Manhattan Jeweler

[knowverylittle]

After searching the archive I found a BOATLOAD of proposal ideas in NYC but few recommendations for Jewelers.

I will be visiting SuperbCert. GOG did not respond to my email so they are ruled out. Anywhere else I should visit? The purchase is probably going to be with an internet vendor but it would be good to visit a couple of 5th Avenue type stores too as the gf will have the final choice in stone and ring. Tiffany''s is too clichéd (although I loved the book and film and even the Deep Blue Something song was kinda cool!). Any ideas for similar high-end (within reason) merchants? Cartier maybe? I am ''only'' looking to spend $10K maximum and guess that Cartier etc will be too intimidating.

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

I will be visiting SuperbCert. GOG did not respond to my email so they are ruled out. Anywhere else I should visit? The purchase is probably going to be with an internet vendor but it would be good to visit a couple of 5th Avenue type stores too as the gf will have the final choice in stone and ring




Knowverylittle,




Hey you are headed in the right direction....




First I would like to say that there has been many times where some internet vendors have problems with their service providers or their servers are down...I would not rule them out because you are a little mythed about not receiving a return email....I am speaking for myself and can tell you during the busiest time of the year I do not email vendors when I am considering a purchase or have serious questions...I found that I have become lazy because of the access and availability of the net...Now I usually phone if I have a serious inquiry..this way I know my message gets through...Anyway just wanted to tell you I think you would be ruling out one of the finest vendors of ideal cut hearts and arrows stones over what could me a simple mis-understanding???




I think since you will be in the local area you will have many advantages of talking to both Jonathan and/or Barry and going to visit many shops...At the end of the day ask yourself where you had the best experience without any pressure to buy and who gave you the most information.../idealbb/images/smilies/appl.gif




Good Luck....Any ideas about the setting..?/idealbb/images/smilies/appl.gif

 

[aljdewey]

Josh wrote: "First I would like to say that there has been many times where some internet vendors have problems with their service providers or their servers are down...I would not rule them out because you are a little mythed about not receiving a return email...."




I'd *wholeheartedly* second this sage advice from Josh. This is their busiest time of the year. That would be like saying "I'll never drive to XXXXX again because there was a two-hour backup this time." Yeah, but it's the busiest travel weekend of the year! Same thing.




I started shopping last Monday.....the Monday before Thanksgiving!!!!.....for a diamond. Knowing that this is BY FAR the busiest time of the year for these folks (they are all trying to get in beefed up inventory too, so you'll have more to choose from).............I picked up the phone and talked to EVERY one of them.




Keep in mind that these folks get a number of "window shopping" and personal emails and spam on a daily basis, and trying to wade through those to get to the serious inquiries can be daunting. All of them list a phone, and I've found that every one of them responded to the emails once I spoke with them and they knew to go looking for my correspondence.




It would be a shame to rule out any avenue that may help you find your perfect stone.

 

[Mara]

I third the motion. Give GOG a call and talk directly to Jonathan or Kristen...we depend way too much on emails for important business correspondence, and I know there have been times when someone has told me that they sent me an email I never got (and obviously never responded to). You never know. In the search for your perfect stone....leave no stone unturned. If I were in the area, I'd explore ALL the options...good luck with your visits!

I'd also visit Tiffany's just because, and why not Cartier too. Just for fun.

Have Jonathan show you a REGENT and you'll fall in love!

 

[canadiangrrl]

Hi Know,

We didn't end up buying my ring from Jonathan, but I emailed him a couple of times with questions on a few of his stones, and he was amazingly prompt and courteous in responding. Josh and the others are dead on - lots of things can go wrong with an email - I'd give him another chance.

My fiance emailed one Pricescope vendor on three separate occasions over a period of two weeks a few months back, from two different email addresses (home and work) - and the vendor never responded - not a word, not a peep.

Said vendor was summarily crossed off of our list.

I would still do Tiffany, if only for the fact that they generally have a wealth of well cut stones in varying carat weights, colours, and clarities in their store. Good for educational purposes and comparison shopping.

 

[knowverylittle]

So no can name any big-name Jewelers that will have stores in NYC?

Ask me about IT or Automobiles and I can talk all day. Jewelry is just not my thing, I really Know Very Little and am reading this forum solely to make a once in a lifetime purchase at least a little educated. There must be other prestigious names out there? I'll trade for info on BMW E46s or XML Web Services

 

[hoorray]

There are lots of jewelers on 47th street that are interesting to visit for one reason at least. You can few stones in person there -- often several at a time for comparisons sake. We found it one of the only places to be able to do this -- many B&M stores don't carry a large inventory of similarly sized stones in stock, so you can't really comparison shop, or educate yourselves about things like color or size differences, or even often see anything that resembles what you are considering live and in person. I know there are reputable vendors in the jewelery district, but there are more of the dreaded "sales sharks" who will try to lure you in with hard sales tactics. Ignore the sales tactics, and use it as an educational venue to see the various colors, sizes, and hopefully great cuts. (It's hardest to find great cut stones in stock at these places).

good luck!

 

[knowverylittle]

Thanks lop. These will only be places to peruse and justify a H&A Internet purchase - I know my gf knows zero about Diamonds other than typical 'one carat is the average size' fallacy (0.38 seems to be the true American average).

Maybe we should just wander and see what stores are around. I'll leave the wallet in the hotel room before going to 47th street!!!! Those sharks are meant to be good.

 

[urbasic]

Check out www.diamonds-usa.com
www.diamonds-usa.com
Their prices are pretty good and if you pay by bank wire you get a 4% discount off the listed credit card price. They do not bill you until after the 10 viewing period. I just bought an Emerald Cut from them. They included a free tiffany style mounting which is nice. Now I have the option to get it mounted in the plain tiffany mount and and let my GF choose a fancy mounting after the proposal. I actually think she will stay with the plain white gold mount, it is very elegant. They are very helpful and professional, they even extended my viewing period because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

I have also ordered a stone from Abazias, which I ended up returning after viewing. Abazias is a good company the diamond was returned purely out of personal preference.

From what I have seen Good Old Gold charges a premium for a lot of pretty pictures. Some people vaule this. Yet, no many how many pictures you see, you still should make your final decision after you have the dimond in hand, after an appraisal. GOG is still a fine company.