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need advice about bridal set

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Tykimeister

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 9, 2014
Messages
4
I need a bridal set some time in the near future. I have mixed feelings of where to purchase a ring and my family insists that I go to halezburgs at the mall. I would like to spend between $1000 and $1500 on a ring and I feel like mall jewelry stores are a rip off. For example my brother got a ring from halezbergs for $1700 and the center stone is only .25 carat. I have found several online with twice the weight for less than that with mid clarity. Also you see lots of people trying to sell their wedding rings online and they paid $2000 for it but can't even sell it themselves for $500. I guess I just want to make a purchase that is more realistic. Why pay double at a warm feeling jewelry store experience when I can get better value just buying from an online seller?

http://m.ebay.com/itm/111372483698?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

I want something like this. Is this ring really sub par to a ring I purchase from kay jewelry or jareds?

Any suggestions of a good online store to get something like shown in that link?

Thanks for any help.
 
Most people here will advise:
Cut is king. Get the best-cut center stone and put most of your money into that stone. Get a plain gold wedding set for now. Then get the ornate set later when you can afford it, and have your stone set in it.

AGS 000 and GIA excellent cut grades, and perhaps some "very good" cut grade are what you should be looking at. Most mall jewelers are chain stores, and their settings are not the best quality.
 
Thanks for the info. I'm kinda stuck buying a bridal set. If I just get a band she will be upset.

For the ring I posted is that one reasonable for the price? Or are there any red flags I should be concerned about?
 
The certificate, no real life picture of the diamond just a stock photo.

When she said "band" she meant spend as much as possible on a beautiful excellent cut diamond. Put it in a very classic, simple four or six prong setting. Upgrade the setting later...
 
The problem with the link that you provided is that you dont really know what you are getting. Make sure it has an
excellent return policy.

For the price, I highly doubt that the quality is very good and for a setting like that with lots of little stones you will
probably lose a few (you can lose them on high quality settings also).

I would suggest that you get a nice solitaire (put most of the money in the stone) and a simple 4 or 6 prong setting.

Examples...I tried to maximize size for you but I will go look for some cleaner stones. Some of these have inclusions that
would need to be hidden under a prong. Others have inclusions that I hope are not visible (you would have to ask JA if
they are eye-clean). The cuts are perfect on all of them but like I said I was trying to maximize size. Pre-loved would
also be an excellent option.
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/?CaratFrom=0.50&CaratTo=15.00&Clarity=SI2,I1&Cut=Ideal,Excellent&PriceFrom=200&PriceTo=1440&Sort=Price%20asc,%20DefaultOrder&ViewsOptions=Images&TabSelected=3&DiamondID=327705,185126,219511,280066,272488,272489

settings...
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/14k-white-gold-2mm-knife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-7115
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/14k-white-gold-2mm-knife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-six-prong-item-7990

FYI...most people by the wedding band after they have bought the engagement ring and had time to save up more $. A plain
gold wedding band to go with the above would be around $200.

Edit - here is an OEC. Not sure if your GF would like those or not...
http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/0-59ct-antique-cushion-cut-diamond-gia-h-si1/
This would probably be my choice with a simple setting...it is a lower color though
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/under-1-ct/85ct-old-european-cut-diamond-est-to-be-s-t-vvs-vs.html#.U5W-5nJdW-k
Here is a beautiful pear if you think your GF would like those...they tend to look larger for their weight. It may be a little shallow.
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/under-1-ct/80ct-pear-cut-diamond-gia-certed-j-vs2.html#.U5W_RHJdW-k

These stones are all graded by either GIA/AGS so you know what you are getting.
 
tyty333|1402322396|3689345 said:
For the price, I highly doubt that the quality is very good and for a setting like that with lots of little stones you will
probably lose a few (you can lose them on high quality settings also).

I would suggest that you get a nice solitaire (put most of the money in the stone) and a simple 4 or 6 prong setting.

Here is a beautiful pear if you think your GF would like those...they tend to look larger for their weight. It may be a little shallow.
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/under-1-ct/80ct-pear-cut-diamond-gia-certed-j-vs2.html#.U5W_RHJdW-k

These stones are all graded by either GIA/AGS so you know what you are getting.
Click to expand...

I agree with tyty... mall stores tend to carry crap product and overcharge for them. :sick: I LOVE the pear posted above! It's gorgeous and has a really nice spread on the finger -- it'll be a very substantial size! :love: :love:
 
Woah, a GIA assessed 0.8ct stone for about $1.5k?

Seriously, buy that one, I doubt you'll get more impressive for the money! :))
 
Unless you are planning on getting married in a very short period of time, there's no reason you need to buy a whole set now. You can save for the wedding ring as it gets closer to the wedding.
 
