Question:
I didnt see the original post, but if you are in the Pacific Northwest, I have a diamond dealer contact that can get you any diamond you want (certificated or not) at cost plus 10% (for purchases over $4000) 15% for under that figure. — Darwin is a Creationist now.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have prices on one particular emerald cut stone which matches pretty closely with what I have in mind. But, since there is no hurry, I will probably look around for a better price. If you can possibly quote for me emerald cut 1.73-1.77, VS1 – E, very good proportion (or whatever that classification is), and no fluorescence (this can vary somewhat) diamonds, and if the prices are close, I would be willing to pursue this further. I would be willing to go up in quality, i.e. VVS2, or D color for a tradeoff of a little bit in size. Wow, hold on there Primal. You can’t just order a ciamond of the exact size and quality like you can an automobile. Diamonds are not manufactured to specs, but a cut from a natural rough. ALWAYS give your dealer a range to work with, espcially if it is a fancy, and especially if it is such a large size. BTW, some jewelers are cautious of people who ask to see very specific diamonds, lest they are affraid of being set up for a switch. –Peter Mlynek
Well, the reason I am being so specific is that I have priced diamonds in that range, and they fit well within my budget. I’m flexible, but I really don’t want anything lower than E color and VS1
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You should not have a big problem finding baguettes in this clarity and color, but you do realize that baguettes are usually pretty tiny things, right. $10K will get you a nice stone…. you’re like 3 or 4 sigmas outside of the mean… –Peter Mlynek
Actually, I only want to spend $10K on everything, including the platinum setting and baguettes, etc.
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Could you please give me an approximate price for an emerald cut VS1/VVS2 diamond of E color and between 1.5 and 2.0 carats. Preferably about 1.75 or so, since I believe that 2.0 carats jump considerably in price.
For 1.50 to 1.99 pears the RDR of 2Feb96 looks like this: VVS1 VVS2 VS1 VS2 D 90 80 75 70 E 80 75 70 68 F 75 70 67 63 Emerald cuts over 1 ct are 25 to 40% cheaper. So your 1.75 ct emerald cut VS1 E will be in the neighborhood of $8600. If you go to a dealer, you might be able to pick it up for about $8K, if you go through a retailer you are looking at $10 to $15K. I am no expert, so those of you in the trade feel free to correct my numbers! Also, I have a couple of questions, if you don’t mind. Is it true that certified diamonds cost more than non-certified. My guess is that they should a little, since the lab has to be paid, etc., but by how much should the price increase?
Yeah, there aint no such thing as free lunch. But for the size you are looking at, it get’s lost in the noise. Also, which is the most reliable or respected diamond grading lab (i.e. HRD, IGI, AGI, etc.)
Supposedly GIA, but according to JCK of last July there is not really much of a difference between them…. –Peter Mlynek
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One of the things that makes me laugh is the fact that all the jewelers had different things to say about diamond pricing when comparing emerald to round. One guy said emerald cost more because there was more waste when cutting and that they were harder to find, another said that there was no difference in price, and now you’re saying that the rounds are more expensive. It seems to me that the prices will probably run about the same (which is how it was at the discount place) — go figure.
Well if you tell them you are looking for an emerald cut, they tell you it costs more. 
If the jewelers are confused about which costs more, an emerald cut or a round cut, ceteris paribus, they are either pulling your leg, or they are clueless (if you are looking for a $10K stone as you are, talk to the store owner/manager, not the $7/hr saleshelp). Ask them to show you the Rapaport Diamond Report if the are confused…. gee, this little red sheet does tend to uncloud sellers minds quickly…. As far as which cut wastes more rough, the answer has always been clear… for rounds it is somewhere along 35-40%, for fancies it is in the 20’s. Regarding certificates, I was told by one jeweler that HRD certification wasn’t as good as GIA. For me, I don’t care, as long as there is some valid certification.
