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Dealer claims GIA report photo is deceptive?

S

silva

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 8, 2024
Messages
12
I have a yellow diamond that I want to sell. It has a GIA report. I spoke to a dealer and gave them the stone’s GIA report number. We discussed a range of purchase price and then upon bringing the stone in I was told while the stone is the same stone on the GIA report (it’s also laser inscribed) that the color saturation is less in real life that what appears on the GIA certificate photo and that this is a common issue when trying to go off GIA’s photo. Is this a thing or is this dealer trying to roll me?
 
So are they saying that someone has "faked" the color on the copy of the GIA report?

Can you look the GIA report up by number?

GIA - Report Check

www.gia.edu www.gia.edu
 
No, they are sayin that they took a bad photo. Like the color appears nicer in the photo than in real life.
 
tyty333 said:
So are they saying that someone has "faked" the color on the copy of the GIA report?

Can you look the GIA report up by number?

GIA - Report Check

www.gia.edu www.gia.edu
Click to expand...

Sorry didn’t quote you to reply. They are basically saying that the color appears more saturated/nicer in GIA’s colored diamond cert than it does in real life and that this is a GIA problem. Not that the certificate was doctored but that GIA takes bad/over saturated photos.
 
Are they trying to use that as negotiating factor to lower their offering price? Especially after initial discussion?

isn’t there some disclaimer on the photo stating approximate or something?

It’s a nothingburger- imo
Just a tactic, to buy lower and steer you. I think it’s common to realize photo on lab report to be color approximate.

But….. selling to a dealer, after paying retail, you ( or anyone) probably aren’t going to be too happy with most dealers offers.
 
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Rfisher said:
Are they trying to use that as negotiating factor to lower their offering price? Especially after initial discussion?

isn’t their some disclaimer on the photo stating approximate or something?

It’s a nothingburger- imo
Just a tactic, to buy lower and steer you. I think it’s common to realize photo on lab report to be color approximate.

But….. selling to a dealer, after paying retail, you ( or anyone) probably aren’t going to be too happy with most dealers offers.
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Yes, it was a tactic to lower an offer. In fact they offered me 1/3 what we discussed over the phone and their reasoning behind it was the stone didn’t look as saturated in person as it did in the photo.
 
Run, don’t walk. If their reasoning is that this is a GIA problem that happens frequently, they should have considered that in their initial offering. Offering 1/3 of the original offer is just a scam IMO.
 
MissGotRocks said:
Run, don’t walk. If their reasoning is that this is a GIA problem that happens frequently, they should have considered that in their initial offering. Offering 1/3 of the original offer is just a scam IMO.
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I was just going to say the same thing. If it's a known GIA issue, they would have figured that out before making an offer.
 
lovedogs said:
Lol, they're just making excuses for why to buy for less $
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This dealer is in Beverly Hills and has very high end jewelry on display. I was surprised by the tactic so came here to see if that was really a thing.
 
The report is the report and the grade is the grade. The picture is neither here nor there. Shame on the dealer for trying to prey on a less knowledgeable consumer.
 
Yes, run away not walk.
No reputable dealer makes such a statement. Everyone knows that photos and in “real life” and depending on location, time of day, time of year and lighting conditions can make a gemstone look “different”.
A dealer should be making an offer on the strength of the GIA report on not at all until the diamond is “in hand in person”.
It’s like the good ole “bait and switch” tactic.
They may never have intended to pay you the price initially offered, just using the offer amount to “get you in the store”. Then they can undermine you and reduce both your confidence and price expectations by spurious comments and snag themselves a great deal.
 
