think "slightly less bright under the table" is a good thing - better than "more bright under the table", in fact. Which is non-intuitive and definitely goes against normal PS advice. So... why am I saying that?

It goes back to what I was saying about virtual facet size. Precision-cutting decreases the number of virtual facets, increases the average size of virtual facets, and decreases the number of ineffective virtual facets (VFs that are so tiny that our eyes can't resolve their outputs so that area of stone at that viewing angle just looks mushy and dull). With precision-cut stones there are more facets able to output high-energy dispersions without interference. Your stone is not precision-cut - in fact, it's somewhat optically asymmetric, which means increased number of virtual facets, decreased average size of virtual facets, and increased number of ineffective virtual facets. The pavilion main facets, however, are bold and clear for the most part - those are the engines that are going to drive coloured light return from the table at slight tilt angles, and slightly decreasing surrounding white light return gives your eyes better odds catching a few wavelengths of an output dispersion. This is what I meant when I said brightness and fire, in the context of a single refraction, have a mutually-exclusive relationship - a single wavelength of an output dispersion is so low-energy compared to white light, it'll just be drowned out.

I wouldn't advocate for a stone that was "slightly less bright" under the crown, because the edges are what visually define the stone's surface area - brighter edges will make a stone look bigger face-up. Whiter == brighter, and brighter == bigger. If you're interested I really recommend those two articles - they have much better explanations!

The opposite of whiter == brighter is true: less white == less bright. In a stone with some body colour smaller and ineffective virtual facets will create areas that are not only 'less bright' because they're literally producing lower-energy outputs, they're also visually 'less bright' because they're less white - it's kicking 'em when they're down. In this case the stone is a D - that second issue isn't a concern, which mitigates the downsides of "slightly less bright under the table" somewhat.

If you had an unlimited budget, or were prioritizing excellence in cut over other factors, we'd steer you to CBI, ACA, BGD... where we wouldn't be talking about finagling balance of light return quantity and type because those designers have taken care of all of that for you - their stones are balanced to crowd-pleasing flavours that many people would choose over all others... but you don't have an unlimited budget and you do have other priority thresholds to meet. Given that reality, I have no objection to this ASET. Other PSers may well disagree, especially those for whom coloured light return is not a priority!

 

[Steve88]

Not exactly what I meant to convey - let me try to clarify a bit.

Rockdiamond (David - owner of Diamonds by Lauren in NYC) often points out that maximum light return is achieved by a mirror. And a diamond that looked like a mirror would be the most boring diamond in the world: a diamond comes to life because of how our eyes interpret phenomena like contrast (our eyes see a black and white chessboard as brighter and more interesting than a blank white piece of paper), light escape (our eyes note the change between facets beginning and ceasing light return at whatever angle you're observing from more than they notice constant behaviour). There's a happy balance between *quantity* and *type* of light return, and finding that balance depends on a lot of things - the stone's other characteristics, the consumer's priorities...

This ASET confirms what we saw in the video - this is a stone that will be very bright around the edges and slightly less bright under the center compared to a precision-cut super-ideal RB. Slightly less - a non-hobbyist would probably see the difference in a side-by-side comparison but it would likely not be memorable; I'd wager a hobbyist would see the difference and it would likely be memorable. With this stone... you are sacrificing some brightness to maximize this stone's coloured light return potential. Those italicized words are important. A precision-cut super-ideal will be brighter throughout under most types of lighting. A precision-cut super-ideal may well exhibit more coloured light return through various lighting environments.

However - this stone's ASET is not bad, or even mediocre, by any definition of those words! In fact -there isn't a person around who wouldn't call it 'beautiful' and 'lively'. On PS we're usually looking for the absolute best of the best - 'beautiful' and 'lively' just isn't really good enough, and when you're talking about precision-cut super-ideals that means "slightly less bright under the table" just isn't really good enough. But... in YOUR case, given this particular stone's other characteristics and your specific priorities, I said that I personally think "slightly less bright under the table" is a good thing - better than "more bright under the table", in fact. Which is non-intuitive and definitely goes against normal PS advice. So... why am I saying that?

