Trying to make up for the worst diamond ring story...

[sixzero]

Well I would 1st like to introduce myself to the forum and would like to thank everybody for the very useful information. I have been browsing the boards for only a couple of hours and already feel I have enough information to make a decent decision.

Now for my story: I have known my wife for 10 years. We met when I was 14 and I'm 23 now. 4yrs ago I proposed to her and I'm sorry to say that it wasn't the most memorable day. I was looking for a ring for some time and I found a jeweler I thought I could trust and at the time I was only 18 years old and didn't make much money if any at all. All I could afford was a right for $400.00. Well I was very proud of my purchase and I proposed... Well when I did it, I was drunk and it was in her house. Not a romantic setting or anything like that... When I look back, it was awful. Well were happily married and have 2 beautiful boys, a couple of months ago we were browsing in the mall and went into a zales and were looking around. They offered to clean my wifes ring and at the time I didn't know anything about rings so they asked if I wanted to look at my wifes ring with a scope. So I did and could not believe what I saw.... It was filled with tiny black dots... HORRIBLE!. A couple of weeks later by wife informed me that the diamond had cracked in half!!

Well that's my pathetic story. I did an awful job of purchasing a ring, an awful job proposing, and it's been months since my wife has worn a diamond on her finger. She deserves alot better and I want to make it up to her. Along with all the useful information I am asking what kind of ring should I purchase (deciding which ring), where should I purchase it (online/local).

At least I know what she wants now:

Shape: Princess
Weight: 1-2 CARATS
Cut Grade: ?
Color Grade: F-L (best possible)
Clarity Grade: SI2 or better
Price Range: 4000-6000 (is this enough? should I wait?)
band: Cathedral white gold w/ platinum (not sure what its called) holds the diamond.

She wants a ring bad and my plan is to have a beautiful ring on her finger for christmas. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rhino]

Date: 12/10/2005 1:35:00 AM
Author:sixzero
Well I would 1st like to introduce myself to the forum and would like to thank everybody for the very useful information. I have been browsing the boards for only a couple of hours and already feel I have enough information to make a decent decision.

Now for my story: I have known my wife for 10 years. We met when I was 14 and I''m 23 now. 4yrs ago I proposed to her and I''m sorry to say that it wasn''t the most memorable day. I was looking for a ring for some time and I found a jeweler I thought I could trust and at the time I was only 18 years old and didn''t make much money if any at all. All I could afford was a right for $400.00. Well I was very proud of my purchase and I proposed... Well when I did it, I was drunk and it was in her house. Not a romantic setting or anything like that... When I look back, it was awful. Well were happily married and have 2 beautiful boys, a couple of months ago we were browsing in the mall and went into a zales and were looking around. They offered to clean my wifes ring and at the time I didn''t know anything about rings so they asked if I wanted to look at my wifes ring with a scope. So I did and could not believe what I saw.... It was filled with tiny black dots... HORRIBLE!. A couple of weeks later by wife informed me that the diamond had cracked in half!!

Well that''s my pathetic story. I did an awful job of purchasing a ring, an awful job proposing, and it''s been months since my wife has worn a diamond on her finger. She deserves alot better and I want to make it up to her. Along with all the useful information I am asking what kind of ring should I purchase (deciding which ring), where should I purchase it (online/local).

At least I know what she wants now:

Shape: Princess
Weight: 1-2 CARATS
Cut Grade: ?
Color Grade: F-L (best possible)
Clarity Grade: SI2 or better
Price Range: 4000-6000 (is this enough? should I wait?)
band: Cathedral white gold w/ platinum (not sure what its called) holds the diamond.

She wants a ring bad and my plan is to have a beautiful ring on her finger for christmas. Any help would be appreciated.

Hey six,

Hey... at 18 years old you didn''t do bad man, and $400, while its not a little bit of money, when it comes to diamonds ... it could have been a much greater loss.

