Memoire Purity Collection - insights?

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/27/2007 10:25:55 AM
Author: mrssalvo
starry, are you buying the ring though pearlmans or someone else?

Hi MrsS. I haven''t decided. I saw the ring locally, but may buy it online if there is significant savings. Why do you ask?

 

[mrssalvo]

I asked b/c if you''re going through Pearlmans, Bill is very familar with Pricescope and the importance placed on cut here. He''d be honest with you if paying extra for ideal diamonds is worth it or just a marketing tool by retailers and/or memoire. I hope diamondseeker checks back in b/c I''m interested to here what she decided when she purchased her memoire band.

 

[starryeyed]

Yes, I''d be interested in hearing what diamondseeker and anyone else who may have purchased a Memoire band decided!

Another interesting tidbit - apparently this year, Memoire has begun to offer lifetime trade-ups. It almost seems too good to be true, but the rep at the local jeweler told me that you can apply the appreciated value of you old band to the price of a new one. Wow!

I was trying on a 1.5-carat band and a 2-carat one and couldn''t decide. DF liked the 1.5-carat better, so that''s when they told be about lifetime trade-up. Sounds pretty sweet!

I''m still trying to figure out the "ideal" thing....

 

[mrssalvo]

well, whether you purchase from pearlman''s or not, you might just give Bill a call or shoot him and email (he''s very quick to respond) and see if he can give you any insight as to what the actual differences are.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/27/2007 6:15:48 PM
Author: mrssalvo
well, whether you purchase from pearlman''s or not, you might just give Bill a call or shoot him and email (he''s very quick to respond) and see if he can give you any insight as to what the actual differences are.

Thanks for the idea - I spoke to Jason today - he was soooo nice. He basically said that the diamonds are top quality and probably close to ideal, if not actually ideal.

So then I felt even more confused because I received an email response from Memoire about "ideal" cuts and they re-confirmed that "ideal" cuts are available by special request. Hmmm.

 

[mrssalvo]

I'm confused too..lol..

honestly starry I didn't think memoire used anything but ideal cuts, much like signedpieces. what size stone's are you thinking about and what is the price difference b/t the regular cuts they use and the special ideal cuts?

my friend has a memoire band and she didn't do the *ideal cut* thing and it's gorgeous. also, i just viewed a bunch of memoires last week and all the stones had life, didn't notice a dull one in there so I really wouldn't worry about it if you're buying a memoire ring.

 

[Gothgrrl]

Mrs. S, do you still have your WF eternity ring? I thought it was really pretty.

 

[mrssalvo]

Hi gothgrrl, no I don''t. it was pretty but I wanted bigger diamonds

 

[Gothgrrl]

Oh, I really liked it. Did you end up returning it? Did it scratch your e-ring? And are you going to get a Memoire. Thanks for answering my questions.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/27/2007 9:40:53 PM
Author: Gothgrrl
Oh, I really liked it. Did you end up returning it? Did it scratch your e-ring? And are you going to get a Memoire. Thanks for answering my questions.

it was custom so I couldn''t return it. I didn''t have it long enough to now if it scratched it or not and yes, I will probably get a memoire this time because of the reasons I mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/27/2007 9:30:28 PM
Author: mrssalvo
I''m confused too..lol..
honestly starry I didn''t think memoire used anything but ideal cuts, much like signedpieces. what size stone''s are you thinking about and what is the price difference b/t the regular cuts they use and the special ideal cuts?
my friend has a memoire band and she didn''t do the *ideal cut* thing and it''s gorgeous. also, i just viewed a bunch of memoires last week and all the stones had life, didn''t notice a dull one in there so I really wouldn''t worry about it if you''re buying a memoire ring.

Hi MrsS. Ok, so to add to the confusion....

I wish I could answer your question regarding price difference. When I spoke to Jason, he wasn''t aware of being able to request "ideal" stones. When I spoke to Memoire, they told me about being able to make the request, but naturally they are not the retailer, so they didn''t quote a price.

