This morning, a beautiful diamond arrived at my office. After four months of searching, my diamond hunt is over. What words do you use to describe one of the worlds most beautiful diamonds? It's fantastic. Go to the mall and ask to see one of their best stones under their high powered lights. That's what my stone looks like with no lights on in my office. I'm in love twice over - first with my girl, and now with my, I mean her, diamond.
My story begins on Dec 24th. I had been hunting for diamonds for a long time, and Kay jewelers had a deal where you got $100 off future purchases for each $300 you spend. I purchased a 1.5 ct Leo diamond, intending to trade it up and use about $4000 in coupons to purchase the size and quality I really wanted. The coupons couldn't be used until the end of January so I had Kay find the stone I wanted during that time. Every day, I looked at the Leo diamond I owned and the more I looked at it, the worse it looked. Something just seemed wrong about it. When it was time to trade up, Kay quoted me a ridiculous amout for the diamond I wanted. I felt that because I had the coupons, the just added $4000 to the price of the stone. Upset, I told them that I needed a better price or I couldn't get the diamond I wanted. I tried to return the diamond but they asked for more time, and promised to look around for a "deal" from their supplier. I gave them two weeks and during that time, I really started looking around pricescope. I found significantly better prices for better stones, and armed with my new knowledge, I went back to Kay a few days shy of their 2 week deadline. Their manager promised they were just about to find my stone, and tried to get me to not return the Leo. When I told them about the prices I was able to find on pricescope, I was told every sales pitch in the book. I didn't buy it, and returned my stone.
I submitted my information through pricescope to get some quotes and usacerteddiamonds found a stone that did interest me - a 1.73 ct E VS1 superbcert. It was everything I wanted, except I was looking for a VS2 because the VS1 price was just out of my price range. I was dealing with Julie at USACertedDiamonds, who was such a wonderful person to work with. Very sweet, attentive, and responsive. I requested additional information about the stone that was not available over the web site and I received it right away.
I also contacted Jonathan at goodoldgold, who answered every question I asked about diamonds and really took time to educate me. For that, I am extremely grateful. I plan on one other diamond purchase before I am married, and he'll be one of the two people I call.
Which leads me to the next person in my story, Barry from superbcert. I felt more comfortable purchasing directly from superbcert so I contacted Barry and told him I had been dealing with usacerteddiamonds but wished to purchase from him. I received the same excellent service from Barry that I had received from the other dealers.
After much searching and stressing, I sent two stones to RocDoc. A superclean 1.59 D VS1 from goodoldgold and a 1.73 E VS1 from superbcert. RocDoc, Bill, was a tremendous help in assessing the two stones. Since they were both beautiful, the final decision came down to size. RocDoc really does answer every question you have just like he says he will. Even after I paid, I believe we've talked 3 times and each time I was taken care of very well. He was very fair with what he charged for comparing the two stones for me as well, which I appreciated. If there was one part of the experience I did not like, it was that I was unaware that I would be charged shipping on the stones leaving RocDoc. It makes sense, but overnight shipping and insurance on the two stones was about $140, and I never accounted for that. However, I know more about my diamond that I will ever need....which is just enough
Once I decided on the superbcert, I really expected the exceptional service I was getting from Barry to decline. I expected him to move on to other sales and let an assistant deal with me. I could not have been more wrong. From here on out I was amazed. Barry truely bent over backwards trying to meet my every request, including a valentines day deadline. Now here it is, a few days before valentines, and I have everything Barry promised. I am so happy, I feel like I have one of the most beautiful diamonds anyone will ever see. I have gotten no work done since it arrived, since all I do is stare at it.
Thank you to everyone who has helped in the process.

My story begins on Dec 24th. I had been hunting for diamonds for a long time, and Kay jewelers had a deal where you got $100 off future purchases for each $300 you spend. I purchased a 1.5 ct Leo diamond, intending to trade it up and use about $4000 in coupons to purchase the size and quality I really wanted. The coupons couldn't be used until the end of January so I had Kay find the stone I wanted during that time. Every day, I looked at the Leo diamond I owned and the more I looked at it, the worse it looked. Something just seemed wrong about it. When it was time to trade up, Kay quoted me a ridiculous amout for the diamond I wanted. I felt that because I had the coupons, the just added $4000 to the price of the stone. Upset, I told them that I needed a better price or I couldn't get the diamond I wanted. I tried to return the diamond but they asked for more time, and promised to look around for a "deal" from their supplier. I gave them two weeks and during that time, I really started looking around pricescope. I found significantly better prices for better stones, and armed with my new knowledge, I went back to Kay a few days shy of their 2 week deadline. Their manager promised they were just about to find my stone, and tried to get me to not return the Leo. When I told them about the prices I was able to find on pricescope, I was told every sales pitch in the book. I didn't buy it, and returned my stone.
I submitted my information through pricescope to get some quotes and usacerteddiamonds found a stone that did interest me - a 1.73 ct E VS1 superbcert. It was everything I wanted, except I was looking for a VS2 because the VS1 price was just out of my price range. I was dealing with Julie at USACertedDiamonds, who was such a wonderful person to work with. Very sweet, attentive, and responsive. I requested additional information about the stone that was not available over the web site and I received it right away.
I also contacted Jonathan at goodoldgold, who answered every question I asked about diamonds and really took time to educate me. For that, I am extremely grateful. I plan on one other diamond purchase before I am married, and he'll be one of the two people I call.
Which leads me to the next person in my story, Barry from superbcert. I felt more comfortable purchasing directly from superbcert so I contacted Barry and told him I had been dealing with usacerteddiamonds but wished to purchase from him. I received the same excellent service from Barry that I had received from the other dealers.
After much searching and stressing, I sent two stones to RocDoc. A superclean 1.59 D VS1 from goodoldgold and a 1.73 E VS1 from superbcert. RocDoc, Bill, was a tremendous help in assessing the two stones. Since they were both beautiful, the final decision came down to size. RocDoc really does answer every question you have just like he says he will. Even after I paid, I believe we've talked 3 times and each time I was taken care of very well. He was very fair with what he charged for comparing the two stones for me as well, which I appreciated. If there was one part of the experience I did not like, it was that I was unaware that I would be charged shipping on the stones leaving RocDoc. It makes sense, but overnight shipping and insurance on the two stones was about $140, and I never accounted for that. However, I know more about my diamond that I will ever need....which is just enough

Once I decided on the superbcert, I really expected the exceptional service I was getting from Barry to decline. I expected him to move on to other sales and let an assistant deal with me. I could not have been more wrong. From here on out I was amazed. Barry truely bent over backwards trying to meet my every request, including a valentines day deadline. Now here it is, a few days before valentines, and I have everything Barry promised. I am so happy, I feel like I have one of the most beautiful diamonds anyone will ever see. I have gotten no work done since it arrived, since all I do is stare at it.
Thank you to everyone who has helped in the process.