Case of the pre-PS blues...

[Sparkles22]

I was just wondering how many others out there found out they spent way too much for something, and the quality wasn't good, but didn't learn any of this until being enlightened by PS???

For example..... My story is this:

I have an old setting I don't know what to do with it's WG 0.5 tcw I/J I3!!!! Under a loop the diamonds look...BLACK... got it for a "steal" at $2000, should have been tipped off that the YG one in the same setting was on clearance for $999 I don't want to set anything in it, because I am just so irritated by the whole thing, and now when I look at it I can see the blackness with the naked eye, also the workmanship on it stinks. So right now it sits in my jewelry box, when I open the little box it is in I get so irritated. LOSS= $2000

I had a 0.33 stone that I traded in at the same store (had to spend double) for a 0.71 G I1, (poor cut-- which I didn't know at the time), got educated through PS and eventually traded it in at a reputible store and got $600 for it.... I paid like $1600 for it LOSS=$1000

ETA: the 0.71 was actually the second stone (they had to replace the original stone I traded in for which I think was 0.63ct), it cracked! Probably since it was so included! And the turn around time for them to replace it (since we paid extra for the lifetime trade in) was like 2.5 months!

I could have gotten something really nice with that $3000, and I am so irritated that I basically flushed that. I won't even go back to that store, because in my mind they sell "crap", which I wouldn't have known if I wasn't educated. I also forbid DH from buying me anything from there

, at least anything with diamonds in it, since I know they are "ugly" stones. (I have other pieces I bought pre-PS, but they're ok, and I didn't waste as much on them).

Please share your stories if you have any. We were all pre-PS at some point....

 

[Rhea]

My story isn''t near as traumatic as your story! But it is upsetting to me because DH doesn''t get "upgrades" (always said in quotes by him). So while I can always buy earrings, bracelets, whatever, but rings are out. I like rings best because they are the only piece of jewellery that *I* can actually see all day without looking in a mirror.

My story:
We bought the engagement ring that I choose, a .47 centre stone with a baguette on each side to total about .71 carats set in white gold. It''s a vintage/antique piece from about 1940s. The setting is in horrible condition because we didn''t buy from a retailer who really stood up for their work. Also, the stone isn''t a cooler older cut like I was led to believe nor is a cooler newer cut, it''s somewhere inbetween so when I show it I can''t really say it''s an OEC or pretty transition or a H&A. It''s jut a round cut.

With the money that we spent we could have gotten the same size (or larger!) really pretty OEC or ideal cut. But it''s way too late for that. I get sad when I see people on here who have beautiful smaller stones that would have easily been within my budget.

Sigh

 

[erica k]

I have a story, but it happened after I found out about PS:

My husband did a great job of finding my .52ct F SI2 solitaire pre-PS, but for some reason, my mom decided I should have her new 1ct stone after I got married. She showed it to me, and it wasn''t very pretty. It was in a high bezel setting with two rows of princess-cut stones on either side in a platinum setting. It was obviously a deep cut stone, and I could definitely see more color in it. My dad bought it for my mom at the jewelry district in LA and probably didn''t think about anything besides size and price. He paid $5500 for the 1ct stone, platinum setting, and 2ctw princess cut melee.

I asked to see the receipt, and it had a GIA# written down, but no paper cert. I checked online, and it stated that the crown angle was more than 35%. The stone is supposedly a G SI1, and I can''t see any inclusions, but it definitely looks warmer than my F. I don''t think I''m particularly color sensitive, so I think it''s indicative of the cut.

Anyway, we re-set the stone in an e-ring setting that matches my wb, and it looks ok when I wear it out. I shouldn''t feel annoyed because it was a free stone, but I feel a little bitter that my father wasn''t more careful about buying my mom a 1ct ring. For $5500, he could have bought a beautifully cut 1ct I SI1-SI2 stone and simple platinum setting. And in an even better world, he would have bought it at GOG or WF so that I could swing a 1.50-2.00 ct upgrade in a few years instead of starting from scratch. I wish my mom had never given me the ring because I feel bitter about wearing a poorly cut stone. It makes me angry that I''m so ungrateful, but it''s also frustrating to think of how much money my dad wasted. No one likes the original ring (my mom thought it was ugly) or the stone. People who aren''t very educated about diamonds think my e-ring is pretty, but I feel ambivalent about the whole thing.

