Advice on Buying a Ring in Houston

[ajflanagan]

I live in Houston and I''m shopping around for an engagement ring. I know that I want something simple, clean and - of course - beautful. I know that I''m looking for a 3 stone style ring with a round cut center.

Despite all the negative press in here, I went into Robbins Bros on 1960 this evening to see what they have. I found a ring that I really like. It''s a 3 stone with my choice of center stones and 2 marquis cut diamonds on either side. I''ve never seen anything quite like it... I mean, of course there''s tons of 3 stones with round side stones or baguettes... but I haven''t come across many marquis sides. This ring is palladium and is priced at $875 + center stone.

I didn''t have time to stay and look at stones... and I already know that Robbins is probably gonna try to gouge me on the center stone whenever I go back. So I''m wondering, does anyone have any advice for me? What do you think of this ring? I really liked the way it looked with the .75ct cz that they displayed it with. It was a good size for that ring. I''d be happy with anything in the .75 - 1ct range... but I really like those marquis stones on the sides!

I don''t have a ton of money to spend. My ballpark is in the $3-3500 range.

Here''s a link to the Robbins ring I like... sku# 0363649

http://www.robbinsbros.com/productSearch/productDetail.asp?prod_id=31364&pType=ring&intIsJewelry=0

Please, any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated!!

AJ

 

[stebbo]

I feel sorry for you living in Houston--you're so close to some of the nicest cut stones in the world that you can't get 'em tax free.

Check out Whiteflash

 

[echelon6]

Date: 11/10/2007 6:32:53 AM
Author: stebbo
I feel sorry for you living in Houston--you''re so close to some of the nicest cut stones in the world that you can''t get ''em tax free.

She doesn''t have to spend big on airline tix though.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 11/10/2007 6:37:46 AM
Author: echelon6

Date: 11/10/2007 6:32:53 AM
Author: stebbo


I feel sorry for you living in Houston--you're so close to some of the nicest cut stones in the world that you can't get 'em tax free.

She doesn't have to spend big on airline tix though.

Kind of like waking up in Las Vegas one day, itching to make a bet, and not being sure where to go....looking for some bookie in the back of a laundry shop, whose hiding from the cops or he'd be discovered.

 

[iheartscience]

Definitely Whiteflash.com! They''re in Houston and they''re pretty much awesome! You have to make an appointment to go there because they''re not a brick and mortar store, but they have no problem spending time with their customers in real life.

With your budget, it''s going to be hard to hit the 1 carat mark. What you can do is talk to Whiteflash, tell them what you''re looking for, make an appointment to go see them and then check out the different diamonds in your size and price range to see which one speaks to you. I''m sooo jealous you get to go there!

I like that setting a lot, by the way. I think you should buy the setting from Robbins Brothers and have Whiteflash set the diamond you get from them into it. (A setting fee probably applies.) You could also see if Whiteflash could make you a similar setting for around the same price, if you prefer, but it''s probably quicker to get it from Robbins Brothers.

Here are a few diamonds I found on Whiteflash.com in your budget:

http://whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-471579.htm Expert Selection .824 H/VS2 for $2930

http://whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471548.htm A Cut Above .843 I/SI1 for $3085

It looks like there are plenty of options in your price and size range! By the way, WF does offer a discount if you do a wire transfer and if you''re a Pricescope member. Sometimes as much as 5%, depending on the diamond, I think.

 

[KtIceRN]

Definitely go and check out Whiteflash.com.

There are not too many places around that you can go and look at so many top cut stones at once. You are really lucky to be close to one. Plus I''m sure you would get a chance to meet with Brian the cutter. He is a remarkable man to talk with and has alot of knowledge to share.

By going you would be able to see quite a few stones and see what your preferences are. Seeing color and clarity on a computer is nothing compared to seeing in person. We all have different tolerances of what is too much color and which inclusions we consider eye clean as well as mind clean.

I encourage you to take this wonderful opportunity you have and go check out some of the best stones in the world!

I''m sure it will be an awesome experience for you.

 

[Maisie]

I would love to visit Whiteflash! Go and see what they have!!

