wanderlost
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2003
- Messages
- 124
I've been putting off writing everything up for a little bit now (as I really want to post some pictures with this thread), but I really wanted to share my experience in hunting for a diamond & finally purchasing one through Winfields...
My search (and education here at PS) started ~ in November of last year & really kicked up a notch in May or June. My obnoxiously broad search parameters were: .54-.89, D-J, IF-VS2 (at least to start).... in browsing Good old Gold & interacting with DirtCheap (who were extremely helpful themselves - scanning & emailing at least 10 certs & sarins), I was able to narrow down exactly what I was looking for (something more in the .6-.75 range, with near perfect visual symmetry (Patty's IS image is quite stunning) & slight-med blue fluor (fire&ice's posts convinced me after a while)).....
I also worked with a few local B&Ms... primarily Kortz jewelers here in Denver, CO.... I don't really have any beef with them (as some of their staff were friendly & helpful) - but I did grow tired of having the owner argue with me that "that's not what you want" or "nobody searches for diamonds like that" and my (least) favorite "you're just wrong - diamonds are not cut like that (when I told them that I wanted a stone that was super-symmetrical." Their prices are high, etc. and were a bit peeved that I was searching on the internet - however, they did agree to set any stone I bought from the net & were receptive to the HCA when I showed it to them (after they brought in a very dull looking .75 / G / VVS2 ($4500) - which (after a little checking) scored a HCA of 3.8!)... I'd recommend them to anyone in the Denver area that wanted good service from a B&M (much more so than Walters & Hogsett in Boulder).
I digress. The search had me busy (and with so many stones in that area, and not wanting to leave out non-AGS0s (for both the price break & the larger tables that are possible) I spent quite a bit of time doing my homework, looking at certs & contacting different vendors about what I wanted.
After narrowly missing out on some really interesting stones, and starting to give up a bit on finding anything that was already cut on the market that would fit everything I wanted, I started talking to Eightstar and about the same time got into a thread about levels of blue fluorescence. A very generous offer was made by quaeritur to meet up and look at stones that had been shipped to her to help her make up her mind (that all had medium to strong blue fluor)..... I was amazed that I was offered the opportunity, gladly accepted (and made a new friend), and regained the confidence that my search was not in vain.
After that discussion (and after getting some great responses to my thread Having Trouble Finding the Right Stone) and a great suggestion by chialea - I gave Wink a call and was immediately impressed by how easy to talk to he was (I think we spoke for a good 2 hours (at least!)), how incredibly knowledgable he was (and willing to share that information), and that he didn't try to push anything that he had in stock - in other words, the exact opposite experience from dealing with B&Ms and one other online vendor (who I believe I caught at a bad time)....
He mentioned to me that he had a stone that fit what I was looking for & carefully scrutinized it as well as sent me pictures (immediately) of the IS image (which I will post soon).... stunning. really. He also took a minute to walk outside with the stone & 'dazed and blind' he made it back to the phone that the best description of the stone in full sunlight was that it was 'powder blue' (lasers may have been mentioned as well
).....
More than a little curious (and REALLY excited by the IS image that he had photographed), I made the arrangements to have it sent.... WOW. really WOW WOW WOW.... (I PROMISE I'll post the stats & hopefully some pictures tomorrow).... I had quaeritur review my tenative purchase with me as well & we stared into it (and debated whether the direct sun color of it was powder blue, cornflower blue, lilac or something in between) for a number of hours on different occations.
In any case... I recently closed the purchase & will post the stats very soon, as well as the second part of the story where I had to scrutinize everything about the stone (and the point at which I gave up trying to find the inclusions that my 'eagle eyes' still haven't found)....
I just wanted to thank Wink for his help in finding such an amazing stone, quaeritur (and her patient husband) for everything kind they've done & PS for the education. If anyone is looking for the BEST service from a vendor (that makes you want to buy diamonds every month to both be a repeat customer & see what other amazing stones appear) - look to Wink Jones at Winfield's...
http://www.winkjones.com/ (and as I see it, the motto on the right side of the page should read: "Quality, Beauty & WINK: The Absolute Key(s) to Shopping Happiness!")
