Post subject: Newbie African Rough Diamond Purchase- need advice!
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:51 pm
Established Member
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 3:06 pm Posts: 17
Hi all! I would greatly appreciate any advice, I have a gentleman in Namibia with his own diamond company. He is offering me a 7ct D color VVS1 rough diamond. Kimberly certified and insured, and guaranteed satisfaction or I can return and receive my money back. He’s asking $2500. He doesn’t do PayPal though!:( He says I can get a 4+ct diamond if cut by an excellent cutter... I included a photo I took a screenshot from the video he sent so sorry for the quality. Thank you in advance!!!
Post subject: Re: Newbie African Rough Diamond Purchase- need advice!
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 7:44 pm
Site Admin
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
If I had to choose, I'd go with the Brooklyn Bridge.
Furthermore, let's say you could only cut a 2.50 D Flawless out of this, that stone could sell for $100,000+.
I've always viewed a transaction of this type as a tango. One party looking to find a gullible and foolish opportunist and the other thinking they can make a fortune buying something from a naive and foolish seller who doesn't have a clue how valuable the item is they are selling.....
On the one hand, there are many honest dealers in Nigeria. Because Paypal does not operate there, if you are willing to take a risk and pay via less secure methods (bank transfer, western union) you are at a bit of an advantage because there's just a smaller pool of people willing to take that risk. I have sent bank transfers to three separate dealers in Nigeria who I met over facebook, and I got my stones as described.
That said, Paypal didn't stop operating there for funsies--there are a lot of scams. As I understand it it's really not hard to find established buyers for diamond rough, and I would be suspicious of such a deal in a way I wouldn't be towards something more specialized on the colored stone end of things.
Basically, I think you're asking here because you see some red flags, and I would suggest that it's a darned good idea to heed those--and if you do go for it, it had better be with money you expect to lose. Honestly, if you want to throw the dice in the gem trade you can probably find a deal with better odds of coming through.
Post subject: Re: Newbie African Rough Diamond Purchase- need advice!
Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 3:29 pm
Established Member
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 3:06 pm Posts: 17
Thank you so much for all of your insight! I truly appreciate it! I’m curious what makes you think the stone in the video isn’t real? I was assuming he would show me a real one and send me something totally different - or possibly nothing at all.. Thanks again!
The likelihood of finding a diamond like the one represented are about 1 in 1,000,000,000. Equivalent odds to being struck by lightening every year on your birthday.
Yeah, sorry about that, I had an old version of the thread open and didn't see the video. Also I misread Namibia as Nigeria. Obviously didn't have my wheaties that morning. If you have a bit of money to burn and can afford to lose it there is a lot of fun you can have in gems. No need to waste it on a bad bet.
Post subject: Re: Newbie African Rough Diamond Purchase- need advice!
Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:35 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 9:42 pm Posts: 1033
1) I have seen a diamond that looked like that one. I was about 8 and a jeweler put it in my hand and asked me to identify it. I told him it could be either a fluorite or a diamond. When he told me it was a diamond, I VERY carefully gave it back to him.
2) That said, I remember it sparkled a lot more than the one in the video.
Post subject: Re: Newbie African Rough Diamond Purchase- need advice!
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 8:07 am
New to the Forum or The Quiet Type
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:24 am Posts: 9
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
LOL. My guess is glass.
It is carved white topaz from HK .in Africa some people trying to cheating with this kind of stones.i seen many lots in Tanzania & Zambia in rough trade we phisycly check all stones and then buy otherwise we loose our investment.
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