Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamond?

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Historically, before the 1990's or earlier, it was common for high color fluorescent diamonds to sell at a premium to non fluoro diamonds.
I know that may of the diamond aficionado's on this forum prefer diamonds with some fluoro (I certainly do).

 

[Niel]

Yes I would. And the more interesting the fluor the more I'd value it. Someone once said they found a red fluor. If that was real I'd be very interested.

 

[yssie]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

No.

But I would certainly pay more for a suite of otherwise nice and well-matched diamonds with complementary fluor - all med or strong, symmetrically graduating over 3/5/7 stones, etc.

 

[MMtwo]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I prefer flouro in a diamond as well. Would I pay more? No, but all other things being equal and assuming it does not haze in sunlight, I would pick the "blue".

 

[Niel]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Well I guess I should say how much is more?

Two identical stones and one is 10 bucks more? Yeah.

100 bucks but it's got very strong red Fluor on a white diamond (if that even exists) probably.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I prefer flouro in a diamond as well. Would I pay more? No, but all other things being equal and assuming it does not haze in sunlight, I would pick the "blue".

YES, assuming no negative hazy or milky impact from the fluoro

 

[CanuckAB]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I love fluorescence and feel that diamonds should not be discounted for it. I would choose a florescent diamond over one without it as long as the other stats are comparable. I may even pay slightly more to get one with fluorescence but not more than 2%.

 

[Karl_K]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I am going to tick a lot of people off but here is my opinion:
This is just buying from paper and not having them checked by someone I trust.
D-E-F a lot less for strong or v-strong
The grades are so narrow that the chance of a grade bump from the uv in grading lamps is pretty high.
AGS at one time blocked uv bit who knows if they still do.

g-h same price the chance of a grade bump are lower.

i-j-k maybe slightly more to the same.
They benefit from it the most appearance wise and the grades are so wide that it might bump up a borderline stone but its not likely to move it a whole or even 1/2 a grade.

edit: that is only if the entire trade moves that direction if the wholesale price is discounted I want the discount at retail.

 

[Circe]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

YES.

If by "pay more" you mean, "keep searching until you find what you want for less." But it is something I prioritize: since I discovered the beauties of fluorescence, I haven't bought a diamond without it.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Great Poll Garry!
For me it really depends on many factors.
If we're looking at a K colored Emerald Cut with Medium or strong blue, I might be in love. It's certainly possible I'd certainly pay a few points more than an inert stone ( which is what I voted)
If it's a Fancy Yellow Cushion I'd never pay more, and you'd have to pull teeth to get me to even pay market for fluorescent stones.

But an interesting twist: One of the most Vivid yellow diamonds I've ever seen - reputed to be from the "Zimi" mine- was graded "Strong Blue" by GIA.
Yet the color was remarkably pure.
We actually had two stones to show this particular client- one was this Fancy Vivid Yellow, SI2- Strong blue. The other Fancy Vivid Yellow VS1 no blue. Both cushions within a few points of 1.50cts
The client picked the SI2 diamond hands down.
The kicker?
The stone with strong blue was 50% more costly than the inert stone. It was priced way above market at the wholesale level....but it was stunning...

Just goes to showya, you can't generalize about fluorescence...

 

[heididdl]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I think it was one of the guys from ERD who told me that Flouresence do not have the same appeal as they did pre 1990 due to Tiffany's publicly reporting that Fluoro was no longer "cool:. Does this ring true.

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Some of my clients who have been wearing their diamonds for many years, even a decade or two, and purchased without any
lab report, are often fascinated with fluorescence when shown.
Most of these clients never even knew that they had moderate or strong blue fluorescence.
When told, the response has always been very positive.

 

[ame]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Depends on the stone. My current diamond I paid more for the cut style and it just happens to have med-strong, which is a huge win. If and when I am in the market again, my next one I will be requiring fluor as well. And might even aim for a D Med-Strong...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

The only thing I'd change about my current diamond is to have SBF. I did not have that option since it was a specialty cut with few options. But my original diamond was an F with MB and my last diamond before this one was a G with SBF. So I really feel sad not to have it.

I'd pay a little more for SBF, maybe 3-5%, but probably not more than that. I love that they are generally discounted, though. It's one of the few perks in diamond buying!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

edit: that is only if the entire trade moves that direction if the wholesale price is discounted I want the discount at retail.

Yup!

 

[pyramid]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I see it as an impurity in a D-F color diamond. In my mind a bit like an impurity in color would be. I wouldn't mind it in
a small diamond but not in a diamond over 1 carat. In lower colors maybe say J to L I would buy it but for the same price as non fluorescent or at a discount as I think as I said it is an impurity. I think this is just because of what I read when learning about diamonds that it was something that was discounted for rather than my view of the actual stone as I would see it.

