"Must-haves" for purchasing from online vendor??

[SBee]

Hey everyone!

I''ve been a total lurker here for awhile and have finally made myself an account

Here''s my big question:

We''re located in Canada. We''re having my "dream" e-ring and matching band made in California. We''re trying to select a center stone online. It is VERY cost-prohibitive to have the stone sent to us for viewing, however, and to then be sent down to California for setting. As such, we currently intend to purchase online and have the stone shipped directly to the jeweler...without seeing it first

We know what we want "on paper" and have gradually started to become more aware of the difference between GIA and AGS paperwork, and of the benefit of seeing magnified images and ideal scope imaging of diamonds, etc. etc.

Obviously not all of the online dealers have these available though. So my question is, who would YOU recommend online, and in your opinion, what are the "must haves" that we should be getting from the people we deal with before we purchase?

Thanks!
SBee

 

[boston_jeff]

What shape of diamond?

 

[SBee]

Round Brilliant.

 

[jaz464]

I recommend Whiteflash and Good Old Gold. I would want a sarin report and an idealscope pic. I would also want to choose a diamond with either a GIA or AGS report.

 

[boston_jeff]

For a sight-unseen RB, I''d go with Whiteflash or Good Old Gold. They just give you a ton of information (Idealscope, etc.).

GOG has made videos for people in the past, and you can see diamonds you are considering from Whiteflash by setting up an video chat on the new Pricescope videoconferencing thing.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ditto to GOG and WF.

(Boston Jeff, your avatar diamond is gorgeous!!!)

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/26/2007 2:58:50 PM
Author: jazmine
I recommend Whiteflash and Good Old Gold. I would want a sarin report and an idealscope pic. I would also want to choose a diamond with either a GIA or AGS report.

ditto!!

 

[boston_jeff]

Date: 3/26/2007 4:10:32 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
(Boston Jeff, your avatar diamond is gorgeous!!!)

Thanks, DS... It's MINE! (well, at least until the proposal

) Currently on its way to Leon Mege for a solitaire setting.

 

[SBee]

I''ve definitely been quite impressed with the amount of information READILY available on Good Old Gold.

Like many people out to buy a diamond, I''m sure, I started with Blue Nile (only one I had heard of) and gradually found better and better pages. Nothing beats GOG yet from what I''ve seen...but I wanted to make sure.

I''ve looked into White Flash as well, but in the range that I''m looking at, there haven''t been any images/extra info available for ANY of the diamonds, and I simply don''t have the ability to be phoning (they don''t give email as an option) for these bits and pieces while I''m searching (I''m usually in lectures...haha).

This is what we''re currently interested in at GOG:

CLICK HERE

(.74 / D / VS2 / "Ideal" / H&A / Exc. Polish & Symmetry / Negligible Fluorescence / checks out to about 2.0 on HCA / PRICE = about $4,000)

Anyone care to comment?

 

[Ellen]

SBee, great stone!

If you're VERY interested, I'd put it on hold.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 3/26/2007 8:45:06 PM
Author: SBee
I''ve definitely been quite impressed with the amount of information READILY available on Good Old Gold.

Like many people out to buy a diamond, I''m sure, I started with Blue Nile (only one I had heard of) and gradually found better and better pages. Nothing beats GOG yet from what I''ve seen...but I wanted to make sure.

I''ve looked into White Flash as well, but in the range that I''m looking at, there haven''t been any images/extra info available for ANY of the diamonds, and I simply don''t have the ability to be phoning (they don''t give email as an option) for these bits and pieces while I''m searching (I''m usually in lectures...haha).

This is what we''re currently interested in at GOG:

CLICK HERE

(.74 / D / VS2 / ''Ideal'' / H&A / Exc. Polish & Symmetry / Negligible Fluorescence / checks out to about 2.0 on HCA / PRICE = about $4,000)

Anyone care to comment?

Gorgeous stone!

(In-house stones will generally have the pictures and info on the WF site, so you may have been looking at virtual stones not in their possession. I always recommend looking at the in-house stones at both WF and GOG if you''re looking for a round)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 3/26/2007 4:21:45 PM
Author: boston_jeff

Date: 3/26/2007 4:10:32 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
(Boston Jeff, your avatar diamond is gorgeous!!!)

Thanks, DS... It''s MINE! (well, at least until the proposal

) Currently on its way to Leon Mege for a solitaire setting.

Excuse the hijack, SBee!

Gosh, Boston Jeff! Doesn''t get much better than a beautiful cushion in a LM setting! Looking forward to seeing that!

 

[SBee]

Hehe I think it''s gorgeous too...but I''m still pretty new at this stuff...

How do you think it compares with the following stone: ?

