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whiteflash 1 year buyback process

theshirlgirlNS

theshirlgirlNS

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Messages
70
Hi Everyone, Sadly I have fallen out of love with my 4,23 J VS1 ACA. Not sure why, but it’s just not “speaking” to me and I’m fairly certain I’d prefer another shape - which WF doesn’t offer. I’m within the 1 year timeframe so they will buy it back (minus 30%). Not surprised about the price but was disappointed that the process will take 4 weeks so it can be regraded by AGS. The buyback price is guaranteed and I’m sure their in-house staff can inspect the stone. Am I missing something for why I would need to wait for them to regrade it for sale? I’ve always appreciated working with them but having me wait 4 weeks for payment while they get a new certificate seems a bit unreasonable. But maybe I’m being unreasonable? :mrgreen2:
 
They need to make sure it wasnt damaged or otherwise altered, and unfortinately re grading just takes a bit of time. I know it sucks to wait, but I dont think their policy is unreasonable

Edit. They send to AGS to be regraded, which is kind of slow
 
I completely understand inspecting it for damage. I just would’ve thought their in house team could do that. When I did a trade in, the in-house team confirmed my diamond was free of damage but then sent to AGS for a new certificate.
 
It is the same if you trade a stone in - they have to send it for regrading before they will set and send the new one to you. Waiting is frustrating at times but there are not many that offer buy back for a year - even -30%. I am sorry that the new diamond doesn’t make you happy but at least you are not completely stuck.
 
Yes, glad I have the option to sell it back. Really disappointed with the performance of this particular stone, my previous ACA was much prettier. It’s kinda turned me off round brilliants right now.
 
theshirlgirlNS said:
Yes, glad I have the option to sell it back. Really disappointed with the performance of this particular stone, my previous ACA was much prettier. It’s kinda turned me off round brilliants right now.
Click to expand...

Aww I’m sorry. That’s really disappointing. Does it look hazy, or it just doesn’t have a lot of fire ?
 
MissGotRocks said:
It is the same if you trade a stone in - they have to send it for regrading before they will set and send the new one to you. Waiting is frustrating at times but there are not many that offer buy back for a year - even -30%. I am sorry that the new diamond doesn’t make you happy but at least you are not completely stuck.
Click to expand...

This. But definitely waiting is always a bummer. I'm sorry, OP, that you weren't happy!
 
@theshirlgirlNS just went back and looked at your ring. It really looks beautiful! I know you said you probably wanted a different shape but would a smaller/larger size or higher color or whatever be something you would be interested in? Just thinking if you could trade for something else that you thought you’d like so you don’t have to lose the 30%? Just a thought.
 
theshirlgirlNS said:
Hi Everyone, Sadly I have fallen out of love with my 4,23 J VS1 ACA. Not sure why, but it’s just not “speaking” to me and I’m fairly certain I’d prefer another shape - which WF doesn’t offer. I’m within the 1 year timeframe so they will buy it back (minus 30%). Not surprised about the price but was disappointed that the process will take 4 weeks so it can be regraded by AGS. The buyback price is guaranteed and I’m sure their in-house staff can inspect the stone. Am I missing something for why I would need to wait for them to regrade it for sale? I’ve always appreciated working with them but having me wait 4 weeks for payment while they get a new certificate seems a bit unreasonable. But maybe I’m being unreasonable? :mrgreen2:
Click to expand...

It has to be re graded. This is standard procedure for all companies. No, they can’t do it in house.
 
theshirlgirlNS said:
It just lacks brilliance and fire. At first I thought it was so pretty, but it really doesn’t have much “life” to it. Even my husband notices - he thinks my prior stone was much nicer.
Click to expand...

Have you cleaned it in a magnasonic? Also, which shape do you want because round is pretty much top for scintillation and sparkle etc.
 
Original stone:

Diamond | 3.240 ct J IF A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4135230

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.240 carat J color IF clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4135230
www.whiteflash.com

New stone:

Diamond | 4.230 ct J VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4359555

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 4.230 carat J color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4359555
www.whiteflash.com

Proportions-wise they are very very very similar. Same colour. Both very high clarity. Might be nuances of body colour and performance but I can think of nothing that would make one “beautiful” and the other “lifeless” short of
(A) The stone being dirty.
(B) Damage. Surface scratching, or reflecting chips.
(C) The size difference. Smaller stones have smaller facets, all else equal, and smaller facets create a busier and more quickly-scintillating faceup. More spark and sizzle than big slow rolling flash. Maybe your and your husband’s eyes prefer that character… But your description of “lacks brilliance and fire” is IMO too extreme to be due to size alone, your old stone was large as well…

Ditto @whitewave. Have you had the stone professionally cleaned recently? Grime on the pavilion can be shockingly different to get off.
 
