Coming from the UK HELP

[Welsh Girl]

Hi All

Please be gentle with me as its my first post.

My name is Amanda and I am from Wales in the Uk, married with 3 children boy and 2 girls.

I have only just found you and I am in need of some help as your fantastic picture of your rings has got my head spinning.

I will be traveling to Florida in October of this year and would like to purchase a 1ct Diamond and have it set while there, I will be there for 3 weeks.

I have no idea where to start as I am worried that if I do the purchasing on line when I get there I might not like it.


Can anyone here guide me in the right direction Orlando way, we will have a car so traveling farther afield is not a problem but I don''t want to go too far maybe a couple of hours.


Thanks guys

 

[Lorelei]

Hi Amanda and welcome!

Have you considered buying online and having it set there and sent to you in Wales? That would open up many of the great online vendors to you, if you would consider that. I don't know if it would be any cheaper to buy in the States and bring it home rather than order from the States to the UK, as I think the import duties and customs charges may be similar anyway. Is it a round diamond you want?

If you want to shop at a brick and mortar jewellers, then maybe someone can give you a recommendation for one in the Orlando area, if you would rather do that than buy online. But if you would prefer to shop online, then let us know and we will be pleased to help you.

One thing, it is cut quality which gives a diamond it's beauty, so it is important to consider it carefully. There are many resources here which you can use, and we can help to point you in the right direction so you can find a well cut stone.

 

[Welsh Girl]

Date: 5/19/2008 11:45:21 AM
Author: Lorelei
Hi Amanda and welcome!

Have you considered buying online and having it set there and sent to you in Wales? That would open up many of the great online vendors to you, if you would consider that. I don''t know if it would be any cheaper to buy in the States and bring it home rather than order from the States to the UK, as I think the import duties and customs charges may be similar anyway. Is it a round diamond you want?

If you want to shop at a brick and mortar jewellers, then maybe someone can give you a recommendation for one in the Orlando area, if you would rather do that than buy online. But if you would prefer to shop online, then let us know and we will be pleased to help you.

One thing, it is cut quality which gives a diamond it''s beauty, so it is important to consider it carefully. There are many resources here which you can use, and we can help to point you in the right direction so you can find a well cut stone.

Thank you


I am a bit worried about buying online and not seeing the finished product.

I am also still learning all about diamonds and what I want and if I afford what I want.

I have about $3500 to spend What should I expect to get for that ???

Thanks

Amanda

 

[D2B]

Hi
I am also from the UK, and due to PS, have made my very first foray into internet purchasing last year- very scary, but in the end oh so worth it. I wouild recommend you look at heaps of old posts, read up on cuts, dimensions etc, and then use the PS community to help you find a diamond and setting.

WF (whiteflash.com) and others on here are tried and tested and have a great return policy. You can also get your diamond independently appraised before it comes to you. Once you know what ring you want (try on heaps of styles in normal stores), have a look at the vendors here. I saved soooo much money by going down this route (inlcuding VAT and taxes). Just check that you can send it back via their Fed Ex account to ensure you have insurance (Signed Pieces and WF will allow for this - not all vendor do)

If you are still keen to see real stores in the US, I hope the US ladies can help.
But seriously, as a very nervous UK internet buyer, I am so glad I purchased something via the internet. I have better colour, cut and clarity then I would have had in the UK and much cheaper. I have just purchased a pair of studs (with the money I saved last year) from WF and cant wait to see them.

Good luck and enjoy the planning
D2B

 

[D2B]

Hi Welsh girl,
What shape of diamond are you after? A rough idea of what colour is acceptable eg G or H.

Have a look at www.whiteflash.com in the diamonds section you can play with the parameters eg size, colour, clarity and you can get an idea of what type of diamond you can get for your money. www.bluenile.co.uk (a US company but with UK and US web site) will also do the same thing, you can even see how it would look as a ring.

