Courtesy of buzzle.com

That’s what a Florida couple did last month when they realized their engagement ring was missing. They remembered last seeing the ring in the cup on their dresser just before Christmas, but were also sure that there were other people in their home at the time.

Enter private eye John Milano, a former police officer. The couple enlisted his expertise to locate the ring, and promised a $5,000 reward to the lucky individual who could lead them to the treasure.

Milano’s first order of business was conducting polygraph tests of everyone who was in the house at the time of the theft. In order to follow the footsteps of the thief, he also contacted local pawn shops in Martin County, Florida, as well as New York City – the diamond center of the country.

The only suspect to fail the polygraph test was 26-year-old house cleaner Cody Mejias. After that, she began to avoid Milano, thus prompting him to get serious about her potential guilt. “I hunted her down,” he said. “She refused to come in so we had to get the police involved.”

After arresting Mejias and charging her with grand theft, the real story began to unfold. She sold the ring to a pawn shop on Jensen Beach. Owner Charles Sarullo said he bought the ring for $4,800. He testified that Mejias explained she had inherited the ring from an aunt who had recently passed away.

According to the police affidavit, the maid was “apologetic and stated she needed the money to feed her children.” She told the police that she used the money to pay for food, bills, gas, and Christmas gifts.

In order to close the deal and bring back the jewelry, Milano offered Sarullo the $5K reward, plus a reimbursement of his $4,800 acquisition fee for the ring. Sounds like Sarullo did pretty well even though he didn’t get to resell the ring for its true value. Actually, Milano did pretty well too since he solved the case and was surely rewarded for that.

But the couple who hired Milano fared the best. They got their $350,000 engagement ring back and kept their anonymity.

Now there’s just one mystery left: who knows of a trustworthy maid to clean their house?

Source: http://privatedetectivelondon.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/350000-missing-engagement-ring-riddle-solved-by-private-detective/

A: I’m very happy to help. btw, I noticed the 904 area code. My aunt and uncle live in Jax. They’ve got a relatively well known name for that town – Wolfson. I think there’s even a high school named after my Uncle’s father.

So here’s what I like for you:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1245440.asp – very slick looking stone
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1335840.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1305493.asp

Have a look at those and let me know what you think!

Q: Wolfson is indeed a big name here. There is a children’s hospital and a high school named after your family. Those diamonds all look really nice. In your opinion, what qualities makes the first stone a better pick that the third? The third seems to have better clarity and color with only a slightly higher price tag? By the way, my friend who used you was Allan xxxxx from Tampa, Florida.

A: Wolfson is the family that my father’s sister married into, so I’m only vaguely familiar with the details. I just know it always impresses people from Jax

I didn’t necessarily think the first one was better than the third. I was just really struck with it’s picture when I saw it, so I commented on it. But I do want to correct one thing you wrote – the third stone is a grade higher in color, but it’s a grade lower in clarity.

The 1.77 is significantly larger in terms of LxW. So, in my mind, that pushes it a notch higher than the other two. So I guess after further thought, I do like the first one better than the third.

Q: You’re right, I was incorrect as to the Diamond 3′s clarity. I know clarity is very important with an emerald cut stone, but what about color grade? Will G or H color grade be noticeable/problematic? Basically, I want the all around best diamond around 1.5 ct. that is on budget. I think we may have found a winner with Diamond 1 though. Again, thanks for your time!

A: Clarity is definitely very important with an Emerald. That’s another reason why I think option #1 is better. THe color’s not an issue. You can’t really tell the difference in adjacent color grades with your eye when a stone is mounted in a ring.

Q: Unfortunate news but Diamond 1 sold before I could make a move. I do like the other two, but could you possibly suggest a stone with similar qualities as Diamonds 2 and 3, but VS1 clarity?

A: This one’s nice:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1335840.asp

But honestly, I think #3 from the original list might be your best option now.

Q: It’s so hard to make a decision of this magnitude! To provide more context, this will likely be a platinum ring with small pave diamond’s surrounding the center stone and along with band (similar to this http://www.collectibles-articles.com/antique/collectible-image-large/2-70ct-emerald-cut-diamond-engagement-ring-gia-14k-gold_130472554675.jpg). I agree that diamond 3 looks very nice, but my only concern is the VS2 rating. I see the small inclusions in the center left of the stone. I browsed some VS1 options and found these with slightly different measurements.

Diamond 5

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1314403.asp

Diamond 6

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1327058.asp

…….

And I know that I am probably being a little anal about this, but I am trying to maximize value here. I think the stones we have selected place an emphasis on weight, which is what I want. The fact that this is an emerald is just making me cautious about the stone’s clarity.

A: The first one is square. Is that what you want? The 2nd one is very nice. If you’re nervous about the 1.72 H VS2, than you can always have JA inspect it for you and let you know if you can see the VS2 or not.

Q: Diamond 3 from our initial list is the clear favorite. I have requested a JA gemologist inspect Diamond 2, Diamond 3 from the intial list, and the second stone I just sent you. They are holding the stones for 72 hours. Once they get back to me, I think I am going to pull the trigger.

A: sounds like a plan! Please let me know what they say!

Q: I haven’t received the gemologist report yet for the stones mentioned in the previous email, however, I notice that the diamond 1 (the diamond you originally recommended) from our original list is available again. In your opinion, do you still consider that diamond 1 the best available? If so, what makes it more desirable than stone 3? Is it the fact that it is larger with better clarity?

A: Actually, with this stone, it wasn’t anything in particular that drew me to it. Something just looked very slick about it. i think it might have been the larger corners that are at a very steep angle. It just looks like a very nice build.

Q: I am still waiting on the JA gemologist inspection and then I will make a decision likely between diamond 1 and 3. Both seem like great choices. Diamond 1 is slightly larger with better clarity, but a lower color grade (and a great build). Diamond 3 has better color, but smaller and a lower clarity grade (but the inclusions appear to be very faint).