It goes back to what I was saying about virtual facet size. Precision-cutting decreases the number of virtual facets, increases the average size of virtual facets, and decreases the number of ineffective virtual facets (VFs that are so tiny that our eyes can't resolve their outputs so that area of stone at that viewing angle just looks mushy and dull). With precision-cut stones there are more facets able to output high-energy dispersions without interference. Your stone is not precision-cut - in fact, it's somewhat optically asymmetric, which means increased number of virtual facets, decreased average size of virtual facets, and increased number of ineffective virtual facets. The pavilion main facets, however, are bold and clear for the most part - those are the engines that are going to drive coloured light return from the table at slight tilt angles, and slightly decreasing surrounding white light return gives your eyes better odds catching a few wavelengths of an output dispersion. This is what I meant when I said brightness and fire, in the context of a single refraction, have a mutually-exclusive relationship - a single wavelength of an output dispersion is so low-energy compared to white light, it'll just be drowned out.

I wouldn't advocate for a stone that was "slightly less bright" under the crown, because the edges are what visually define the stone's surface area - brighter edges will make a stone look bigger face-up. Whiter == brighter, and brighter == bigger. If you're interested I really recommend those two articles - they have much better explanations!

The opposite of whiter == brighter is true: less white == less bright. In a stone with some body colour smaller and ineffective virtual facets will create areas that are not only 'less bright' because they're literally producing lower-energy outputs, they're also visually 'less bright' because they're less white - it's kicking 'em when they're down. In this case the stone is a D - that second issue isn't a concern, which mitigates the downsides of "slightly less bright under the table" somewhat.

If you had an unlimited budget, or were prioritizing excellence in cut over other factors, we'd steer you to CBI, ACA, BGD... where we wouldn't be talking about finagling balance of light return quantity and type because those designers have taken care of all of that for you - their stones are balanced to crowd-pleasing flavours that many people would choose over all others... but you don't have an unlimited budget and you do have other priority thresholds to meet. Given that reality, I have no objection to this ASET. Other PSers may well disagree, especially those for whom coloured light return is not a priority!

Thanks!! This all such good information!

 

[icy_jade]

It’s hard to explain without seeing examples irl but maybe this helps a bit.

 

[Steve88]

It’s hard to explain without seeing examples irl but maybe this helps a bit.

Thanks! I just know that green and red lights are good indication of brighter light reflections

 

[icy_jade]

It’s about the light return. The diamond will look darker compared to a well cut ideal/super ideal. The D color will not really help to offset the visual difference as it is about light return but as you have mentioned, you are keen to get the best on paper so there is a trade off.

Question is whether you can tell the difference irl? Probably not unless you have a comparative?

My personal experience when I went to see irl recently was that a super ideal looks brighter and bigger next to an ideal that was cut too deep. The ones I saw had the same color but I would say the super ideal looks much brighter/more sparkly and at least one or two color grade higher face up. That is why I responded earlier that I wouldn’t go for the diamond as I guessed that it is the same as the too deep ones I saw.

But if your gf has no comparison, i guess it is fine since this diamond meets your budget, color, size and clarity specs.

 

[sledge]

I think @yssie gave you a very thorough breakdown and analysis.

Mine is much more simplistic. I think you have an above average cut stone but not an ideal cut one. However, we fully expected this as you had criteria that ranked equally as high, if not more so, than the cut. Remember the list from page 3 that I summarized?

That said I think the stone is what I expected and probably what most will consider well cut.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words...

https://beyond4cs.com/2014/12/aset-reference-charts/

 

[Steve88]

I think @yssie gave you a very thorough breakdown and analysis.

