Diamond Reset?

[diamondseeker2006]

Sara,

I mostly meant uncomfortable about flaunting my affluence in a country that has a vast amount of poverty. You''re probably in more danger of being mugged here, actually. In any event, I''d still vote for waiting to change the setting since your time is short before travelling regardless of whether you take it or leave it.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/4/2009 7:44:53 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Sara,


I mostly meant uncomfortable about flaunting my affluence in a country that has a vast amount of poverty. You''re probably in more danger of being mugged here, actually. In any event, I''d still vote for waiting to change the setting since your time is short before travelling regardless of whether you take it or leave it.

Yes - I do share that concern with you. But as I imagine most of my time will be spent at home, I really want it ::pout:: lol

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/4/2009 12:09:27 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
AXA? What is that? I only need insurance to about 20kusd - oh RMB times 7 is what... 140rmb? bah That sucks! Maybe I really should leave the Gem here

DAMN!!!!

AXA is the name of an insurance company.

It really sucks, doesn''t it?!! I asked around A LOT and so far, the answer is still no.

I seriously considered NOT wearing any bling here, but I think I''d have too much of a case of DSS!

The way I figure it, the only way I''d lose my diamonds would be if I were to forget them somewhere or if my studs my fell off my ears accidentally...but not much chance of either happening though. I''ve also heard that the risk of being mugged is so much less than the risk of having yr pocket picked.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/4/2009 7:44:53 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Sara,

I mostly meant uncomfortable about flaunting my affluence in a country that has a vast amount of poverty. You're probably in more danger of being mugged here, actually. In any event, I'd still vote for waiting to change the setting since your time is short before travelling regardless of whether you take it or leave it.

DS, my husband has just told me that Dalian is a little different from Shanghai. Here in SH, even though you don't see that many people wearing diamonds, much less larger diamonds, there's still a HUGE amount of weath here, an obscene amount, being flaunted actually. The condo where we live has sooooo many Merc's, BMW's, Ferarri's, Porsche's, Maserati's etc. it makes your head hurt. These wealthy people are what you'd call "nouveau riche" and believe you me, their net worth is probably in the realm of hundreds of millions of USD's - easily!! I know this, because I have friends here that fall into this category and yet these friends are only considered "middle class" - so to speak. Opposite where we live, there's new development that was recently launched and we were told by the sales rep that there was this family that flew in on their private jet and bought out the entire building (out of three) all for themselves!!

Yeah, it's really mind-boggling, when you think about how many Chinese people (actually the majority of the population in the country in fact) still live below the poverty line.

Sara, however, my husband said that you should be ok, as you'll be living in a secured expat compound and presumably, you'll have a car and a driver (forgive me if I am wrong here - but a lot of expats have a car and a driver); so you should be safe.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 11/5/2009 6:38:43 AM
Author: Phoenix

Date: 11/4/2009 7:44:53 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Sara,

I mostly meant uncomfortable about flaunting my affluence in a country that has a vast amount of poverty. You''re probably in more danger of being mugged here, actually. In any event, I''d still vote for waiting to change the setting since your time is short before travelling regardless of whether you take it or leave it.

DS, my husband has just told me that Dalian is a little different from Shanghai. Here in SH, even though you don''t see that many people wearing diamonds, much less larger diamonds, there''s still a HUGE amount of weath here, an obscene amount, being flaunted actually. The condo where we live has sooooo many Merc''s, BMW''s, Ferarri''s, Porsche''s, Maserati''s etc. it makes your head hurt. These wealthy people are what you''d call ''nouveau riche'' and believe you me, their net worth is probably in the realm of hundreds of millions of USD''s - easily!! I know this, because I have friends here that fall into this category and yet these friends are only considered ''middle class'' - so to speak. Opposite where we live, there''s new development that was recently launched and we were told by the sales rep that there was this family that flew in on their private jet and bought out the entire building (out of three) all for themselves!!

Yeah, it''s really mind-boggling, when you think about how many Chinese people (actually the majority of the population in the country in fact) still live below the poverty line.

Sara, however, my husband said that you should be ok, as you''ll be living in a secured expat compound and presumably, you''ll have a car and a driver (forgive me if I am wrong here - but a lot of expats have a car and a driver); so you should be safe.

