Buying diamonds on ebay??

[tammymacb]

Would love some advice asap. I'm this close to bidding on a pair of decent sized diamond earrings ( about 1/2 the cost of the local jeweler )

I'll only consider a long standing store with good feedback and a return warranty. I'll also pay with a credit card for extra protection.

Anyone done this? What was your experience??

 

[JessicaR]

are you comparing color cut clarity and carat to be exactly what your local jeweler is offering?

All diamonds are not created equal but earrings are usually much more forgiving than a ring. Still, could be crappy stones thats why they are cheaper.

The ebayer will really take them back? Read the return policy very carefully.

 

[java]

I replied on the budget board too.
I wouldn't buy them on ebay. Markup is at least 100% in your local jewelry store so it's not that crazy that it's 50% less if they are getting goods wholesale.

But now way would I buy sight unseen. And what are you getting? more details and perhaps I can help. VSI? SI?

 

[tammymacb]

1.71 tw earrings.

SI clarity. G-H color.

The seller has a 99.7 percent positive rating and has a diamond store on ebay- so his ratings are for diamonds. He offers 14 days full refund, but buyer pays return shipping.

 

[LilyWDW]

I would never buy something like that site unseen.

 

[Missy1961]

I would never buy something like that site unseen.

Me too.

 

[JessicaR]

I looked at the auction and his feedback and his return policy. I would have no problem buying them if the price ends up being right. Still 3 hours left.

You can buy them and return them if you aren't happy.

 

[Art 1]

Me too.

Me three.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

DH bought my engagement ring on Ebay. He found out the cut, clarity, color, and carat, compared it to other rings, and decided to buy. Right after he bought it he had it appraised for more than twice what he paid.

I would do it, especially with a 14 day return policy. Buy them, get them appraised, if they don't live up to your expectations, return them.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I will never forget getting a pedicure once and hearing the guy who was working on my toes try to sell a diamond to an online shopper who had called him. He was saying something about his store and this and that. He was really talking it up the whole time he was working on my feet. I kept thinking that if this person knew who she was dealing with she would hang up the phone.

That just turned me against buying diamonds online. I will never return to the diamond seller for a pedicure either.

 

[java]

DH (in the business) says that is very cheap for that quality and color. (both good by the way) What is DII certified though? He's never heard of that. Are they GIA certified? I saw the posting and it talks about it but doesn't say it outright.

 

[Pamlur]

I'm coming into this discussion late, but yes, I have bought several pairs of earrings on eBay, and bought a beautiful pinkie ring that was alexandrite and diamonds.

 

[Octoberbeauty]

We did! We bought my engagement ring on Ebay. The seller had excellent feedback and a great return policy so we went for it. It came with an appraisal, but we had it appraised right away and it appraised for more than three times what we paid for it (and a little more than their appraisal). We've been very happy with that purchase!

 

[Robinrs]

Would love some advice asap. I'm this close to bidding on a pair of decent sized diamond earrings ( about 1/2 the cost of the local jeweler )

I'll only consider a long standing store with good feedback and a return warranty. I'll also pay with a credit card for extra protection.

Anyone done this? What was your experience??

are you comparing color cut clarity and carat to be exactly what your local jeweler is offering?

All diamonds are not created equal but earrings are usually much more forgiving than a ring. Still, could be crappy stones thats why they are cheaper.

The ebayer will really take them back? Read the return policy very carefully.

Doesn't matter what the return policy is, if you pay by paypal you can complain and get your money back. Just tell them "not as you expected" and you're in like Flynn...

Take my word for it.

 

[JessicaR]

Just did a search for DII(Diamond Institute of India) and the ebay jeweler selling these earrings (just4diamonds). Found a couple of posts that may help you decide.

"I have never heard of DII (Diamond Institute of India) until today, but I did check online and they seem unreliable. For example, just4diamonds is selling diamond earrings graded FG (color) SI (clarity). A reputable diamond lab would designate what SI clarity, either SI1, SI2 or (in the case of EGL) SI3, which is actually I1 by GIA standards. Also those diamonds should be graded either Colorless (F) or near colorless (G) a diamond cannot be both.