I placed a call to the local B&M to inquire and forwarded the email from Memoire that said "ideals" are available by special request. I''ll let you know what the B&M says.

Knowing your friend has a gorgeous stock ring is helpful. It''s so hard for me to tell in all the jewelry store glitz! I am looking at the 1-1.5 size. In a size 4, it''s 16 stones comprising approx. 1.36 carats, so that''s 0.085 each.

 

[mrssalvo]

well, i''ll be interested to see what the b&m says. If I order a memoire it will be 10 pointers and I won''t pay extra for the special ideal, whatever those are. I just don''t think there is that big a difference in stones that small and I''ve compared branded hearts and arrows to regular ideal cuts. anyway, the memoire rings i saw were all gorgeous and stock. can''t wait to see what you find out though..

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/27/2007 11:15:43 PM
Author: mrssalvo
well, i''ll be interested to see what the b&m says. If I order a memoire it will be 10 pointers and I won''t pay extra for the special ideal, whatever those are. I just don''t think there is that big a difference in stones that small and I''ve compared branded hearts and arrows to regular ideal cuts. anyway, the memoire rings i saw were all gorgeous and stock. can''t wait to see what you find out though..

I didn''t know 10 pointers were an option. I''d probably like that size too!

I tried on the 2-carat version, which is probably just under in a size 4. It was too large next to my e-ring. I didn''t know there was a size in between. Hmmm.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/27/2007 11:15:43 PM
Author: mrssalvo
well, i'll be interested to see what the b&m says. If I order a memoire it will be 10 pointers and I won't pay extra for the special ideal, whatever those are. I just don't think there is that big a difference in stones that small and I've compared branded hearts and arrows to regular ideal cuts. anyway, the memoire rings i saw were all gorgeous and stock. can't wait to see what you find out though..

Just an update. The B&M said that most of the Memoire diamonds are ideal cuts or pretty close. The B&M said that they are so small that grading them as "ideal" isn't very meaningful. They said what is more meaningful is that Memoire uses all top quality, well-cut stones.

To me it sounds like the retailers don't even know what Memoire has available. If Memoire is saying "ideals" are available by special request, but then retailers are saying don't worry about the cut because the diamonds are top quality, it seems there's a disconnect.

The B&M was not able to give me as good a price as Pearlmans or Solomon Bros. At first they were, but then they called me and said they misquoted the price. I'm in a quandry because I saw the ring at the B&M, so I feel it's only fair that I buy from them. However, to not honor a quoted price just seems strange. The spread is about 5% between the B&M and the internet dealers. What was also strange was that they said they would "absorb" the sales tax themselves. So if that's the case, why wouldn't they give me the lower price and charge me tax or ship the ring across state lines? I don't get it.

Any thoughts?

 

[crown1]

starry, i am not mrs. salvo but may i suggest you contact your b&m and tell them you were set to buy from them before they withdrew their quote. tell them you still would like to do that but you have two vendors who are offering a better deal and ask if they wish to match it. it is a simple straight forward offer to do business if they can match a price. you are not pressuring anyone just offering to complete the deal. if they don't want to match i don't feel you are obligated to buy at a higher price just because you first saw the ring in that store. maybe i am missing something but i see nothing unethical in that. good luck!

eta: i think the operative word is available. i actually found an online site that showed various colors of colored stones in bands and when i asked about it they said that they could pretty much put anything in there that you wanted. i do believe that the memoire book in the b&m showed some options i did not know were available also. the only option i exercised when ordering was tcw, color, clarity and metal preference.

 

[starryeyed]

Crown, sorry I wasn''t clear. I had done exactly what you thought - I presented the online quotes to the B&M and asked if they could come close. They said no, but said they would absorb the sales tax.

They took the angle that you really don''t know what you''re getting when you buy online. Whatever, they have to say that I suppose.

My quandary comes because if that jeweler were to go out-of-business because of pressure from the internet, I may not have seen that band. I believe in supporting my local business people. The salespeople are nice and they probably need the job. That said, 5% is still a chunk of money.

