New, Confused, and Eager to please.

[Ordieth]

Hello. I am new, so please forgive me for such a long, and possibly mis-spelled post. I have been dateing my girlfriend for 4 years now, and I am getting eager to propose. I have spent the past week really searching and researching the internet and a local JB Robinson / Kay Jewlers. While I have heard a lot of bad things about "Maul" shopping, and a lot of good things about e-shopping, I still have a lot to learn about exactly what I like in a diamond. And while it is less expensive to buy online, the store I went to is currently having a promotion for the rest of the year that for every 300 dollars spent, I would get 100 dollars back in a gift card to spend later, and this combined with the "financing" options is a little appealing to me, and might makeup the cost factor of online vs. retal shopping.

While I know that I have a long way to go, I have begun to figure out what I would like in the ring, and could really use some input.

Thinks I would like in the ring based upon her likes, my budget, etc:

1) a unique, but simple ring.
2) very sparkely diamonds.
3) atleast 1 big diamond, but not a lot of little ones.
4) white gold / Platnum
5) 3 stones.


Now, I have a belief that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I have looked a what seems like 1000''s of rings and designs, and I would like to do a custom ring. I had it all figured out in my head, then I came here and the second post I read had an almost identical ring to the one in my head. (posted here https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/its-done-thank-you-all-so-much.53198/) So, now that you have all my information, I would like to ask a few questions.

1) Would it be bad to design a ring very similar to the one in that post?
2) I am haveing trouble figureing out if I should buy my diamonds online or at a store.
3) How much does it cost to have a ring custom made? (about)
4) I am not sure what sizes I should use in my ring. (toying with 1 ct. center, and .5 ct''s on the sides.)
5) While I have used the Halloway Cut Adviser, I am unsure what aspects I can sacrifice on to still achieve a very fiery stone.
6) Any other advice a new person should have before and while shopping for engagement rings.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[poptart]

I couldn''t even finish reading after I got to Kay Jewelers... haha. My DH bought my engagement ring from there (don''t attack ladies!) and although he got quite lucky in getting a stone that performs quite well, and that I love, I am fairly certain he was taken on the price. He paid a lot more than what he should have, so I would suggest NOT going to a mall jewelry store. There are better places online, such as whiteflash or good old gold, where you can get a bigger, better cut stone for a great price. That''s my two cents, and now the actual experts can chime in! Good luck!

*M*

 

[decodelighted]

First of all CONGRATS! We love a guy shopping for a sparklie!! And a three stone in a truffle setting like that will be smashing - especially if you choose Hearts & Arrows (or close to it) Round Brilliants.

1) That style is very popular. There''s no need to do it "custom". If you type "custom" into the search engine here you''ll see that people have all kinds of problemos from that & since the style you want is already made by many places who''ve worked all the kinks out ALREADY - why oh why go to someone who DOESN''T already make that. It''s like reinventing the wheel! SERIOUSLY!!! This is one case where "custom" would be SILLY! (In my opinion.

)

2) I think you''ll get the most bang for your buck by working with one of the online vendors that deals in super ideal stones. They''ll help you select stones that match well together & plenty of folks around here will be in on the process if you post the specs & certs & pictures that you WILL get if you work with one of the places that is used to dealing with "picky Pricescopers" ... UNLIKE the maul stores who are used to UNEDUCATED customers lured in by their "sales".

3) Unless you go with a super pricey "branded" mall stone (i.e. LEO, Hearts On Fire) I don''t think you''ll EVEN COME CLOSE to the sparkly awesome stones you''d find at some of the online vendors around here (Whiteflash, Good Old Gold come to mind first - but there are others too). And the online prices are usually WAY better than maul prices or boutique jewelry store prices.

I think the setting type you''re looking for is Three Stone Truffle ... but I''ll double check. It''s gorgeous whatever it''s called - but knowing the "lingo" will help you find it more quickly!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 11/12/2006 7:34:42 PM
Author: decodelighted
First of all CONGRATS! We love a guy shopping for a sparklie!! And a three stone in a truffle setting like that will be smashing - especially if you choose Hearts & Arrows (or close to it) Round Brilliants.