At this point, I rarely wear this new stone, with or without my wb (my fingers mysteriously went up a 1/2 ring size last year). I still wear my original e-ring, which fits better on my hand, along with an eternity band that I bought for myself.

Now I am super nervous and careful about planning my upgrade. Next time someone offers me a free, poorly cut diamond, I will politely say no. It''s not worth the mind-dirty issues! I''m convinced that my mom would have been happier with the stone if we had set it in a classic solitaire. But since she''s my mom, she likes to give me all of her nice things. She even tried to give me back an Hermes scarf that I gave her as a birthday present! Sigh...

 

[elle_chris]

Sparkles and Addy-I know exactly how you both feel.

When I first got married, I didn''t even have an engagement ring. About two years later (and it''s my own fault because i already knew about PS at the time) my husband decided it was time. When he asked me what I wanted, my response was "BIG".
Well "BIG" i did get. Carat wise at least. It''s a 2ct piece o'' crap that he spend a small fortune on. It''s too deep,small for it''s size, and has a black inclusion that''s very visible.
There was no upgrade policy either.
Fast forward today. He knew I was unhappy with the stone and we finally decided to get me a new one. Selling the first one wasn''t really an option for 2 reasons.
1. Won''t get half of what we paid.
2. I''m sentimental and wanted to keep it in the family. Since I have no use for it though and we don''t yet have children, I gave it to my sister in law who I adore and isn''t married. She''s having it set into a pendant.

Between both stones we spent a fortune. I could of had a 3+carat at this point. My husband also made a point of saying over and over "no more e-rings".
So for now, this is it.

Whenever I think about it, which is alot lately I wanna kick myself. What a waste. But what''s done is done. Need to let go and move on.
At least we''ve learned from our (expensive) mistakes.

 

[elle_chris]

Erica, is there anyway you can reset her stone into a pendant and give it back to her as a b-day or holiday gift?

Explain that while you appreciate her giving you the stone, you''re more comfortable wearing what your husband gave you.

 

[Sparkles22]

Addy~ That''s too bad. It''s frustrating when you see what your money could have bought. Especially when there is so many pretties online. It''s also too bad that your setting is in horrible condition, I am so sorry to hear that.

Erica~ How sad that your dad thought he was getting a great deal and that your mom felt it was nice enough to give to you. I am sorry you feel obligated to wear it. I also think maybe you should reset it in a pendant and either wear it that way or give it back to your mom. I think it''s hard to look at something that is upsetting to you all day, even if noone else really gets it.

elle_chris~ I am so sorry that happened to you. At least your sister-in-law is able to enjoy it. I do agree that things have a very sentimental value. It''s hard because you want to love it, because all the thought that went into it, but just can''t. I bet it is really frustrating to know that you could have had a much larger stone at this point. I feel the same way about wanting to kick myself, I could have used the money to increase the stone size, or for a beautiful pendant, or etc etc. You''re right though, what is done is done. Was just wondering if I was the only one out there with expensive mistakes... Sometimes I feel alone in my non-educated decisions pre-PS.

Thank you all for sharing... Makes me feel less alone

 

[erica k]

I''m so glad that my fellow ps''ers understand how I feel! If I told this to my friends, they would think I was stark mad.

I''ve already told my mom that I consider the stone and ring as a loan. She wanted me to have it so it would cheer me up whenever I was feeling stressed about school and work. Little did she know it would have the opposite effect by kicking into high gear DSS and obsession with cut! I was fairly content with my 1/2 ct until I opened the pandora''s box of temptation.

My mom has tried on the ring, and it looks much larger on her 4.5 size slender fingers than on my short and stout 5.5-6 fingers. So, I think she is warming to the idea of my giving her the ring back. A pendant would be a lovely idea except she never wears necklaces or any other jewelry. I must be an anomaly because I love diamonds and jewelry so much!

