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Buying a diamond in Toronto, Canada: My experience.

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hannah

Rough_Rock
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Mar 28, 2004
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First of all I just want to say thank you for sharing your experience. It's good to know that it is possible for Canadians to get an execellent product at an exceptinoal price.

As for you question regarding engraving....

I love to hear of couples that engrave their rings with unique sentences or sayings that are meaningful to them. Some samples I've come across:

His - Love is patient
Hers - Love is kind

Amor Vincit Omnia (Latin: love conquers all)

His - For I’d found love
Hers - And love was you

Dos Amigos (when I heard about this one I thought it was rather odd, as the couple did not have Mexican roots. Later, I found out that this was the name of the restaurant they went to on their first date).

As for how long of a sentence can be engraved....well, my band is 4mm wide, is plain, and a size 6. With spacing, there is a total of 30 characters. As her wedding band will have channel set diamonds, not to mention the metal stamp and the maker's hallmark, I would guess that there is limited space available for a long personalized engraving. You have the option of just engraving the wedding date, or each other's initials. Another option would be to put the engraving on the inside of her e-ring (one of my friends did this as there was no room on her wedding band because it was a Tiffany Etoile ring).

Since you're in the Toronto area, may I suggest that for engraving rings, you check out the following place:

Empire Engraving
21 Dundas Square
416-366-3376

I got married nearly four years ago, so I don't know if they're still the best deal in town. However, back then I called around to get an idea of how much it would cost to get our rings engraved. Prices ranged from $1 to $2.50 per character. Then I found Empire Engraving who told me over the phone that it would be $0.50 per letter. When I got there, the fella only charge me $20 to get both rings engraved
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Cheers,
Hannah

[edited to include the following]

PS: For those of you who are interested, I happend upon this company while surfing the web. They will engrave your wedding vows in your rings.

Wedding Vow Ring

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blakeo

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Jul 23, 2003
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Good ideas - the vows engraving is too "Lord of the Rings" for me - the last thing I want is the my fiancee thinking she's weilding "The Ring of Power".
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I was looking at Tuxedos on Bloor and was shocked at the price of cufflinks. The cheapest at Harry Rosen in steel and black enamel were $160 and went way north of $600.

I was looking for something like these photos below - silver/ platinum to match the ring and maybe sapphire blue. Does anyone know if there is a good vendor on pricescope or otherwise who specialises in cufflinks?

paua mb cufflink.GIF
 

blakeo

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Both are from Mont Blanc. I saw the first one in European Jewellers in the Eaton Centre. Didn't check the price though at the time...

blue knot mb cufflink.GIF
 

hannah

Rough_Rock
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Mar 28, 2004
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There's www.cufflinks.com

Have you thought about getting them made? My friends have worked with Linda Penwarden over on Mount Pleasant. Perhaps you can contact her and see her work.
 

blakeo

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Jul 23, 2003
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Finally decided on these ones after much to-ing and fro-ing. Pretty plain, but a nice shape and size, and as they're silver, not over the top $ wise.

tiffany almond cufflink.jpg
 

blakeo

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Last posts for this thread I think:- just had the wedding this last weekend up at Windermere House in the Muskoka's, Ontario. Here are the last couple of pictures of the 3 rings together. Still v.happy with all.
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blakeo

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Jul 23, 2003
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my one...

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blakeo

Rough_Rock
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her one...

Wedding band.gif
 

blakeo

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rolleyes.gif


three together.gif
 

blakeo

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...not looking so good on my hairy finger...
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Daniela

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Oct 2, 2003
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Lovely rings. Your "comment" with the picture of the Tiffany boxes makes me laugh!
 

blakeo

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Jul 23, 2003
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We got the Maid of Honour some earrings and a large pendant in this design with a matching cufflinks for the best man and small pendant for the MC. I would just say they little blue boxes went down VERY well with all concerned and the cufflinks and necklaces were fairly reasonably priced.

starfish earrings.jpg
 

blakeo

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Jul 23, 2003
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just trying out a new digital camera...

Picture 440 small.jpg
 

Daniela

Brilliant_Rock
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703
Time for you to give your wife''s lovely diamond a scrub!
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I still love these rings!
 

Akaz1976

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
5
Hi,

I am new comer to diamond land and this forum has been very helpful in allowing me to learn about the diamonds. This thread in particular been a good find.

My fiancee has her heart set on a Tacori ring (Platinum & Diamond III - www.tacori.com). But that ring is a bit pricey (to say the least, its selling for $13k here in toronto without the center diamond) and beyond my budget (she picked the ring out of a magazine before having any idea of its price).

