Engagement ring online Good or bad?

[trtl360]

I am new to the diamond search and was wondering what the general opinion is about online diamonds and rings. Any help would be great.

Chris

 

[phoenixgirl]

Read the tutorial here and do some research. Like with all online transactions, there are positives and negatives. The positives are that you can get quality jewelry for less (especially if you are ordering it from another state and don't have to pay sales tax that way). The negatives are that you might choose a bogus site (I've never heard of this happening, but I've seen some crap looking sites when searching on google and such -- make sure the vendor is recommended and associated with the Jewelers' Vigilance Committee or similar organizations), or simply that you like your ring, but you don't have a local store to go to for maintenance and such.

You might get some prices at local stores around you, and then see how that compares to the internet. I recently booked my honeymoon at a travel agency, and it ended up being $400 less than it would have been if I booked it myself online. So you have to do your homework to figure out what works for you.

 

[Diamondsbybree]

I would suggest shopping locally to get an idea of what you want and what your wanting to pay.

Then I would compare with some on line vendors. The price comparison between the two might save you some money. And there are more choices on line, versus going to a few stores where you live.

 

[kevinng]

So far so good!

For me at least.

 

[Hest88]

Online or off, you're basically dealing with the same issues. What matters is not whether they are local or on the Internet but how reliable and honest their business is.

 

[hoorray]

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On 6/28/2004 2:19:03 PM Hest88 wrote:

Online or off, you're basically dealing with the same issues. What matters is not whether they are local or on the Internet but how reliable and honest their business is. ----------------

And one way to help protect yourself is to read up so that you know what they ae talking about and can spot a "sales pitch" -- online or B&M. Also, use an independent appraiser to ensure that the stone/ring is what they say it is.

To directly answer your question with my opinion -- I've purchased from both online and B&M vendors. My success rate is much higher with the online vendors than the B&M's, but it probably had to do with the fact that we read up more before purchasing online. ALso, the selection can be much broader, depending on where you live.

This site can be used as a sounding board to help you sort out the process and answer questions -- no matter where you buy from. And, you can search on vendor names to see if others have posted good referrals or bad experiences.

 

[researcher]

I'll admit I was EXTREMELY skeptical of buying online. The majority of my jewelry has either been passed down in the family or bought from places like T&C and Harry Winston. As such, I've never had to worry much about the quality or being scammed. But, when it came to my e-ring and having my B/F at the time buy my ring I felt it was crazy to spend so much money for a name brand (I'm in grad school right now and therefore have a new outlook on money (in other words, not working for a few years has made me broke!)). At any rate, I called a couple of friends to see what deals they got on their rings, and one told me about an online vendor he worked with. Hearing rave reviews from him and having seen the ring his wife wears led me to the internet. Still being skeptical, I came across this forum. In less than 2 weeks I was so educated about diamonds I had local vendors taking notes when I talked about the diamonds I was being shown (and, I could even tell the height of the crown, table size, etc just by looking at the stone!). At any rate, I started feeling more and more confident about online shopping, and began talking to the various PS vendors. I felt most comfortable with WF, GOG, and Nice Ice, but I decided to go with WF because they had what I wanted in stock and I felt extremely comfortable with their policies. In the end my B/F and I purchased a 3.22 ct princess cut stone of the MOST ideal proportions and we couldn't be happier with the final result or the service we were given. I can honestly say that I will continue to buy my jewelry from them instead of the big name stores because I prefer their service (and lack of pressure to buy). In sum, if you're careful and find a vendor you trust you can get an amazing deal and find a lifetime jeweler through the net!

 

[Stomp]

I wish I would have bought online - specifically from one of the sellers that is very active in helping this community. They have a reputation to preserve and protect, and they know it (in addition to, of course, being total honest people)