…….

And funny thing, I was browsing your site and found what I am quite sure is your correspondence with my good friend. http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com/2010/02/04/qa-skeptical-about-brokering-service-for-2-carat-emerald-cut-ends-up-completely-satisfied/

A:

…….

You can see the name if you click the ivouch link at the bottom.

Q: That’s Allan alright. That was a beautiful stone you found him!

A: It really was! I remember.

Q: Here is the gemologist report. It was mainly between stone 2 and 3 of our original list. Unfortunately, they did not inspect diamond 1 as it was unavailable at that time.

Thank you for your patience while waiting for the gemologist inspection of diamonds 1335840, 1305493, and 1314403.

I have great news, our gemologist has determined that diamond 1335840 has a nice H color performance and is completely eye clean. It was noted by our gemologist that this diamond also has the best light performance of your selections.

Diamond 1305493 has a more rectangular make with corners that have a wider cut. This diamond is predominantly eye clean but the high relief crystal located under the table is not impossible to see. Of your selections, this is the darkest and has the weakest symmetry.

Diamond 1314403 faces eye clean and has a mid to H color performance. Our gemologist feels that this diamond has very good symmetry rather than the excellent grade it was given on its lab certificate. This is an emerald cut diamond that has a square ratio.

I see that you are looking for an emerald cut diamond with a rectangular shape. I believe you will be very happy with diamond 1335840 for that reason and that it will look stunning in any setting. As my colleague Stacy mentioned, we are unable to have additional diamonds placed on hold for inspection due to our three diamond limit per customer. After seeing the gemologist evaluation of diamond 1335840, I don’t believe additional inspections would be fruitful.

Please take a moment to review this information and let me know if you have any additional questions. I have extended your hold on these diamonds for an additional 24 hours while you consider your options. After that time we will release them back to our inventory.

To finalize a purchase, simply call our Customer Service department at 877-826-9866. We are staffed Monday through Friday from 9am-12am (EST), and from 10am-6pm (EST) on Saturdays and Sundays. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any additional questions. I hope to hear from you soon.

…….

So it’s between 1 and 2 now. I’d love your thoughts when you get a chance. Thanks

A: If they can get #1 inspected soon, then wait, otherwise, I think you’ll be very very happy with #2.

Q: After sleeping on it and speaking with James Allan reps last night, I am going to go with my gut and purchase diamond # 1 even without an inspection report. I will update you when I receive it here in Jacksonville. Again, I want to thank you for all your help and advice on this! You truly provide an incredible service and I wish you all the best!

A: I’m sure it’ll be great! I look forward to hearing your report!

I’ve seen this diamond:

http://www.bluenile.co.uk/build-your-own-diamond-ring forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&track=tab#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01195010

which seems to be a good balance of price/carat/cut/colour/clarity. What do you think?

Many thanks

A: Thanks for writing and the kind words about the site! That stone looks nice, but I think you could do a little better on the cut.

This stone, for example, costs a little bit more, but it will look MUCH larger than the one you selected on BN:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1174409.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for your swift response.

That stone looks lovely, the only issue is that being UK based, buying from the US adds around 20-25% to the price in the form of VAT and Duty, which unfortunately pushes the stone outside of my price range. I don’t believe James Allen have a UK operation, which is why I’ve been using Blue Nile. This is a shame though as the Virtual Loupe is a killer feature on the JA website.

Do you know of any similar organisations with UK-specific websites?

A: Don’t be fooled by BN UK – you’re going to have to pay the same VAT & duty from them as well. Their diamonds are not local, they’re all being imported.

http://www.bluenile.co.uk/glossary.jsp?word=vat

Q: Huge thanks for this, I genuinely hadn’t noticed.

Reading the UK tax website has told me that the only difference between the prices now will be a c5% import & customs duty, on James Allen (although Blue Nile’s price doesn’t include VAT, the fact that it is a UK registered business means a ring purchase from them won’t count as personal import). 5% isn’t a huge amount though, and to me a price worth paying for the benefit of the virtual loupe which takes a good deal of the risk out of the purchase.

Buying a ring from the US will be a nice touch actually, my partner has a huge affinity for the US and has a lot of friends in Chicago.

To further complicate matters, I thought I would get in touch with one of my partner’s friends who is convinced that she would prefer an Emerald Cut to a Princess Cut. Apparently there was a lovely emerald cut ring in Sex And The City a few years ago which she loved.

I’ll go back to James Allen and see what I can find!

Thanks again.

………..

I have found this emerald cut stone:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1315607.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

What do you think?

Regarding my budget I’m going to up it a little bit. I’m aiming for stone and setting for $2,500, this will mean that the fully landed cost (shipping, VAT, Duty, etc.) to me in the UK is £2,000. I’d love to spend more, but my partner isn’t currently working and is expecting our first child. James Allen does operate an upgrade service though, so if funds become available further down the line…

Regards

A: Send me an email on Sunday, and I’ll gladly help you find an Emerald. It’s a Jewish holiday tonight and tomorrow, so I don’t have any time now.

Btw, do you have any friends/family flying in from the US in the next few weeks? You could always try to smuggle it in yourself. It’s very easy – someone just needs to wear it.

Q: Many thanks, I will send an e-mail on Sunday.

My sister happens to be travelling back from the States just in time for Christmas. I think this could be a perfect opportunity!

Kind regards

…………

Following on from last week, I have done a little digging, and had one of my partner’s friends do a bit of ‘undercover’ work. It turns out that this was a good idea. I’m basically now looking for an emerald cut diamond. My budget for the diamond is $2,000 dollars or thereabouts, for a total ring value in the region of $2,500. This will land in the UK at a cost to me of about £2,000 (by my calculations.

