Diamond Ring question

[OhMari]

I inherited my great aunt's diamond ring. When her husband died, she made took 4 diamonds and made it into one ring. So it has her husbands pinky ring on it, her engagement and I think diamonds from earings.

Any way, I asked around who I should go to for an appraisal.

I took it to a goldsmith, that has been in business 25 years.

I thought he would appraise it in front of me, but his daughter was the receptionist and said, it will be ready in 24 hours for $35 dollars.

I am just so leary about all the horror stories you hear, but I did ask around.

Is this protocol.

 

[Kimberle]

Most jewelers around here will appraise it in front of you. You can't just walk in, but must make an appt.

I, too, would not let it out of my site.

B/t/w, if you suspect anyone has replaced your stone with a lesser quality one, a jeweler can tell by examining the stone if it's been reset. (Learned that on PBS )

Someone on these brds is a gemologist, don't remember who...

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

There are jewelers that will give you an appraisal without leaving your ring, I wouldn't leave it. Just call around until you find someone that you feel comfortable with that can give you the information in person usually they will make an appointment.

 

[DebbieB]

Sometimes large jewelers at malls will have appraisal events where they do it in front of you.

When I've left diamond rings to be sized at places like Kays, they have a tool to check each diamond to make sure they're real, they check it in front of you before they take it. I guess so you don't try to give them fake stones and say later they replaced them.

 

[mudnuri]

well, here its different.

My MIL has rings worth BIG bucks...our entire family uses the same jeweler...we all drop off our jewelry and pick it up the next day. Part of my insurance policy on my diamond is that it's inspected/reappraised each year to assure accuracy etc... I drop it off and pick it up the next day. My MIL sends hers monthly to be cleaned, checked, inspected etc..

It's all in how close you are to the jeweler...we have a great business relationship with this family owned store, and are totally comfortable leaving jewelery there.....

Brandy

 

[Chattyaholic]

I would NOT let it out of my sight. If they insist you leave it, find another jeweler.

I will inherit my grandmother's diamond ring, the setting is very delicate, detailed, like "fret-work", and the diamond is quite large, I'm thinking a couple carats at least. I do want to have it appraised when it comes to me one day, but will not leave it, I will find a jeweler who will make an "appointment" with me so I can be there and watch while it is appraised.

 

[RUDisney]

One of my coworkers left his wife's diamond to be resized at a jewelry store. They replaced the diamond with a cubic zirconia. He only knew because he took it somewhere else to be reappraised after it was sized.

My diamond was appraised in front of me. I'd have it no other way... unless, like Brandy, I had a jeweler of many years who earned my trust.

 

[zurgswife]

We had a very trusted jewler around our parts that was "caught" by a 20/20 crew a few years back....He seemed like a trust worthy guy (designed and made my engagement ring) but you never know...

play it safe keep it in your sight..

 

[OhMari]

my heart is still beating too fast.

I picked up my ring today and his daughter handed me the appraisal.

He said one is 1/2 a carot and the others are 1/4. He put the colors down which I don't have in front of me. The ring for replacement would be around $2,000.

Good Lord, I did trust the first jeweler, he has been in business for over 25 years and he custom makes gold jewelry. Everyone gave me rave reviews about him.

We left the shop and his daughter never charged us $35. I was so shocked that 4 diamonds are worth only $2,000. She said thanks for coming and have a nice day.

We then left and went to the jewelers were we bought our rings 23 years ago and this diamond ring was previously set.

They took the ring and wrote down the description. She looked at the ring under a microscope. Then the jeweler looked at it too see if she missed anything. She said one of the diamonds were scratched and wrote that down.

They gave me back the ring and said they will mail me the appraisal.

I feel sick everytime I think about this, (leaving the ring over nite).

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I wedding ring is 3 carats and I never let it out of my line of vision. I have had the same jewlery guy for 18 years . He is the one who taught me how to identify my stone . He showed me where there is a small inclusion ( flaw) in Marquise by one of the prongs. GOOD man , honest and everything . He is also the one whho told me NEVER let it leave your site LOL.


wishing all a tagged night
Mishell

 

[CarolA]

You may find the $2,000 is right.

My Grandmother had a ring my family was convinced was worth around $20,000. Actual value $7,000. It is big, (can't recall how big, but think big enough for you to question if it is real!)

However, the diamond was not the best quality and the styles have changed (it is a tear shape). Also, diamonds have gotten less expensive.

All in all it turned out the ring was worth substantially less now then when it was purchased in the 70's.

However, I have a smaller diamond that was my other grandmother's. Small, but perfect. Has held it's value very well.

 

[ZachnElli]

I'm very surprised by all the "never leave it out of your sight" posts. I worked for a reputable jeweler for years and everything was sent to us at least overnight. Alot of the really big diamonds had to have special made settings and that takes time. If a jeweler has been in business for 25 years, it's pretty obvious they don't trade out stones. One accusation, true or not, would completely ruin their business. He did not do appraisals, he was not a gemologist. But we had things sent to us from all over the country and from some very well known business people. Some of this stuff cost more than my house!

 

[Mishetta]

I hate to sound like gloom & doom too but my cousin had left her wedding ring to be cleaned & one of the prongs to be re-something (re-tightened or re-made). Anyway, since her ring was returned (a couple days later), she is absolutely sure that is not her diamond in there anymore. She feels she has no re-course either! It's been about 2 years now & she tells everyone that the diamond she has now, is not the one her DH gave her when they got engaged.

 

[mudnuri]

well, here's my theory on why we leave the stuff.

1st off- we do not live in a big city...I'm sure if we did things would be different The family we use is the family that set and sold to all the boys each of us girls diamonds and wedding bands, along with all the boys wedding bands. I think the only person who has jewelry from a different place is my MIL/FIL, they were married in CT, and all of the inherited jewls came from down there. My DD's and all of my neices and nephews jewelry has come from this same family. Speaking of which, DD's pearls should be ready to be picked up this week, we have a pearl added to the strand on different occasions, this year we were late for their xmas pearls..but in the 7 years I've been dropping off the strands, I've never thought he might switch them out with a fake one....

Once DH's family moved up here, this is the only place any of us have ever bought anything.


If you can't trust someone why give them your money?????

Brandy

 

[Poohnatic]

I've heard those 'switching' stories, too, but they get sensationalized when they do happen!

I guess I'm not too worried. I have an Emerald cut diamond, and when I take mine in for the 6month 'check ups", there usually aren't any other Emerald cuts in the case...if I'm lucky, there might be one or two. I keep looking because someday I'll get another one!

Suzanne

 

[Duchie]

I worked in a reputable jewelry store for over 5 years. We did have a gemologist on staff, but required rings to be left overnight for appraisals. We didn't even have the facilities on site to switch a diamond if we wanted to (which we didn't). So don't let one or two overly-sensationalized stories scare you. Yes, there are bad people out there. But for the vast majority of people in the business, their reputation is worth far more than a few switched stones.