[thelegges]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Can you please explain your post? Are you saying that, if I tell an appraiser that I am selling the jewelry, he will appraise it lower? But, if I don't tell him that I am selling it, he will appraise it at two times the retail price? Also, if you buy a diamond from a jeweler for $10,000, how do you know that the jeweler didn't just buy the diamond from someone like the OP for $1,000? Is there any way to tell the difference between a new diamond and a 40 year old diamond? Just curious.

A certain size, cut clarity diamond will have an etched number in the diamond. There was not that capability 40 years ago, plus newer stones have a different cut than older stones

[affald]

I could never understand the diamond business.

If Diamonds "are forever" and people have been handing them down for generations, why is there still any demand whatsoever?

Add to that the fact that used Diamonds sell for pennies on the dollar despite the fact that they are same as new.

Would you buy a new golf cart for 10k and then sell it the next day for 1k?

On the economics of diamonds, the biggest marketing scam in history orchestrated by the most successful cartel ever - AEI

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Challenger

Diamonds - One of the world's greatest scams. The appraisals are a complete fraud. Bah! Humbug!!!!!!

I agree, only useful purpose is cutting glass

[aninjamom]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Be prepared to be very disappointed at how much you will be offered. Whoever says that diamonds are an investment is lying. A few months ago, I went with a friend to the Waterfront hotel where a guy was buying jewelry. He offered $2,000 for a Rolex watch and two diamond rings that were originally purchased for well over $20,000.

I would not consider a guy at a hotel buying stuff as an expert. He's looking to rip people off. I would get an appraisal, and then go to Orlando and find jewelers with a good reputation and get offers.

[Boomer]

I am not so sure diamonds have ever been about realizing much of a monetary Return-On-Investment.

Diamonds are about other things:

Tradition.

Romance.

Sentimentality.

Guilt.

And a whole lot of other intangible things I can't think of right now.

Diamonds often carry around a lot more weight than just carat weight.

Interesting topic.

[starflyte1]

Thank you, Boomer.

[leftyf]

A few years ago I bought quite a lot of gold on ebay. First I bought a gold scale and acid test kits. Many of the items had diamonds and I paid nothing for the diamonds, only the gold. I paid 80% of the current gold price and sold them when gold went back up. None of the jewelry stores would pay for any diamond 1/4 karat or smaller. I did make money.