Best online diamond vendors

[Ellejae1]

Hello!
I have seen a ton of great reviews for Good Old Gold but I've also seen on here and yelp that their stones are a little pricier.
I am closing in on choosing an online vendor to help me source my dream diamond. Anyone recommend an online vendor they loved, who found the stone of their dreams the first time (hoping to not have to return), and at a competitive price?
Just curious. Will Good Old Gold negotiate?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[WinkHPD]

Hello!
I have seen a ton of great reviews for Good Old Gold but I've also seen on here and yelp that their stones are a little pricier.
I am closing in on choosing an online vendor to help me source my dream diamond. Anyone recommend an online vendor they loved, who found the stone of their dreams the first time (hoping to not have to return), and at a competitive price?
Just curious. Will Good Old Gold negotiate?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Have you considered that perhaps there is a reason his stones tend to be a little higher and that sometimes, quite often actually, price and value are different?

If you value his in person examination and his comprehensive reports then perhaps his slightly higher price is actually a greater value as he will help you avoid the stones that a drop shipper would blithely send.

Just a thought...

Wink

 

[Ellejae1]

Hello!
I have seen a ton of great reviews for Good Old Gold but I've also seen on here and yelp that their stones are a little pricier.
I am closing in on choosing an online vendor to help me source my dream diamond. Anyone recommend an online vendor they loved, who found the stone of their dreams the first time (hoping to not have to return), and at a competitive price?
Just curious. Will Good Old Gold negotiate?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Have you considered that perhaps there is a reason his stones tend to be a little higher and that sometimes, quite often actually, price and value are different?

If you value his in person examination and his comprehensive reports then perhaps his slightly higher price is actually a greater value as he will help you avoid the stones that a drop shipper would blithely send.

Just a thought...

Wink

Thanks for the response Wink.
Yes I did think about that and that is also what some Yelpers said too....that the customer service is unparalleled and worth the mark up.

 

[ame]

I am a repeat customer of GOG, and have also done business with other vendors popular on here. I've gone back to GOG and very proudly review them positively because of the service, the selection especially of cuts not easily found elsewhere, and the insane amount of "workup" they do on the stones they sell. They really put the effort into it. They're also not just online, they're a real store with a real presence in their community and have been there for many years with a great reputation.

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

We just purchased a loose diamond online through Ritani and had an incredible experience. They were by far the cheapest pricing we had found within my desired specs. They price difference was literally close to 1k cheaper than anything else I was finding in the same range!

Although I did not want any Ritani settings, if you do like ritani settings - they allow a "in store preview" of up to 2 completed rings with no obligation to buy. Additionally, they allow you to reserve and compare up to 4 stones for a phone/computer conference with a gemologist. They uploaded HD video and a picture of the diamonds I chose to compare. They did not offer me any idealscopes etc, but I was pretty confident in my search for an AGS0 it wouldn't be a dog. After the appt with the gemologist and picking our stone, it was a quick 5 minute transaction to purchase. We had the stone in hand next day.

We ended up with a beautiful AGS000 1.01 ct I VS2 which I could not be more pleased about.

 

[Ellejae1]

Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[artdecolover71]

I am dealing with GOG now on my EC search and they are excellent so far! I do not want to bad mouth other vendors, but I have not gotten the customer service that I have gotten from GOG so they will be the one I purchase from. I think, you get what you pay for imho when you are dealing with the customer service factor.

 

[GeorgeStevens]

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it. The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Some diamond vendors make their money off uneducated, impatient, emotional consumers. You have to be knowledgeable, patient, and have several options at other vendors that you like better than whatever you're negotiating for. If you show that you know what you're talking about, have a sense of the true price of a diamond, can conduct a transaction with minimal fuss (pay by wire, etc), and maybe have some future business you'll come back for, you can probably get 10-20% below the best price you can find online... and the vendor will still be making a bunch of money.

 

[Ellejae1]

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it. The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Some diamond vendors make their money off uneducated, impatient, emotional consumers. You have to be knowledgeable, patient, and have several options at other vendors that you like better than whatever you're negotiating for. If you show that you know what you're talking about, have a sense of the true price of a diamond, can conduct a transaction with minimal fuss (pay by wire, etc), and maybe have some future business you'll come back for, you can probably get 10-20% below the best price you can find online... and the vendor will still be making a bunch of money.

