The Prodiam Upgrade Promise
A diamond purchase is the start of a relationship, not a transaction.
Most jewellers price a diamond as if it has to last a lifetime in one ring. We treat it as if it has to last a lifetime through several. The Upgrade Promise is the framework that makes that real.
The promise, in three sentences
- Every Prodiam stone can be traded back to us. At any time, against any future commission of greater value, with the conversion benchmarked transparently to the Rapaport list on the day.
- The valuation happens in your presence, against a public reference. No opaque margin. We show you the per-carat discount the trade is currently paying for the grade, and that is the trade-in number.
- The setting is valued separately at scrap-metal weight. 18 kt and platinum carry meaningful scrap value; we pay it into your credit alongside the stone valuation.
How the conversion works in practice
The simplest worked example: a Prodiam-original GIA-Excellent 1.00 ct G-VS1 round brilliant, sold five years ago. The original Prodiam invoice was R 92,000.
| Trade-in path | Typical conversion | Credit applied |
|---|---|---|
| Stone returned to Prodiam, traded against a 1.50 ct upgrade commission | ~80% | ~R 73,600 |
| Stone returned, traded against a heirloom-redesign commission with the same stone re-set into a different ring | n/a (we keep the stone in the new ring; we charge only the design + bench) | n/a, the stone stays with you |
| Stone bought back outright, no upgrade commission | ~50-60% of original retail | ~R 50,000 |
The first row is the Upgrade Promise core. The second is the heirloom-redesign route, you keep the stone, we rebuild around it, the credit conversation does not apply. The third is the buy-back route on /buy/, structurally different and priced for cash, not for relationship.
What we trade, what we do not
| What | How we treat it |
|---|---|
| Prodiam-original GIA-graded stones (with our hand-over cert) | Highest conversion. Same-day valuation against Rapaport. |
| GIA- or EGL-graded natural stones from elsewhere | Re-graded if needed, then valued at trade Rap-discount. 50-70% conversion typical. |
| Signed branded pieces (Tiffany, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, Van Cleef) | Case-by-case. Brand premium plus stone valuation; condition-sensitive. |
| Estate and inherited diamond jewellery | Stones graded if not currently certified; setting valued at scrap. |
| Older European, transitional or Old Mine cuts | We may recommend re-cutting to GIA Excellent for materially better re-supply value; we explain the weight loss honestly. |
| SADPMR-licensed SA rough | Bought against the next DBSSSA viewing benchmark. |
| Will not trade | Why |
|---|---|
| Lab-grown / synthetic diamonds | We are a natural-only house. See the comparison guide. |
| Moissanite, cubic zirconia, white sapphire | Not diamonds. |
| Stones with no laboratory grading and no clear provenance | We cannot value blind. |
| Stones from outside the Kimberley Process system | Compliance floor. |
What this looks like over twenty years
The Upgrade Promise is designed for a multi-decade relationship, not a one-off transaction. The pattern we see most:
- Year 0: Engagement-grade stone, often 0.70-1.20 ct, GIA-Excellent.
- Year 5-10: Tenth-anniversary upgrade. Original stone traded back at ~80% of original; new stone in the 1.50-2.00 ct band. Often re-set into the original ring or a new design.
- Year 15-20: Larger anniversary stone or a complementary right-hand piece. Heirloom intentions discussed.
- Year 25-50: Pieces remounted, redesigned, or passed down. The Heirloom Redesign service often comes back into play.
We have clients in their 70s today who bought their first Prodiam piece in the late 1990s and are now commissioning the third generation of their family’s diamonds with us. That is what the Promise looks like, played out over thirty years.
Frequently asked questions
What can I trade in?
Original Prodiam stones (with the GIA report we issued at hand-over) at the highest conversion. GIA- or EGL-graded natural stones bought elsewhere. Signed branded pieces (Tiffany, Cartier, Graff) on a case-by-case basis. Estate and inherited diamond jewellery. SADPMR-licensed SA rough. Lab-grown stones and simulants are excluded, we are a natural-only house.
What is the typical conversion percentage?
For an original Prodiam stone, the trade-in credit is typically 70-90% of the original Prodiam invoice value, applied to a new commission of greater value. For a GIA-graded natural stone we did not sell originally, conversion is benchmarked to the Rapaport list on the day and typically lands at 50-70% of the stone's current Rapaport-equivalent retail. Signed pieces are valued separately on brand and condition.
How is the valuation done?
In your presence, with the GIA report on the desk, against the current week's Rapaport price reference for the size-colour-clarity-cut combination. We show you the discount-from-Rap that the trade is currently paying for that grade, and that is the trade-in number. There is no opaque margin baked into the offer.
Is there a minimum trade-in?
For Prodiam-original stones, no minimum. For non-Prodiam stones, the working minimum is roughly 0.30 ct GIA-graded; below that, the grading and re-supply economics typically do not justify a trade-in transaction (we will buy the stone outright or refer you to a buy-back desk that handles smaller goods).
Do I have to upgrade to a Prodiam stone?
For trade-in (credit toward a new piece), yes, the credit is applied to a new Prodiam commission. For outright buy-back (cash for the stone, no commission), no, see /buy/. The two are distinct transactions; the trade-in conversion is structurally higher than the cash buy-back because we are committing to a future commission with you.
What about the setting and metal of the original ring?
The setting is valued separately at scrap-metal weight on the day. 18 kt and platinum carry meaningful scrap value; lower-karat or hollow settings carry less. We pay the scrap value into the trade-in credit alongside the stone valuation.
How long does a trade-in take?
For a Prodiam-original stone, typically same day, we have the original cert on file and the valuation is straightforward. For a non-Prodiam stone, 1-3 business days if we need to re-grade or independently verify. The new commission then proceeds on its own service timeline (Heirloom Redesign, Stone-You-Own, Bridal Set Design, or a stock piece from inventory).
What happens to the original stone after I trade it in?
For a Prodiam-original stone, it goes back into Prodiam Trading inventory or into the reservation register for another buyer. For a non-Prodiam stone we have re-graded and accepted, the same. Stones with cut grades materially below modern targets may be sent to the Procut DCW bench for a re-cut to GIA Excellent before re-supply; this is one of the few productive uses of older stones with weight to spare.
Read the worked story
For a step-by-step walk-through of an upgrade from a chain-store engagement ring to a GIA-Excellent shy-weight stone on the same budget, see From a mall-chain ring to an ideal-cut stone, on the same budget.