Just bought engagement ring from Robbins Bros..

[brianlitt]

I just bought a ring from Robbins Brothers (http://www.robbinsbros.com/engagement-rings/engagement-ring-detail.asp?prod_id=28048&strewshid=1657256&pType=ring&set_shape=1012), and finally looked at the diamond cert don''t feel very good about my purchase, but am wanting information either way on how I did.

The ring without the center stone was $795
The Diamond was $1699 (eek). I could technically get that at 15% off if i gave up warranty

Diamond Specs:
Round Brilliant
Cut: seems to be GOOD or FAIR, it has a 64% somewhere in it
H
I1 (definitely eye clean from what i could tell)
.61 carat

I think it actually looks really good, but am starting to feel I didn''t really get any specs on the diamond to a GREAT status. I spent $1700 on a diamond and have nothing she can brag about on the specs.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I live in Dallas and am considering devoting a day to comparing to other diamond shops (don''t know where to go) to see if they can beat what robbins brothers did.

They told me Diamond Doctor and places like that had a bad cut, and they had a great cut. however, after looking at the IGI cert it doesn''t seem as though I got a good cut with that 64%, and I believe another dimension was 57%.

Please help, I still have 29 days to return this if I made a mistake. It really does look nice, and my girlfriend loves the band, as we picked it out together when we first went shopping.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/1/2009 9:40:38 AM
Author:brianlitt
I just bought a ring from Robbins Brothers (http://www.robbinsbros.com/engagement-rings/engagement-ring-detail.asp?prod_id=28048&strewshid=1657256&pType=ring&set_shape=1012), and finally looked at the diamond cert don't feel very good about my purchase, but am wanting information either way on how I did.

The ring without the center stone was $795
The Diamond was $1699 (eek). I could technically get that at 15% off if i gave up warranty

Diamond Specs:
Round Brilliant
Cut: seems to be GOOD or FAIR, it has a 64% somewhere in it
H
I1 (definitely eye clean from what i could tell)
.61 carat

I think it actually looks really good, but am starting to feel I didn't really get any specs on the diamond to a GREAT status. I spent $1700 on a diamond and have nothing she can brag about on the specs.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I live in Dallas and am considering devoting a day to comparing to other diamond shops (don't know where to go) to see if they can beat what robbins brothers did.

They told me Diamond Doctor and places like that had a bad cut, and they had a great cut. however, after looking at the IGI cert it doesn't seem as though I got a good cut with that 64%, and I believe another dimension was 57%.

Please help, I still have 29 days to return this if I made a mistake. It really does look nice, and my girlfriend loves the band, as we picked it out together when we first went shopping.

Hi Brian!

The 64% is probably the depth, much too deep for my liking and the 57% is probably the table size which is within good range. It is also probable that the diamond will look small for its weight being so deep. Personally I would return it unless you are happy with it and find a well cut diamond, if you can and there is a Jareds near you do this as an exercise. Go in and ask to see their AGS0 Peerless, that way you can compare some diamonds of pretty much known cut quality so you can compare yours with these. The difference might be immediately apparent, it is cut quality which will give you a pretty stone, even if the diamond you have sparkles a bit in some lights, it could well go dead in others.

To get a more complete picture we would also need the crown and pavilion angles or percentages for your diamond and the diameter measurements if they are listed on the report.

IGI are also thought to be softer on grading in some circumstances compared to GIA or AGS. The page below explains further.

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/grading.asp

I can't make the decision for you, only give you some info so you can think it through and then decide what would be best for you and your GF, but suffice to say you can do better - cut is critical. If you do return the ring let us know and if you would like any assistance in finding something else, particularly online just let us know.

Is it possible you could take a trip to Houston? If so there are a couple of trusted vendors here you could make an appointment with

www.briangavindiamonds.com

www.whiteflash.com

 

[phoenixgirl]

I would return it. You can do much better clarity wise and much, much better cut wise for the same money. It wouldn''t give me any peace of mind to have an I1 stone with a IGI cert.

Example: This 0.61 H VS2 A Cut Above has a GIA cert, a branded hearts and arrow cut, and is the same price (actually, less . . . $1640 with PriceScope discount). Conversely, you can get a stone similar to yours, 0.61 H I1 with an EGL cert, for $1088 with the PriceScope discount. You''re a little more than 50% over that with your price. You can expect to pay more for local service but you should be getting service you''re happy with, right? And I''d say 10-15% more, not 50%.

