channel 7 today tonight about buying diamond online

[yeewl]

was channel surfing when i saw this show from today tonight at channel 7 australia...

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/39578/money/buying-diamonds-online

It took me a while to go to the site, maybe too many people went and take a peep ...

 

[spindler]

Hello yeewl

What did you think of the program?
Looked to me like an attempt at an infomercial setup by a PR company.
I can’t see the newsworthiness of promoting that company as internet diamond companies have been operating in Australia for years.
I must admit though that including Nic Cerrone did bring some balance.
Thelma

 

[yeewl]

Hello,

Actually I am quite new regarding the current Australian jewellery industries so I can''t comment much.

Just take it as another opportunity to source for some internet diamonds in Australia besides USA.

I only noticed recently there''s a handful of australian jewellery trying to break into the internet market. Been listening to this 101.1 FM advertisment on Empress jewellery and went to their website to take a peep.

As for the chain mall jewellery shops like goldmark, bevilles, zamels, michael hill etc, it doesn''t offer much of a selections and also not value for money.

Whereas for the high-end boutiques like anton, temelli, MDT, Charles Rose etc, though they sell rather nice, well proportion diamonds and designs but it''s way too expensive.

I purchase my loose diamonds in Singapore as I am very comfortable in dealing with the managers and tradesmen.

Hope that helps.

Regards
WL

 

[Harriet]

Hi yeewl,
I''m considering having some stones set the next time I''m back in Singapore. Is there anyone you''d recommend?

 

[widget]

...ahem...Can I break in here with an off-topic question?

Yeewl: Can you tell me about the ring in your avatar? I did a quick search of topics you''ve started and couldn''t find anything...

WHAT IS THAT CENTERSTONE???

Emerald? Tourmaline? It looks wonderful...would love to hear more about it...

Thanks!

OK...back to regular program...

widget

 

[pricescope]

Date: 6/12/2007 7:28:21 AM
Author: spindler

I must admit though that including Nic Cerrone did bring some balance.
Thelma

I got curious and though video did not play anything for me too i read:

b], believes a diamond needs to be seen before it can be bought.

"You have to look at the stone, you have to absorb the way the stone is formed, the cut, the shape, the brilliance of the stone," he said."That is why you need to look at the diamond itself before you buy it, you cannot buy it on the internet, that is ludicrous."
...
"It''s absolutely impossible to buy a diamond on the internet because you just do not know what nature is offering you."


which made me go to his website to admire jewelry and ...

Shop online:
Diamond rings:
Price : $22130.00
18ct White Gold Princess Cut Diamond Ring with Pave set Diamond
Shoulders. Diamond 1=1.03ct FVS2 Online Price on application.

Some balance

 

[yeewl]

Hello widget

WHAT IS THAT CENTERSTONE???

Emerald? Tourmaline? It looks wonderful...would love to hear more about it...

The centre stone is an emerald. I went to a trade show in 2002 or 03 at Suntec city in Singapore. At that time it wasn''t as strict as now (need to show them our ID in order to get in).

I remembered it was the last day of the tradeshow and actually didn''t have any thoughts of buying anything. Since I had taken the IGI distance learning course via internet, decide to take it as my very first project so i ''volunteer'' my sevice to help my sister look for a sapphire or an emerald. hehe..

I walked pass a few stores that sells emeralds. These people were from Colombia and they have their own mines. When i saw the gemstones i couldn''t keep my eyes off it. They were calculating in US$ so I didn''t want to buy.

I often believed in fate whenever i buy any items especially gems and diamonds. If it ''belongs'' or meant to be with you it will wait for you to come. Funny isn;t it? because it happened to that particular emerald stone. I was about to leave that shop when it suddenly dropped from another tray onto my hand.

The owner made me a deal that i couldn''t refused...yet i told him before i leave i will decide whether to buy it. I went around the whole hall looking at other gems (emeralds) and loose diamonds to compare prices. I still couldn''t get my mind off that stone so i went back and purchase it..

This particular emerald has hardly had any inclusions, very very clean and the color is beautiful. Simply perfect in every way.

It was my favourate project because at the beginning I wanted to set as a pendent but in the end I decide to make as a trilogy ring instead...but first I need to find the perfect diamonds as a sidestone to compliment it.

This project took me almost 3 years to complete as i often change my mind on the ring design and also to find 2 identical princess cut diamonds.