Mine is much more simplistic. I think you have an above average cut stone but not an ideal cut one. However, we fully expected this as you had criteria that ranked equally as high, if not more so, than the cut. Remember the list from page 3 that I summarized?

That said I think the stone is what I expected and probably what most will consider well cut.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words...

https://beyond4cs.com/2014/12/aset-reference-charts/

Yup it was definitely fully expected and I didn't expect a super ideal cut stone. As long as there isn't any red flags and it is above average, I'm a happy customer since all the other criteria was met too.

I know this is a very noob question but this is a huge purchase so I'm trying to take as much precautionary measures as possible.

After I receive the ring, how would I know if the diamond is the exact one I bought? Besides the trust of the Yadav company and the physical GIA report, is it necessary for me to take it to a professional to make sure I received what I paid for?

 

[icy_jade]

Yup it was definitely fully expected and I didn't expect a super ideal cut stone. As long as there isn't any red flags and it is above average, I'm a happy customer since all the other criteria was met too.

I know this is a very noob question but this is a huge purchase so I'm trying to take as much precautionary measures as possible.

After I receive the ring, how would I know if the diamond is the exact one I bought? Besides the trust of the Yadav company and the physical GIA report, is it necessary for me to take it to a professional to make sure I received what I paid for?

The GIA number should be inscribed on the diamond. You need a loupe or microscope to read it. You can also take to a store and ask to borrow their microscope I guess, or if you have a jeweler to do the setting for you.

 

[rockysalamander]

The GIA number should be inscribed on the diamond. You need a loupe or microscope to read it. You can also take to a store and ask to borrow their microscope I guess, or if you have a jeweler to do the setting for you.

Its always wise to confirm the inscription when you receive the diamond. You will also want to inspect the GIA inscription at any jeweler's shop with the jeweller every time you give them this stone (or the future ring) and every time you take it back. You can also look for the grade-setting inclusions each time. I find this easiest at 40x, but doable at less if the black material is in the inscription and you have good eyes and a steady hand.

Before the days when inscribed diamonds were common, and such things are still pretty uncommon in antique diamonds, many jewellers would hand-draw an inclusion plot and use a 40x scope to take measurements of those each time they received a diamond (in front of the customer and with their agreement to what was seen) and again when the stone was handed back to the customer. You would see the work done and confirm that the stone(s) were the same. Every single time, for every customer. It also allowed them to look for "flea bites", nicks and chips. This is especially important for non-diamond gemstones that can really take a beating (especially all those daily worn emeralds and other beryls!). That protects both the jeweler and the customer.

I think this is still a good practice even with inscribed stones.

 

[icy_jade]

Its always wise to confirm the inscription when you receive the diamond. You will also want to inspect the GIA inscription at any jeweler's shop with the jeweller every time you give them this stone (or the future ring) and every time you take it back. You can also look for the grade-setting inclusions each time. I find this easiest at 40x, but doable at less if the black material is in the inscription and you have good eyes and a steady hand.

Before the days when inscribed diamonds were common, and such things are still pretty uncommon in antique diamonds, many jewellers would hand-draw an inclusion plot and use a 40x scope to take measurements of those each time they received a diamond (in front of the customer and with their agreement to what was seen) and again when the stone was handed back to the customer. You would see the work done and confirm that the stone(s) were the same. Every single time, for every customer. It also allowed them to look for "flea bites", nicks and chips. This is especially important for non-diamond gemstones that can really take a beating (especially all those daily worn emeralds and other beryls!). That protects both the jeweler and the customer.

I think this is still a good practice even with inscribed stones.

Sorry off topic but is considered easy to read the inscriptions using the 20x loupe? I know the theory but I need the microscope whereas my husband does it very easily so I always wondered if he’s extremely good or I’m just extremely bad at it.

 

[rockysalamander]

Sorry off topic but is considered easy to read the inscriptions using the 20x loupe? I know the theory but I need the microscope whereas my husband does it very easily so I always wondered if he’s extremely good or I’m just extremely bad at it.