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I also went back to look at the last diamond photos and it is a gorgeous stone. But certainly people can change their mind on stone shape, etc. It’s very unlikely to get any other shape stone that will have the performance of this one, so I’d be very sure of what I wanted before taking a loss like this. Perhaps you already have a replacement in mind since you are concerned about the regrading time.

Oh, and regarding the regrading time, I’ve had to have that done every time I upgraded my diamond studs. I think at this moment you are running right into major holidays, so that certainly will increase the time it normally takes since they will be closed some days. Plus I recall they were working with fewer staff in house due to Covid, and that may still be an issue, as well.

Good luck on finding a stone you love!
 
Are you sure? You were in love with it on August 28. Could it be that you don't love the yellow gold setting and it's giving the stone a different look? Your previous setting was platinum right? 30% lost is a lot of $$. Do you want to try a different stone, maybe try a higher color or different proportions? Just saying cause it hurts me (probably me more than it hurts you) that you're losing 30% of a lot of money. Or are you just over round brilliants. Goodness knows that can happen. (It usually takes me about 4 years if it's something I start out loving.) Or maybe another kind of setting? They are still regrading it, and it's the holidays and AGS may have people on vacay and I'm sure they are not full staff cause of covid protocols. You still have time to reconsider.
 
Also keep in mind that diamond prices have gone up since you bought this stone. You could not purchase this stone now at the price you paid earlier this year.

Getting back 70% of what you paid is >30% loss in today’s diamond market - it’s a significant monetary loss, especially if you plan to buy a new stone. I’ll just ditto others again - be SURE this is what you want to do.
 
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It’s definitely not dirty, it’s been professionally cleaned and I have an ultrasonic. I can’t see any damage - stone looks perfect. My best guess is the smaller facets in the smaller stone may have been “more lively”. I’ve been stalking WF’s inventory daily for months in the hopes of finding a replacement but inventory has been terrible and frankly, I’m a bit worried of upgrading again only to be disappointed. There are three F/G 3ct stones that could be possibilities. Not sure if I want to drop down that far in size, but nothing else is available. Suppose I have more time before my 1 year is up for buy back.
 
Did you always sense a difference compared to your old stone? Did you always prefer your old stone’s personality? Or is your dissatisfaction (compared to your old stone) new?

It does seem from your prior posts that your feelings are new. Which would suggest that something about the stone or mount has changed. But if you’ve always felt this way and you’re only now talking about it, I can also understand not wanting to bring confusion or uncertainty up on the forum, if you’ve just purchased a new branded stone from a beloved vendor.

I ask because understanding what you don’t like about this stone is the only way to ensure any new stone is one that you’ll be happy with for a long time.
 
theshirlgirlNS said:
It’s definitely not dirty, it’s been professionally cleaned and I have an ultrasonic. I can’t see any damage - stone looks perfect. My best guess is the smaller facets in the smaller stone may have been “more lively”. I’ve been stalking WF’s inventory daily for months in the hopes of finding a replacement but inventory has been terrible and frankly, I’m a bit worried of upgrading again only to be disappointed. There are three F/G 3ct stones that could be possibilities. Not sure if I want to drop down that far in size, but nothing else is available. Suppose I have more time before my 1 year is up for buy back.
Click to expand...

If you try out a different stone you have 30 days to test it out. Live with it for 24-25 days so you can decide. Or, wait until after holidays and see what new stock they have. Maybe something in the 3.5ish range in a higher color will give you a whole different experience.
 
She’d need to be sure what the policies are as far as upgrading, and then if she decides she doesn’t want the upgrade, does the buyback go back to the previous stone? I can’t think of an instance that this has ever happened. Rare to see a buyback on an ACA. You could probably sell it for more than 70% if you were willing to wait for the right buyer. Most people would be thrilled to get 20% off retail.
 
