you all talked me out of ebay

[cryckman]

Ok, so I was going to buy this ring from MDC Diamonds on ebay, but you all have talked me out of it. Like I said a couple of days ago, I was going to get this ring, setting and all for $3200.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4936237257&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

So now my new consideration is this:

This is WAY WAY WAY over my budget, but I can''t help it. After you all talked me out of ebay, I can''t help but feel like I want to get the very very best for my girl and it''s been so so hard to figure out where to compromise! I want to get this diamond and can get it for $3500, only $300 over the budget that I was at.

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=7311726

The guy at DCD assured me that it is "eye clean" and I ran the DIY cut guide and everything turned out to be a 1A rating. As long as it is eye clean, the only other thing besides price that maybe scares me a little is the "medium" florescence.

My first question:

Should I really be too concerned with the medium blue florescence or is this just an all around GREAT diamond in my price range (or a little over anyway).

My second question:

Now that I''ve already gone over my budget, does anyone know where I can get a setting IDENTICAL to the one listed on ebay at a really good price? I''d like the side stones to be close to .40 total carats, the setting in white gold, and as I said, now that I''ve gone over my budget on just the stone, I really can''t pay over $400 or $500 dollars for it, making my total purchase $4000. Maybe someone knows where I can find this setting for a really good price. Maybe some of you on here are actually jewelers that can make this setting for me?

Any help would be very valuable on my two questions!

Thanks

 

[belle]

med. fluoro doesn''t hurt a "g" if anything, it might help it look a little whiter............
don''t think you can find that setting for less than $500...those are still diamonds in there!

 

[pearcrazy]

It''s pretty doubtful that you are going to get that setting for under $850 or so. My only suggestion would be to go with something like this.

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/engagement-detail.cfm?did=62218

I know it''s not what exactly what you are looking for but done in white gold would be very pretty with your princess diamond (great choice by the way, it will sparkle like crazy) It''s $500. Perhaps you could save up and purchase the matching wedding band for the wedding. That would be beautiful and very elegant.

 

[windowshopper]

hey--i love Dirt Cheap Diamonds I just bought my stone from them ....that setting you want is pretty basic--I bet they can make it for you no problem.....

 

[pearcrazy]

DirtCheap has the setting already in it''s catalog. http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/engagement-detail.cfm?did=E5413 The problem is that it runs $849 in white gold and he''s looking to spend no more than $500. Perhaps someone else can find it cheaper somewhere else, but I''m doubtful of finding it for $500 and under.

 

[windowshopper]

mmmmmmm-its the diamonds in there

 

[reena]

any chance you would consider going with a solitaire setting for now and "upgrading" to the sidestones on another occasion?

btw i know it hurts but boy did you make the right decision passing up that ebay stone!!!!!!

 

[allycat0303]

Pearcrazy,

I like the setting you proposed (the one from dirtcheap that is $500). I think it is a great compromise and you still get the same look. I actually like it slightly better then the $800 + one. I find that thinner baguettes make the center diamond appear larger.

 

[reena]

okay, yay. here is a nearly identical one (style-wise) from abazias and it''s $414 for white gold. now the catch is, the baguettes are smaller than you wanted--0.14 TCW. so they''re little. but, as the others have said, smaller baguettes might make the center stone "pop" more. these might look good with the size diamond you have chosen?

http://www.abazias.com/database/NewJewelryInfo.asp?stock=R7702

 

[pearcrazy]

My thoughts too on buying both the setting and diamond from DCD is that he''ll save on setting and shipping fees.

 

[reena]

http://www.abazias.com/database/NewJewelryInfo.asp?stock=R7697

these are other options--0.18 TCW for $548

http://www.uniondiamond.com/jewelry/more.php?itemid=57

.20 TCW for $425

http://www.uniondiamond.com/jewelry/more.php?itemid=58

.40 for $725

 

[dietvanillacoke]

my fiance just got a ring VERY similar to the one you''re looking at! except my stone is round brilliant.

here is a question for you: do you want the multiple baguettes or just the one on each side? all the settings i saw on this thread are different.

also, do you want the baguettes to be perfect rectangles, or graduated (get bigger as they go towrad the center stone)?? i originally wanted the latter, my fiance ended up with the former, but i love it just the same and think it actually makes my stone pop more (as reena said). i will be getting the matching wedding band with 3 perfect rectangular baguettes all lined up.

Here is a pic of the setting with the matching band. it''s a horrible picture but it''s what they sent me. my fiance had them upgrade the baguettes to slightly larger (longer) ones. the baguettes in this picture look kinda stumpy. i can tell you that they were able to work with him to get this setting for under $500.

i HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend union diamond. talk to barbara palumbo. she worked with my fiance whose budget was VERY tight. i ended up with a 1.2c EXCELLENT stone (J color but with med. blue flourescence looks COMPLETELY white) with that setting for less than 5k. she went into the vault and found a stone that had been GIA certified (!!!) just 2 weeks before.

