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Anniversary Stone

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closingthedeal

Rough_Rock
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I am fairly new to Pricescope and have a couple of questions I need answers to.
I just received a VERY large sum of money from the sale of several pieces of property; which I inherited; to some large franchises. It is our 7th anniversary and my wife''s lucky number at the casino is 7. So therefore I decided to purchase her a 7 carat diamond for her anniversary. She presently has a rather plain 2 carat stone now, I need to know where I can purchase a TOP,TOP quality 7 carat loose stone. It has to be the absolute best money can buy. I''ve seen the term branded used quite a bit on this site and is this something I should look for. What about the 4 C''s and dimensions? AGS or GIA? Please spell it all out for me as money is truly no object...
 

maristidou

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Messages
75
Let me say -she'll be one lucky lady! By the way what's her ring size? There is a chance the 7Ct might actually be too big for her finger -hehe
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Absolute best should mean:
get the best cut you can get (preferably Hearts and Arrows stone but it does not need to be branded),
get the whitest color you can afford (F/G should be fine if you go lower she might be able to see the yellow -does she care?)
get the lowest clarity you can handle (in stones of that size inclusions will show more so i would stay in VVS2-VS2 range - obviously go and look at stones and deside what you are comfortable with)

So if money is really NO OBJECT then check this out for $237,500 (includes pricescope discount):

7.524CT G VVS1 0 (H&A)A Cut Above Score 1.1-EX ex-ex-ex-ex 60.3 57 34.3° 40.8° AGS 0.9%-1.7% pt id id faint

How much closer to perfect can you get?
I'll let other more knowledgeble people explain what all these numbers mean.


Also -just throwing it out there- if for some reason she has delicate fingers and 7CTs is too big maybe you could consider a really beautiful really rare pink or blue diamond (I know I would DIE to have one).

Hope this is a good start.
Melina
 

EdSkinner

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
304
Money is no object. Must be nice. Try Tiffany, Harry Winston if you really want to spend alot of money and feel comfortable about the guarentees in the sale. But then again for a sale of this magnitude there are alot of people out there that will serve you wine and brie while kissing you shoes. What is the best? It is supposed to be a D color, IF clarity which is the information that will be supplied with a GIA certificate. If you are buying a round stone and looking for ideal cut stone a AGS certificate will give you the additional information you need for cut. Carat weight will be on every certificate.I have my reservations about high clarity. IF, VVS clarity are overkill, I perfer VS range. If your wifes finger are really small it may look too big. But they won't admit that. How is this idea get a pair of ear studs at 1.00 ct. each, a 2.00 ct. pendant and a 3.00 ct. ring and they will all add up to seven when she is wearing them all. There are 7 ct. stones avilable out there but it may be a little hard to get one that you really like, then again this is going to be such a big sale for somebody they may just start popping out of the woodwork. Good luck. The suggestion that maristidou posted looks nice. Can't beat clarity or cut. Nothing wrong with G color, it is just not the very best of the best, but buy no way is it a bad color. I can't help you with $$$ I haven't seen that many 7.5 ct. stones, but I have seen some great deals on the internet.
 

hoorray

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
2,798
Hi Closingthedeal,

I'm sort of with maristidou. A 7 ctw single stone would be way too big for me (and I like big stones -- don't get me wrong). I'd make sure your wife is in agreement with the plan. Otherwise, I like the multi item idea, or maybe a larger center stone with side stones to get to 7ct. (Even that may still be too big tho). I have a friend who is small, and has a 5+ct ring. It looks like a paperweight on her small frame.
 

Nicrez

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
3,230
Ooohhh...How about a seven stone necklace with round stones and a larger one the in the center. They can all be round H&A stones, OR, you can get different types of cuts to accent each other, like a round center, two big pears or ovals on the sides, and maybe some rubies or sapphires to add to the mix...
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With the number seven, you could also custom design a nice 3 carat stone ring with the number 7 encorporated into the band somehow... Like in the basket on the sides?

