Anyone looking at settings at a Charlotte jeweler today?

[diamondseeker2006]

I was in a nice jewelry store in Charlotte, NC today and a man was looking at settings. I heard him comment that his diamond would be arriving tomorrow which made me know he had bought online. But as he was looking at settings, he commented that he wanted small prongs! I thought to myself that he HAD to have been reading this forum as picky as we all are about prongs! But I didn't really get the opportunity to say anything to him, but I SO wanted to ask if he had been on PS!!!

 

[Sparkly_Not_Gaudy]

Oh, where were you? I am in Charlotte, too!

 

[charlottejw]

what store in Charlotte? Curious what your view is of our retail stores around here.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hi, I live outside of Charlotte but we have a group from PriceScope that meets once or twice a year to eat lunch and go jewelry shopping. So if y'all should stick around, we always announce those get-togethers on the Hangout page on this forum!

I was in Karat Patch when I heard that comment. I go to them for things like new earring settings, sizing, and that kind of thing. And I have bought a watch there as well as small items. I really like Howard there. I buy diamonds only from some of the vendors I learned about here, though, because I found that no jewelers around here had a good selection of ideal cut stones (not to mention better prices!). We had a get-together several weeks ago and we went to Perry's and Tiffany's at Southpark just for fun and then went over to Diamonds Direct! I think Diamonds Direct is a great place to look at settings because they carry SO many!

 

[charlottejw]

Oh great, I ended up buying my Fiancee's Diamond from GOG and having BGD make the band (just got them today, woohoo!). I really like the people at Karat Patch, they were the most helpful and relaxed of all the places that we went, they really didnt have the selection of top end stones but I would definately go back for other purchases. Diamond's Direct has a great band selection but I really really feel like they tried to take advantage of me when I first went in there. Tried to push an EGL Israel grade Si1 that was really an I1 and I almost fell for it. People seem to love them in Charlotte and the deal I almost came to with them on a GIA stone was pretty reasonable, but I just couldnt forget the stone they tried to sell me on. Do you know of the best place in Charlotte to take a look at some top end larger stones?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Congratulations!!! My ring stone also came from GOG! When I was looking for my diamond (which my husband was giving me for an anniversary a few years ago), I looked at diamonds mainly at KP and DD. I had the same kind of experience at DD...did not trust them and was wary of EGL stones. The GIA ones they showed me were not great. So you have to be very careful there with diamonds. KP pulled some stones for me, and they had GIA and also EGL, too. They were pretty stones (probably "very good") but nothing like the ideal and superideal cuts we have here (and similar prices for lesser quality). I looked a couple of other places when I was looking for diamond studs and ended up buying those from WhiteFlash! There was one jeweler in SouthPark that carried Hearts on Fire diamonds, and that was how I was able to see what one looked like before ordering from GOG and WF. The prices were at least a third higher than the diamonds I could buy at these vendors!!! So really, you made the right decision, and I recommend buying any major diamond jewelry pieces from these vendors.

Oh, and I hope you'll post some pictures of her ring on the Show Me the Bling part of the forum!

 

[Sparkly_Not_Gaudy]

Hi, I live outside of Charlotte but we have a group from PriceScope that meets once or twice a year to eat lunch and go jewelry shopping. So if y'all should stick around, we always announce those get-togethers on the Hangout page on this forum!

I was in Karat Patch when I heard that comment. I go to them for things like new earring settings, sizing, and that kind of thing. And I have bought a watch there as well as small items. I really like Howard there. I buy diamonds only from some of the vendors I learned about here, though, because I found that no jewelers around here had a good selection of ideal cut stones (not to mention better prices!). We had a get-together several weeks ago and we went to Perry's and Tiffany's at Southpark just for fun and then went over to Diamonds Direct! I think Diamonds Direct is a great place to look at settings because they carry SO many!

They do have settings galore, it can almost be overwhelming! I put in an order for a custom Henri Daussi setting for my oval sapphire. My husband and I visited the diamond districts in LA, SF, Chicago and found a custom jeweler here who I thought I was going to have a 'love match' with and in the end I just had a very uneasy feeling--and I have learned to trust my gut--so we ended that adventure. But I met Jeff from Daussi and LOVED HIM! He really understood what I wanted and my new ring is supposed to be at DD before June 1. I cannot wait to see it!