OoohShiny|1402328727|3689424 said:
Woah, a GIA assessed 0.8ct stone for about $1.5k?

Seriously, buy that one, I doubt you'll get more impressive for the money! :))
Click to expand...

Seriously nice buy!!!!
 
img_340.jpg

^ I meant, get something like that set to begin with. Start with a decent sized diamond, then upgrade the setting later. The center there is .55ct on a size 4.75 finger.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/0-5-ct-solitaire-e-ring-w-2-5mm-knife-edge-band-pics-please.186266/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/0-5-ct-solitaire-e-ring-w-2-5mm-knife-edge-band-pics-please.186266/[/URL]


That Brian Gavin cushion would be an excellent choice for a larger diamond that's well-cut and fits into your budget. But keep in mind that L and M are very pale yellow. The H color range is the cutoff for me "white" from the top view and also from the side, vs. "antique white" (I range) to pale yellow (J/K/L/M.) An ideal-cut round brilliant is going to wash color out much better than your average mall stones do. There are many people on here who ware wearing J and K color diamonds because they like the slight warmth and also the more budge-friendly prices. Unlike mall store average /good / fair cut diamonds, the superideals appreciate in value, and some people who bought theirs in 2002-2006 sold them a couple of years ago for more than they paid. There was about a 35% price hike in diamonds back in 2008 or 2009, I think. Then prices dropped a little, but started to climb again. So, when you buy the best, it does have a strong resale /tradein value.
 
TC1987|1402336698|3689531 said:
Unlike mall store average /good / fair cut diamonds, the superideals appreciate in value, and some people who bought theirs in 2002-2006 sold them a couple of years ago for more than they paid. There was about a 35% price hike in diamonds back in 2008 or 2009, I think. Then prices dropped a little, but started to climb again. So, when you buy the best, it does have a strong resale /tradein value.
Click to expand...
I didn't know that, nice to know :)

Although I feel it needs a "The value of your investment can go up and down etc etc..." caveat :D lol
 
Tykimeister, if your fiance would like a pear stone, I would seriously consider jumping on the one posted by tyty. It is beautiful and a great deal!

Also, when you say "bridal set" what do you mean? Getting both the engagement ring and wedding band all at once? Is there a reason that would be important to your fiance, or do you just mean you need to be able to purchase both under $1000-1500? That would help us find something that fits your needs.

If your fiance isn't opposed to it, consider pre-loved (used) jewelry from a site like loupetroop or idonowidon't.com. :))


Hope this helps!
 
I actually need to get a ring soon. Like in the next 3-4 weeks. I am searching for a bridal set because that is what my fiancé wants for sure. My budget isn't huge, so buying a diamond now and waiting to pick up a setting later isn't very appealing at the given time.

Can someone suggest a reputable website I can search for a nice ring? I like the idea of buying a kick butt stone now and waiting for something special to come together, but my wedding is coming soon. 3 weeks from now.
 
i think what you're trying to say is you want a finished ring and a wedding band. since your wedding is soon and you haven't given her an engagement ring yet and are on a tight budget, I would just give her one of the rings if I were you. If you want to give her a ring with a diamond solitaire, there have been great suggestions above. If I were you, I would purchase the preloved ring asap.
 
Tykimeister, would you kindly clarify for us whether you'd like to get both the engagement ring & a diamond wedding band for $1500? (I think the answer is Yes, but just want to make sure). If so, knowing your very soon-to-be wife's ring size would help PS'ers to focus the search.

Also, would you consider an alternate possibility: buying just a wedding band with diamonds for her for the upcoming wedding & then later purchasing a ring with a diamond center stone in celebration of say, your 10th anniversary?
 
Well the listing he posted is "sold" so my guess is... He made his decision... Just a guess...
 
Mayk|1402404474|3690023 said:
Well the listing he posted is "sold" so my guess is... He made his decision... Just a guess...
Click to expand...

I hope you're wrong. Tyimeister, in case you're still considering this set, please also consider the following:

1) the certificate is from a totally unknown lab... which means it isn't worth the paper it's printed on. And of course the ebay listing makes it nearly impossible to read the certificate anyway, which should be a giant red flag in and of itself.

2) A 1.15 ct vs1-2, E-f diamond alone would cost over $5,000 - without the setting - so even the comparable price cited in the ad was pulled out of thin air.

3) as was pointed out before, the ad used computer-generated images rather than photographs. You really don't know what you're getting.

We can help you put together a ring within you cost and timeframe with one of the PS vendors. Many people including folks here have bought from these vendors and know what to look for. Or, you can go to a local jewelry store (yes, a mall store or a smaller family-run business) and at least be able to see what you're getting for your money. Some people have gotten lucky at pawn shops... again, you can at least see what you're buying.