1) That style is very popular. There''s no need to do it ''custom''. If you type ''custom'' into the search engine here you''ll see that people have all kinds of problemos from that & since the style you want is already made by many places who''ve worked all the kinks out ALREADY - why oh why go to someone who DOESN''T already make that. It''s like reinventing the wheel! SERIOUSLY!!! This is one case where ''custom'' would be SILLY! (In my opinion.

)

2) I think you''ll get the most bang for your buck by working with one of the online vendors that deals in super ideal stones. They''ll help you select stones that match well together & plenty of folks around here will be in on the process if you post the specs & certs & pictures that you WILL get if you work with one of the places that is used to dealing with ''picky Pricescopers'' ... UNLIKE the maul stores who are used to UNEDUCATED customers lured in by their ''sales''.

3) Unless you go with a super pricey ''branded'' mall stone (i.e. LEO, Hearts On Fire) I don''t think you''ll EVEN COME CLOSE to the sparkly awesome stones you''d find at some of the online vendors around here (Whiteflash, Good Old Gold come to mind first - but there are others too). And the online prices are usually WAY better than maul prices or boutique jewelry store prices.

I think the setting type you''re looking for is Three Stone Truffle ... but I''ll double check. It''s gorgeous whatever it''s called - but knowing the ''lingo'' will help you find it more quickly!

Deco, did you mean Trellis setting???

 

[Ordieth]

Wow. thanks guys. I think I found the band, but as I am looking for diamonds, WHOA! so many! Just to make sure I am doing this right, and I am actually searching properly.

I found this diamond I like. However, I am confused about 2 parts.

1) Are fluorescence unwanted? I heard that some is good, and a lot is bad...
2) As I look at the GIA Report, I see a lot of red marks on the reference diagrams, but the diamond is VS2. what does that mean?


Thank you again for the help, and sorry for asking so many questions.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&pid=LD00160186&filter_id=0#grading_report


Oh yea, is this diamond worth the money, or do you think I could do better?

 

[JulieN]

Fluoresence is a personal opinion. Lots of people love it because it gives it an extra oomph. While I agree wtih that, I don't like blue fluoresence because it clashes with my wardrobe.

Faint, none, and negligible are all about the same thing.

On the GIA report, there are five clarity characteristics indicated. On a VS2, that would mean each one would have to be quite small. The number of marks cannot tell you if it is "eye-clean."

The stone is a bit shallow. As you are looking for a firey stone, a smaller table and steeper crown angle will help. Consider E/F color, unless you must have D.

 

[findarock]

Quick welcome to the club!
The club I am talking about is being a guy that is clueless about the process but trying his best to do the right thing and get a great deal on some jewelry.

My 2 cents that has helped me is to look at the resources and tools, and "search" for the thing that I dont understand, or people suggest.

 

[jayreneepea]

Where did you see the setting you liked? It''s usually easier to buy the diamonds from the same vendor as the ring, but not a requirement.

Have you seen this one http://www.knoxjewelers.biz/index.htm?crn=202&rn=740&action=show_detail

 

[Ordieth]

Date: 11/13/2006 12:21:30 AM
Author: jayrenay9
Where did you see the setting you liked? It''s usually easier to buy the diamonds from the same vendor as the ring, but not a requirement.

Have you seen this one http://www.knoxjewelers.biz/index.htm?crn=202&rn=740&action=show_detail

That is nice. That is definately the style I am going for. But I am haveing a terrible time finding just the right band... lol.
I am looking for those prong''s, but with a band that is split down the middle. I am not really sure if that is a good idea however... just something that I thought looked very nice.

Man, this diamond shopping is a labor of love. So many diamonds. I am starting to wonder if I am being too picky...

I was looking at the other custom rings that Knox has done in the past, and I found myself wondering if I should maybe go with a 1 ct. center and 2 .25 ct or .35 ct. diamonds instead of 2 .5 ct''s.

I have decided to set my budget to about 6k for this ring... but I think I could go over... (I am just that kind of guy.)

How do these diamonds look, and am I aiming a little too high?
Would these work together?
How difficult would it be to get the diamonds, the setting, and then have them mounted? (maybe cost too)
And lastly, should I be as afriad of the GIA and AGS Reports like I am?