So our plan is to save up money as best we can, and in 3-4 years, I will be able to give my mom the ring and buy a 1.5ct solitaire for myself. I think she would refuse to take it back until I have a larger one of my own. Moms are funny like that!

My husband doesn''t like PS because it has made me want bigger and better, but I think I''m naturally receptive to the siren song of diamonds. At least I''m much more knowledgeable about finding beautiful diamonds at great deals, now. He should appreciate my hard work!

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

I''m still going through a bit of woulda, coulda, shoulda... but overall have completely convinced myself after putting the stone
through the rigors of AGA, AGSL parameters that it cuts the mustard.

When I first got on here I was disoriented, pissed-off and going nuts all by myself at home yelling aimlessly into the living room at my husband and 11 month
old daughter "What? a 2.5 on HCA? WTF?" I thought I knew what I was doing at that place.

I read over and over again my stats and compared them to anything I could find on this and other websites. I wrote off Garry and the others as the ultimate OCD, obsessive-analytic fruitloops, that could drive anyone mad. But I''ve discovered I''m one of them -- and in such short time I can converse about angles, lighting reports, subtleties of the trade, etc.

I even got mad at Tiffany''s for not fully explaining their lame upgrade policy to me properly and mourned the lost hope of the ACA and H&A perfection.

I''ll admit that I spent some time at the maul as it made me feel a little better to know at least my stone was definitively better then theirs (I know this is so low-brow).

I''m still not totally OK but mainly OK and the ring is a beauty. I see arrows all the time!

My daughter''s an April B-Day (lucky girl) so who knows perhaps an upgrade is in both of our futures......

 

[erica k]

Lisa--

I love love love your Tiffany solitaire! The numbers are helpful, but what really matters is your own eye. I was convinced that my .52ct stone would score well on the HCA because I can see perfect arrows and it sparkles like mad, but when I plugged in the numbers, it was more in the range of 2.2 or 2.5. If I upgrade, I will probably rely more on the HCA, but at least I know that there are variations in measurements that produce a perfectly lively and sparkly diamond.

Your stone looks like it performs extremely well. I would do almost anything to have a ring like that (F, VS1, clear arrows, etc.). I do think that WF or GOG are better options for people who are considering upgrades, however. I think the SA at Tiffany told me that you are only allowed one upgrade, and it has to be double what you originally paid. I''m pretty sure that if you aren''t the original owner (do they have a registration system?), you can''t upgrade the ring. This has really depressed me because I would love to buy a smaller ring on Signed Pieces and then upgrade later on. Sigh. I really do love Tiffany...

 

[choro72]

Isn't there a way to have the stones re-cut? Just an idea...

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

Date: 3/10/2008 6:06:53 PM
Author: erica k
Lisa--

I love love love your Tiffany solitaire! The numbers are helpful, but what really matters is your own eye. I was convinced that my .52ct stone would score well on the HCA because I can see perfect arrows and it sparkles like mad, but when I plugged in the numbers, it was more in the range of 2.2 or 2.5. If I upgrade, I will probably rely more on the HCA, but at least I know that there are variations in measurements that produce a perfectly lively and sparkly diamond.

Your stone looks like it performs extremely well. I would do almost anything to have a ring like that (F, VS1, clear arrows, etc.). I do think that WF or GOG are better options for people who are considering upgrades, however. I think the SA at Tiffany told me that you are only allowed one upgrade, and it has to be double what you originally paid. I''m pretty sure that if you aren''t the original owner (do they have a registration system?), you can''t upgrade the ring. This has really depressed me because I would love to buy a smaller ring on Signed Pieces and then upgrade later on. Sigh. I really do love Tiffany...

Hi Erica I just accidently deleted my post - argh! You have alwys been a supporter of my diamond during my brief time on PS and thank you!

But in a nutshell what''s the point of getting the Tiffany upgrade if you wind up spending what you would have spent in the first place on a larger stone?

Do they adjust for infaltion and apply it to the upgrade specs of the future purchase - I''m totally baffled.

