Selling A Diamond Engagement Ring? | Learn Where To Sell 

Hi Derick. I wish I could tell you why. Is that what you were offered from the dealer who sold it to you? If yes, they sold it to you at a retail price, not a dealer's price. I just have the same thing with a potential customer. 5 years ago she bought a 3ct pear shape diamond but from a retail store in New Jersey. She paid $45,000 for the diamond. She came to me and wanted to use that diamond as a source of funds to purchase a new diamond. I offered her $15,000 which is what it is worth to me as a dealer. She went back to the store that sold it to her and they offered her the same $15,000! The $15,000 is the right value at which to purchase that diamond by a dealer. What was wrong was the $45,000 she paid the store in the first place. We as dealers never work on such margins. I imagine that the store doubled their cost (we would have to sell that diamond for more than $15,000 if we bought it for $15,000) and got close to $45,000. I think your seller took advantage of you as a private consumer to make a killing on the sale. Sorry for your troubles.

Hi Robert, Keep the ring with the diamond. The diamond is always the more important element because the ring is a matter of taste and not all ring buyers have the same taste. Also, unless the ring is a vintage, signed piece, it will not usually be worth more than the break up value of the ring. But you want to get full value for the diamond so you need to know, and the buyer needs to know exactly what it is. Otherwise, the buyer will protect himself buy offering low. Josh

Okay and thank you for your reply.

You can't. Only polished diamonds can be certified.

Can you tell me what the GIA report says?

Yes I do.

I don't know what else I can tell you. Without seeing the diamond, I can't give you a price. Where are you located. Why don't you write me to my email address at josh@afishman.com

Hi Jean, I am not sure that I am really following your choices. I think that if you could start by selling your friend's gemstones, you will learn about the business more quickly and at lower risk than if you made the investments yourself.

Thanks. Sorry for not being clear. I guess my question is where should I start by selling stone?. Local market, Bangkok, New York, Internet? In other words, in terms of transport, logistics etc., it seems like it would be easier to get the ball rolling by selling in Asia, but that I would get low-ball appraisals on the gems. On the other, I could go all out, get stones GIA certified, and get them to NY somehow.

Are these diamonds? If yes, best place to sell them would be in New York. Get them GIA certified in New York and try to sell them here.

It's ruby, sapphire, red spinel and green tourmaline from Burma, mostly.

Unless they are gem quality, i don't think it pays to have them GIA certified or otherwise certified. I would try to sell them where you are.

I see the report but unfortunately i can't see the way the diamond looks and the nature of the imperfection. These are things that are crucial for me to value the diamond.