buying a ring on the internet....

[OhioLady]

I''m still very new to this whole new world of diamonds on line and what not. I wanted to trade my ring in at Kay Jewelers because 1: that is where it was bought from and 2: we can put the difference of the up grade on the Kay credit card my husband already has.
However

After reading some responses to my upgrade deliema it has come to my attetchion that a lot of people have purchased rings and single diamonds from the internet. I''m kind of skeptical of this only because it''s a lot of money to spend on a ring that I haven''t gotten to try on OR see how it sits with my wedding band.

So any advice on this would be helpful to make me feel better about purchasing off the internet. Also do any of these sites finance rings?

Thanks

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/25/2009 1:16:11 PM
Author:OhioLady
I'm still very new to this whole new world of diamonds on line and what not. I wanted to trade my ring in at Kay Jewelers because 1: that is where it was bought from and 2: we can put the difference of the up grade on the Kay credit card my husband already has.
However

After reading some responses to my upgrade deliema it has come to my attetchion that a lot of people have purchased rings and single diamonds from the internet. I'm kind of skeptical of this only because it's a lot of money to spend on a ring that I haven't gotten to try on OR see how it sits with my wedding band.

So any advice on this would be helpful to make me feel better about purchasing off the internet. Also do any of these sites finance rings?

Thanks

We mainly help with and see internet purchases here, and have seen many many successful outcomes. Also many of us have bought online multiple times with excellent results. Maybe it might help if you take a look at the vendor list page under resources top right, and read up on other posters purchase experiences. As to financing, you would need to check with the particular vendor you wanted to work with.

Here are some of the popular and trusted vendor links.

www.goodoldgold.com

www.highperformancediamonds.com

www.exceldiamonds.com

www.jamesallen.com

www.engagementringsdirect.com

www.whiteflash.com

www.niceice.com

www.pearlmansjewelers.com

But even if you investigate buying online and still prefer to buy from a brick and mortar store, thats ok - we can still help!

It is just easier to work with online diamonds as we usually have all the info we need, whereas with a jewellery store we don't.

 

[ibdrinken]

I was in the same boat as you but with all the weath of info on this and knowledge of people like elenn and Lorelei. They helped me pick out my diamond at whiteflash and Cheis at whiteflash put all my worries at ease.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I know buying a diamond from the Internet can be very scary. I am still unable to buy a diamond without seeing it first and shipping / returning is difficult as I live in Canada (whereas most of the great Internet vendors are in the US). My solution was to pick a vendor that was relatively convenient for me to visit. Most of the online vendors have an office or store front that you can visit. We would make a trip out of it to see the stone (or stone options) before we make the decision. It takes out the scary aspects of not seeing it first.

A custom made setting can also be very scary and I don't think having someone local will make it any easier. However, many vendors now provide CAD drawings which lets you visualize the design. Or you can go the non-custom route, go to a B&M to see a ready made setting and then ordering it from an online vendor.

I can honestly say I am much more comfortable working with the online vendors. Most of the recommended vendors are very knowledgeable and willing to teach you. They are honest and want you to be happy. That is very different from the B&M I visited. The sales associates often didn't know anything and try to convince of things that I know are untrue. Not all stores are bad - there are some great ones - you just need to know who they are.

The truth is .. there are good vendors and bad vendors whether they are online or not. You just need to know who to go to. The ones recommended above are tried and true - they have a reputation to uphold and is known for their excellent service. I believe this industry is all about reputation - no one will scarafice it.

 

[blastdoor]

Hi OhioLady,

I know what you mean, and trust me, its worse for me coz not only was I buying from the internet, I was buying from overseas (I''m in Singapore)..

But recently I managed to complete 2 ring purchases online (1 E-Ring and 1 Wedding Band, from Whiteflash and another online vendor called "Diamonds Ideal") with the help of the many helpful people on this forum (special thanks to Lorelei).. and I must say I am very happy with the outcome...

Below are how I felt about the deals: -

- Trust.. the diamonds are what the vendors say they are, and the settings look exactly like the autocad dwgs you see on the individual websites so you know exactly what you''ll be getting, without seeing it..

- Customer service, before, during, and after sales is great.. correspondence throughout the entire time...

- Delivery is prompt (both rings arrived in a week despite me being half away across the globe)...

Of course there will always be exceptions... but I believe the chances of "surprises" and "accidents" happening can be greatly reduced with diligent studies and careful approaches... with these, I wish you all the best in your search, and the most pleasant of journeys in your quest for your stone...

 

[Lorelei]

Id and Blast, thank you so much for your very kind words, Ellen and I appreciate it more than you know!!

 

[Ellen]

ib, thanks for the kind words!

OL, I was in the same boat as you when I went to get my upgrade a few years ago. I was totally freaked at the thought of buying sight unseeen, from someone I didn''t know. It went against everything I''d been taught. So I shopped locally, and to make a long story short, my expereience with those jewelers ranged from aggravating to scary. I had done my homework, and knew more than just about all of them. After finally making a purchase that became suspicious (the stone), I returned it and made the leap of faith to buy online. I have since made a couple other purchases and have never looked back.

The truth is, you can get better cut stones at better prices online. It''s one of the rare times when if it sounds too good to be true, it''s not!

 

[soocool]

While I have not yet purchased over the internet I plan to over the next few months. My husband and I upgraded our wedding bands about 8 years ago and went to a "mall" jeweler similar to Kay''s. This weekend I checked their website only to see that my band has .5 cttw in diamonds was more expensive than the exact 1.0 cttw they are selling now( yes these little diamonds are the same in color and clarity). That''s when I told my husband how stupid we were in trusting we were getting a good deal. And I think that is because sites like Pricescope either did not exist or I had no knowledge that they existed.

It is hard to gather such a large group of women ad men, consumers, jewelers, appraisers, etc in one spot who can give you all the information and debate regarding this information sor you as a consumer can come to your own conclusions and make the best informed choice.

I have been visiting other jewelers in my area who several people on PS have recommended to me and one of them, Bernie Robbins, was very upfront with me about what I would pay in a store like theirs versus a "less reputable" store vs an internet store. He even said I may have a great relationship with these places and then proceeded to tell me what his services will offer me. I came out of there feeling great. Now if I had a limitless budget, I would probably go to them for my new ring, but with all the info I have gathered here on PS, I will mostly likely make my purchase over the internet most comfortably.