After a LONG, LONG, LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG time searching I am finally on my way.
Picked up a nice princess
Specs:
1.37ct
AGS0
G
SI1 (was a little leary, but @ 10x in multiple lighting, I can''t see squat)
$7k
Ordered a micro pave solitaire (no halo) Ritani setting locally.
For the money, I can''t see EVER buying a diamond anywhere but from a reputable online vendor. I spent about 3 weeks scrupilously searching the net, the jewelers, etc for the right diamond with no avail. After about 6 months of casually checking out local jeweler diamond selections, I finally thought more seriously about buying online.
The absolute BEST I could do in a B+M was something around 1.0-1.2 GIA (no local AGS0 pc whatsoever, and no real clue as to the cut), with color around F-H, and at best VS2 for around $7k. NO comparison (especially in person) to what I got from GOG. It was PAINFUL to walk in and put up with the antics, the sales pitches, etc just to look at a few diamonds (around here, only 2 or 3 jewelers carry much of anything worth $10k+) that they are EXTREMELY nervous about showing. It is almost like red sirens going off when I start asking about anything from table/depth % to grading. I think a jeweler I went to actually thought I wanted to skiff the whole store for the most valuable rock and swipe it, they were that glaze-eyed. I got thoroughly disgusted when a jeweler even attempted to sell me a 1.4ct H SI3 EGL for $12k!!!! THEFT!!! and in-house cert? COME ON PEOPLE! that is THEFT!!!
There was only one jeweler that showed me everything without hesitation from 1ct to 3ct, and approx $10k - $40k and didn''t pressure or push any particular rock. To thank them, I ordered a Ritani setting from them... and I''d like to make them my new (lol, never needed one before) jeweler. I didn''t say where I got the rock, and they didn''t ask, and thats the way it should be. They were more than happy to sell me the setting and mount it for me. I paid more than I could have online, but I''m also having Ritani change a couple little things and I saved enough on the diamond to help fund some loyalty to a good jeweler.
All in all, I can''t think of a better way to have spent $10k. I look at all the HORRIBLE ways I could have blown it on lesser quality (I used to say "junk", but nothing is really "junk", its just overpriced).
One last thing, PROPS to GoG! I was REALLY nervous about wiring $7k for something I''d never seen, and that would arrive in the hands of a UPS driver with a rat tail and tattoos. But, everything went GREAT. Had diamond verified locally, good to go. I was scared of SI1 initially, but I think what I was scared of what the SI1s from no-name lax certifiers. The increase in ct weight was WELL worth the sacrifice in quality thats virtually impossible to quantify without equipment.
Picked up a nice princess
Specs:
1.37ct
AGS0
G
SI1 (was a little leary, but @ 10x in multiple lighting, I can''t see squat)
$7k
Ordered a micro pave solitaire (no halo) Ritani setting locally.
For the money, I can''t see EVER buying a diamond anywhere but from a reputable online vendor. I spent about 3 weeks scrupilously searching the net, the jewelers, etc for the right diamond with no avail. After about 6 months of casually checking out local jeweler diamond selections, I finally thought more seriously about buying online.
The absolute BEST I could do in a B+M was something around 1.0-1.2 GIA (no local AGS0 pc whatsoever, and no real clue as to the cut), with color around F-H, and at best VS2 for around $7k. NO comparison (especially in person) to what I got from GOG. It was PAINFUL to walk in and put up with the antics, the sales pitches, etc just to look at a few diamonds (around here, only 2 or 3 jewelers carry much of anything worth $10k+) that they are EXTREMELY nervous about showing. It is almost like red sirens going off when I start asking about anything from table/depth % to grading. I think a jeweler I went to actually thought I wanted to skiff the whole store for the most valuable rock and swipe it, they were that glaze-eyed. I got thoroughly disgusted when a jeweler even attempted to sell me a 1.4ct H SI3 EGL for $12k!!!! THEFT!!! and in-house cert? COME ON PEOPLE! that is THEFT!!!
There was only one jeweler that showed me everything without hesitation from 1ct to 3ct, and approx $10k - $40k and didn''t pressure or push any particular rock. To thank them, I ordered a Ritani setting from them... and I''d like to make them my new (lol, never needed one before) jeweler. I didn''t say where I got the rock, and they didn''t ask, and thats the way it should be. They were more than happy to sell me the setting and mount it for me. I paid more than I could have online, but I''m also having Ritani change a couple little things and I saved enough on the diamond to help fund some loyalty to a good jeweler.
All in all, I can''t think of a better way to have spent $10k. I look at all the HORRIBLE ways I could have blown it on lesser quality (I used to say "junk", but nothing is really "junk", its just overpriced).
One last thing, PROPS to GoG! I was REALLY nervous about wiring $7k for something I''d never seen, and that would arrive in the hands of a UPS driver with a rat tail and tattoos. But, everything went GREAT. Had diamond verified locally, good to go. I was scared of SI1 initially, but I think what I was scared of what the SI1s from no-name lax certifiers. The increase in ct weight was WELL worth the sacrifice in quality thats virtually impossible to quantify without equipment.
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