Bron357 said:
Yes, run away not walk.
No reputable dealer makes such a statement. Everyone knows that photos and in “real life” and depending on location, time of day, time of year and lighting conditions can make a gemstone look “different”.
A dealer should be making an offer on the strength of the GIA report on not at all until the diamond is “in hand in person”.
It’s like the good ole “bait and switch” tactic.
They may never have intended to pay you the price initially offered, just using the offer amount to “get you in the store”. Then they can undermine you and reduce both your confidence and price expectations by spurious comments and snag themselves a great deal.
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Yup, my guess is they wanted to get OP in the door and then play stupid games to try to convince him or her that they should be able to pay less. Scummy
 
Ibrakeforpossums said:
I'm glad you came here.. Weasels! High end just means they've gotten good at it.
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This guy is by appointment only, wearing a nice suit in Beverly Hills. He has large VCA and Cartier pieces on display in his showroom. I’m probably just going to send it to an auction house and let them deal with it. A longer but more fair process.
 
silva said:
This guy is by appointment only, wearing a nice suit in Beverly Hills. He has large VCA and Cartier pieces on display in his showroom. I’m probably just going to send it to an auction house and let them deal with it. A longer but more fair process.
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He’s wearing a nice suit and has a Beverley Hills showroom because he buys things much cheaper than he sells them for. He’s obviously successful at beating the seller price down and sweet talking the buyer price up.
And yes, an Auction House has a vested interest in getting the highest price for you because that’s what their commission is based on.
 
@silva ,
Could you post the GIA report or the report number? It would be interesting to compare the grading call with the photo the jeweler based his initial estimate on.

Lots of people have suggested the jeweler was playing bait and switch with you on the offer. And I am not saying he didn't. However, fancy colored diamonds in particular are unique and slight variances in their real life appearance can swing values significantly (even for the same grade).

It is pretty common for remote buyers to give a prospective seller a range of prices, with the high side being very optimistic and enticing, with a firm offer dependent on evaluating the stone in person.
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
This is normal biz.
Seller says ++ grade.
Buyer says - - grade.
Haggle haggle
Deal or no deal
Move on.
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The grade was not in question. I called the dealer and provided the GIA report which included a photo. Based on the GIA report and photo that GIA took I was given a purchase price range. When I came in the dealer said the photo was deceptive that GIA took and that it appeared much lighter in person. Stone is the same stone and is laser inscribed. Personally I didn’t feel GIA’s photo was off.
 
Texas Leaguer said:
@silva ,
Could you post the GIA report or the report number? It would be interesting to compare the grading call with the photo the jeweler based his initial estimate on.

Lots of people have suggested the jeweler was playing bait and switch with you on the offer. And I am not saying he didn't. However, fancy colored diamonds in particular are unique and slight variances in their real life appearance can swing values significantly (even for the same grade).

It is pretty common for remote buyers to give a prospective seller a range of prices, with the high side being very optimistic and enticing, with a firm offer dependent on evaluating the stone in person.
Click to expand...

I was offered 1/3 of the low estimate. I was given a range of $6k-$8k and was then offered in person $2k.
 
Fancy coloured diamonds can be funny creatures. The grade and reality genuinely can differ quite bafflingly.

But you can bet your bonnet Nice Suit Fellow knows this, and he didn’t explain what his quotes would depend on for a reason. Much more likely you’ll just leave the thing with him in disappointed resignation if he can get you in the door, give you his sleaze pitch in-person, and eat up lots of your time.

We consumers can demand more transparency and disclosure as standard industry practices by voting with our wallets. Glad you left that nonsense where it belonged @silva; please destroy any temptation to deal with him again.
 
Do you mind posting your own pic of the stone in question without any identifying info?
 
silva said:
The grade was not in question. I called the dealer and provided the GIA report which included a photo. Based on the GIA report and photo that GIA took I was given a purchase price range. When I came in the dealer said the photo was deceptive that GIA took and that it appeared much lighter in person. Stone is the same stone and is laser inscribed. Personally I didn’t feel GIA’s photo was off.
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You are taking Gary's post too literally. He is basically saying that's how the process works. Seller (you) say its a really good stone
to get the price up, the guy in suit (buyer) says its not so good to get the price down. They haggle back and forth to come to an agreement (or not). In other words, be prepared to haggle to get the best price. Dont just accept the first quote they give you.

Good luck!

Do you know what % of retail they are offering you for the stone? Just curious. A picture and GIA report would be helpful for us
to see what he/you are talking about.
 
The bigger picture is that consumers are in a terribly weak position when selling to dealers. Even dealers are in a weak position trying to sell to other dealers for cash.
I wish you the best and hope you get a price you’re happy with. But it’s unlikely. Cash is king.
 
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