And one Tiffany diamond person in NY said you have 5 yrs, yes 5 yrs to upgrade!

Local SA didn''t know of such a thing.

So if a ring cost 10K and you upgrade and spend 20K in 5 yrs - this buys you considerably less diamond in the future as prices increase during the 5 yrs. Originally that 20K would have bought a bigger stone period.

I guess upgrades at Tiffany''s are geared for the smaller price tags.

If anyone can clarify this to me I would be so happy -- am I being dense?

Also, I think if you have all original documentation on diamond (leather folder) specs, valuation letter, etc. you can be renamed as owner but still subject to the 5 yr. upgrade timeframe. People pass their jewelry on through the years legitimately somehow.

Anyway, at this rate my upgrade would come in around 1.66-1.7 cts. (not bad at all).

But how do I get it to 2 cts.?

 

[bee*]

Hey Lisa, the 5 year thing isn''t true. My friend''s sister upgraded her Tiffany ring on their 14th anniversary and that was at the NY store-we saw her beautiful upgrade when I was there in January. I''m not sure about how the inflation things works but I can get my friend to check with her sister for you.

 

[tberube]

Yes...I know how you feel, dear. First let me say that my FI did an excellent job on my engagement ring, having known NOTHING about them, not particularly caring to learn, and not getting much help from me (since, of course, this was pre-PS). I love my engagement ring, love the setting, and don't *hate* the stone.

FI didn't pay too much for the diamond because he bought it at an online vendor, and it was a good price for what it is. I do wish it was larger, he paid less because he went under the magic 1 carat mark...but I do wish he'd gone a bit bigger (he said "I had the money and I thought about getting something way bigger, but I figured you'd think it was too big." Heh. Too kind, he is.) But once I got educated on PS I learned that my EC has a really big table (72%) and it's a tad deep (67.4%)...(don't know the crown height because it doesn't say on the GIA report, so I assume the extra depth is in the pavillion). The more I learn about diamonds the more I wish I'd told him to pay more attention to cut.

And sometimes I wish I never learned what I know about diamonds, because just by eye I think my diamond is so pretty! And it really looks BIG from far away, when I go by a mirror or let someone else try it on. Damn those numbers...

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I got my rings way before I knew about PS and I know now that we could have gotten a much better deal, however, we are not in a position to upgrade anything jewelry-wise so I''m not overly concerned about it. I love my rings as they are. If we are ever in a position to upgrade I will use the resources here to make the decision on a stone although I don''t see that happening in the near future with a baby on the way and a house purchase on the horizon.

My center is a .80 G/SI2 LEO from the mall (gasp!) set in an illusion setting by Stuller. The ering has two sidestones on either side of the center and the wb is a traditional five-stone band that matches the ering. When the rings were purchased we didn''t know any better and I must say that I do love my Leo even if if''s not the most perfect of perfect stones.

Jess

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

Date: 3/11/2008 6:26:55 AM
Author: bee*
Hey Lisa, the 5 year thing isn''t true. My friend''s sister upgraded her Tiffany ring on their 14th anniversary and that was at the NY store-we saw her beautiful upgrade when I was there in January. I''m not sure about how the inflation things works but I can get my friend to check with her sister for you.

Bee - I would love the info.

When I called NYC and the "DIAMOND Expert"

if there is such a thing said definitely 5 years but I''m going with you because no one seems to have a straight answer.

And what, Tiff''s isn''t going to take my money when it comes right down to it?

What''s the point of spending twice as much with no real benefit - from what I can surmise?

And do they just give me a whole new ring to match my bigger stone or do they squeeze the new stone into my smaller setting?

Or can I switch settings altogether -- like let the money lead the way.....who cares if its RB/knife-edge or Lucida or Novo or Legacy.......

Questions, questions.

Lisa

 

[erica k]

Date: 3/11/2008 1:10:40 PM
Author: lisa1.01fvs1

Date: 3/11/2008 6:26:55 AM

Author: bee*

Hey Lisa, the 5 year thing isn''t true. My friend''s sister upgraded her Tiffany ring on their 14th anniversary and that was at the NY store-we saw her beautiful upgrade when I was there in January. I''m not sure about how the inflation things works but I can get my friend to check with her sister for you.