Even if I liked the look, I would go with the industry as who am I to decide what a diamond should cost for quality/features compared to the likes of Tiffany etc. Now if I was a Gemmologist like Garry then it would be different as I would know a bit more about it and what the industry is up to. I mean, professionals will know more about the marketing slants used to increase sales
and in a way 'fool' customers, to make a living ofcourse or otherwise.

Maybe I agree with KarlK too that I would not like to think it was affecting the accurate grading in a colorless diamond costing
a lot of money.

Maybe Tiffany etc are putting a slant to get us to buy up the less rare non-fluorescent diamonds (that is if they are less rare in numbers) - who knows????

At the end of the day it is a cost thing, it costs a lot of money so I want to take professional advice rather than what I may
like with the eye - if I like it I would get a small stone example of it.

On the other hand in something cheaper like say a skirt, I would just go for the look and color or fashion I liked.

Price is the main thing and professional industry standards in my humble opinion.

 

[ecf8503]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I love fluor - my stone is a D color w/ sbf, and it is so gorgeous. I would love for all of my stones to have it, and as others have said - all else being equal - I would always pick the stone w/ fluor.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Historically, before the 1990's or earlier, it was common for high color fluorescent diamonds to sell at a premium to non fluoro diamonds.
I know that may of the diamond aficionado's on this forum prefer diamonds with some fluoro (I certainly do).

Garry...why would I pay more if the market say they are worth less?... This is not the early 80's...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Historically, before the 1990's or earlier, it was common for high color fluorescent diamonds to sell at a premium to non fluoro diamonds.
I know that may of the diamond aficionado's on this forum prefer diamonds with some fluoro (I certainly do).

Garry...why would I pay more if the market say they are worth less?... This is not the early 80's...

I am assuming he means if the tables were turned and fluorescent stones began being priced equal to or higher than non-fl stones. If they were equal, I usually choose the fl stone. If the fl stone was a little more, I'd be willing to pay for it. If it was a lot more, I would not.

 

[pyramid]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Why would the tables be turned, would be what I want to know?

Is it a crooky practice to fool us? To sell something else.

Is it research based by appraisers, gemmologists, GIA etc.?

Is it a change in how we buy, i.e. buy what I like with the eye, in an arty way (without an art qualification)? If it
was like this though, is that any different to uneducated customers, when I bought my first small diamond ring, I
went with look of the ring setting the diamond was just a shiny white stone to me, although would not have been
worth my time/money to research as it didn't cost much and looked fine.

Where does the divisions lie is shop owners/jewellers and now internet dealers going with industry standard like
GIA or are they with the crooks or promoting arty buyers. Nothing against art as I know it is an academic subject and
also there are many more good shop owners/jewellers too who would not do that.

 

[pyramid]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Does an individual buyer set their own standards for what they would spend in valuating each diamond
they see rather than going with the pricetag or do they go with an industry standard or academic standard if that is different?
This is different than picking fluorescence on an already priced list, this is setting the price of the fluorescence element. I don't think
the customer would get to do that unless buying at an auction?

What does money mean to you, maybe. After all lots of people don't value diamonds at all and we don't value
other things people do?

What do diamonds mean to you, maybe. Pretty bauble, sign of commitment, interested in science of them, purity,
sign of wealth, something else? Temporary addiction, just another hobby, always loved them all my life 30 years etc like
my mother and grandmother. May move on to steel jewellery and away from gold etc.



With a costly item, like a house, most would get an independent professional valuation though.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Historically, before the 1990's or earlier, it was common for high color fluorescent diamonds to sell at a premium to non fluoro diamonds.
I know that may of the diamond aficionado's on this forum prefer diamonds with some fluoro (I certainly do).

Garry...why would I pay more if the market say they are worth less?... This is not the early 80's...

I am assuming he means if the tables were turned and fluorescent stones began being priced equal to or higher than non-fl stones. If they were equal, I usually choose the fl stone. If the fl stone was a little more, I'd be willing to pay for it. If it was a lot more, I would not.

OK, then I'd agree with you DS.