I went to Leipo and showed them the ring design I wanted them to do from scratch. That costed me much more than I expected because emerald are not as tough as diamonds. If the craftman is not experience he will chip the corner or shatter it...it was a nerve racking time for me too..but in the end it''s all worth my hardwork and patience..

well...my sis finds it''s too ''girly'' and i took the ring for myself...

 

[yeewl]

Hello Harriet

Hi yeewl,
I''m considering having some stones set the next time I''m back in Singapore. Is there anyone you''d recommend?

The only 2 place I can suggest is Leipo at Lucky Plaza and Chong Lee at Beach Road. But i heard that chong lee may have already moved out of beach road. I need to ask my kaki "piano teacher buddies" for more info.

Most of the time I go to leipo because they know what I want. As for Chong Lee, i only had 2 dealings with them on fabricating 2 new ring settings for my 2 sapphires. Both workmanship are ok as I spend time explaining to them on my design and what i want. They also explained to me whether the design fits the stones or the outcome will be what I had envisioned etc..

If you are not too fussy with designs and patterns they can do the job. Just show them the pictures you have in mind and explain. If you decide to go to Leipo, just tell sheena the wife, that Ms Yee the piano teacher recommends you here.

There''s another pricescope user called cowboystu who went to Yuen Tung, recommended by another user called flowerpower. Look for the guy name whye hoe. He''s a GG. He is the owner''s son.

As I noticed in most of your posts here, you have much higher expectations so perhaps you should consider trying the high-end places like charlotte at suntec. Look for stephan, he''s the owner. I met him last year during the Singapore jewel fest 2006. He seems like a nice person to talk to.

La Putri at Ngee ann city. I met the 2 sisters at the Jewel fest too. Their workmanship are beautiful. There''s another place at Palais Renaissance ..off hand i dont have the boutique name and details but I have seen their stuffs and it''s not bad. Please go to this link and look at more of the different boutiques.

http://www.singaporejewelfest.com/art-asian-couture.html

And as for your other post asking where are the good places to do jewellery shopping, well just go to Orchard Road Wisma atria till suntec city, the shopping belt area..and now is a good time because of the "Great Singapore Sale" , just started on 22 May and will last till end July.

Hope that helps.

Regards
WL

 

[yeewl]

I got curious and though video did not play anything for me too i read:

b], believes a diamond needs to be seen before it can be bought.

"You have to look at the stone, you have to absorb the way the stone is formed, the cut, the shape, the brilliance of the stone," he said."That is why you need to look at the diamond itself before you buy it, you cannot buy it on the internet, that is ludicrous."
...
"It''s absolutely impossible to buy a diamond on the internet because you just do not know what nature is offering you."


which made me go to his website to admire jewelry and ...

Shop online:
Diamond rings:
Price : $22130.00
18ct White Gold Princess Cut Diamond Ring with Pave set Diamond
Shoulders. Diamond 1=1.03ct FVS2 Online Price on application.

Some balance




Pricescope

Hehehehe...

 

[widget]

yeewl...what a great story!! Thanks. I agree...sometimes things are just ''meant to be yours''...

Would you please please please start a thread featuring that ring with lots of pictures? Please?

I''d love to see more of what looks like an almost perfect emerald, and the mounting YOU designed for it.

Please?


widget

 

[pricescope]

Date: 6/14/2007 9:05:58 AM
Author: widget
yeewl...what a great story!! Thanks. I agree...sometimes things are just ''meant to be yours''...

Would you please please please start a thread featuring that ring with lots of pictures? Please?

I''d love to see more of what looks like an almost perfect emerald, and the mounting YOU designed for it.

Please?


widget

Yes! Pictures! Big ones!

 

[yeewl]

Date: 6/14/2007 9:05:58 AM
Author: widget
yeewl...what a great story!! Thanks. I agree...sometimes things are just ''meant to be yours''...

Would you please please please start a thread featuring that ring with lots of pictures? Please?

I''d love to see more of what looks like an almost perfect emerald, and the mounting YOU designed for it.

Please?


widget

Yes! Pictures! Big ones!




Pricescope
_____________________________________________________________________



Hello again,

When I pop by pricescope few minutes ago, I thought after my last comment, there won''t be anymore users replying to this thread.

When I read both comments, I am really very touched, to the point that there were tears in my eyes. At least there''s someone here really appreicate what i have done without pouring more cold water on me.

You see, my hubby has never approved of me taking up the IGI dist ed course, saying that it''s a big waste of time and money. He wanted me to do something more practical, like learning accounting and cooking....

