Need advice on engagement ring w/ tension setting

[xymox]

Hi,

My first post here. I hope someone can give me advice on my situation. I saw Steve Kretchmer''s tension setting at Belenky Brothers gallery (BB) here in NYC and immediately feel in love with it. I decided Kretchmer''s tension setting will be on the engagement ring for my fiance-to-be. Before I proceed with the purchase, I checked with the diamond price listed on www.diamond.com. I found (with the same 4''Cs) BB''s diamond costed about $1,500 more. Am I paying too much because I want Kretchmer''s tension setting? Can I get tension setting anywhere else besides Stuart Moore and BB in NYC? How do I make sure I''m paying the right price for the diamond? How safe it is to purchase from an internet vendor?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

-JH

 

[Adrienne]

Hi Xymox -

Generally you should be able to choose the diamond separately from the setting, it's just that the tension settings require a decent clarity for stability purposes.

In the world of tension settings it seems there are three manufacturers who are reputable - Kretchmer, Gelin-Abaci and Neissing.

Kretchmer and Gelin-Abaci have similar styles, but Kretchmer is a little heavier and a little more expensive. Either way the setting can be pricey (but worth it, IMHO). The price given for the ring generally does not include a center diamond. Generally for the price they quote it comes with a center CZ - which you can have changed out for a diamond that either you buy through them or bring in from somewhere else.

You can do a search online for Kretchmer retailers - I am going to be purchasing a Gelin-Abaci ring and I am going through MickeyRoof.com for it. I am working on the diamond purchase, but that is from a different vendor.

Online purchases of this type are pretty safe if you do the homework - do a search on this board for the name of the jeweler that you are considering going through, see if anything negative comes up. You could also check Pricescope's list of vendors, I think Pricescope is somewhat discriminating when it comes to who they list.

And, while it's good to look at local jewelers, do a search here at pricescope for the diamond and see if they compare to the price/quality you saw at your local store.

I hope some of this helps!

 

[xymox]

Adrienne,

Thanks for your advice. I don't mind paying more for Kretchmer's tension setting, I just don't feel right paying more for the same diamond that's cheaper elsewhere. I called Kretchmer's 888 info line and the lady at the other end stressed that Belenky Brothers is the recommended jeweler in NYC area.
I think it's inevitable to pay more because my desire for Kretchmer's setting. This also means forgetting about getting diamond from internet vendors because Kretchmer may not have business relationship with them.

Thanks again.

-JH



----------------
On 5/26/2003 3:56:47 PM Adrienne wrote:

Hi Xymox -

Generally you should be able to choose the diamond separately from the setting, it's just that the tension settings require a decent clarity for stability purposes.

In the world of tension settings it seems there are three manufacturers who are reputable - Kretchmer, Gelin-Abaci and Neissing.

Kretchmer and Gelin-Abaci have similar styles, but Kretchmer is a little heavier and a little more expensive. Either way the setting can be pricey (but worth it, IMHO). The price given for the ring generally does not include a center diamond. Generally for the price they quote it comes with a center CZ - which you can have changed out for a diamond that either you buy through them or bring in from somewhere else.

You can do a search online for Kretchmer retailers - I am going to be purchasing a Gelin-Abaci ring and I am going through MickeyRoof.com for it. I am working on the diamond purchase, but that is from a different vendor.

Online purchases of this type are pretty safe if you do the homework - do a search on this board for the name of the jeweler that you are considering going through, see if anything negative comes up. You could also check Pricescope's list of vendors, I think Pricescope is somewhat discriminating when it comes to who they list.

And, while it's good to look at local jewelers, do a search here at pricescope for the diamond and see if they compare to the price/quality you saw at your local store.

I hope some of this helps!----------------

 

[Adrienne]

Xymox -

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do...

But before you buy their diamond you might want to consider comparing what diamonds you can get there vs. what you can get online.

It doesn't hurt anything, and it may help you decide. The jeweler you are looking at may very well provide the perfect diamond for you at a reasonable price... but you won't know that unless you look.

I'm thrilled because doing my diamond purchase and my setting purchase separately has allowed me to essentially handpick my ring. I have been able to choose a diamond from among all the diamond vendors, finally choosing the one that "spoke" to me, which will then be set into the tension setting I have found.

And trust me - after I get my diamond we will be visiting a couple local stores just to compare.

Anyway - if you feel confident in this jeweler then go forward and be happy... but if you have a couple minutes do a comparison, it might make you feel more confident in this decision regarding quality and price.

 

[xymox]

Adrienne,

My friend just told me the store where he got his engagement ring from. I'm go to check and compare the damond prices.
I'll put the other diamond on hold as long as I could. I need to get some confidence on my decision.

Thanks and good luck on completing your ring!