Agreed. Regarding prices, for me personally, I don’t want to spend more than $10,000, including the mounting. We will probably have custom made a platinum Tiffany style setting with two baguette diamonds on the side (those will absolutely have to match the center stone, e.g. VS1 – E).
You should not have a big problem finding baguettes in this clarity and color, but you do realize that baguettes are usually pretty tiny things, right. $10K will get you a nice stone…. you’re like 3 or 4 sigmas outside of the mean… –Peter Mlynek
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I have prices on one particular emerald cut stone which matches pretty closely with what I have in mind. But, since there is no hurry, I will probably look around for a better price. If you can possibly quote for me emerald cut 1.73-1.77, VS1 – E, very good proportion (or whatever that classification is), and no fluorescence (this can vary somewhat) diamonds, and if the prices are close, I would be willing to pursue this further. I would be willing to go up in quality, i.e. VVS2, or D color for a tradeoff of a little bit in size.
Wow, hold on there Primal. You can’t just order a ciamond of the exact size and quality like you can an automobile. Diamonds are not manufactured to specs, but a cut from a natural rough. ALWAYS give your dealer a range to work with, espcially if it is a fancy, and especially if it is such a large size. BTW, some jewelers are cautious of people who ask to see very specific diamonds, lest they are affraid of being set up for a switch. –Peter Mlynek
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Is it possible for you to send me information on a round diamond preferably at least one carat,SI range, HI color. Thanks!
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Argh! Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, and I won’t presume to speak for anyone else, but I for one would greatly appreciate it if this diamond buying/selling/quoting/arguing took place over email, not on alt.wedding. Even if I didn’t have a diamond (which I do), I don’t think the discussion going on here is useful for everyone. I don’t mean to be harsh – it’s just that this seems to be a very specific discussion, and I don’t think the whole group benefits from this. My $0.02. Dina (preparing to be flamed)
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<this is not a flame Now that my disclaimer has been posted… Not every post has something to do with everyone in the group – one just needs to pick and choose which topics interest them and what posts would help them plan their own wedding. Since I was the first to bring this topic up with a question about diamonds – I felt a little obligated to respond to your post. The interest that it did generate should also show that it was a legitimate subject that does affect people in the group and more than one person wanted to know. If you dont find something interesting or pertinent to what you are looking to find in the group – then just dont read it or use that wonderful delete key and move on. Just my .02 -nancy http://www.ax.com/users/nnguyen "The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious _|/_ encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but (o o) without understanding." -Justice Louis D. Brandeis – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Argh! Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, and I won’t presume to speak for anyone else, but I for one would greatly appreciate it if this diamond buying/selling/quoting/arguing took place over email, not on alt.wedding. Even if I didn’t have a diamond (which I do), I don’t think the discussion going on here is useful for everyone. I don’t mean to be harsh – it’s just that this seems to be a very specific discussion, and I don’t think the whole group benefits from this. My $0.02. Dina (preparing to be flamed)
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RE: Buying a Diamond… First of all, any diamond of a carat or more, especially one that’s considered a "fine" diamond, or one that you consider a major investment, should come with a grading report. If it doesn’t, ask that your jeweler get the stone graded. It’s your money, after all, and a report from a respected laboratory will tell you if you’re getting what you’re paying for! Here’s 3 respected labs you can contact: 1. GIA, NY, 212-944-5900 (Gemological Institute of America) GIA, Ca. 310-829-2991 *The most respected! 2. EGL (European Gemological Lab) 213-622-2387 3. IGI (International Gemological Institute) 212-398-1700 Let me also say that there’s much more to diamonds than clarity and color. In fact, Jay Feder, author of, "The Practical Guide to Buying Diamonds" states, "It’s not uncommon for a diamond merchant to push color and clarity and disregard the quality of the cut. This sometimes results in the purchase of a diamond that’s worth 20, 30, or 40% less than what the merchant is charging you, just because of the poor cut." Even Tiffany in its "How to Buy a Diamond" brochure, states that "cut" "…more than any other factor, determines the brilliance and beauty of your diamond." I see no mention of "cut" or "make" (the cut, proportioning, and finish of a diamond) in this post. All the best, Deborah McCoy, Author, "For the Bride" who worked closely with the GIA when writing an all inclusive chapter on diamonds for her book.