Anyways, i was wondering would it possible to get a ring made that is some what similar? several jewlers including peoples have said that they will make any ring design that i bring in.

The only problem is that they say platinum will cost 5x what white gold will cost and platinum scratches much easier than white gold and looks no different that white gold. I am hoping to get the whole ring in under 10k and with 1 to 1.2 ct diamond i am probably not going to have more the 1.5 to 2k to spend on the ring. Is platinum still doable?

Thanks,

Akaz

PS. All prices i mentioned are in Canadian $s since i am located in Toronto.
PPS. USACert gave me contact of a guy in 21 Dundas Square who also offered to make the ring. Is there any way for me to judge teh quailty of work before entering into a deal with the guy?
 

Stickee

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
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Date: 4/25/2005 3
6.gif
7:26 PM
Author: Akaz1976
Hi,


I am new comer to diamond land and this forum has been very helpful in allowing me to learn about the diamonds. This thread in particular been a good find.


My fiancee has her heart set on a Tacori ring (Platinum & Diamond III - www.tacori.com). But that ring is a bit pricey (to say the least, its selling for $13k here in toronto without the center diamond) and beyond my budget (she picked the ring out of a magazine before having any idea of its price).


Anyways, i was wondering would it possible to get a ring made that is some what similar? several jewlers including peoples have said that they will make any ring design that i bring in.


The only problem is that they say platinum will cost 5x what white gold will cost and platinum scratches much easier than white gold and looks no different that white gold. I am hoping to get the whole ring in under 10k and with 1 to 1.2 ct diamond i am probably not going to have more the 1.5 to 2k to spend on the ring. Is platinum still doable?


Thanks,


Akaz


PS. All prices i mentioned are in Canadian $s since i am located in Toronto.

PPS. USACert gave me contact of a guy in 21 Dundas Square who also offered to make the ring. Is there any way for me to judge teh quailty of work before entering into a deal with the guy?

Check your PMs. :)
 

blakeo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Messages
93
When I was looking at Tiffany settings and couldn''t find one that looked right (i.e. the claws were made up of a series of V''s making up a continuous loop of metal rather than 6 seperate claws welded from the inside of the ring) I looked around for a couple of locals who could make it. The few that I went to were either unwilling or unable to produce examples of their prior work (as they were one offs and sold to the person who commissioned them) but they were also unable to provide photos. I thought was a bit odd - if my job was to build pieces of art, I would surely have some evidence of my prior work. Anyway, in the end I wasn''t comfortable with the ''I can do anything'' answer I was getting and suspected I would end up with something that either looked wrong or was poorly manufactured. After a bit more searching on line I found the setting that was exactly the look I was hoping for so I went with that.

I would recommend though that you check out "The Diamond Building?" in Dundas square just to the right of Hard Rock Cafe. If you explain what you want to do, they can take you upstairs and show examples of their work.

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TimeTraveller

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 5, 2005
Messages
52
Haha... took over an hour to read this entire thread, but I finally finished it.

Blakeo, looks like you two actually really like Tiffany in the end. 2 of your 3 rings are authentically from Tiffanys. :)

I am going your route as well. I want the exact Tiffany look, but I don''t want to pay for all their marketing cost. I only wish Tiffany sold their settings alone, without requiring the purchase of their diamonds. I am more than willing to purchase an authentic setting from Tiffany; I just don''t want to purchase a diamond from them as they are so over-priced when compared to other sellers, especially online ones.

The only place which charged more than Tiffany''s was Cartier''s. I''m a bit partial to Cartier''s too. :)

Peace!
 

blakeo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Messages
93
Time traveller. Happy it was of help. Just coming up to the first anniversary now. Have to decide whether to get them polished back to their original condition or if we like the patena. Opinions? Will see if I can take a photo of what a Pt ring looks like after 1 year of wear and tear as I couldn''t find any info on this when I was looking way back when. Tiffany will professionally polish all three at no charge at any time according to the store manager. I don''t know if he realised the shiny big one doesn''t actually have the Tiffany & Co. engraved on the inside...
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upgrading mama

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 28, 2005
Messages
1,826
Hello,
Can you tell me, does this Us cert diamonds have a website? I want to upgrade my diamond and am trying to find a place that will hopefully trade up my diamond for me...It is a princess cut .74 F, VS1/ I am looking for a 1 carat-1.4 carat of similar specs. Anyhow, I appreciate all the information you included in your post! Any information anyone can offer me would be great!
 
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