 

[brianlitt]

Thanks for your response.

I cannot make it down to Houston in any reasonable amount of time, are there any Dallas places I could go to further investigate? If I got to Jared I wonder if i'm comparing apples to apples. I can't afford more than $1600 for the diamond really, so I'm just wondering what i can do with that budget.

I know when I found the measurements and compared them to the IGI specifications, the cut was labeled as GOOD (possibly fair), the 3rd from the top ranking, but I wasn't sure if I was looking at the right thing. i'll certainly pony up the angles later tonight.

Does anyone think that foregoing the warranty to get a better diamond might be a good idea?

i'm also pretty scared to get a diamond online, but not sure if I could do much worse. I walked away with a GOOD cut, GOOD polish and GOOD symmetry. I also had a THICK to SLIGHTLY THICK something.

I feel really lost and am almost to the point of just taking the stupid diamond back, my girlfriend can just wait. Nothign worse than spending that much and finding nothing about your diamond is good as far as rating, but it still looks nice.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/1/2009 10:20:17 AM
Author: brianlitt
Thanks for your response.

I cannot make it down to Houston in any reasonable amount of time, are there any Dallas places I could go to further investigate? If I got to Jared I wonder if i'm comparing apples to apples. I can't afford more than $1600 for the diamond really, so I'm just wondering what i can do with that budget. With the Jareds stones just if you can take a look purely as an exercise at their Peerless brand, that way you will be viewing well cut stones and can see how yours compares. You could also look at some Hearts on Fire again to see how yours compares if there is a dealer near you.

I know when I found the measurements and compared them to the IGI specifications, the cut was labeled as GOOD (possibly fair), the 3rd from the top ranking, but I wasn't sure if I was looking at the right thing. i'll certainly pony up the angles later tonight. That sounds fine.

Does anyone think that foregoing the warranty to get a better diamond might be a good idea? It is possible, personally I would rather have a good insurance policy than a warranty but if you prefer to stick to RBros then post all the info of each diamond you like here and we can take a look for you if you wish.

i'm also pretty scared to get a diamond online, but not sure if I could do much worse. I walked away with a GOOD cut, GOOD polish and GOOD symmetry. I also had a THICK to SLIGHTLY THICK something. The thicknesses are the girdle measurements. Also terms such as Good Cut really are no guarantee of any level of cut quality, neither is excellent come to that especially if graded by sellers. Good polish and symmetry is ok, really the lowest acceptable grades.

I feel really lost and am almost to the point of just taking the stupid diamond back, my girlfriend can just wait. Nothign worse than spending that much and finding nothing about your diamond is good as far as rating, but it still looks nice. I know it is frustrating and you said you don't feel very good about this purchase, but better to find out now rather than later when you don't have the option of returning the diamond? I am sorry to have to confirm your suspicions that this doesn't appear to be a well cut diamond, but all I can do is to give you my honest opinion and relevant info so you can decide what the right way forward is. Also with the clarity, some would not want I1 for an engagement ring - personally I don't mind I1 diamonds if GIA or AGS graded and are well cut, I would probably look for some SI2 clarity grades if you do decide to return this one.

 

[brianlitt]

Date: 7/1/2009 10:28:53 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 7/1/2009 10:20:17 AM
Author: brianlitt
Thanks for your response.

I cannot make it down to Houston in any reasonable amount of time, are there any Dallas places I could go to further investigate? If I got to Jared I wonder if i''m comparing apples to apples. I can''t afford more than $1600 for the diamond really, so I''m just wondering what i can do with that budget. With the Jareds stones just if you can take a look purely as an exercise at their Peerless brand, that way you will be viewing well cut stones and can see how yours compares. You could also look at some Hearts on Fire again to see how yours compares if there is a dealer near you.

I know when I found the measurements and compared them to the IGI specifications, the cut was labeled as GOOD (possibly fair), the 3rd from the top ranking, but I wasn''t sure if I was looking at the right thing. i''ll certainly pony up the angles later tonight. That sounds fine.

