so i've been lurking in the forums for the past few weeks, and I THINK i know what i want, but there are a ridiculous amount of variables when selecting the perfect diamond. and every time i think i've found the one, i learn something in these forums that makes me question myself.
so with that, i put my future (and that of my fiance's) in your collective hands...
here's what I THINK i want: RBC, 2.20-2.5 carat, H-I color, excellent cut, VS1-VS2, VG-EX in P&S. my budget is $30-35k, but in reality when you factor in the ring and the proposal, i'd like to keep it closer to $30-33k. (UNLESS it's the most perfect diamond known to man.)
some other questions:
-going with an I color, should i go with some fluorescence to whiten it up?
-i like the idea of going with JA, b/c of their policies and ability to see the rings both online and here in NYC. some of the other online dealers make me nervous with their shorter returns. i like some stuff on BGD, but it's hard to pull the trigger on something you can't even see.
-B&M/Diamond District: i'm probably the worst negotiator in the world (which is also why i like the idea of JA), so what's my best negotiation tactic going into a store? the first thing they're going to ask is what's my budget, how do i avoid answering that question, yet being able to look at the diamonds i want to see? b/c no two diamonds are alike, how do i negotiate the price other than by saying "i want to pay less"? makes it hard to leverage one guy over another, like car dealers.
-H&A: is it worth it? i really prefer GIA over AGS (should I?), and is there any benefit to H&A when it's not under idealscope? does it make the ring any more special? or is it all marketing?
thank you all! i look forward to your input and suggestions!!!
so with that, i put my future (and that of my fiance's) in your collective hands...
here's what I THINK i want: RBC, 2.20-2.5 carat, H-I color, excellent cut, VS1-VS2, VG-EX in P&S. my budget is $30-35k, but in reality when you factor in the ring and the proposal, i'd like to keep it closer to $30-33k. (UNLESS it's the most perfect diamond known to man.)
some other questions:
-going with an I color, should i go with some fluorescence to whiten it up?
-i like the idea of going with JA, b/c of their policies and ability to see the rings both online and here in NYC. some of the other online dealers make me nervous with their shorter returns. i like some stuff on BGD, but it's hard to pull the trigger on something you can't even see.
-B&M/Diamond District: i'm probably the worst negotiator in the world (which is also why i like the idea of JA), so what's my best negotiation tactic going into a store? the first thing they're going to ask is what's my budget, how do i avoid answering that question, yet being able to look at the diamonds i want to see? b/c no two diamonds are alike, how do i negotiate the price other than by saying "i want to pay less"? makes it hard to leverage one guy over another, like car dealers.
-H&A: is it worth it? i really prefer GIA over AGS (should I?), and is there any benefit to H&A when it's not under idealscope? does it make the ring any more special? or is it all marketing?
thank you all! i look forward to your input and suggestions!!!