----------------
On 5/26/2003 4:30:35 PM Adrienne wrote:
Xymox -

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do...

But before you buy their diamond you might want to consider comparing what diamonds you can get there vs. what you can get online.

It doesn't hurt anything, and it may help you decide. The jeweler you are looking at may very well provide the perfect diamond for you at a reasonable price... but you won't know that unless you look.

I'm thrilled because doing my diamond purchase and my setting purchase separately has allowed me to essentially handpick my ring. I have been able to choose a diamond from among all the diamond vendors, finally choosing the one that "spoke" to me, which will then be set into the tension setting I have found.

And trust me - after I get my diamond we will be visiting a couple local stores just to compare.

Anyway - if you feel confident in this jeweler then go forward and be happy... but if you have a couple minutes do a comparison, it might make you feel more confident in this decision regarding quality and price.

----------------

 

[Adrienne]

Also - if you haven't already then you should go through the tutorial on pricescope. There is a lot more detail to a diamond besides the 4 C's - the cut is the key to how beautiful your diamond is (a D, VVS1 diamond might not be as pretty as a G, SI1 depending on the cut), familiarizing yourself with some of the details might help you choose the most sparkley diamond from your jeweler!

-Adrienne

 

[xymox]

Hi Adrienne,

I checked out some more similiar diamonds at the store my friend recommended. They have better prices for the same or better quality diamonds.
Unfortunately they don't do Kretchmer's tension settings. Is it true that the jewelers/stores that carry Kretchmer's design require you to
purchase the diamond from them? If not, how can I find a jeweler that can take a loose diamond and set it on a tension setting? (since Steven Kretchmer does not deal with the consumers directly).

Thanks a lot for al your help.

 

[Adrienne]

I do not know for sure about Kretchmer vendors...

I do know that the jewelers I have contacted about Gelin-Abaci (three different jewelry stores) have all been willing to send in my own diamond - or sell me a diamond to send in.

The only pre-req is that the diamond needs to fit within their size parameters for the ring you have chosen, and the clarity needs to be at least SI1? with no surface fractures. If you send them a diamond that doesn't qualify they just send it back to you.

I would think Kretchmer would be the same way. If your local jeweler won't accept your diamond then consider a different jeweler. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to put the diamond of your choosing (again, meeting their size/clarity requirements for structural stability) into the setting of your choosing.

As far as who might be a Kretchmer distributor... I'm not sure, you could try doing a search in this forum to see if anyone mentions where they got theirs, or an internet search to find some jewelers and then weed them out from there.

 

[mikology]

Hi JH

I have just purchased a Diamond from Diamonds.com I found it perfectly safe. The GIA has a laser inscription on the girdle that matches the report. They give you 30 day return so you have plenty of time to get a few appraisals. I did and they all pretty much agree with the report. I actually got a really good deal from $500 to $1000 less than stores and my jeweler with no Tax. Diamonds.com was $500 cheaper than Diamond.com for same stone.
It's also usually cheaper to buy the stone your after seperate then in the setting.
Hope this helps, Good Luck

MM

 

[Hest88]

If I were you, I'd first make a discrete call to BB to make sure they will set another stone. Then, buy the stone, go in, and tell them you inherited a stone that you'd like set.

The other option, if we're going to be using subterfuge, is to call Kretchmer and say you're, I dunno, in North Dakota and want ask them to recommend someone who would be willing to work with someone remotely..

 

[Superidealist]

These are very new replies to a very old post but my policy is to take every chance I get to say how much I love the Kretchmer Omega - a modern classic.

 

[holdendog]

I bought my Kretchmer from George Press in Livingston, NJ. If you don't mind making the trip out to Orange NJ, they are wonderful and had good prices on the diamonds (based on my research). Krecthmer when you called them gives you the closest vendor to your zip code. That's what they've set up with their retailers. You need to be careful with clarity with the Tension setting, the designer is very picky. You can contact George Press at (973) 992-7797. Ask for Shelly.

 

[Allie]

Hi,

I bought my Steven Kretchmer Tension ring complete with the center diamond from Belenky Brothers in Soho. After carefully exploring all the choices I felt that this was the best decision. I liked the idea of actually seeing and touching the exact diamond that I was going to purchase. I also liked being able to walk through the diamond selection process with a trained gemologist by my side to answer all my questions and show me the difference between each of the stones. I was amazed how different 2 stones with similar specs can appear. It is also nice to have a real live person to deal with face to face. The entire experience was not only informative, but also highly enjoyable. I love the new ring and I really like the peace of mind I have knowing that my ring came from a well-established firm.

Good luck to all

Allie

 

[belle]

hey allie,
we don''t see many tension set rings around here. could you post a picture of yours?