1 ct.
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/round-ideal-cut-cut-diamond-155613.htm#

.36 ct.
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/a-cut-above-h-a-cut-diamond-3236.htm#

.35 ct.
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/a-cut-above-h-a-cut-diamond-337.htm#


Thank you everyone for all your help! Sometimes I get so confused (

) but I am learning and haveing lots of fun doing it!

 

[JulieN]

Lovely trio. Seems you''re going a bit overbudget, so I''d definitely look for H SIs for sidestones. Don''t have to pick them all now; stock setting will probably cost less than custom, also huge supply of 1/3 cts (they ain''t going anywhere) so maybe get the setting squared away first so you know what size sidestones to look for.

Also, I think .3s are good size for sides.

 

[ff]

Hi Ordieth!

Welcome!

I''m the one who put together that ring you like a lot (thread you point to in the first post).

I know exactly what you''re going through as I came here knowing nothing too. The amount of knowledge here is incredible so rest assured that with the help here, you''ll put something wonderful together at a good/great price. Definitely avoid the mall options at all costs.

To answer a few of the questions... I don''t think there''s anything wrong with going with a design you''ve already seen out there put together by someone else. Chances are that no matter what ring you get (unless a custom job) someone out there is wearing something similar. There''s a lot of people on this planet...

Regardless, it will always be different as no two stones are really identical and you''re about to choose 3 of them!!!

If you want any particular details on the ring I put together, I''ve posted all of it here on PS so feel free to go with that. Summary though is center stone is Signature Ideal (.660 carats) from Blue Nile, Side sapphires from Wink, and setting from Leo Ingwer ordered through my local jeweler who put it all together. Touch base with Wink and/or the other PS vendors and I''m sure they can quote you the whole thing as a package and give you some options for the stones. Wink is awesome when it comes to Sapphires.

I''d think heavily before doing a custom job unless you know exactly what you want and can''t find an equivalent out there.

When it comes to the size, here''s a few questions:
1. What is her ring size?
2. Is she active and wants something that she can wear a lot and won''t get in the way?
3. Does she like BIG bling?

Other than that, get an idea of your overall budget and then start picking piece by piece. Start with the center diamond and the setting and then the side stones will be partially dictated by those first two.

Also, read here as much as you can. Even a couple of weeks of reading PS posts, watching PS videos, and reading the information on the site can get you up to speed REALLY fast and help make things much easier!

Good luck and have fun with it!

 

[Ordieth]

Thanks FF! I really do admire the ring you made. (good choice with the sappires btw.

) I hope my ring will turn out that good when I am finished!

As far as I can figure out (getting information and keeping it a surprise is hard work!

) My girlfriend is a size 7. I am not sure if that is the exact size of her ring finger on the left hand, because I think she is baseing it on the right hand ring her grandmother gave her, and if that''s the case, I think she might be a 6.5? (I can always get it resized, right? lol)

She has told me that she wants a large diamond, but something simple... she is a very confusing person, and I love it!

I do have some questions for you FF if you have the time....

You said that you went to your local jewler to have the ring put together, how hard was that? Did it cost a lot? Did you buy the leo ingwer from that jewler or on-line? And lastly, while you were diamond searching, did you find the GIA reports helpful or harmful to your decision makeing?

Sorry for all the questions, they just keep popping into my head!

Thank you all very much for helping me, I will continue to look and research... another day, another diamond to look at.

 

[ff]

Hi Ordieth. You are very welcome.

Thanks for the comps on the ring.

I''m sure your ring will turn out wonderful too with the help of everyone here on PS. I know mine wouldn''t have come even close without all of them.

Keeping it all a surprise is definitely hard work. Just keeping the secret yourself you''ll find is tough enough due to all the excitement.

Since it sounds like she''s semi-aware of things, you can definitely play around a bit with it all and do things together that will help you a lot yet not give everything a way. For instance, make a fun joke trip inside the jewelery store next time you walk by one (make it spontaneous) and then have both of you measured for the fun of it. That way you''ll know her real ring size. I did this with my girlfriend many months ago so she didn''t suspect something because of it. You really don''t want to have to get it resized unless you really have to.

With regards to large, if you two do the fun trip inside the jewelery store, you can look at things and get a good idea of what she wants. Large to one person is very different than large to another person. Also, simple to one is very different than simple to another. Even if it''s just walking by a jewelry store window, point to something completely outrageous and complicated and say "you want something simple like that, right?"