Thanks for reply George and I understand where you are coming from.
I'm not impatient, (well maybe a little) I'm just not interested in being unhappy or having the stone be rejected by the appraiser when I receive it by mail. I'd rather be 100% confident that the stone I buy online is the one the first time.
Also I am currently talking to someone at GOG and they said their prices are not negotiable. Is this really true? Has anyone negotiated with GOG before?

 

[MarionC]

While looking for the "perfect diamond" in the 12k-15k range, I contacted GOG because they had been mentioned on PS.
I don't want to bad mouth them, but they were not responsive to initial emails, so I finally had to call them. After that first call it took them 24 hours to call back.
The contact salesperson was nice- [a little "used car salesman" - "have I got a deal for you" approach, but I figured that was the NY way]-
He never suggested any particular diamonds, but only indicated that a stone of the size I wanted would be expensive. [over 10,000!]
Very odd. Perhaps it was an intern.
I got a few out-of-focus informational photos in an email and after that initial contact I never heard from GOG again.

For a while I wondered...are there TWO GOG's? and had to go back and check that I had used the email & phone number on their website.

I immediately went to another vender, they found a great diamond for me and I bought it.

 

[c-k]

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it. The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Some diamond vendors make their money off uneducated, impatient, emotional consumers. You have to be knowledgeable, patient, and have several options at other vendors that you like better than whatever you're negotiating for. If you show that you know what you're talking about, have a sense of the true price of a diamond, can conduct a transaction with minimal fuss (pay by wire, etc), and maybe have some future business you'll come back for, you can probably get 10-20% below the best price you can find online... and the vendor will still be making a bunch of money.

....and you have done this with say GoodOldGold, Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Infinity, and other recommended established vendors mentioned on this forum...or was it with a Johnny on the spot Diamond guy.

 

[Ellejae1]

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it. The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Some diamond vendors make their money off uneducated, impatient, emotional consumers. You have to be knowledgeable, patient, and have several options at other vendors that you like better than whatever you're negotiating for. If you show that you know what you're talking about, have a sense of the true price of a diamond, can conduct a transaction with minimal fuss (pay by wire, etc), and maybe have some future business you'll come back for, you can probably get 10-20% below the best price you can find online... and the vendor will still be making a bunch of money.

....and you have done this with say GoodOldGold, Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Infinity, and other recommended established vendors mentioned on this forum...or was it with a Johnny on the spot Diamond guy.

Are you asking me? I'm working with Charles at GOG.

 

[c-k]

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it. The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Some diamond vendors make their money off uneducated, impatient, emotional consumers. You have to be knowledgeable, patient, and have several options at other vendors that you like better than whatever you're negotiating for. If you show that you know what you're talking about, have a sense of the true price of a diamond, can conduct a transaction with minimal fuss (pay by wire, etc), and maybe have some future business you'll come back for, you can probably get 10-20% below the best price you can find online... and the vendor will still be making a bunch of money.

....and you have done this with say GoodOldGold, Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Infinity, and other recommended established vendors mentioned on this forum...or was it with a Johnny on the spot Diamond guy.

Are you asking me? I'm working with Charles at GOG.

No, intended as a reply to GS....Most of the vendors mentioned have established their prices, many also offer a discount to Pricescope consumers. The prices they have are posted, not hidden, no fine print, offer many inclusive's such as pictures, Idealscopes, ASET, lab reports, trade up policies, numerous articles as well as personal attention to your questions. They spend much time, money and effort to give the customer all the information to educate them to make an informed buying decision. All of this adds to the value you are receiving for the money you are spending. To expect to wheel and deal is not realistic, maybe at discount sites that offer nothing or a small retail outlet that sells run of the mill stones, but not at established vendors who sell the best diamonds you will ever find.

 

[CharmyPoo]

When I worked with them .. they wouldn't move on the price.

In the end, it comes down to what $ amount you attribute to the value you get out of their customer service.

 

[distracts]

A lot of the online vendors we recommend DO have slightly higher prices because they offer branded specialty diamonds and AMAZING customer service and more information than almost anyone else - those are the things you're paying for.

To give you an idea - I just helped my brother buy an engagement ring with Good Old Gold the other week (hasn't arrived yet, but should soon). We had about six diamonds we were looking at online, and we had several phone calls and emails examining them where they went over the picky, minute differences between them, they sent us a video with all of the diamonds side-by-side in multiple lighting conditions, we had overall multiple phone calls where we never felt pressured or rushed, etc.