I kept meaning to get to the KP, I have a friend that had her ring remade there, and it is beautiful, but I never did make it in. I have some stones I do want to have made into earrrings, so I will make a point to check them out.

My initial engagement ring was custom made by Morrison Smith and they did an amazing job on it, but the prices seemed to be extremely high the last few times I have asked them to price things for us, so we've stopped using them. They had gone to 20$ per charm on my 14kt bracelet to just put the charm on my bracelet. AND we bought the charm from them! Most places put my charms on for free or a very low fee if I buy it there. Are you familiar with Morrison Smith and do you feel their craftsmanship warrants their pricing?

I must be blind, I cannot find the hangout section. Does it only appear when something is planned?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hi, I live outside of Charlotte but we have a group from PriceScope that meets once or twice a year to eat lunch and go jewelry shopping. So if y'all should stick around, we always announce those get-togethers on the Hangout page on this forum!

I was in Karat Patch when I heard that comment. I go to them for things like new earring settings, sizing, and that kind of thing. And I have bought a watch there as well as small items. I really like Howard there. I buy diamonds only from some of the vendors I learned about here, though, because I found that no jewelers around here had a good selection of ideal cut stones (not to mention better prices!). We had a get-together several weeks ago and we went to Perry's and Tiffany's at Southpark just for fun and then went over to Diamonds Direct! I think Diamonds Direct is a great place to look at settings because they carry SO many!

They do have settings galore, it can almost be overwhelming! I put in an order for a custom Henri Daussi setting for my oval sapphire. My husband and I visited the diamond districts in LA, SF, Chicago and found a custom jeweler here who I thought I was going to have a 'love match' with and in the end I just had a very uneasy feeling--and I have learned to trust my gut--so we ended that adventure. But I met Jeff from Daussi and LOVED HIM! He really understood what I wanted and my new ring is supposed to be at DD before June 1. I cannot wait to see it!

I kept meaning to get to the KP, I have a friend that had her ring remade there, and it is beautiful, but I never did make it in. I have some stones I do want to have made into earrrings, so I will make a point to check them out.

My initial engagement ring was custom made by Morrison Smith and they did an amazing job on it, but the prices seemed to be extremely high the last few times I have asked them to price things for us, so we've stopped using them. They had gone to 20$ per charm on my 14kt bracelet to just put the charm on my bracelet. AND we bought the charm from them! Most places put my charms on for free or a very low fee if I buy it there. Are you familiar with Morrison Smith and do you feel their craftsmanship warrants their pricing?

I must be blind, I cannot find the hangout section. Does it only appear when something is planned?

On the drop-down menu, it says Diamond Hangout:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/forums/hangout.5/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/forums/hangout.5/[/URL]

That is just a place people post misc. stuff, not just get-togethers. But it seems like get-togethers are not visible unless you are a member, which you are! It sounds like you need to meet up with us! I'd love to see your sapphire ring! I am looking for a sapphire now!

I have only been in Morrison Smith once, and I consider them like Karat Patch, a very nice, high quality jeweler. But I don't know how their repair or setting prices compare to KP, unfortunately. My sister-in-law did have a beautiful custom e-ring made at KP (reset for 20th anniversary). I would price shop, though, for things like you are talking about. That is ridiculous to charge $20 to put on a charm sold by them!

 

[janetjoan64]

WOW small world I just ordered my setting as well as my diamond from DIAMONDS DIRECT- SHOULD ARRIVE THIS WEEK. got a split shank halo setting!

 

[janetjoan64]

by the way your diamond ring is stunning. WHAT ARE THE SPECS ON IT IF YOU DONT MIND

 

[janetjoan64]

By the way the best jeweler in Charlotte is CARMEL jewelers. Abraham owns it and his work is phenomenal. Hes located in CAROLINA PLACE MALL. He is the only jeweler I have found that will repair or size your jewelry while you wait and watch him work. Hes awesome!