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Help please! Located in Toronto and looking to buy engagement ring...

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torontoshopper

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
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Good morning everyone,

I''m located in Toronto and am currently trying to purchase my g/f a nice engagement rock. I''ve been reading price scope''s information and threads in here extensively for the last week and I think I''ve arrived at a fairly good understanding of what I should be looking at but wanted your feedback on my conclusions and whether or not I''m better off buying from one of the e-ring sellers or locally.

Budget: 8000-8500 CAD (including tax(13%)/platinum setting)
Looking for:
Carat:1.1-1.2
Colour: G
Clarity: VS2-SI1
Cut: Very good/excellent
HCA: <2

I''m hoping for some insight from all the experience here on whether I''m on the right direction with my budget/whether I should really sacrifice VS2 for a bigger rock and SI1.

Thank you in advance for any guidance!
 
You might try looking at AGS 0 stones at USACerted.
 
Ya, USACerted is based in Thornhill, ON.

http://www.usacerteddiamonds.com

Or are you going for one of the branded H&A?

Color, you could drop down to H and still be safe.
 
It depends....

Budget wise it is hard to say not knowing much about Canadian currency compared to US. What have you found so far within your stated criteria?
Also, what are the taxes, tariffs, import duties, etc. for shipping from the US to Canada vs. purchasing from a Canadian vendor? Someone here may know. Perhaps you can ship it to a Fed-ex pickup location in the US and go across the border to pick it up.

Size vs. clarity: I doubt you will find much of a noticeable size boost in an eyeclean Si1 compared to a VS2. You may find a "more bang for your buck" scenario by going with a better cut diamond just under one ct. The size differences are in SMALL fractions of a mm.

IMHO a 0.97ct diamond with AGS 0 light performance beats a 1.2 ct dull looking one every time. I made a similar trade off (small reduction in size for cut quality & light performance) and was very well served. My FI''s ER can stop traffic on a cloudy day!!!!
 
I am also from Toronto. Welcome!

The Canadian dollar is very strong right now and you might consider buying from the US. Do you know what shape you are looking for?
 
Give Martin at USACerted a call, I dealt with him and he is a really nice guy. Although he is in Toronto, all business is done in US funds (since he orders the diamond from US), so you will still be able to take advantage of the strong Canadian dollar. But being in Toronto means he'll have to charge you both GST & PST... but his prices are very competitive, so you'll likely still end up saving money!

I think you are on the right track, if you give this info to Martin (or any other vendor), they will be able to provide you a list of diamonds fall into your acceptable range. Good luck!
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Thank you all for your responses and I apologize for not replying sooner; I thought I had email subscribed and just assumed no one was responding!

As per the shape question, I am looking for round.

Regarding the exchange rate, it is currently at 1.09% CAD exchange to 1 USD.

I''ve contacted Martin and am in the process of receiving some quotes, but since I travel to US so often for work I''m thinking it might be worth it to arrange to ship to US and pick up there? I was wondering about the consequences of purchasing in US and bringing back over... would it be as simple as proposing in the US as well and having her wear it home?
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My big questions at this point are:
1. Whether I''m better off going bigger with H colour on a platinum setting or if the whiteness of the platinum means I should definitely go at least G?
2. I''d like to maximize my budget without losing too much quality: is an eye clean SI1 really as visually nice as a VS2? I know my girlfriend won''t care but I''d like to get her the best quality I can.

Thanks in advance for your guidance.

On the topic of USACert, I am considering using them as well but as mentioned, I might try to avoid the extra 13% of PST/GST here in Ontario.
 
I am from TO and would definitely recommend looking online and buying in the states. We did that and when I compare what we got for the money vs what we would have paid here, I still gasp.

I''m sure you''ve seen lots of recommendations on PS for high quality vendors so I won''t go into that, but I did want to pipe in and say that from experience, you will get more quality for your money if you buy online through the states.
 
Hey Torontoshopper
Take a look at this thread from Beau13. A company in Toronto made her ring. She already had the diamond however.

I have just had a 5 stone diamond ring made by Brian Gavin Diamonds. who are in Houston I will tell you it cost approximately one third of the same type of ring in Birks. Do a search for them and you will find nothing but glowing reports.

