Can you buy Daniel K setting & buy center stone seperately on your own?

[suntravelgirl]

Hello all!

I''m new here and happy to have found such a great site! I am hoping someone might have an answer to my question. I think I have found my perfect ring -- the Daniel K split shank. In pictures it is featured with an Ascher cut center stone but the jewelry store I was at over the weekend said Daniel K will also do the setting with an emerald cut or a radiant cut (but he won''t do any type of round cuts in it).

I will probably have a center stone of about 2 carats, and I''m trying to decide between an emerald (my long time favorite) or a radiant cut (super sparkly and pretty, first time I saw it was this weekend).

Here''s my question -- is it possible to purchase the Daniel K setting from his store in NYC, or from another jewelry store, and then buy the center stone seperately? I tried on another type of Daniel K ring this weekend and it was gorgeous, 2.03 carats....but the price was $69,000! My long term boyfriend loves the idea of Blue Nile, but unfortunately I don''t love any of their settings (I want something unique). I know Blue Nile (or other places) have great prices on loose diamonds, so I''m wondering if we could buy the center stone from somewhere else, and purchase just the Daniel K setting.

I''ve seen some other places have a similar design (such as the split shank ring at Cartier, which wouldn''t save any money!), but nothing quite as beautiful as Daniel K. I''d be interested in hearing about any great independent jewelers who do similar rings to those split shanks, or will custom make rings that look almost like those.

Thanks for any advice or thoughts!

PS--I know the ring I''m talking about is a total dream ring....and perhaps I may not get something as grand, but right now me and my honey are in very preliminary discussions about rings we like and don''t like so I might as well shoot for the moon.

 

[blueroses]

Yumyum--I think that Daniel K design would be absolutely delish with an EC!!! (And gorgeous w/ the right radiant, too!!)

My $0.02:

1) Check out www.niceice.com as they carry a lot of Daniel K designs (click on asscher on their site.) Robin and Todd are frequent PS-ers and very well-regarded here.

2) You could surf around at www.solomonbrothers.com to see if you could at least price out the setting alone--they carry daniel k as well.

3) Consider doing a custom setting inspired by the daniel k....a lot of the vendors here will do excellent work. (e.g. check out the recent Whiteflash -- www.whiteflash.com -- custom design inspired by the ritani endless love setting on the Show me the ring thread.)

(FYI, if you go to www.danielk.net they actually have a picture of the split shank ring WITH a round brilliant...so I''m not sure if we''re talking about a different split shank (or the split crown?) but it is there with an RB.)

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[blueroses]

ETA: See Kaleigh's post!

 

[Kaleigh]

From being in the business, I don't think you will be able to buy a daniel K setting seperately, but could be wrong. Most designers have strict policies which prevent this. I am a big fan of these settings and wish you good luck. Let us know how you make out.

 

[suntravelgirl]

Hello, I''m back! Just to clarify, the Daniel K setting I want is the "Union Square" one. I can''t figure out how to post a picture but there are several in older posts. If anyone could post a picture in this thread I''d really appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[bluedawg]

here ya go

 

[valeria101]

Date: 5/31/2005 9:55:48 PM
Author:suntravelgirl

I've seen some other places have a similar design (such as the split shank ring at Cartier, which wouldn't save any money!), but nothing quite as beautiful as Daniel K.

Well, those are very nice, indeed... but it may be feasible to have something just as nice made and avoind the premium on the stone, if you enlist a jeweler who does not specialize in selling diamonds to the task. Art of Platinum (artofplatinum.com) comes to mind first. Take a look.

Icestore and JRDunn Jewelers list split shank pave settings on their sites. I know that Icestore does custom work and they also list loose diamonds on their site and in this database here.

It doesn't have to be a "knock off", but a version just as finely done.

I can't believe that quote... 2 carat F/VS asscher should be about 20k and the most outrageous seting wouldn't get it near three times that much ! Even Dk settings are not made by Elves - there must be some humans left outside that company who can handle it.

 

[michela002]

I too love that setting. I even considered getting it, and considered a sapphire or some other light-blue centre stone instead of a diamond, to allow me to afford it!

I think your best bet would be to get something very similar custom made. E.g. by Whiteflash or someone. When I was enquiring there was no way I could get the setting separately, so it would have to be custom.

What I didn''t like about the Daniel K was that you can''t wear a wedding band with it (because of the angle of the split-shank) - I''ve seen other split-shank rings that are very much like the Daniel K, but they do allow a wedding band. For me, that was the make-or-break: I want to wear a wedding band. So if that matters to you, a custom job would let tailor it for things like a wedding band sitting right.

Good luck!!

 

[blueroses]

Just remembered the DCD micropave collection......they have a split shank for a radiant which isn''t too unlike the Union Square:

Setting in Plat. is $2800 and Whitegold $1900. Doesn''t have ALL the detail of the Daniel K, but it''s similar.....and also is a good starting point for what''s possible if you wanted to go the custom route w/ them or WF or whomever.

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/engagement-detail.cfm?did=E10

 

[blueroses]

.....and their split-shank for a cushion which has more of the side detail. (Not sure if it could be made for a more rectangular stone, but who knows!)