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Let me also say that there’s much more to diamonds than clarity and color. In fact, Jay Feder, author of, "The Practical Guide to Buying Diamonds" states, "It’s not uncommon for a diamond merchant to push color and clarity and disregard the quality of the cut. This sometimes results in the purchase of a diamond that’s worth 20, 30, or 40% less than what the merchant is charging you, just because of the poor cut."
Well, there are several reasons for the ignorance about the cut, although it is the most important of the four Cs: 1. It is not a scalar value. Whereas clarity, color, and carat weight are all on a single linear scale, which are easily comparable, cut is not so. A person can say that a E colored diamond is better than an H, or that VS1 is better than SI2, can you tell me if a round with 57% table, 30 degree crown, 59% depth, fair symmetry, good polish, small culet, and thin to medium frosted girdle is better or worse (and by how much), than a 55% table, 15% crown height, 58% depth, no culet, faceted medium to thick girdle, good symmetry and very good polish? 2. The cut is not graded by the GIA. 3. Cut is subjective. Is the Scandanivian Round better than the Eppler, and how do they compare to Tolkowski? Yeah, though the American Ideal has a 53% table, if a customer likes more brilliance at the expense of fire, and goes for a 59% table, is the customer wrong? No, it is esthetics. 4. It is too difficult for people to learn about the quality of cuts…. I’d recommend that people spend more time learning about cuts than about the other 3 C’s combined. –Peter Mlynek (maintainer of an Engagement Diamond FAQ)
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Thanks for the search specifications and the time frame! We appreciate the opportunity to quote for you – and hopefully provide the best option! I stand by my assertion that emerald cuts will be less per carat than round brilliants. I have searched the cutters list (which is the source) and every emerald cut that I matched to a round brilliant by weight, color and clarity was significantly less expensive than the corresponding round. Every month when the cutters list comes out there will generally be three or four pages of round brilliants and maybe a quarter page of emerald cuts. So, it will be harder to zero in on narrow specifications but with the time frame you’ve allowed we may just do it! Remember the cutters list is in constant change as diamonds are sold off it and new stones are added. When we find the right deal we’ll need to put a hold on it right away. I’ll keep you posted! Best regards from the Absolute Diamond Exchange Dave
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Next, check the grading certificate for the cut proportions. These have as much to do with the diamond’s brilliance and light refraction as anything else. You should look for three percentages: table, crown and pavilion. The Ideal cut will have a table between 53% and 57%, a crown of 16.2% and a pavilion of 43.1%.
