When selling a solitaire diamond ring, what would be the ideal price to set?

An insurance appraisal gives the full retail price you would have to pay to replace the ring if it was lost or stolen. Someone purchasing a used ring isn't going to want to pay full retail value when they could go buy a brand new one for the same price. About 1/3 of it's appraised retail value is all your probably going to be able to get out of it selling it to a private party. I would try and advertise it through local sources (craigslist, newspaper ect...), not online, and make it "cash only", so you won't get a fraudulant check that will bounce. If you are selling it to a jeweler (which is really the safest way to sell) you'll get even less (why would the pay what they could buy it at wholesale when it's used and they won't be able to re-sell it at new retail prices?). Honestly, if you don't need the money, I would just hold onto it until the economy improves and you can get a fair price. Everyone is looking for steals right now, and that's all their shelling out cash for. But if you desperately need the money, you can only get out of it what someone is willing to pay (which probably won't be as much as your hoping for).