Insofar as purchasing between a store vs online, there are advantages to both which you must weigh yourself. If it wasn''t 1:34 in the morning I''d go into further detail of the pros and cons of both but my heavy eyes will not allow.

For cut grade ... get a princess cut with AGS ideal light performance if that is the shape/cutting style you know your wife enjoys most. They can be had well within your budget too. Not so much towards the 2ct size but certainly around the 1ct size and a little over. If you think you may want to go larger down the road make sure the company your dealing with offers a lifetime tradeup policy for the full purchase price. Welcome to the forum.

 

[E B]

SixZero,

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's first ring. At least you had good intentions, and I bet she saw nothing wrong with it. After all, you gave it to her.

Let's see if we can find your wife the beautiful diamond she's always wanted, shall we? Just giving you some options. Good Old Gold has gorgeous princess cut diamonds.

(Wow!)

http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_00ct_e_si2_princess.htm (the inclusion seems to be in the very corner and can be covered with a prong!)

http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_011ct_h_vs2_princess_ags-0.htm

and with a cathedral setting like this...

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/Platinum-Sleek-Lines-Solitaire_688.htm

...you'll have an amazing ring in your price range.

 

[sixzero]

Thank you for the feedback.

Goodoldgold, I was actually just browing your site and in the few hours I''ve been on, I''ve already read alot about your store. My only concern with purchasing online would be that I don''t get to see the diamond 1st, and it''s just a couple of weeks before christmas. I have noticed that 2 carats will most likely be out of my range if I want a quality ring. I wouldn''t mind purchasing a 1 carat, thanx for the suggestion of purchasing from a store that allows to trade-up, I will def. do that.

Ebree, thank you, thank you, thank you! You found the cathedral that she showed me once before... It''s looks so elegant and beautiful, I could already see her face, and feel her heart melt the second she see''s it. I guess the only issue I would have is the choice of diamond because of the issues I mentioned above. I have seen a couple of VS2''s and they usually have no inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye, am I right? I know the diamond will have inclusions but if it can be seen I know for a fact she will not be happy.

 

[Kim N]

Date: 12/10/2005 2:00:38 AM
Author: sixzero

I have seen a couple of VS2''s and they usually have no inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye, am I right?

Yes, usually. If you go with a vendor like Good Old Gold or Whiteflash, all you have to do is ask them to look at the stone for you and tell you if it''s eye-clean. Sometimes SI1 and SI2 will be eye-clean as well, and would help maximize your budget.

 

[E B]

SixZero,

The E SI2 has an inclusion in the top corner. The good thing about the placement of this inclusion is that it can be covered easily with a prong. As for the H VS2, I doubt your wife will be able to see anything, even with a loupe, but you can have Rhino give you his opinion on both (whether or not they're eye-clean). If you look down past the picture, you'll see the diamond magnified (the greyish photos) and the inclusions are shown with red arrows pointing toward them.

They both look amazing to me!

The H VS2 AGS Ideal is stunning. I'd snatch that up before someone else does!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 12/10/2005 2:00:38 AM
Author: sixzero

. My only concern with purchasing online would be that I don''t get to see the diamond 1st, and it''s just a couple of weeks before christmas.

You can. only you will make FedEx rich in the process

... there is a return policy, so you can get the stone, see it, and then return it to be set.


Unless the first batch of 10X pictures do not put the stone in your hand, literally.

 

[decodelighted]

I know it seems like a leap of faith, but my strong hunch is that you & she both would be very happy with either of EBree''s picks for you. I''m sure Jonathan at Good Old Gold would work with ya to make sure the "eye clean"-ness is well explained before you decide.

Don''t feel bad about the past. Like Oprah says "When you know better you do better". Ya didn''t know better then. Finding Pricescope is a great shortcut to "doing better" now!

