Curious how much I saved with my BDG vs brick and mortar

[m323]

Hello,

I just purchased a diamond from BGD Signature series. I didnt step one foot into a local store to compare prices, I knew I would be getting the better stone and value online from my research here

But I am curious as to what I would have paid for a similar diamond in a brick and mortar shop. I feel like I saved a bunch

I am not sure if the lower end mall places would even carry the cut quality and then the high end shops would add cost to pay for the name.


Anyone have any idea of generally what this diamond would cost if I were to walk into a place locally?

.88 Round BGD Signature Idea Cut E-vs2 hearts and arrow


I am interested in knowing and dont think I will get the ring appraised to find out because I dont think my gf will really even care about knowing the value.

thanks

 

[kenny]

You will almost certainly NOT find anything that well cut at your local B&M so the question is arguably moot.

It also depends where you live.
If you live local to jamesallen, goodoldgold or whiteflash I believe all 3 have B&M locations.

 

[m323]

thanks for the info.

I live in Scottsdale so I would think in all of the high end jewelry stores around I could find something similar. I would hope so, based on the prices that the local customers are willing to spend in those stores on their diamonds. lol

 

[kenny]

thanks for the info.

I live in Scottsdale so I would think in all of the high end jewelry stores around I could find something similar. I would hope so, based on the prices that the local customers are willing to spend in those stores on their diamonds. lol

No.

Tiffany, Harry Winston, Cartier, etc have very very expensvie goods but top-cut for optimum light performance is a niche market.
Their demographic is rich, not necessarily and not-likely well-informed about top-cut.

Top cut requires they polish away more rough diamond material, so they may get a 0.75 carat top-cut diamond out of rough that typically could be cut into a 1.0 carat diamond.
EVERYONE understands carat weight.
FEW understand good cut, the best cut.

Why should they throw money/rough away when the market for top-cut is so tiny?

You are buying something really really special ... and paying less than you'd pay for a likely-inferior cut from those high-end jewelers.

 

[chrono]

Hearts on Fire is comparable, if you can find a local B&M that carries this branded cut.

 

[MustangGal]

I looked at the Shane Co. database, since we have one of those in Scottsdale. The closest they had was a .90ct E VS2 GIA Excellent, for $8,215. Jared has a similar one for $8,700. They probably aren't as nice as the BGD too.

 

[OoohShiny]

No B&M near me (I'm in the UK) carries stones of a cut like the CBI cut I purchased for my good lady, but the Hearts on Fire (or equivalent brand) was offering a similar size in G-H SI1 (or thereabouts) for the same price as I paid for an F VVS2, so you can get a marked improvement in clarity and colour if you stick to the same size but shop online from a trusted PS vendor (as well as the obvious improvement in cut quality).

Alternatively, stick with the clarity and colour you can find locally and instead increase the size and improve the cut as well!

 

[1stTimeRockHunter]

Just as a rough estimate, from shopping personally. I found that online (WF and BG primarily) we 10-15% cheaper than B&M stores in my area. Those stores were quoting me at EGL specs. So to save 15% or more for a far superior stone, it is definitely the way to go!

I surprisingly had many people say be careful online and some even told me not to shop online for the diamond/ring (without ever doing so themselves). I look forward to getting the ring finalized and proposing knowing I made the best choice possible, like you did.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hearts on Fire are one of the very few hearts and arrows cut stones you'll find out in regular jewelry stores. When I went to look at a HOF stone a few years ago, they were 30% higher than the H&A vendors here on PS. Aside from the HOF dealer, I went to other high end jewelers and they did NOT have stones that were the quality of the H&A stones from BG, WF, GOG, and CBI.