Even my mom too, didn''t really supported my decision to take the course too.. maybe she''s worried that i will spend all my money on diamonds and gemstones and leave no savings for old age and neglect my work. She wanted to see me build up my teaching career quickly again after spending 4 years in Melbourne studying to become a music teacher.

To them, they feel all these gemstones and diamonds are of little values in terms of money, long term ''investments'' etc... in fact you need more time to take care of your jewellery, put them in the bank safe deposit box and constantly worry that you might get robbed and hurt in the process when wearing them. In their eyes, it''s just a hobby. A very expensive hobby.

I found it fun assisting friends looking for loose diamonds with/without GIA dossiers using the idealscope and ASET scope. Helping them get more freebiees and choose the ready casing while trying to bargain down the price. Sometimes I do it together with tomatoe, another pricescope user. Mind you, we don''t get anything out of it. Just personal satifaction.

However when I start talking abt new gemstones or diamonds that i seen at the tradeshow, jewelfest or he seeing me going to bookshop purchasing another renee newman reference book or diamond magazine, he will get rather cross and i will receive a long ''lecture or sermen'' from him on our way home. He never shared my passion for diamonds or gemstones. Find it waste more money and space to put them.

The only person who really supported me was my best friend. I told her i really wanted to do this course and be able to choose gemstone and diamonds without any fear, trust my own instinct, and also before my eyesight starts to fail me. I took the plunge and paid for the course.

Most of the pictures were taken by tomatoe, like the one on my avatar. She has a digital camera while i only have film camera. She was very kind coming to my place one afternoon and took quite a few shots. She even helped me burn all the pictures she took into the CD.

Unfortuately the CD is in Singapore at my mom''s place while I am currently relocate to melbourne, australia. Been here for the past 6 months plus because my hubby was accepted to do his Masters program, engineering (research) at Monash University. Most of my jewellery are in Singapore too... safe deposit box ''sleeping'' away. Now my pocket are no longer as deep as before..very shallow in fact

So now my life or music teaching career (as a piano teacher) and hobby (sourcing and designing for friends) has been put on hold.. almost becoming a full time housewife here..

If I get to fly back to Singapore end of the year I will look for the burned CD and bring it back to melbourne and upload the few pictures as requested.


Thank you again for all your kind words and encouragement. It really means a lot to me, especially when I am stuck here, not doing what i enjoyed most.

Kind regards
WL

 

[pricescope]

Well Widget, i guess i need to satisfy our craving with just this Avatar pic, fortunately decompressed - it''s such a vibrant color and beautifully designed piece.
Tell tomatoe that you both are bad girls yeewl

 

[widget]

Thanks, PS!

Good Lord in Heaven, that''s a beautiful ring!!!

That emerald positively GLOWS!!!!

yeewl....do you think tomatoe still has the pictures saved somewhere? Maybe she could email you some! (craving more more more

)


widget

 

[Kaleigh]

Thanks for the larger pic Irina. Yewl what a touching story!!! I am so glad you shared it with us!!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 6/14/2007 1:31:52 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Thanks for the larger pic Irina. Yewl what a touching story!!! I am so glad you shared it with us!!

ditto!!

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 6/14/2007 12:58:02 PM
Author: Pricescope
Well Widget, i guess i need to satisfy our craving with just this Avatar pic, fortunately decompressed - it''s such a vibrant color and beautifully designed piece.
Tell tomatoe that you both are bad girls yeewl

WOW, beautiful ring!!!

 

[yeewl]

Well Widget, i guess i need to satisfy our craving with just this Avatar pic, fortunately decompressed - it's such a vibrant color and beautifully designed piece.
Tell tomatoe that you both are bad girls yeewl

Pricescope



Dearest Irina,


Thank you so much on helping me enlarge the emerald ring picture.
As I am not a computer savvy person, i really need all the help i can get for simple things like this.


Also, thank you for your kind comment on my design, the emerald stone together with the 2 'sidekicks'.

Coming from an expert like you is like a pat on my shoulder, a tremendous encouragement that I finally did something right and wonderful. It really means a lot to me.

As for tomatoe... when I get to meet her in Singapore I will let her know...

After seeing so many kind written comments from others really make my day brighter..


Kind regards

 

[yeewl]

Thanks, PS!

Good Lord in Heaven, that''s a beautiful ring!!!

That emerald positively GLOWS!!!!

yeewl....do you think tomatoe still has the pictures saved somewhere? Maybe she could email you some! (craving more more more

)


widget

___________________________________________________________________

Hello again,


I wish tomatoe still kept those pictures taken but unfortunately, after she made the burned copy on the CD she deleted them. I remembered she mentioned to me.