You could always get her a nice 7ct total carat weight tennis bracelet or something equllay nice (that's BIG!)

Or even maybe a pair of longer diamond earrings shaped like sevens, but with a smoother and more modern shape to be confused for a design or a seven (so it's not SO obvious, but also symbolic)

by the way, are you adopting?
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moremoremore

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 15, 2004
Messages
6,825
I agree. It is such a lovely thought, but I would be too embarrased to wear a stone that large...especially if she is a small woman...that said, it depends on the 'circles' you travel in....it might not be that uncommon. I would much prefer say, a 4 carat D IF center stone with maybe 2, 1.5 each sides- a past present future... Bigger is not always better!
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kg

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
Messages
14
Whatever you decide to do - make sure you get a picture of that puppy for the eyecandy folder!
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daboyzmomi

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Messages
182
WOW! This is one lucky inheritance package.

I do have to say, I have personally seen and worn (if only for a day,,,sigh) a 7ct RB and a 5ct RB as well. And they are HUGE,,,and I do mean HUGE. The 7 ct was extremely cumbersome to do anything in. It definately would have to be a wear to dinner type ring, not an everyday bauble. Now, the 5ct was much more workable, but still not an every day stone in my opinion. I guess if you run in the right circles you can pull off either of these looks daily, but that would be my only concern for you.

Whatever you decide congratulations. I would just make sure like someone else said that 7cts is what she would love. Why plunk down that kind of money when a nice 5ct would do the trick
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solange

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
871


----------------
On 4/8/2004 6:45:03 AM closingthedeal wrote:












I am fairly new to Pricescope and have a couple of questions I need answers to.
I just received a VERY large sum of money from the sale of several pieces of property; which I inherited; to some large franchises. It is our 7th anniversary and my wife's lucky number at the casino is 7. So therefore I decided to purchase her a 7 carat diamond for her anniversary. She presently has a rather plain 2 carat stone now, I need to know where I can purchase a TOP,TOP quality 7 carat loose stone. It has to be the absolute best money can buy. I've seen the term branded used quite a bit on this site and is this something I should look for. What about the 4 C's and dimensions? AGS or GIA? Please spell it all out for me as money is truly no object.




You might want to look into the Magnificent Jewelry Sales at top auction houses such as Sotheby's or Christie's. I would not recommend this for the average purchaser. However with this description and budget, if you call the head of the Jewelry Department at one of these houses, they could tell you what is coming up and where. Also, they are very selective at what they take in for Magnificent Jewelry as opposed to just Fine Jewelry Sales and the department heads are used to seeing the cream of the crop. They accumulate extraordinary items for each sale. I am sure they would give you a lot of time and expertise and it would probably be worth your while to fly in to wherever there is a stone for you. I saw a breathtaking D Flawless ring in the 7 carat range at Sotheby's New York about a year ago. It stood alone on a pedestal in a special glass case and was drop dead gorgeous. I did not pay much attention to the price but I think it was toward the mid six figure range.



There is also an advantage to buying something of this magnitude at a major auction house. The stone will be illustrated in their catalog and will have provenance. There will be a record of the sale for future reference. If you ever wanted to sell it, reference would be made in the catalog as to the sale it came from which adds value.The auction price will reflect the market value to some extent. The price would be more likely to hold up whereas less significant diamonds are not a good investment. As to size, I am 5'2 and I recently tried on a 7.39 carat ring at a jeweler's insistance. It was not a great stone and I was not interested. I do not have that life style and I was not looking in that size or price range but it was not too big for my hand.



If seven is your magic number, go for it. Continued good luck.