Yeah, but unfortunately GIA has not been carrying crown nor table percentages, only the depth. Several of us (who are scientists but not in the trade) on this and rec.crafts.jewelry have lamented about this for a long time: all you need to supply one of: the crown ht, crown angle, pavillion depth or pavillion angle, in order to calculate the other three values. We finally came up with a mathematical formula that solves this two equation with two unknowns by introducing another known value, i.e. density. It is acurate, but too difficult to be used by professionals, since a trained gemmologist can estimate these values faster than inputing the complicated formula into the calculator. BTW, just for fun, I did manage to come up with a formulas that would give these values very precisely by using simple calculus, and they take into account non-C8v symmetry stones, naturals, girdle faceting, etc…. Need 18 sets of octets of variables…. boy it was unwieldy! Variances of more than 2 percentage points will begin to significantly affect the diamond’s value. …
These variances are less significant in the table…. 53-58, 59-64, etc. are more than 2% apart. In any case, when looking at the table percentages consider this: bigger the table, greater the brilliance, less the fire; smaller the table greater the fire, less the brilliance. Though the tradepeople like to sing praises to the Tolkowski, this is really a matter of personal preference. –Peter Mlynek (maintainer of the Engagement Diamond FAQ)
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Primal Scream, Thought I would try to clear up the price thing for you. Round Brilliants are the most popular shape, hence the highest demand. This is why they usually command the highest price per carat in a particular quality (you know, that whole DeBeer’s flow control thing)…BUT… emerald cuts are the shape that can get tricky. Because they are a flat plane, and you virtually can look right through to the bottom of the stone, they have to be very clean, even a small white included crystal will be very obvious in the center of an EC, also for the same reason, color must be very good, because the reflection & refraction thing is not happening. I am curious as to your flourescence requirement, because the fact that a diamond flouresces is not usually visible outside of a Gemlite, and is not usually considered good or bad, why does it make a difference to you? Just curious And no, I don’t have a diamond to sell you, just been raised in a family of jewelry store owners and trying to help! Elisa
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<Could you please give me an approximate price for an emerald cut <VS1/VVS2 diamond of E color and between 1.5 and 2.0 carats. <Preferably about 1.75 or so, since I believe that 2.0 carats jump <considerably in price. < Also, I have a couple of questions, if you don’t mind. Is it true <that certified diamonds cost more than non-certified. My guess is <that they should a little, since the lab has to be paid, etc., but by <how much should the price increase? Also, which is the most reliable <or respected diamond grading lab (i.e. HRD, IGI, AGI, etc.) Primal Scream: Sorry for the delay in responding to your thread, but I didn’t see your posting until today. I have a diamond that is I.G.I. certifed. It is 1.71 carats, emerald cut with no fluorescence. Color grade: D Clarity grade: VVS2 It is a spectacular stone! Your cost is $ 9,950.00. Let me know if you are interested in seeing the stone or just getting a faxed copy of the certificate. I can also give you specs and prices on other emerald cut stones. Just to answer a couple of your questions regarding emerald cut diamonds. Everything being equal emerald cut stones are about the same price per carat or slightly less (10-15%) than round stones. The reason most people think they are more expensive is because they are generally found in higher color and clarity grades than round stones. Any slight imperfection in an EC stone will stand out because of the clearness or lack of faceting in the middle of the stone, whereas in a round, marquise, pear or princess cut stone the faceting will hide any minor imperfections. So EC stones are usually in the better clarity grades. About certified diamonds costing more: Besides the extra cost to have a gemological lab certify a diamond (the cost depends on the size of the stone) usually $75.00 and up, the stone now has an added value, because the stone has been documented by a legitimate 3rd party. Most people will pay more for a certified stone than a noncertified stone because they feel comfortable that the grading of the diamond’s quality is accurate. In reality every certified stone was not certified at one time, and the certificate does not change the stone (it’s still the same stone). If you feel comfortable with the person that is selling/grading the stone before it is certified or if you are knowledgeable about evaluating a diamond yourself, than you might not need a certified diamond. The choice is yours, but most stones of the caliber that you are considering will almost always be certified. I have found that it is easier to sell a very high quality stone if the purchaser feels confident that the grade of the stone is documented. I can also make a platinum and baguette mounting for the above mentioned stone at a very reasonable cost. Let me know if you need more information. Mitch Slachman Wedding Ring Hotline "Wedding Ring Hotline is a Spotlight Best Buy" says the authors of Bridal Bargains. Call 1-800-985-RING(7464) for the highest quality wedding rings at the lowest prices anywhere. We also carry GIA and IGI certified diamonds. Call for a free price quote. Good Luck to all brides & grooms to be!