Does anyone think that foregoing the warranty to get a better diamond might be a good idea? It is possible, personally I would rather have a good insurance policy than a warranty but if you prefer to stick to RBros then post all the info of each diamond you like here and we can take a look for you if you wish.

i''m also pretty scared to get a diamond online, but not sure if I could do much worse. I walked away with a GOOD cut, GOOD polish and GOOD symmetry. I also had a THICK to SLIGHTLY THICK something. The thicknesses are the girdle measurements. Also terms such as Good Cut really are no guarantee of any level of cut quality, neither is excellent come to that especially if graded by sellers. Good polish and symmetry is ok, really the lowest acceptable grades.

I feel really lost and am almost to the point of just taking the stupid diamond back, my girlfriend can just wait. Nothign worse than spending that much and finding nothing about your diamond is good as far as rating, but it still looks nice. I know it is frustrating and you said you don''t feel very good about this purchase, but better to find out now rather than later when you don''t have the option of returning the diamond? I am sorry to have to confirm your suspicions that this doesn''t appear to be a well cut diamond, but all I can do is to give you my honest opinion and relevant info so you can decide what the right way forward is. Also with the clarity, some would not want I1 for an engagement ring - personally I don''t mind I1 diamonds if GIA or AGS graded and are well cut, I would probably look for some SI2 clarity grades if you do decide to return this one.

Thanks for the input, that''s a lot of what i wanted to hear. If "Good Cut" has no bearing on cut quality, how do I determine a good cut? By passing the measurements to you guys? What kind of measurements should I be looking for percentage wise, i.e. defines a good cut?

it''s unfortunate that I think it actually looks nice, but you do have to have it in good light for sparkle. Just don''t feel like I got a good bang for the buck on this because I wanted to keep the band they offered.

any advice on what to do next? I like going to Jared to compare the quality and see if there really is a big difference to me. Are there any recommended places to shop to get a fair deal?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/1/2009 10:42:35 AM
Author: brianlitt

Date: 7/1/2009 10:28:53 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 7/1/2009 10:20:17 AM

Thanks for the input, that's a lot of what i wanted to hear. If 'Good Cut' has no bearing on cut quality, how do I determine a good cut? By passing the measurements to you guys? What kind of measurements should I be looking for percentage wise, i.e. defines a good cut?

it's unfortunate that I think it actually looks nice, but you do have to have it in good light for sparkle. Just don't feel like I got a good bang for the buck on this because I wanted to keep the band they offered.

any advice on what to do next? I like going to Jared to compare the quality and see if there really is a big difference to me. Are there any recommended places to shop to get a fair deal?

You can use this chart as a cheat sheet in order to help you find a well cut round diamond.

depth - 60 - 62% - although my personal preference is to allow up to 62.4%
table - 54- 57%
crown angle - 34- 35 degrees
pavilion angle - 40.6- 41 degrees
girdle - avoid extremes, look for thin to slightly thick, thin to medium etc
polish and symmetry - very good and above


note - with crown and pavilion angles at the shallower ends ( CA 34- PA 40.6) and steeper ( CA 35- PA 41) check to make sure these angles complement in that particular diamond - eyeballs, Idealscope, trusted vendor input - check as appropriate!

From expert John Pollard.

"As the above implies, configurations depend on each other. A little give here can still work with a little take there.

With that said, here's a "Cliff's Notes" for staying near Tolkowsky/ideal angles with GIA reports (their numbers are rounded): A crown angle of 34.0, 34.5 or 35.0 is usually safe with a 40.8 pavilion angle. If pavilion angle = 40.6 lean toward a 34.5-35.0 crown. If pavilion angle = 41 lean toward a 34.0-34.5 crown.

GIA "EX" in cut is great at its heart, but it ranges a bit wider than some people prefer, particularly in deep combinations (pavilion > 41 with crown > 35)."

Also you can use this tool, the Holloway Cut Advisor as an elimination tool, run the proportions of each diamond through it, you are looking to see which diamonds score below 2, these are the ones worth further evaluation.

https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp

And of course you are more than welcome to post the particulars of any diamond here and we can take a look at it for you.

I don't know of any store jewellers in your area that you could try....The vendors I suggested in the post above do a lot of sales online if you wanted to explore that route.

 

[brianlitt]

So to reiterate, it is okay to forego the Robbins Brothers warranty? I''m not gonna wish I had got that?

I''m not sure I''m ready nor willing to wait for an online purchase. And it seems REALLY overwhelming figuring out the online stuff.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/1/2009 12:28:26 PM
Author: brianlitt
So to reiterate, it is okay to forego the Robbins Brothers warranty? I'm not gonna wish I had got that?