So for me it''s a question of what''s more important - endorsing local business to keep them alive in the community, or paying the lowest possible price. It''s a tough one.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Starry, I am just now catching back up with this thread. I would not see a need to request ideal cut stones only. The stones they use are well cut and very beautiful. (SP says ideal and premium cut, so I''d say these are probaby equivalent.) I do not consider that request necessary for Memoire since they use nice stones and they are small anyway. I did opt for the higher color/clarity just because that is my preference. I believe I was told that M quality was their standard quality and A quality was the higher color/clarity, but that was 6 months ago. As I think I told you earlier, the jeweler said it was the best quality shared prong ring they carry.

I do not see 5% extra too much to buy from the B&M. I did buy mine from the local jeweler and probably paid more than 5% more due to the fact that I did spend a good bit of time there and wanted to establish a relationship with a high quality jeweler for repairs, appraisals, other jewelry, etc.

You really have me wondering whether that trade-up policy would apply to the rings sold before this year, because I might be interested in increasing my number of stones. I have 10 pointers and love the size, though. I wouldn''t change that. It is super sparkly and I love catching a glimpse of it when I pass by a mirror. It really is a lovely compliment to my solitaire e-ring.

I''ll be interested to hear what you decide!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/31/2007 9:16:24 AM
Author: starryeyed


So for me it''s a question of what''s more important - endorsing local business to keep them alive in the community, or paying the lowest possible price. It''s a tough one.

it is a tough one. no one in my area carries memoire so purchasing local isn''t even an option for me. I guess I rationalize it myself b/c when I buy from pearlman''s I''m supporting their family owned business too and they are just trying to survive in a tough and ever changing jewelery market as well. anyway, there isn''t a right or wrong answer, you just have to go with your gut and decide who''s business you want to reward with your dollars. I do think local b&m''s are going to have to start getting closer to internet pricing or they really will be out of business. consumers are becoming much more savy and doing research and for most, the one with the lowest price will get their business. people move around so much these days that even their local jewelers can change with the wind. anyway, like I said, go with your heart and whom you feel most comfortable, either way, you''re going to have a beautifully made band

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Let me just add that if I had not spent a few hours at this jeweler looking at e-ring settings and the Memoire bands, I would have bought from Bill Pearlman in a minute. If I only go in a B&M store and check out an item briefly, then I will buy online if I can get a much better price. There are some odds and ends I want by Roberto Coin, and I had seen some pieces and determined the quality at another jeweler. But I will buy those online because I can get a much better price.

 

[crown1]

starry, sorry i did not pick up on that. my local jeweler has a very nice place and he and his staff are also very nice. i try there first and if he does not give a good price i go elsewhere.

i overpaid a good bit on a pair of platinum and diamond huggies and matching platinum eternity band from them. when i learned that i started buying online. he now knows i have been purchasing online and when i called for a price on the memoire he beat online by a mile. they did not have the ring and i am buying just as i would online from a picture and the information i have gathered by research.

i expect to pay a fair price local or online but as you mentioned when the tag is high 5% can make a difference. i have always heard there is a large markup on jewelry and i think there is some wiggle room. i totally understand your position and hope it works out for the best for you. jmho.

 

[starryeyed]

Thanks Diamondseeker, MrsS, and Crown! I think I''m going to let my fiance decide. I''m pretty suspicious of the fact that the B&M wouldn''t honor their original quoted price, which was within a few dollars of the internet prices.

DS, if you don''t mind me asking, for 10 point diamonds did you get the 1-2 carat model? What size is your finger? I have a 4 and for the 1-1.5 model, the diamonds are 8.5 points and for the 1-2 model, the diamonds are just under 12 points.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just got a 7 stone band with a total weight of .75, so each diamond is close to 11 points. My finger size has not stayed constant over the years, so I am too paranoid about that to get a full eternity. I am wearing 5 1/2 now because I have unfortunately put on a few extra pounds. I started off with 4 3/4 when I first got married.