I would appreciate any guidance you can give me

…………

Did a bit of digging myself on James Allen, what do you think of the following few:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1328244.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1203590.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

And a couple of wildcards (only graded as “Good” for cut):

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-VVS2-Good-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1306167.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VVS1-Good-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1228193.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Regards

A: You actually did a great job with these! This stone:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-VVS2-Good-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1306167.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

is the clear winner to me. It’s rated “good” because the table is a little large (75%). But large tables on emeralds aren’t really such a problem. The good thing with this stone is that it is shallow, which means its weight is distributed more in its LxW versus its depth. It’s weight that you can see and appreciate. So even though the stone is 0.58ct, it’s larger in LxW than most 3/4ct stones. Also, I personally like EMs with L/W ratios of 1.50 like this one. Shallow stones brilliant shapes usually translate into a less brilliant diamond, but with a step cut like an Emerald or an Asscher, it doesn’t really matter.

Best Wishes.

Q: That’s the diamond I’ve gone for! I’ve put it on a simple Platinum comfort fit band (my partner likes simple ring bands, and I think it will accentuate the stone better), total cost (including shipping and including your discount code) was $2,329, so within my budget. I can’t believe my budget has stretched to a platinum ring with a diamond of that size and clarity. Thank you so much for your help, it has been such a learning experience, and I’m sure that without your advice I’d have spent more money for a lesser ring.

Regards

A: My pleasure!  Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when the ring arrives!

Q: Just thought I would send you a quick update.

The ring arrived very promptly from James Allen, excellent customer service throughout, I can see why you recommend them.

To say I was pleased with the ring would be an understatement, it is absolutely beautiful. The diamond was a superb recommendation, it looks so ‘pure’ and catches the light superbly.

Most importantly, my partner loves it too. She didn’t have a clue I was going to propose, and thankfully she accepted! She was very impressed that I had not only got a ring, but one that she liked so much. I did admit to having had some outside help, so Liz sends her thanks too!

Many thanks once more Ira, your advice was invaluable, and it was reassuring to know that there are some genuinely nice people about in these increasingly cynical times.

Regards

A: That’s such wonderful news! I really appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to write me this update. I love when I get emails like these. They really brighten my day.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-169.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

I have located this diamond:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1305777.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

at James Allen and have ordered the image (which I will be happy to fwd to you for your review). It certainly seems like a nice price for this diamond. I would like your opinion on this diamond and any other similar ones you might be able to find and recommend. I assume/hope you receive some type of payment from the sources from which you recommend a diamond that is subsequently purchased. I would of course cooperate in any way necessary in this regard.

A: It’s rare, but I really love when I get emails from good people like you. I really appreciate your concern regarding my compensation. It’s very kind of you. If you’d like to understand the whole thing a bit better, take a look at the article on my site, “truth about truthaboutdiamonds.com”

I took a look at the diamond – it looks great. To answer your question, a VS2 on an emerald cut is most definitely not a given to be eye clean. But by the look of the inclusion plot on the cert, it looks very likely that it will be eye clean. It’s a feather on the edge of the stone, which is the best place for an inclusion on an emerald.

The L/W ratio is perfect as is the depth and table. So this should really be a winner. You should ask JA to put it on hold while the photo is on the way.

I did take another look through their inventory, and this stone is far and away the best choice for the price range.

As for my commission, if you’ve already clicked on any links from my site to James Allen, then the tracking should already be set. If not, you can click on this link to set it in place:

http://www.jamesallen.com/?a_aid=dmnd1357

But even if you don’t click on that link, there’s a fail-safe measure that is my coupon. If you make sure to use the TAD0611 coupon code (which will give you 10% off the setting), then even if the tracking doesn’t work, they’ll award me the commission after the fact.

Thanks again for your generosity! Please send me the picture when it comes through.

Q: Thank you for your prompt response! I have used many links to JA from your site, clicked the link you provided and also would use “TAD0611” so we should be set there.

I emailed a request to hold the stone and I will forward you the picture upon receipt.

I think it was implied in your email but would you agree the price on this particular stone (assuming it is eye clean) is also very good?

A: Hey XXXX. Yeah, that’s a great price for that stone!

…….

You know what. I was just thinking – since I saw nothing else even close to this for the price, I think it might be a good idea for you to just order the stone. When JA holds a stone, theres still a chance it can get sold out from underneath you (i’ve seen it happen a few times). JA doesn’t own most of the stones they sell. So there’s only so much they can control. You can always return it if you don’t like it, but based on everything I’ve seen, I put the odds of this one turning out to be a dud at close to zero.

I know that technically, I’m biased, and you should definitely take that into account when making your decision, but I really do feel that this is your best move. I’ve helped many people in the past who regret hesitating only to see the stone that they first wanted disappear.

Q: I am considering doing just that.  Damn I would like to see the picture first but it seems like minimal risk to get a nice stone at a great price!

A: There’s really no better picture than your own two eyes. Maximum, you loose 20-30 bucks on the shipping back to them.

Q: Yeah that’s nothing and I suppose I could even cancel the order prior to shipping if we are not pleased with the picture?

A: That’s true too. I forgot that it’d be held up for a week or two because you’re having it set. So you won’t even have to resort to that.

Just order it, and write in the notes/comments section (if there is such a thing), that before they start the work setting the stone, they should send you a picture of it just to confirm.

Q: One more thing. Are the baguettes at F-G color going to make the emerald at H look not as white?

A: No, you won’t notice a difference. It’s too close for there to be any kind of contrast.

Q: I ordered it and look forward to our review of the picture.  Thanks for your help to this point!

A: My pleasure! I look forward to seeing the pic.

Q: I’m glad I did because I am sure you have seen numerous instances of nicely priced diamonds being sold while others who are interested don’t pull the trigger in time (ie. while they wait for some type of further information like a picture!).

……….

I noticed a little abnormality on the inclusion plot on what looks like the view from the bottom. There are two lines running around one of the normal edge lines.

Anything to worry about?

