How much less for a non certificate diamond?

[lknvrb4]

I have debated selling my pear and going back to a RB and was even ready to send it in to a jeweler to see how much I could get for it, but I was wondering since it does not have a certificate and only has an appraisal done by GOG, how much less I can expect to get for it in comparison to GIA/AGS certificate diamonds? Would I be better off if I ever do decide to trade it in to have it sent for grading by GIA?

 

[Christina...]

I don't really know, but I would guess that you would receive more than the $250 it would cost to submit it to GIA or AGS. I think that's what I would do. You're getting rid of your pear? I've always loved your pear!

 

[Enerchi]

Agree that having it certified is worth the expense. Secondary market purchasers may not always want a certificate but I think it covers your bases and provides more details.

Really? considering selling your pear? I'm with Christina - I love your pear, too!!!

 

[kenny]

Selling a used diamond is tough enough.
Having a GIA report would make a HUGE difference to me as a buyer.
Then I would have an independent respected source saying what the grades are, instead of just trusting a private party, even if that private party bought it without a grading report from a very reputable vendor.

 

[lknvrb4]

Agree that having it certified is worth the expense. Secondary market purchasers may not always want a certificate but I think it covers your bases and provides more details.

Really? considering selling your pear? I'm with Christina - I love your pear, too!!!

I am just thinking about selling it, I am not sure even if I want to. I am taking my time with the decision. I have thought about resetting it into a a 3-5 stone setting. There is just not as many options for resetting a pear as there are for a RB. I don't want what everybody else has already done if that makes sense.

 

[ariel144]

I think an AGS cert is quicker and cheaper...I probably would go with AGS.

 

[Mico]

I too think the certification is worth it. I would personally only go half the cost of a current EGL certed diamond (as they're cheaper) to guide me, even if i loved the stone.

Someone recently sold a non certed 1.4ct diamond in preloved for 3500 which is WELL below what they are currently going for

 

[ruby59]

I am the person that the poster above is referring to. I can only relate to my experience, but from taking my diamond to a few jewelry stores, having a GIA appraisal would have only made a difference if the gemologists had not agreed with the independent appraisal.

Again, just from my experience, they show you a chart of what diamonds are priced at (wholesale) based on weight, clarity, and color, then offer you a certain percentage for it.

 

[kenny]

. . . a GIA appraisal . . .

There is no such thing as a "GIA appraisal".
GIA does not appraise diamonds.

A professional appraisal from a person who has earned GIA's highest educational level, GG or Graduate Gemologist, is NOT a grading Report from GIA.

This is not just quibbling over semantics.
A person who has earned a GIA Graduate certificate theoretically could turn into the biggest liar in the world.
That's not GIA's fault.

They convicted a REAL doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, of involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.
A professional credential does not assure an ethical professional.

 

[Christina...]

Agree that having it certified is worth the expense. Secondary market purchasers may not always want a certificate but I think it covers your bases and provides more details.

Really? considering selling your pear? I'm with Christina - I love your pear, too!!!

I am just thinking about selling it, I am not sure even if I want to. I am taking my time with the decision. I have thought about resetting it into a a 3-5 stone setting. There is just not as many options for resetting a pear as there are for a RB. I don't want what everybody else has already done if that makes sense.

I recently decided to purchase a RB for this exact reason. It was so difficult to find a setting that I really loved for my asscher, and like you I wanted something a bit different from what everyone else had, unfortunately I still have no idea what that is. Are you considering a RB now?

 

[lknvrb4]

Agree that having it certified is worth the expense. Secondary market purchasers may not always want a certificate but I think it covers your bases and provides more details.

Really? considering selling your pear? I'm with Christina - I love your pear, too!!!

I am just thinking about selling it, I am not sure even if I want to. I am taking my time with the decision. I have thought about resetting it into a a 3-5 stone setting. There is just not as many options for resetting a pear as there are for a RB. I don't want what everybody else has already done if that makes sense.

I recently decided to purchase a RB for this exact reason. It was so difficult to find a setting that I really loved for my asscher, and like you I wanted something a bit different from what everyone else had, unfortunately I still have no idea what that is. Are you considering a RB now?

