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A Day Late

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
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36
Hello everyone;
I have been reading on this site for about two weeks now, and have learned alot!! Thank you to those who repond and have the information others are looking for. I am older (40 +/-), and am about to recieve my first ever engagement ring. I have been with my honey bunch for eight years now. I am not only excited about this very large investment for us. It probably is not as large as incestment as many of you make, but I am very nervous about spending any amount of money on a piece of jewelery. His original budget was $3500 - this all started in november of ''07. He mentioned geting engaged, and I figured that I would get a ring for christmas. However, he wants me to pick it out. We looked very quickly one day in our hometown (with only one jewelery store). The only ring that even slightly intriqued me was a .75 ct. centre stone with three little stones on either side of centre (total carat weight was .96). The ring was set in 14 Kt white gold. The price for this ring was a whopping $6999. (which now sickens me). Anyhow, the city that we sometimes shop in (an hour away) has the usual Zales, Birks, Charm Diamond centres and a few family businesses I have not looked into yet.

I live in a very small city in Canada - sheltered life! Anyhow, my question is this: I have looked online at Blue Nile, DIamond Union, etc for a great ring with a better price (better than 6999), and foound I am either missing something VERY obvious to me or I am getting completely and totally ripped off in my own province... The ring for $6999 had a .75 centre stone that was F color and I1 clarity and the saleslady called it "well cut". When I look online, this centre diamond is only about $3000 (at Blue nile), so that makes the rest of the setting worth over $3000 and it has 6 small diamonds totalling less than .25 ct.


Please, someone tell me that I am insane, and not a diamond push over. What am I missing?


A Day Late...


P.S. our budget has increased to $5000 (thats a $5000 limit, not a $5000 starting point.


Quick Reply

 

O.K., today I went back to my hometown retailer, as I was sure I misunderstood the information she gave me about this ring. I did not misunderstand!! It is a .75 carat centre stone with .20 total carats for the outside stones (6 of them). The centre stone is F colour and I1 clarity. The price is 7000 (but she will sell to me for 6000). When I asked to see the certificate, she says she does not certify her stones, as they are very good quality anyhow.


I an not impressed with the price, but it is a beautiful setting. While talking, she says "I can really tell you have done your homework, and I can get you a better ring than this" I asked her to price out this setting with a 1 carat H or I color with VS2 clarity (at the worst), and the stone had to have a certificate. She tells me that the GIA does not certify diamonds with an I clarity or worse, so if I needed a cert, then she would have to price out a G color. She came back with a price of $12,000, but she would sell to me for $9000 as I liked the ring so much. It is still way over my budget, and this is all the information I have at this time:


1 carat
VS2
Excellent cut (she says it is the same as Ideal cut)
G color

She cannot give more information until I order the stone, when she gets the stone, she will also get the cert.


The exact same setting is here:


http://www.exceldiamonds.com/-Engag...-Ring-1324.html


It is stock # J880 at Excel diamonds


The only difference between excell and the one here is that Excel''s setting states there is .60 tcw for the 6 sidestones, and here, there is .20 tcw for the 6 sidestones. Sorry, I don''t know yet how to copy the picture onto here yet.


What up with her??


A Day Late

 
I agree with you that woman is crazy. To get the best deal for your money I would get the picture and see if White Flash or GOG can put that together for you. Seems like a pretty simple setting and is very pretty. Then you could also purchase the diamond from them, they usually offer some type of Pricescope discount or wire discount. I think you could do much better then that price!
 
Date: 2/11/2008 2:45:24 PM
Author: wen104
I agree with you that woman is crazy. To get the best deal for your money I would get the picture and see if White Flash or GOG can put that together for you. Seems like a pretty simple setting and is very pretty. Then you could also purchase the diamond from them, they usually offer some type of Pricescope discount or wire discount. I think you could do much better then that price!
Click to expand...
Ditto! There are thousands of beautiful settings. Get your diamond from either Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash because they specialize in ideal cut diamonds and they are all certified. The prices will be much better than you are finding locally. Then look at their setting selections. There are so many to choose from!
 
