Good quality dimond

[TIGER]

Good morning all
I am flying to Istanbul in may and Calis beach in September. I am looking to buy 2  0.95/ 0.1 crt diamond stones . I have looked at the “ market prices “ of loose diamonds in Turkey and they very reasonable, but I was wondering if anyone on the forum has ever bought one or had a positive experience
With any of the jewellers providing loose stone to make into a ring ?? 
In the past I have always dealt with the guys in the square near where the old duck pond was .. I can’t remember the name of the repair shop but they are two great guys , but I am not sure if the can provide loose stone . And help would be gratefully appreciate.   
Thanks so much , Debs

[hornedfrog]

Morning, Debs.
If I were you, I'd start in Antwerp. You could pop over for a weekend, visit a few dealers and have a really good idea of market pricing "from the cutting floor". I purchased a number of loose stones there and had my local UK manufacturing jeweller make up the bespoke settings. This would give you an idea of pricing somewhere between wholesale and retail.

I've also purchased quite a few coloured stones (emeralds, aquamarines, rubies) in and around Fethiye, along with pieces from the gold/diamond shops in Paspatur. I'd suggest coloured stones are better priced in Fethiye than are diamonds, some of the best prices if you are an experienced "haggler" and know what you want and the market prices (see Antwerp above) with the exception being sapphires, which you can get great prices in Thailand.

Always, always (always) get the GIA/IGI/AGS grading certification for any diamond pricier than a "throwaway", ie. 20pts or larger; plus a comprehensive assessment or description of the piece if buying one made up. Coloured stones should be certified natural, with no treatments...assume every stone is fake, until proven certified. Once home, get your stone assessed with a reputable jeweller, also with a written assessment with both insurance estimate and "real" estimate of value.

Good luck.
Dale

[TIGER]

Thank you so much Dale !
( do you fancy coming with me 😉?) honestly you have given me some really good information, and I think I need to study a little bit more before committing to buying 2 1crt dimonds , especially the GIA, IGI ,AGS, but you have given me a lot to think about.
I will let you know how I get on
Kind regards, Debs

[hornedfrog]

No worries, Debs. Here are a few more tidbits that may help you with your search:

• Buy a quality jeweller's loupe (20x min) and learn to use it. Practice on every stone or piece of jewellry in your house until it becomes second nature...then take your OWN loupe with you when shopping.
• Understand how to read the stones' grading reports or certificates and find the inclusions on the blueprint/mapping and then match to the stone...unscrupulous dealers may switch out the certificate for a better one on a lesser-quality stone. Go online to see samples of the grading reports and become familiar with each organisation's style of report. GIA and AGS reports tend to be regarded as the leading independent sources, whereas IGI is not quite in the same league. Anecdotally, diamonds with IGI reports tend to be marked down 10-12% in value when compared to GIA or AGS.
• Make sure you know the "4Cs" (Colour, clarity, carat/size and cut) as each play a role in determining price.
• Always look at the stones on pure (bright) white paper or background (and in natural light, if possible)...a stone's natural fluorescence can impact the perceived colour of the stone differently in the shop under fluorescent light vs natural light.
• Prices per carat weight increase disproportionately as size increases to reflect the relative scarcity of larger quality stones.
• Do NOT buy on your first visit...anywhere. Visit the shop(s); view (with loupe); select 3-5 candidates; take scrupulous notes; review or better, take photos of the certificates. Repeat with a couple more shops. Reflect overnight on your candidates, then go back to the shop(s) to do some proper haggling and don't get rushed.

Good luck in your search; also be aware that there may be Russian diamonds flooding Turkey, starting in Istanbul and Ankara as the government and businesses seek to circumvent the economic restrictions (the Russian diamond industry is state-owned) and Turkey is still a trading partner. This may be seen as a pricing opportunity; however, keep in mind that Russia had originated (and some say perfected) the art of the artificial or lab diamond. Artificial diamonds, no matter how good they are, are generally priced at one-third that of natural diamonds, so if you are offered a "great deal" on a Russian diamond, caveat emptor! Know the source of your stones!

Dale

[TIGER]

Thanks Dale
In Calis there is a jewellery’s repair shop  and they also make unique pieces of jewellery. I am going to ask the forum for their names or email address and see if they can find me the dimonds because you have given me a lot of food for thought ..
These guys are very well respected and trusted so I will let you know what I find out
Kind regards, Debs

[Steve A]

Kursat At Safir Goldsmith Bedestan Square