CLICK HERE

(.78 / F / VS2 / Also H&A / Ex or Ideal Everything / A little cheaper / Scores a little better on HCA)

 

[Kaleigh]

Well they both look great, but the F is cheaper, has all the right stuff without the price tag of the other stone. You pay a lot for those D''s.

 

[jaz464]

Date: 3/26/2007 8:45:06 PM
Author: SBee
I''ve looked into White Flash as well, but in the range that I''m looking at, there haven''t been any images/extra info available for ANY of the diamonds, and I simply don''t have the ability to be phoning (they don''t give email as an option)

Not sure what you mean by this. You can of course email WF.

 

[jxl]

Date: 3/26/2007 8:45:06 PM
Author: SBee
I've looked into White Flash as well, but in the range that I'm looking at, there haven't been any images/extra info available for ANY of the diamonds, and I simply don't have the ability to be phoning (they don't give email as an option)

SBee, you cannot call WF 1-877 number from Canada -- a couple of my riends in Canada told me that.
If you want, you can send email request to Katie.Homuth at whiteflash dot com, and give Katie your phone number. She will call you back.

 

[kcoursolle]

If WF or GOG recommend a stone, it is surely beautiful. They both have awesome stones and are very trustworthy to deal with. What type of setting are you interested in, or are you going to purchase this locally in canada?

 

[SBee]

Well yeah, I just mean that when you''re looking at a particular stock item and you click on the link to the certificate or "ask a question" or what not, it just gives you the phone number...not an email address....whereas the other sites I''ve been dealing with usually have a built-in form so that when you''re asking a question about a particular item it quotes it automatically without having to copy / paste etc. etc.

Anyway...yeah. I will have to make some phone calls. I just prefer to deal with email. I''m commuting for 4 hours / day, in classes for the rest of the time, and working during most of my time off. Not much telephone time, much less during business hours


SOOOOoooo...anyway. Between those two stones I''ve posted, besides the price difference (attributable primarily to the D vs. F difference, I would guess) any other differences that ought to affect my decision??

 

[Harriet]

Upgradeability!

 

[SBee]

Date: 3/26/2007 10:24:52 PM
Author: kcoursolle
If WF or GOG recommend a stone, it is surely beautiful. They both have awesome stones and are very trustworthy to deal with. What type of setting are you interested in, or are you going to purchase this locally in canada?

The setting is from Mark Schneider in California...it''s EXACTLY what I had been looking for....we''re very excited about it. We have a dealer in Minnesota who sells his line for a good price (I know her website has been mentioned positively on PS before) and she''s already sent us the setting for inspection. We just sent it back today, and as soon as she receives it, she''s putting in an order for a fresh setting and matching band to our specifications...

But just in dealing with the hassle of having it get through customs, and then having to send it back, and then having to apply for a refund from customs since we sent it back ($300!), we know that we don''t want to go through the same thing with the diamond. But yeah, all in all, we''re very set on the setting we''ve chosen

 

[Ellen]

Go for the F, just as beautiful, less money!

 

[liaspar]

I''ve always loved Mark Schneider''s designs! Can I ask which one you''ve chosen?

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 3/26/2007 10:25:38 PM
Author: SBee

Well yeah, I just mean that when you're looking at a particular stock item and you click on the link to the certificate or 'ask a question' or what not, it just gives you the phone number...not an email address....whereas the other sites I've been dealing with usually have a built-in form so that when you're asking a question about a particular item it quotes it automatically without having to copy / paste etc. etc.

Hi SBee,

That's strange. When you click 'ask a question' on any WF diamond description page it should take you to this form, which sends us info automatically. If this isn't working may I ask what browser you're using? We appreciate the note! For now, clicking 'contact' at the top of any page will take you to a live email link ([email protected]).

As JXL said, we're happy to call you in Canada. I think you'll find that all of the PS vendors will be delighted to interact with you.

Thanks

 

[SBee]

Date: 3/27/2007 9:00:43 AM
Author: liaspar
I''ve always loved Mark Schneider''s designs! Can I ask which one you''ve chosen?

Sure, it''s a Mark Schneider "Cherish"

Here''s a couple shots I took...cubic zirconia in the center stone spot...

We just sent it back yesterday so that the "real" one can be ordered...I miss it already!!!

 

[SBee]

and another shot:

 

[stebbo]

Date: 3/26/2007 8:45:06 PM
Author: SBee

I''ve looked into White Flash as well, but in the range that I''m looking at, there haven''t been any images/extra info available for ANY of the diamonds, and I simply don''t have the ability to be phoning (they don''t give email as an option) for these bits and pieces while I''m searching (I''m usually in lectures...haha).

Also don''t forget you can contact some vendors, WhiteFlash included, with Pricescope''s live chat at the top of the forum.