. Hopefully it will open the door to point at other stuff in the window and quickly gauge what it is she really wants.

The putting together of the actual ring was the simplest part of it all. I hear it usually takes about an hour to two depending on the ring and the complexity of the job but took about four hours with mine as the bench jewler took a lot of time to do things absolutely prefect while showing me everything at the same time. Was a great experience but I''m sure not every bench jeweler would be up for it.

With regards to cost, it didn''t cost me anything as it was included in the price I worked out with my jeweler for the setting itself which I had my jeweler order from Leo Ingwer. I would have no issue though ordering the Leo Ingwer setting from some of the great PS online vendors. One even quoted me a couple of hundred dollars lower price (without mounting the stones) but I went with my local jeweler as I really wanted to see it all put together and considered the price difference a fair one for the work of putting it all together.

For the diamond searching, the reports are key. Personally, I ended up sticking to only AGS stones as I really liked how the new AGS reports have light performance property listed on them. Was just one more quick way to weed poor performers out. If I couldn''t find the right AGS one though, I would have definitely gone with a GIA one. I wouldn''t consider any other cert myself. The certs are just really good in getting a safe grasp of the details of your diamond. If you are going with Blue Nile I would consider their signature diamond. If not, I would definitely consider going with one of the vendors here before you get a non-signature diamond from Blue Nile. I think the vendors here have INCREDIBLE diamonds with tons of photos and materials to look through and can offer you the added benefit of looking at the stone for you and giving you their opinion on it. Their reputation here depends on happy online customers so they are very motivated to make sure to give you accurate info. Personally, I would take top quality cut/symmetry/polish over size any day. A crappy looking big diamond will not have anywhere near the same effect as a spectacular slightly smaller one.

Once you find some possible diamonds, look over all the details of the reports carefully, run the numbers off the reports through the HCA, and if they look like great choices, post all the info. here and everyone can take a second look for you to make sure you didn''t miss anything.

I would definitely start though with trying to get a good idea of what your girlfriend really wants. She''s the one that has to wear the ring for the rest of her life.

 

[Ordieth]

FF, Thank you for all your help. Your ring keeps looking better the more pictures you post! (I love the one in the flowers!

)

If you get the time, I have some more questions. (I am a never ending pit of questions!

)

1) Did you buy your band without any stones in it?
2) Do you think the ring would be able to support a stone with a VThn girdle? (do you think it might be a problem)
3) What''s it like being engaged?

Thank you again for all your help. I think I am going to shrink the diamonds I want to set, but I am not sure how much. (I am thinking of going with a .7-.8 center stone, cause the 1ct. looks a little too big to me.

)

 

[ff]

Hi Ordieth. You are very welcome for the help. I got tons of it myself from everyone here so am happy to give back.

Thanks for the comps on the photos. I was super happy with how the one in the blue flowers (closeup) came out.

No problem about the questions. Keep asking away as much as you need.

1. Yes. I bought that band without any stones set in it from Leo Ingwer. You can expect the price in that state to be a bit less than half of what they put as the recommended price on the website. Good Old Gold (Marie) gave me a great quote on it when I inquired with them. The only reason I didn''t go with them was that after all the help I got from my local jeweler, I wanted to give him the business for that piece and considered the price difference fair since he''d be setting it. Since you are just starting, try contacting Good Old Gold as they might be a great way to go for the whole thing. I see tons of positive stuff from them. The sapphires I''d probably stick to Wink for (who could send them to GOG I''m sure) as he is a whiz when it came to those.

2. Personally, I just wouldn''t get a VThn girdle. I think it''s just asking for trouble. The only safe place would probably be in a bezel setting. For the peace of mind, I''d recommend sticking to thin to slightly thick.

3. Don''t know yet!

Soon.

In regards to size, keep in mind that her finger size, her tastes, and the style of ring make a big difference in what size center stone to get. In the ring I put together for instance, she has a 5.5 size finger (not very big), is very active and doesn''t want something big or protruding, and with the 3 stone design, I had to make sure there was enough room to put the other two stones in without the whole thing getting too big for what I know she likes. In my case, I went with a .660 carat center and the side sapphires are .68 total weight.