 

sluke

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 27, 2004
Messages
199
Lucky lady! I agree w/ some of the people here saying that a 7ct single stone may overwhelm one's hand. I'd recently tried on a 5ct emerald cut diamond at Cartiers, and it didn't look right. My ring size is about a 5.5, but my fingers are short. However, some people can pull large stones well. I know a few women who have single stones larger than 4ct and it looks great.
 

closingthedeal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Messages
5
While all of your ideas sound great such as a multiple of different size stones this HAS TO BE a single round stone of the best of the best quality. Although we do not travel in a crowd that would normally wear something of this value
a change of friends may be in order....LOL.
Be that as it may after doing some reading I guess I'm looking for something along the lines of a "D" color
and "FL" clarity and whatever the best cut is. Where can I find something like what I have just described?
What else should I look for as far as dimensions?
I looked at a couple of pictures of pink and blue diamonds and I am VERY sure my wife would not care for something like that. She would want something as white and clean as possible. Should I investigate hiring someone to actually search for such a stone for me? i'm just such a novice at buying somethinf like this!
For my wife money doesn't matter, but I would truly like to keep it in the mid six figures. I know the old saying if you have to ask the price you can't afford it, but I would like to be realistic and not just throw money away. After all this ring should be truly special for both of us, especially her.
Thanks..
 

Nicrez

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
3,230
I agree with Solange. If you are willing to get the absolute BEST, I would suggest working with one of the auction houses (Christie's, Sotheby's, or Philips), and perhaps they can refer you to dealers or brokers who have outfitted them with stones and pieces.
Heres a few listed: http://users.pandora.be/belgian-art/html/body_auction_houses.html

For a high end item such as this, I would also suggest that you find a trustworthy gemologist in your area to be able to appraise such an item before purchasing if you do indeed have little to no diamond buying knowledge.

Also, you can try the larger stores, like Harry Winston or Cartier, who will carry such stones, loose and within rings. If you are looking to save some money on a D, IF 7 ct stone, you can try your luck with a diamond dealer in the Diamond Districts on NY, LA, DC, etc... but make sure this person is trustworthy, and you feel comfortable with them. Never purchase a stone of this caliber before getting it appraised by an INDEPENDANT appraiser. Good luck!
 

cmcwill

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
247
Wow this was fun! Dream world...

http://www.icestore.com/search/diamond_inventory_detail.asp?ID=7990

http://www.icestore.com/search/diamond_inventory_detail.asp?ID=7958

http://www.icestore.com/search/diamond_inventory_detail.asp?ID=7997
 

CaptAubrey

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Messages
863


----------------
On 4/8/2004 3:01:26 PM closingthedeal wrote:





Be that as it may after doing some reading I guess I'm looking for something along the lines of a 'D' color
and 'FL' clarity and whatever the best cut is. Where can I find something like what I have just described?
----------------

you will not find diamonds like that on pricescope. you need to work with one of the top jewelry retailers like tiffany, harry winston, or mouwad. that, or start working the christie's auctions. they have a number of very notable stones coming up for auction April 19-20.



here's a couple to get you started:



http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4262939



http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4262935



http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4267016



http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4267022



 

valeria101

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
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Messages
15,809
----------------
On 4/8/2004 3:01:26 PM closingthedeal wrote:



Should I investigate hiring someone to actually search for such a stone for me?

----------------



No worries. Most would be novices buying something like this
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Getting a (happy) broker sounds right. Working with a diamond cutter would be a nice experience, I suppose. If you would enjoy following up with how the stone is 'created'. Actually, I am quite curious if ideal cut rounds are to be found readily in this size. Other shapes and rounds of lesser breed... I guess so. While out of the ordinary, this is not a compeltely out of the world project. It can be a couple days of shopping among the nicest jewelry stores in town.

Creating the sort of ring to hold the object in place on a finger would need an experienced designer. I can totally understand why going for one of the top jewelry makers is going to be a dazzling time-saver, if you want things done fast.

I didn't want to spell the name of 'Eight Star', but maybe I should. They introduced the 'ideal cuts' int he US and cut things on order for aliving. Their largest stone was a 13cts D-IF that the company proudly advertises(LINK). But... but... Eight Star is not Winston, and no one knows wether they'd be.