This lady sounds wacky.... please be careful.
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You can get so much of a better buy somewhere else.
 
Congratulations!

You have just made the discovery that many (most?) Bricks & Mortar (B&M) jewellers sell vastly over-priced jewellery, which may not even be certificated.

The flip side of that is that you can get a great deal by doing your homework and shopping online.

First thing is that most PS members will tell you to concentrate on getting the best possible cut grade diamond for your money. A well-cut stone can look larger, whiter and cleaner than a poorly cut stone of the same colour & clarity grade. Not to mention the knockout sparkle you will get!

As you''ve found the setting you want, it''s easy enough to find a lovely stone within your budget and to have your very own ring made just for you.

Do you have any ideas as to your preferences with colour and clarity, or as to the size of stone you would like?

Congratulations as well on your forthcoming engagement! We will all enjoy helping you to get the ring of your dreams, within your budget. :)

x x x
 
YOu know my budget is $5000. This is the budget, meaning I will go less if I find the ring that I love, but going up from this will make things difficult for us, and this is supposed to be a happy thing, not a reason for bankruptcy..... I love this guy to death, so with or without a ring, as long as he is with me, I don''t care...

I would really like a 1 carat very good or excellent cut, and by perusing Blue Nile, I do not think that I am out to lunch with this request. The setting has to be either white gold or platnum - no yellow setting!

I an not sold on solitaire rings - just not my style at this time.
S1 clarity is as low as I will go.
H or I color seems to me to be good enough, unless there is some great reason that I should go to G or H (becase itis going into a white setting).
This ting is not only an engaement ring, but also an investment for us - it HAS to be a certified stone, and I will definately be getting it appraised.

I live in Canada, as mentioned, so I am seriously considering buying online, so a good return policy is essential to ensure that I have time to have the ring delivered and get the ring and can have it inspected/appraised here. I don''t want to have to ''rush'' into a decision in one day before the return time is gone...
I know I am being picky, but my sweetie works away from home, and is only here for one week a month, so this ring is what I have everyday from him - it has to be special to both of us. I had no idea how stressful it is for guys to pick out a ring for us gals. IT IS HARD... that kind of money.....so many choices....I should have made him pick something out and been done with it.

The two styles I have so far fell in love with are:

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/-Engagement-Rings-5/Diamond-Cluster-Engagement-Ring-1324.html

stlye # J880 at Excel Diamonds


and


http://www.uniondiamond.com/jewelry/jewelry.php?item_id=823&action_type_id=2&pic_name=&shape_id=


Style stlye #JEA1027 to Union DIamond

These style REALLY are beautiful, and I keep going back to them. Maybe that is a sign that I should just buy it, but I need to be sure. The first one, from Excell diamonds I have had on my hand, and it is amazing (this is the one that is here in my hometown.

Again, I am from CANADA, so the diamond retailers have to be Canadian friendly (with a longer return pollicy, etc,).

Thanks for all the information I get from here.
 
OK, I found this stone before you posted that you wanted a 1ct - but thought I''d just put it down before I modify my search. :)

0.8cts F SI1, GIA cert, Ex cut, Ex sym, ex polish.

Scores 1.3 (Excellent) on the Holloway Cut Advisor with Ex/Ex/Ex/VG for Light Return, Fire, Scintillation & Spread.

All for $3389.

Off to hunt for a 1ct..

x x x
 
OK, I found you this stone:

1.02cts, H SI2, GIA cert, VG cut, VG sym, VG polish.

Scores 1.4 (Excellent) on the HCA with Ex/Ex/Ex/VG results.

$4054 - which leaves you enough money to go for the setting you want. :)

x x x

PS. if you look at the settings with sidestones on the same website, they do one almost exactly the same for $650. Stock ID GB5116.
 
here's a good old gold diamond.

These guys hand select their diamonds for excellent light performance. This size is hard to find--a smidge under a carat. Will face up close to a carat. If this diamond is eye clean--it is a definite winner!

Bank Wire price is 4192.00.

If you call them, I believe they can make a video for you so you can see it in action!
 
