Hi all, 30th Wedding Anniversary Diamond help needed !

[ChrisMc]

Hi all,
Glad I found this corner of the web !

So, for our 30th Wedding Anniversary coming up, I've decided that my wife deserves a treat, and have been looking at various Solitaire's that would be a suitable pressie !
Thing is, its a maze as I'm realising, and buying through a local Jeweller here in the UK might most definitely get me either 1 Best value, or 2- a good stone.

I'm thinking of a £10,000 budget, and hope for that I can get perhaps a 1.5Ct stone, hopefully of a reasonably good 3c's.
Ideally on a Platinum ring.
But where would anyone suggest here in UK ?

Then there's the matters of all the dimensions etc that help it sparkle, and the Certificates etc, - Help !

Any advise gratefully received !

 

[whitewave]

Best Diamonds in London and Durham Rose in Stratford both sell Crafted by Infinity diamonds.

 

[ChrisMc]

Thx, - Crafted by Infinity ? ..... - are they a particular good supplier/samples ?

See my naievety :roll

 

[whitewave]

Thx, - Crafted by Infinity ? ..... - are they a particular good supplier/samples ?

See my naievety :roll

IMO they are about the best you can buy.

Read here— business associate of the ones listed above:

www.hpdiamonds.com

 

[Snowdrop13]

You will find that U.K. jewellers will mostly not be able to offer you a wide range of certified stones to choose from. They will also emphasise colour and then clarity as the most important of the C’s, when the CUT is the thing that will make the stone sparkle.

Please, please take some time to read the educational info on here before progressing any further!!

There are multiple options for buying online, even from the US. Blue Nile can also offer excellent choices for U.K. buyers but you will need to know what to look for. People on here can help you out with that.

 

[ChrisMc]

You will find that U.K. jewellers will mostly not be able to offer you a wide range of certified stones to choose from. They will also emphasise colour and then clarity as the most important of the C’s, when the CUT is the thing that will make the stone sparkle.

Please, please take some time to read the educational info on here before progressing any further!!

There are multiple options for buying online, even from the US. Blue Nile can also offer excellent choices for U.K. buyers but you will need to know what to look for. People on here can help you out with that.

Thx for info, I'll read more asap. Interesting what you say re UK jewellers perhaps not being best to buy from, is that an educational issue do you mean ? Or a clever scam ?!

Coincidentally, we are across in NY for a few days late Sept, for our Anniversary actually, so buying from over there wouldnt be an issue as we could presumably collect while there.....
Food for thought, although perhaps some cost advantages maybe too.......

 

[whitewave]

@ChrisMc diamond one in NYC sells crafted by infinity. Or Wink at High performance diamonds can send diamonds to jewelers in NYC for you to see.

You can also try Yekutiel in NYC at ID jewelry. Tell him you want to see Pricescope quality diamonds.

 

[Snowdrop13]

I think they just rely on the ignorance of their customers, unfortunately! There are a lot of U.K. folk on here, often buying online, so maybe that will change eventually. I see more jewellers offering GIA certified stones.

 

[soxfan]

Thx for info, I'll read more asap. Interesting what you say re UK jewellers perhaps not being best to buy from, is that an educational issue do you mean ? Or a clever scam ?!

Coincidentally, we are across in NY for a few days late Sept, for our Anniversary actually, so buying from over there wouldnt be an issue as we could presumably collect while there.....
Food for thought, although perhaps some cost advantages maybe too.......

THIS is going to be your best bet because you won't have to pay VAT!!! Go see Yekutiel and ask to see PS quality stones. No-brainer......

If I were you I would absolutely do this. The cost savings will be incredible.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I would recommend buying local because you might want the added value that comes with local service. That said, I would recommend Cartier or Tiffany in UK.

However unpopular my advice (about buying big name brands) will be, I will second any advice given to buy a Crafted by Infinity diamond local to you. Bloody well cut diamonds!

cheers--Sharon

 

[bmfang]

I would echo the thought about visiting a CBI authorised dealer in the UK. You won’t go better than a CBI stone amongst bricks and mortar retailers in the UK (or unless you go purchase from a Hearts On Fire dealer).

@canuk-gal has a good point re: Cartier and Tiffany, however, I would lean towards Tiffany instead as their cut quality standards are better than Cartier. Of course, you will still be paying an absolute premium over a better cut CBI stone for something likely to be smaller in carat weight.

 

[canuk-gal]

I would echo the thought about visiting a CBI authorised dealer in the UK. You won’t go better than a CBI stone amongst bricks and mortar retailers in the UK (or unless you go purchase from a Hearts On Fire dealer).

@canuk-gal has a good point re: Cartier and Tiffany, however, I would lean towards Tiffany instead as their cut quality standards are better than Cartier. Of course, you will still be paying an absolute premium over a better cut CBI stone for something likely to be smaller in carat weight.

Thank you, yes. FWIW, with the above retailers, if you provide your "specs" (outside of cost) you might be pleasantly surprised.

cheers--Sharon

 

[ChrisMc]

Thx again, it sounds like CBI is the way I'd like to go, IF budget allows for something suitable.
Some great info and reading on Winks site, very very informative and enlightening, and clearly, a smaller CBI stone is going to equally, or indeed, more impressive, that the regular stones I've been viewing locally in retailers.
As pointed out, I'd clearly save the VAT/20% if I buy in the States, which apart from the Distance issues, seems a good bet, even if we only buy the Stone and have it set in a Platinum ring when we get back.

 

[Austina]

Sorry @ChrisMc unless you are intending to effectively smuggle the stone/ring into the UK, you are legally obliged to declare your purchase at customs and pay the duty on it.

We found them to be quite accommodating, they gave us a good rate of exchange and rounded down the sum, so it was a bit less than we were expecting to pay.

 

[ame]

I RARELY recommend Blue Nile, but they also have a UK site, which could be useful to avoid inbound taxes. I'd prefer a CBI stone, but this is another alternative, esp if they have updated their site to include better imagery.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Pricing on the U.K. Blue Nile site includes all the VAT that is due.

 

[ChrisMc]

Thx again all, I've been reading and looking and educating myself !
Buying from a distance is always a leap of faith, but with this much investment, its a helluva leap !
However, it would seem advisable for best choice and costs.....

Having never actually seen or held a CBI Diamond, how confident can I be that on the hand, it will be 'that' much more impressive or satisfying over a 'standard' stone ?
For example, a 1.38Ct, Grade G/SI1 stone, negligible FL, and Ideal Cut,.......like for like, and exactly same costs, (set on Platinum).....£10k.

Of course, when we all start filtering what we'd like from a Stone, we all want the perfect Colour & Clarity, not to mention Ct and Cut, but once the 5th C is factored in, Cost, compromises enter !