Is this a good price?

[charks]

When I saw Widgets post about her detachable earrings I thought it was a great idea.

https://www.pricescope.com/user/reset/33618/1400775020/4c3e03f53c9ed298b8f1c2a5f0bb9a7c

I have a pair of 12mm undrilled Tahitian pearls that would be great as dangles.

So I asked my local UK jeweller to give me a quote.

I wanted the pearls to hang just like Widgets, with an approx 3/4 length drop with small melee diamonds - like a short piece of tennis bracelet if that makes sense.

My studs are approx 1.2 tcw set in white gold bezels.

He's come back with a quote of nearly $3000 - but that does include purchasing 8 x 3pt diamonds.

Is this a good price?

Thanks

Charlotte

 

[Lorelei]

Hi Charlotte,

I have to compliment your gorgeous kitty first in your avatar, what a beauty!

It's hard to tell with the price, that's almost 1800 GBP going by the current exchange rate? As you are probably aware, jewellery and custom work is expensive here, what I would do is get a few quotes, also ask what quality 3 pointers they intend to use, then you will have a better idea of what is reasonable. I think that's what I would do if I were you, get some prices then go from there but if your jeweller does beautiful work, that is worth a lot in my opinion.

 

[JulieN]

can't get the link to work.

 

[Lorelei]

can't get the link to work.

I think this is the one J, but I might be wrong, posting it just in case.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-detachable-drop-earrings.50634/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-detachable-drop-earrings.50634/[/URL]

 

[charks]

Hi Lorelei,

I assume you are also in the UK.

Why is custom work so expensive here?

I recently asked for a quote for a halo ring setting from another UK jeweller and was told it would be at least £3200.

I purchased a Ritani setting from Bill Pearlman for a third of that price.

And it had diamonds on the shank as well.

Is it because there isn't much competition in the UK, most of us Brits happily trot along to the High St jeweller and pay through the nose for a piece of junk?

I have been happy with my jewellers work in the past but after reflecting on his prices I realise they probably were very steep.

Pricescope has revolutionized my jewellery buying.

But it has made me very unhappy with UK jewellers.

Re my earrings.

I'm sure my jeweller intends to use pretty ordinary melee.

At the international jewellery show last year in London the price was approx £450 - £500 per carat.

That's about £15 per diamond.

So he's charging me over £1500 for the gold and workmanship.

That's over a weeks wages for most of us.

Should I go to the Birmingham Jewellery quarter and try and get some quotes from there?

Charlotte

 

[Lorelei]

Hi Lorelei,

I assume you are also in the UK.

Why is custom work so expensive here?

I recently asked for a quote for a halo ring setting from another UK jeweller and was told it would be at least £3200.

I purchased a Ritani setting from Bill Pearlman for a third of that price.

And it had diamonds on the shank as well.

Is it because there isn't much competition in the UK, most of us Brits happily trot along to the High St jeweller and pay through the nose for a piece of junk?

I have been happy with my jewellers work in the past but after reflecting on his prices I realise they probably were very steep.

Pricescope has revolutionized my jewellery buying.

But it has made me very unhappy with UK jewellers.

Re my earrings.

I'm sure my jeweller intends to use pretty ordinary melee.

At the international jewellery show last year in London the price was approx £450 - £500 per carat.

That's about £15 per diamond.

So he's charging me over £1500 for the gold and workmanship.

That's over a weeks wages for most of us.

Should I go to the Birmingham Jewellery quarter and try and get some quotes from there?

Charlotte

Hi Charlotte, I am indeed in the UK and it was because of the prices here that led me to Pricescope, almost 10 years ago now. I could not believe the difference in prices between the UK and USA, even adding in the VAT. I would definitely get some more quotes and you could certainly try Birmingham and ask to see examples of the particular jeweller's work, or maybe someone here might have a suggestion of someone you could try in the Midlands. I would definitely suggest contacting www.bestdiamonds.co.uk based in London to see what they can offer. Or maybe this might be an idea, to have these earrings made up in stages, if I am assuming what you want correctly. Contact Pearlmans or any of the other vendors that do custom or semi custom, consider having the 3 pointer drops made with the detachable ring one end and the correct anchoring points for the pearls on the other. Then have them shipped here and have a jeweller attach the pearls for you. It might be a backwards and less convenient way of achieving your goal but it might be worth considering and possibly cheaper even with taxes.

 

[charks]

Hi Lorelei,

Great minds think alike!!!!!

Well, I'm probably flattering me.

I too thought about stages.

Get the jeweller to break down the quote for me and work out what is affordable.

I love Widgets idea and would like to change a few of my current earrings to this style.

I'm afraid that my earring holes have stretched and I can't wear my hook earrings.

I did have my earlobes repaired a few years ago.

It was a nightmare.

I couldn't wear earrings for 2 months whilst the earlobes healed and then I had to have my ears re-pierced and again
had to wait for the holes to heal.

And they've stretched again!!!

If the jacket that Widget invented was made into a sort of universal fitting so they could fit many sets of dangles I could have all my hook earrings converted and wear them again.

Would that work?

Charlotte

 

[Lorelei]

LOL! We are both on the same wavelength by the sound of it, so I would take that as a positive sign!

Poor you with the ear trouble, that must have been very painful and worrying. Lots of things are possible in custom work so it might be doable to make the diamond ' dangles' universal and have your other earrings converted. Maybe one of the experts that does custom might be able to advise there, it would be a great idea though.