A:  Hi XXXXX. Those are two very small extra facets. It’s very common. You almost certainly won’t notice anything out of the ordinary. The picture will show us for certain.

Q: Thank you and good night over there!

…….

I have never seen an image like this and you are the pro.

Obviously the picture makes the stone look much more square than it is.

Any areas of concern whatsoever?

A: That picture is pretty awful, unfortunately.  But she did confirm that it’s eye clean, so that’s the most important thing.

Q: Everything is ordered. At this point I am pretty confident I will be very pleased with the ring.

When I receive it I will let you know how it looks and thank you once again.

A: Anyway – first of all, you should not feel guilty at all. Take a look at this and you’ll understand why:

http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com/truth-about/truthaboutdiamonds-com/

Since we’re dealing with Emerald cuts, it’s very important that we be able to see what we’re dealing with as even a VS2 or even in extreme circumstances a VS1 can be visible to the naked eye. So since that’s the case, I only want to deal with James Allen. Unfortunately, their selection in Emerald cuts is pretty slim. They have a ton of goods listen under Emerald Cuts, but the vast majority of them are really Asscher cuts (square emerald cuts). A nice emerald cut should have a L/W ratio of between about 1.40 to 1.60. There were very few in your price range fitting that description. Here are two that I found:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1288326.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1244640.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Now, these definitely seem like good options, but I would have rather found you a G or H color stone that was larger. JA has a bunch of Hs, but they’re all squarish.

If you’d like, I’d be happy to take a look on the market here in Israel. I’m sure I could find something that’ll be a great value – better than what you’ll find online. The is particularly the case with Emeralds and other fancy shapes that are in less demand. Their prices are generally significantly better in Israel than they are in the States.

The bourse is open on Sundays here in Israel, so if you’re interested, try and let me know in the next 13 hours or so.

……

I went ahead anyway and looked for some emerald cuts on the market here. I found one stone that I think is an incredible value. It’s a 1.83ct G VS2. The total final cost to you would be $10,000.

The polish and symmetry on the stone are both “Excellent.”

There are two “issues” with the stone. One – the L/W ratio is about 1.2. Thats a bit low for an emerald cut. It’s kind of in between an asscher cut and an emerald cut. But some people like this look better than the more elongated emeralds. So take a look at the picture attached and see for yourself if you like it or not.

The other issue is that the stone has strong blue fluorescence. Normally, I recommend against buying SB flr blindly because sometimes, it can cause milkiness/cloudiness in the stone. But quite often (especially in colors G and lower), SB flr has no visual effect whatsoever. But since there’s no way to tell online, I tell people just not to bother with it. But in this case, I saw the stone myself, and without putting it on the fluorescent lamp, you would never know it was fluorescent. There are no negative visual effects from the SB flr at all.

So those to issues combine to make this stone a very attractive deal. You won’t find a stone this large with a price like this anywhere.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Q: ARGH! Ira, sorry, your emails ended up in my Spam folder. I was about to shoot you another email through your site but thought I should double check in there first – and here were your replies.

Firstly, thank you *very* much for going out of your way to look for stones locally.

Secondly (!) we’ve had a bit of a chance of plan. After she tried on a couple of “larger” emerald cut stones that are quite deep and realized that was not her style…

…So she’s back to liking rounds – or something similar to the “Tiffany” lucida, which I am told would have as much fire as an AGS-0 stone.

If you could spare some time to advise for this kind of stone (budget 10k, preference for an all-round-star stone as opposed to huge with massive inclusions!), I would love to pick this up again. And I’ve now unmarked you as spam!!

(BTW – thanks for passing the affiliate link explanation on to me – I’m glad that you are compensated for your US referrals, also. Makes me feel less guilty, but still slightly guilty, for asking! If you think local diamonds are a better value – then I’m comfortable buying from you online!)

Thank again and have a great weekend.

A: Hi. I’m glad you found my messages withering away in the spam bin!

For a 10K budget for a round, you can get yourself a very nice 1.75ct stone. Here’s an example of a great stone you can get in your budget:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1281691.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – it’s large. It’s totally eye clean. It has a GIA excellent cut. It will be big, white, and super fiery. Just as much sparkle as the Lucida.

Since this size and budget is super-popular and the market is very crowded with little supply, there’s no real way I could save you money trying to broker the stone for you. So I think the best way to go is through James Allen.

Have a look at that stone I suggested. Let me know your thoughts. It’s a great stone, but if you don’t like it for whatever reason, it’s a great starting point.

Q:  Wow — that really is a beauty! Very interesting that even though it’s an SI2, the inclusions would be pretty well hidden away under the claws of most settings.

What sort of $ figure am I looking at for a 2 ctw round cut of similar quality do you think? Another 50%?

I will poke around ja some more tonight…

A: THat was a good guess. here’s a great 2ct option. Similar in quality:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1235758.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Q: That stone looks a bit… Scratched? Not sure if that’s the right word! The surface looks a bit fuzzy under the loupe. Would these imperfections be horribly visible in broad daylight?

If you think it’s good, I’ll hit go!

A: Hi. Those inclusions would be 100% clean to the naked eye. In fact, such spready inclusions are preferable because you can only see them with magnification. If an SI2 were concentrated in one area and a darker color, it would not be eye clean. For example, see this:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1259889.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

But it looks like it’s all theoretical anyway because the original stone was sold!

Here’s another great option. Spready eye clean inclusions. Great cut. GIA triple excellent. HUGE spread.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1277084.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Q:  Thanks Ira! I’m about to add the stone to a setting (model number 11019P). Is there anything else that you would consider before you would pull the trigger?

A: I think you’re good to go!

Q:  Let’s do it! Thanks.

A: Don’t forget TAD0611 coupon!

Q: No way dude, I’m all over that. Thanks for your help.

Just need to get the seal of approval from the person who’ll be wearing it. We’re pretty informal about all this, which makes it that much easier for me.

…….