 

[gracie33]

I live in Houston, too, and recently picked out a beautiful Whiteflash stone. I did hours of research before deciding to go with WF, and I honestly think that you cannot go wrong with them. Plus, Brian is awesome! He is such a great teacher and truly cares that you are happy with your purchase.

I called them and made an appt, it was not hard at all.

Best,
G

 

[ajflanagan]

LOL... I'm the HE in the relationship. I know what SHE likes though. I'm really liking those marquis side stones... that will be my little added touch. It's very different from any other 3 stone setting I've seen. I've looked through all the recommended online jewlers and cannot find another setting like that one. And my understanding is $875 for that setting, with those side stones and a palladium ring is really not a bad price.

Of course, I did look at WF online. Are the settings on their website the only settings they have available? If so, they don't have anything with marquis sides. If they custom make something, wouldn't it drive the price wayy up? Someone point out a .82 H/VS2 for just under $3k. That's about the top of my stone budget... especially if I'm gonna have to spend anther $1k on the setting I want. Do you guys think it's realistic to walk out of WF with exactly what I want including a .75+ stone for $3000-3500? I'm thinking probaby not.

Side note... someone already posted in another thread that WF will not set stones in other jewler's settings. I'll call Monday, make an appointment and confirm that... cuz otherwise I'll just buy the ring from Robbins and bring it to WF for the stone.

Funny... WF should be paying ya'll. They are mentioned in just about every thread in RockyTalky!! I guess that means they are really the best. And I definitely want the absolute best for my fiance-to-be. I'm just worried I can't afford the best right now.

 

[KtIceRN]

How about this I SI1 ACA. The SI grade it says is based on clouds but the 40x photo looks good to me. It may be really nice.

0.843 I SI1 ACA

I know you said H but I think that if you go and see the stones you might see that you are fine with an I. If you do want to look at the stone it put it on hold asap since things over there seem to go quick.

As far as the setting it can''t hurt to ask them for a quote. If they can''t do it within your range than I think that they may set their stone into another vendors setting. And you never know they might have some settings for you to look at and you may change your mind about what you like.

 

[gracie33]

I didn''t go with one of WF''s settings. They ordered one for me from Unique Settings based on what I had told them I was looking for. US shipped the setting to WF, and WF took it from there. So I didn''t have to worry about the ring going to two different places.

My bf lives out of state, so he didn''t have to pay taxes, which was really cool. Also, as someone else mentioned, they do give discounts.

I haven''t gotten my ring yet; I''m so excited to see it, though!

G

 

[gracie33]

Wanted to add:

I'm even more excited about the proposal..such suspense

G

 

[ponderer]

Definately doable with your budget. I found a few WF expert selection that fit your budget and fall in a good range with color and clarity ( make sure to ask if they are eye clean).
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-471576.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-457843.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-471578.htm

A little more money, a little lower color, but it is an ACA

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471545.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471543.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471546.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471547.htm

I definately recommend WF. They made my purchase so effortless and stress free. Because I had all the info, I just had to make an appointment, request to see some of the stones from their inventory, and fall in love with one. I had already ran all of my requested stones through the HCA so I knew they would be good performers.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

And sales tax is not that big a deal, considering the savings you be getting on the diamond.

 

[Mara]

Date: 11/11/2007 12:17:40 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
And sales tax is not that big a deal, considering the savings you be getting on the diamond.

Rich, I don't care what anyone says, you are definitely not just a pretty face.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Mara, we have to stop meeting like this. People are gonna talk.

 

[zoebartlett]

Another vote for WF. They made my rings (we worked with Bob, who was fantastic) and we couldn''t be happier with their customer service and the finished pieces. My engagement ring looks similar to the one you posted, as it''s also a three stone ring, but instead of marquise sides, mine has pear sides.

 

[ajflanagan]

I''m going to call WF in the morning and schedule something. Can you usually get in the same day? The more I''ve been reading and comparing pricing... WF seems like a great place. I have one question though regarding certs. Most of the stones in my range that I''ve been looking at on the WF site are AGS certified. Is AGS an acceptable alternative to GIA? It appears that most of the GIA stones are priced a bit higher.

