3 replies to this topic

[diamondlooker]

Hi,

I know that GIA and AGS are the better labs...but I we are on a budget and do not want to purchase on-line and have not found a local jeweler that had much to suit our budget without going over by a thousand plus. We want to see the stone in person and do not have the cash up front to buy and return diamonds on line until we find "the one."

I found a diamond that is not GIA/AGS, but is IGI at a wholesaler. I spent several hours looking at numerous loose stones. I looked at one GIA, some EGL and this particular IGI.

It is 1.16 carat, H color, VVS2 I looked at it under the special jeweler light that highlights color very well, I looked at it under all of the different types of light in the store, I took it out in to direct sun, indirect sun etc...
I looked at it on white paper, and next to a GIA master set 'H" stone and it was surprisingly as white/clear, no yellow at all. It actually stood up well next to the 'G' GIA master stone.

The jeweler did not attempt to tell me that IGI was the greatest lab ever, and we dicussed variation and loose grading etc..he was very honest and I came in already having done research. So I am familiar with the pros/cons of labs.

This stone that I like, was very bright, faced up very white, was very clear and no tint of yellow through the side view and had a lot of sparkle. I looked at it under the loupe and I did not see anything of significance that was bothersome as far as any inclusions.

So, 1.16 carat Round Brilliant H, VVS2, Table 58, Depth 63 6.60x 6.63x 4.17mm $5700.00
Good Pol. VG Symm
For the price, and the fact that I am okay with a non GIA/AGS and also do not plan to trade up/in etc... What do you think of the over all value?

I also looked at an EGL:
1.09 G, VS2 Depth 60.0, Table 57 6.73x 6.68x 4.0mm $5570.00
VG pol, VG Symm
*This one appeared a bit darker than the stone above, but was still very pretty and sparkly It had a slight tint, but not like I was expecting. The jeweler did say that if it were GIA graded, it would likely be H, SI1. This one due to it''s table size etc., looked much bigger than others that were about teh same carat weight. I think it was "spreadiness" that made this so? I do not know the actual term!


Thoughts on these knowing they are not GIA/AGS? I've done tons of research and I understand the differences and I have read many of your thoughts regarding the reasons EGL and IGI are not the best. I would just like to know if the prices on these, considering I do really like them both and would be happy with one of them (the IGI one more so) are reasonable?

Buying on-line, site-unseen I just cant do.

Thanks for any input. I really appreciate it!

[LaurieH]

I understand your hesitance to buy online, but still price compare with some of the online stores. I was able to do a basic search on a couple sites, and found diamonds about that size, color and clarity for less. For example--I found a 1.14, GIA certified, with J color and VS1 Clarity (which is probably close to what you have there), with Excellent Polish and Symmetry for about $4800. Hopefully that gives you a little bit of an idea. Given, the mark-up online is often not as much as brick-and-mortar stores have to charge b/c of the overhead, but maybe if you do a little homework and find some other good stuff online and bring that info with you to your dealer, it might give you a little bit of haggling room. I wouldn't say that paying a couple hundred more isn't worth it for the peace of mind, if that's what you prefer, but I'd still do your homework to make sure you get the best deal possible. However, If after doing all you can, you really just love the diamond--that's what's important. A couple hundred dollars--as long as you're within a fair range--isn't worth losing sleep over by passing over a diamond that you'd like

Good luck and congrats in advance!

[davidelevi]

Look, the issue of AGS/GIA vs. the rest is a non issue. The question to put to the honest jeweller is very simple: will you please get this stone regraded by GIA? It will take about a week and it will cost less than $200. If not, why not?

Remember - the vendor has chosen to get the stone graded by a given lab, and they have no significant financial ($20?) or timewise (2 days?) reason not to use GIA. If they don't, you are relying on their word and your observations that the diamond is what it says it is - unfortunately very small details on colour and clarity have very large impacts on prices, and thus any benchmarking/price comparison is flawed.

If you are happy with it, go ahead. I would not because I would forever be wondering what's the reason for the vendor not to choose a decent lab. In good conscience it's the only advice I can give you. On the other hand, I have no problem purchasing online, so each to his own.

Edited by davidelevi, 30 October 2010 - 09:02 AM.

[denverappraiser]

I'm a big fan of shopping with your neighborhood B&M and I agree that a stone is 'worth' more coming from such a source. Not only is not everyone comfortable with the online long distance route, most people aren't. The issue, as you well know, is about the grading. If you're prepared to rely on the gemologist at the store, and this is exactly what you're doing, then you're fine to be saving on the lab fees. If your jeweler is proving to be a straight up advisor who is your ally rather than your opponent in this shopping process then you're way ahead of the game.

As Davide points out, you're not saving as much on the lab fees as you think and it begs the question why it is the way it is. IGI is a little bit cheaper on their services than GIA, maybe $40 on a stone this size if it was submitted by a high volume client, but it's simply not correct that this was the reason they chose that particular lab. Bet on it that there WAS a reason, and that's one of the questions to ask your jeweler. Maybe it was to get a softer grade on something, maybe it was to avoid the GIA cut grading scale, maybe it was something else entirely but there is SOMETHING about that stone that led it down this path and it wasn't the price or convenience of the lab. The perception that there's a significant financial savings just underscores that there's something that you're missing in the formula. Find out what it is and decide if it's acceptable to you. Maybe it is. Really. You're not buying a report, you're buying a diamond but if the store's supplier could have raised their price by $1000 by choosing a different lab and springing for an extra $40 you can bet that this would have been done WAY before either you or your jeweler ever saw the stone. The point of the lab is no more or less than to understand what it is you're getting so you can make an informed decision. There is no wrong answer.

Edited by denverappraiser, 30 October 2010 - 09:43 AM.