A lot of the prices for vendors recommended on here aren't negotiable. They already have rather low markups if you compare to your run-of-the-mill jewelry store, where they will happily run everything 50-70% sales six to eight months out of the year. If you look at a run-of-the-mill jewelry store and then look at a PS vendor, you can see that for the exact same GIA report number you can often get it for significantly cheaper from the PS vendor, and even cheaper yet if they are a drop-shipper with few services. The biggest sale I've ever seen at a PS vendor was 10% off and it was very limited. It's not like you're shopping at **edited by moderator, please do not use profanity** Zales, man. The prices are decent.

"you can probably get 10-20% below the best price you can find online... and the vendor will still be making a bunch of money."

No. I have not seen a single person EVER get that much off any of the online vendors we recommend here, or any other place that has decent pricing. Because the markup just isn't as big as you say it is. Afaik it was in the 70s but hasn't been for the past decade or more, especially with the advent of internet drop-shippers pushing profit margins lower and lower.

 

[John P]

I think this statement may be useful in addressing the thread's original post.

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it.

Without the diamond in-hand I would not be able to agree on its market price.

For example: What's "market price" for a 1.00 H SI1 EX non-fluor? As of today there are 140 listed in the most popular online wholesale marketplace. Speaking in %, the highest priced gem is offered at $100 and the lowest at $35, with the others running all-between. That's a 285% span in market price between diamonds which are all graded 1.00 H SI1 Ideal NF.

If we select only those graded by GIA 86 remain. Each is 1.00 H SI1 GIA EX NF, yet they range from $100 to $69. That is a 45% difference in market price, low to high. One company has several of these "identical-on-paper" diamonds, offered at notably different prices. We can move up from H SI1, but the disparities remain. There are 32 available 1.00 D VVS1 GIA EX NF ranging from $100 to $74, or a 35% difference in market-price for so-called identical diamonds. And this is wholesale. We're not to retail yet.

This is why I disagree with the commoditization concept. Diamond grading systems don't promote equivalence as the AMS or USDA do. I'm pretty sure distributors moving AMS-certified "U.S. No. 1" grade potatoes don't charge $1.00/pound for a truckload, then $1.25/pound or $1.35/pound for the next truckloads rolling out of the barn.

Lack of (1) standardization and (2) complete information prevent equivalency. At present the market value of a given diamond goes beyond the ABCs of any grading report. Resultantly, a premium is justifiable if one can demonstrate why diamond-A should be valued higher than diamond-B, even if they are identical on paper.

The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Distracts addressed this nicely in the post above. Vertical integration, globalization, price-competition and the internet have changed margins dramatically.

Here's a story... (popcorn and movie time)

Seller Charlie runs a careful store. He's made his name on quality and stands behind what he sells with beneficial programs such as upgrade, etc. One day he buys a 1.00 G VS2 GIA EX NF for 95. He searched thoroughly and feels it's one of the best on the market. He has it shipped in and runs it through a battery of tests. It's solid G, close to F. An enclosed white crystal sets the clarity grade. Modern Tolk proportions. Top optical precision. No internal strain. No extra facets. Beautiful. An assistant takes magnified pics, ideal-scope, ASET, maybe hearts, maybe a glamour shot. Possibly a video. Another assistant processes the images and posts them to the store website. A detailed description is written. Charlie takes 95, calculates the needed few percent to cover salaries, another few for SEO + advertising, a hundred for shipping and 10% as profit. The diamond is offered for 111. A client sees it and discusses it with Charlie via email and phone.

Seller Baker lists diamonds on a feed from suppliers but doesn't bring any onsite. He is contacted by the same client, wanting to know if Baker can beat Charlie's 111. Baker goes to the online market and finds three 1.00 G VS2 GIA EX NF stones offered for 78, 80 and 83. The first is mis-graded; it should have been H (the wholesaler knows this, thus the price). The second is a deep EX, 6.40mm and leaking light (thus the price). The third has a small open feather, but serious internal strain where the feather meets the girdle (which Baker will never know about). Baker calculates the needed few percent for SEO + advertising and another 20% as profit. He doesn't have to cover multiple shipments (since he drop-ships). He doesn't have to spend time doing inspection, hiring photos done or posting data to a web-page. In the end Baker offers the three 1.00 G VS2 GIA EX NFs to the client for 103, 105 and 108.

The client says "Wow, whichever I choose beats Charlie's 111... This guy is clearly offering better deals!"

~ What just happened?

Charlie offered a diamond which was meticulously selected, brought in-store, inspected and put through paces far beyond its paper.
He ensured "G VS2 EX" were bulletproof and looked at factors far beyond the paper to ensure a rich pedigree.
He added 10% profit after his bills and people were paid.

