I did a search but didn't see this question. I see that in Chicago there's the international gem and jewelery show coming this weekend: http://www.intergem.com/
My question is on the reputable nature of the vendors or if anyone else has had experience with it? I'm currently in the market for a diamond and a mounting and have looked at places such as Brilliance, Bluenile, and JA. My budget is around $11,000 for a mounted stone. Before I head off to the show, if anyone has suggestions of what to watch out for that would differ from either local or online stores. My guess is that many of the stores are sending a rep on the road so there may not be much of a difference.
Also in terms of price, do the shows typically offer about the same pricing as online or higher or lower?
My question is on the reputable nature of the vendors or if anyone else has had experience with it? I'm currently in the market for a diamond and a mounting and have looked at places such as Brilliance, Bluenile, and JA. My budget is around $11,000 for a mounted stone. Before I head off to the show, if anyone has suggestions of what to watch out for that would differ from either local or online stores. My guess is that many of the stores are sending a rep on the road so there may not be much of a difference.
Also in terms of price, do the shows typically offer about the same pricing as online or higher or lower?