Derco Prices in Santana Row Similar to Online Vendors?

[slycatty]

I went to Derco today (the Santana Row not SF) and was quoted some prices that seemed very comparable if not cheaper to some online vendors. Am I missing something? Here''s 3 stones that I saw. I''ll scan and post a copy of the GIA certs later today.
Also, they had simple 6 prong rings that started at $78 which would let me put most of the budget into the diamond. Please let me know which do you think is the best value.

Diamond #1
$2,540
0.76 carat
H
VS2
Cut = Excellent
Polish = Excellent
Symmetry = Excellent
Flourescence = None
Clarity Characteristics = Cloud, Feather

Diamond #2
$3,300
0.8 carat
F
SI1
Cut = Excellent
Polish = Excellent
Symmetry = Very Good
Flourescence = None

Diamond #3
$4,230
0.9 carat
F
SI1
Cut = Excellent
Polish = Excellent
Symmetry = Very Good
Flourescence = None
Clarity Characteristics = Cloud, Feather

 

[Mara]

do the certs have angles on them?

i was in there recently and i got a quote for a custom necklace project that seemed a little high...but i haven''t priced it out with online vendors yet.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 8/23/2006 5:22:31 PM
Author:slycatty
I went to Derco today (the Santana Row not SF) and was quoted some prices that seemed very comparable if not cheaper to some online vendors. Am I missing something? Here''s 3 stones that I saw. I''ll scan and post a copy of the GIA certs later today.
Also, they had simple 6 prong rings that started at $78 which would let me put most of the budget into the diamond. Please let me know which do you think is the best value.

Diamond #1
$2,540
0.76 carat
H
VS2
Cut = Excellent
Polish = Excellent
Symmetry = Excellent
Flourescence = None
Clarity Characteristics = Cloud, Feather

Diamond #2
$3,300
0.8 carat
F
SI1
Cut = Excellent
Polish = Excellent
Symmetry = Very Good
Flourescence = None

Diamond #3
$4,230
0.9 carat
F
SI1
Cut = Excellent
Polish = Excellent
Symmetry = Very Good
Flourescence = None
Clarity Characteristics = Cloud, Feather

Just based on what you have, I''d choose #1. I like clarity in the VS range but don''t mind going to an H and #1 has ex sym and is $2000 cheaper almost and I''d use that to get more than an 80 dollar setting LOL Either that or....

get one like this... hehehe...
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1358841.htm#
$3590 and spend $1500 on a gorgeous setting

or this one is nice too just over a carat and $5300 if you''re set on the $80 setting
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-2458446.htm

 

[slycatty]

Here''s the cert for Diamond #1 which is .76 carats

 

[slycatty]

Diamond #2 which is .8 carats

 

[slycatty]

Diamond #3 which is .9 carats

 

[CareBear]

slycatty, I've visited derco in santana row before. Their diamonds are not priced as high as most B&M stores but not all their stones are quite as "ideal" as the Hearts and Arrows ones you will find on a lot of the PS vendors. They are however a lot better than most mall jewelry stores. They did show me a couple that had the ideal angles that I was looking for but it wasn't the color, clarity, size that I was looking for at the time.

Take diamond #1 for example: pavilion angle of 41.4 is not in the preferred ideal range of 40.6-40.9
#2 has inclusions of extra facet and natural which in some cases lowers the price of the diamonds.
if you feel more comfortable buying from a B&M store, I suggest you bring in a stricter set of criteria to Derco and have them find a diamond that matches what you are looking for.

 

[CareBear]

Date: 8/23/2006 5:25:14 PM
Author: Mara
do the certs have angles on them?

i was in there recently and i got a quote for a custom necklace project that seemed a little high...but i haven't priced it out with online vendors yet.

I initially had my eternity band quoted with them and the price was 25% higher than SP and with lower quality diamonds. but of course will much lower than the "more than double" that Tiff charges.

 

[slycatty]

Hmm, I entered diamonds into the Holloway Cut Adviser and got these scores
Diamond #1 Score - 4.7 - Good - Only if price is your main criterion
Diamond #2 Score - 0.9 - Excellent within TIC range
Dimond #3 Score - 1 - Excellent within TIC range