 

[researcher]

You are very sweet to do this for your wife

So, let''s see if we can find you a great cut with the size you''re looking for. How about:

1.3 I VS1 $5433 for PS members

1.34 I VVS2 $5177 for PS members

1.52 J VS2 $5732 for PS members

1.55 J VVS1 $5966 for PS members

1.23 G VS2 $5909 for PS members

Well, that should give you a few more options. If you haven''t guessed, I would not hesitate to buy online. I worked with Denise from Whiteflash and she was SPECTACULAR!!! She went through the entire spreadsheet of diamonds I presented her, and found the best five (and amazingly they were not the biggest or the most expensive). They then called in my top two choices, and sent me ideal scope images and Sarin reports on both. And, Brian, the diamond cutter and VP of Whiteflash called me to discuss the two stones. I picked one, they sent it to me so I could get an independent appraisal, and then I sent it back to be set. It was such a fast process I believed them when they told me it would be another 2 weeks (giving my now hubby the chance to surprise me with a ring without my knowing he even had it). Honestly, with the money you''ll save online and the assurance of getting a good stone by using one of the reputable PS vendors there is nothing better IMO. I would go to a B&M store for something small, but not a large diamond; they just can''t compete with online vendors. Oh, and one thing more about WF--Brian is REALLY picky, so if he tells you a stone is 100% eye clean or that an "I" faces up like a "G" you can believe him. I never would have guessed that my "I" would be so white

Good luck to you and let us know how your search goes!!!

 

[researcher]

Oh, and you can get TONS of cheap yet beautiful simple solitaire settings. Just ask the vendors to share them with you (they do not always post these setting choices on their sites).

 

[ame]

I vote to go with Rhino. That man knows his stones and you will get a GORGEOUS stone. I bet he would do whatever he could to get it to you well before Christmas. I am leaning towards just over a carat. You can always upgrade in a few years when it''s financially easier. GO with a very simple solitaire.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 12/10/2005 4:10:13 PM
Author: ame
I vote to go with Rhino. That man knows his stones and you will get a GORGEOUS stone. I bet he would do whatever he could to get it to you well before Christmas. I am leaning towards just over a carat. You can always upgrade in a few years when it''s financially easier. GO with a very simple solitaire.

I agree completely..when it comes to fancy shapes i''d go with rhino hands down..

 

[koko]

Your wife is very lucky to have someone so thoughtful & appreciative of her....You are searching with your heart & mind, and I''m confident you''ll come up with the perfect ring for her....

 

[RockDoc]

Yours is not the worst diamond story.

I forum reader that contacted me a few months ago asking advice on a three stone ring. The deal he got on ebay for him because of the cheap price made it irresistable!

At the time I cautioned him that what he was promised for the price offered was just too good to believe.

He bought it from a vendor there about 5 months ago. Despite that vendor saying he would have it in time, he has yet to receive it. The vendor is no longer on ebay. And although he did get a credit. But that credit is still under a 90day condition that if the seller does produce the ring, he will have to pay for it.

Meanwhile his 25th anniversary has come and gone, and got nothing for the money he spent with the vendor there, except a bunch of bull and a temporary credit.

Not that I don''t feel badly about the experience you described, but as Rhino said - iot could have been a lot worse. Fortunately, you didn''t spend thousands on the ring, and you received a ring for your money.

Best of all you have a loving marriage with two little ones, and are happy. So count your blessings!

Happy Holiday and good luck in finding the pet rock you dream of.

Rockdoc

 

[BrownEyes]

SixZero:

You did the best you could at the time - try not to beat yourself up about it. It''s great that you are moving forward and acknowledge that your wife wants (and deserves) a beautiful diamond. Many men truly don''t understand the symbolism and importance of the diamond engagement ring ...

My husband and I are approaching our 20th anniversary, and like you, my husband is a wonderful man, but his original proposal was lackluster and did not include a diamond engagement ring. We were poor students at the time - - saddled with student loan debt and not a lot of income.

