B&M or online?

[jcrow]

i know that there are some great deals for loose diamonds online. however, for a first time diamond purchase (for e-ring) do you suggest going to a physical place to buy or ordering it online?

 

[MrBleeker]

What difference is there between a "first time" purchase and any other non-first time purchase when it comes to a diamond? In my opinion, there is no difference at all that can warrant wanting to go local to get your E-ring.

To me, the E-ring would be the most important so I would be most concerned with getting the best deal possible (after all, isnt'' your engagement ring your ideally most important ring)? That would mean looking online if I were you. If you find local jewelers with experience and knowledge and their prices are competitive, then go for that too !

But to ask if it is more important to look locally for your first ring versus any other diamond purchase... seems silly to me. A diamond is an expensive purchase whenever you decide to get one.. and you should do the research accordingly each and every time. If the best deal is local, go there.. if it is online, "go" there!

Best of luck,

 

[Regular Guy]

Ideally, you could have the best of both worlds, and have an on-line vendor near you to go to.

Notes in the link below my signature expand on the idea.

Regards,

 

[jcrow]

thanks so much regular!

 

[laney]

We visited on-line dealers in person.

Personally, we did not find the quality of stone in "person" at a local B&M shop that we did on line. So it was a quality issue for us.

Secondly - we found that customer service was infinately better ON line - than in person. (Go figure.. right?)

Lastly - we found that prices were significantly better on line for stones of high quality. The prices were prohibitive at a local store -for the quality we were looking at.

It totally depends what your criteria is for the e-ring. I would treat the "transaction - i.e. how you pay/get it" differently.

But I agree w/regular guy - If you really would like to meet the vendor - at least I know for most PS vendors - you can make an appt and go see them

Good Luck!

 

[jcrow]

Laney- that is so interesting.

i don''t know= i just hated most of the local experiences we had. it''s like they were lying/clueless. i wonder who train these people!!!

 

[cutes814]

If you are able to find a local jeweler with the same quality stones you can find online and offer competitive prices, go local. But there are very few out there that can do so. Online stores offer much better quality for the prices. Just remember if you''re comparing something at a local store with an online store, make sure you''re comparing apples to apples.

When I was shopping for my engagement ring, I started shopping online after going to local B&Ms. Their prices were better and the quality of the stones were much much better. I decided to buy online and decided to have my setting custom made at a local family owned store that I trusted based on feedback that I received from their customers.

When my diamond arrived, I took it there so we can look at it. My jeweler then offered to help me look for stones of the same quality (ideal H&A cut). I told him to do so, since I didn''t fall in love with the first diamond I bought from online. I returned the stone and ordered a better one. Meanwhile my jeweler already found me a stone, so I waited until the online stone arrived and brought that stone along so we may compare. Both stones were magnificent! I compared them side by side and they were fabulous! In the end I decided to go with my jeweler''s diamond because it was slightly larger and the clarity was better by one grade and the price difference was only $600.

But my case is rare. It''s hard to find a local store that you can trust and that also offers same quality stones as online for such competitive prices. But if you do find one, go for it. Otherwise I think online is the best way to go.

 

[jcrow]

thanks milly. I wasn''t sure if it was just the area that i was in. locally they just seemed to care about color and clarity. they kept saying we can get you whatever you want in...but then they''d offer silly untrue info like saying a cushion doesn''t ever come in more squarish dimensions rather than rectangle. and the stones they had in were cheap- but horrible. i mean if a 2.5 carat diamond was $7000, don''t u think everyone would have one??? i left frustrated from several places.

i just looked up whiteflash and noticed it''s driving distance--- maybe i will try there...

 

[msb700]

i agree that u can find much better prices for higher quality stones with online vendors (plus i think they are able to offer you a much bigger selection of diamonds to pick from)..

like the rest said, perhaps u can select the diamond from an online vendor with the quality and specs that u like and then drive down or visit them if they are close by?

good luck!

 

[jcrow]

yeh we might do that. glad to know there are options.

 

[Regular Guy]

jcrow,

Just fyi, from what I read here, with Mr. JohnQuiqote (sp?) on this board being one of their more eloquent exponents, the happenstance of your location is rather fortuitous, as their line of expert selections and particularly ACAs are predictably excellent performers. In the case of expert selections...just to be safe, I would let the search by cut database help you screen among them, (serving the dual purpose of helping you to do some pre-shopping before even going in) -- but generally, I'd agree you're sitting pretty pretty.

Regards,

 

[jcrow]

thanks so much for your help. Another lightbulb moment!

 

[cutes814]

jcrow, you are so lucky to live within driving distance to WF!! I wish I lived near them! They are the greatest people to deal with. Extremely nice, professional, and always willing to give you information and diamond education. They have two fabulous lines, expert selection and ACA. I think their ACA line is the best. I compared one expert selection next to an ACA, and to my eyes and my bf''s, the ACA won by a million more sparkles!

The online vendor I was referring to in my earlier post is WF. If it wasn''t for the clarity difference, I would have definitely went with their stone. I loved it so much! I ask my bf if I can keep both and he ran out of the room! LOL. I think he only ran out because he needed to use the restroom....but who knows?

I can''t wait until I can get a RHR or my first anniversary ring! I will definitely work with WF again. I purchased earrings from them, and helped purchase two ACA diamond rings (one was for my FMIL and the other for my cousin).

Let us know how your trip goes! I can''t wait to hear all about it.

 

[jcrow]

thanks for the positive feedback!
i was astonished to find WF so close... they were the ones i was most interested in too, from all the data here on the ACA. i wanna see it in person soooo bad!

unfortunately, it may be a bit of a wait. last weekend we were in houston. not only that but, we went to Tiffany''s and Cartier to see their selection. so i bombarded him enough for a little while....but maybe for labor day???

 

[cutes814]

That sounds good. Labor day is not too far away. I''ll be in Vegas during that week, so I won''t be able to check PS until I get back, but post the stories ASAP.

The last time I spoke to Brian from WF on the phone, he said if I''m ever in the area, I can visit his store and play with all the sparklies that I want! OMG! I ran home and told my bf afterwards. LOL. I wish I can just fly over there and do that! Maybe sometime in the future....heh, for a BIG purchase!

 

[jcrow]

i''ll try. hopefully BF will be up for it. Cross fingers!

 

[jcrow]

:::update:::

thanks for everyone''s imput! what we have decided to do is to visit a nearby online vendor.

my BF found out he get''s a company discount at a jeweler''s far far away in another state. he is, however, going to be near that jewelry store in a few months on a business trip.

so, we''ll go to the online vendor and compare prices with the that''s store far away...