 

[fritzi]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Yes, I absolutely would pay more. My original engagement ring had florescence and I was obsessed with it. Once I saw that diamond I knew I would never buy a diamond without it. I just recently purchased a 2+ carat asscher with strong blue florescence. I only looked at diamonds that had medium fluorescence or above and ultimately chose one with SBF. I love that in some lighting it looks like I have a pale blue/violet diamond. I think the florescence enhances the stone and makes it more mysterious.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Thanks for the great comments thus far.
The first main event that changed pricing was the FTC:
After the discovery of diamonds in South Africa in 1867 some mines were renowned for producing a percentage of high color diamonds that exhibited a bluish appearance in daylight as a result of their fluorescence. It came to be that these diamonds, especially those that were otherwise colorless, were termed ‘blue white’ and sold at a premium price. However, human nature being what it is, some marketers of diamonds indulged in “bracket creep” and began to call diamonds of lower colors “blue white” in order to achieve a higher selling price and more profit. This led the United States of America Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban the use of the term ‘blue white’ on March 18, 1938 with the following resolution 23.14, (Trade Practice Rules for the Wholesale Jewelry Industry, Rule No. 6, p4:

23.14 Misuse of the term “blue white.” ,
It is unfair or deceptive to use the term "blue white" or any representation of similar meaning to describe any diamond that under normal, north daylight or its equivalent shows any color or any trace of any color other than blue or bluish.
Interestingly under this definition there are diamonds that could still be legally described as blue white, however it seems that the intention of the legislation has been observed, and, if anything, there has been an over-reaction. The FTC also made an attempt to define the type of lighting that might cause a diamond to fluoresce and appear ‘blue or bluish’. The detail however did not include terms such as ‘shaded’ or ‘indirect sunlight’ or make any reference to the time of day or atmospheric conditions. The quality of published industry and gemological opinion about the type of natural light that diamond color ought to be judged or graded in, is poor and often contradictory, as can be noted in the following quotes.

THE NEXT BIG EVENT in my opinion, was in 1993 - and that seems to be when Rapaport began pricing fluoro:

‘KoreaGate’ In an interesting case study, prior to 1993, Korean retailers and consumers exhibited a preference and paid a premium for blue fluorescent diamonds. However a Korean current affairs TV program in 1993 accused local Korean grading laboratories of over-grading the color of fluorescent diamonds, suggesting for instance that “your G is really H”. Korean traders replaced many of the fluorescent diamonds they had sold earlier, becoming net sellers of fluorescent goods and buyers of non-fluorescent diamonds. This simultaneous dumping and demand of the different grades of goods seemingly contributed to an adjustment in the Rapaport Diamond Report price guide. A month or two later a chart appeared with price guides for blue fluorescent diamonds of different colors and clarities. This guide is still in place today, having had only some minor adjustments from time to time which presumably only reflect fluctuations in supply and demand.

So the pricing changed to be favorable for us fluoro lovers.
Of course I am not advocating that we lovers of it should pay more - its our little secret and we are, in my view, very lucky!

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Thanks for the great comments thus far.

So the pricing changed to be favorable for us fluoro lovers.
Of course I am not advocating that we lovers of it should pay more - its our little secret and we are, in my view, very lucky!

Thank you Gary. Fascinating history lesson. I love the medium blue in my F, VS1. I just grow to like it more and more. I've had a very traditional jeweler love me stone, and then freak out at me b/c there was fluor. Duh... I don't care. I love it. And I'm the one wearing it everyday.

All things being equal, I would choose fluor.

 

[msop04]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Historically, before the 1990's or earlier, it was common for high color fluorescent diamonds to sell at a premium to non fluoro diamonds.
I know that may of the diamond aficionado's on this forum prefer diamonds with some fluoro (I certainly do).

Garry...why would I pay more if the market say they are worth less?... This is not the early 80's...

I am assuming he means if the tables were turned and fluorescent stones began being priced equal to or higher than non-fl stones. If they were equal, I usually choose the fl stone. If the fl stone was a little more, I'd be willing to pay for it. If it was a lot more, I would not.

OK, then I'd agree with you DS.

+1 -- my stone doesn't have fluorescence, but I sooooo wish it did!!! My next one will have medium to strong blue fluoro.

 

[Roxy]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

No.

But I would certainly pay more for a suite of otherwise nice and well-matched diamonds with complementary fluor - all med or strong, symmetrically graduating over 3/5/7 stones, etc.

Right, I wouldn't pay more for more flour, but would be willing to pay more to make sure that the stones in my multi-stone ring are all consistent when it comes to the amount of flour in each stone.

 

[TC1987]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Me: Same thoughts as Karl_K already posted. Didn't vote because "maybe" was not offered. LOL

 

[kay1]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

I paid more to make sure the 2.43ct / I i just bought had fluorescence. Partially because it helps with the colour, and partially because everything i've seen about fluorescence makes me love it! In fact i set the 'filter' on the search to medium or above.

 

[spicyitalian]

Re: Would you pay more for a med or strong blue fluoro diamo

Pay less and enjoy something I like.