Q: Too long!!! Hmm – just doing a dry run and when I enter TAD0611 it tells me “The code you have entered is invalid. Please try again.”.

Ideas?

A: It works only on the setting. Did you have the setting in the cart when you entered it?

Q: D’oh – I got it working – just had the stone in the cart, not the setting also.

Thanks again!

A. Take a look at the attached screenshot. That’s most likely your stone. I searched for 2.05 H VS2 and the exact table and depth specified. That’s the only stone that came up. That price is the wholesale cost of the stone. The guy is taking you for a ride. He’s making 27%! Nobody does that any more.

I can get you the same stone for cost + a 10% brokering fee. let me know if you’re interested.

Q. Thank you for the quick response. That has to be the same one. It has the exact measurements as the GIA report he sent me via email. I was already leaning towards using this guy as a jeweler for the setting, but not necessarily for purchasing the rock.

I don’t mean to offend, but I am a little wary of purchasing through an individual I found over the internet. Although I don’t have a problem with Blue Nile or James Allen, it is harder to verify an individual than a corporation. That being said, my budget is $15,000 and I am trying to find the best emerald cut diamond I can. I have been using your website as a guide (it is very helpful having someone tell me I don’t need to buy a flawless stone) and was shooting for around 2 carats, but bigger would always be better.

A. I totally understand your reservations about having me broker you a stone. $15,000 is not a small amount of money. I’ll just offer you two things that might change your mind. Firstly, I can provide you with several references of people whom I’ve brokered stones for in the past. And secondly, the way it would work is that if I find a stone for you in the US, you will pay the stone’s owner directly. You will be wiring money directly to a wholesale diamond company – not me as an individual. Once you know the company’s name, you can feel free to do your due diligence. You’ll just be sending me my brokering fee. So there’s no risk of me running off with $15K.

If I find you a stone in Israel (where I live), then you’ll be invoiced through my friend’s company, www.fancydiamonds.net. They’re a very well established company around for several years with a very professional website. They’ve been around long enough that it won’t be difficult at all to find positive reviews about them on the ‘net. If you still have hesitations, I’d be happy to recommend specific stones to you online based on your budget and specifications. Just let me know! …… FYI: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1125757.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 Looks like JA had it listed and it was sold.

Q. I think if I had a reference I could talk to stateside and it was a domestic company I would feel pretty comfortable with it. My work computer won’t let me get to fancydiamonds.net due to the word Cydia somewhere on the page. Apparently Cydia is an iPhone hack that they don’t want employees getting a hold of.

I would be happy to talk to you over the phone. My direct line is in my signature. With the commission I guess we would be looking at approximately $13,500 for the cost of the rock. I did notice that the James Allen markup for that stone was approximately 8%, so maybe that is the route to go. I am assuming you are compensated by them if you direct me there as well.

A. That’s so funny about cydia. I was curious, so I went to the page. Cydia is found one place on the home page. Unfortunately for them, it’s here: fanCYDIAmonds.net!

JA’s markup is closer to 15%. They probably have an agreement with that one vendor that knocks their cost down 10% or so from the advertised price on Rapnet. You are correct. JA does pay me a commission for traffic I refer to them. There’s an article about it on my site called “Truth about TruthAboutDiamonds.com.” I’ll give you a call later. Things are very busy in my house now. It’s almost dinner time here (I’m in Israel). Can I give you a call later tonight? Say, in about 3-4 hours?

Q. That works for me. Thanks.

A. You know what, I thought about it, and I think you’ll be better of just buying from James Allen. I can’t offer some of the support that they offer (30 day return policy, etc). And I’d rather you just do what you’re comfortable doing. I’m confident I can save you money, but it probably won’t be anything too significant in your price range. So here’s what i found for you on james allen: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1201389.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1269572.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1128349.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 Each of those is at least as nice as the stone you were offered. The first one, the 1.89 is the nicest cut. Great l/w ratio. Depth and table are right where they should be. Even though it’s the lightest stone, it’s the longest because of it’s better l/w ratio. Let me know what you think.

Q. What do you think of this one?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Premium-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1278425.asp

I am guessing 1.4-1.5 is considered the best emerald cut ratio? My overall inspiration is this ring, which my girlfriend has said she likes a lot.

http://www.bridal.cartier.com/index.php?t=1&nav=ficheprod&ref=N4190700&cc=us&codeLang=en

A. That stone looks stubby to me. Also, it’s deep. Compare the LxW to the 1.89 stone, and you’ll see that the 1.89 will look bigger.

Also, it’s less deep, so it’s weight isn’t wasted on it’s depth, its spread out in its area.

Q. I checked out Fancy Diamonds.net on my home computer and I would like to pursue having you potentially broker a diamond for me. I did see they have a New York office and seem quite reputable. The 1.89 carat diamond you listed below is definitely the best bang for my buck and has some of the best proportions I have seen. That being said it is a bit smaller and slightly less than I was hoping to spend. I understand you are fairly busy with Widow’s Mite, and I know this probably isn’t a particularly large purchase for you. That being said, I am excited by the potential of getting a larger, equally high quality (or better) diamond for a similar price.

I also noticed that when comparing James Allen images, the color change from H to G appears pretty evident. I can’t tell if it is just the photography or if it is only evident when compared side by side.

A. Wow. You’re good I actually sold thewidowsmite.net about 3 months ago. I need to update my linkedin profile.

Most likely, the difference in color you spotted was just an issue of photography. I’ve seen D color stones that have a yellowish tinge in the JA pics. The only thing I have found those pics to be useful for is to judge inclusions. Sunday is a full workday in Israel, so I will begin my search tomorrow for stones in Israel and update you if I have found anything. Alternatively, take a look at the attached screenshot. It’s search results from Rapnet which is the largest online wholesale trading site for the diamond trade. I searched for H+ VS2+. L/W Ratios 1.35-1.60. And max cost 14,000. I sorted the results descending by size. Have a look and let me know if anything catches your eye.

