Jareds and purchasing a ring: Help for a Newbie :(

[WirelessRoute]

Hello all,

Well it’s come to that time in my life where I am ready to give that special someone a ring
No comes the frustration of understanding all the terminology and tricks the jewelry stores throw at newbie’s

I took her to several jewelry stores locally. She likes 3 stone settings with the more antique look
I had her pick out one that she really liked at Jared’s. One of which was around $1299.00 in white gold with wedding band (Setting and band only). Wish I could get the specs but the lady that helped us was stingy and kept saying we keep all the details here.

As if she did not want me to get the specs and look for the same items else where.

It looked very close to this from Adwars Catalog (Can''t tell for sure since I can''t zoom in on the catalog)>

She also showed me diamonds and kept telling me that they have a new set of diamonds called "ideal" and they are superior to other diamonds because of the cut, they where a good bit more than the ones labeled Median.
Personally they all looked the same to me just different specs with different price tags.

What I am looking for
3 stone setting preferred with Wedding band to match (Antique style/look)
White Gold
Looking to spend total under 4.5K for setting and diamond

So my question is should I just buy the setting and diamond from Jared’s?
Or should I just buy the setting from Jared and get the diamond else where?
Jared a good place to buy with quality or just overpriced?
Any recommendations on where I can look online?

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome to PS

I don't know anything about Jareds, but most of us here buy online, you can really get a lot more for your money and the vendors supply all the expertise and info on cut quality you need. If you go to the resource section at the top right of the page and click on vendors, you will see a list of PS vendors listed. Popular ones include

Whiteflash
Good Old Gold
James Allen
Winfields ( Wink Jones)
Pearlmans

and others I haven't mentioned! Many of these can do custom settings as well as having their own designs. It is normally an easy process to buy the diamond from an online vendor and have them set it. Many have a good return policy too and encourage you to get an independant appraisal during the return period. Whatever diamonds you choose make cut your top priority as this is what gives a diamond it's beauty. Regarding colour and clarity, this depends on whether you want a top colour and clarity, D VVS etc, or to drop lower to a near colourless in the G or H ranges and VS clarities or the SI clarities which can still be eyeclean and a slightly warmer colour of I J or even K to maximise bang for the buck, or even mixing these up further. Study up if you would like under knowledge the cut tutorials to learn the best proportions etc for cut quality, this should help you immensley. It all depends on what you are most comfortable with if you prefer to buy online or from a jeweller, many of us have bought online and are delighted and wouldn't consider buying any other way now, but my best advice is to look around, compare and learn so you can make an informed choice and take your time. Also watch out for " Ideal Cut" being applied to diamonds, this term can be used loosely and broadly and doesn't mean the diamond is actually Ideal Cut. Learn for yourself what makes an Ideal Cut then you can judge, also go by your eyes too. Hope this helps!

 

[ladykemma]

read the tutorial first. go back to the jared''s -- get a different salesperson-- she just lost your commission. ask to see the AGS or GIA stones.

a lot of stones look good on paper but not pretty in person. the stone you select may just be the "not so good one" on paper. diamonds are a matter of personal preference. be open to possibilites. the diamond you choose will "speak" to you and make you say Wow!

some like the mathematical precision of certain cuts, some like the imperfect stones. some like fluorescence, some do not. some like mall stores, some like shopping on the internet. it''s all a matter of taste.

I buy settings only from jared''s all the time, so you may buy your stone somewhere else and have jared''s set it in your mounting. there will be a setting fee of about fifty bucks. tell them it''s an inherited stone so they don''t get all huffy.

 

[Carlotta]

Jareds has some very pretty stones........but I think you can find them with similar specs for a lot loss with an internet vendor..........
And I agree that they have some very nice settings!!!
I saw a three stone seting I liked there......


Jared''s is actually part of the Kay/Gordon''s/Marks and Morgan jeweler family....the higher end of the chain...........

 

[WirelessRoute]

Thats a good Idea to take it to them and say its an heirloom or inherited and to get them to mount them in their own settings.

She said it would run about $70 to mount it and tried to sell me a warraty with the ring and diamond If I got them both from her for $99.00. (Said something resizing and if it was ever lost they would replace it) But I totally agree that there settings are very nice.

