Online or Family Owned Jeweler (non-chain)??-- a little long....

[happygolucky851]

Hi Ladies,

My boyfriend and I are really starting to get into the diamond looking process. I have learned so much from everyone here on PS as well as just websites. We went to this family owned and operated jeweler a couple of days ago (our first time) and they were VERY helpful (In College Station, TX for reference). Everyone in the store is amazing and they seem like they honestly want to help you. I am very fond of Emerald Cuts, and I am DREAMING of an EC solitaire with a plain WG band. We went to this store because we want to be able to see some real diamonds to get a feel for what they actually look like in person, and they are BREATHTAKING! They do not have very many so they have to call some in for us for an appointment on Friday! Anyway, I have looked at many places online for EC''s and have found that Solomon Brothers is the one that seems like you get more diamond for your money within reason. I know a lot about EC''s now because of PS but I just wanted to see, in person, what sizes, L/W ratios, Colors, Clarities, etc that I like, and I know especially with EC''s you really need to see the diamond first because they vary. Our budget for the diamond is only about 2800-3000, as of now and I want as close to 1 carat as possible. With Solomon Brothers I have seen quite a few with a good size to them with what seems to be decent cut and clarity.

I have heard from many people that online will be cheaper, and from what the jeweler has shown us (3 EC''s) Solomon Brothers definitely has them beat! The largest the jeweler has shown us is 3/4 carat. The reason I am on the fence is because the jeweler''s policy''s are unbeatable. What I love is that they can do the exact setting I want for the EC (which needs some custom work) for about $400 or so, I can trade in the diamond at any time I want for a larger one and all I''d have to do is pay the difference, and they will give a good discount on the wedding band. They said that if we buy online they will still set the diamond in the setting I want, but there will be a fee (a few hundred I think)and I will not get the trade in and discount they told me about.

So now to my questions...

First of all, is Solomon Brothers a really reputable place to purchase a diamond, if we go that route?

Do you think that if we find a diamond from the jeweler, they will be marking the diamond up a little? (they said they DO NOT do that)

Finally, considering the budget for the diamond alone, what would you do?

I am really torn and need help!! Thank you ahead of time for any input and suggestions you give me!

 

[jaz464]

Date: 10/2/2008 6:54:52 PM
Author:happygolucky851
Hi Ladies,

My boyfriend and I are really starting to get into the diamond looking process. I have learned so much from everyone here on PS as well as just websites. We went to this family owned and operated jeweler a couple of days ago (our first time) and they were VERY helpful (In College Station, TX for reference). Everyone in the store is amazing and they seem like they honestly want to help you. I am very fond of Emerald Cuts, and I am DREAMING of an EC solitaire with a plain WG band. We went to this store because we want to be able to see some real diamonds to get a feel for what they actually look like in person, and they are BREATHTAKING! They do not have very many so they have to call some in for us for an appointment on Friday! Anyway, I have looked at many places online for EC's and have found that Solomon Brothers is the one that seems like you get more diamond for your money within reason. I know a lot about EC's now because of PS but I just wanted to see, in person, what sizes, L/W ratios, Colors, Clarities, etc that I like, and I know especially with EC's you really need to see the diamond first because they vary. Our budget for the diamond is only about 2800-3000, as of now and I want as close to 1 carat as possible. With Solomon Brothers I have seen quite a few with a good size to them with what seems to be decent cut and clarity.

I have heard from many people that online will be cheaper, and from what the jeweler has shown us (3 EC's) Solomon Brothers definitely has them beat! The largest the jeweler has shown us is 3/4 carat. The reason I am on the fence is because the jeweler's policy's are unbeatable. What I love is that they can do the exact setting I want for the EC (which needs some custom work) for about $400 or so, I can trade in the diamond at any time I want for a larger one and all I'd have to do is pay the difference, and they will give a good discount on the wedding band. They said that if we buy online they will still set the diamond in the setting I want, but there will be a fee (a few hundred I think)and I will not get the trade in and discount they told me about.

So now to my questions...

First of all, is Solomon Brothers a really reputable place to purchase a diamond, if we go that route?

You can do a search here on Soloman Brothers and see what comes up. I have read a few things that do not personally thrill me, though I have never dealt with them myself.

Do you think that if we find a diamond from the jeweler, they will be marking the diamond up a little? (they said they DO NOT do that)

Every business is out to make a profit. B&M jewelers usually charge more for their diamonds due to the increased overhead that they must cover. Many cannot compete with the prices of online jewlers.