I always knew something was a bit off about the stone but think I was initially very happy with the bigger size and brightness (for a J). Over time it’s has bothered me more and more that it doesn’t sparkle as much as I would like. I know it’s a beautiful stone, very clean - it’s just not “wow”. Maybe I’m being too picky,
 
theshirlgirlNS said:
I always knew something was a bit off about the stone but think I was initially very happy with the bigger size and brightness (for a J). Over time it’s has bothered me more and more that it doesn’t sparkle as much as I would like. I know it’s a beautiful stone, very clean - it’s just not “wow”. Maybe I’m being too picky,
Click to expand...
This sort of thing happens to a lot of us. Not necessarily this specific situation but general feelings and niggles getting stronger over time.

So if it’s the large facet size that doesn’t float your boat - you don’t necessarily need to drop diameter. You can achieve a more splintery/quickly scintillating look by increasing lower half length. This post by John Pollard has an excellent explanation of the relationship between lower halves (also called lower girdle facets - LGF) and appearance.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-enter-the-diamond.265951/page-2#post-4971350
 
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yssie said:
This sort of thing happens to a lot of us. Not necessarily this specific situation but general feelings and niggles getting stronger over time.

So if it’s the large facet size that doesn’t float your boat - you don’t necessarily need to drop diameter. You can achieve a more splintery/quickly scintillating look by increasing lower half length. This post by John Pollard has an excellent explanation of the relationship between lower halves (also called lower girdle facets - LGF) and appearance.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-enter-the-diamond.265951/page-2#post-4971350
Click to expand...

OMG. Of course! I have loved a 3 carat that had 79% LGF. Definitely much more splintery and super super bright and pretty and lively. It was also an AGS 000. It doesn't hurt to consider stones with higher LGF too. I just searched WF and their inventory is LOW. Did you get this upgrade in late July 2021? Get an exact date of how long you have to sell back. This $$ does not change so there should be no rush. Unless you have fallen in love with a whole different diamond/cut, I would just wait for more stock. Orrrrr, I saw the 4 carat H that is there, and you want to try that. I would give them at least until March 2022. I bet money they will restock by Valentines day. I keep an eye out on their stock and try to jump on G-J in sizes 3.3-4 and try out a different stone. I don't know how much $$ you were mentally prepared to lose, but maybe spending that on an upgrade to higher color with different proportions may do the trick. Again, unless of course you already have a different diamond in mind. You did say that WF does not have the cut you want? What cut is that? Wherever you go, make sure you have at least 30 days to test out your stone. You don't want the same thing to happen again.
 
Hmmm…. this actually makes a lot of sense. I would probably be more willing to at least try to upgrade if there was something logical to try. The only three possibilities right now are:

Diamond | 3.055 ct G VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4453327

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.055 carat G color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4453327
www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 3.016 ct F VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4400982

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.016 carat F color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4400982
www.whiteflash.com

Loose Cut Diamonds for Sale: Discover Exceptional Quality

Explore our GIA certified loose diamonds, including Hearts & Arrows (H&A) and super ideal cuts. Buy diamonds that offer brilliance, style, and fit your budget.
www.whiteflash.com

I’m not super keen to drop to a 3ct and the 4ct H may be eye clean but the inclusions make me uncomfortable. But all of these are at 77% and it sounds like I should be looking for 79%?

Thanks for everyone’s help in trying to make this a better situation.
 
theshirlgirlNS said:
Hmmm…. this actually makes a lot of sense. I would probably be more willing to at least try to upgrade if there was something logical to try. The only three possibilities right now are:

Diamond | 3.055 ct G VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4453327

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.055 carat G color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4453327
www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 3.016 ct F VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4400982

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.016 carat F color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4400982
www.whiteflash.com

Loose Cut Diamonds for Sale: Discover Exceptional Quality

Explore our GIA certified loose diamonds, including Hearts & Arrows (H&A) and super ideal cuts. Buy diamonds that offer brilliance, style, and fit your budget.
www.whiteflash.com

I’m not super keen to drop to a 3ct and the 4ct H may be eye clean but the inclusions make me uncomfortable. But all of these are at 77% and it sounds like I should be looking for 79%?

Thanks for everyone’s help in trying to make this a better situation.
Click to expand...

I don’t think WF cuts ACAs with 79% LGFs. I might be wrong as I am no cut expert. But just give it a little more time for more stock. You are 4 days away from Christmas in the middle of a pandemic. Is it any wonder that stock is low right now. Talk to WF and see what they might have coming down the pipe. It is worth a conversation. I would not hesitate on giving the H a chance. Don’t worry about the inclusions until you’ve talked to WF and get their opinion.
 