I'm not sure I'm ready nor willing to wait for an online purchase. And it seems REALLY overwhelming figuring out the online stuff.

I can only tell you what I would do, I would prefer to have a good all risks insurance policy. Sometimes these warranties have various terms and conditions you must fulfil at a certain time such as bringing in the ring for inspection and having it signed that it has been done as an example, otherwise the warranty is void. Here are some insurance companies you can read up on and compare the terms and conditions to a RB's warranty - that way you will know what is best for you personally - an insurance policy or store warranty.

www.touchstoneinsurance.com

www.jewelersmutual.com

www.chubb.com

You can certainly purchase from a brick and mortar store but do so with care and either use the HCA as I suggested above to see which are the best contenders, or report back here and we can look at your selections for you.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 7/1/2009 12:28:26 PM
Author: brianlitt
So to reiterate, it is okay to forego the Robbins Brothers warranty? I''m not gonna wish I had got that?


I''m not sure I''m ready nor willing to wait for an online purchase. And it seems REALLY overwhelming figuring out the online stuff.

We would be happy to help you-it is actually VERY easy! And they can usually get the stone and/or stone and setting to you VERY quickly. Often overnight. You''ll get much more bang for your buck online with the RIGHT vendor.

 

[elle_chris]

I''m going to be blunt here- you overpaid for an I1 stone that looks smaller than a .61 should. I''m not going to bother delving into the cut but I''m pretty sure it''s not ideal or even excellent. I also have doubts that it''s a true H or even I1 as neither GIA or AGS graded it.

Phoenixgirl linked you an excellent diamond that''s cheaper than yours. Lorelei gave you some great advice.

As far as buying their warranty, you''ll be paying less if you have it insured through any of the companies listed, plus more is covered.

So in answer to your question, no, the warranty is NOT worth it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Brian
return it now !! you can do much better. this stone is

 

[iwannaprettyone]

step 1) return ring

step 2) pick PS vendor (Whiteflash, BGD, Goodoldgold, James Allen)

step 3) go to website

step 4) pick setting

step 5) I think your budget is $2100 from what i read so $2100- price of setting= budget for diamond

step 6) pick diamond

Example: http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-1982348.htm
($1600)

setting: http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/4-Prong-tiffany-style-Diamond-Solitaire_994.htm ($250)

I have purchase Whiteflash before that is why I suggest- but the others mentioned out here are very reputable.

 

[phoenixgirl]

I understand feeling uncomfortable buying online and wanting a local place to go for cleanings, sizings, etc. I hope somebody can make some recommendations in the Dallas area.

There's only one vendor listed under "local vendors" here on PS in the Dallas area: http://www.bovadiamonds.com/index.php I don't personally have any knowledge of them. Their prices seem better than Robbins Brothers but not as good as online. Some of their "information" is poorly written and not entirely accurate.http://www.bovadiamonds.com/diamondeducation.php They might be worth checking out in person. They do have an A+ rating with the BBB.

One tip for making cut easier would be to buy an AGS graded 0 ideal cut stone. The GIA "excellent" grade is much broader than the AGS 0 ideal grade, and as a result some stones with uncomplementary angles can be labeled excellent. Or you could write down the stats from a few GIA certs and come here and post them before buying.

One word of warning: Bova says they get a lot of their stones from Israel, so if they are showing you EGL certed stones, it's probable they would have EGL Israel certs, which are generally considered less reliable/desirable than EGL USA certs. It's best to stick with GIA and AGS.

Here's an example of what I meant about not loving their editing skills or information:

"The third C is the cut of the diamond. We ate BOVA believe that this is the most important parameter in evaluating the value of the diamond. If the some is cut too shallow or too deep it looses brilliance and fire, it would have a lot of dark areas across the stone. This is the first thing that people would notice when looking at a diamond. Most of our diamonds are Ideal cut or Premium cut, the difference between those two cuts are the depth and table percentage. Different manufacture and laboratories throughout the globe would call both of those two cuts Ideal. To the untrained eye it would be very difficult to distinguish between the two. Although some in the diamond industry would say that the Ideal cut is the best cut we thing that they are both very good."

 

[Moh 10]

STOP

Return it and RUN away from Robber's Brothers. (Guarantee Shmarantee!)

Spend a few days, or weeks, getting educated.
Read zillions of posts here and read the PS tutorial.