That''s a tough choice between 8.5 and almost 12 points. How big is your e-ring stone again?

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/31/2007 1:51:46 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I just got a 7 stone band with a total weight of .75, so each diamond is close to 11 points. My finger size has not stayed constant over the years, so I am too paranoid about that to get a full eternity. I am wearing 5 1/2 now because I have unfortunately put on a few extra pounds. I started off with 4 3/4 when I first got married.
That''s a tough choice between 8.5 and almost 12 points. How big is your e-ring stone again?

Hi DS. I haven''t said much about my e-ring, have I? It''s 2.33 carats, set in a custom simple solitaire. I will, at some point, post pictures.

My fiance likes the look of the 1-1.5 band with 8.5 pointers. He thinks it complements the diamond without detracting from it. I liked the 1-2 band because the width is similar to my e-ring, but I will admit that it competes with my diamond. When MrsS mentioned a 10 point version, I thought it might be a good compromise. But it appears the eternity doesn''t come with 10 pointers in a size 4.

I told my fiance that the 8.5 pointers are delicate enough that he could get me another one down the road for the other side of the e-ring!

 

[mrssalvo]

starry, I''m a size 3 1/2 and can easily order a full eternity in my size with 10 pointers

. kristydarling just got a ring made with 20 pointers in a size 4 so i don''t know why they are telling you that you can''t get a full eternity with the size stone''s you want???

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Starry, I really don''t agree that 12 pointers would compete with your e-ring. I have close to 11 pointers with my 1.63 ct. center stone, and I think the proportions are good, and the width of the w-band is about the same width as the e-ring band. So in your case, I don''t see a thing wrong with the 12 pointers with a 2+ct. e-ring, especially if the band is about the same width as your e-ring band.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Are we talking about the single prong or the petite prong now? (And we NEED pictures of that e-ring, Starry!)

(I am thinking that maybe the single prong doesn't come in the same sizes as the others)

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/31/2007 2:21:21 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Starry, I really don''t agree that 12 pointers would compete with your e-ring. I have close to 11 pointers with my 1.63 ct. center stone, and I think the proportions are good, and the width of the w-band is about the same width as the e-ring band. So in your case, I don''t see a thing wrong with the 12 pointers with a 2+ct. e-ring, especially if the band is about the same width as your e-ring band.

I agree with DS. my stone is 1.5 and 10 pointers and I thought 10 pointers were perfect. you could easily go a little larger to the 12 pointers w/out it competing IMO.

 

[starryeyed]

Date: 3/31/2007 2:22:49 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Are we talking about the single prong or the petite prong now? (And we NEED pictures of that e-ring, Starry!)
(I am thinking that maybe the single prong doesn''t come in the same sizes as the others)

DS, maybe true. I am looking at the single prong from the Purity collection. It''s a slightly different look that the petite prong. Perhaps the sizing is different, like you say.

I do like the 1-2 size with sixteen 12 pointers, but the 1-1.5 size, with sixteen 8.5 pointers, is more delicate looking. The 1-2 stands better on its own, but I can''t imagine not wearing my e-ring. It''s really up to fiance - he is very particular.

 

[starryeyed]

Well gang, we went back to the store and DF insisted that he thinks the 1-1.5 looks best with my e-ring. The women at the store agreed, but that''s their job I suppose - complete the sale! I think the 1-2 size was really nice too - it''s a matter of preference.

I think the aesthetic probably depends on your fingers too. My ring finger is a size 4, but I don''t have long, piano-player fingers. And I have to say that with a 1-1.5 size, I can easily get another matching ring to stack down the road - we tried a few on together.

So my date is in July, so I''m sorry to say we''ll all have to wait for photos! I hope I make it! I''m not good with delayed gratification. Ha-ha!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

How exciting, Starry! I think either would be wonderful, and I cannot wait to see both rings together! But just remember when you get back from your honeymoon to post them for us!