There is no duty when importing jewellery to Canda but of course you do have to pay GST and PST in Ontario (I''m in Alberta, no PST here!!).
 
I think bringing a stone into Canada without going through custom you might run into to difficulties when trying to get insurance for it.
 
Thank you to all the responses. I guess maybe I will take a look at some of the US importers as well. Regarding the bringing the diamond in through customs and getting insurance, could you help me understand the difficulties that one would encounter with getting it insured? Would it be any different from purchasing a ring from a second hand place like Van Rijks or is there a certificate/some documentation you receive that I''m overlooking?

My other big question is regarding the VS2 vs SI1. Is the VS2 really worth the extra cost if I''m more worried about the visual of the diamond and not the actual technical clarity? Will an eye clean SI1 look just as nice as a VS2?

Thanks for all the help!
 
Date: 9/25/2009 6:21:11 PM
Author: torontoshopper
Thank you to all the responses. I guess maybe I will take a look at some of the US importers as well. Regarding the bringing the diamond in through customs and getting insurance, could you help me understand the difficulties that one would encounter with getting it insured? Would it be any different from purchasing a ring from a second hand place like Van Rijks or is there a certificate/some documentation you receive that I''m overlooking?

My other big question is regarding the VS2 vs SI1. Is the VS2 really worth the extra cost if I''m more worried about the visual of the diamond and not the actual technical clarity? Will an eye clean SI1 look just as nice as a VS2?

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
Hi torontoshopper! Great shopping to be had there! I especially love the windows on Bloor Street during the holidays.

Regarding insurance......you don''t need a bill of sale to have your diamond ring insured. Just an appraisal will suffice.

Re: clarity - I started out with an ideal cut, GIA certed H colour, VS1 stone and ended up selling it to get a larger AGS H SI2 stone. I wish I had have just gone that route in the first place. To me, there is no need to pay for a VS stone, as long as the SI stone you''re buying is eye clean.

Happy shopping!!
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Date: 9/25/2009 6:11:20 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
I think bringing a stone into Canada without going through custom you might run into to difficulties when trying to get insurance for it.
Click to expand...
Canada Customs has nothing to do with insurance companies.
You need an appraisal preferably one from a registered Canadian appraisor and/or a sales receipt and you can easily get it added to your house insurance policy or get a seperate rider.
To avoid problems down the road you may consider just paying the taxes either by importing through mail or through a declaration at the border and then getting the ring appraised here and then pictures stamped and certified by a CBSA office but that is really unecessary as it is rarely an issue.
 
Date: 9/25/2009 6:21:11 PM
Author: torontoshopper
Thank you to all the responses. I guess maybe I will take a look at some of the US importers as well. Regarding the bringing the diamond in through customs and getting insurance, could you help me understand the difficulties that one would encounter with getting it insured? Would it be any different from purchasing a ring from a second hand place like Van Rijks or is there a certificate/some documentation you receive that I''m overlooking?

My other big question is regarding the VS2 vs SI1. Is the VS2 really worth the extra cost if I''m more worried about the visual of the diamond and not the actual technical clarity? Will an eye clean SI1 look just as nice as a VS2?

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
1) Eye Clean is Eye Clean, if you can''t see inclusions to your standard in an SI1 or SI2 stone than they will rarely impact brilliance and will be indistinghuishable from a VS stone. There are a few exceptions like grade setting clouds impacting brilliance but these cases are rare.
2) The difference in color between an H and G faceup in a well cut stone is very minimal but some people are more sensitive than others. I''d suggest looking locally at stones of lower colors, even Birks sells H and I colored stones and they beleive they look perfectly white and fine when well cut. You could probably go to Tiffany''s or birks and compare the same cut in a G H and I color and look at color and decice for yourself.
 
Date: 9/26/2009 1:51:24 AM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover
Date: 9/25/2009 6:21:11 PM

Author: torontoshopper

Thank you to all the responses. I guess maybe I will take a look at some of the US importers as well. Regarding the bringing the diamond in through customs and getting insurance, could you help me understand the difficulties that one would encounter with getting it insured? Would it be any different from purchasing a ring from a second hand place like Van Rijks or is there a certificate/some documentation you receive that I''m overlooking?


