Buying H&A in Vancouver

[enscjeff]

Hi Everyone,

I''m soliciting experience from anyone in Vancouver who has bought an H&A diamond. I''ve visited Britton Jewellers with my girlfriend and we were very impressed with Tony, but I haven''t talked price with him yet. I''ve also contacted Canadian Diamonds Direct (offices on West Boulevard) to get some price quotes but they seem pretty high to me (especially since they are just brokers).

Are there any other H&A shops in Vancouver? Has anyone from Vancouver gone with GOG? Can you tell me what the excise tax process is like? (I''ve convinced myself that I''ll have to go above board in any case) Where would I get a GOG stone set in Vancouver?

 

[niceice]

You can't go wrong with GOG, their selection and dedication to quality is at the top of the charts! The import excise tax is something like 7% plus the GST for a combined total of something like 17% as we understand it. However there seems to be a difference in the tax amount depending on whether the diamond is mounted or unmounted - we've heard conflicting statements regarding this so it is best to contact your customs department for clarification.

 

[Daniela]

I can't tell you about buying a diamond from Vancouver, but I can wholeheartedly say that I really had a good experience wtih GOG. I have nothing but praise for their diamonds and their customer service. Jonathan is about the sweetest human being I have ever had contact wtih. If you have further questions about the process, you can PM me.

I might add that Niceice, who has also responded to this post, was incredibly helpful in answering questions about their merchandise and settings, and Oregon is pretty close to Vancouver. You could take a road trip and check them out. If I were you, I would give it a shot.

Just a side note: Online is definitely the way to go. Don't be afraid to buy from the States--it can be a really smooth process.

 

[WalnutCrunch]

Jeff... I bought from Britton last year. Check your PM or email.

 

[fisiogrl]

Hiya fellow Vancouverite!

I have been doing the same research as you. Visited a few local stores but after reading tons of posts on this site I have decided to buy online. I was looking at going with GOG, but never got a reply to my emails (?!?!) - maybe hotmail doesn't like crossing the border.

I have since been in touch with Whiteflash and am considering a stone from them. If it is not what I want then I will be calling Johnathan at GOG, he seems to be able to broker the most stones that fit my criteria. (See the search engine on pricescope)

I am planning to have the stone and setting sent to an appraiser who can put the two together for me, once the stone has passed muster! Not quite sure yet about where I will pick it up. I have connections in San Fran.

Feel free to post to me directly, if you have Qs about the online ordeal...