Graff - Surprised

[poorboy]

I recently visited a graff store and was surprised that their diamonds are much more reasonably priced that I would have expected. From my quick comparison shopping, they appeared to be cheaper than Tiffany''s. I have not done a tremendous amount of research on them, but from what I gather they are on par with Tiffany quality.

Another thing that surprised me was that the salewoman was showing me rings and when we talked about cut she stated that all their diamonds are ideal cuts. However, when I looked at the GIA certificate it showed the table as being 60. Again, I have tons to learn, but I thought that 60 is outside the range of ideal based on things I have read on this site. (I have noticed that there are some threads now discussing the term "ideal" that I want to read). I guess I am just a little confused when I hear people say that the premium you pay is because you do not need to do research and really invest time looking for the right stone from an on-line vendor, yet the sale people do not seem to be well informed and diamonds they sell do not meet the strict specifications that people on this forum like.

Which raises an question for me, why do people trust that any stone from Tiffany will be great (maybe not the best), but I never seem to see people say that any ACA from WF will be great. Would people feel as comfortable buying any ACA stone as buying any Tiffany stone and thinking that they for sure have a good stone?

Sorry for the long email. The short of it is that I was surprised Graff was quite reasonable but I wonder if their quality is as good as their reputation.

 

[RockDoc]

Graff is certainly a well known retailer with a reputation for buying and selling of the world''s most expensive and rare diamonds.

He has been quite successful in establishing customers for these stones, but out of 100 people buying diamonds what is the percentage of the marketplace for 1 million dollar plus stones.

As a business they have to pay a huge cost of overhead. So they need to be able to market stones that are in the price range of "normal" buyers as well as the premium ones.

If they can market the lesser expensive stones riding on the coat-tails of their more super high quality stones, they can compete well with their market level competitors, such as Tiff''s, Cartier, Winston, Fred''s, and the rest of the " 5th Ave" gang.

The "5th Ave" guys get some serious consideration due to the "Blue Box syndrome" with the brand name on it. Many times buyers rely on this, and pay premium prices for it. Is this wrong? No. Is it derserved to have the "name tag" of being the "ultimate" if it isn''t true? No. But to their credit these stores have spent years in building up a reputation.

Over the years, ROYALTY has relied on and purchasing from Harry Winston (other fine stores too). In fact, stones like Eightstars, Whiteflash, Infinitiy, SuperbCert, and many others are actually a far better cut grade than what some of the stones they sell are.

Without mentioning particular sellers, I sort of find this really "neat" for the average consumer. Granted many of the stone are smaller in carat weight, but many times are cut and proportioned much better than what the "5th Ave" guys are selling to ROYALTY, and those in the turbo $$$ bucks positions.

Perhaps fortunately for those that sell the 60/60 type stones, it is highly unlikely that a consumer would visually be able to discern the differences unless they were side by side to compare. Add to that lighting environments that might differ and affect the appearance as well and potentially make a lesser light performing stone appear better.

I believe that Kitty Dock''s(tm) initlal purpose was to attempt to standardize viewing environments, but as many have pointed out, the environment in that unit can appear differently depending on lighting type, lighting outside the box present, and viewing angle.

I think it would be wise for you to make comparisons, separately from the brand name, and compare diamonds to diamonds, instead of diamonds to where they came from.


Rockdoc

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Well, if you want to hear someone say it, ACA''s will be more consistently outstanding than a stone from Tiffany''s...in my opinion. Now would I be very happy to have a Tiffany''s ring? You bet!!! But would I buy one over an ACA or other H&A stone from these vendors? No way! I don''t care to pay 40% more for the store name. I have not had the opportunity to buy an ACA, but I have no hesitation whatsoever about the quality. I did buy from Good Old Gold, and I feel the same way about their diamonds..every bit as good or better than what I see in the Tiffany''s case!

 

[Giangi]

Graff''s windows always leave me speechless. You don''t think there could be that many D/Flawless 20 caraters around...

 

[Sundial]

I love drooling over the jewelry in Graff''s windows at The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas! What incredible pieces they have!!! It is surprising to me too that they would be cheaper than Tiffany''s. While neither store is a bargain I think there is a certain assurance of quality and you have the advantage of viewing the stones in person to see how you like them. Of course the Whiteflash ACAs and other internet stones would in my mind offer more assurance of an ideal cut diamond at a more competitive price.

 

[bea80]

I am in the process of purchasing a cushion cut engagement ring from Graff. I looked all over the NYC area for over three months prior to deciding upon this store for my purchase, and was amazed with the high quality of the cut of the stone that I finally decided to purchase. Regardless of whether or not you decide to go with a "brand" retailer, I would recommend informing myself prior to shopping so that you are able to recognize a well cut diamond when shown one (and it may take a while).

After reading up and looking at 30+ diamonds, you will (as I was) be able to tell and excellent diamond from a run of the mill one. Unfortunately, with fancy cuts it is not only the numbers that count; you must have some visual acuity to discern a beautiful diamond from a poorly cut one. Rounds are a bit easier, if this is what you are looking for, because there are precise measurements that classify a diamond as "ideal cut." Graff is not the place to go, though, if you expect to quiz the staff on proportions. I did find that their markup on the cheaper end of the merchandise (1-3ct. rings) is probably comparable, if not less, to a store like Tiffany''s. Quality is discernably higher and service is better.

My experience with the sales and jewelry production team at Graff has been extraordinarily positive. However, the reason I bought at the store, in the end, WAS THE STONE. The price seemed fair after 3 months of comparison shopping in New York. Graff cuts their own diamonds so in-house customers have first pick of the litter-- their remaining diamonds (that do not qualify for sale in their own store) are circulated into the American and European diamond markets. FYI, I looked at many stones in the same price range as my stone that were not even comparable in quality. Be advised that in many shops the retailer will assume the customer is uneducated in order to charge a higher price for a higher color but terribly cut stone. In light of this, you are actually not saving money but purchasing a substandard cut class with much lower resale value.