The only reputable gem lab whose opinion I value is GIA ( Gemological Institute of America ) They created the grading system that we use today, and World wide they are considered the best gem lab because of their stringent criteria in grading diamonds. A MINIMUM of 5 Graduate Gemologists grade each diamond or gemstone that comes through their lab.
Source(s):
I am a GIA graduate with 20 years in the jewelry business."

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091120074033AAMLiDM

"I have repeatedly found diamond jewelry on the internet with a DII (Diamond Institute of India) Certification – not an organization I am familar with over and above their own statements on their internet site.

I have by no means heard of DII until today, but I did check out on the web and they seem to be unreliable. For case in point, just4diamonds is selling diamond earrings graded FG (shade) SI (clarity). A reputable diamond lab would designate what SI clarity, possibly SI1, SI2 or (in the situation of EGL) SI3, which is really I1 by GIA specifications. Also those diamonds really should be graded either Colorless (F) or near colorless (G) a diamond can not be each."


http://hoop-diamondearrings.com/selling-diamond-earrings/

 

[tammymacb]

I looked up FII and found basically the same thing.

The thing is, for earrings, ( unlike my engagement ring ) as long as they don't have a big carbon spot in them I don't know how much I care.

I'm seriously considering buying them, taking them for an appraisal and as long as I didn't get screwed, keeping them.

I need to make up my mind quick. I'm running out of time...

 

[JessicaR]

They went up $175 in the last 3 seconds - so did ya get them?

 

[tammymacb]

I got outbid the last few seconds.

I'm going to look at earrings at one other place in town, and my guess is get right back to work on another pair by this seller later this week.

 

[George513]

I got outbid the last few seconds.
I'm going to look at earrings at one other place in town, and my guess is get right back to work on another pair by this seller later this week.

If you do bid on another eBay auction, snipe (wait until the last few seconds of the auction to place your bid) like the other guy(s) did in that last auction.

You can do it manually or use a site like hidbid.com to snipe for you.

Just remember that regardless of when your bid is placed, it still has to be the highest to win. EXCEPT, when 2 bids are the same or there isn't enough difference between them to meet ebay's minimum bid increment. In that case, the 1st one in wins.

So, if people were completely rational, the best strategy would be to bid on an item the second it is listed. I'd stick with the sniping strategy.

Make sure you're eligible to bid on an item before scheduling a snipe (or doing it manually), so that your bid will be accepted. As long as you live in a country that the seller ships to, you don't have many unpaid strikes lately (I believe as little as two unpaid strikes in the past six months can get you blocked from bidding on auctions), and you have enough positive feedback, you should be ok. If you have a problem with one of those things, you could contact the seller and ask them to accept your bid, as long as you know early enough.

A couple more benefits of sniping:

1. Sniping is actually a way of combatting shill bidding - when the seller or his buddy bids on the item until they're the high bid, and know your max, then retract their bid, and use yet another account to bid on the item, bidding just below your max. You don't give the shiller time to retract their bid in order to leave you as the high bidder, close to your max. You can't do much about a shill bidder letting their bid ride to the end of the auction, if it just raises but doesn't exceed yours.

Also, look out for 2nd chance offers, as they would be a reason for the shiller to let their shill bid ride, you may want to decline any and look for a different seller with the same item. Unless of course, the price seems ok with you, even though possible artificially jacked up.

2. You can just cancel a snipe with as little as five minutes left (I guess depending on which service or software you use)
in an auction, if you change your mind about bidding on an item, and your bid won't be placed. If you place a bid on ebay and then retract it (not a seller's or ebay's favorite thing), you can be blocked from bidding on other auctions after doing this a few times, not sure what that # is.

Anyone bidding on ebay should understand ebay's proxy bidding system (increases your bid only until it is the high, or it has been exceeded), and have an idea about their bid increments:

pages.ebay.com/help/buy/bid-increments.html

pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/bid-increments.html

pages.ebay.de/help/buy/bid-increments.html


Have here is a page to a study about the sniping:

usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2006-06-25-ebay-physics_x.htm