One thing that I found helped is once you know where the ring would fit on your finger (for instance for me before my knuckle on my pinky finger), then I was able to go into mall jewelery stores (they''re great for shape/style research... don''t buy there!!!

) and try different rings on putting them in that location on my finger. That way I had a visual idea of how it will look on her finger based on finger width.

 

[allycat0303]

Hi Ordieth,

I bought a ring for my mom from Whiteflash, I used a 0.73 center stone and 2 0.25 stones. I really, really like the size difference when you have a 0.73 ish stone with 0.25 stones because then the center stone stands out more then the two side stones. If you use 0.73 with two 0.5 stones, then all three stones can look almost the same size (depends what you like).

Here''s a link to my mom''s ring if you are intrested in how the sizes look together:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-mommys-ring-whiteflash.47496/

 

[ff]

Goregeous ring allycat0303!

Ordieth, I think allycat0303 has a great point about the relative sizing. I actually love Kaleigh''s ring for the same reason. If I had to do this again, I would definitely think hard about doing the side sapphires a bit smaller. Just make sure you know the smallest side size that can be accomodated by the setting. A lot of 3 stone settings are not designed for much smaller side stones.

 

[Ordieth]

Nice ring Allycat!, that''s gorgeous!

After visiting the "Maul" shops today, I agree that 1/3 the size of the center stone might be just right, but I still need to get more information from the GF about her likes and dislikes.... (it will be tough, she currently lives like 500 miles away!!!)

I went to a local brick and mortar jewelry store that can order the ring and is willing to mount it as well! (she was very nice

)

I am looking into the specific''s for that .81 ct diamond with the v. thin girdle in hopes that it is a very small part of the diamond. (but odds are that it''s a "too good to be true" price.

)

I guess I just need to keep looking, and adjusting my tastes to match my budget!

I think my standards might be a little too high right now, but I will work on it more.

Thank you all for the wonderful advice and you can be sure that I will have lots more questions!

 

[allycat0303]

Ordieth,

I don''t think that a very thin girdle in some parts of the diamond is a huge problem in a round. It''s more dangerous in a princess cut. I used to have a diamond that had a very thin girdle in some spots too, I asked for it to be covered with a prong. In any case, I don''t know anything about the diamond you were considering, but it might not be totally out of the running.

 

[Ordieth]

I emailed Jim Schultz about the diamond. Currently his OGI (Sarin?) Machine is on the Fritz. According to his "Hands-on" evaluation, 20% of the girdle is ''very thin'', 60% is ''thin'' and 20% is ''medium''. But we wont know till he gets the machine up and running next week sometime. Mr. Schultz stated;

Assuming as much as 20% of the girdle is ''very thin'', then I think we would
have to consider the possibility that this diamond could be more prone to
damage than a diamond with a ''medium'' girdle. With that said, however, I
can tell you that any diamond, regardless of girdle thickness can be
damaged, and that damage (even with thinner girdles) is not something that
occurs with any great frequency. After seven years online and thousands of
customers, I can count on one *finger* how many people have had problems
chipping their round diamonds. Most problems occur with the corners of
princess cuts and the tips of pear shapes - regardless of girdle
thickness...

I dont feel like he would steer me wrong, but how accurate of a statement is this? And do you think 20% is too big? What would be an appropriate percent?

Still seems like I have more questions than answers.

Thank you all again for all the help!

 

[JulieN]

The answer is pretty good.

"After seven years online and thousands of customers, I can count on one *finger* how many people have had problems
chipping their round diamonds."

Quite a few anecdotes on PS with chipped rounds.

Think about it this way: it seems to be discounted anywhere from $400-700. Average of $500-600 also seems to be the mode. How many years of insurance will 500-600 cover? (Of course, you were going to insure it anyway, regardless of durability risk.)

Also, since it's a 3-stone, the whole thin side (if it is continuous) can be oriented in the same line as the shank and other sidestones, so it is possible it will be more protected than if it were a solitaire.

 

[Ordieth]

Date: 11/15/2006 8:17:48 PM
Author: JulieN
The answer is pretty good.

''After seven years online and thousands of customers, I can count on one *finger* how many people have had problems
chipping their round diamonds.''

Quite a few anecdotes on PS with chipped rounds.

