Need Help with ring!

[nic3456]

OK, my girlfriend has picked out the exact ring she wants. The only problem is the one she wants is at a jewelry store in our local mall and they claim the design is one of their exclusive ones. (its the "Katherine" at Helzberg Diamonds. My problem is that I do not want to pay the over inflated prices they have (muchless sales tax) ($2999 for 1/2 ct center with 1/2 tw sidestones set in 18kt white gold) I went to bluenile and compared the center stone and looks like I can get the center stone of the same quality as helzberg for $900-$1100(certified) and buy 4 -1/8ct sidestones from dirtcheapdiamonds for $300(non-certified) leaving me with just trying to come up with the setting. My questions are how easy can a custom jeweler create that setting, what price could i get from them and is it normal for diamonds below 1/4 ct in weight to not be certified (does it make a difference if the the sidestones are not certified?) I would like to take the $$$ saved and spend it on a larger/higher quality diamond. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Help a man in love (but stressed!)

 

[Nicrez]

I found this ring on their site, is this it? What does it look like from the side view?

Katherine, is that you?

I think any good jeweler could redo the ring. Are there any jewelers in your area you can bring a sketch to, and see if they have CAD programs to creat a mock-up of the ring on their computers?

 

[DavidEmslie]

Hello, Such a ring would be easy to make on our CAD system.
Besides being a better price and higher quality having it made to order would mean it would be made to size as a one piece casting, (no solder joints to break) as well as the band width and diamond width are not fixed, example, if a 65pt stone was bigger and better a company such as ours can match the side stones and width of the mounting to keep the size aspect ratios correct.
Likewise, side stones do not need to be certified, As well there are many designers of fine jewelry that work based on there time and not on a mark up, Sort of like a mechanic or any consultant or person of skilled labor, IE the parts cost is just that, and yes, often times the prices are less than that or the same as dirt cheap or bluenile ect. We all get our stones from the same places, I think you would be suprised at just what kind of price and quality you can get when you cut out un-needed vendors and middle men and get a direct package.
Of course, these un-needed people will not tell you that, but thank god for independant apprasers.
In any case there are two types of jewelers out there, people who rely on sales and the profit from them, and those jewelers who do jewelry as jobs/workload/for hire.