Cleo;

can those measurements be correct??? 8.98 - 6.02 x 3.69

It seems like a rectangle rather than a round??

Or did I miss something again??
 
liking the look of this one better--another good old gold diamond. I like the numbers better on this one. (I just ran the numbers on the HCA on the first diamond I posted for ya, and I think it has a rather large table--this diamond looks great all the way) The face up size is similar to that other one I posted. It's a tad more, but it's a beauty!

Bankwire price. 4376.00
 
LOL!

Well spotted! It''s a typo on the DoW.com website. It should read 5.98 not 8.98, according to the GIA cert.

x
 
oops, wrong tread, disregard
 
hi a day late!

i don''t think you should buy from the lady you were talking about. her prices are extremely high and her diamonds don''t sound all that. if you ask anyone here, we''ll all say the same thing! get it online! great deals, gorgeous stones and fabulous customer service! plus most of the vendors provide lifetime upgrading! always a plus!

the settings that you like seem fairly simple so i think any of the vendors can make one like it. i was browsing around for stones and found some:

check this one out!

it''s $4511 with the wire discount, so you have a little room for your setting. might come in a tad over budget, but the stone is over 1 carat and looks awesome!

or this one:

2nd one!

it''s $4598 with the discount. both of these are from WF and are from the expert selection, which are almost ACAs but didn''t make the cut because of a tiny reason (ACA grading criteria is very strict, anything that doesn''t meet it gets put in the expert selection category, which is good for you since you save some money that way!) their idealscopes are yummy too!
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or this one:

3rd one!

it''s $4450 with the discount. this one is from JA.


don''t worry, you''ll find something you''ll love!
 
kinda got a little carried away...with the above 1cts...kekeke...
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if you want to stay within the 0.75ct center stone, you can definitely stay under budget. let me go search for some... brb...
 
so here are some below 1ct that are well within your budget! yay!


gog 0.82ct I SI2 $2714

it seems clean, but you''ll have to call jonathan and have him take a look.



wf 0.807 I SI1 $2708

they don''t have the picture of the diamond or the idealscope up, but i''m sure they''ll help you if you call them and inquire.



gog 0.82ct I VS2 $3257

i like this one better than the other gog stone above. just wanted to give you some more choices!



so whatcha think? any stones to your liking? if not, we can always keep looking!
 
Um, one thing to consider with the excel ring is that the proportions will be much different if the sidestones are .6 ctw vs. the 0.2-0.25ctw that you tried on. Basically, the 0.6ctw sidestones will be much more substantial relative to the center stone in the size you are looking at, while the 0.2ctw will just look more like accent stones, not overwhelming the center stone.

You should be careful what look you are going for before ordering. Even with generous return policies there will still be shipping and possibly customs fees involved.

Perhaps one of these dealers might send you a picture of the ring on an actual hand with the appropriate size center stone "set" lightly in the setting? Or even a picture with a different center stone, just if they tell you the size difference you could imagine the change?

I guess this is a long post to say, the sidestones you tried on were 3-4 points (0.03-0.04 carats) each, while the sidestones in the rings you posted are 8-10 points and that will create a different "look", which you may or may not prefer.
 
Holy smokes...

You people are good!!!

So much more information than I expected. This is great and useful stuff, so back to the drawing board. By the way, Cleo, you are my new favorite! The setting looks amazing, and has a great pricetag (more for the rock)... Also, this is the first I heard about that site! TNX

Good point cara, I just figured that larger sidestones would look better....Hum, think again?? I will have them send a picture for me before I buy - as you mentioned, customs and postage may cost.

Thanks so much for the new sites,a nd the new stones. I will hopefully have it narrowed down for the 18th (when my honey comes home), and know what I need from him.

Also, I cannot find it now, but did someone mention that there are discounts from online vendors (such as Diamondsonweb.com?) I can''t remeber where I read it, but....


