Question about lower priced setting/stone

[vraddict]

Ok I''ve been looking around with my girlfriend, and we''ve found a ring set that she absolutely adores, and here it is. I want to change out the center stone, and they''ve told me the cost would be $350.

I have found a stone I really like, .21ct Polar Bear, E color and VS1 clarity, going for $440, at the store across the street. Also there is another possibility of going with a Canadia brand from an online dealer, either a .18 or .2ct F Color and SI1 clarity for $260 and $300 respectively. I have seen the polar bear stones and they are really beautiful, but am wondering how the Canadia ones compare. Also the side stones on the setting are .11ctw graded I in color and I1 in Clarity.



My main question here is in regard to the fact that I cannot really afford over $700 total for this deal. I am wondering if I have any room to haggle here over the setting or the stone. I also have the possibility of purchasing the setting at either a downtown Portland, OR store, very fancy, or in their mall store. Which might give me a better deal? I know all this is kind of on the low end of things that I''ve read discussed, but it can''t hurt to ask. Thanks alot for any input you guys/gals might have.



--David

 

[BigB8405]

Hey David. Congrats on your decision to get engaged

I know how you feel being on a tight budget. I had only $1000 to work with, and I know how hard it can be to find the pefect ring within your price range. There is always room to negotiate with jewelers over price. You want to be able to purchase the nicest stone possible thats within your budget, whether that be a 2.5 ct stone or a .25 ct stone. In terms of which stone to get, it's a matter of taste. What do you think she would like better? I know you said that you've been shopping together, so which stone makes her eyes light up the most? That's the stone you should go for, and don't be afraid to play hardball with the jewler. If they want the sale(and they do

), they'll try and meet you at a reasonable price.

 

[valeria101]

Why the brand (Canada, the Bear, whatever)? This is not a cheap way to go... at all. Even for smaller sizes...




Why side stones instead of a bigger single? again, this is what I'd do with a tight budget, if I was shopping for diamonds.


Do you have the setting yet?

 

[strmrdr]

I was in the same boat when I was shopping for a ring.
Very limited funds.
What I ended up doing is getting a used stone and having it mounted in the mount I wanted this saved me about $200 on a $700 ring.
Unless your willing to do a ton of homework I dont recomend doing the same but with some homework you can save a lot of money.

In my area you could pick up a used .23-.25kt diamond in the $200-$250 range and if your carefull get a much better diamond for your money.

Also if you move down to an I you can get a larger diamond color does not show badly in a small stone.
An I si1 with a decent cut would be the best deal for the money.