I found a stone online that I liked that was a RB and was considering sending my diamond in towards a trade in, but it is a lower color than my F pear and maybe I was just having a temporary moment of insanity. My DH thinks I am completely nuts. I think I just need to wait this all out for some time. I got a killer deal on my pear when I bought it and if I got rid of it, I would never have another at the price I paid.

 

[woofmama]

I have been reading on PS for about a year now and feel like I know most of you regular posters and the diamond journeys you have been on. I remember when you got your pear and think it would be a mistake to sell it. It's such a nice stone and the finger coverage is TDF! Maybe start a thread for setting suggestions. Those threads are so much fun & who knows, maybe someone will come up with your dream setting. Best of luck whatever you decide. And if you sell...I might be a very interested party

 

[Enerchi]

Add me,too, to the list of interested parties! It's gorgeous just as it is, IMHO

 

[denverappraiser]

The lab report, or lack thereof, isn’t what makes a stone resell for less. How much you can expect to realize on resale is largely a marketing question. Some people pay more than others, some people are better at selling than others, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. The purpose of the lab grading is to establish certain ‘facts’ that can be used in your sales presentation. This avoids grading arguments, hopefully, it makes the deal go faster and it opens up the list of potential buyers who MIGHT consider buying your stone. This may seem obvious but it opens up several important issues.

Buyers behave differently. Private parties are much more likely to rely on a lab report that you give them than professional buyers will for example. Who you’re planning on selling to makes a difference in this decision.

Prices of diamonds vary dramatically with grading results while the cost of lab services is fairly constant. This means that you are much more likely to recover you investment at the lab if you are using it to defend a high grade, say F/VVS2 than if you’re using it to defend a lower grade, say J/I1.

The purpose of the appraisal is different.
Regardless of what you tell your buyers, YOU need to know what you have and what is a reasonable price for it in the market you’re considering or you are working from a position of significant weakness. This may be ok, appraisals aren’t free and you may have something that the difference between doing well and getting taken to the cleaners isn’t all that much but there are some cases where the difference is substantial. Knowledge is power. It’s worth noting that, unlike lab paperwork, appraisals don’t usually make very good advertisements. ‘Appraised for $10,000, willing to sacrifice for $3,000’ backed by a report from some appraiser that they buyer has never heard of is rarely a persuasive argument to any buyer with sense.

 

[denverappraiser]

If I were to make up some generic rules, they would look something like this.


Get a lab grading if all of the following apply:

You are planning to sell to a private party. (Friend, friend of a friend, ebay, craigslist, etc)

You are reasonably expecting the transaction to be for more than $3000.

You are claiming a clarity grade above SI1, a color above H, a cut grade above ‘good’ and any claim of natural color origin in fancy colored diamonds.

Time is not an important limitation.

You have sufficient funds to pay the lab fees without hardship.

You have no problem with unmounting the stone or it’s already unmounted.

The stone is undamaged.

You’re reasonably confident that you are going to do a deal (rather than just fishing for information)


Consider getting lab grading if:

All of the above applies except you’re planning on selling to a dealer and you reasonably expect the transaction to be for more than $5000.00 or

There are legal, tax or social reasons that override the financial ones (for example if you’re the executor of an estate that’s being liquidated, especially if it’s contentious) or

You have an existing report and the 'problem' is either the issuing lab or the date of inspection.


Do NOT get lab grading if.

Speed and/or money for lab fees are serious problems.

You have an existing report from a lab that you and your prospective buyer consider to be reliable.

You are selling to a dealer and you don’t expect grading to be an issue (for example if they sold it to you in the first place or the grade is one that’s not likely to be a big issue)

The stone is damaged and you are considering repair or recutting before selling.

The stone is mounted and you would like to keep it that way.

You are planning to sell on consignment through a dealer (The dealer may want to order an inspection but involve them in this decision based on their own marketing plan)


By the way, here's the fee structure from GIA but don't forget shipping and insurance if you don't happen to live near NYC or Carlsbad.
http://www.gia.edu/lab-reports-services/fees_payment/lab_fees/diamonds.pdf

 

[Christina...]

If I were to make up some generic rules, they would look something like this.


Get a lab grading if all of the following apply:

You are planning to sell to a private party. (Friend, friend of a friend, ebay, craigslist, etc)

You are reasonably expecting the transaction to be for more than $3000.

You are claiming a clarity grade above SI1, a color above H, a cut grade above ‘good’ and any claim of natural color origin in fancy colored diamonds.