Bee - I would love the info.


When I called NYC and the ''DIAMOND Expert''

if there is such a thing said definitely 5 years but I''m going with you because no one seems to have a straight answer.


And what, Tiff''s isn''t going to take my money when it comes right down to it?


What''s the point of spending twice as much with no real benefit - from what I can surmise?


And do they just give me a whole new ring to match my bigger stone or do they squeeze the new stone into my smaller setting?


Or can I switch settings altogether -- like let the money lead the way.....who cares if its RB/knife-edge or Lucida or Novo or Legacy.......


Questions, questions.


Lisa

I agree Lisa, so many questions with Tiffany! Sometimes I feel like they''re intentionally vague, but for what purpose? Sigh. I would only do the upgrade there if I could buy a $10,000 ring for $6,000 (SP) and then pay an additional $10,000 for a 1.5ct ring, hopefully saving $4,000. But you''re right, how much more diamond can you get for doubling the price/value? I would probably go down in color and clarity (I VS2) in order to get a larger stone, but who knows if that would even be worth it to me. All of these numbers are hypothetical, of course. As with everything at Tiffany''s, I would end up spending more than I wanted to, but I wouldn''t care because I''m one of those consumers who adores the blue box/designs/service.

I can definitely see someone upgrading to a different setting, and I''m pretty sure they would give you an entirely different ring (stone and setting). Who knows what they do with the trade-in? Re-polish and back in the case, or sold to a different company? Hmmm.

If you ever feel like throwing in the towel with our dear friend Tiffany and going the GOG/WF route, I''m sure you could either consign it with Pearlmans'' or Signed Pieces (my little hands will be waiting to snatch it up, I''m sure!)

, or you could save it for your children

.

 

[divergrrl]

gawd, I don''t even want to type out my pre-ps blues. So depressing. I''m sure if anyone is bored enough, you could click on my username and go back to my very early posts (circa 2002, yes I''ve been here a looooooong time) and read my drama, but I don''t wish to rehash it.

All I can say is, if I knew then what I knew now, I would have opted for an excellent cut RB, and gone for just a carat at WF/GOG (and plant the upgrade seed in DH''s head before he ever put the dang thing on my finger) and then put a decent amount of our budget into the SETTING. That way I''d have been able to get the setting of my dreams, keep the ring my dh married me with, yet upgrade the stone as time went on & extra $$ for upgrades appeared.

Oh well...such is life. I have a dh who is soooo attached to my stone, that upgrade dreams are squashed into oblivion. I''ve set, set, and reset my ring 3 times and spent a total of $4000 on custom settings, (but did wind up with 1 carat tw princess studs I repurposed from my original 3 stone ring--they were originally my sidestones, so at least I have a nice pair of studs--not all is lost) that could have just been put into one helluva an upgrade had I done things "the PS way".

Oh well. I''m now obsessed with a diamond pendant, a diamond bracelet, and blue sapphires. Oval sapphire with diamond half moon sidestones anyone? I''ll make sure I get a killer sapphire someday, with really good sidestones (or maybe I''ll do all rounds.....to satisfy that desire for good rounds).

Or a 5 stone ring with WF aca''s????? There are many ways to soothe the pain. I find keeping my w-ring really clean helps....when its all sparkly, it does look fantastic.

But still, I''ve never been happy. At least I adore my husband, and that''s all that counts in the end. I could have a nice ring and a crappy husband. No thanks. He''s the real diamond. But secretly, I really wish my stone was better. Not bigger, but just cut better. Given our budget at the time, there is no reason it couldn''t have been--just bougth wrong!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 3/12/2008 2:18:07 AM
Author: divergrrl
gawd, I don''t even want to type out my pre-ps blues. So depressing. I''m sure if anyone is bored enough, you could click on my username and go back to my very early posts (circa 2002, yes I''ve been here a looooooong time) and read my drama, but I don''t wish to rehash it.