Finally, considering the budget for the diamond alone, what would you do?

Personally, I would call up Good Old Gold, tell them your budget and see what they can find for you. They seem to have a real knack with fancy cuts, as well as an excellent reputation around here. They provide a ton of info like IS images and videos and you will most likely get more diamond for your money. You can still get the setting that you want from your local jeweler and you can use them for periodic cleanings and inspections.

I am really torn and need help!! Thank you ahead of time for any input and suggestions you give me!

 

[happygolucky851]

Thank you for your opinions! I will definitely look into GOG, I''ve heard a lot about them, and everything I have read about is positive but on the downfall all their EC''s I have seen are way out of our price range.

Another thing I forgot to mention is, the jeweler said that the money you save by buying a diamond online is going to be spent on a fee for setting a diamond not sold from the jeweler, not to mention the trade in policy they have is definitely out the window!

This is just a tough decision that we need to think long and hard about so any help, comments, and opinions are definitely appreciated.

We would like to see opinions from both sides of the fence, like the good and bad of both. If that makes sense?

 

[nicktenny]

As someone that has been going through this same process, I can confidently tell you that you will find a better selection of high quality diamonds online. As long as you stick with pricescope recommended vendors, you can''t go wrong. Call or email them. Ask lots of questions and you will get exactly what you want.

 

[sarah95]

I bought my diamond online from www.usacerteddiamonds.com. I purchased a platinum six prong knife edge setting from my jeweler for $600 and he set it for me. There was no extra fee unless it was built into the price of the setting. However, I think $600 is the average price for a platinum 6 prong setting, so I don''t think I got ripped off. I had no intention of buying online originally, but thanks to the good people here at PS, I did....and I''m SO glad I did. I saved money and got an excellent diamond. I highly suggest looking online for your diamond first and if you don''t like anything you can always go back to the B&M.

Date: 10/2/2008 7:44:56 PM
Author: happygolucky851
Thank you for your opinions! I will definitely look into GOG, I''ve heard a lot about them, and everything I have read about is positive but on the downfall all their EC''s I have seen are way out of our price range.


Another thing I forgot to mention is, the jeweler said that the money you save by buying a diamond online is going to be spent on a fee for setting a diamond not sold from the jeweler, not to mention the trade in policy they have is definitely out the window!


This is just a tough decision that we need to think long and hard about so any help, comments, and opinions are definitely appreciated.


We would like to see opinions from both sides of the fence, like the good and bad of both. If that makes sense?

 

[happygolucky851]

Thank you Sarah!

After reading so much on PS I originally thought that I wanted to buy online, and I still am very open to it. But I am still just very nervous about buying an EC online since all EC''s act differently. I think that is what I am torn about really. I love the convenience of being able to see the diamonds with my own eyes instead of trusting someone to look at it for me. Although I have heard many success stories of buying online it is very hard for me to trust someone else''s eyes with something I will have forever, since we do not plan on upgrading later on. I guess I will just feel like I have betrayed the jeweler if we buy a diamond online after taking up a lot of their time. AHHH! I guess I worry too much, I guess I just need to keep my options open and wait for that one diamond that works for us, whether it is online or at the B&M. I''m just glad it is early on in the process and we have time to really figure out what is right for us. In the mean time we will just keep in contact with different places online and at the local jeweler to see what comes up!

 

[happygolucky851]

I was just searching for EC''s on GOG''s website, and all I put in was EC''s in my price range (2800-3000) and another search without a price and both times it says nothing matched my criteria. Is this just because they do not have an EC''s to show on their website and they would have to call them in? Or am I doing something wrong in the search?

 

[vintagelover229]

Date: 10/2/2008 9:06:18 PM
Author: happygolucky851
I was just searching for EC''s on GOG''s website, and all I put in was EC''s in my price range (2800-3000) and another search without a price and both times it says nothing matched my criteria. Is this just because they do not have an EC''s to show on their website and they would have to call them in? Or am I doing something wrong in the search?

The good thing about GOG is they will take TONS of pictures for you, even make comparsion videos and send you the links. Jonathan has access to all the diamonds that you could want. And trust me...you want his eyes because anything he picks out will blow almost anything out of the water.