Time is not an important limitation.

You have sufficient funds to pay the lab fees without hardship.

You have no problem with unmounting the stone or it’s already unmounted.

The stone is undamaged.

You’re reasonably confident that you are going to do a deal (rather than just fishing for information)


Consider getting lab grading if:

All of the above applies except you’re planning on selling to a dealer and you reasonably expect the transaction to be for more than $5000.00 or

There are legal, tax or social reasons that override the financial ones (for example if you’re the executor of an estate that’s being liquidated, especially if it’s contentious) or

You have an existing report and the 'problem' is either the issuing lab or the date of inspection.


Do NOT get lab grading if.

Speed and/or money for lab fees are serious problems.

You have an existing report from a lab that you and your prospective buyer consider to be reliable.

You are selling to a dealer and you don’t expect grading to be an issue (for example if they sold it to you in the first place or the grade is one that’s not likely to be a big issue)

The stone is damaged and you are considering repair or recutting before selling.

The stone is mounted and you would like to keep it that way.

You are planning to sell on consignment through a dealer (The dealer may want to order an inspection but involve them in this decision based on their own marketing plan)


By the way, here's the fee structure from GIA but don't forget shipping and insurance if you don't happen to live near NYC or Carlsbad.
http://www.gia.edu/lab-reports-services/fees_payment/lab_fees/diamonds.pdf

I think that this is great information, and that you should consider posting it in the helpful threads archive, or creating a new thread with the same information so that others trades people can offer their thoughts and opinions as well and posters can share their experiences both buying or selling stones with or without lab grading reports. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ruby59]

The lab report, or lack thereof, isn’t what makes a stone resell for less. How much you can expect to realize on resale is largely a marketing question. Some people pay more than others, some people are better at selling than others, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. The purpose of the lab grading is to establish certain ‘facts’ that can be used in your sales presentation. This avoids grading arguments, hopefully, it makes the deal go faster and it opens up the list of potential buyers who MIGHT consider buying your stone. This may seem obvious but it opens up several important issues.

Buyers behave differently. Private parties are much more likely to rely on a lab report that you give them than professional buyers will for example. Who you’re planning on selling to makes a difference in this decision.
Prices of diamonds vary dramatically with grading results while the cost of lab services is fairly constant. This means that you are much more likely to recover you investment at the lab if you are using it to defend a high grade, say F/VVS2 than if you’re using it to defend a lower grade, say J/I1.

The purpose of the appraisal is different.
Regardless of what you tell your buyers, YOU need to know what you have and what is a reasonable price for it in the market you’re considering or you are working from a position of significant weakness. This may be ok, appraisals aren’t free and you may have something that the difference between doing well and getting taken to the cleaners isn’t all that much but there are some cases where the difference is substantial. Knowledge is power. It’s worth noting that, unlike lab paperwork, appraisals don’t usually make very good advertisements. ‘Appraised for $10,000, willing to sacrifice for $3,000’ backed by a report from some appraiser that they buyer has never heard of is rarely a persuasive argument to any buyer with sense.

That was exactly what happened in my case, Denver Appraiser. Selling to a private party is much different than selling to someone in the trade. In my case, I was told by 3 separate gemologists that having a gia "report" (for Kenny) would not have increased their offer to me. They all agreed with Arthur DeMello's appraisal, so it was a non factor. The GIA report would have only been needed if they thought Mr. DeMello had erred in his analysis of clarity, color, or size. To be honest, I did not even get the impression that cut made that much of a difference to them, certainly not like here. The fact that my diamond was a very good cut made them interested in purchasing it, but not to the point they were willing to offer any more money for it.

Unlike private parties, where there is sentiment involved as they may fall in love with your ring and be willing to pay more, that is not the case with the professionals. They showed me a chart of wholesale prices, said this is what they can buy it for through their sources, and this is what they are willing to pay. The process is pretty much cut and dried.

 

[jacy]

Over the last year, I have followed your threads about your pear solitaire purchase and then the 5-stone band purchase. Your set is such a beautiful, classic and elegant look, and I have to say, it inspired me to upgrade my wedding band to a shared prong band to wear with my pear solitaire (see avatar). Your pear setting is also very versatile with the different stacking bands you can wear with it. I'm with Woofmama where I think it would be a mistake to sell it!