All I can say is, if I knew then what I knew now, I would have opted for an excellent cut RB, and gone for just a carat at WF/GOG (and plant the upgrade seed in DH''s head before he ever put the dang thing on my finger) and then put a decent amount of our budget into the SETTING. That way I''d have been able to get the setting of my dreams, keep the ring my dh married me with, yet upgrade the stone as time went on & extra $$ for upgrades appeared.

Oh well...such is life. I have a dh who is soooo attached to my stone, that upgrade dreams are squashed into oblivion. I''ve set, set, and reset my ring 3 times and spent a total of $4000 on custom settings, (but did wind up with 1 carat tw princess studs I repurposed from my original 3 stone ring--they were originally my sidestones, so at least I have a nice pair of studs--not all is lost) that could have just been put into one helluva an upgrade had I done things ''the PS way''.

Oh well. I''m now obsessed with a diamond pendant, a diamond bracelet, and blue sapphires. Oval sapphire with diamond half moon sidestones anyone? I''ll make sure I get a killer sapphire someday, with really good sidestones (or maybe I''ll do all rounds.....to satisfy that desire for good rounds).

Or a 5 stone ring with WF aca''s????? There are many ways to soothe the pain. I find keeping my w-ring really clean helps....when its all sparkly, it does look fantastic.

But still, I''ve never been happy. At least I adore my husband, and that''s all that counts in the end. I could have a nice ring and a crappy husband. No thanks. He''s the real diamond. But secretly, I really wish my stone was better. Not bigger, but just cut better. Given our budget at the time, there is no reason it couldn''t have been--just bougth wrong!

There you go...doesn''t really matter if you found PS before or after you got your sparklies!

diver, you''re an inspiration.

I came to PS about two years after we got engaged and married with a 1.5 J/SI1 solitaire set in platinum. It was more or less what i expected at the time, but after perusing PS for a couple of months I realized that I "COULDA" had a better, maybe bigger stone with a little more life to it. We thought about re doing my ring, but reality set in and we bought a house, another car, and another dog, and DH wanted to give me jewelry a few times for anniversaries, etc. There just wasn''t room in the budget for me to go changing my lovely diamond and I''m kinda glad we didn''t. I still love that diamond, wear it everyday...the setting leaves something to be desired which DH is aware of (it''s your basic diecast WG head). Some days I love it, some days I wish for something totally different. Someday we will look back on all of this PS business and upgrade my setting at least.

 

[D2B]

I just dont go there (the pre PS blues). My e-ring was bought with love and happiness in a good high end jeweller - it is not fantastic in relation to PS numbers, but it is not bad either. Yep, the price we paid was too much, but we had no idea about it at the time, so i am not going to stress about it. I have had it for 11 years now and still love it, would I choose differently now, not really, just the quality of the cut, and maybey a cushion for the centre stone rather than a round - but that is in hindsight.

I am annoyed about a diamond pendant that was sold to my husband. totally overpriced, but it was brought to celebrate the birth of our child so I am not going to change it nor get annoyed about it too much. (Arghhh, but if I even begin to think what he could have got for that price with on line vendors, I will cry - so not thinkig!!!)

Luckily for me I have discovered PS just in time for my eternity ring and other future purchases, otherwise I shudder at what I would have gotten at B&M jewellers and how much we would have paid for it.

D2B

 

[Sabine]

I wish I had done more research all the time. Although I''m still happy wiht my .75 H SI1 round, it''s not certified, I don''t know any specs beyond this, and I''ve never looked at it under a loup. And now I don''t ever want to know more about it, because i have a feeling I could have got a much better cut stone for a similar price. But FI is very adamant about the sentimentality of the ring, so no upgrades or changes in my future...how could I have made such a permanant choice wihtout more research??? But then I realize it took me about 6 months to finally feel like I would know how to pick a better stone, and at that point in my life I was so happy to finally be engaged to my loving FI that I would have been happy with a tin ring! I agree that the marriage is what is important, but sometimes it''s hard not to wish you could just zip back in time and tell past you to find pricescope first!