To make a long story very short, like you, my DH has come to the realization that after 20 wonderful years together (we work together, too!) and 3 great kids, it''s time I finally had a diamond I can be proud of.

Our budget is comparable to yours, and we were initially skeptical at the thought of making such a substantial purchase on-line. However, after stumbling onto this forum, and then following the links and recommendations to both whiteflash.com AND GoodOldGold.com, we felt more than ready to begin the process with an on-line vendor. Both whiteflash and GOG have amazing tutorials, and armed with the information they provided, we discovered that the so-called ''hi-grade'' diamonds offered through even the most reputable local B&Ms (including the Hearts on Fire brand of diamonds) were inferior to the diamonds offered at whiteflash and GOG.

I''m a smaller person, and the setting I selected (on-line) includes tapered baguette sidestones while still being traditional. My husband and I both agreed that we would prefer to find a closer-to-perfect and more brilliant smaller center stone to complement the setting than a larger stone that had less personality. Because we were seeking brilliance and personality, we were drawn to the Solasfera round diamonds offered at GoodOldGold.com.

With much thanks to Charlie and Marie at GoodOldGold (and also to the people at whiteflash who are also extremely nice and very helpful), just this morning we put a deposit on a .93 ct F/VS2 Solasfera round brilliant stone that on paper looks to be about as good as it gets. We haven''t yet had the pleasure of dealing with Jonathan directly, but I understand that GOG is a family-run business. From our dealings, it was easy to tell that the people at GoodOldGold are not only knowledgeable, honest and objective, but they are also very proud of the quality, craftsmanship and service which they offer.

As for me - - I still can''t believe we''ve come so far in the process of selecting a diamond and setting in such a short time ... just this evening I said to my husband it feels like we''re getting engaged all over again!

I''ll have to post follow-ups to this story once we actually receive our solasfera diamond (and the setting, which we will also order on-line).

The moral of the story: Don''t hesitate to work with an on-line vendor like GOG - - the people we spoke with at GOG (and also at whiteflash) were honest, objective and extremely helpful. There was no ''hard sell'', and both the quality and selection of diamonds offered through these on-line vendors was MUCH better than anything offered at local jewelers in our area.

Finally, don''t look back - just keep looking forward. Enjoy this opportunity to select and purchase a new diamond for your wife so she can wear it in good health (and so you can enjoy it in good health).

I hope this is your best Christmas ever!

BrownEyes

 

[RockDoc]

Nice story, browneyes


Now all you need is a new honeymoon encore when you get your new pet rock.

Rockdoc

 

[Lorelei]

Congratulations Browneyes, they are a great team at GOG and I look forward to seeing pics of your new ring!

Welcome sixzero and best of luck with finding a fabulous diamond which I know you will!! Keep us posted as to progress!

 

[sixzero]

well I appreciate all the feedback. So far it has made this experience less stressfull than I thought it would be. Here is an update, well I couldn''t keep my mouth shut and just surprise her (I''m horrible about that) so I told her of my plans... I did it because I felt really proud that I''m finally in a position to do this for her but also because I wanted to be 100% sure of what she wanted. She couldn''t believe her ears when I told her and almost choked on her coffee..lol She confirmed that she wants a princess cut diamond, in a white gold cathedral band, with platinum pongs (I think that''s what you call them)... help?

So now the question is where to purchase? I am as comfortable as ever because of all the great recommendations to go with either gog, or whiteflash. I think I will be making a phone call to both locations tomorrow.

While talking to my wife she did inform me that it didn''t have to be a VS1/VS2, that some SI''s were really nice and inclusions were sometimes not noticable. If I could get a bigger diamond because of the SI clarity, then that''s the way I want to go... Then the issue, I wish I could see it before I purchase but I might have to trust gog/whiteflash.

Have you ever been told anything over the phone, only to have it not exactly as you visioned? In person I would know exactly what I want without hesitation but over the internet/phone I will always be nervous until the minute the diamond arrives so I could inspect it. Regardless I am ready to make my purhcase and will hopefully be visiting shortly with an update or maybe even pictures... thanks again everyone!

