8* Pricing and Recommendations

[boston_buyer]

Just about to "make the plunge" and get a rock for my girlfriend. As I'm somewhat of an analytical sort to start out with, I've read through this forum completely, and think I'm sold on the 8* (will go out to look at one tomorrow.) But I'm not sure.

Questions:

What experience have people had with the 8*? Is there a comparable cut diamond that is less expensive? (Seems to be about a 2x price differential for a 1ct 8* vs other stones of similar quality online). Is it worth it? Is it marketing?

What is the appropriate size ring to buy? My girlfriend is 31, petite, 5'4", and about 110lbs. I was thinking around 1ct -- is that too big or too small? I've been looking around -- the 1cts seem to be much more expensive -- can you get away with a smaller stone with a 8*?

On a purchase of this size, tax starts to make a difference. Do jewelers generally ship to out of state (to avoid the taxes?) If so, it would be great to ship this to a friend in NH or ME. Has anyone done this in the past?

Finally, I travel to Brazil on a regular basis. Any chance of getting a better deal on a loose stone there? Are there dealers that are recommended or that should be avoided? Any chance of knowing if you're getting the "real thing"?

TIA!

 

[Greentree]

An EightStar is regarded as the most precisely made diamond available. There are several competitors, but none exceed the EightStar in workmanship. Even so, the price of an EightStar is competitive with other brands commanding that level of quality. If you have found a diamond that's "just as good as an EightStar" for half the price, there's something wrong.

There is a "price jump" at the 1 carat level for all diamonds generally. A gem weighing 1.04 carats will show a marked price jump compared to one of .96 carat. This is one incentive the cutter has to squeeze out that last few points of weight even if cut quality suffers a little bit.

Buy the diamond of a size that pleases you and your significant other. I don't think height, weight, age, etc., matters at all. The jeweler that makes the ring will take care of the ring size.