(sorry babe if you ever run across this for talking so freely about your budget!)

 

[researcher]

Here are a couple possibilities from White Flash (remember that you get a discount for mentioning PS). I worked with Denise, and had a GREAT experience.

1.04 I SI1

.93 I VS2



And here are some from other vendors:

.93 I VS2

1.00 I VS1

.94 G SI1

1.04 I SI1

 

[Todd07]

I''d look at these two
http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=3036289

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=7311725

G is an expensive color when you can get a bright and beautiful I color stone

SI1 clarity is just as beautiful as VS1 if you confirm it''s eye clean

 

[valeria101]

About the setting... that''s obviously a generic catalog style, so you may want to ask DCD about availability. The Ebay price may well be based on missrepresentation, but maybe not...

There is a range of quality for thse WG settings and the picture may not actually show the thing (it is stock photo, after all). Even if it does, the setting would be quite thin relative to the stone - so allot of saving on materials, labor and durability there. Perhaps DCD does not cary these things ut can order one in ?

And just one thought pro-solitaire:

With this platinum setting (about $500):

And this stone: LINK
Carat: 0.86
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth: 66.9
Table: 73
Girdle: M-STK
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Culet: None
Fluorescence: No
Measurements: 5.46-5.31X3.55
Length/Width: 1.03
Price: $2800

 

[pearcrazy]

The second stone Todd posted is almost identical in size to the one you picked out. Going to an I color will save you $500 that you could put towards the exact setting you liked. An I colored stone is still pretty white and can keep you comfortably in your budget.

 

[fire&ice]

I like the G w/ med blue. I''d focus on the stone. The setting can come later or when you recoup some money, buy a diamond wedding band.

 

[Hest88]

My objection to the setting you like is that if she wants a matching wedding ring it''s going to look rather funny next to it. If you setting for a single row of baguettes it will not only be cheaper but it will look better when she wears her wedding ring.

 

[cryckman]

Date: 12/3/2004 4:56:33 PM
Author: valeria101
About the setting... that''s obviously a generic catalog style, so you may want to ask DCD about availability. The Ebay price may well be based on missrepresentation, but maybe not...

There is a range of quality for thse WG settings and the picture may not actually show the thing (it is stock photo, after all). Even if it does, the setting would be quite thin relative to the stone - so allot of saving on materials, labor and durability there. Perhaps DCD does not cary these things ut can order one in ?

And just one thought pro-solitaire:

With this platinum setting (about $500):

Does anyone know where I can get this setting that valeria recommended... I love it!

 

[Hest88]

That''s a Whiteflash setting:
http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/Platinum-Sleek-Lines-Solitaire_688.htm

 

[cryckman]

thank you! I found it!

 

[diamondsbylauren]

Hi Everyone,
Joining a little late but this thread points out something important about eBay.
Each and every seller is independant ( other than sellers with more than one user name). eBay is only a means for buyer and seller to meet- and record transactions.
Not every seller is good, nor is every seller bad.

Here's some red flags for me:
* Stones priced way below market value - say a seller advertises a ring with a total weight of over 3 carats. A 1 1/4 center, flanked by 1.00 on each side- say they are all ovals. The diamonds are set in a platinum 3 oval mounting. If the price is say, $5800, anyone who understands diamond prices would be curious. This equates to a price of about $1600 per carat for claimed I/SI2 diamonds in this hyperthetical situation

*"Certified" diamonds without GIA reports- OK, let's be lenient and included EGL, IGI and HRD- and of course AGS. Anyone selling a "certified" D/VS1 without one of the mentioned lab reports is also cause for concern

*$1 no reserve auctions for high priced diamonds- also a red flag


There are dealers on eBay, and private individuals. Private individuals pose a greater risk to buyers, but may also yeild great results.
Here's a true story- one of our clients bought a chipped stone on eBay. It was 1.40, but it had a pretty bad chip on the girdle. We re-cut it for him and sent it to the GIA. The result? A 1.28 G/VS2 with a wonderful 60/60 cut. His cost? $1000 plus GIA and re-cut fees. Not bad.

 

[weemodin]

I''ve only come across two ebay stores that''d I''d be comfortable buying diamonds from -- diamondsbylauren and signedpieces.

The majority of diamond sellers on ebay are to be avoided, if only because you''re very likely to get worse quality than is stated on the auction page (although the diamond may still end up being worth what you paid). Of course, I haven''t seen all of them... if I''ve omitted any other good dealers, I apologize.