I don't think 20x is a slam-duck for most (40x should be). It can the physical abilities of your eyeballs, for example, if you have astigmatism and he does not. You have less contrast sensitivity than he has (vs. absolute color which I know you have). If you had lasik surgery or an eye injury (scratch to lens), you might have a spot on your lens that is not as "clear" as the rest of your lens. His eyes may be naturally moister and yours drier (lens moisture affects focus and other aspects of vision; many labs keep sterile eyedrops at hand for just this reason). Your ability to hold the loupe and stone stable is not as good, that gets exacerbated the higher the magnification and some people are just twitchy. But, it can also be skill level. Maybe he has spent a lot of time doing something with a transferable skill that aids. So.....any or all the above. How's that for not very helpful?

 

[Babyblue033]

@Steve88 I would also recommend making an appointment with an independant appraiser who can not only confirm you bought the right stone and it's as claimed, but who can also give you an appraisal value you can take to your insurance company. As someone who's lost an ering that was uninsured (took me YEARS to be able to get a replacement), I highly recommend insuring the ring and first step to do that would be to get an appraisal.

 

[icy_jade]

I don't think 20x is a slam-duck for most (40x should be). It can the physical abilities of your eyeballs, for example, if you have astigmatism and he does not. You have less contrast sensitivity than he has (vs. absolute color which I know you have). If you had lasik surgery or an eye injury (scratch to lens), you might have a spot on your lens that is not as "clear" as the rest of your lens. His eyes may be naturally moister and yours drier (lens moisture affects focus and other aspects of vision; many labs keep sterile eyedrops at hand for just this reason). Your ability to hold the loupe and stone stable is not as good, that gets exacerbated the higher the magnification and some people are just twitchy. But, it can also be skill level. Maybe he has spent a lot of time doing something with a transferable skill that aids. So.....any or all the above. How's that for not very helpful?

Oh that makes sense actually. Several of the above factors mentioned are applicable. Very helpful thanks.

 

[whitewave]

Yes, get insurance!! ASAP. it’s easier to have the company set the stone so you can get insurance on the whole ring, but definitely insure the stone and then later the ring. Don’t take chances.

 

[Steve88]

Yes, get insurance!! ASAP. it’s easier to have the company set the stone so you can get insurance on the whole ring, but definitely insure the stone and then later the ring. Don’t take chances.

I heard that I can add the ring to my current house insurance?? Also Yadav did offer me an appraisal report for $60 dollars but I declined it. Should I have gotten one? Would it be different from the actual GIA report?

 

[icy_jade]

After I receive the ring, how would I know if the diamond is the exact one I bought? Besides the trust of the Yadav company and the physical GIA report, is it necessary for me to take it to a professional to make sure I received what I paid for?

https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/diamond-laser-inscription-1313.htm

 

[whitewave]

I heard that I can add the ring to my current house insurance?? Also Yadav did offer me an appraisal report for $60 dollars but I declined it. Should I have gotten one? Would it be different from the actual GIA report?

I did add my engagement ring and my studs to my home owner’s, but there are pluses and minuses to that. I have some policies with State Farm hooked to a life insurance policy and I have some with AmPac hooked to homeowners. Many people here use Jeweler’s mutual, which you can do online and likely with your receipt as proof of amount.

 

[sledge]

Yup it was definitely fully expected and I didn't expect a super ideal cut stone. As long as there isn't any red flags and it is above average, I'm a happy customer since all the other criteria was met too.

I know this is a very noob question but this is a huge purchase so I'm trying to take as much precautionary measures as possible.

After I receive the ring, how would I know if the diamond is the exact one I bought? Besides the trust of the Yadav company and the physical GIA report, is it necessary for me to take it to a professional to make sure I received what I paid for?