Think about it this way: it seems to be discounted anywhere from $400-700. Average of $500-600 also seems to be the mode. How many years of insurance will 500-600 cover? (Of course, you were going to insure it anyway, regardless of durability risk.)

Also, since it''s a 3-stone, the whole thin side (if it is continuous) can be oriented in the same line as the shank and other sidestones, so it is possible it will be more protected than if it were a solitaire.

Thank you JulieN. I feel like I have more options now. Since your post I have decided to start looking at other people''s insurance stories. (and chipped stories!

)

I must be concerned with chipping, and the different insurance options are interesting. So far I have read a lot about "Chubb". As I understand things, they cost a little more, but cut you a check for the value of whatever is broken. However, I am very lost when it comes to the "Wear and Tear" clause. I am also unsure as to the annual cost of the insurance (which isn''t that big of a deal).

So, as I start to price it all out, I am looking at about a 5-6k ring... plus about 300-500 annual insurance costs.

I can''t wait to find out the details about that diamond though! (#2) Other than the very thin girdle, it seems to have all the aspects that I want in a diamond! (but I am not sure if that inclusion would be coverable by a prong... lol)

Anyway, Thank you all so much! I still have a ton to learn, and a lot of diamonds to search through!

 

[ff]

Hi Ordieth! What are all the specs. on that diamond? I''m seeing quite a few wonderful stones available in the carat size you are looking and many of those don''t have the issues with the very thin girdle. If you post all the details of the one you''re looking at, we might be able to give you more help with it and possible options.

 

[E B]

Ordieth,

Did you see this stone?

.82 G, SI1 AGS EX/EX (0.7 on the HCA)

With this setting in platinum that includes with 2 ACA's (.25ct each):

WF 'Trois Brillent' Three Stone Ring

You'd be right at $5000.

 

[Ordieth]

Date: 11/16/2006 2:09:29 PM
Author: ff
Hi Ordieth! What are all the specs. on that diamond? I'm seeing quite a few wonderful stones available in the carat size you are looking and many of those don't have the issues with the very thin girdle. If you post all the details of the one you're looking at, we might be able to give you more help with it and possible options.

Wow, I can't believe that I got mixed up with my posts.... lol..

ok... the Diamond I am looking at right now is:

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.78
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 60.5%
Table: 56%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Very thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.96*6.00*3.62

Crown Angle: 34.5°
Crown %: 15.00
Pavillion Angle: 40.6°
Pavillion %: 43.00

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131&item=896874

However...
I must say that EBree has found something amazing!

Both are very low on the HCA scale. (the 78 point is a .6, the 82 point is .7), both are about the size I am looking for (I am not exactly sure what I want

), both are cut Idealy, however the .78 is a H&A, while the .82 is not quite there (not sure how imporant that really is....

). both are Excellent polish and symmetry (that makes the diamonds sparkle, right?

) and those are the important factors that they have in common.

However, the major differences are the color (F vs. G), clairity (VS2 vs. SI1), and girdle size(Vthn vs. Thn). I do not know exactly how major these differences are, I must say that the .82 imperfections are much harder for me to see than the .78's.

Thank you EBree for pointing that out, and Thank you for the price quote!!! I like knowing my options, and you have just given me another set of them!

to be honest, the diamond I was looking at was interesting to me because I thought I might be able to hide the inclusion... but I still have a lot to learn about inclusions and how easy they are to see.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/16/2006 3:12:09 PM
Author: Ordieth

However, the major differences are the color (F vs. G), clairity (VS2 vs. SI1), and girdle size(Vthn vs. Thn). I do not know exactly how major these differences are, I must say that the .82 imperfections are much harder for me to see than the .78's.

Glad I could help!

Regarding the girdle, the thin would be less likely to chip (but I see that has already been discussed). From what I can see, it's an amazingly eye-clean SI1, something quite sought after on PS. The great thing about an amazingly eye-clean SI1 is that you get the clarity you want, but you don't have to pay for it.

The color really just depends. Some people on this board are color sensitive, while others (like myself) am not. I had an "I" just recently and it was as white as can be (I still don't understand how anything could have been whiter) so I highly doubt your girlfriend will see any warmth in a 'G', especially since it's an ideal cut.

Is there a large price difference?

