tell me about the zales diamond...

[slaughtp]

So I''ve been looking for engagement rings, and I''ve been to a ton of stores. I don''t see honestly how the zales diamond is that overpriced. it''s not perfect, but I found one that was color rating F for all 3 stones (it''s a 3-stone ring I''m looking at), SI1, and it''s 3499 for 1 ct TDW. I just have reservations because it''s zales. Honestly though, the only rings I''ve seen that I think look close to the zales diamond ring are over 9,000. Any suggestions or info would help me alot, as I don''t want to get a crappy ring for my soon-to-be fiancee. Thanks.

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

SP have you also seen the Zales diamond out of the store? Not sure if you are refering to the ''Leo'' diamond (isn''t that the Zales branded cut?). Anyway I suggest ALWAYS looking at diamonds in different lighting conditions (aside from the high powered jewelry store lights), sometimes you would be surprised what you can see outside of that environment. Also, you only speak of color but cut has a huge influence on price as well, there are many D,E,F colored poorly cut stones that sell for less than ideal cut H,I,J stones. Just something else to consider. Hoewver, because I do not really know what you mean by "the zales diamond" I cannot be more specific, just something to think about. Welcome and goodluck!

 

[sjz]

What kind of certificate does it have, if any? That''s been the problem I''ve found in dealing with stores like Zales...they often don''t have any kind of documentation to back up the specs they are claiming about the diamonds. Or the documentation they have isn''t "as good" as I would like it to be. Just because they claim something to be a certain color or clarity doesn''t mean their claim would hold up to an independant appraisal.

 

[sjz]

Date: 8/13/2005 12:16:40 PM
Author: LadyluvsLuxury

SP have you also seen the Zales diamond out of the store? Not sure if you are refering to the ''Leo'' diamond (isn''t that the Zales branded cut?). Anyway I suggest ALWAYS looking at diamonds in different lighting conditions (aside from the high powered jewelry store lights), sometimes you would be surprised what you can see outside of that environment. Also, you only speak of color but cut has a huge influence on price as well, there are many D,E,F colored poorly cut stones that sell for less than ideal cut H,I,J stones. Just something else to consider. Hoewver, because I do not really know what you mean by ''the zales diamond'' I cannot be more specific, just something to think about. Welcome and goodluck!

I agree with this. Some of the stones I''ve seen in Zales don''t seem to be as well cut. The lighting makes a HUGE difference, too! Even poorly cut stones with terrible clarity can look halfway decent in the lighting they have in the store.

 

[AndyRosse]

Well, if you look at Whiteflash.com, you could get a .50 F SI1 center for $1715 HERE, and two side diamonds (.25 to .35) for about $500 each. So that would be around $2700, plus you would need to find a setting. You didn''t specify if the setting was platinum or whitegold, or what size each diamond would be. But the prices I am talking about are for IDEAL cut diamonds. I think you could at least match the price from Zales with much better cut diamonds that all would come with either GIA or AGS certificates.

 

[karenleah15]

Do you mean the Zales signature diamond that has the little diamond on the inside of the band?? If yes, a good friend of mine has a solitare and it is beautiful! Hers came with a GIA cert.

 

[DoubleB]

Just out of interest, I cut and pasted the following from the Zale''s website. (They have a separate site for The Zale''s Diamond - www.thezalesdiamond.com)

"Every Zales Diamond is set in platinum and registered with the International Gemmological Institute. The IGI evaluates the color, cut, clarity and carat weight of your Zales Diamond, providing an independent appraisal unique to each and every stone. So unique, in fact, that the individual certification number is laser-inscribed directly on either the diamond or the setting.

"Your diamond is a permanent symbol of commitment, lifetime value, and unbreakable trust. Which is why every Zales Diamond comes with three certifications--IGI, GemEx and GemPrint--to qualify the value it represents to its bearer. For your convenience, the individual certificates are always available for viewing on our Web site. All that is required is your unique certificate number to access your information. The individual certification number is laser-inscribed directly on the Zales Diamond solitaire and inscribed in the setting of the band, pendant and ring.