My other big question is regarding the VS2 vs SI1. Is the VS2 really worth the extra cost if I''m more worried about the visual of the diamond and not the actual technical clarity? Will an eye clean SI1 look just as nice as a VS2?


Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
1) Eye Clean is Eye Clean, if you can''t see inclusions to your standard in an SI1 or SI2 stone than they will rarely impact brilliance and will be indistinghuishable from a VS stone. There are a few exceptions like grade setting clouds impacting brilliance but these cases are rare.

2) The difference in color between an H and G faceup in a well cut stone is very minimal but some people are more sensitive than others. I''d suggest looking locally at stones of lower colors, even Birks sells H and I colored stones and they beleive they look perfectly white and fine when well cut. You could probably go to Tiffany''s or birks and compare the same cut in a G H and I color and look at color and decice for yourself.
Click to expand...
Date: 9/26/2009 1:51:24 AM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover
Date: 9/25/2009 6:21:11 PM

Author: torontoshopper

Thank you to all the responses. I guess maybe I will take a look at some of the US importers as well. Regarding the bringing the diamond in through customs and getting insurance, could you help me understand the difficulties that one would encounter with getting it insured? Would it be any different from purchasing a ring from a second hand place like Van Rijks or is there a certificate/some documentation you receive that I''m overlooking?


My other big question is regarding the VS2 vs SI1. Is the VS2 really worth the extra cost if I''m more worried about the visual of the diamond and not the actual technical clarity? Will an eye clean SI1 look just as nice as a VS2?


Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
1) Eye Clean is Eye Clean, if you can''t see inclusions to your standard in an SI1 or SI2 stone than they will rarely impact brilliance and will be indistinghuishable from a VS stone. There are a few exceptions like grade setting clouds impacting brilliance but these cases are rare.

2) The difference in color between an H and G faceup in a well cut stone is very minimal but some people are more sensitive than others. I''d suggest looking locally at stones of lower colors, even Birks sells H and I colored stones and they beleive they look perfectly white and fine when well cut. You could probably go to Tiffany''s or birks and compare the same cut in a G H and I color and look at color and decice for yourself.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much everyone, these answers have helped me a lot! I''m going to do as suggested and head to Birks today so that I can get a better understanding of the visual reality of all the gradings. I''ll keep using this thread for my next step: Choosing the right diamond among the PS vendors!
 
TS, I suggest you go somewhere locally to look at lower coloured diamonds that will allow you to view them outside in daylight.
 
Date: 9/25/2009 6:11:20 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
I think bringing a stone into Canada without going through custom you might run into to difficulties when trying to get insurance for it.
Click to expand...


This is untrue - just fyi. Oh saw that others replied to this too!

I would also go to Tiffany on Bloor - now that they sell "I" coloured stones, you can really get an idea of how low you can go and still think it is white. I would say that their "I" would be the closest representation to what an Ideal cut "I" from Brian Gavin or WF would be like.

If you just go to European Jewelers or something, their "I" colour will probably look pretty yellow.
 
I purchased both my rings from two different US vendors and had them mail my documents (invoice and certs) to my home address and ship the ring to a Fedex depot close to the border in the US...you can imagine the rest!
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I had no problem whatsoever getting insurance, just get an appraisal done in Canada and supply your appraisal to your insurance company, it has nothing to do with customs.
 
Thanks for all the feedback, especially on the customs topic. I think I definitely might consider doing something creative with the shipping so that I can stretch my budget....

I''m looking at options now. I''ve revised my original targets based on a few visits to Tiffany''s/Birks and realizing that I''m better off with a bigger eye clean H, SI1 for my girlfriend''s priorities then the original thought. I''m thinking my new goal is an extremely well cut/<2HCA diamond in the SI1, H colour range.. (the HCA will allow me to stay "mind clear" as they put it). Setting is pretty simple, her and I both like the knife edge Tiffany 6 prong and from what I can tell I have a few options there (Superb Cert/WF).

New budget is 8200 USD (allows for the 1.09 exchange to keep it under 9000 CAD).

Any suggestions would be appreciated!
 
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