Anyway, have a browse and have fun.
D2B

edited to add: http://www.bluenile.co.uk/diamond_search.asp?filter_id=1&track=design_state this build your own ring section is great to have a play with and get an idea of what you want. You can verify size etc by going into a real shop and seeing how .5 or 1 etc carat look like on your hand size wise. Again, with a great return policy no need to worry. You can also reclaim the VAT back if you return an item (an annoying process but in end will ensure you reclaim any VAT paid for an item you have returned if you didnt like it).

 

[Welsh Girl]

Date: 5/19/2008 12:02:51 PM
Author: D2B
Hi
I am also from the UK, and due to PS, have made my very first foray into internet purchasing last year- very scary, but in the end oh so worth it. I wouild recommend you look at heaps of old posts, read up on cuts, dimensions etc, and then use the PS community to help you find a diamond and setting.

WF (whiteflash.com) and others on here are tried and tested and have a great return policy. You can also get your diamond independently appraised before it comes to you. Once you know what ring you want (try on heaps of styles in normal stores), have a look at the vendors here. I saved soooo much money by going down this route (inlcuding VAT and taxes). Just check that you can send it back via their Fed Ex account to ensure you have insurance (Signed Pieces and WF will allow for this - not all vendor do)

If you are still keen to see real stores in the US, I hope the US ladies can help.
But seriously, as a very nervous UK internet buyer, I am so glad I purchased something via the internet. I have better colour, cut and clarity then I would have had in the UK and much cheaper. I have just purchased a pair of studs (with the money I saved last year) from WF and cant wait to see them.

Good luck and enjoy the planning
D2B

Thanks I will read as much as I can, I feel a bit better that if I have to I can return an item.

Like you I want not just a nice ring but a good quality diamond.
Thanks again

Amanda

 

[Lorelei]

If the cut is good, then you can drop to a lower clarity ( as long as it is verified eyeclean by the vendor to your specifications), such as SI1 or SI2. Colour some go to a J colour to get increased size, and have been very happy with the results! But it depends on what you value more, some prefer a higher colour and clarity, it is an individual preference.

This is an idea of what you could get for your budget, assuming the $3500 is for the diamond only.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3755/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4320/

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471534.htm#

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4365/

The above diamonds are what are known as superideal for cut quality. This diamond below is what we call a nice make of diamond, which is well cut but not necessarily to superideal standards. However in some cases like with this diamond, you can still find a very beautiful stone, so this may be another option for you. A reputable vendor such as WF can advise you on each particular diamond and it's potential suitability for you.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-684409.htm#

These are a little smaller than a carat, but all are well cut and should be beautiful stones, to give you some idea of what you could get. Also many stick to AGS and GIA lab reports for their diamonds, as these are the two top tier labs. Also some of the online vendors offer a lifetime upgrade policy should you like the idea of being able to get a larger stone in time.

 

[Welsh Girl]

Thanks guy

I am going to sit down after making dinner and go through as much as I can.

Thanks for the links I will check them all out

Amanda

 

[Lorelei]

You are welcome! I just wanted to say Amanda, it can be a bit overwhelming with info overload at first, but take your time and we will be pleased to help you in any way we can.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Here is an example of what you can get for $3500 US including the setting, taxes, shipping etc.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/dreamers-little-beauty.82376/

I am very very happy with this diamond and working with Whiteflash is a dream. I had it shipped to Canada, sight unseen, but when you learn more about diamonds this doesn't scare you as much, especially with a repudable jeweler with a 100% return policy and a great reputation, like Whiteflash.

 

[Welsh Girl]

Date: 5/19/2008 1:48:32 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
Here is an example of what you can get for $3500 US including the setting, taxes, shipping etc.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/dreamers-little-beauty.82376/

I am very very happy with this diamond and working with Whiteflash is a dream. I had it shipped to Canada, sight unseen, but when you learn more about diamonds this doesn''t scare you as much, especially with a repudable jeweler with a 100% return policy and a great reputation, like Whiteflash.

Your is a very beautiful ring......