At the top of this screen click on KNOWLEDGE.
Then select ADVANCED TUTORIAL.
Read every page.

Buying online is fast, safe, cheaper, smarter and you can get much much better diamonds, if you go with good vendors like High Performance Diamonds, goodoldgold, whiteflash, briangavin and a few others. (Stay away from eBay.)

I was skeptical at first too.

I was so skeptical that I have actually brought diamonds, that I purchased online, directly to the GIA itself to have them to verify that the diamonds were not only real but were the diamonds described by the report.
You can't get much more skeptical than that.

Oh and only buy a diamond with a report from GIA or AGS. (Other labs grade too high so a GIA G may be reported by IGI as an E.)
If it is a round or a princess cut I'd only take an AGS report.

 

[brianlitt]

Date: 7/1/2009 1:52:59 PM
Author: Moh 10
STOP

Return it and RUN away from Robber''s Brothers. (Guarantee Shmarantee!)

Spend a few days, or weeks, getting educated.
Read zillions of posts here and read the PS tutorial.

At the top of this screen click on KNOWLEDGE.
Then select ADVANCED TUTORIAL.
Read every page.

Buying online is fast, safe, cheaper, smarter and you can get much much better diamonds, if you go with good vendors like High Performance Diamonds, goodoldgold, whiteflash, briangavin and a few others. (Stay away from eBay.)

I was skeptical at first too.

I was so skeptical that I have actually brought diamonds, that I purchased online, directly to the GIA itself to have them to verify that the diamonds were not only real but were the diamonds described by the report.
You can''t get much more skeptical than that.

Oh and only buy a diamond with a report from GIA or AGS. (Other labs grade too high so a GIA G may be reported by IGI as an E.)
If it is a round or a princess cut I''d only take an AGS report.

Love this response. I''m going to go ahead and drop the Robbins Brothers ring

I hope I can get them to set in a stone from something online, i really like the band (and will pay the $795 for it), I just feel like the diamond they gave me was a complete insult. They bragged on how good their cut was, and I thought I was paying for cut (which is #1). Interestingly the IGI thing next to "PROPROTIONS" it''s supposed to tell you the cut, but guess what... it''s BLANK. Jerks...

Should I have Robbins Brothers set in the diamond or just go anywhere else? I hear they charge $100 (think i found that on this board)

Brian

 

[J2K]

What does the setting look like? Can you link to a picture of it online? If so, one of the many trusted online vendors will be able to get the same setting, something close, or custom make whatever it is you like.

I ended up purchasing from Whiteflash after "not wanting to buy online". In the end, it was the best decision I could''ve made. I saved THOUSANDS of dollars and got a great diamond and setting.

 

[brianlitt]

Date: 7/1/2009 2:43:36 PM
Author: J2K
What does the setting look like? Can you link to a picture of it online? If so, one of the many trusted online vendors will be able to get the same setting, something close, or custom make whatever it is you like.

I ended up purchasing from Whiteflash after ''not wanting to buy online''. In the end, it was the best decision I could''ve made. I saved THOUSANDS of dollars and got a great diamond and setting.

http://www.robbinsbros.com/engagement-rings/engagement-ring-detail.asp?prod_id=28048&strewshid=1657256&pType=ring&set_shape=1012

Good to hear you had a good experience shopping online. I''m scared to do it, but honestly could it go WORSE than how i did at Robbins?

Brian

 

[Lorelei]

Also you could contact John Pollard who is based in Dallas, www.craftedbyinfinity.com

 

[Inanna]

Date: 7/1/2009 2:26:42 PM
Author: brianlitt

Date: 7/1/2009 1:52:59 PM

Author: Moh 10

STOP

Return it and RUN away from Robber''s Brothers. (Guarantee Shmarantee!)

Spend a few days, or weeks, getting educated.

Read zillions of posts here and read the PS tutorial.

At the top of this screen click on KNOWLEDGE.

Then select ADVANCED TUTORIAL.

Read every page.

Buying online is fast, safe, cheaper, smarter and you can get much much better diamonds, if you go with good vendors like High Performance Diamonds, goodoldgold, whiteflash, briangavin and a few others. (Stay away from eBay.)

I was skeptical at first too.

I was so skeptical that I have actually brought diamonds, that I purchased online, directly to the GIA itself to have them to verify that the diamonds were not only real but were the diamonds described by the report.