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Regarding "Primal Scream’s"???? diamond inquiry: ALWAYS buy a certified diamond!!! Especially in the size and quality specifications you requested. The certification costs the cutter less than $45 and is generally absorbed by him. When you’re considering a several thousand dollar diamond $45 is nothing. The cutters will generally always have a certification done on their good stones and skip the process on stones that aren’t worth it. The certificates should be from an Independent Grading Lab – one that has nothing to do with selling diamonds. EGL, GIA and HRD are all highly respected. The grading standards you’ve listed for your emerald cut diamond are premium! Emerald cuts do not move nearly as well as round brilliants which is good news and bad news – good news in that the same grading standards in a round brilliant would be significantly more expensive because of the demand. The bad news is that cutters create much fewer emerald cuts, so you probably won’t find an exact match to your specs. I took the liberty of contacting the cutter to check availabilty (we don’t inventory diamonds which keeps our overhead low). He has one emerald cut and it’s outside your size parameter: 2.36 carat, F color, VVS2 clarity with a GIA certificate for $17,098. I checked on round brilliants in your spec ranges and found three that might interest you: 1.51 carat, F color, SI3 clarity for $4987; 1.67 carat, H color, VS2 clarity for $8498 and a 2.05 carat, G color, VS1 clarity for $16,098. All three have full certificates. If you would like more information on any of these, let me know. Or, if you aren’t buying just yet, let me know when you’re ready to buy and I’ll check with the cutter again – his inventory changes daily as new stones are cut and existing stones are sold. Happy to be of service. For the Absolute Diamond Exchange, Diamond Dave http://www.galaxymall.com/shops/diamonds.html
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[snip] : : We wanted a .75 carat diamond – Princess cut – VVS1 – G color and were : quoted a price of about $3300 – this does not include the extra $1300 for : the setting that we chose. Is this a fair price? : My fiance told about his ring searching. Can you believe he went to *23* different jewelers? Some highlights of what he said are: Buy a book on jems and read it. You’ll learn a lot, including how to tell when the jewelers are trying to snow you. This is vital. Jewelers will =always= try to snow you. Never trust them. But learning how to read them and deal with them works well. Talking with as many different jewelers as possible helps. I went with John on some of these visits, and you won’t believe the fiction we heard! Only go to the mall shops to find more jewelers to talk to. Never buy from them, because their prices are always so much higher. This doesn’t mean independent jewelers are by definition cheaper, since they can snow you. But it does mean you can get a much better deal from an independent, if you know. Once you find a jeweler you can do business with, arrange with him to get a diamond. Most jewelers are in networks in which they can order several diamonds for a 4 day trial, and send them back risk free. This lets them find several diamonds fitting your wants for you to preview. When you think you’ve found THE diamond, buy it and take it to another jeweler. Any reputable jeweler will let you return a diamond within a few days, so use this opportunity to go to another jeweler who will give you a free evaluation. Realize that the second jeweler will likely tell you that you’ve been had and that they, of course, can do better, to try to steal your business. Nevertheless, you can take their evaluation back to the first jeweler and demand a better price or a better diamond. John got THE diamond GIA certified, and the price evaluation came back at twice what he paid. From what he’d heard, getting an evaluation for more than what you paid is normal. Use the evaluation for insurance purposes. Good Luck, Jeanne — <^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^<^ <^ Jeanne Petrangelo, graduated EE| "EE’s are intelligent, really. They’re just Worcester Polytechnic Institute| CS department, WPI <_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_<_ <_
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Regarding "Primal Scream’s"???? diamond inquiry: The grading standards you’ve listed for your emerald cut diamond are premium! Emerald cuts do not move nearly as well as round brilliants which is good news and bad news – good news in that the same grading standards in a round brilliant would be significantly more expensive because of the demand. The bad news is that cutters create much fewer emerald cuts, so you probably won’t find an exact match to your specs. I took the liberty of contacting the cutter to check availabilty (we don’t inventory diamonds which keeps our overhead low). He has one emerald cut and it’s outside your size parameter: 2.36 carat, F color, VVS2 clarity with a GIA certificate for $17,098. I checked on round brilliants in your spec ranges and found three that might interest you: 1.51 carat, F color, SI3 clarity for $4987; 1.67 carat, H color, VS2 clarity for $8498 and a 2.05 carat, G color, VS1 clarity for $16,098. All three have full certificates. If you would like more information on any of these, let me know. Or, if you aren’t buying just yet, let me know when you’re ready to buy and I’ll check with the cutter again – his inventory changes daily as new stones are cut and existing stones are sold. Happy to be of service. For the Absolute Diamond Exchange, Diamond Dave http://www.galaxymall.com/shops/diamonds.html