Funny enough, the 'poster boy' stone on the front page of the (shoddy) Good Old Gold site is a 7 cts Ideal cut round diamond (LINK). The color and clariy were not top, but the presence given by cut is there. If you want to get an idea what such a stone looks like... this one has a serious photo album somewhere on Pricescope.
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Some of the professionals behind Pricescope are involved in the on-going standardization of ideal cut parameters among the leading gem grading labs (GIA, AGS...). So much expertise regarding the cut of ideal rounds would be accesible from some corner here - directly or not.

Otheriwse, I have no idea what your ideal diamond shopping process looks like: working out details in private with a brojer, shopping jewelry by appointment, receiving thick FedEx envelopes
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... What shoud it be like?
 

maristidou

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Messages
75
Well if D IF is what you want check this out also:
7.38 Ct D IF Ideal Cut
http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD00231413&query=2&filter_id=0

I agree though that hiring a professional or going through the auction houses migh be the way to go in a purchase of this magnitude.

You might also like to consider having a stone custom cut for you so it's closer to 7cts (since that's such an important number).

As a side note buying a "perfect" stone might be possible for you, and its great that you are doing this for your wife but what if you could get an E color VVS1 stone that looks just as perfect for $80-100,000 less let's say? You could get your lady a matching set of earings or a luxury car or whatever else her heart desires? I know this is probably a surprise purchase, but you might want to find out what else she would really want had she had all the money in the world.

Just my thoughts.

Melina
 

valeria101

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
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Messages
15,809
In all honesty, none of the stones posted here seem perfectly cut. And if you want to make and educated choice between FL, IF and simmilar top grades, the criteria will not be on a GIA certificate, but under an expert's loupe. There was at leats one more piece like this (quality, if not size) sold here. The debate on what tells apart diamonds with such grades was solved with stone in hand...

Bets of luck
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rocks

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
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Messages
862
there are a handful of manufacturers/dealers in nyc that maintain that kind of inventory, and they closely control who has access to it. private jewelers and high end retailers get first priority. do spend some time studying, so that you really know what your want, and can focus. otherwise, you run the risk of not being taken seriously. also, understand that in the world of 4cts and above, ideal makes are rare, and believe it or not sell pretty quickly...(though not difs!).

if you decide to go the route of the auction houses, you will need an intermediary. qualified, registered participants are given special viewing privileges (before the auctions). it's a wild, wild, world!

good luck!
 

solange

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
871
If you decide to look into the houses, the first thing you might want to do is open an account with them. They will do a credit check on you and if your credit checks out, they will take you very seriously.Otherwise they can be very rude. Also, Sotheby's and Christie's have galleries in various parts of the world and the head of the Magnificent Jewelry Departments will know what is coming up where.

I have gone to many of their sales and tried on jewelry during the exhibition with no problem. I do have accounts. You have to register and show identification to see items in the Magnificent Jewelry sales.Their exhibitions are usually for around a week long.You can also take along your own appraiser to look at the stones for you.


It really is not as complicated as it sounds. Once you have an account, you can call ahead and have one of their experts give you some advice or set up an appointment.


They are selling jewelry from the best estates and if it is in a Magnificent Jewelry sale,there is a reason it is there.Also some of the top jewelers from all over the world come to these sales to buy for their inventories or for private clients.


Sometimes Sotheby's or Christie's will broker a private sale or you might be able to find a jeweler who will screen the stone for you,buy it and charge you a commission. Many people do this. These jewelers are experienced in bidding and know where to stop.
 

CK

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 19, 2004
Messages
5
I would recommend checking out icestore.com as a starting off point for some ideas. Get one of their blue diamond or pink diamond rings. If buying on the internet does not appeal to you, go to the best: Harry Winston!
 

closingthedeal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Messages
5
Maristidou