Also, now that I''m learning a thing or two about a thing or two... the ACA stones seem to be noticeably more "perfect" than some of the Expert selection. I see that on some of the Expert stones, the "arrows" aren''t always clean and perfectly aligned and the "hearts" appear a little distorted in shape. Is this something that I should be looking at or is this just an effect of the pictures?? For example...

STONE 1: .75 ct H SI1 Round AGS-5129804

STONE 2: .786 ct G SI1Round AGS-8986602

Stone 1 seems like a great stone at a great price and has a 4-star rating, but when I look at the 40x image, it doesn''t look as symmetrically striking as some of the other stones. Take a look at Stone 2 now and I see all the nice symmetrical arrows and hearts. Is that just an effect of those particular photos or is that the cut of the stone? I''m sure I need to see them in person to really know.

I''m just trying to be as edu-ma-cated as possible before I go.

Thanks!!

 

[iheartscience]

I''m not sure about the appointments...sadly I''m nowhere near Houston!

Whiteflash''s A Cut Above diamonds are their top notch hearts and arrows line, and from what I''ve read here on PS, Expert Selection diamonds are diamonds that either didn''t make being an ACA by a smidge, or they were chosen for their cut and price combination.

Many people believe that hearts and arrows are somewhat of a gimmick and don''t really affect light performance. Others enjoy the symmetrical appearance of hearts and arrows and actively seek them. In my opinion, your best bet is to get an AGS diamond that is rated 0 for light performance. 0 is the highest grade from AGS and as long as the diamond is an AGS 0, it''s most likely a top notch diamond, whether it has hearts and arrows or not.

AGS is just as respected, if not more, than GIA. They are the only lab to grade for light performance and AGS is definitely the preferred lab of most of us crazy Pricescopers.

 

[Mara]

aj...most of the ES stones are going to be almost as top notch as ACA''s. i like to think of them as ''almost ACA''s'' because most of them were cut to be ACA but didn''t make WF''s stringent cut grade for the brand.

that particular .75 H SI is actually kind of an oddity in my opinion, because it is not cut quite as well as the other ES stones...i actually noticed that one too because i was looking for a pendant stone and thought oh that seems like a great deal but the image and numbers totally was not my cup of tea. my last few stones have been ES''s which have been knockouts, my current ring stone is one as well. it is typically the ''most bang for the buck'' whereas the ACA is a bit more peace of mind for people i think knowing that they have to be wonderful to make the brand.

if you do get an appt to visit WF...you can definitely ask to see ES and ACA for comparison and get the edumacation onsite...it''s super fun, i have been a few times myself!! nothing like seeing those knockout stones in person. have fun!!!

 

[jpk1102]

If you haven''t made an appointment with Whiteflash yet, by all means PLEASE do it. My sone and I met with Brian in October to pick out a diamond foar his gf''s engagement ring.

Brian took two hours with us, explaining every detail about diamond quality. We were so comfortable with him, like talking to a friend who was a diamond expert.

We reviewed 8 stones - our selection and a couple of Brian''s. My son viewed the stones under natual lighting from the window, shaded lighting under the desk - with a flashlight pointed at them - virtually every possible light source.
We eliminated one by one and came up with two stones we absolutely loved (and in our price range). It was a hard decision, ALL the stones we reviewed were gorgeous.

When you buy at Whiteflash, you aren''t just buying a diamond. You are buying their expertise and from my standpoint, it is well worth doing. We ended up buying an expert stone .77 cts. It missed ACA by such an infinitesimal degree - but that is what you get with Whiteflash - strict standards and QUALITY. I would not rule out an Expert selection stone. They are gorgeous, and as I have said, most miss the ACA standards by a fraction of a measurement. Plus you have the option to upgrade the stone later for full value of the diamond, a real plus.

If you are in love with the setting elsewhere, purchase it and have Whiteflash set their stone. If they have a setting agreement with the company who manufacturers the setting, there is no setting charge. Otherwise, there is a small fee.
And about the tax thing...we had Whiteflash send our diamond to my brother in Florida, who sent it back to us via UPS Registered Insured mail. Saved us all the tax but $30 for the shipping.

Everyone at Whiteflash was accomodating to our needs. I have never had that level of customer service ANYWHERE. You mentioned Whiteflash get so many Pricescoper''s recommendations - there is a reason for that - personal service, integrity, EXPERTISE and EXACTING STANDARDS. Throw in competitive prices, and you can''t go wrong!