 

[Ordieth]

Date: 11/16/2006 5:53:09 PM
Author: EBree

The color really just depends. Some people on this board are color sensitive, while others (like myself) am not. I had an ''I'' just recently and it was as white as can be (I still don''t understand how anything could have been whiter) so I highly doubt your girlfriend will see any warmth in a ''G'', especially since it''s an ideal cut.

Is there a large price difference?

Well, to start, the price difference is only about 300 dollars. I am a little confused however. How can a VS2 be clasified higher than this SI1 but seem to have more inclusions? Is it possible that the .82 is shown in a light that helps hide the inclusions? I dont know if that is even possible.

Wow... I think that .82 is so pretty...

 

[codex57]

Date: 11/12/2006 7:20:22 PM
Author:Ordieth
And while it is less expensive to buy online, the store I went to is currently having a promotion for the rest of the year that for every 300 dollars spent, I would get 100 dollars back in a gift card to spend later, and this combined with the ''financing'' options is a little appealing to me, and might makeup the cost factor of online vs. retal shopping.

Maul stores are great at creating fantastic sounding sales or promotions. It''s all crap tho. It''s the same with furniture stores. How do they keep having these 70% off closeout sales yet still stay in business? Malls charge crazy amounts for rent.

I''ll use cars as an example. I''ll pretend to be a car dealer. Let''s take a Honda Civic as the example car. Market price of say $15,000. Well, how about I charge you $30,000 for it, but knock off a huge $10,000. We''ll settle for $20,000. In exchange, you can also get a $2,000 credit towards your next purchase from me.

Going over the numbers, even if we did the exact same deal, you''d still pay more than the market price if you bought from me. And that''s WITH the $2,000 bonus credit I gave you for purchasing from me that first time.

Now, the financing could make a difference. However, most people feel that if you''re going into debt to buy the ring, that''s too much ring for you. Also, if I charge you 15% interest but allow you to finance, is it that great a deal? Maybe look for a credit card that gives you better rates?

The maul store warranties are typically worthless as well. If you come back later, the new salesperson/manager you deal with often comes up with various excuses as to why the warranty has more limitations than you were originally lead to believe. Even if you get an upgrade, if the prices are crappy, you may not be getting any value out of that warranty.

 

[Ordieth]

Date: 11/16/2006 6:23:45 PM
Author: codex57


Maul stores are great at creating fantastic sounding sales or promotions. It''s all crap tho. It''s the same with furniture stores. How do they keep having these 70% off closeout sales yet still stay in business? Malls charge crazy amounts for rent.

I''ll use cars as an example. I''ll pretend to be a car dealer. Let''s take a Honda Civic as the example car. Market price of say $15,000. Well, how about I charge you $30,000 for it, but knock off a huge $10,000. We''ll settle for $20,000. In exchange, you can also get a $2,000 credit towards your next purchase from me.

Going over the numbers, even if we did the exact same deal, you''d still pay more than the market price if you bought from me. And that''s WITH the $2,000 bonus credit I gave you for purchasing from me that first time.

Now, the financing could make a difference. However, most people feel that if you''re going into debt to buy the ring, that''s too much ring for you. Also, if I charge you 15% interest but allow you to finance, is it that great a deal? Maybe look for a credit card that gives you better rates?

The maul store warranties are typically worthless as well. If you come back later, the new salesperson/manager you deal with often comes up with various excuses as to why the warranty has more limitations than you were originally lead to believe. Even if you get an upgrade, if the prices are crappy, you may not be getting any value out of that warranty.

Yea, no need to convince me anymore... The more I learn, the more trouble I see with "maul" stores... The diamonds there are all not quite right, and the sales people know less than me! (and I''ve only spent a week learning

) Besides, a little insurance (which I would get even if I bought a mall diamond

) is enough to makeup for their warranties. And for the prices they want (even after promotions) I can get a diamond of better quality for less money from trusted sites here!

So I am very glad I found you guys before I got sucked into the mall jewlers shops.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

We''re glad you found us, too, Ordieth! I''ll tell you though, I wouldn''t get the stone with the very thin girdle. That would worry me and I''d rather pay a little more to get one with a better girdle. I''d also suggest G or H color to get you a better cut stone and maybe a little larger, too! H&A stones will face up very white in G and H.