I am glad you are happy @Steve88, and that is what matters most. The reality is that while all the grading reports, images, etc all PROVE things -- it has to sparkle and make us go "oohhh ahhh" when it's in front of our noses. If it doesn't do that, then you send it back and start over.

This is why you will see some posts on here recommending a 54% table instead of a 57-58% table. Or maybe a 60/60 (more white) stone vs an ideal cut (more fire) stone. One or the other "pops" for someone. Either is okay as long as the buyer knows this, wants it and got a fair price to achieve their preference.

As already answered in much more detail, you need to take to a jeweler and verify the plot and GIA number inscribed on the diamond. You may want to buy some scopes, a loupe (usually 10x) and cheaper high powered scope (minimum 40x) for the house to aid you in general inspections and also verification purposes. I'm in that process now.

While typing this, @icy_jade added an awesome GIA inscription link from WF to help make things more clear. It's not "vendor specific", so please read that.

I don't think 20x is a slam-duck for most (40x should be). It can the physical abilities of your eyeballs, for example, if you have astigmatism and he does not. You have less contrast sensitivity than he has (vs. absolute color which I know you have). If you had lasik surgery or an eye injury (scratch to lens), you might have a spot on your lens that is not as "clear" as the rest of your lens. His eyes may be naturally moister and yours drier (lens moisture affects focus and other aspects of vision; many labs keep sterile eyedrops at hand for just this reason). Your ability to hold the loupe and stone stable is not as good, that gets exacerbated the higher the magnification and some people are just twitchy. But, it can also be skill level. Maybe he has spent a lot of time doing something with a transferable skill that aids. So.....any or all the above. How's that for not very helpful?

You never cease to amaze me @rockysalamander. I used to have eagle eye vision, but as I'm getting a little wear & tear on me I've noticed some degradation in my eyes. It's still pretty good, but the last visit to the eye doc I was told I had to take special drops because my eyes don't produce enough moisture. They asked if I cried much, and I laughed at them. They concluded my tear ducts were broke and that's why I needed eye drops. About 3 or 4 of the girls in the office were really having a good ole' hee haw experience with that and my "squinty eyes" as they called them.

My point was your analysis on this stuff was pretty spot on and hit home for me. Not diamond related, but you're saving the day and providing great info nonetheless. I'd expect no less.

@Steve88 I would also recommend making an appointment with an independant appraiser who can not only confirm you bought the right stone and it's as claimed, but who can also give you an appraisal value you can take to your insurance company. As someone who's lost an ering that was uninsured (took me YEARS to be able to get a replacement), I highly recommend insuring the ring and first step to do that would be to get an appraisal.

I strongly recommend insurance also. Is Yadav shipping the diamond to you loose? Assuming they are, they SHOULD have liability and insurance from the supplier to your front door step. Please verify this with them, as I'd hate to see it lost in transport and they say you are responsible.

Assuming that is true, and you decide to KEEP the diamond then I'd call Jewelers Mutual (JM) and start a policy effective that day on the diamond only. When you add the setting, you can then include that on the insurance policy. And when you finally get the wedding bands, you can modify once more to add those.

I would wait on the appraisal until you get the diamond set in the e-ring and have the wedding band(s) to take in with you as well. Then they can appraise all items together. This will help keep you from recurring appraisal fees and give you a good final valuation once you are completely done. With that appraisal value in hand, you need to adjust your insured amount properly and submit that data.

I heard that I can add the ring to my current house insurance?? Also Yadav did offer me an appraisal report for $60 dollars but I declined it. Should I have gotten one? Would it be different from the actual GIA report?

You can add a jewelry & firearms riders to your existing homeowners policy. I think most insure up to about $5,000 under your standard coverage. Until my girl's ring I never had a need for jewelry coverage; however, I have a small arsenal of weapons and ammo and have kept a pretty large policy for several years now.