We (I) am not buying yet — I will in another 6-9 months — but I know that she really wants an emerald cut. We did the round of the jewelry stores in the mall just to get an idea, and saw princess cuts (which she wanted at first), rounds, and pears. We couldn’t find emerald cuts for a while. Then we went to one of the discount diamond places around here (Chicago), and saw a few emerald cuts (I preferred these). Once she saw them, she was convinced too. Soooo…. I really think that for the next few months, I will be looking for emerald cuts. One of the things that makes me laugh is the fact that all the jewelers had different things to say about diamond pricing when comparing emerald to round. One guy said emerald cost more because there was more waste when cutting and that they were harder to find, another said that there was no difference in price, and now you’re saying that the rounds are more expensive. It seems to me that the prices will probably run about the same (which is how it was at the discount place) — go figure. Regarding certificates, I was told by one jeweler that HRD certification wasn’t as good as GIA. For me, I don’t care, as long as there is some valid certification. Regarding prices, for me personally, I don’t want to spend more than $10,000, including the mounting. We will probably have custom made a platinum Tiffany style setting with two baguette diamonds on the side (those will absolutely have to match the center stone, e.g. VS1 – E). I have prices on one particular emerald cut stone which matches pretty closely with what I have in mind. But, since there is no hurry, I will probably look around for a better price. If you can possibly quote for me emerald cut 1.73-1.77, VS1 – E, very good proportion (or whatever that classification is), and no fluorescence (this can vary somewhat) diamonds, and if the prices are close, I would be willing to pursue this further. I would be willing to go up in quality, i.e. VVS2, or D color for a tradeoff of a little bit in size. At any rate, thanks for your time. It’s really quite helpful.
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<snip Next, check the grading certificate for the cut proportions. These have as much to do with the diamond’s brilliance and light refraction as anything else. You should look for three percentages: table, crown and pavilion. The Ideal cut will have a table between 53% and 57%, a crown of 16.2% and a pavilion of 43.1%. Variances of more than 2 percentage points will begin to significantly affect the diamond’s value. The certificate should rate the proportions as good to very good and the symetry as good to very good.<snip For the Absolute Diamond Exchange Dave
I agreed with everything Dave put above but would like to clarify one point. The percentages listed apply to Round Brilliant diamonds and not other fancy types (such as Emerald, Pear, Heart, Marquise, etc.). -Jeff Roddin
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<We wanted a .75 carat diamond – Princess cut – VVS1 – G color and were <quoted a price of about $3300 – this does not include the extra $1300 for <the setting that we chose. Is this a fair price? Nancy, I think the price you were quoted was a pretty fair price, especially if it was from a retail jewelry store. However, I think that you can do a little better if you do some more shopping around. You didn’t say if the stone you saw was certified by a gemological lab like G.I.A., I.G.I. or E.G.L. I carry a large selection of diamonds and I have a couple that I thought you might be interested in. I can give you specs on many more princess cuts diamonds as well. .93 carat princess cut certified by the I.G.I. F color/VVS2 clarity, excellent cut. Your cost $3,750.00. .80 carat princess cut (not yet certified) G-H color/VS1 clarity. Your cost $2,600.00 .70 carat princess cut (not yet certified) G color/VS clarity. Your cost $2,300.00 All of our stones come with a 7 day money back guarantee. There is no sales tax on orders shipped outside New Jersey. I also carry a large selection of 14kt, 18kt, and platinum mountings that might be considerably less than the $1300.00 you were quoted. When even carry settings made by designers like Scott Kay, Jewels by Star, Goldman, etc… Give me a call at 1-800-985-RING(7464) for more information and pricing. Good Luck! Mitch Slachman Wedding Ring Hotline/Bride & Groom’s West "Wedding Ring Hotline is a Spotlight Best Buy" says the authors of Bridal Bargains. Call 1-800-985-RING(7464) for the highest quality wedding rings at the lowest prices anywhere. We also carry GIA and IGI certified diamonds. Call for a free price quote. Good Luck to all brides & grooms to be!
