Help with pricing on Michael B pettite lace

[blessings]

Hello diamond aficionados,

I am a newbie to engagement ring purchases and recently came away from my first experience at Black Starr & Frost (South Coast Plaza, Irvine) with the following quote:

Michael B Pettite Lace setting: 4200
Hearts on Fire (Round,VS, .75 ct): 5000
9200
discount -200
9000

If anyone is willing to help a desperate newbie with the following questions, I would be forever in your debt.

Is this a typical discount for a ring? It doesn''t sound like very much at all.

I read that someone on this board got 20% off their Michael B ring. Should I counter with a 20% reduction, or would that be an insult?

I''m sure I could find a cheaper diamond, but is there much flexibility in the price of the setting?

Can I expect a better price by going to Pearlmans?

Thank you in advance,

blessings

 

[icemyster]

Wow...pricy stone....the mounting could be right. Designer mountings are not exactly inexpensive. Pearlmans will give you a good idea on the price. They are good people there. We don''t have Michael B so I don''t have a comparison for you, but some of the other designers are pretty expensive for their rings.

 

[Mara]

I was offered a $400 discount off a $2500 MB setting like 3 years ago....so I'd ask for more of a discount if possible...oh and WOW the MB settings have gone up if it's $4200!! I looked at the petite lace and it was $2500 3 years ago.

But I would also say that we first looked at a HOF and realized with that markup that we could get so much more elsewhere. And just as lovely of a stone. But larger!

 

[MissAva]

Wow…I would say you might benefit from looking at the setting else where. I looked at it last march and it was 2300$ I cannot imagine that the price would have increased so dramatically since then. I would also say that 5200$ for .75 stone seems outrageous to me. I would strongly suggest that you contact Bill Pearlman of Pearlman''s Jewelers and ask him about the Micheal B prices, he or many other Pricescope vendors could help you with a lovely nicely cut stone.

 

[belle]

that price sounds about (outrageously) right for the petite lace.

you can of course get an amazing stone (branded even!) for a much better price online.
bill pearlman used to have a 1.5ct. ags0 graded stone in the petite lace setting for around 14k in his previously owned section.
it''s worth a look.

 

[annie121]

I don''t know too much about pricing for Michael B. But on the Pearlmans website, he has listed under the closeout jewelry section, a brand new Michael B petite lace ring with a 3/4ct CZ center size 6 1/4 in platinum for only 2250.

 

[Gypsy]

That is a really outrageous price for the setting. I priced it out here in NJ a while back...I remember it being around $3000. I agree with the Pearlman''s advice. Bill is nice and will give you a price-- and you know all you have to do is tell them that you have X price and tell them to match or beat it.

As for the HOF-- I looked at a couple of those. Here''s my advice:

There are two kinds of people when it comes to diamond shopping: 1) They have a budget, and want to get the shopping done as quickly as possible... but get a really nicely cut ring-- so they go to Tiffany''s or go for Hearts on Fire or another branded stone. And don''t get me wrong-- I couldn''t even SEE the inclusions in the SI HOF I was shown and it was stunning.

The second type has a budget and wants the nicest, largest diamond for the price... so they are willing to do their research on what an ideal cut diamond (I''m talking round here) is and they go on various sites, like this one, and figure out what exactly their budget will buy and they go from there.

I was the second type... and let me tell you-- it was .89 with the HOF Dream and 1.09 with a perfectly cut asscher (and I could have gotten an even larger ideal round for the budget but I wanted a square-ish stone).

So-- my advice is-- figure out what type of shopper you are... and go from there. Most people on here are the second type....

Also Michael B''s petite lace-- not that hard to copy. You can always find someone to make a custom setting similar to it. I didn''t like the Michael B head-- so I priced out that route... It was an amazing savings.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 4/13/2006 9:14:05 PM
Author: annie121
I don''t know too much about pricing for Michael B. But on the Pearlmans website, he has listed under the closeout jewelry section, a brand new Michael B petite lace ring with a 3/4ct CZ center size 6 1/4 in platinum for only 2250.

hehe, I was just going to post the same thing. Here''s the link if you want to check it out.

 

[mrssalvo]

Pearlman's prices that setting new at $3750..

linky

I have worked with Bill on several occasions and he is the best. I agree with everyone else who said to give Bill a call or shoot him an email. He is always quick to respond.

 

[blessings]

Wow, thanks everyone for enlightening me as to my situation. I will definitely look at Pearlman''s for this ring. I''m so glad I found this forum.