Most people here will tell you that a separate policy away from your homeowners insurance is preferred. I opted to utilize JM myself, which is separate from my insurance through USAA. With my girl's BGD super ideal and custom e-ring setting the policy costs me less than $100 per year and they are super easy to work with so far.

To set your initial value, you can VERBALLY tell them what you want. You can then submit your receipts as proof of the value. I visited with Lesley @ BGD about the matter, and I fall in the school I like to insure a little above what I paid for inflation, market availability, etc. She confirmed that for something like that I would need an appraisal, but that JM should allow me to add 10% to the BGD receipt value. I decided to submit receipt value + 10% and submitted all documentation. So far they seemed to have accepted it all without any issues.

As a result I am over insuring by about 10% which increases my policy premium a few bucks but the upcharge is minimal and something I'm okay with as I know I'm a picky buyer and will reject many items others may consider of "similar quality".

As I noted above, I am staggering the amounts of my insurance as the pieces are finished. I started the policy with the diamond & e-ring setting complete and submitted receipts on both. Once DK finishes the wedding bands I will add those. Then once I have all that stuff in-hand, I am going to get an appraisal for it all and do a final adjustment to the insured amounts. While a little bit of a pain to stagger as I am, it ensures I am protected throughout the process in case the unthinkable happens.

 

[rockysalamander]

I did add my engagement ring and my studs to my home owner’s, but there are pluses and minuses to that. I have some policies with State Farm hooked to a life insurance policy and I have some with AmPac hooked to homeowners. Many people here use Jeweler’s mutual, which you can do online and likely with your receipt as proof of amount.

I'm in the Jewellers Mutual camp. they are the only US-based insurer I'm aware of that will insure unset stones while being set. I also don't want the chance that any of my jewelry losses will impact my other insurance products. They are easy to work with and dealt with my international-mysterious loss with no issues. My ranges have not changed subsequent to that loss. That said, they are a small specialized insurer, so they are not the least expensive option. Many homeowners policies in the US will require you work with "their" jeweller for any replacement. I want to choose my jeweler and the source for my stones. This is especially important for unique shapes in gemstones, colored stones and antique or rare gems.

 

[icy_jade]

I'm a happy customer since all the other criteria was met too.

Yup that.

Sorry if the WF link isn’t self explanatory. I do everything on iPhone so prefer to keep it short n sweet cos not easiest to type on the iPhone. As @sledge mentioned, not WF specific nor AGS either. Just thought a pic might help.

 

[Steve88]

I am glad you are happy @Steve88, and that is what matters most. The reality is that while all the grading reports, images, etc all PROVE things -- it has to sparkle and make us go "oohhh ahhh" when it's in front of our noses. If it doesn't do that, then you send it back and start over.

This is why you will see some posts on here recommending a 54% table instead of a 57-58% table. Or maybe a 60/60 (more white) stone vs an ideal cut (more fire) stone. One or the other "pops" for someone. Either is okay as long as the buyer knows this, wants it and got a fair price to achieve their preference.

As already answered in much more detail, you need to take to a jeweler and verify the plot and GIA number inscribed on the diamond. You may want to buy some scopes, a loupe (usually 10x) and cheaper high powered scope (minimum 40x) for the house to aid you in general inspections and also verification purposes. I'm in that process now.

While typing this, @icy_jade added an awesome GIA inscription link from WF to help make things more clear. It's not "vendor specific", so please read that.




You never cease to amaze me @rockysalamander. I used to have eagle eye vision, but as I'm getting a little wear & tear on me I've noticed some degradation in my eyes. It's still pretty good, but the last visit to the eye doc I was told I had to take special drops because my eyes don't produce enough moisture. They asked if I cried much, and I laughed at them. They concluded my tear ducts were broke and that's why I needed eye drops. About 3 or 4 of the girls in the office were really having a good ole' hee haw experience with that and my "squinty eyes" as they called them.

