Post by BristowVA » September 16th, 2009, 7:53 am
The Setting

I''m in Bristow, VA 65 miles outside of Washington, D.C. searching for a square cushion to upgrade my wife''s ring as a 25th anniversary present.  Some of the retail estalibshments in and around my area are dreadfully priced with horrendous selections - so I''m contemplating the net for the best price and variety. 

The setting that has been picked out is http://weddings.theknot.com/Wedding-Rings/27526/detailview.aspx?id=27526&type=27&count=11&copos=2&TM=27  in platinum.

The Diamond

I''m currently looking in the 2.15-2.50 ct range with a wife''s empasis on size and cut. Meaning, I am willing to drop down to as low as an I/SI1 for something a little larger with great fire that is visibly clean to the naked eye.  My biggest concerns are value, cut quality and how the diamond shows in the ring.  I''m looking to spend between $10k and $16k depending and have the time to wait until I find a great deal or something really catches my eye.

The Questions

(1) Best Online Retailer for Cushions: First, as a skeptic of all things online, for a purchase of this magnitude who can you trust?  There is such a wide variety of diamonds and retailers out there - I''ve seen local retailers pushing duds for $25k in this range.  

Who to trust? Personally, I like what I''ve seen from Good Old Gold''s website with videos of each of the rocks but their selection is pretty limited and their prices schew a little higher.  I think, at minimum, I will need to see a video of a rock before I buy it.

Diamonds.com and Blue Nile have some great selections and prices that beat most - but you don''t even get to see a picture of the actual diamond before you purchase it? 

So if you were buying online - where would you go for the best price and best quality? 

(2) What to look for in a cushion? 

So, I know I want size, sparkle and fire and am somewhat willing to compromise on color and clarity standards to get it.  Without a doubt I need to go H/I color and higher to match the diamonds in the setting but what else do I look for to ensure that I don''t get a dud? 

(3) Custom Made Setting?

Last but not least - I''ve been quoted $7,000 for the Kara setting.  What is his reputation?  Is it worth it or should I go custom to try and match the style?  Will it save money or be a disaster?