2.00 G VS2

…….

GIA Cert for 2.01 GVVS2

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend so far. Good news. I have two great stones to show you that we found today in Israel.

One is a G VS2 2.00. The broker didn’t have the cert available with him, but it’s GIA certified. The price on this one is $16000. That one’s nice, and it’s a decent deal. The pic is attached. The next stone, though, is a killer deal. We found a seller that is desperate to sell a beautiful stone. Attached is the cert and the pic of the stone. It’s a G VVS2 2.01. It’s got a great make for an emerald, with a perfect L/W ratio. The price for this one is $16,800. Compare this with the cheapest 2ct GVVS2 EM on James Allen for $18,150. I know it’s more than what you had hoped to spend, but relatively speaking, it’s a much better value.

2.01 G VVS2

Let me know what you think!

Q. Thanks for the suggestions. The two diamonds that you sent me are definitely beautiful, but are outside of my budget. My total cost with your commission for the 2.01 would be $18,480. That is just a little too high.

When I got into the office this morning I printed out the RapNet search you sent me and spent some time looking at it. The one stone that seems like a good value to me is the 2.05 carat H VVS2 from Edalati. I also found its listing on Blue Nile: http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?track=bbt#diamonds_pid=LD01594526. It is a little shorter than 1.5, but I am not sure if that will make a huge difference in the setting I have picked out.

Alternatively, I thought the 2.11 carat from Maxnew looked like a deal. It’s L/W ratio is 1.51 and pretty shallow. I couldn’t find that one on either James Allen or Blue Nile. If you could give me your thoughts on those two, it would be a huge help.

A. Miscommunication – the prices I quoted INCLUDED the commission.

Q. In that case, the 2.00 carat diamond looks great. A couple of questions. The table is a little smaller than the range that you recommend on truthaboutdiamonds.com. How will that affect its appearance? There don’t appear to be any eye visible inclusions from the picture, is that accurate? Both BN and JA have cut ratings. That isn’t in the GIA report, so what is it based on and in your opinion where would this diamond fall?

This does appear to be a pretty good deal. Blue Nile has a comparably priced stone, but it has strong fluorescence.

A. Does this change your perspective? Can you do 16,800? I checked BN also, and the nice make 2 ct GVVS2s are way over 16,8000.

Q. It does. I think our emails are crossing each other in the Atlantic somewhere. I had a few questions regarding the 2.0.

A. The 2.00 or the 2.01? What are the questions?

Q. I apologize. The 2.01 carat diamond that had the GIA report.

A. What are the questions?

Q. The table is a little smaller than the range that you recommend on truthaboutdiamonds.com. How will that affect its appearance?

There don’t appear to be any eye visible inclusions from the picture, is that accurate?

Both BN and JA have cut ratings. That isn’t in the GIA report, so what is it based on and in your opinion where would this diamond fall?

This does appear to be a pretty good deal. Blue Nile has a comparably priced stone, but it has strong fluorescence.

A. Ok, Here we go! Lets get the easy stuff out of the way first.

1) The BN comparable stone is not only strong flr, it’s also a very ugly make. Deep stone, big table, and off-square and off-rectangular. 1.15 or something like that ratio.

2) A VVS2 will never be visible to the naked eye. It’s microscopic. See my article “diamond clarity chart” here: http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com/diamond-clarity-chart/

3) BJ and JA have a table of parameter ranges. If any of the parameters of a given stone fall beyond the range of one grade (ie, ideal), it gets knocked down to the lower level (ie, premium or very good). For example, lets say for rounds, JA’s ideal parameters for depth are about 60-62.5 and their parameters for table are 53-57. So if a stone has depth and table in that range, it’s ideal. Their next their might have a range of 59-59.9 and 62.6-63.5 for depth and 50-52 and 58-60 for table size for “premium.” The bounds of the different ranges are chosen on a very subjective basis. This is why I basically tell people to ignore the store’s cut grades. With rounds, you can always just rely on the GIA cert (which is based on a much more elegant solution that looks at combinations of parameters, and not at individual parameters separately). With square/rect fancy shapes, it’s pretty easy to learn what to look for. For the round-sided fancy shapes (oval, marquise, pear), it’s pretty much impossible to judge on parameters alone. You need a picture or even to see the stone in person.

4) The one diamond shape where the parameters matter the least is the emerald cut. Of course, L/W matters, because the basic shape of the diamond is affected, and part of the beauty of an emerald cut is its adherence to the natural beauty of the 1.5 rectangular ratio. Depth matters too, but not because it affect brilliance, because it simply affects how big the face of your diamond will be. With other shapes, the depth matters much more because it has a direct affect on the stone’s brilliance (how light is reflected around on the inside of the stone). Emerald cuts, though, aren’t brilliant cuts. They’re not cut to reflect light around and make sparkle. They’re cut to show off the simple beauty of the luster of a diamond. So shallow or deep, the diamond is still going to just be a clear mineral that you’re see light pass through (and not bounce around a thousand times). Likewise with the table size. With other shapes, the table size has a direct correlation to how well the light is reflected around inside the diamond. With Emeralds, though, it’s really just about how it makes the outside of the diamond look. You don’t want a diamond that just has a big flat window on top, you want a stone that’s built up a little bit with a few step facets on the sides. A smaller table adds to the beauty of an Emerald – it doesn’t detract from it. btw, take a look at this stone: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1270856.asp You see, according to JA’s own parameter table, the parameters of the 2.01 would get an “Ideal” grade. Sorry I kind of rambled there, but was it clear?

Q. That is helps a lot. I do really like the stone, and I think it is within my price range. How would the billing work? Would this be through FancyDiamonds.net or another company? How would I be invoiced?

A. through fancydiamonds. You could either pay by wire or they could send you a google checkout invoice, but then they’d have to add 5% to cover their expenses.