My point was your analysis on this stuff was pretty spot on and hit home for me. Not diamond related, but you're saving the day and providing great info nonetheless. I'd expect no less.




I strongly recommend insurance also. Is Yadav shipping the diamond to you loose? Assuming they are, they SHOULD have liability and insurance from the supplier to your front door step. Please verify this with them, as I'd hate to see it lost in transport and they say you are responsible.

Assuming that is true, and you decide to KEEP the diamond then I'd call Jewelers Mutual (JM) and start a policy effective that day on the diamond only. When you add the setting, you can then include that on the insurance policy. And when you finally get the wedding bands, you can modify once more to add those.

I would wait on the appraisal until you get the diamond set in the e-ring and have the wedding band(s) to take in with you as well. Then they can appraise all items together. This will help keep you from recurring appraisal fees and give you a good final valuation once you are completely done. With that appraisal value in hand, you need to adjust your insured amount properly and submit that data.




You can add a jewelry & firearms riders to your existing homeowners policy. I think most insure up to about $5,000 under your standard coverage. Until my girl's ring I never had a need for jewelry coverage; however, I have a small arsenal of weapons and ammo and have kept a pretty large policy for several years now.

Most people here will tell you that a separate policy away from your homeowners insurance is preferred. I opted to utilize JM myself, which is separate from my insurance through USAA. With my girl's BGD super ideal and custom e-ring setting the policy costs me less than $100 per year and they are super easy to work with so far.

To set your initial value, you can VERBALLY tell them what you want. You can then submit your receipts as proof of the value. I visited with Lesley @ BGD about the matter, and I fall in the school I like to insure a little above what I paid for inflation, market availability, etc. She confirmed that for something like that I would need an appraisal, but that JM should allow me to add 10% to the BGD receipt value. I decided to submit receipt value + 10% and submitted all documentation. So far they seemed to have accepted it all without any issues.

As a result I am over insuring by about 10% which increases my policy premium a few bucks but the upcharge is minimal and something I'm okay with as I know I'm a picky buyer and will reject many items others may consider of "similar quality".

As I noted above, I am staggering the amounts of my insurance as the pieces are finished. I started the policy with the diamond & e-ring setting complete and submitted receipts on both. Once DK finishes the wedding bands I will add those. Then once I have all that stuff in-hand, I am going to get an appraisal for it all and do a final adjustment to the insured amounts. While a little bit of a pain to stagger as I am, it ensures I am protected throughout the process in case the unthinkable happens.

Thanks guys for all the information. I ordered the diamond with a setting so it should come together. I did ask about insurance before the purchase and they said it is insured until I sign off on the package acceptance from FedEx. Once I get the ring, first thing I'll do is get it through JM. Seems like everyone recommends this particular company. Is it usually around $100 a year @sledge ?

Yup that.

Sorry if the WF link isn’t self explanatory. I do everything on iPhone so prefer to keep it short n sweet cos not easiest to type on the iPhone. As @sledge mentioned, not WF specific nor AGS either. Just thought a pic might help.

You've been of great help so far! Very good information coming from that link.

I did add my engagement ring and my studs to my home owner’s, but there are pluses and minuses to that. I have some policies with State Farm hooked to a life insurance policy and I have some with AmPac hooked to homeowners. Many people here use Jeweler’s mutual, which you can do online and likely with your receipt as proof of amount.

Thank you!

 

[sledge]

Thanks guys for all the information. I ordered the diamond with a setting so it should come together. I did ask about insurance before the purchase and they said it is insured until I sign off on the package acceptance from FedEx. Once I get the ring, first thing I'll do is get it through JM. Seems like everyone recommends this particular company. Is it usually around $100 a year @sledge ?

Oh cool, I didn't realize you had picked a setting yet. Mind sharing which one? I'm just curious the overall look.

Also, good thinking on your part to talk insurance, liability, etc. ahead of time. Sounds like you are covered and things are as I would expect.