You can''t get much more skeptical than that.

Oh and only buy a diamond with a report from GIA or AGS. (Other labs grade too high so a GIA G may be reported by IGI as an E.)

If it is a round or a princess cut I''d only take an AGS report.

Love this response. I''m going to go ahead and drop the Robbins Brothers ring

I hope I can get them to set in a stone from something online, i really like the band (and will pay the $795 for it), I just feel like the diamond they gave me was a complete insult. They bragged on how good their cut was, and I thought I was paying for cut (which is #1). Interestingly the IGI thing next to ''PROPROTIONS'' it''s supposed to tell you the cut, but guess what... it''s BLANK. Jerks...

Should I have Robbins Brothers set in the diamond or just go anywhere else? I hear they charge $100 (think i found that on this board)

Brian

Listen to the advice you''ve been given - RUN from Robbin Brothers. Seriously, get your FULL refund and cut all contact with them. Chances are the setting you like from Robbins contains I2/I3 quality diamonds and who knows about the cut. You can do so much better with $795.

If you get a diamond from one of the PS Vendors, try to pick out a setting from them as well. For example, Whiteflash will set your diamond into one of their gorgeous settings FOR FREE.

As for maintenance, cleanings, etc., start looking for local INDEPENDENT jewelers you can build a rapport with. I have NEVER paid for a cleaning or even a rhodium plating at the independent jewelers I frequent.

 

[Lula]

Date: 7/1/2009 2:53:51 PM
Author: brianlitt

Date: 7/1/2009 2:43:36 PM

Author: J2K

What does the setting look like? Can you link to a picture of it online? If so, one of the many trusted online vendors will be able to get the same setting, something close, or custom make whatever it is you like.


I ended up purchasing from Whiteflash after 'not wanting to buy online'. In the end, it was the best decision I could've made. I saved THOUSANDS of dollars and got a great diamond and setting.

Good to hear you had a good experience shopping online. I'm scared to do it, but honestly could it go WORSE than how i did at Robbins?


Brian

Everyone is scared at first; buying a diamond online is still new for a lot of people. But you will get excellent guidance from the experienced folks here on PS -- I did! I posted alot of questions during my diamond search and got great advice from the fine folks on this forum.

Take your time and learn about diamond cut by reviewing the tutorials on this site and on the online vendors' sites as others have mentioned. Whiteflash, Good Old Gold, High Performance Diamonds, and NiceIce all have information on their websites about cut. This will take you several hours, but you will feel much more in control of the situation after you've done some reading.

The vendors recommended here on PS can help you find a setting similar to the one you found at Robbins Bros. My recommendation is to return the whole ring and start over. If you can't find a setting you like online, you can always go back to Robbins Bros. and purchase that setting and have them set your diamond ($100 setting fee sounds about right). But if you find a setting similar to that one from an online vendor, you won't have to pay the additional $100.

Here's an example of a setting from James Allen:

JA bowtie

You can search the vendors' databases yourself using the cut guidelines numbers Lorelei posted above, and then post the crown angle, pavilion angle, depth, table %, girdle %, color, clarity numbers on the forum, and we will give you feedback. Or you can ask the nice people on this forum to suggest some stones for you to look at.

It's a very helpful and safe forum, so relax and get ready to have some fun finding your gf a ring!

 

[Moh 10]

Don''t let Robber''s Brothers set the diamond you buy online

Jewelers make most of their money selling the diamond, not setting it.
They don''t like setting diamonds they don''t sell.
I wouldn''t trust them to do the best job.
And frequently they have a policy that if they damage the diamond while setting it it is not insured because you didn''t buy the diamond from them.

I''d get it set by the vendor who sold you the diamond.
Email them a pic of the setting you like.
They can legally almost exactly reproduce it.

 

[J2K]

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/-Sleek-Line-Pave--Diamond-Engagement-Ring_1184.htm

That''s a similar setting from Whiteflash. If you call, they could probably make it out of 14k white gold as well to save a few dollars.

 

[Lorelei]

Get your new diamond set from the vendor you purchase it from if you do decide to buy online.

 

[brianlitt]

Okay, so FYI here''s the measurements, this site says it is a very good cut actually.

Depth: 64.1%
Diam: 57%
Crown 16.5%
Pav: 43.5%
SL THICK to THICK

My dad just found someone who has a fantastic reputation as a great diamond dealer and offers traditionally fantastic prices. However, after he gave me his price quotes I actually wasn''t very excited...