If memory serves me correct, it was either taken somewhere end 2004 or early/mid 2005. I remembered when coming back from my last Melbourne trip mid november 2004, I bought along the expert version idealscope from Garry Holloway at his Canterbury showroom and pass it to her at Toa Payoh Central. She said when she has some spare time will definately pop by my house and take those pictures .


I should not take all the credits. Tomatoe really helped me alot on those lovely pictures. We spent the whole afternoon taking them and she stayed at Clementi, far away from my place.


I see if I still have some other pictures. If I do I will paste them here and perhaps Irina could help enlarge it for me.

________________________________________________________________________________

What I have learned from this project is....


1. making sure what are your expectation regards to custom-made any brand new ring casing from scratch (the wax, mould, the works ).


2. Be prepare to sit down and spend time talking to them no matter who you work with, and in my case it''s the people at Leipo.


Show them as many pictures as you have on hand as references. Making sure they know what you are looking for on the end result. They know you mean business, no fooling or mucking around, you know what you are talking about.


I made all the necessary measurements on the emerald when placed together with 2 princess cut diamonds before they start custom made the mound. Patience is the keyword.


I also applied the same method on my diamond search. Took the emerald and pictures with me to show the salesperson/manager/tradesmen what i am looking for. They will assist me, making sure it will fit in nicely side by side. Afterall, they want to close the deal with you.


3. If you were hell bend wanting to save some money using a ready made casing instead of a custom made one. And it needs to do some alteration just to fit in your diamond when the ready casing is meant for a bigger carat diamond, please use your 6th sense, (gut feeling) and consider custom make a brand new one instead. Anything that needs to be altered just to fit your stone may not turn out what you would imagine in the end. It will save you lots of heartache, trouble of going to and fro and money. However, there are rules and exceptions....


How I know because I learned the hard way too..
I had a 0.30 GVVS set in a dated design. Wanted so much to reset as a 5 claw tiff ready casing which they do not have and wasn''t prepared to fork out a few hundreds more, I opt to use a 1/2 carat ready made casing instead and did some alteration on it. The people at leipo did advice me the outcome will not be what I would imagine. True enough, it turned out to be so horrible and I had to redo the whole thing. I ended up paying more...if only i had listened to my gut feeling and less on my wallet.


0.50 carat ring casing will not look nice on a 0.30 diamond no matter how you alter it. But a 0.50 carat ring casing to fit a slightly bigger carat diamond after altering may have a 50/50 % chance it might work.


The exception case was the alteration of a 4 claw cartier replica which were meant for 1/2 carat round. They did an alteration just to fit in my 0.65 oval and also tomatoe''s 0.70 regent cut from GOG. Below are some picture of her new ready made 4 claws cartier replica.


Tomatoe''s new setting.

4. Most important thing, Do your homework.
Take all the time you need to read up on books regarding choosing of loose diamonds, gemstones, what are the difference between ready made casing and custom made one etc.

Go to bookshops like Kinokuniya and Borders. Those are good places to begin your research.

Purchase or subscribe lots of jewellery magazines.

Attend tradeshows and jewelfest to find out more of their latest designs.
Get to talk to the relevent people in the trade. You will be amazed how helpful they are.

In the end, "You get what you paid for" in putting in diligent hardwork and/or money well spent.


Kind regards
WL

 

[Harriet]

Thanks, WL. Unfortunately, I won't be back in time for the "Great Singapore Sale." Btw, you're a nice piano teacher, right?

I had some scary ones in my time.

 

[chrono]

Gorgeous emerald YeeWL. I think when you designed it years ago, it was way before the East-West setting craze so it goes to show that you have an eye for design.

I have great respect for piano teachers. Both my violin and piano teachers were in Singapore and they were not only talented, but very good teachers. I did teach for a while (while waiting for my exam results) and considered it as a full time career (even took the teaching and performing certifications) but decided to go to UNI when my choice of UNI accepted my application.

 

[yeewl]

Gorgeous emerald YeeWL. I think when you designed it years ago, it was way before the East-West setting craze so it goes to show that you have an eye for design.

I have great respect for piano teachers. Both my violin and piano teachers were in Singapore and they were not only talented, but very good teachers. I did teach for a while (while waiting for my exam results) and considered it as a full time career (even took the teaching and performing certifications) but decided to go to UNI when my choice of UNI accepted my application.
___________________________________________________________________________


Hello Chrono,


Thank you for your kind comment on the emerald ring design. You are right regarding the East-West Setting craze that came much later after this design was done.