Could you please give me an approximate price for an emerald cut VS1/VVS2 diamond of E color and between 1.5 and 2.0 carats. Preferably about 1.75 or so, since I believe that 2.0 carats jump considerably in price. Also, I have a couple of questions, if you don’t mind. Is it true that certified diamonds cost more than non-certified. My guess is that they should a little, since the lab has to be paid, etc., but by how much should the price increase? Also, which is the most reliable or respected diamond grading lab (i.e. HRD, IGI, AGI, etc.) Thank you very much
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My future fiance and I went diamond shopping this past weekend and I wanted to make sure that the price which we were quoted for the diamond that we wanted was a fair one – so hopefully someone out there has extended knowledge of diamonds and their market value and can give me some insight. We wanted a .75 carat diamond – Princess cut – VVS1 – G color and were quoted a price of about $3300 – this does not include the extra $1300 for the setting that we chose. Is this a fair price? thanks! nancy http://www.ax.com/users/nnguyen "The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious _|/_ encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but (o o) without understanding." -Justice Louis D. Brandeis
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We wanted a .75 carat diamond – Princess cut – VVS1 – G color and were quoted a price of about $3300 – this does not include the extra $1300 for the setting that we chose. Is this a fair price?
Nancy, I dunno much about diamonds (except that I like them . I have a 0.5 carat diamond, pear cut, VS1, D color, and we paid around $2100 for it about a year and a half ago. What I’ve been told (and this makes sense) is this: often loose diamonds are quoted as price/carat. Because high quality larger stones are harder to find, the price per carat goes up esponentially as you go to the larger stones. For example, if a 1/2 carat is $1000, often a 3/4 carat of the same quality is more than $1500. I may be wrong, but this is what my jeweler told us when we bought. Now, what the heck this has to do with you, I dunno – but I’m having a good day, and feel like babbling. Probably the best thing to do is go to another jeweler, and shop the same diamond around. You’ll get a better idea of the fairness. One extra note. I was recently told by another jeweler (the one who designed my wedding band) that you can not discern the difference between VS1 and VVS1 with the naked eye. So maybe you can, if you’re looking to save money (aren’t we all?), look at some VS1 stones and see if you find something for a bit less money that you can be happy with. Anyway, it’s quite possible that NONE of this was useful. Oh well. At any rate, HAVE FUN! You’ll only do this once in your life – enjoy it! My $0.02. Dina Anderson (5/26/96 – mailing invitations Monday!