Two diamonds:
Diameter: 5.57
Visible Carat Wt: .66 ct
Carat: .63
Color: G
Clarity: SI1
Polish: VG
Symmetry: VG
Flor: None
Total: $1748

Diameter: 5.53
Visible Carat Wt: .65 ct
Carat: .63
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Flor: Medium
Total: $1800

From this guy''s reputation I was expecting some better pricing, is there any way his prices are worth going for? He has NUMEROUS real life references, so I will feel weird foregoing his services, but they just don''t seem too competitive, and I sent him an e-mail asking why his price is so much higher than the ones I have seen from this site.

Brian

 

[brianlitt]

Elaboration on his prices, he writes:

When looking at the quote, you''ll notice in the first 2 columns I list the diameter of the diamond, as well as the "visible" carat weight. Visible carat weight refers to how big the diamond looks, rather than how much it weighs. For instance, the average .65ct excellent/ideal cut GIA diamond has a diameter of 5.52 millimeters. If you find a .60ct diamond with a diameter of 5.52mm, it''s carat weight will be .60, but it''s visible size will be .65 carats. So, it''ll look bigger than it weighs. Make sense? Also, there''s a box underneath the quote that tells you the average diameter of various carat weights of excellent cut round GIA diamonds (for your reference).

GRADING REPORT: All of the diamonds were certified by GIA. Of the hundreds of diamond grading labs in the world, only 3 used the Gold Standard grading scale, which is the highest standard in diamond grading. GIA, AGS & HRD are those three. All other labs are known as "fluff labs", b/c they fluff (or embellish) their diamond grades. So, just like the grading standards from college to college are different, so too are the grading standards from lab to lab. I only sell diamonds by the three aforementioned labs b/c selling anything else is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the truth for sake of profiting off others'' ignorance. The two most common fluff labs are EGL & IGI, though there are hundreds in total.

WTF does this gold standard stuff mean?


3. CUT QUALITY: When buying diamonds, cut quality is THE most important aspect. All of the diamonds in the attached sheet have an Excellent cut grade, which is the highest possible.

INCLUSIONS TO FEAR: Each diamond is free of any defects or issues that could cause durability or long-term beauty issues. Diamonds that have hidden defects are called "junk cuts" and are prevalent in the industry. I could talk your ear off on this subject, but suffice it to say that there are a lot of things that don''t show up on a diamond grading report that could be problematic. None of these diamonds have any of those issues. However, before I sell you a single diamond, it will be given a thorough inspection by an independent gemologist as well as myself. Each diamond must receive a perfect score on my inspection report in order to be sold by me. Otherwise, I send it back. This is an area where a lot of jewelry store clients get burned. There are so many "issues" that don''t show up on a diamond report. If the people selling diamonds aren''t knowledgeable (or don''t care), they have no clue what to look for to insure the client gets a well constructed diamond

Help!? Lol, I''m just confused. The thing that is weird to me is I only get an SI1 and not a VSI or something for those prices, but maybe there''s more to it than the rating...

Brian

 

[Moh 10]

Garbage.

GIA and AGS use very different standards for cut.

GIA is loved by the cutting selling industry because their highest cut grade, excellent, allows diamonds to be cut that retain too much depth which makes more money for the sellers.

AGS has a more strict top cut grade, ideal.
This is a narrow window of cut measurements that results in optimum light return and a better-performing diamond.

Gold standard may be a loosely applied term referring to the most reputable labs, which GIA and AGS are.
There is no "gold standard cut standard" that everyone agrees on.

Don't buy from a friend or relative.
We read again and again here about people trusting diamond selling relatives ending up paying too much for inferior goods.
Testamonials mean nothing since most buyers are ignorant of good cut.

Have you read the tutorial here I asked you to read?
You are about to spend several thousand dollars on one of the most important purchases of your live.

At the top of this screen click on the word KNOWLEDGE.
Then select ADVANCED TUTORIAL.
Read every page.

A diamond is a little box of mirrors and windows.
When all the facets are at the right angles it returns more light and fire to your eyes.

Identifying a well-cut diamond can seem impossibly challenging for consumers because the relationships of all the facets and angles are very complex, but there is a tool that helps you find a well-cut diamond.
It is called the Holloway Cut Advisor, HCA, and is available above. . .
Get the diamond's depth %, table %, crown and pavilion angles.
Plug them into the CUT ADVISOR located above under TOOLS.
A stone that scores under 2 is what you want.

