Golconda type lla

[bgray]

so-i saw an adverstisement in the Wall Street journal for a diamond --pear shape about 3 carats. They stated that it is a the Golconda diamond--and that they are 2 full shades whiter than D color. Is this true or hype? Considering that each color grade has nuances I dont know how you measure that. thoughts?

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/26/2009 10:17:33 AM
Author:bgray
so-i saw an adverstisement in the Wall Street journal for a diamond --pear shape about 3 carats. They stated that it is a the Golconda diamond--and that they are 2 full shades whiter than D color. Is this true or hype? Considering that each color grade has nuances I dont know how you measure that. thoughts?

http://www.rwwise.com/tgd2.html
The legendary Blue Whites, in strong UV what a site they must be!

From RW:

To summarize, there appear to be three visual characteristics that define the beauty of Golconda diamonds: A high degree of limpidity (crystal), an ultra-whiteness and a blue afterglow that appears in natural daylight. Golconda gems are Type IIa diamonds and this can be established by scientific testing. All Type IIa diamonds, however, are not Golconda diamonds; to be considered Golconda, they must possess the visual characteristics just described.

Are you going to see a lab report stating Color B I doubt it.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/26/2009 10:17:33 AM
Author:bgray
so-i saw an adverstisement in the Wall Street journal for a diamond --pear shape about 3 carats. They stated that it is a the Golconda diamond--and that they are 2 full shades whiter than D color. Is this true or hype? Considering that each color grade has nuances I dont know how you measure that. thoughts?

Useful info on Golconda diamonds.

Interview from Christies with Rahul Kadakia you might enjoy.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/26/2009 10:57:47 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 11/26/2009 10:17:33 AM
Author:bgray
so-i saw an adverstisement in the Wall Street journal for a diamond --pear shape about 3 carats. They stated that it is a the Golconda diamond--and that they are 2 full shades whiter than D color. Is this true or hype? Considering that each color grade has nuances I dont know how you measure that. thoughts?

Useful info on Golconda diamonds.

Interview from Christies with Rahul Kadakia you might enjoy.

http://www.artfinding.com/modules/video/index.php?id_video=4931&id_categorie=1 Anyone have 1.25 Million Euros lieing around. If you do this 7.42 Ct Golconda could be yours

 

[kenny]

Date: 11/26/2009 10:57:47 AM
Author: Lorelei


Interview from Christies with Rahul Kadakia you might enjoy.

It is likely at least one of these Golconda diamonds has been graded by GIA.
Does GIA concede there are grades higher than D?

I detect just a smidgen of marketing gobleteegook here.
But I guess relying on science will not result in high enough profit margins for Christies.

" . . . like a Picasso", my rear.

What do our pros here have to say about grades above D?

 

[denverappraiser]

The GIA color scale starts at D and each color grade encompasses a range. Sellers are welcome to argue that theirs is near the top of the range and compare it to others that are near the bottom to show how good the one they’re selling is. Sellers can and do use whatever grading scale they wish and can use 'Golconda' as a descriptor if they think it will sell better as a result but, by definition,‘D’ is the top color grade on the GIA scale.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[kenny]

Thanks Neil.
Don't the width of GIA's color grade ranges get wider as you go down and narrower as you go up towards D?

If you put the highest D you ever saw next to the lowest D you ever saw how would you describe the difference?

 

[AGBF]

There are at least three other Pricescope threads that discuss Golconda diamonds as well. Here are links to them:

One "What are Golconda diamonds?"
Two "Does anybody buy D colors anymore???"
Three "Golconda diamond????????????? "


AGBF

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/26/2009 11:11:43 AM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 11/26/2009 10:57:47 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 11/26/2009 10:17:33 AM
Author:bgray
so-i saw an adverstisement in the Wall Street journal for a diamond --pear shape about 3 carats. They stated that it is a the Golconda diamond--and that they are 2 full shades whiter than D color. Is this true or hype? Considering that each color grade has nuances I dont know how you measure that. thoughts?

Useful info on Golconda diamonds.

Interview from Christies with Rahul Kadakia you might enjoy.

http://www.artfinding.com/modules/video/index.php?id_video=4931&id_categorie=1 Anyone have 1.25 Million Euros lieing around. If you do this 7.42 Ct Golconda could be yours

Thats absolutely stunning!!!

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 11/26/2009 2:57:42 PM
Author: denverappraiser
The GIA color scale starts at D and each color grade encompasses a range. Sellers are welcome to argue that theirs is near the top of the range and compare it to others that are near the bottom to show how good the one they’re selling is. Sellers can and do use whatever grading scale they wish and can use ''Golconda'' as a descriptor if they think it will sell better as a result but, by definition,‘D’ is the top color grade on the GIA scale.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

I pose the following question then:

How do you describe something that is whiter than icy white and has Blue Fluroescence that is beyond the scale designed to evaluate color by comparison with other stones?
How would you market the color of it in terms that the general gem buying collectors would understand?

Under light that has no UV in it If one was to compare a Golconda next to the highest D they could find, next to a E and F, perhaps the difference between the D and F is the same difference as between the Golconda and the D, I do not know how the can support that claim.

 

[denverappraiser]

On the GIA grading scale, Golconda diamonds would be graded D. As I understand it, stereotypical Golcondas are not fluorescent using the standard type approach taught and used by GIA. They may be fluorescent under different frequencies but I've never seen a study relating to this.

Whether or not this is useful information for marketing is an entirely different question. I routinely see advertisements that identify a stone as being from Golconda and therefore being sold for a premium based on the idea that it’s not only different but ‘better’. Maybe so, but we are now grading two attributes that are outside the GIA scale. The first is grading color on a separate scale and the second is assigning value to the location of the mine and possibly the date of the mining. Some buyers may indeed value these things and I’m not suggesting that they should be summarily dismissed but they are way outside of the GIA approach to grading and when assigning a grade it's ALWAYS important to understand what scale is being used. 'Super-D' and 'Golconda' are not GIA grades, there is no scale that I've ever seen defining what is being described and I'm with Kenny in taking this sort of claim with a huge grain of salt because of it. It's rather like the used car grade of 'creampuff'. It doesn't mean it's not a nice car, or even that it's not more valuable to the right buyer, but nothing of real value has been communicated by assigning the grade.

How would I recommend sellers navigate this? I would suggest they call them Golcondas, back it up with whatever they can to support this claim and try to persuade buyers that this is an attribute worth paying extra for.

The only stone presented to me for appraisal with a claim of Golconda origin also came with the claim that it was part of the original jewels pawned by Isabella to fund the Columbus expedition. I promptly declined the job because the primary value characteristic is to prove THAT while all gemological issues become completely secondary.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/26/2009 4:07:51 PM
Author: denverappraiser

The only stone presented to me for appraisal with a claim of Golconda origin also came with the claim that it was part of the original jewels pawned by Isabella to fund the Columbus expedition.

At least tell us what the stone looked like, Neil! Did it look fit for a queen? What kind of specs did it have? Was it colorless? What kind of cut was it? Was it big? Come on!! Don''t tease!

AGBF

 

[bgray]

as usual I am so wowed by all the great insight, perpsective and experience here! Thanks!