Q. Either way I would like to see a formal invoice from the Company. I hope you understand that I am trying to add a layer of security for myself.

A. Of course. I don’t believe it will be a problem.

Q. I would like to go ahead with the purchase then for the 2.01 carat VVS2 diamond then. Please let me know what the next steps are.

A. Great! Do you want to pay by wire or google checkout (credit card)?

Q. Preferably by wire.

A. Here’s the instructions. If you can send the wire today, it’ll show tomorrow in Israel, and we’ll be able to make the shipment tomorrow as well. Please send your mailing address. is the phone number below the number you want on the shipment?

Q. I probably won’t be completing the wire today. I need to call my bank to get instructions from them as well. Would you be opposed to my contacting Leibish & Co. through their website to ask about your relationship with them?

A. Of course not! Go right ahead. The ceo is the closest thing I have to a brother.

Q. Despite my worries that this all seems a little too good to be true, everything appears to be transparent and legitimate. I just got off the phone with Yossi and he was very helpful. It is a bank holiday today in the U.S. (Martin Luther King Day) so my bank is currently closed. I talked to their customer service line and I need to go into the branch to wire the money. I will most likely be able to get it out on Wednesday.

Thank you for your help, and I am looking forward to seeing the diamond next week.

A. Great to hear. You will not be disappointed – I’m sure of that.

I’m here if you have any more questions.

Q. I completed the wire this afternoon. I don’t know how long it will take to show up in Israel. The bank told me anywhere from 2-10 days, but I doubt it will be that long.

A. In our experience, the money always shows up the following morning in Israel. ….. Just wanted to let you know the money arrived as expect this morning.

Q. What is the timeline for shipping?

A. Shipping today. Takes 2 days from Israel. Attached is the invoice you’ll be getting in the shipment. …… Hey *****. Did you receive the diamond? What do you think?

Q. I got the stone on Friday. It is beautiful and completely clear. I am hoping to get it appraised at lunch today. The jeweler that helped me look at settings on Saturday was very impressed with my buy and complimented the stone.

Thanks for the help!

…….

I got the diamond appraised today at lunch. Although it takes a couple of weeks to get the paper appraisal, he said he told me it would retail in the “low twenties.” I am currently shopping around for a setting, but that is a much easier task. Thanks again for all your help, and I am so happy this worked out. Although a bit of a leap of faith, you and Leibish and Co. couldn’t have been more professional. Let me know if there is a place I can provide a review because it would definitely be positive. I will definitely be referring my friends.

A. Sorry it took so long to respond to your wonderful update. I’m very happy to hear you’re totally satisfied with the purchase. I also want to thank you for taking that leap of faith. It’s easy from our side, because we know you’ll end up being completely satisfied with buying from us, but I recognize that the decision to buy from a complete stranger halfway across the world is not a simple one in the slightest.

If you have some spare time, it could really help me out if you wouldn’t mind leaving a little bit of feedback on ivouch.com. This helps me convince future customers that it’s safe and beneficial to buy through my brokering service. If you can do it, I would be most grateful. Here is a direct link if you decide to write something:

(URL REMOVED)

Thank you once again. And may you and your future wife share a long life together filled with health, happiness, and love.

Q. I just posted a review on iVouch. As I said before, it was a great buying experience, and I am happy I trusted you. After I propose next month I will be telling all of my friends that I know the guy that can get them great diamonds for a great price.

(see his ivouch here: http://www.ivouch.com/truthaboutdiamonds-com/great-diamond-buying-experience)

A. I couldn’t have asked for anything better! Thank you once again.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Carats: 2.07

Diamond Color: H

Diamond Clarity: VVS1

Measurements: 7.25*6.94*4.69

Length/Width Ratio: 1.04

Diamond Polish: Very Good

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Depth: 67.6%

Table: 64%

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $15,070

Since we are picking Asscher Cuts, which, like their longer cousins the Emerald Cut, are cut for their luster and not brilliance, they are the poorest of the diamond shapes at hiding inclusions.  A VS2 clarity inclusion or even a VS1 clarity inclusion that’s dark and in the table will probably be visible to the naked eye.

Today’s diamond did not have a picture available from James Allen, but since it’s a VVS2, I don’t feel that it is necessary.  The make on this stone is fantastic.  It has a 67.6% depth which makes this Asscher cut physically bigger than most.

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Today’s Recommended Diamond is a great example of a big-looking 90 pointer.  Here’s the stats (Unfortunately, a cert copy was not available at press time):

Click Here to Enlarge Picture

F Diamond Color

SI1 Diamond Clarity

Emerald Cut

67.4% Depth

71% Table

Measurements: 7.62*4.39*2.96

Ratio: 1.74

Fluorescence: None

Polish: Very Good

Symmetry: Good

Price: $2,540

This stone is a great pic since it’s not very common to find eye-clean SI clarity emerald cuts.  As you can see in the picture above, there is only a tiny speck noticeable in the table of the diamond. The rest of the SI1 is concentrated on the sides, under the stepped facets where it will be broken up by the reflected light.

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on JamesAllen.com

My girlfriend wants a three stone engagement ring made of emerald cut diamonds, a centre stone of approx 0.9 carat with the long edge of the stone running parallel with the finger, the two side stone set with the long edge set perpendicular to the main stone all in a rub over setting. Despite an extended tour of Hatton Garden jewellers we didn’t manage to see any rings of this design although I am quite happy to have it made. Regarding the above I have a number of questions.

I have seen 2 diamonds on Blue Nile suitable for the main diamond (both with a L/W of 1.5 as this is the ratio she wants). The first is;

0.9 carat
VG cut
I colour
VS1 clarity
6.85×4.55×3.08 size
£1909 ($2860) price

Second;
0.91 carat
VG cut
G colour
VS2 clarity
6.88×4.54×3.13 size
£2445 ($3680) price

The difference between the two is almost $1000, presumably down to the colour as the cheaper diamond has less inclusions. Would your average punter be able to tell the difference, is it ‘worth’ the extra money?