I did all the necessary research via internet, reading different setting on the reference books and jewellery magazine. They only have some designs that meant for diamonds back then.


Lots of people poured cold water on me with this design, saying that i should just stick to the ''traditional'' type of setting, either North-South with 2 diamonds as side stones or with clusters surrounding the emerald. They say no one will like my design. That was part of the dilemma i faced, not sure should i follow the current trend or make my own trend instead...my gut feeling tells me to follow my heart

.


I started learning piano together with my younger sister when we were in primary school..actually at that time i thought my mom wanted me to learn for ''fun''...well mom always know how to map out my future more than myself though. Violin is my 2nd instrument and I only took up at a much later stage.


I have been teaching piano for 7 years in singapore before finally found the courage and hop into the bandwagon of going Australia to pursue my degree in Melbourne a year after my sister came back from her studies in Perth. All of us chipped in to help foot the 2 years course at Murdoch and via versa, she did the same for me. Upon graduation mom wanted me back immediately to kick-start my teaching career again. This time I worked for another 8 years before relocating back to Melbourne. I really missed teaching my cheeky students. Guess teaching is in my blood after all. I requested the parents not to bring their children at the airport to send me off as i hate seeing them cry and that will make me cry too. Doesn''t look too ''kool'' as an adult.


I was rather reluctant to give up my career, jewellery hobby and the sale of my beloved flat if it wasn''t because of my Aust PR requirements and my hubby''s Masters Program at Monash. Also my best friend, who encouraged me take the IGI course is here in Melbourne too, pestering me endlessly to come ASAP cos she''s very lonely. Through God''s grace he was given a 2 years grant so at the moment, it help lessen my burden of not getting more students to teach here. I even tried applying online to work as a sales person in a jewellery shop but no luck. Perhaps they feel i will not be able to sell jewelleries and hit their monthly target.


Whenever I looked back, my sis and me were rather fortunate compared to my other cousins (mom''s side) where they had to borrow money from other relatives just to come over and pursue their Engineering degrees here. Both my aunts were not able to foot everything.


Now my youngest cousin will be at Brisbane starting his 3rd year at UQ in 3 weeks time. He signed a 6 years bond with the Army. Should say that my younger sister was the pioneer in starting this going ''Overseas to Studying'' trend...


WL

 

[yeewl]

Thanks, WL. Unfortunately, I won''t be back in time for the "Great Singapore Sale." Btw, you''re a nice piano teacher, right?

I had some scary ones in my time.


______________________________________________________________________


Hello Harriet


So sorry to hear you won''t be able to come back during the "Great Spore Sale" ...
Boy i miss those sales very much...


I enjoyed teaching from young. It''s one of my ambition to be a teacher. The Suzuki teacher''s training course I took in spore before coming here helped me to understand suzuki methods better and also to be even more patient when teaching aussie kids here.

My former Lecturer in Melbourne is a Suzuki trainer and she''s also my Principal study teacher during my undergrad. We were introduced suzuki method during semester 2. I have never seen a lecturer as patient as her, trying to teach whole class of grown adults and teenagers how to teach little kids as young as 4.



WL

 

[yeewl]

F vs1 H&A 0.608


Hello widget,

As requested, I managed to find another picture of my project.

This was done few years ago at Felin Jewellery before they ceased operations in Singapore and focus on the Hong Kong and China market.

Dora, the lady manager owed me a favor, offered me a price that i simply can't say no ...

As you noticed in the 2 pictures, I made a slight alteration to the custom made casing. The alteration was necessary as i have all kinds of different necklaces (box chain, snake chain etc) which i like to interchange them often with different outfit.

Unfortunately, I didnt get to keep this design long because I finally found another loose diamond with almost the same spect and set it as a pair of earrings late 2005.

Hope that helps

Regards

WL



edit:

in case if you are not able to see the 1st picture, you can click to this link. It's the 18k White Gold Floating Solitaire Pendant Setting $375

http://www.bluenile.com/pendant_settings.asp?filter_id=5&track=design_state&view_override=style

 

[widget]

Thanks, Yeewl...

But actually it''s that glowy E/W emerald ring that I sends me to the moon...

Oh, well. Guess I''ll just have to be satisfied with Irina''s enlarged avatar pic....

That ring is truly something to behold.

Well Done!!!

widget