High quality diamonds in Los Angeles

[jorgep]

Anyone know of someplace to see high cut quality (H&A) diamonds in Los Angeles? I went to Robbins Bros but they wanted a $200 deposit to bring stones in. I want to see H&A diamonds in person before buying on the internet.

Thanks,
JorgeP

 

[derekinla]

I had a VERY hard time finding high end diamonds from local B&M's in the LA area so I ended up getting the loose stone from an online vendor. I even ventured to the LA jewelry district but my search was not very fruitful. By getting the stone from an internet vendor, I saved on quite a bit of sales tax (8.25%). I also purchased the setting locally and had the stone mounted here in LA. Wherever you get your stone, be sure have it independently appraised (as you will need it for insurance purposes). I know of a great local appraiser with very reasonable rates so let me know if you need that info.

 

[jorgep]

Derek,
I thought you would be the one replying. I will be buying from an online vendor in the near future, but wanted to see some stones in person before buying online. It sounds like you couldn't find any in LA either. That's sad considering the size of LA.

I will need a local appraiser. Please let me know the person and phone # (if it's not against posting policies).

Thanks,
JorgeP

 

[daboyzmomi]

Jorge,

I recommend if you just want to look at stones for ideas, to go to the Tustin Jewelry Exchange. They carry a large selction of stones to look at and can pretty much come up with what you want to see. Good luck!

 

[derekinla]

This is the appraiser I used. He used to be in Pasadena but moved the business back to his home in Alhambra. His prices are pretty competitive. Keep an open mind and look at as many loose diamonds as possible.

http://www.jewelryjudge.net/nelson.htm

 

[derekinla]

Although I didn't find very much in the way of high end ideal cut diamonds, the whole process of looking for diamonds in LA was highly educational and only served to reinforce my decision to get the stone from the internet. Theses are some of the places my fiance and I looked at:

1) Robbins Brothers in Torrance:

Impression: Kind of pushy yet friendly. My fiance and I didn't push the issue of ideal cut diamonds as we were just starting out geting our feet wet. It seemed to me that the stones were a bit on the pricey side. A GREAT selection of settings and designer rings.

2) Diasource in West Los Angeles

Impression: A great educational experience as the sales rep took the time to show us MANY different loose stones and I really became comfortable looking through a loup. Most of their stones are GIA certed but I think they have access to H&A, AGS000's. They have a very open pricing structure which you can use as a reference point.

3) Tiffany's in Beverly Hills

Impression: Nice diamonds but the price hurts.....really hurts

If you didn't have time to shop around and wanted to get a great diamond without much thought, this might be an attractive option if cost isn't an issue.

4) LA Downtown Jewelry District:

Impression: Although alot of my friends have had great experiences with Oscar's Design Jewelry located in the International Diamond Center off of Hill street, they were closed the day we ventured downtown. We did, however, get to visit a few of the vendors in the building (It's HUGE!) but did not come across any high end diamonds. I would say it's still worth a trip. My reccomendation is for you to go early in the morning and spend the day going from store to store in the International Diamond Center and put your loupe viewing skills to work!


Final Thought: When shopping around locally, keep in mind the 8.25% sales tax. I think you'll see that it will be very tough for the local guys to match the prices/savings from the online vendors. As you browse the posts on this forum, as well as other diamond discussion forums, you'll realize that there are ALOT of agendas and politics at play. There is also a wealth of great information. BE VERY SKEPTICAL YET KEEP an OPEN MIND. Good LUCK!

 

[Superidealist]

I've heard that Robbins Brothers is offering hearts and arrows diamonds now but I've never seen them. A couple of places I found that had nice diamonds are Servis and Taylor at Westside Pavilion in Westwood and the Jewelry Source in El Segundo (where my wife and I bought our rings) and, of course, Tiffany, Cartier, and Van Cleef and Arpels in Beverly Hills. I'm sure there are many more.

As far as appraisers go, you might try Cos Altobelli in North Hollywood.

 

[derekinla]

----------------
On 10/10/2003 11:25:21 AM Superidealist wrote:

I've heard that Robbins Brothers is offering hearts and arrows diamonds now but I've never seen them. A couple of places I found that had nice diamonds are Servis and Taylor at Westside Pavilion in Westwood and the Jewelry Source in El Segundo (where my wife and I bought our rings) and, of course, Tiffany, Cartier, and Van Cleef and Arpels in Beverly Hills. I'm sure there are many more.

As far as appraisers go, you might try Cos Altobelli in North Hollywood.----------------

Cos Altobelli is a GREAT appraiser who wrote one "THE books" on apprasing although he also sells jewelry so I still recommend an independent guy. Geoffrey Nelson, the guy I recommended was a student of Cos and his prices are more competitive but shop arround.

