Old cut hunting on eBay

[Mreader]

I think it's a bit chaotic since some sellers offering a non certed diamond believe they can offer a no return policy, give an estimated size, clarity, color and think that a buyer will accept the Ebay authenticity as good enough. I was negotiating a 7k OEC purchase and the seller refused to offer a return on the diamond because of the Ebay authentification process.


I understand the Ebay authenticators will agree it's an OEC diamond. But when the seller states the size, color and clarity are estimated in their description I believe there is a lot of leeway that may lead me to buying a diamond that is smaller, lower colored, and more included due to the "estimate" of the seller. Would an authenticator deem that a couple grades lower on color and clarity are acceptable? How close does the authenticator gauge size? I didn't feel comfortable taking the chance.

In this particular case I kept my money and the seller kept his diamond. Even with 23 watchers he was unable to sell so I think I am not the only person who is unwilling to take such a risk on a non-returnable antique diamond.

I still look though but haven't found anything over 1.5 carats that IMHO seems worth the price or the risk.

I’m confused about the bit that the very reason he offers no return is solely because the eBay authentication? That doesn’t make sense. If the eBay authenticator said it wasn’t what seller said it was, you would automatically be eligible for the refund. So the authentication process is neither here nor there when it comes to a seller wanting to offer returns or not.

ETA - as to your question, I don’t think that the authenticator would accept it as authenticated if they thought it was a couple of grades lower.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I’m confused about the bit that the very reason he offers no return is solely because the eBay authentication? That doesn’t make sense. If the eBay authenticator said it wasn’t what seller said it was, you would automatically be eligible for the refund. So the authentication process is neither here nor there when it comes to a seller wanting to offer returns or not.

ETA - as to your question, I don’t think that the authenticator would accept it as authenticated if they thought it was a couple of grades lower.

Maybe I was too cautious? The seller listed his estimate based on the stone graded by his jeweler in the mounting and stated it could be a couple grades off. He felt the authenticator would validate his diamond ring and therefore he did not need to offer a return policy.

I don't know how literal an authenticator takes "estimated, and could be a couple grades off" when evaluating a diamond. I didn't want a diamond that was smaller and with chips on the girdle or facet abrasions, For example, a diamond described as VS could maybe pass if the authenticator thought chips on the girdle made it an SI1? I thought that was a real risk and may be found acceptable by the authenticator due to the description of the seller. Color was never an issue with me. I like warm diamonds.

Hope that explanation makes sense. I am totally understanding that I may be too much of a worry wart.

 

[Mreader]

Maybe I was too cautious? The seller listed his estimate based on the stone graded by his jeweler in the mounting and stated it could be a couple grades off. He felt the authenticator would validate his diamond ring and therefore he did not need to offer a return policy.

I don't know how literal an authenticator takes "estimated, and could be a couple grades off" when evaluating a diamond. I didn't want a diamond that was smaller and with chips on the girdle or facet abrasions, For example, a diamond described as VS could maybe pass if the authenticator thought chips on the girdle made it an SI1? I thought that was a real risk and may be found acceptable by the authenticator due to the description of the seller. Color was never an issue with me. I like warm diamonds.

Hope that explanation makes sense. I am totally understanding that I may be too much of a worry wart.

I wasn’t trying to say that you were being too much of a worrier. Sorry if it came across that way. I meant it makes no sense to me that a seller would say that’s the reason he offers no return! And it sounds like he’s covering his bases by saying maybe it is couple of of grades off. I would definitely be leery of a purchase as big as that where you cannot return something!

 

[glitterata]

Here are the ebay authenticity guarantee tolerances:

eBay Authenticity Guarantee for Jewelry

Shop Jewelry verified by experts at the Gemological Institute of America®—just look for the checkmark

www.ebay.com

It's not crystal clear to me what they mean.

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

Do you have a thread on this with the story of how you found it?

I sort of did in my SMTB post, and there are some other threads in RT of me asking PSers what they thought of it. I did a lot of hemming and hawing on it because even though I felt it was a good deal, it was still a huge amount of money to spend on a stone unseen. In the past when I searched eBay, I would try all sort of weird combination of words to see if anything unique would pop up. Honestly, this time, I think I just searched "old mine diamond" or something, set my budget, sorted the search results by the highest price, and then started scrolling down.

This find required a little more leg work on my part because it was set in this chunky halo setting, which kind of buried how beautiful the stone is. The price of the whole ring was a little more than I wanted to pay, but I figured it wouldn't hurt at all to ask the seller if they would sell the stone loose. From there, it all just sort of worked out, so part of feels it was meant to be.

 

[LightBright]

No one is making tinted, wonky old cuts with bruted girdles and questionable eye cleanliness from lab grown material!

This.

 

[LightBright]

There are some phenomenal settings out there, no question. I wish my ring size was more standard for this reason.

I usually have the opposite strategy. Look for the rock and don’t care about the setting!

But look at this amazingness. I’ve never seen a setting like that.

Amazing! LOVE this so much.

 

[Dreamer_D]

How picky are you all about the condition of smaller old cuts you might find on ebay or other similar sites? These oldies often have small nicks on the girdle. Sometimes chips. They often have inclusions that could be eye visible. What's your comfort level?

 

[Mayk]

Many moons ago searching late one night on eBay I spotted a Tiffany five stone French cut. I shared it with @Demelza because I was not looking to buy. She was able to purchase it.. What a stunning ring!

It is the one time I should have tried to sell a kidney or something..

When I look at eBay now I do not often see much that I think is a good deal, like I used to occasionally see. I also, do not go there as often, so there's that too.

 

[LightBright]

How picky are you all about the condition of smaller old cuts you might find on ebay or other similar sites? These oldies often have small nicks on the girdle. Sometimes chips. They often have inclusions that could be eye visible. What's your comfort level?

I’m not the average PSer. I think the really old cuts almost always have nicks from the cutting process itself. I look at color and cut first. Then size. I nearly always forgive inclusions and chips/nicks for a cool cut as long as it is priced accordingly. I‘ve never regretted moderate inclusions which reflect more than ever that natural earth grown stones are from a place.

Years ago, I think PSers were scrutinizing antique diamonds for the perfect star/snowflake, and were polishing nicked girdles if they weren’t perfect to get a mind clean stone.

Back then, PSers were using the same parameters that people were judging modern superideals with. In my own case, yeas ago, I have rejected one utterly rare old cut because I felt guilty it was wonky. And I’ve repolished another very rare old stone with a chip on the girdle from the cutting process. I really regret both separate decisions!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Dreamer_D, I don’t mind small chips because they aren’t usually that apparent in real life. I wouldn’t buy an old cut with black inclusions that were distracting, otherwise inclusions aren’t a deal breaker.

I almost passed on this one because in the seller’s photos I could see a small chip by a prong. IRL though I don’t see the chip at all, glad I didn’t pass it up because the cut is amazing: