Advice

[meow4444]

Hi,

I am going to ask questions that probably had been asked so many times. Please bear with me because I am a complete novice when it comes to diamonds.

(1)I plan to go to Antwerp to look at the diamonds there but have read many horror stories. Can anyone tell me if it is the right place to go? I am based in Europe.

(2) I plan also to spend about USD5K on a 0.5carat. What can I get for that price?

(3) What's the difference between the different certs?
Are there different standards for Europe and USA?

(4) Is it true that prices quoted in shops are always higher than it should be?

Thanks so much if anyone could help.

 

[larry]

USD 5K on a 0.5carat? For the best 0.5 D IF diamond it is only $3600 at the most

 

[meow4444]

I have read some of the messages posted in here and came to realise that CUT is the most important thing.

Are there any dimensions or standards I should adhere by when buying diamonds?

Thanks.

 

[Jess]

I would hang around this forum for a while. Go to the front page of this site (www.pricescope.com) and check out the tutorials. I think a depth between 58 and 62 is what I would stick to... I forget what the table ranges should be...just check the tutorials. Also, if you find a stone that you think you might like based on the carat, clarity, and color, see if you can get a Sarin report for crown and pavilion angles so you can plug them into the Cut Advisor (HCA) on this site. From the feedback on this site, this is a miracle tool to tell how diamonds perform. I like to play with it althought I won't be the one buying a diamond .
Jess