 

[hoorray]

I had a very difficult time finding good quality stones to see in person before we purchased. A couple of the highend jewelers in Palm Springs told me that if I set an appt with them and gave my parameters a head of time, they could bring in a good selection of stones, but no one kept them in stock. I would suggest you look around your area for a higher end jeweler (instead of a maul jewelry store), and see if they can do something similar.

In the NY Jewelery District, the told us to come back in a few hours after they rounded up stones that met our criteria from the local mfgs. I assume the LA Jewelery District people could do the same thing. That worked pretty well except the people we were dealing didn't want to get into nitty gritty details on cut quality, but it is where we were able to look at the most stones at one time to compare the different features.

If I were doing it again, I would do as much local leg work as possible, and then look for stones that met my criteria on the Internet. The experts here are good at helping you compare a couple of stone if you give them all the data. Then I would have a couple of them sent to an appraiser to compare side by side. It will probably cost you a more for the appraiser and probably shipping for the one you don't select, but in the long run I think it is worth it. At the end of the day, your eyes get to be the final decider!

FYI...We just bought a stone from the internet and had it appraised by Charles Carmona in the LA Jewelery District. I think several people in this forum have used him. He referred me to a jeweler who set it in my setting for me there, and I was happy with both.

 

[codex57]

For people who have found this thread off the internet like me, I wanted to put in my two cents.

Jewelry District in LA is kind of unnerving. It''s basically a giant swap meet. I was referred to a jeweler who my coworker has been going to for 20 years and his father for even more. But, I never got a good feeling from the jeweler. Maybe it''s cuz of the clientelle he''s always dealing with or maybe that''s his personality, but he wouldn''t go into the cut that well other than saying it''s "a beautiful stone." I''m going in later today, but the stones are a bit smaller than I''d like (but, they are well under my budget). Apparently, I''m finding it''s extremely hard finding the really nice stones afterall. I hear all these people saying diamonds aren''t rare and it''s all just DeBeers holding up prices. Well, diamonds may be common, but not the high end ones.

I''ll post a recommendation from one of the jewelers mentioned in this thread. But, he''s got a diamond I could live with and I don''t want to reveal their name in case someone swoops in and buys it under me. It''s my backup and if I can''t find anything this weekend and that one is gone, I''m really screwed. But, I was treated so well the multiple times I''ve gone to see him, I''m actually willing to pay a certain premium just cuz I don''t feel like I''ll be ripped off in any way other than price (like switching stones, etc).

 

[DiamondsRagirlsbestfriend]

Okay, I know this is going to sound odd, but would you consider working with Costco? My fiance and I shopped around in the Bay Area, and at the last minute I decided to drive over to the local Costco, where I bumped into exactly what I wanted for literally thousands less than I saw in the stores, and even less than what I was finding online. Since that time, I''ve taken the ring to a gemologist who told me that the stones are excellent quality. (Three stone emerald cuts - G and F color, VS1 clarity. Center stone 1.17, sides .36 each. The price was VERY good.)

Just a thought. Keep us posted on your process!

 

[codex57]

Yes, I did look at Costco. But, since i was already shopping the Downtown Jewelry District, Costco wasn''t that much cheaper? It was btw mall store retail and the "wholesale" prices. Beautiful stone. Just more than I wanted/could to spend.

 

[edwardlo]

Hello,
first time low end buyer here,
looking into purchasing a ring for the little wife (12yrs). Wonderful website , full of education. Perhaps a little to much for me to swallow and be prepared for in the front lines during purchasing. Probable sound like a novice idiot in front of experience diamond sellers.

Want I might be interested in is a 1 ct. tw. round brilliant diamond at about $2k or less set in yellow gold with additional small diamonds on MB.

hestiate to deal with bottom floor sellers at the mart. want to get the best deal possible with out being swindled.

Will be preparing to go to Oscars in Downtown LA. Jewelry mart , do I need an appointment.?? when is a good time to visit, slow days???, Do they sell rings already mounted?? I can''t find the message with the exact address can some one help.


Does anyone have a comment on what I saw advertized at Mervyns Dept. Store this week. 1 ct tw diamond studded earrings in yellow gold originally priced at $1000 selling onsale for $199.99. 60% off . I didn''t make it in time to purchase a set they said they sold fast. They could not say what quality these were either. But I need reassurance I guess and hear that they must have been very very poor quality. I really don''t think a Mall strore can undersell a nonperishable commonity without still making a profit. should I be look for more deals like this.

all responses are welcome.

 

[codex57]

Actually just picked up my finished ring today at Oscar''s. He''s at 550 S. Hill St., Suite 725. 7th floor of the fancy looking silver building. Don''t need appt. He''s open 10-5. Avoid lunchtime during a weekday or weekend for best times.