My search (and education here at PS) started ~ in November of last year & really kicked up a notch in May or June. My obnoxiously broad search parameters were: .54-.89, D-J, IF-VS2 (at least to start).... in browsing Good old Gold & interacting with DirtCheap (who were extremely helpful themselves - scanning & emailing at least 10 certs & sarins), I was able to narrow down exactly what I was looking for (something more in the .6-.75 range, with near perfect visual symmetry (Patty's IS image is quite stunning) & slight-med blue fluor (fire&ice's posts convinced me after a while)).....
I also worked with a few local B&Ms... primarily Kortz jewelers here in Denver, CO.... I don't really have any beef with them (as some of their staff were friendly & helpful) - but I did grow tired of having the owner argue with me that "that's not what you want" or "nobody searches for diamonds like that" and my (least) favorite "you're just wrong - diamonds are not cut like that (when I told them that I wanted a stone that was super-symmetrical." Their prices are high, etc. and were a bit peeved that I was searching on the internet - however, they did agree to set any stone I bought from the net & were receptive to the HCA when I showed it to them (after they brought in a very dull looking .75 / G / VVS2 ($4500) - which (after a little checking) scored a HCA of 3.8!)... I'd recommend them to anyone in the Denver area that wanted good service from a B&M (much more so than Walters & Hogsett in Boulder).
I digress. The search had me busy (and with so many stones in that area, and not wanting to leave out non-AGS0s (for both the price break & the larger tables that are possible) I spent quite a bit of time doing my homework, looking at certs & contacting different vendors about what I wanted.
After narrowly missing out on some really interesting stones, and starting to give up a bit on finding anything that was already cut on the market that would fit everything I wanted, I started talking to Eightstar and about the same time got into a thread about levels of blue fluorescence. A very generous offer was made by quaeritur to meet up and look at stones that had been shipped to her to help her make up her mind (that all had medium to strong blue fluor)..... I was amazed that I was offered the opportunity, gladly accepted (and made a new friend), and regained the confidence that my search was not in vain.
After that discussion (and after getting some great responses to my thread Having Trouble Finding the Right Stone) and a great suggestion by chialea - I gave Wink a call and was immediately impressed by how easy to talk to he was (I think we spoke for a good 2 hours (at least!)), how incredibly knowledgable he was (and willing to share that information), and that he didn't try to push anything that he had in stock - in other words, the exact opposite experience from dealing with B&Ms and one other online vendor (who I believe I caught at a bad time)....
He mentioned to me that he had a stone that fit what I was looking for & carefully scrutinized it as well as sent me pictures (immediately) of the IS image (which I will post soon).... stunning. really. He also took a minute to walk outside with the stone & 'dazed and blind' he made it back to the phone that the best description of the stone in full sunlight was that it was 'powder blue' (lasers may have been mentioned as well
More than a little curious (and REALLY excited by the IS image that he had photographed), I made the arrangements to have it sent.... WOW. really WOW WOW WOW.... (I PROMISE I'll post the stats & hopefully some pictures tomorrow).... I had quaeritur review my tenative purchase with me as well & we stared into it (and debated whether the direct sun color of it was powder blue, cornflower blue, lilac or something in between) for a number of hours on different occations.
In any case... I recently closed the purchase & will post the stats very soon, as well as the second part of the story where I had to scrutinize everything about the stone (and the point at which I gave up trying to find the inclusions that my 'eagle eyes' still haven't found)....
I just wanted to thank Wink for his help in finding such an amazing stone, quaeritur (and her patient husband) for everything kind they've done & PS for the education. If anyone is looking for the BEST service from a vendor (that makes you want to buy diamonds every month to both be a repeat customer & see what other amazing stones appear) - look to Wink Jones at Winfield's...
http://www.winkjones.com/ (and as I see it, the motto on the right side of the page should read: "Quality, Beauty & WINK: The Absolute Key(s) to Shopping Happiness!")
300x240.png)