How much should I offer for 1.78 carat diamond studs, SI2, H color?

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nicole0612

nicole0612

Decade Club
Jan 31, 2015
16,345
36,779
#1
I am looking for diamond studs and suddenly a pair became available originally purchased from my jewler for $6,000 and were just re-appraised by the Northwest Gemological Laboratory (near Seattle, WA) for $6,000. How much should I offer for 1.78 total carat diamond studs, SI2, H color? The cut is listed as excellent. They are set in white gold. He is asking $3,400 but indicated that he would be willing to go a bit lower since we purchased my engagement ring from him for a nice sum. My question for you all: what should I offer for them?
Thanks for any advice!

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#2
what are the angles and do they have reports from an actual lab like GIA or AGS. Just because it's listed as excellent doesn't mean they're actually well cut.
 
#3
ame said:
what are the angles and do they have reports from an actual lab like GIA or AGS. Just because it's listed as excellent doesn't mean they're actually well cut.
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Thanks Ame, they have an AGS report and an insurance evaluation for $6,000. These are the specs I have: table (57%), girdle (thin to medium), culet (none), fluorescence (strong blue).
 
#4
The AGS report should have more info than the table being 57%. What about the crown and pavilion angles and depth percentage? Insurance valuation means nothing. He is asking a fair amount considering they're preowned.
 
#5
ame said:
The AGS report should have more info than the table being 57%. What about the crown and pavilion angles and depth percentage? Insurance valuation means nothing. He is asking a fair amount considering they're preowned.
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Thank you Ame! I will find out the additional info.
 
#7
lilmountaingirl said:
I personally would want to pay between 2000 to 2500 for them. But I think 3400 is a decent price for them from a jeweler and 3000 wouldn't be a terrible deal.
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Thank you! They are actually owned by a private seller, originally purchased from my jeweler. My jeweler will re-sell them to me for $3,400, but he indicated that this price is not firm, so asking for $3,000 certainly won't hurt! Maybe we could meet in the middle. I could also buy them directly from the private seller (but I would have to get the appraisal and specs verified prior to purchase - I have been quoted $85 for this). So would you offer in the $2,000-2,500 range from the private seller directly and $3,000 through the jeweler? Thanks.
 
#11
nicole0612 said:
Thank you! They are actually owned by a private seller, originally purchased from my jeweler. My jeweler will re-sell them to me for $3,400, but he indicated that this price is not firm, so asking for $3,000 certainly won't hurt! Maybe we could meet in the middle. I could also buy them directly from the private seller (but I would have to get the appraisal and specs verified prior to purchase - I have been quoted $85 for this). So would you offer in the $2,000-2,500 range from the private seller directly and $3,000 through the jeweler? Thanks.
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I don't think you'd be getting ripped off or anything at 3400. Just me, I find lots of good deals on jewelry through private parties or pawn shops, etc. And if I were buying those on the secondary market I'd try to get them for 2000 to 2500 because I know I could get an 80-ish point diamond of those stats around 1000 to 1250. But it might be different where you live. But if say I had been wanting a pair of studs with those stats for a long time, and nothing had been showing up on the secondary market, I'd probably pay the 3400 if i had to, but it's more than I'd like to, but still an okay price. How much do you like them and want them? I'd probably start where Ame said, about 2700 but be prepared to have to pay more and set a threshold of what you're willing to pay.
 
#12
lilmountaingirl said:
I don't think you'd be getting ripped off or anything at 3400. Just me, I find lots of good deals on jewelry through private parties or pawn shops, etc. And if I were buying those on the secondary market I'd try to get them for 2000 to 2500 because I know I could get an 80-ish point diamond of those stats around 1000 to 1250. But it might be different where you live. But if say I had been wanting a pair of studs with those stats for a long time, and nothing had been showing up on the secondary market, I'd probably pay the 3400 if i had to, but it's more than I'd like to, but still an okay price. How much do you like them and want them? I'd probably start where Ame said, about 2700 but be prepared to have to pay more and set a threshold of what you're willing to pay.
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That is great advice. Where are you located? I am in Seattle, WA and we do not seem to have a great secondary market here for jewelry. I have seen many smaller Diamond earrings come up for sale (1-1.2 ctw, but very few at 1.5 ctw or higher). I have not really looked for loose diamonds, other than on Blue Nile, which would be much more expensive. I have checked at a few of the higher rated diamond resellers and pawn shops, where they I have seen diamond studs in the range of 1.2 to 1.3 ctw with G-H color range and SI1-2 clarity range for $3,000-3,500.
I went with yours and Ame's advice and offered $2,700 through the private seller, not brokered by the jeweler. An offer came back to meet in the middle at $3,050. An extra $300 will not make or break me, but on the other hand I am not desperate to have them. I have just been looking to upgrade from my 1 ctw studs at some point and if I go smaller than 1.7-1.8 ctw I think I will want to upgrade again within a year or two to a larger size.
I would be interested to know where you are located - just in case I am missing a great secondary market to shop for jewelry nearby.
 
#13
I am very doubtful that those are AGS graded at that price, and they probably are lower in either color or clarity if there is no accurate grading. It is impossible to know their value without grading from either GIA or AGS. If they are saying SI2, they very likely are I1 and I would be very cautious.
 
#14
DS2006 said:
I am very doubtful that those are AGS graded at that price, and they probably are lower in either color or clarity if there is no accurate grading. It is impossible to know their value without grading from either GIA or AGS. If they are saying SI2, they very likely are I1 and I would be very cautious.
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Good advice, thank you. I asked for a copy of the report from AGS and was told it will me available by Thursday. I will use caution. There are some independent Diamond labs around here where the expert was trained by GIA or AGS, so I will have to make sure that is not the case here and that the diamonds were actually graded by AGS, not an AGS trained expert. You are certainly correct - I would be very disappointed to end up with I1 diamonds.
 
#15
Just make sure the stones themselves are actually graded by AGS. Just because whoever appraised them was trained by GIA or AGS doesn't mean a thing. Those stones being represented as AGS graded should come with reports. You can make sure those stones match the reports, as well. Make the sale contingent on the reports matching the stones AND the stones having a legit grading report from AGS and or GIA, and being represented properly.

Going into stuff like this without being well educated is unfortunately asking for trouble. Get yourself a loupe, learn how to use it, and know what you're looking for. Understanding cut quality and reports is also something worth picking up.
 
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