In regards to pricing, the $100/year (actually $95) is what I was quoted for my policy. I think the largest determining factor is the assessed value of your jewelry. Also, I think location may play a part. But honestly I'm not 100% certain their logic for determining final policy premiums.

My policy is for a little less than $10k so I anticipate your policy may be a little higher, but not considerably more.

 

[Steve88]

Oh cool, I didn't realize you had picked a setting yet. Mind sharing which one? I'm just curious the overall look.

Also, good thinking on your part to talk insurance, liability, etc. ahead of time. Sounds like you are covered and things are as I would expect.

In regards to pricing, the $100/year (actually $95) is what I was quoted for my policy. I think the largest determining factor is the assessed value of your jewelry. Also, I think location may play a part. But honestly I'm not 100% certain their logic for determining final policy premiums.

My policy is for a little less than $10k so I anticipate your policy may be a little higher, but not considerably more.

That’s not bad at all for insuring a 10k plus item! I’m located in NYC so hopefully it isn’t considerably more. As for setting, I chose it to just do it through Yadav since my proposal date is set for August 11. The window is already a bit tight so I thought why not. Here’s the pic of the setting I chose!

 

[sledge]

Like I said I'm not sure all the metrics JM uses to determine pricing. I just felt it was a reasonable number and seemed like a very flexible plan that let me be in control and select what I wanted in the event something did happen. As others already stated, not all plans allow this. And from reading other posts, they pay like cash cows if something does happen and doesn't make your life miserable in the process.

I had a pretty bad car wreck a few years back and it took almost 3 years to settle out everything. Sad part is my old insurance company insured both parties, and I had to get a lawyer to sue them before we got it resolved. Just dumb.

As such, I have come to really appreciate and value simplicity, transparency and excellent customer service.

Last, but far from least, the setting looks nice! So happy for you and the future Mrs. Definitely snap some good photos for all us here once you pop the question. And don't think these girls will let you get away without divulging all the details of how you popped the question. Since you have a pre-planned date, it sounds like you've given it some thought.

God speed buddy.

 

[Steve88]

Like I said I'm not sure all the metrics JM uses to determine pricing. I just felt it was a reasonable number and seemed like a very flexible plan that let me be in control and select what I wanted in the event something did happen. As others already stated, not all plans allow this. And from reading other posts, they pay like cash cows if something does happen and doesn't make your life miserable in the process.

I had a pretty bad car wreck a few years back and it took almost 3 years to settle out everything. Sad part is my old insurance company insured both parties, and I had to get a lawyer to sue them before we got it resolved. Just dumb.

As such, I have come to really appreciate and value simplicity, transparency and excellent customer service.

Last, but far from least, the setting looks nice! So happy for you and the future Mrs. Definitely snap some good photos for all us here once you pop the question. And don't think these girls will let you get away without divulging all the details of how you popped the question. Since you have a pre-planned date, it sounds like you've given it some thought.

God speed buddy.

Will keep up the updates on this thread! As soon as the ring comes up, I'll upload some pictures! Hoping that this ring will be a keeper

 

[lagirlie]

Oh cool, I didn't realize you had picked a setting yet. Mind sharing which one? I'm just curious the overall look.

Also, good thinking on your part to talk insurance, liability, etc. ahead of time. Sounds like you are covered and things are as I would expect.

In regards to pricing, the $100/year (actually $95) is what I was quoted for my policy. I think the largest determining factor is the assessed value of your jewelry. Also, I think location may play a part. But honestly I'm not 100% certain their logic for determining final policy premiums.

My policy is for a little less than $10k so I anticipate your policy may be a little higher, but not considerably more.

Wow that is a good deal, right? I was just googling and it said most insurance prices are 3% annually?

 

[lagirlie]

UMMM WTF. I just went to JM for a quote and my quote is $1050/annually. I think this is over 3%.
I was thinking maybe it was because of crime, but I live in a really nice area??