 

[perry]

You only have about 10 days to get the ring:

I''d just call GOG Monday and tell them what you have posted here, and let them take it from there.

Be sure to know her ring size.

Trust us - GOG won''t disappoint you.

Perry

 

[Kaleigh]

GOG is usually closed on Monday''s but with the busy holidays, perhaps they will be open tomorrow. Good luck. I bought my asscher from GOG and am thrilled with it.

 

[E B]

SixZero,

I still think you should go with one of these amazing diamonds (the first being my personal favorite):

http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_011ct_h_vs2_princess_ags-0.htm

http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_07ct_g_vs2_princess.htm

Regarding the setting, Good Old Gold will, if requested, probably put it in a white gold cathedral setting for next to nothing. Good luck, and I hope your wife loves the outcome!

 

[allycat0303]

Sixzero,

Personally I love the story because it makes the whole purchase thing a lot sweeter. I don''t know a lot about princesses, but the two that Ebree posted look beautiful! On another note, I have an S1 and it''s beautiful inclusion free (it came from WF) The stone was is SO beautiful, I wasn''t disappointed at all, I think with all the tools that GG offer you, and with the help of some REALLY knowledgeable people on this site, you''re going to pick a KILLER diamond. Maybe even better then you could have picked in person. I find it really difficult (under all of the intense lighting) in a store to get a sense of how much the diamond ACTUALLY sparkles in comparision to others. They all look good under those lights (store in Canada, don''t let you check it under different lighting

) actually the last time I tried on a 1 cara I1, the clerk chained it before letting me try it on.) So it''s nice to walk around and check the diamond in all sorts of lighting conditions, without the clerk waiting impatiently for it back!

Keep us updated!

 

[sixzero]

I''m about to contact whiteflash right now due to gog being closed on Monday. My wife is actually assisting in this process and showed me this link:

http://www.whiteflash.com/princess/Princess-cut-diamond-756181.htm

does anybody have an opinion of the rock above? I will contact whiteflash and see what they say. I wish I could see a more detailed picture like the gog site.

 

[researcher]

Date: 12/12/2005 5:09:01 PM
Author: sixzero
I''m about to contact whiteflash right now due to gog being closed on Monday. My wife is actually assisting in this process and showed me this link:


http://www.whiteflash.com/princess/Princess-cut-diamond-756181.htm


does anybody have an opinion of the rock above? I will contact whiteflash and see what they say. I wish I could see a more detailed picture like the gog site.

First, you will be able to get more detailed pictures of the stones after contacting WF. They do not post all the photos online, but they will provide all the photos if you ask. Second, I don''t love the stone your wife sent. The table/depth ratio is not the best, and I would never go with "good" on symmetry and polish. But, that is just me. Did you look at the WF stones I posted? They all have superior numbers which, according to some, may not be of value, but I have yet to see a stone with such great numbers be a bad performer.

 

[sixzero]

yes, I did see it and will be viewing all my options. I liked the stones you sent me, also the 1st ebree sent me. I will be following up on those tomorrow when I contact gog. Not sure why my wife selected that stone but I think she''s trying to get the biggest stone she can get while not compromising the quality as much.

 

[JDgirl]

Make sure to pay attention to the dimensions of the stones as well as the carat weight. The one your wife showed you doesn''t have the best spread for a stone of that weight. Have you also checked out www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com ? They seemed to have a lot of well-priced princess cut stones.

 

[NanStacy]

SixZero,
Hi--I see lots of princess cuts coming into my lab. I''m not a big fan of them because of the shallow crown and huge table. Basically, the lower part of diamond without much top.

However, the princess cuts with the AGS "0" grade are fabulous! I would take Rhino''s advise and stick with one of those. Cut and proportions are the most important factors in a diamond''s beauty, in my opinion. "Big" is one thing, but quality cutting is obvious every time you look at the stone.