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/engagement-detail.cfm?did=E12

WG: 2400 Plat: 3400

 

[blueroses]

Last one. I need to be stopped: Living vicariously through others' purchases on PS is making me OCD!!!

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/engagement-detail.cfm?did=E5

Plat: 4500, WG 2800

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh I loooove that setting!!

 

[blueroses]

I KNOW!!!! I'd kind of forgotten about them and went back to browse and they are just dreamy!!! (Though I do wonder why the radiant setting prices are so much cheaper than the ones for the cushion and the asscher??)

 

[printer]

I recently purchased a daniel k ring, and i can say that even if you could get the setting separately, it wouldn''t necessarily save you that much - the settings used to be quoted separately (6-9 mos. ago or so) and they were like $10-12k. i bought a ring with an asscher center, and if you used that 12k price for the setting, the price of the center stone wasn''t bad - his asscher''s were significantly better cut than the others i saw. i''m sure many here would disagree, but i didn''t really have the time or inclination to look at 100 different stones, but every one of his i looked at was much better than similiarly certed rings and about 1-2k more (we''re talking 2 carat or so centers) - so say 5-10% premium.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/1/2005 5:38:26 PM
Author: printer

... if you used that 12k price for the setting, the price of the center stone wasn't bad - [...] say 5-10% premium.

Does that 70k quote for 2 carat realistic ? If it is, even that 30-35k for D/VVS diamond and 10k for setting (which is really allot) still doesn't get near.

Otherwise, 10% premium for a wonderful cut is indeed reasonable, of course. The cutters behind Dk make allot more diamonds than the brand sells...

 

[blueroses]

Printer, I doubt as many as you think here would disagree with you about the quality of the stones used by Daniel K (in person I was very impressed). So I guess the issue, then, is more of the premium paid for the setting vs. the stone?

Anyway, it's all about individual comfort level with the process and the purchase. Which ring did you get? We'd love to see it!!

 

[icekid]

Date: 6/1/2005 5:38:26 PM
Author: printer
I recently purchased a daniel k ring, and i can say that even if you could get the setting separately, it wouldn''t necessarily save you that much - the settings used to be quoted separately (6-9 mos. ago or so) and they were like $10-12k. i bought a ring with an asscher center, and if you used that 12k price for the setting, the price of the center stone wasn''t bad - his asscher''s were significantly better cut than the others i saw. i''m sure many here would disagree, but i didn''t really have the time or inclination to look at 100 different stones, but every one of his i looked at was much better than similiarly certed rings and about 1-2k more (we''re talking 2 carat or so centers) - so say 5-10% premium.

please please please post pictures.. i love daniel k, and yours sounds amazing!!

 

[printer]

i, or more correctly, she, got the empress - FKA the boxter. i will attempt to post pictures when i see her again IF i can get the ring off her finger... in my experience, that $70k is not realistic - and yes, $10k is still crazy - i had to do a lot of mental gymnastics to justify it, but i can certainly say i couldn''t be happier with the decision, which is after all, as long as you''re not spending money you don''t have, all that really matters

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/1/2005 6:28:16 PM
Author: printer

...in my experience, that $70k is not realistic

Yeah! what was that seller thinking !

I can only imagine the "mental gimnastics" - but well, this is quite an exceptional piece and totally worth what you say. It would be hard to match quality, and really, only for very little less.

No need to take the ring off her finger - Dk gives out all the details of the setting, a hand picture showing that wonder in action would be great. Congratulations for the great choice

 

[suntravelgirl]

Hello again!
Thanks for all of the wonderful information!

I''ve looked at the Daniel K website a lot and from the pics there, I believe I tried on the "Dimple Pave" setting over the weeked (the one where the ring cost $69,000). The center stone was a Radiant cut and it was 2.03 carats. I didn''t look at the price tag myself, but after I took it off and we had walked away I asked my boyfriend if he had seen a price on the ring. He told me it was $69,000. He said that he had seen the numbers $690 -- and the rest was obscured, however, he figured it must have been $69,000 because there was no way that ring was only $6,900.

I''m not saying it was a fair price by any means, but that''s what it seemed to be. Of course I was at a super fancy jewelry store in Newport Beach, so I''m assuming that was the reason for the ridiculous markup.

Even with my limited knowledge of diamonds thus far I figured that was a very overpriced ring, so I was curious as to whether others who have bought a Daniel K ring found a *decent* deal at a jeweler somewhere.

Thanks also for the helpful comments about how a wedding band will not fit flush with the Daniel K "Union Square" setting. The salesman at the jewelry store pointed this out to me, and he helpfully offered that the store could make a custom ring that *would* fit exactly flush with the ring. I didn''t even bother to ask how much that would cost!

So I think my best bet now is to look into getting a similar setting done as a custom ring, and also I''ll keep looking at similar styles already in existance from other jewlers/stores. I''d also appreciate any more advice about specific stores where people bought Daniel K rings where they were happy with their experience. Perhaps I can get a much better deal than with the store I visited this weekend and end up with the Daniel K after all!