 

[Moh 10]

I know you are not comfortable buying online.
But here is another thing you can do online to tell you if the diamond you DO buy matches the quality and price of what you COULD buy online from a pricescope vendor.

At the top of this screen click on PRICES.
Then select SEARCH BY CUT
Enter this information:

Shape: round
Cut rank: excellent - excellent
Carat: .6 - .65
Color: G - H
Clarity: VS2 - SI1
Lab: GIA AGS (unclick other)
Click on GO

I just did this and it found 6 diamonds, all have an HCA score under 2.0 [so they are extremely-high quality cut] and are priced from $1190 to $2122 with the pricescope discount.

4 of these are below or within $40 of your $1600 budget.

Oh, and if you click on the price it will take you to the actual listing for that diamond on the vendor's website which will have much more information to make your head explode.

Now you have some examples of top cut and low price for comparison purposes for when you shop.

This is also cool because as you shop you may change your mind about what clarity or color you are comfortable with.
Just change the color you enter, and see what size diamonds comes up.
For instance if you see lots of diamonds with color or I and J and they look fine to you enter those colors and you will find how much larger of a diamond your budget will get you.

 

[bright&shiny]

Having just gone through the process, I can understand your concerns re: buying online. However, the vendors on this site are fantastic. I''ll share a bit about our experience: We found this site, happily before we began shopping seriously for an ering, and educated ourselves about cut. Then we began to shop locally.

It was, in short, a disaster. After visiting several independent jewelers and chains, armed with idealscope & ASET tools, we could find no diamonds that met our specifications.

We then turned to a few PS vendors and eventually settled on Good Old Gold. We told them what we were looking for, and they sent us videos of gorgeous stones. However, we just couldn''t get comfortable with the idea of buying a fancy shape online. Eventually, we went to visit them, and we couldn''t have been more impressed or comfortable. Based on our experience, I would have no hesitation at all about buying from them without going to the store.

The other vendors on this site also have excellent reputations - but so far, this is the only vendor we''ve worked with....but I expect that will change

In short, it was a fabulous experience and I expect that shopping for a round brilliant will be even easier than our search for the perfect fancy shape.

My advice is to contact a few of them, share your concerns and what you''d like to find, see what they have to offer and evaluate your level of comfort. You really can''t miss with any of the PS vendors!

PS - Please listen to the advice you''ve already received from the experts and prosumers - they are right on the money!

 

[brianlitt]

Date: 7/2/2009 10:06:53 AM
Author: Moh 10
Garbage.


GIA and AGS use very different standards for cut.


GIA is loved by the cutting selling industry because their highest cut grade, excellent, allows diamonds to be cut that retain too much depth which makes more money for the sellers.


AGS has a more strict top cut grade, ideal.

This is a narrow window of cut measurements that results in optimum light return and a better-performing diamond.


Gold standard may be a loosely applied term referring to the most reputable labs, which GIA and AGS are.

There is no ''gold standard cut standard'' that everyone agrees on.


Don''t buy from a friend or relative.

We read again and again here about people trusting diamond selling relatives ending up paying too much for inferior goods.

Testamonials mean nothing since most buyers are ignorant of good cut.


Have you read the tutorial here I asked you to read?

You are about to spend several thousand dollars on one of the most important purchases of your live.


At the top of this screen click on the word KNOWLEDGE.

Then select ADVANCED TUTORIAL.

Read every page.


A diamond is a little box of mirrors and windows.

When all the facets are at the right angles it returns more light and fire to your eyes.


Identifying a well-cut diamond can seem impossibly challenging for consumers because the relationships of all the facets and angles are very complex, but there is a tool that helps you find a well-cut diamond.

It is called the Holloway Cut Advisor, HCA, and is available above. . .

Get the diamond''s depth %, table %, crown and pavilion angles.

Plug them into the CUT ADVISOR located above under TOOLS.

A stone that scores under 2 is what you want.

Okay, I read every page. They lost me a bit on the percentage stuff, but if I understood correctly I don''t need to get all that, I just need to know how to interpret the HCA. I get I want less than 2 and that closer to 0 is better? That is unless it''s an H&A.

I don''t see pricescope grabbing stuff from bluenile.com. Is that a bad website?