Baker offered three diamonds with reduced cost at wholesale because of issues beyond the letter grades.
He never saw them. He took no time to inspect, photo or ensure accurate grading, much less going beyond the grades.
He added more profit at 20% and still came in under Charlie's price.

The bulletproof G VS2 EX cost Charlie 95...offered at 111 (upcharge of 16)
The mis-graded "G"(H) VS2 EX cost Baker 78...offered at 103 (upcharge of 25)

In trade-terms Charlie's diamond represents the better value, and the better deal. But the client doesn't get that.

The irony? Charlie may try to save the sale by giving a couple of hundred off, cutting into his smaller margin. Yet he can never match Baker's ability to discount...and in the end Baker still makes more.

I see this stuff happening in showrooms too. It goes even farther off the rails when consumers are convinced to "believe" in grading reports from notoriously soft labs.

I know the free market rules - caveat emptor - but the lack of standardization and information in the trade, wholesale and retail, makes research and study invaluable. The diligent consumer is the winner. In that sense the internet, and forums like this one, can be terrific resources.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Excellent reply John,
I do not think there are very many markets that are so fiercely competitive as the online diamond business.
Another one is closing doors that was once a vendor here.

While looking for the "perfect diamond" in the 12k-15k range, I contacted GOG because they had been mentioned on PS.
I don't want to bad mouth them, but they were not responsive to initial emails, so I finally had to call them. After that first call it took them 24 hours to call back.
The contact salesperson was nice- [a little "used car salesman" - "have I got a deal for you" approach, but I figured that was the NY way]-
He never suggested any particular diamonds, but only indicated that a stone of the size I wanted would be expensive. [over 10,000!]
Very odd. Perhaps it was an intern.
I got a few out-of-focus informational photos in an email and after that initial contact I never heard from GOG again.

For a while I wondered...are there TWO GOG's? and had to go back and check that I had used the email & phone number on their website.

I immediately went to another vender, they found a great diamond for me and I bought it.

With no intention to attack you, but to make a point from my own observations of my retail sales staff Jimmianne - we get requests and interest every day by phone, email and forms on our website, and my staff do not handle them equally. They decide which one seems likely to lead to a sale and spend more time and effort on that transaction and less on some others.
Is that fair? - probably not.
Are they always right? - they must make mistakes.
But they do get a lot of time wasters - e.g. we still occasionally get an email where the same price and quality questions are copied to multiple vendors - they hit delete.

 

[Tekate]

Mr. Pollard, thank you very much for your post.. it was truly very informative and truly helpful... So a deal isn't always a deal it seems to me.

I think I would want a vendor that offers the backup.. the stand behind the product. Thank you for a post it was truly was illuminating on why to pay a bit more one most probably get's a lot more.

The client says "Wow, whichever I choose beats Charlie's 111... This guy is clearly offering better deals!"

~ What just happened?

Charlie offered a diamond which was meticulously selected, brought in-store, inspected and put through paces far beyond its paper.
He ensured "G VS2 EX" were bulletproof and looked at factors far beyond the paper to ensure a rich pedigree.
He added 10% profit after his bills and people were paid.

Baker offered three diamonds with reduced cost at wholesale because of issues beyond the letter grades.
He never saw them. He took no time to inspect, photo or ensure accurate grading, much less going beyond the grades.
He added more profit at 20% and still came in under Charlie's price.

The bulletproof G VS2 EX cost Charlie 95...offered at 111 (upcharge of 16)
The mis-graded "G"(H) VS2 EX cost Baker 78...offered at 103 (upcharge of 25)

In trade-terms Charlie's diamond represents the better value, and the better deal. But the client doesn't get that.

The irony? Charlie may try to save the sale by giving a couple of hundred off, cutting into his smaller margin. Yet he can never match Baker's ability to discount...and in the end Baker still makes more.

I see this stuff happening in showrooms too. It goes even farther off the rails when consumers are convinced to "believe" in grading reports from notoriously soft labs.

I know the free market rules - caveat emptor - but the lack of standardization and information in the trade, wholesale and retail, makes research and study invaluable. The diligent consumer is the winner. In that sense the internet, and forums like this one, can be terrific resources.

 

[Ellejae1]

I think this statement may be useful in addressing the thread's original post.

Everything in the diamond business is negotiable at the retail level. Diamonds are a commodity. Hundreds of millions of carats a year are mined and sold at market prices just like spuds and carrots. There is a well-agreed market price; you just don't know it.

Without the diamond in-hand I would not be able to agree on its market price.

