Need help with ring purchase

Date: 10/7/2008 11:07:17 PM
Author: Noobie88
That is what I am thinking--for about the same price I can get a Hearts and Arrows stone with a nice setting and I don't have to pay sales tax, which saves me another couple hundred bucks. Can you recommend a PS vendor that would be patient with a noobie and provide recommendations, or will all do this?

Date: 10/7/2008 10:13:08 PM
Author:Noobie88
Hi all! I am new to the board, but have been doing a lot of research on this site and have found it to be very helpful. My boyfriend and I are shopping for an engagement ring. I know I want a round stone, but wasn't sure about the setting.
I went to a small locally-owned jewelry store recommended by a friend. The store owner was really helpful, he let me look at lots of stone and rings, even under a loupe, but he told me that the most important things when selecting a diamond were color and clarity (He is GG certified). All my research on Pricescope tells me the cut is key. I found a nice estate ring with a 1.07 RB stone, I color SI2 clarity, that was a quite a sparkler. It has 4 small side stones that total around a half carat, set in platinum. The ring is pretty, but they want $5200 for it. Does that seem like a good deal? It's hard to tell when I don't have a GIA report, and they say they can't do them on estate pieces.
This ring is similar, but the side stones are more spread out on the ring I am looking at:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-875_design.asp?module=setting

I don't know anything about the cut, and i am worried because everything I learned on PS tells me that cut is most important. Plus the online vendors have better prices, but I am nervous about buying online because I am such a noobie I have no idea what to pick. Any advice you can give is really appreciated.