Thanks again for all the info... the search will resume tomorrow after work.. Goodnight all
 
This is the best search tool to use:

https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx

Just be sure you put in excellent-excellent for cut, and check GIA and AGS for labs. The advantage to using PriceScope vendors is that they depend on a good reputation here so you have sort of a safety net when buying from one of them. This search tool will show you the bottom line price with discounts, too. In addition, vendors such as WhiteFlash and Good Old Gold actually have most of their stones in-house and can actually talk to you about specific stones. Those two also have excellent trade-in policies as well if you ever decide you want something different. This is a valuable advantage.
 
I am wondering about one more thing before I go to bed:

Do I have my strategy figured wrong??? I am looking in this order:

CUT, CLARITY, COLOUR, CARAT

It seems that the lady at this retailler is telling me to buy this way:

CARAT, COLOUR, CUT, CLARITY.

I want a beautiful, stunning diamond, so I fugured cut and clarity should be first, I will not likely notice an F or G over an H or I, will I? Unless of course, someone is beside me with the EXACT diamond in a better colour, right??? If I am wrong, tell me now....

I just can''t figure a G colour with an I1 clarity is going to look THAT much better than an H or I with a VS1 clarity....
 
Date: 2/12/2008 12:00:55 AM
Author: A Day Late
I am wondering about one more thing before I go to bed:

Do I have my strategy figured wrong??? I am looking in this order:

CUT, CLARITY, COLOUR, CARAT

It seems that the lady at this retailler is telling me to buy this way:

CARAT, COLOUR, CUT, CLARITY.

I want a beautiful, stunning diamond, so I fugured cut and clarity should be first, I will not likely notice an F or G over an H or I, will I? Unless of course, someone is beside me with the EXACT diamond in a better colour, right??? If I am wrong, tell me now....

I just can''t figure a G colour with an I1 clarity is going to look THAT much better than an H or I with a VS1 clarity....
Click to expand...
Hi A Day Late!

I don''t think that you have your strategy wrong at all b/c it''s not really a question of right or wrong, per se ... More a question of what you are looking for and whether or not your strategy will enable you to achieve that. It really boils down to personal preference.

This being said, around PS, typically CUT is the primary factor for consideration ... Since you are asking about strategies, my personal strategy is as follows:

CUT, Color, Clarity, Carat size

This will vary from person to person, however, I will share my philosophy so that you can endeavor to make your own decision as to which "strategy" best suits your needs ...

1. Cut is most important b/c it affects how the other "C''s" will manifest themselves or appear in the diamond of your choice.
2. Color is next b/c color can be "seen" with the unaided eye. I find myself to be color sensitive, therefore, I prefer to stick w/in the D - F range, however, others who are not, have no problems finding beautiful diamonds in the G - J range.
3. Clarity follows b/c given that an SI range stone, for example, is "eyeclean", by my definition, then the inclusions are not visible without use of a magnification tool of some sort (loupe or microscope), therefore, I''m not worried about it .. If I can''t see it with my plain eyes, then no one else can either.
4. Carat size -- As LARGE as my budget will allow given that the other "C''s" are satisfied.

I hope that this helps!
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Hey Milly!
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Great to see you back in RT and those are some terrific suggestions for A Day Late! Also welcome ADL!

Your strategy is fine! Personally I would prioritise something like this;

cut - a non branded cut diamond which is an excellent performer ( Milly, Cleo and Coaties offered some good ones)

colour - depends on your personal preference, a nice middleground can be G or H which seem to be a sweet spot for many.

clarity - SI clarities if verified eyeclean by a trusted vendor can be a great way to go.

carat - as close to my target weight as possible, according to the mix of the other components.
 
Thankyou! :) *blush*

I think if you look here many of these vendors offer a discount for PS members. DiamondsonWeb doesn''t, but they will price match if you can find a similar diamond for less money.

I''m pleased it looks like you can get what you want within your budget... that has to be a great feeling! :)

x x x
 
hey lorelei!
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feels good to be back to RT.


a day late, you have it correct by putting cut on the top of your list. clarity and color is a very subjective thing, so it depends on your preference. sorry, my selections didn''t help since i selected based on my priority list...kekeke...when you''re ready, let us know. we''ll help you search for some stones with your list in mind.


 
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