Good luck in making your choice--you''ve received a lot of good advice. You can always count on the Pricescope community!

Nancy Stacy

 

[researcher]

Date: 12/12/2005 5:18:09 PM
Author: sixzero
yes, I did see it and will be viewing all my options. I liked the stones you sent me, also the 1st ebree sent me. I will be following up on those tomorrow when I contact gog. Not sure why my wife selected that stone but I think she''s trying to get the biggest stone she can get while not compromising the quality as much.

The most important factor is cut. The others are just subjective, what ou view as quality. For me, as long as the diamond is 100% (and I mean 100%) eye clean from all angles I could care less what the clarity rating is. It does not matter to me if my stone has 2 inclusions or 10, as long as no one can see them without a loupe. As for color, there are some people here who will not go lower than an F because they want the icy whiteness of the colorless stones. There are just as many people who say the best deals are stones in the G-I range as they face up EXTREMELY white when they are well cut. And after all, if the only time you''re going to see any hint of color is when the stone is face down on a white piece of paper and next to other stones, who cares if it''s not the highest color grade? There are even TONS of examples of people who have purchased J colored stones that face up white as can be. So, you and your wife just need to decide which of the "C''s" are most important to you. For me, they are in this order:

Cut--I will not sacrifice
Carat--Bigger is better in my book!
Color--I will not go below an AMAZING I/J in color (I is my max in 3+ carat stones, J my max in <3 carat stones)
Clarity--I prefer VS2-SI1 100% eye clean stones as I think paying for something you can''t see is pointless

But, you have to decide what will work for you. When I looked at stones in the mall, I did not think I would ever consider a stone lower than G in color. The reason? None of those stones were well cut. But, when I started visiting local B&M shops that carried higher quality stones I began to notice that I could go lower in color if the stones were GIA/AGS certified and had a great cut. It''s something to consider if your wife wants the "biggest bang for the buck" like me

 

[sixzero]

I just called whiteflash and I was totally unsure of what I wanted and I felt as if I was waisting her time but she was very nice and polite and informed me that it wasn''t a problem. I''m in a real bind because I don''t know what diamond I want... I know all the general information but how can you actually make the best decsion without seeing the diamond. She also told me to make sure it is a GIA. She told me the kind of diamond she recommends have these charecteristics:

SHAPE: Princess CARAT: 1.091–1.559 ct Depth: 64–75% Polish: VG–Ex
BUDGET: 6000 COLOR: F –J Table: 60–72% Symm: VG–Ex
LAB: GIA,AGS CLARITY: VS1–VS2 Fluor: N–Med L/W: 1–1


Is this information accurate? What would you say to an unsure mind? I want to get this for my wife as soon as possible but I can''t make a decision with confidence because of the lack of knowledge. Help!

 

[researcher]

Date: 12/12/2005 6:05:38 PM
Author: sixzero
I just called whiteflash and I was totally unsure of what I wanted and I felt as if I was waisting her time but she was very nice and polite and informed me that it wasn''t a problem. I''m in a real bind because I don''t know what diamond I want... I know all the general information but how can you actually make the best decsion without seeing the diamond. She also told me to make sure it is a GIA. She told me the kind of diamond she recommends have these charecteristics:


SHAPE: Princess CARAT: 1.091–1.559 ct Depth: 64–75% Polish: VG–Ex

BUDGET: 6000 COLOR: F –J Table: 60–72% Symm: VG–Ex

LAB: GIA,AGS CLARITY: VS1–VS2 Fluor: N–Med L/W: 1–1

Is this information accurate? What would you say to an unsure mind? I want to get this for my wife as soon as possible but I can''t make a decision with confidence because of the lack of knowledge. Help!

I agree completely. Now, there ARE exceptions to these rules, but these are the best numbers to begin with

I actually sent you a PM with this info (and more) to get you started.