I''m not sure how much is the max my significant other will go, but I think he''d go for something around $18,000-$20,000 -- and maybe be some miracle I could go a bit higher for the Daniel K -- but I would imagine somewhere around $25,000 would be the max (if I can even get him that high).

 

[JD_MD]

Date: 6/1/2005 10:16:57 PM
Author: suntravelgirl
Hello again!
Thanks for all of the wonderful information!

I''ve looked at the Daniel K website a lot and from the pics there, I believe I tried on the ''Dimple Pave'' setting over the weeked (the one where the ring cost $69,000). The center stone was a Radiant cut and it was 2.03 carats. I didn''t look at the price tag myself, but after I took it off and we had walked away I asked my boyfriend if he had seen a price on the ring. He told me it was $69,000. He said that he had seen the numbers $690 -- and the rest was obscured, however, he figured it must have been $69,000 because there was no way that ring was only $6,900.

I''m not saying it was a fair price by any means, but that''s what it seemed to be. Of course I was at a super fancy jewelry store in Newport Beach, so I''m assuming that was the reason for the ridiculous markup.

Even with my limited knowledge of diamonds thus far I figured that was a very overpriced ring, so I was curious as to whether others who have bought a Daniel K ring found a *decent* deal at a jeweler somewhere.

Thanks also for the helpful comments about how a wedding band will not fit flush with the Daniel K ''Union Square'' setting. The salesman at the jewelry store pointed this out to me, and he helpfully offered that the store could make a custom ring that *would* fit exactly flush with the ring. I didn''t even bother to ask how much that would cost!

So I think my best bet now is to look into getting a similar setting done as a custom ring, and also I''ll keep looking at similar styles already in existance from other jewlers/stores. I''d also appreciate any more advice about specific stores where people bought Daniel K rings where they were happy with their experience. Perhaps I can get a much better deal than with the store I visited this weekend and end up with the Daniel K after all!

I''m not sure how much is the max my significant other will go, but I think he''d go for something around $18,000-$20,000 -- and maybe be some miracle I could go a bit higher for the Daniel K -- but I would imagine somewhere around $25,000 would be the max (if I can even get him that high).

Keep in mind that the $69K may have been the "retail price", which MAY be much more than what they would sell the ring for even if you didn''t ask for any type of discount. I was shopping for a 2.25 loose Lazar Kaplan F VS2 stone over the weekend and the sticker on the bottom of the diamond case said "$58,200" for the diamond alone. Just when I was thinking, "are these guys nuts??" the salesman did some quick math on his calculator and said that the price of the diamond was $33,800 - so your ring may be in the mid-$40K range with a similar "discount" (and maybe less!)

Or maybe it''s $69K......

 

[Diachi]

No help with your setting/diamond question but wanted to add my experience with "markup." We were looking at a 1.5
Asscher set in a micropave pand/halo in platinum that was marked $29,000. No intention to purchase the ring or a preset stone, just getting a gage on size. ANYWHO, the manager decided to "sell" the ring/diamond to us (he really tried hard, poor guy

) and told us the price marked could come down. Always the instigater (sp?), my Fiance said "Oh yeah? How much?" Then answer he was given was $13,000...Talk about markup! And the experience left a bad enough taste in our mouths

that we decide immediately afterwards to go the online/internet route!

 

[Art Nouveau]

Just want to let you know that I had a chance to talk to a Daniel K rep recently and I asked if the setting can be purchased without the center stone and the answer was "absolutely not". Their rings do look stunning, especially the Asschers. If you want one, you will have to pay their high mark up.

 

[jjnowjc]

Yes, you can buy the setting seperately. I went to CH Premier Jewelers in California today because I am interested in resetting my Asscher diamond in the DK boxter setting. They said it would be $12K and it would take 6-8 weeks. They ship out my diamond to be set in it so it fits perfectly to my stone. I''m not sure where you live, but on the DK site there is a list of their retailers and I''m sure they''d be happy to accomodate.

I tried on the ring today with a 3 carat asscher cut and the price tag was $114K. Ridiculous. I have a 2.5 carat VVS2 I and it was about $18K. So, the total is going to be $30K, which is much better than buying it with the center stone...even if I have to wait 2 months to get it.

 

[DClobbyist]

Suntravelgirl --

Not sure if you are still looking, but I am in the reverse position (finding myself with an engagement ring, but absent a fiance!)
I don't think I attached a picture correctly (again, i am an idiot), but have a bunch of others. Do you know how?


All --

I am not sure of the etiquette of these sites (this is my first try), so apologize if this is not correct way to handle.

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" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif" width="15 border=0">

 

[BeaudryBabe]

I have to agree, Printer...I just purchased a Daniel K stone and it is magnificent! The cut is just heads and shoulders above the other asschers that I had seen.

 

[SquareCut]

Yes you can buy just the setting. Jacob the Jeweler on 57th Street NYC quoted me less than half the numbers mentioned here.

 

[blueroses]

Ooooh, the ROSEBUD--I tried that one on, it is YUMMY!!!