ETA: I should correct myself and say that most Chinese people do NOT live below the poverty line - as in the defn most commonly adopted internationally, but it is still true that the majority of Chinese are not well-off by any means.

 

[Maisie]

I would go for the Pearlmans setting. Its very pretty. You never know.... in a few years time you might decide to reset again.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/5/2009 6:24:04 AM
Author: Phoenix

Date: 11/4/2009 12:09:27 PM

Author: Cehrabehra

AXA? What is that? I only need insurance to about 20kusd - oh RMB times 7 is what... 140rmb? bah That sucks! Maybe I really should leave the Gem here

DAMN!!!!

AXA is the name of an insurance company.


It really sucks, doesn''t it?!! I asked around A LOT and so far, the answer is still no.


I seriously considered NOT wearing any bling here, but I think I''d have too much of a case of DSS!

The way I figure it, the only way I''d lose my diamonds would be if I were to forget them somewhere or if my studs my fell off my ears accidentally...but not much chance of either happening though. I''ve also heard that the risk of being mugged is so much less than the risk of having yr pocket picked.

Well if you just get a tiny diamond and wear that or a diamond band and just wear that - imagine how huge the diamond you have now will look when you get it back!!! It will at least buy you time lol

The Chinese in general are not very confrontational, I think that''s why there aren''t a lot of muggings. Plus muggings draw attention and people who draw attention for committing crimes have hell to pay. It has to be silent and have deniability.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Yes I will have a driver and I don't think Dalian has the wealth of Shanghai, but there is a strong middle class (a real one lol) there. There are a lot of people who struggle and live in non-ideal conditions, but it is their way of life. I have experience with that with extended family in Mexico. When you don't have a lot of money, you make due with different living standards and in spite of what others might think, for the most part it is totally accepted and okay. Not that they wouldn't like more, but they find happiness and contentment regardless.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/5/2009 9:17:50 AM
Author: Maisie
I would go for the Pearlmans setting. Its very pretty. You never know.... in a few years time you might decide to reset again.

I had come to the same conclusion, Maisie - but alas the diamond is too big - such a problem to have! lol

 

[Cehrabehra]

Well, I am having NO luck on the insurance front so now I''m thinking to go back to my original plan to have the diamond reset for my 20th in 2 years... which gives me a LOT of time to come up with a plan for it. (still really disappointed though)

but it also means I can really push to get this emerald by my birthday. I contacted two gem dealers and they both said they''d keep an eye out but neither have written me back and it''s been quite a long time now. Should I be pushy? I think it''s safe to say I can and should push a little right now, but how frequently should I remind them I want to spend money?

Isn''t this just the way it goes though? I find this frequently to be the case... I have lots of money in my pocket burning a hole and I can''t find a single thing to buy! And when I have no money all of a sudden everything looks like it wants to come home with me!! Anyone else have that?

 

[Phoenix]

I''m sorry to hear you''re not bringing yr gorgeous diamond to China but I totally understand. I''m actually going to swap my 3ct RB (which cost us a small fortune) for my pear ring (which also cost a small fortune, but about half of the RB) when I go back to Singapore week after next. It''s just too much of a financial burden to risk the largest material possesion you (or rather *I*) have.....well, second largest after the house, to be strictly correct.

But YAY for the emerald though. I''m looking forward to seeing how yr new project unfolds.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/10/2009 9:56:48 AM
Author: Phoenix
I''m sorry to hear you''re not bringing yr gorgeous diamond to China but I totally understand. I''m actually going to swap my 3ct RB (which cost us a small fortune) for my pear ring (which also cost a small fortune, but about half of the RB) when I go back to Singapore week after next. It''s just too much of a financial burden to risk the largest material possesion you (or rather *I*) have.....well, second largest after the house, to be strictly correct.


But YAY for the emerald though. I''m looking forward to seeing how yr new project unfolds.

ugh... I''m still holding out that my relo contact will come up with something... it''s funny because I have been liking my current setting this week... there are so many qualities that I really do love about it... ultimately I hope the emerald in there will work because I want to keep the setting. I flip back and forth on it... sometimes I like the setting as is, sometimes I dwell on how the diamond is unhappy or it isn''t what I wanted. I guess now I have 2 more years to think about it