buying diamond online - what should I do about setting?

[gmaster]

I''m planning on purchasing a diamond for an engagement ring online. I''ve been looking mostly at bluenile, due to their large inventory and many positive feedbacks that i''ve heard regarding their customer service and ease of use. I haven''t yet decided what the best plan of attack is once i pick out the diamond -- should I plan on ordering the whole ring online, either through bluenile or a different vendor, or am I better off (as far as price, selection of settings, etc) just buying the diamond and then taking it to a jewelry store to pick a ring and have the diamond set? If i order a loose rock does it literally come loose, or is it in some kind of temporary setting? I don''t have a particular ring picked out, although i''m probably looking for a cathedral setting that will look nice with a smallish (around .5 ct) round cut. thanks in advance for any advice that you all have to offer on this question.

 

[drkewl]

only knock i have against blue nile are their prices... their ''signature ideal'' series compared to pricscope vendors ''best diamonds'' are a bit more expensive last i checked. Shop around, might save you hundreds

 

[Regular Guy]

Welcome!

In principle, and practice (I did this), I''d personally recommend trying to keep it simple, using the same vendor for both diamond and setting...whether or not you use an appraiser to evaluate the diamond before it is put into the setting. But, there are options, as to how you think about this, and some are reviewed here.

Regards,