For example: What's "market price" for a 1.00 H SI1 EX non-fluor? As of today there are 140 listed in the most popular online wholesale marketplace. Speaking in %, the highest priced gem is offered at $100 and the lowest at $35, with the others running all-between. That's a 285% span in market price between diamonds which are all graded 1.00 H SI1 Ideal NF.

If we select only those graded by GIA 86 remain. Each is 1.00 H SI1 GIA EX NF, yet they range from $100 to $69. That is a 45% difference in market price, low to high. One company has several of these "identical-on-paper" diamonds, offered at notably different prices. We can move up from H SI1, but the disparities remain. There are 32 available 1.00 D VVS1 GIA EX NF ranging from $100 to $74, or a 35% difference in market-price for so-called identical diamonds. And this is wholesale. We're not to retail yet.

This is why I disagree with the commoditization concept. Diamond grading systems don't promote equivalence as the AMS or USDA do. I'm pretty sure distributors moving AMS-certified "U.S. No. 1" grade potatoes don't charge $1.00/pound for a truckload, then $1.25/pound or $1.35/pound for the next truckloads rolling out of the barn.

Lack of (1) standardization and (2) complete information prevent equivalency. At present the market value of a given diamond goes beyond the ABCs of any grading report. Resultantly, a premium is justifiable if one can demonstrate why diamond-A should be valued higher than diamond-B, even if they are identical on paper.

The sticker price is anywhere from 25% to 400% of the market price. Even a company that just lists other companies' diamonds puts on at least a 25% mark-up - so that's 25% you can try to haggle off and they still make money and are happy.

Distracts addressed this nicely in the post above. Vertical integration, globalization, price-competition and the internet have changed margins dramatically.

Here's a story... (popcorn and movie time)

Seller Charlie runs a careful store. He's made his name on quality and stands behind what he sells with beneficial programs such as upgrade, etc. One day he buys a 1.00 G VS2 GIA EX NF for 95. He searched thoroughly and feels it's one of the best on the market. He has it shipped in and runs it through a battery of tests. It's solid G, close to F. An enclosed white crystal sets the clarity grade. Modern Tolk proportions. Top optical precision. No internal strain. No extra facets. Beautiful. An assistant takes magnified pics, ideal-scope, ASET, maybe hearts, maybe a glamour shot. Possibly a video. Another assistant processes the images and posts them to the store website. A detailed description is written. Charlie takes 95, calculates the needed few percent to cover salaries, another few for SEO + advertising, a hundred for shipping and 10% as profit. The diamond is offered for 111. A client sees it and discusses it with Charlie via email and phone.

Seller Baker lists diamonds on a feed from suppliers but doesn't bring any onsite. He is contacted by the same client, wanting to know if Baker can beat Charlie's 111. Baker goes to the online market and finds three 1.00 G VS2 GIA EX NF stones offered for 78, 80 and 83. The first is mis-graded; it should have been H (the wholesaler knows this, thus the price). The second is a deep EX, 6.40mm and leaking light (thus the price). The third has a small open feather, but serious internal strain where the feather meets the girdle (which Baker will never know about). Baker calculates the needed few percent for SEO + advertising and another 20% as profit. He doesn't have to cover multiple shipments (since he drop-ships). He doesn't have to spend time doing inspection, hiring photos done or posting data to a web-page. In the end Baker offers the three 1.00 G VS2 GIA EX NFs to the client for 103, 105 and 108.

The client says "Wow, whichever I choose beats Charlie's 111... This guy is clearly offering better deals!"

~ What just happened?

Charlie offered a diamond which was meticulously selected, brought in-store, inspected and put through paces far beyond its paper.
He ensured "G VS2 EX" were bulletproof and looked at factors far beyond the paper to ensure a rich pedigree.
He added 10% profit after his bills and people were paid.

Baker offered three diamonds with reduced cost at wholesale because of issues beyond the letter grades.
He never saw them. He took no time to inspect, photo or ensure accurate grading, much less going beyond the grades.
He added more profit at 20% and still came in under Charlie's price.

The bulletproof G VS2 EX cost Charlie 95...offered at 111 (upcharge of 16)
The mis-graded "G"(H) VS2 EX cost Baker 78...offered at 103 (upcharge of 25)

In trade-terms Charlie's diamond represents the better value, and the better deal. But the client doesn't get that.

The irony? Charlie may try to save the sale by giving a couple of hundred off, cutting into his smaller margin. Yet he can never match Baker's ability to discount...and in the end Baker still makes more.

