Would you buy this if you had the chance?

[redwood66]

Hi everyone. This ring is likely going to be available to me from a coworker. David Klass has seen it in person and gave an inflated insurance value and I am not concerned about if it is actually sapphire and diamonds. It is an old cut sapphire and the diamonds are OECs. The diamonds look to be conservatively .30-.35 each and pretty white facing. The sapphire color is amazing in person and is probably 2.5-3ct or bigger. I will not have the opportunity to send to AGL before buying but will definitely after for a full prestige report to include origin. My plan is to take the ring apart because this is just not the style for me and create a 3 stone with the sapphire and two diamonds. Then a 5 stone with the rest leaving one left over. My coworker had David create a matching band for the other side of the ring and all the small diamonds might make a great channel set eternity. The price we are negotiating right now is $4-$5k which is more than he paid for it even after having the second band made. Yes I said he, and he wears over the top bling. It was a pawnshop find.

Am I out of my mind? I would think the diamonds might be worth half of the cost at least? I am guessing at the stone sizes based on others I have and David did not measure them for a formal appraisal. The ring is a size 8 and my pointer wears an 8, my finger in the pics when I had the ring last year.

Thank you so much for your help and thoughts!

ETA: He paid less than the $4k we are negotiating. Not more. He actually paid $1900 + $1100 to have the second band made. I offered $4k because I believe it to be worth that.

 

[Niel]

Yes! I wouldn't buy the band though.

 

[redwood66]

Hi Niel! Its a package deal and it must have been a wedding set because the band is soldered to the main ring. David soldered the new one also when my coworker had it made. So you think the sapphire would be worth it?

 

[marymm]

Redwood66 - so you have actually seen and inspected this ring? The sapphire, based on the photos, does not appear to be an old-cut style at least inasmuch as the crown is flat - and no other faceting details are visible in these pics. The sapphire also looks quite dark, though of course this may be your color preference and/or an artifact of photography.

I am curious - did you know your friend had paid apx $3K for the set when you offered $4K?


And, to answer your question "Would you buy this if you had the chance?" me, no, I wouldn't buy it because (1) I prefer medium blue sapphires with a higher crown, and (2) the diamonds/setting do not appeal to me, and (3) knowing the seller had paid $3K, I would find it hard to pay $1K more for anything (unless everything about it was spot-on to my taste, and no re-design/re-size/lab reports would be required).

 

[redwood66]

Hi marymm. Yes I did know how much he paid. Your comments are exactly why I am posting this thread because I do not want to overpay. I wish I had better pics of the ring for you to see because the stone is really not that dark in person. I may have to get it in my possession again to take better pics to post. He will let me do that. I am a little concerned about the cut in that it is not the best. The diamonds are great for old cuts.

 

[kenny]

I would not buy it.


I don't like the setting or second rings that 'go' with and fit next to the main ring.
In this case the extra ring make the halo look lopsided.

I don't like any halos, and in this case the halo's diamonds are too large so they overpower what they are supposed to compliment, the sapphire.
The poor sapphire seems an after-thought.
Sorry but since you asked for opinions I have to say all that flash looks like a woman's version of a pimp ring.
One single stone of the same budget would impress me way more than a wall of bling.

I'd only consider it if I was in love with the sapphire's color and I could get the sapphire graded by AGL and pay some % of today's going retail price for the stone.
I would give zero consideration to what he paid because things change in value over time.
I would pay only scrap value for the setting and since the diamonds are likely too small to justify paying for GIA grading I'd not pay much for them either

I don't understand why knowing what someone paid matters.
So if someone bought a house in 1980 for $55,000 that Zillow.com says is now worth $180,000 you would not pay over $55,000 because you'd feel ripped off?

Such things are just worth what they're worth today.

 

[redwood66]

kenny - I would not keep this setting because it is not me. I love old cut diamonds and would be buying for the value of the sapphire and diamonds only. As soon as I can afford the settings I will have a 5 stone diamond ring and a 3 stone with the sapphire and two of the diamonds. I do not feel paying above what he paid would be out of line just because he got a great deal. We live in an area that old cut diamonds do not sell well at all and if someone does not like that setting I can see it sitting around in the shop for awhile.

ETA: Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts! It is so appreciated! Please post!

 

[redwood66]

marymm - the setting in the pics is an old setting. Not sure maybe 30s-40s? David only made a matching band like the one you see added to the other side to make it symmetrical.

Your post disappeared?

 

[OreoRosies86]

It certainly is big for the money, but I would only buy it to dismantle it. That's if I had a very specific project in mind.

 

[kenny]

kenny - I would not keep this setting because it is not me. I love old cut diamonds and would be buying for the value of the sapphire and diamonds only. As soon as I can afford the settings I will have a 5 stone diamond ring and a 3 stone with the sapphire and two of the diamonds. I do not feel paying above what he paid would be out of line just because he got a great deal. We live in an area that old cut diamonds do not sell well at all and if someone does not like that setting I can see it sitting around in the shop for awhile.

ETA: Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts! It is so appreciated! Please post!

You're welcome.
Thanks for not getting offended, since I tend to just blurt stuff out.

 

[redwood66]

It certainly is big for the money, but I would only buy it to dismantle it. That's if I had a very specific project in mind.

Yes this is my plan.

 

[cokitty]

I would not buy this ring. The stones do not look all that impressive to me. Plus once you add in setting fees to make the new rings your cost is going to go up considerably. Unless you have seen the ring in person and the stones just sing to you I would take a pass.

 

[redwood66]

Thank you all that posted.

This is not in the cards for me as our 20 year old house furnace went out yesterday and it is 26 degrees outside. I think I would rather stay warm LOL. Glad I had not already bought this!