Custom Engagement Ring - Help and Expert Advice Needed

[Michael P]

Hello Everyone,

First, I would like to thank everyone in advance for taking the time to help me with my engagement ring quest for my lovely girlfriend. I have been dragging my feet for well... 3 years, she would say 6, but at any rate, I am a very lucky guy and fortunate she hasn't caught on that I have been ring shopping.

Anyway, I have research quite a bit online and also stopped by a local jeweler to inquire on pricing for a specific custom ring.

Here are the specs I received from the local jeweler with pricing:

$5,311 for the Custom Setting and Center Diamond
The jeweler stated she would create the Custom Setting with using wax to match the design by Mark Schneider - "Affection" (See attached picture)
- 18K White Gold with 1/2 ctw round accent diamonds.

Center Diamond - 1ctw Princess Cut (GIA Certified)
- Color: F
- Clarity: S1
- Cut: Excellent

Add labor cost of $2000 she's charging and the total cost of the ring out the door is $7,311.

Is this a competitive deal? The lady was excellent and was very helpful. She was very confident in her pricing and even stated that her price would be lower than many of the other local jewelers, but I tend to remain cautious. A purchase this important and special, I wouldn't be doing myself or my beautiful girlfriend any justice if I did not shop around, research, and gather valuable feedback from an unbiased forum like this.

Any comments, suggestions, questions, etc very welcomed as I am trying to purchase the best ring possible for the best woman for me in this world.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me!

 

[slg47]

Center Diamond - 1ctw Princess Cut (GIA Certified)
- Color: F
- Clarity: S1
- Cut: Excellent

Add labor cost of $2000 she's charging and the total cost of the ring out the door is $7,311.

GIA does not grade cut quality of princess cuts, so this cut label is likely vendor applied. Do they provide pictures or an ASET image?

With princesses the cut quality is really important to getting that sparkle, a poorly cut princess will look dead.

Also, have you seen examples of this jeweler's work? That design is pretty intricate/detailed. The design is also fairly unique, do you think it is to your GF's taste? If you are not sure, perhaps you are better off with a simple pave band or solitaire?

That setting is $4k on another website in 18k with 0.335 tcw. The price---well you get what you pay for. I would want more information on that princess cut stone before I bought it.

 

[yssie]

No reputable jeweller will create an exact copy of a designer setting, so have you and she discussed what changes will be made? And are you/is your intended okay with the fact that the ring will not be an exact replica?

I would expect a higher price for a setting of that complexity honestly..

Unfortunately GIA does not grade princess cut, so we can't tell you much (the cut grade listed must be an in-house grade, can ask what metrics were used). Have you seen the stone in person? Comparing it to an AGS0 princess will help train your eyes, if you can find a local jeweller with a few


ETA: what slg said, my window has been open for too long

 

[figment23]

That Mark Schneider setting is $3795 on another website, and James Allen has several 1.01-1.05ct F/SI1 with their "ideal" and "premium" grades between $3700-$4000 before pricescope discount so I would say you might get a better deal buying the stone and getting the actual setting. This is of course without knowing the actual performance of the diamond you were offered.

 

[londongirl77]

How does one get a pricescope discount?

 

[Circe]

How does one get a pricescope discount?

One mentions that one is a PriceScoper to the merchant! I've bought from two PS dealers now, Solomon Brothers and ID Jewelry, and neither of them, like, insisted on getting my URL. If you search for diamonds through the PS search, it plugs it in automatically: if you're dealing with somebody directly, just mention it.

 

[Michael P]

I spoke with the jeweler and she insisted that her price for the excellent quality exceeds all others. You are correct, she is making a minor adjustment on the setting which I am fine with to ensure she is not replicating the Mark Schneider brand. If I mention price scope to her.. would she provide a discount? Probably if she is part of the program I'm guessing. I apologize for my ignorance and my lack of knowledge when it comes to this topic. I did counter her $6700 (versus $7311) out the door cash upfront... thinking she would counter, but hoping it is lower than her initial offer. Not sure if she would accept, but wouldn't hurt to ask right?