The only guarantee you'll get with the ring in the ebay listing is that you'll be disappointed.
 
I didn't buy the ring on ebay. Someone else must have bought it.

My fiance's finger is a size 7.5.

Which vendor should I be looking at? Any other online stores anyone reccomends?
 
You could call ID Jewelry. They are pretty good working within someone's budget and people usually get more than what
they thought they could.

Here is their website but you really need to call them.
http://idjewelryonline.com/index.php
 
Tykimeister|1402441024|3690419 said:
I didn't buy the ring on ebay. Someone else must have bought it.

My fiance's finger is a size 7.5.

Which vendor should I be looking at? Any other online stores anyone reccomends?
Click to expand...


I'm so glad you didn't!! :appl:
 
I have literally no idea what is going on in that ebay listing. Don't buy that. When you look at the report, it says "Clarity: AAA" and "Color: Black." I am pretty sure you are not trying to buy a black diamond, and to my knowledge no one actually clarity-grades diamonds as "AAA." That's, like, a pearl grading, I think. The picture of the ring on the report is clearly some black stuff with some other black stuff and it looks nothing like the ring in the listing. So there's no real report from anywhere, and the pictures are just stock pictures, not the actual item you will receive. Number one rule of buying online is only buy something with pictures of the actual item you will receive. If you are buying just a diamond, you caaaan buy it with just a grading report from a reputable lab and no pictures, and know you are paying a fair price, but I still wouldn't since your eyes may not like the thing.

I would make very clear what you want to buy and your budget - ie, BOTH an engagement ring and wedding band for $1500 - let the PSers work their magic, and buy one of the suggestions.
 
For the wedding band, probably just a plain band is best since you're on a budget. Right now really skinny bands are popular, so I'd consider the first one (2mm) here: http://www.e-weddingbands.com/store/14K-WGHCF.html A few people here have bought from this site, I'm sure you can read testimonials if you do a search. A 7.5 size is $142 (in 14k white or yellow gold) and you get free shipping. That leaves you with about $1350 for an engagement ring.
 
distracts|1402446113|3690494 said:
I have literally no idea what is going on in that ebay listing. Don't buy that. When you look at the report, it says "Clarity: AAA" and "Color: Black." I am pretty sure you are not trying to buy a black diamond, and to my knowledge no one actually clarity-grades diamonds as "AAA." That's, like, a pearl grading, I think. The picture of the ring on the report is clearly some black stuff with some other black stuff and it looks nothing like the ring in the listing. So there's no real report from anywhere, and the pictures are just stock pictures, not the actual item you will receive. Number one rule of buying online is only buy something with pictures of the actual item you will receive. If you are buying just a diamond, you caaaan buy it with just a grading report from a reputable lab and no pictures, and know you are paying a fair price, but I still wouldn't since your eyes may not like the thing.

I would make very clear what you want to buy and your budget - ie, BOTH an engagement ring and wedding band for $1500 - let the PSers work their magic, and buy one of the suggestions.
Click to expand...


:lol: @ AAA Black.
 
There's a really pretty setting and band in pre-loved for $875, size 8.25. I wonder if it might work if the head could be adjusted to fit a slightly smaller stone and sized down a touch?
 
A different style than shown in your first post

BUT the engagement ring's .49 ct center stone was graded 8 years ago by AGSL, a top-notch lab; its report (which I verified via the AGSL web site) further describes it as F in color (with negligible fluorescence), VVS2 in clarity, and last but not least, AGSL graded the cut as Ideal. $1200 for both the e-ring and wedding band with 1.0 tcw.

White gold, size 8. But because the channel-set, accent diamonds don't go all the way around the finger, a reputable jeweler in your area should be able to safely resize the rings down 1/2 size -- or add sizing beads or another kind of sizer inside the shanks, so the ring would not have to be resized again later in life.

_19082.jpg
 
MollyMalone|1402528266|3691248 said:
A different style than shown in your first post

BUT the engagement ring's .49 ct center stone was graded 8 years ago by AGSL, a top-notch lab; its report (which I verified via the AGSL web site) further describes it as F in color (with negligible fluorescence), VVS2 in clarity, and last but not least, AGSL graded the cut as Ideal. $1200 for both the e-ring and wedding band with 1.0 tcw.

White gold, size 8. But because the channel-set, accent diamonds don't go all the way around the finger, a reputable jeweler in your area should be able to safely resize the rings down 1/2 size -- or add sizing beads or another kind of sizer inside the shanks, so the ring would not have to be resized again later in life.
Click to expand...


Jackpot!!! :appl: :appl: :appl: :appl:
 
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