The two side diamonds will probably be about 0.25-0.3 carat each, any larger and I think the ring would be to broad. Is there any point getting certificated diamonds or should I just leave this to the jeweller to find a matching pair of the right size. I have looked on Blue Nile and James Allen but the smallest matching pair are about 0.5 carats each. I have seen two diamonds on Blue Nile that are very similar in specification (see below), just a very small difference in the dimension and level of polish (VG and excellent respectively) would these look like a matching pair?

0.24 carat
VG cut
G colour
VS1 clarity
4.13×3.13×2.15 size
£184 ($276) price

0.24 carat
VG cut
G colour
VS1 clarity
4.08×3.07×2.11 size
£196 ($294) price

Apologies in advance for this extended question.

A: Before I give you my full answer: will the ring be plat/white gold or yellow gold?

Q: Platinum. Sorry one more thing, as I said previously the girlfreind wants a rub over setting (I attach a sketch I have drawn of the ring) as it wont catch on her clothes, she would prefer the sides to be fully enclosed. Does this effect the ‘sparkle’ or shine of the diamond being enclosed like this.

A: First of all, congratulations and thanks for writing! I really hope I can help you out. Unfortunately, with an emerald cut, you really do need to buy a diamond with a high clarity grade. Since the stone doesn’t have “brilliant” facets, but rather stepped facets, it’s very easy to see what’s floating around inside the diamond material. I did a quick run-through of James Allen’s inventory (since they have pictures) to see if any of the SI’s were decent. But since they were almost F colors anyway, none of them were really any cheaper than what you found. Especially considering the extra shipping fee and %1 commission they charge for international shipping.

Since the ring will be Platinum, I’m afraid I’d have to advise you to go with the “G” color stone. This is also due to the fact that it’s an emerald cut. Since there are no brilliant facets that break up the light, the color is much more easily seen. An I color will definitely have more of a “warm” feeling to it compared to a G color in an emerald cut.

I went on BN UK and checked the details of the stone in question, and it reads very nicely. The only thing that concerns me is that a VS2 can still be quite noticeable, especially in an Emerald cut. If you take a look at my site in the “Truth about Clarity” article, you can see a good example of this. And that’s a round cut! In any event, I would say go for it, and if the diamond has a black center inclusion, you can always return it within 30 days.

Regarding the side stones, in your drawing the side stones take up about 40% of the length of the center stone along each side. If you use the 1/4cts you picked out, they would take up about the same, so it should have the same balance as the drawing (6.88 length of center stone / 3.10 width of side stones). As for whether they match or not, I would need to see the rest of their parameters. Would you mind sending me the links to those 2 stones? One thing you might want to consider, though, is getting stones that are slightly lower in color (1, 2 grades max) than they center stone. It will make the center stone really pop out at you.

Unless your jeweler is a reliable wholesale type operation, you probably won’t save any money having him source the emeralds.

As far as the setting goes, a bezel setting (what you are calling “rub over”) won’t affect the diamonds beauty. But just keep in mind that emeralds don’t “sparkle” so much regardless of their setting. They’re not designed for sparkle.

I hope this helps! Please follow up with the side stone parameters.

A: Firstly thank you very much for taking so much time in your reply. This represent a sizable outlay for me and the advice is really appreciated. Interesting to know that the diamonds can be returned. I found the two quarter carat diamonds on BN UK. I have put the details of the diamonds below including the stock number. Hopefully this is enough for you to find them. If not there is an option to ‘email to a friend’ which i guess sends a link to the page.

Once again thank you for your help.

Stock number LD01147484
0.24 carat
VG cut
G colour
VS1 clarity
4.13×3.13×2.15 size
£184 price

Stock number LD01167987
0.24 carat
VG cut
G colour
VS1 clarity
4.08×3.07×2.11 size
£196 price

A: I checked the two diamonds, and their parameters match up quite nicely. Just fyi, I was double checking that their table % and depth % were a match as well. The depth % is exact, and the table is only off slightly (which is fine). As I’m sure you did, I checked to see if there were any small stones at slightly lower colors, but unfortunately there aren’t. This should make a beautiful ring! It’s a wonderful way to start off your lives together!

As I mention on my website, I never ask for any kind of payment from the people I advise. The only thing I ask — if you’ve found my advice helpful — is to click on an “affiliate link” of mine before you make your purchase. An affiliate link basically tells Blue Nile that I referred you to their website (it works for 30 days from the day of the “click”). I will then earn a 5% commission on the sale. You, of course, will still pay the exact same price. In fact, you’ll never notice any difference at all to your order.

Thanks again, and I really hope I was helpful!

Best Wishes for a Loving Happy Marriage! (We just celebrated our 10th anniversary this year!)

Q: that’s great, but what about fancy cuts? I am interested in a rectangular radiant cut diamond, and the amount of conflicting information on what angles and proportions are preferable is very confusing.  Some sites say that to be a very good cut, the table and depth percentages need to be less than 65%, other say that for a rectangular radiant, depths of more than 70% are preferable.  Help!

A: You bring up a very good point. Aside from perhaps length to width ratios, there really aren’t any universally accepted ideal cut standards for any fancy shape.  There was a lot of talk at one point of some of the labs coming out with Princess and Emerald cut grading scales, but I’m not sure whatever came of it.

For the straight-sided brilliant cuts (like radiant and princess), the general rule of thumb as I recall is 70/70 (70% depth, 70% table).  But unlike the 60/60 rule with rounds, there is significantly more leeway. For example, a princess cut can range from about 65% depth to about 75% depth and still look great, but a 65% depth round stone will be just shy of hideous. With Radiants, the ideal range is probably more like 60% to 74% depth.

With the round-sided fancy shapes (like oval and marquise), you either really need to see the stone, or make sure the online vendor you’re buying from has a good return policy.