 

[slg47]

only PS vendors give PS discounts. do you have any more information on the cut quality of the princess? also did your GF pick that design or did you (just curious)

 

[Michael P]

Also, I forgot to mention that I took my girlfriend ring shopping 2 years ago. Found out she is a 4.5 ring size and that she is in love with that Mark Schneider setting. I didn't go off on a limb and try to read her mind rather, I was able to have her tell me what she wanted and desired.

 

[Michael P]

The Jewleer - Laura Loyd Jewelers, insisted that the cut was excellent. She said she is a GIA certified gemologist and that she is one of the best around.

 

[slg47]

If she loves that design, I would just go ahead and get the original. It's a pretty intricate design. The setting is 4k, so that leaves 3-3.5k for a princess cut stone.

 

[Michael P]

I've been told by the jeweler that buying the diamond online from blue nile or whiteflash wouldn't necessarily have the same quality as the hand picked diamond she finds plus the hand picked accent diamonds on the setting. I would like to purchase the original, but that may be out of my price range since I still need to purchase the band afterwards.

 

[slg47]

I've been told by the jeweler that buying the diamond online from blue nile or whiteflash wouldn't necessarily have the same quality as the hand picked diamond she finds plus the hand picked accent diamonds on the setting. I would like to purchase the original, but that may be out of my price range since I still need to purchase the band afterwards.

well yes...the jeweler wants you to buy from her. is she going to back this up with an ASET image or other images? You wont be able to get an AGS0 1 carat princess in your budget but JA has some ~1 ct princess cuts that could be nice.

I would get your jeweler to call in some AGS0 princesses so you can compare cut quality, also look at them in different lighting, also see other samples of her work.

ETA not trying to steer you away from this jeweler (I am bad at wording posts) but I would want to do all of the research before just trusting someone with a major purchase

 

[Michael P]

She rejected my offer of $6700. I did ask her to provide an ASET image. Will post it once I get it.

 

[antelope1]

Ask her for 3.5% for the cash discount. That's the VISA / MC fee, and she should definitely give you that for cash or wire transfer. $600 may have been too steep.

It's promising that she even has an ASET scope capable of taking photos (many B&M don't), so it's possible that she's as good as she says she is -- but keep in mind that she's trying to make a sale, too.

Do you want to price out the actual designer setting with an online diamond for comparison? Do you know how your GF would feel about a custom-but-close setting?

 

[Michael P]

Yeah. I was thinking it was steep too, but doesn't hurt to ask. Thinking if I went with the designer.. Pricing it out: $4k for the setting and $4k for the diamond plus paying to get it set. It would be $8k and I would still need to buy a band. Yeesh... This has been stressful!

 

[antelope1]

Are you going to get the matching band? Or a custom band that has less pave (read: less labor cost)?

I ask because if you are getting a custom band, it will probably be faster / easier / cheaper to get the custom ring as well. If you're going to get the designer band, better to go with the designer ring for a flusher fit (or as flush as you can get with that setting).

 

[Michael P]

I'm going have the band custom made with the ring. I agree with you that I would need to go all custom or all designer and Not mix and match. Do you think if I went back and asked for the 3.5% discount, she would bite?

 

[antelope1]

Maybe. You could phrase it as, "I did some more research, and I realize that $600 was too much of a discount to ask. However, I've been saving up money for quite some time and I think could get both the band and the setting from you if you could at least give me the 3.5% visa fee as a cash discount." If you're not thinking about mixing and matching.

Although, to be honest with you, for something that intricate, I would prefer the designer setting. Also, I would never think about upgrading if I had a designer setting (which might save you down the road). It's probably going to be an extra $600 up front (which you could use toward something else, I'm sure), but what happens if the thing that you're going to change is the one thing that she really loves?

p.s. -- I don't normally push the designer stuff (usually the opposite). Think of the money that you're saving by going custom as a risk -- is this custom person's melee as high quality as the designer? Will it be as well-matched? Will the melee work be as delicate? That's a risk because the custom person has never made a ring like this (most likely), but it's part of the designer's stock in trade. Since she's not expecting the proposal, you could save for another month or two and put that toward the ring...just my 2 cents.