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<We wanted a .75 carat diamond – Princess cut – VVS1 – G color and were <quoted a price of about $3300 – this does not include the extra $1300 for <the setting that we chose. Is this a fair price? Nancy, I think the price you were quoted was a pretty fair price, especially if it was from a retail jewelry store. However, I think that you can do a little better if you do some more shopping around. You didn’t say if the stone you saw was certified by a gemological lab like G.I.A., I.G.I. or E.G.L. I carry a large selection of diamonds and I have a couple that I thought you might be interested in. I can give you specs on many more princess cuts diamonds as well. .93 carat princess cut certified by the I.G.I. F color/VVS2 clarity, excellent cut. Your cost $3,750.00. .80 carat princess cut (not yet certified) G-H color/VS1 clarity. Your cost $2,600.00 .70 carat princess cut (not yet certified) G color/VS clarity. Your cost $2,300.00 All of our stones come with a 7 day money back guarantee. There is no sales tax on orders shipped outside New Jersey. I also carry a large selection of 14kt, 18kt, and platinum mountings that might be considerably less than the $1300.00 you were quoted. When even carry settings made by designers like Scott Kay, Jewels by Star, Goldman, etc… Give me a call at 1-800-985-RING(7464) for more information and pricing. Good Luck! Mitch Slachman Wedding Ring Hotline/Bride & Groom’s West "Wedding Ring Hotline is a Spotlight Best Buy" says the authors of Bridal Bargains. Call 1-800-985-RING(7464) for the highest quality wedding rings at the lowest prices anywhere. We also carry GIA and IGI certified diamonds. Call for a free price quote. Good Luck to all brides & grooms to be!
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First of all, I would agree with Dina in that you are paying a considerable premium for the VVS1 grade. The vast majority of diamonds sold today are in the SI1 – SI3 clarity grading. The inclusions are minimal if visible to the naked eye at all and the sparkle, beauty and refraction is the same as a VVS1. But, if your set on a VVS1, here’s the skinny: first and foremost find out who graded it. The only diamond gradings worth anything are from Independent Grading Labs – people whose sole business is grading, not selling. The most respected are EGL Los Angeles, GIA New York, and HRD Belgium. Your jeweler should not only be familiar with them, but every good quality diamond he sells should already be graded by them. If he tries to give you some story about him grading it and you don’t need gradings from independent labs – take your business elsewhere. Next, check the grading certificate for the cut proportions. These have as much to do with the diamond’s brilliance and light refraction as anything else. You should look for three percentages: table, crown and pavilion. The Ideal cut will have a table between 53% and 57%, a crown of 16.2% and a pavilion of 43.1%. Variances of more than 2 percentage points will begin to significantly affect the diamond’s value. The certificate should rate the proportions as good to very good and the symetry as good to very good. If the above gradings all check out, the price you’ve quoted of $3,300 is fair for retail. I’m curious as to the setting you picked for $1,300. A solitaire 14K white or yellow gold ring setting should run around $175. Unless you’re adding more stones in the setting, I’m not sure what justifies that price. If you’re interested in shopping, we have several diamonds between .75 and 1.0 carat, good proportions and various grading levels between $1,800 and $3,000. I’d be happy to help in any way – even just to make sure you get the best deal locally. For the Absolute Diamond Exchange Dave
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RE: Buying a Diamond… The best way to shop for a diamond is to do just that–shop! When buying a diamond of the quality described here, it’s always best to have a certificate from a respected gem lab. The GIA is the most respected one in the US. When writing my book, I did much research into diamonds and worked closely with the GIA. It’s really important that you do your homework and understand how diamonds are graded and how the grade(s) of your diamond effects the price you’ll pay. Without a doubt, the "make"–cut, proportioning, and finish of the diamond is the most important factor to consider when buying a beautiful stone. Tiffany’s in its brochure says that, "Cut,more than any other factor, determines the brilliance and beauty of your diamond." In the chapter I wrote on diamonds, I did a "Diamond Comparison Checklist" chart that I will be glad to send to anyone who needs it.Take it with you when you shop. I think it will be an invaluable tool in helping select the right diamond for you! All the best, Deb McCoy, Author, "For the Bride" for more info, free book offer, Bride’s Directory, Honeymoons, visit: http://www.gate.net/~bridea2z/wedding.htm
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LaJuana in central Arkansas — <http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2818 Bookstore: <http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2818/bookstore.html You can’t have everything. Where would you put it? 
Gump I don’t know about you, but I don’t even need to reach goal weight before I have a hard time picking it off the floor on the way out the door. I found that if I wear those long shorts that basketball players wear I can wrap it around my leg and tie it off at the knee. Much better then hauling it around on the floor:-) JHard