TxDiamondHelp
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2015
- Messages
- 2

Hi, thanks for your advice. So far the world of looking at engagement rings has been fun but a daunting experience.
Budget: 20k
Setting: http://www.simongjewelry.com/wps/portal/SimonG/products/MR1840-A/SET
It doesn’t necessarily have to be this Simon G ring, my girlfriend and I went to Robbins Brothers this weekend (I thought this would be a good start as they would have the most rings in one place to let her look and try on) and she loved this one. She certainly seems to want a Cushion cut diamond, a very slim band, micro-pave (if that is the correct term) diamonds around the band and halo around the center stone. She also likes a very low setting of the center stone to the band.
I would like to get a 1.5carat center stone with the above linked setting (or one as similar as possible to it), with the highest possible attributes to the stone for under $20,000 USD. If I can come out less than that or get her wedding band in that budget, that would be even better.
As this is my first time really stepping into the world of jewelry, much less diamonds I have some questions after doing some extensive reading online about the 4c’s, GIA ratings, etc. and would welcome any advice.
1.It obviously seems like there are major price breaks to purchasing a diamond offline. If I do this, can I still somehow purchase the Simon G setting through Robbins Brothers or another jeweler? Would that be recommended?
2.Offline purchasing versus going through a wholesaler in the city? I live in Houston, TX so there seem to be quite a few advertised here.
3.I have some interest in getting a Canadian diamond, is the idea that they are more responsibly sourced a farce or does it have some merit? Any idea how much more percentage-wise the price is and opinions on whether or not it is worth it?
4. I’ve read through a few threads on negative experiences with Robbins Brothers. Would you recommend not doing business with them at all, or do you think armed with comparative pricing information its possible to get a fair deal from them?
5.White Gold vs Platinum – the original ring we looked at (and linked above) was white gold. I’ve done some reading on the pros and con’s since and the summary I’ve gotten seems to be “if you can afford Platinum, go with Platinum” would you agree?