I see this stuff happening in showrooms too. It goes even farther off the rails when consumers are convinced to "believe" in grading reports from notoriously soft labs.

I know the free market rules - caveat emptor - but the lack of standardization and information in the trade, wholesale and retail, makes research and study invaluable. The diligent consumer is the winner. In that sense the internet, and forums like this one, can be terrific resources.

John you really opened my eyes and helped me understand why a company like Good Old Gold have such positive praise on PS and Yelp. Thank you for breaking it down for someone like me who knows more than the average person but by no means is an expert on diamonds or diamond buying!
I really appreciate it.

 

[GeorgeStevens]

I'm just speaking from experience here - yes, with online vendors recommended here and in the stalls of 47th St (where I've only once bought anything). I don't ask a ton of questions because I know what I like, I do my homework, I look up the comparables and know where the pricing sheets stand and typical discounts, I attend auctions at Sotheby's to understand real prices where transactions are clearing, I can break down the cost of an item, and I make a cash offer. I don't say, "are you negotiable?" - then they know I'm a schnook. I say, "For these reasons, I offer $18,500, paid immediately by bank wire." Doing a transaction quickly and with minimal fuss means the service I require from a bare-bones manufacturer in Ramat Gan who quietly sells retail and full-service American online retailer are essentially the same. The vendor's cost to serve me is minimal. Some sellers won't deal with me, but that's fine because most will.

I'm just encouraging people to get educated and use that education to get a better deal than people who aren't educated. Some retailers like to deal with educated buyers and they'll give you a good deal.

 

[MarionC]

Since someone spammed this thread it has been bumped...and I read my "review" of GOG. Ouch! Jon! I apologize. I was new to PS and diamond buying.
For everyone's information, I ended up buying my awesome Asscher from GOG and could not be happier with the customer service. I think so highly of GOG that I'm planning a trip to their B&M store when I go to NY this fall.

 

[missy]

Since someone spammed this thread it has been bumped...and I read my "review" of GOG. Ouch! Jon! I apologize. I was new to PS and diamond buying.
For everyone's information, I ended up buying my awesome Asscher from GOG and could not be happier with the customer service. I think so highly of GOG that I'm planning a trip to their B&M store when I go to NY this fall.

I'm right there with you. Now we just have to figure out a day my dh can drive us there.

 

[egemnoel]

Ellejae1,

You are already talking to them and they have responded to your previous posts. I have only ever bought from one vendor and never had the need to look elsewhere. Everyone has their favourites but with the added value of 100% upgrade and 80% buy back policies you cannot go wrong.

Wink, Crafted By Infinity Paul and John and the entire team sourcing and perfecting such beautiful diamonds. Wink only lives 5,000 miles away from me and I never saw a CBI before until I had purchased it. My wife was delighted and a difficult person to please being and working in fashion all her life. You wont be disappointed!!

 

[drruby]

I recently read about Blue Nile since I see they have a huge amount of IF's and even some FL's, that they are now the #1 seller of E RINGS in the world ONLINE and the article stated it was a public company and I have not verified either claim.

From searching the wonderful database on this site, it would appear that statement is factual due to 'inventory'.

Now the most interesting thing is it is a NO INVENTORY company hence no reports or photos are viewable

And that was the business model that actually seems to work for that company and IMO for FL/IF/VVS1 level stones in round in D and X cut they have a nice little commodity type network going on.

I have read some reviews trashing them, but the trashing was over low end grades.

Granted as you move way down the color and clarity scale not every diamond in a range is the same to the eye

Do pictures help? I have never bought a gem from a photo

I look before I buy

Now that I know BN has high level goods that don't need IMO any eye verification at the highest levels, the stone is either what it is in grade with a cert by GIA or it isn't, so to me high end grades BN is a deal IMO.

Since they are a public company they have a liberal easy return policy, so I guess you can shop for inferior graded stones there as well

IMO the fact they are public company with liberal return policy and a huge exclusive listing contract with lots of big dealers all over the world means they have every grade you can think of pretty much.

Who are the 'other' vendors online?

Are they public companies?

Do they have an easy return policy?

Higher grades you don't need pics or videos IMO since at high grade levels to the eye there is NO DIFFERENCE

Off color and clarity you should be looking IN PERSON

My 3 cents on this topic

PS

Confirmed a nice little public NASDAQ company

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NILE

So what other ONLINE Diamond Company is on Nasdaq?

What other company has a huge listing of dealers where you can see huge pricing variations for HIGH END stones?

What other company has a hassle free easy return policy?