I remembered the diamond she showed me.

She said the polish and and Symmetry where perfect
Ideal Cut - Princess
Color: H
Clarity: VS1
Carat: .58
Price" $2200.00

I am figuring for this price online I can get a better diamond.

There are two Jareds within our area so I may visit the other and try another sales person
Sucks they are commissoned and want to sell you the most expensive so they can make $$
Guess I gotta figure stuff out for my self

Any more help is appreciated. My Gf and I are going to visit Jareds again on Thursday to view settings and diamonds again

 

[mrssalvo]

Welcome wirelessroute

The others have given you some great advice thus far. You can also do a search on Jared''s in the search box and read others experiences with them.

You have a very nice budget and I think you should be able to put together a very nice ring. www.pearlmansjewelers.com has a Tacori antique looking 3 stone in his closeout section. You can find it here. It''s platinum and priced at $1200.

I recommend going to places to try on rings but I think you''ll find that the online vendors (many have local stores) provide a lot more info on the stones and the prices tend to be a lot better as well. Good luck..

 

[Mokey]

Mrs. Salvo you are a plethora of information! Thanks for all of your hard work! I appreciate all the links and pics you find, it really helps so many people! Mokey

 

[Lorelei]

Ditto Mokey

 

[mrssalvo]

awwww, thanks mokey and Lorelei

 

[WirelessRoute]

I just love wedding bands sold with engagement rings especially when they are made to match and fit perfectly
Any sites out there selling bands and rings online?

 

[mrssalvo]

try www.precisionset.com all of their sets are made to fit flush. Also www.ritani.com.

Good Old Gold carries precsionset.

and Pearlmans carries the Ritani rings.

Just a side note, but many of the antique rings were not designed for wedding bands to sit flush or designed as a set. You'll see more modern updates when looking for matching sets.

also, 3 stone rings unless sold as a set designed that way, usually do not sit flush either..

 

[jaz464]

That price seems very high. When I did a search online, diamonds similar were going for less than $1600, and all had AGS or GIA reports, the 2 best. Which labe certified the diamond you were looking at? Does that price include the setting?

 

[WirelessRoute]

It was GIA if I am correct. Definetly did not include the setting. The sell most rings seperate setting and diamond and let you choose.

 

[jaz464]

Puchasing online will definely save you some money then. Just do a search at the top of this page under pricescope your diamond to see what is available. I would also go down in clarity unless you feel strongly against it, as some people just really like a higher clarity. You are paying for something you will not be able to see, unless your vision is better than 20/20. I would look for a great eyeclean SI1. Then you can go up a little in size, if you wish.

 

[WirelessRoute]

THanks for the Tip. I''ve been reading through the toutorials
I thinking I am going to place more emphasises on Cut and Color than clarity

Is one certification/ report AG or GIA better than another. I know the Europe one is not as highly regarded right?

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Jared''s is actually part of the Kay/Gordon''s/Marks and Morgan jeweler family....the higher end of the chain...........
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A quick clarification....Jared''s is owned by Sterling, Inc. Their free standing jewelry superstore division. Signet Group in the UK is the parent company of Sterling, Inc. in the US.

Gordon''s is owned by Zale Corporation.

It''s all very confusing.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

 

[jaz464]

AGS and GIA are very well respected. I trust both equally though some around here believe AGS to be a little more consistant.

EGL graded diamonds will be cheaper but often the color and clarity grades are off, at least by 1 grade so you must really do your research when considering one of these diamonds. Get an EGL diamond independly appraised to make sure you are getting what your are paying for during a return period (don''t buy one you can''t return).

 

[WirelessRoute]

I am sorry but my earier post was in correct. The diamond was AG and the print out looked exactly like this

 

[codex57]

I''m not a fan of Jared''s. Kay, Jared''s, whatever. They''re a typical maul store. I hit them up at first cuz they were convenient, but they all were too much like scam artists. Come to think of it, while the salespeople are much nicer, Tiffany''s has kinda sketchy sales practices too.

Do a search and see if there are recommended B&M stores near you. If not, I''d just stick with the recommended online stores. Use the maul stores to just practice inspecting diamonds.