Would you buy a diamond from Overstock.com?

[sega]

I hope to get some help on this as i have been looking for a "good deal" on an engagement ring for some time now.
My gf really likes an emerald cut in a simple solitaire setting.


This ring features a gorgeous emerald-cut diamond (3/4* carat weight, H-I color, SI-1 clarity) set in a shimmering 14-karat white-gold mounting. The mounting was exclusively designed to reflect the light and sparkle of the diamond.
Materials: 14-kt. white gold, diamond
Dimensions: Setting: 5.5 mm L x 4.5 mm W; Band: 3 mm

I checked into it alittle, and as it turns out overstock.com do not sell their diamonds with any kind of certificate at all. I found this kind of odd. On the other hand they do offer a 20 day return policy, so i could go get it appraised i guess.

Anyways what do you guys think? Is it worth it? Or should i go elsewhere?
Anybody buy diamonds from them?

I would appreciate any input from you guys.

Thanks[/u]

 

[carrot]

Labs do not certify stones, they ojectively grade them for a fee.

Don't buy a diamond without a lab report on it from a reputable lab such as GIA, AGS or (perhaps) EGL. In addition to color and clarity grades, you also want to know the cut proportions of the stone.

There is a HUGE difference between diamonds. Know what you are getting before your buy. Less than one diamond in 20 is well cut!

The most important attribute of a diamond is its light return (brilliance, fire and scintillation) and that is determined almost entirely by the cut quality.

Idealscope images and GemEx Light Performance reports can provide you a lot of information before you choose. Don't rob yourself of the opportunity to find a quality diamond by being in a hurry.

People who know the least about daimonds will almost always sacrifice quality for size. Learn the issues and their relative importance. Do your homework before you buy and it will pay dividends for as long as she owns (and looks at) that special diamond!

 

[hoorray]

Hi Sega,

I would probably not buy from Overstock, because I would want more informaiton/confidence in what I was buying before taking the plunge. That said, if you have a good, independent appraiser, I would buy a stone that I believed to be good, but didn''t have all the credentials and have it checked out. JYou just run a high risk of wasting your time shipping around stones that don''t have a good chance of being decent. I would recommend reading the tutorials here. Emerald cut stones show color and inclusions more readily than rounds and some other cuts, so you need to be careful there.

If you post your budget and general info on what you are looking for, people will help you find stones that might work for you.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Date: 6/18/2005 5:26:37 PM
Author:sega
I was browsing Overstock.com when i figured i would look at their jewelery and i found one that i really like. This ring features a gorgeous emerald-cut diamond (3/4* carat weight, H-I color, SI-1 clarity) set in a shimmering 14-karat white-gold mounting. The mounting was exclusively designed to reflect the light and sparkle of the diamond.
Materials: 14-kt. white gold, diamond
Dimensions: Setting: 5.5 mm L x 4.5 mm W; Band: 3 mm
Anyways what do you guys think? Is it worth it? Or should i go elsewhere?

Anybody buy diamonds from them?

I would appreciate any input from you guys.


Thanks

I would pass on this ring for several reasons...first is the color. An H/I color has the possibility of being yellowish. Since all you have is a picture, you can''t possibility know what it''ll REALLY look like. The second reason is the SI1 clarity. Since the emerald cut (EC) diamond is a step cut diamond, the the steps have to be really clean with no visible inclusions to make the diamond "eye clean." SI1 diamonds usually have visible inclusions that would hinder the clean lines of the EC. Third, you know nothing about the quality of the cut...the depth, table, crown height, etc. You don''t know anything about the fire or brillance of this diamond...

You could purchase it and have an appraiser look at it...but already the parameters given aren''t prime for a great-performing EC...I''d pass on this one...

 

[pqcollectibles]

"On the other hand they do offer a 20 day return policy, so i could go get it appraised i guess."

Good appraisers can get pretty close, but mounted stones cannot be accurately graded.

Carat weight is determined by weighing the stone. You can''t weigh a mounted diamond.

The color can appear 1-2 grades different than the actual grade if the diamond was graded loose due to the mounting.

There was a recent thread where several appraisers posted about grading mounted pieces. All the things they can and cannot accurately grade in mounted pieces.

Any one variable can impact the value of the ring. Throw in several differences and the $$$$$ begin to add up quickly. So,.......... what looks like a good deal may not really be such a good deal after all.

 

[perry]

I would not buy jewelery diamonds from them.

However, considering the many implications in the exact question asked.

I would buy one of the common tools that have a diamond mounted as a cutting edge - such as a diamond tipped glass cutter, or diamond embeded cutting wheels, etc.

Perry

 

[Kaleigh]

If it were me I wouldn''t buy a diamond from them. #1 emerald cuts need to have a nice color and clarity. If you compromise on the clarity you will be able to see the inclusions pretty easily. I would rather buy from a reputable dealer that can give you all the cut information, etc... This is a very important purchase and you would want to buy the best stone for your budget and that hopefully would include a stone that has a cert.

 

[pearcrazy]

I bought a half carat diamond eternity band from them and was pleased. The price was very good and they were $150 dollars cheaper than one my jeweler had in his showcase on clearance. I can''t tell the difference in quality. The diamonds are tiny and are set in yellow gold so they don''t show as much yellow I suppose. I''m not sure if I would buy a larger diamond from them. I did buy a ring with small pink sapphires in it and a men''s titanium band that I wasn''t pleased with and returned them both. I got no hassles on returrns but keep in mind that they do charge a restocking fee. I reordered another men''s titanium band and my husband loves that one. It was half the price of the same band on another jewelry site. It''s sort of a crap shoot over there so beware.

 

[sega]

Thanks everyone.
I will be looking elsewhere for a diamond, no more diamondshopping on Overstock.com
Like I said I am looking for an emerald cut, solitare setting, white gold, around $2k if possible

Thanks again, Ill look more closely at the cut from now on.

 

[ame]

Date: 6/18/2005 5:26:37 PM
Author:sega
Anyways what do you guys think? Is it worth it? Or should i go elsewhere?

Anybody buy diamonds from them?


I would appreciate any input from you guys.


Thanks

Id look everywhere else. I bet you can get a great deal from a PS vendor on what I would expect to be an exceptionally cut stone. Personally I have been underwhelmed with things from that site and I don''t find their prices very good.