"For your assurance, each Zales Diamond comes with International Gemmological Institute, GemEx Systems and Gemprint certifications that independently evaluate your diamond''s quality and characteristics. To underline our commitment to your satisfaction, each item in the Zales Diamond collection comes with a complimentary 2-year extended service agreement.

 

[platinumrock]

For small purchases, I think Zales can have a decent selection. But for a large and important purchase like an e-ring, I honestly think you should consider other vendors online and offline to compare the prices and quality of the stones. Online vendors like Whiteflash and DirtCheapDiamonds offer buybacks and trade-ins, while some don''t. Those can come in handy if your plans change in the future.

Also, consider what type of certifications they offer, and from what company. Not all diamonds are certified at Zales, and if they are, the majority are IGI. They offer EGL and GIA certs, but usually it''s on purchases that are $10k or more. I looked at a few e-rings at a Zales store and a few had eye visible inclusions, despite the special lighting. The quality and the mark-up disappointed me.

You should definitely do more research on what you are looking for in a diamond, and what your budget permits. My husband and I saved a LOT of money by comparing different vendors, and by purchasing our rings online.

Good luck!

 

[strmrdr]

The biggest problem with chains like zales is the certs they use.
To me igi is the bottom of the barrel along with egl-Israel and a few others.
egl-usa is as low as Id be comfortable with on the cert food chain for an expensive diamond.
For me its like this: AGS - GIA - EGL-usa and hrd | then there is all the rest. The | is where I draw the line and if im buying a diamond thats being called ideal it better have an AGS cert or a ton of information like GOG provides and a gia cert or forget it.

Unless your searching for lower end diamonds stick with AGS and GIA.

 

[sjz]

Date: 8/14/2005 12:24:45 AM
Author: strmrdr

Unless your searching for lower end diamonds stick with AGS and GIA.

That statement sums up my thinking, too. And that''s why I don''t like to buy diamonds at stores like Zales. They often don''t have any type of certifications at all for their stones, and if they do, they usually aren''t AGS or GIA. I feel like you are most likely to get what you are paying for with one or the other, where some of the others might not be as accurate.

I wanted to add that I really haven''t seen the kinds of deals in mall stores and most other B&M stores that I''ve seen with the online vendors. I was a little nervous at first to buy sight unseen, but after reading so many positive "testimonials" from other PS members about vendors like WF, GOG, NiceIce, Wink, Signed Pieces and others, I decided to try it. I''ve dealt with three of the vendors so far, and have been happy with everything aspect of my purchases so far.

If you really want to buy from a known element like Zales, it would probably be beneficial to at least compare the diamond that you are considering with comparable diamonds that are being offered by the online vendors. At least you can see if the price Zales is asking for their stone is in the ball park price range it should be for the size and quality. Of course there is going to be some mark-up on a Zales diamond, but personally I would hate to pay significantly more money for a lesser size or quality diamond if I knew it wasn''t worth what I was paying for it.

 

[karenleah15]

I stand corrected. My friends diamond has an IGI cert not a GIA. I got all the G''s and I''s mixed up! Sorry. It still is a pretty diamond.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

It is my understanding that the Canadian source diamonds sold at Zales in Canada have a proportion analysis included in their lab work/report.

cheers--Sharon

 

[finerthings]

I don't think there is anything wrong with buying at stores like Zales or other B&M establishments. The same warnings apply whether you shop the internet, Mom & Pop stores, or large chains...go in educated and don't fall for sleazy selling techniques and poor quality. Make sure they stand by their guarantee, trade-in policy, and it could be a good sign if they have been in business a number of years. Baily Banks and Biddle is the high end store that is owned by the Zales Corp., and I can tell you that they have beautiful, quality stuff there...and stuff that I would steer away from only because I have some diamond knowledge. Same can be said about Cartier, Tiffany, Zales, Long's, Alpha Omega, Shreve Crump and Low, Kay, Bloomingdales etc., or any of the vendors listed on Pricescope. You can find so-so diamonds at each of these stores...even with the certs...but you have to know what you are looking for and have some idea of market price/quality. So just read up and feel confident, this isn't brain surgery, and enjoy the experience if you can!