I may check out that stone you suggested on Blue Nile.
What about delivery of such a purchase? I mean if I was to buy this stone
would they deliver it or send it through the mail? How would something like
this be handled? I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of getting a professional to accompany me to New York diamond district and finding me a stone and making sure I'm getting what I pay for. Is that something that is common or what?
It still has to be along the size of 7 carats as that's the magical number.
My wife's ring size is a mere 4.75 but I don't think something this size would look TOO big. I'm worried that many people will think it's a CZ and not real. In response to someone that said to save some money and buy her a car or fur or something in addition to the ring. She is a rather modest woman
and drives a rather modest new car. She's not one to wear furs either.That's why this will be so totally unexpected and tremendously exciting for me to present to her in just a very few weeks. I have also decided to give it to her at the Hotel de Paris while having dinner on the shores of the French Riviera in Monte Carlo. I think that would make it most memorable to her and I.
 

valeria101

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Messages
15,809
Not sure wether the respective street is the best place to buy. Most likely an appraiser would tell you the same. Getting a broker's service does sound reasonable: the person would present you with a choice of stones to pick from. Saying round, D-IF (or whatever), harts and arrows - already narrows specs down so very much, that picking teh best of the display would merely mean to choose brilliance and 'look' and make sure the stones are what you want.

What BN calls ideal cut would not be ideal to many. Actually, there is no universal standard behind these words.

The design of the ring is what would make it look 'real' to any mortal.
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diamondsman

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
Joined
Nov 11, 2002
Messages
648
What shape are you looking for?
I assume you are looking for a round stone,I think that if you were to go with a stone that is in the top 3 colors ,and in the top 3 clarities you should do well,and those stones are usually the first ones to go up in value.
stay withing these numbers and you should have a nice fiery and brilliant stone(that is if you are going with a round stone)
d:59-62%
t:53-57%
girdle:thn-med-sltk faceted
culet:none
polish:ex-vg
symm-ex-vg
flour:none-faint
comments:
shouldnot have any cr.angles under 30% or above 35%
As far as price is concerned go on different sites check for similar stones ,with the above numbers ,and then make your decision.
If you stay withing these numbers you will have a real beauty!!
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good luck.
 

dunndeal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
65
There are a few things you can do here in order to make a smart purchase. The first priority is not to let the local dealers know that there is a "hot" call for such a stone. This will serve only to drive up your price especially if similar calls are coming from the same geographic location. The broker/retailer/wholesaler or whoever approaches it quietly will get you the best deal. Now as far as getting the best stone, there are plenty of people here that know diamonds very well (a la Valeria) and they will give you a great headstart. But keep in mind these diamonds are increasingly rare (just as the clients that will buy them) so some thing might have to give especially if you have a timeframe. The next piece of advice is buy the diamond from someone who has experience in dealing with large stones because the pricing is very much different than dealing with the more common sizes. The negotiations require a certain finesse especially because the hands that hold these types of diamonds are very strong.
 

dunndeal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
65
Oh and by the way there are plenty of other local jewelers other than Winston and Cartier that are qualified to handle this type of transaction and would probably do so at a better price. Whatever you do just remember that in any negotiation time can be your best ally or worst enemy! Good luck
twirl.gif
 

dunndeal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
65
In other word don't appear to be in a hurry!
 

dunndeal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
65
Lastly I must apologize for not reading that money is no object and my posts may have been off topic! I just got a little excited about getting my 2 cents in
wavey.gif
 

limey

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Messages
264
Am I the only one to think this is not a legit thread? Or just the only one to think about posting this thought? If it is legit then sounds like a case of more money than sense.

-- added: English? I am.
 

chowchow99

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
21
ANDR3WPD


LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU NEED A QUICK REFRESHER COURSE IN ENGLISH..
 

limey

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Messages
264
I expected a controversial response, but this is very strange. I edited my post to add the magical word that was missing. Another example of English grammar and American grammar being slightly different, not sure.... or an example of colloquial style cropping up in informal Internet discussion boards. I don't care.

"am I the only to think" is actually colloquially correct where I am from. I have corrected it for the benefit of chowchow99. I hope he can sleep now and not fret any more about the failures of the education community. But at least he didn't misuse any apostrophes in this post (wink).

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22am+i+the+only+to%22&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

You will notice how many of those hits are in the UK or Ireland.

cheers, and always sarcastically
Andrew
 
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