 

[ajflanagan]

I have an appointment with Bob tomorrow at WF! I'll let you all know how it goes. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

AJ

 

[ajflanagan]

Well, the appointment went great. Bob was fantastic and very informative... but most of all, the diamonds at Whiteflash are AMAZING in comparison to what you''d buy in a run of the mill jewelry store. After way too much shopping around and debate, I bought the 3 stone setting I originally wanted from Robbins and brought it to Whiteflash. It got the ok from their jewler -- although he''s going to replace the 6 prong head with a 4 prong that will fit my stone better.

As for the diamond... I chose the most beautiful .75ct H SI1 expert diamond they had at WF. Bob showed me a variety of stones in my price range including an ACA J VS2 and a beautiful G SI1. The J was too yellow for my taste and the G wound up having an inclusion in the middle of the table that I couldn''t see past... once I knew it was there. So I chose the H and I''m very happy. It matches the 2 marquis side stones perfectly.

To give you a great comparison...

Whiteflash: .75ct H SI1 Expert Cut - stunningly shimmering in all types of light - $2600

Robbins Bros. - .70ct G SI1 (allegedly) - large cluster of inclusions in the center of the table very visible to my untrained naked eye and no real shimmer whatsoever, all in all a very ugly stone - $3850

I feel like I got a great deal on a solid palladium ring with 2 marquis cut side stones at $800 from Robbins, but I would never, ever buy a stone from them.

Now I can''t wait to see the finished product!! I''ll post pictures when it''s finished.

Thanks to everyone for all your help and suggestions. And to everyone else in doubt, go to Whiteflash!!

Andrew

 

[aljdewey]

Delighted you had a great experience and the chance to see some amazing stones, Andrew! Congrats on your ring - don''t forget to post up pictures. We''re total eye-candy lovers around here!

 

[esumsea]

Go to Whiteflash and ask for Traci, she is great!

 

[onedrop]

I am to read that you had a great experience at WF. I have no doubt that you chose a great stone, the ring is going to beautiful! And I LOVE the setting you picked out. It's very classic and dainty.

 

[ajflanagan]

The deed is done! The proposal couldn''t have gone better and she loves the ring!

On Christmas Eve, we were preparing for our usual huge family gathering at our house (we live together). We were frantically cleaning, wrapping gifts, etc. At around noon, I told her that I wanted to do something special this Christmas and I wanted to take her out to dinner... just the two of us. She panicked and insisted we weren''t going anywhere... we had 30 people coming over in a matter of hours!!

I had all the bases covered. Her mother and sister-in-law showed up at around 3pm to help in preparing the food for the family gathering. I told my GF to go get ready... although it took a little push from her mother to get her to agree. I told her I had to run to the store and I''d be back in a bit... oh I''d be back.

At 5pm, I showed up on the front doorstep with a dozen long stem roses and a black stretch limousine. As soon as she came to the door, the tears were already flowing

We had a beautiful dinner and nice ride in the limo. When we started getting close to home, I asked her to close her eyes. I started telling her everything I had been thinking and feeling over the last few months since I started this whole endeavor. I couldn''t hold back the tears as I told her how I felt. As we pulled in front of the house I asked her to open her eyes... she was greeted with a huge sign I had made and had placed in the front yard while we were gone along with 30-40 of our closest family and friends all cheering. She read the words from the sign just as I spoke them to her... Will You Marry Me.

After she said yes, we both cried tears of happiness and held each other for a few minutes until everyone came bursting into the limo for pictures and hugs. We shared a private champaign toast along with her 12 year old son and then went out to be with our family.

It was a wonderfully memorable night. I owe you guys all a ton of thanks for leading me to Whiteflash. Her ring is stunning... the most sparkling diamond I have ever seen.

Here''s the photos from WF after the stone was set...

 

[ajflanagan]

Here''s the pics from Whiteflash after the head was replaced with a 4-prong and the stone was set...

 

[Rhea]

Oh, that''s really pretty. The four prongs look great, very balanced. It sounds as though you had a good experience all round - congrats!

 

[mintve]

I am so happy that you had a good experience w/ WF! and congrats on your engagement!