LLJsmom said:
I don’t think WF cuts ACAs with 79% LGFs. I might be wrong as I am no cut expert. But just give it a little more time for more stock. You are 4 days away from Christmas in the middle of a pandemic. Is it any wonder that stock is low right now. Talk to WF and see what they might have coming down the pipe. It is worth a conversation. I would not hesitate on giving the H a chance. Don’t worry about the inclusions until you’ve talked to WF and get their opinion.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned above, I’ve been watching WF’s inventory daily for months - with not a single stone being added in the range I was looking for as a possible upgrade to something I may like better.

Definitely not a fan of the H they have, not surprised that stone is still sitting there. Besides, it’s not that easy to simply “give a stone a chance” - it’s a process every time you trade for regrading/recertification.

I did send them an email to ask what may be coming in before I make the decision to sell it back. We’ll see what they say.
 
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@theshirlgirlNS ,
Sorry to hear of your concerns about the diamond and the timeframe to excising your buyback option. The four week timeframe is a conservative one considering the time of year and the lab closure for the holidays. It is probable that the time frame will be less.

Once we receive your diamond we could ship you one of the other diamonds you have identified as a potential trade-up. Additionally, if you do a trade and decide you want to return it during the 30 day inspection period, we will allow you to revert to the buyback option.

Please feel free to discuss with your consultant or contact me directly for assistance.
 
Texas Leaguer said:
@theshirlgirlNS ,
Sorry to hear of your concerns about the diamond and the timeframe to excising your buyback option. The four week timeframe is a conservative one considering the time of year and the lab closure for the holidays. It is probable that the time frame will be less.

Once we receive your diamond we could ship you one of the other diamonds you have identified as a potential trade-up. Additionally, if you do a trade and decide you want to return it during the 30 day inspection period, we will allow you to revert to the buyback option.

Please feel free to discuss with your consultant or contact me directly for assistance.
Click to expand...

Now THIS is the pinnacle definition of Grade A service!
 
Texas Leaguer said:
@theshirlgirlNS ,
Sorry to hear of your concerns about the diamond and the timeframe to excising your buyback option. The four week timeframe is a conservative one considering the time of year and the lab closure for the holidays. It is probable that the time frame will be less.

Once we receive your diamond we could ship you one of the other diamonds you have identified as a potential trade-up. Additionally, if you do a trade and decide you want to return it during the 30 day inspection period, we will allow you to revert to the buyback option.

Please feel free to discuss with your consultant or contact me directly for assistance.
Click to expand...

Nothing to add but wanted to say what great service!
edited to add...I was in the middle of typing this, had to take a call and now see that Dejawiz typed what I was thinking!
 
luvmysparklies said:
Nothing to add but wanted to say what great service!
edited to add...I was in the middle of typing this, had to take a call and now see that Dejawiz typed what I was thinking!
Click to expand...


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theshirlgirlNS said:
Hi Everyone, Sadly I have fallen out of love with my 4,23 J VS1 ACA. Not sure why, but it’s just not “speaking” to me and I’m fairly certain I’d prefer another shape - which WF doesn’t offer. I’m within the 1 year timeframe so they will buy it back (minus 30%). Not surprised about the price but was disappointed that the process will take 4 weeks so it can be regraded by AGS. The buyback price is guaranteed and I’m sure their in-house staff can inspect the stone. Am I missing something for why I would need to wait for them to regrade it for sale? I’ve always appreciated working with them but having me wait 4 weeks for payment while they get a new certificate seems a bit unreasonable. But maybe I’m being unreasonable? :mrgreen2:
Click to expand...

I am really sorry that you do not like your purchase. From the picture you posted on August 28th, it really looked like a very pretty, very big stone! Very pretty setting too. Very much like my Tiffany ring.

Have you used the HCA tool to evaluate your stone? I am certainly no expert but basically I put the store through the wringer (fortunately, got super service from a a very nice SA) just to get the right HCA score (even had rings shipped from Australia to Europe :)) and I am super extra happy with the result. I even forgot what color or clarity my diamond is...And I couldn't care any less considering the happy rainbow-fire sparkles it throws around like crazy!

Maybe the HCA score would be helpful to you while looking at other stones. It has really worked very nicely for me. Maybe it will help you too? As my DH says, no comprising on luxury goods. Your ring should make you happy every day! You must be extremally disappointed to consider a 30% cut plus inflation...
 
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