EC is a beautiful cut, but I''m not sure it''s the most popular (I think RB and princess are...but I may be wrong) I''m sure Jon has many in stock, and can call many in. If I were you I''d shoot Jon an email. I PROMISE you, you CAN NOT go wrong with GOG.

Just because it doesn''t come up in the seach doesn''t mean the don''t have a stone like it. It just could mean they may not have it in their vertual data base. It could mean that Jon can look for your perfect stone for you.

CALL HIM! YOU WONT REGRET IT!

 

[happygolucky851]

Thank you so much for clarifying Stephanie!

I will most definitely e-mail Jon right away! Actually, right after this post! haha!

Thank you again!!

 

[swingirl]

With emerald cuts it''s very helpful to have photos, ASETs, and Ideal scopes plus the eyes of a gemologist with a 40X microscope. Does your jeweler supply any of those?

 

[happygolucky851]

Since we have only been one time, we have not gotten much into details yet. We have only seen 3 diamonds, two of them were way out of our price range but they just wanted to show us some EC''s in person since we had never done so. We are going back tomorrow since they called in a few more EC''s in our price range. If we do by chance find that perfect diamond and decide to buy through the jeweler then we will definitely be wanting all the information possible before we consider any purchasing. I want to know the good and bad qualities of all diamonds we look at. But to be completely honest, since our price range is not the largest, the jeweler mentioned non-certified diamonds, which as of now, I am not totally against, unless someone informs me differently. What makes me feel comfortable with this place is that they do have a certified GIA jeweler on sight that explained everything very thoroughly to us before we saw any diamonds. I just want to make sure more people more educated about diamonds like yourself can tell me the honest truth whether I want to hear it or not. I just don''t want to get ripped off on such an important purchase!

 

[swingirl]

If you buy an stone without a report how will you know the color and clarity? Would you get it appraised by an independent appraiser or would you be accepting the guess of the jeweler or doesn't it really matter?

If you are open to buying over the internet I think you could find a GIA EC within your budget. You would need to work with a sales associate because not a lot of ECs are kept in house.

When I shopped at jewelry stones I didn't like the fact that the jeweler/sales person would never point out poor cuts. They showed me stones but waited for me to say yes or no. When I worked with WF they called in 3 stones that met my criteria and told me which was the nicest, which had the best color, etc. Since they had nothing to loose they could easily say, "this one is a little dull, this one is really nice, this one has a wonky facet". They were very honest. I felt the B&Ms just wanted me to buy what they had available and when they "called in" a stone I got the feeling they called it in from their buddy's jewelry store across town.

Don't feel obligated to buy anything until you are 100% satisfied. One trip to a jewelry store is nothing. Sometimes it takes months before the right one shows up.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would also recommend GOG because they only offer their lifetime trade-in on stones they personally approve. They will check out the stone for you and provide information that SB will not such as magnified pictures and sometimes video. They are a family owned jewelry store.

 

[dazzle66]

I am also in College Station and I have been to all of the jewelry stores in town. I can assure you that you will be overcharged and will not receive as high of quality stone as you will from ordering online. If you are interested in some of the designer name settings, a couple of the stores here are able to provide you with those. They should not have a problem with you bringing in an outside stone to be set. However, if you are more interested in a simple setting, I say purchase the entire ring online. You really can''t go wrong with most of the pricescope vendors and you will definitely get more for your money.

 

[Sparkalicious]

PS vendors are terrific - competitively priced and fantastic customer service. This being said, I purchased my diamond from a local jeweler b/c they had the best pricing - my jeweler stalked out the exact diamond I was looking for and was able to get it at a price comparable to WF and GOG. I preferred, for my first significant diamond purchase to do it locally where I could actually see it and inspect it and be satisfied with it before I committed to the purchase.

After this first purchase was behind us, I promptly bought a diamond for my mom from WF b/c they diamonds are amazing and I had to do it.

Both experiences were positive and there was no significant disparity in pricing with brick & mortar vs online. If you find a local jeweler that fulfills your need at the right price, go for it. If not, don''t doubt the online experience. You will get a great diamond at a fair price.

Good luck with your search!

 

[happygolucky851]

Diamondseeker:

I''m so glad ya''ll are recommending GOG, I''m glad I will have another place to consider diamonds from! I actually just e-mailed them about two hours ago! I''m excited about what they will say! Thank you for your suggestions! I really appreciate it!

Swingirl:

Back to the uncertified diamonds, There is a GIA certified lady at the local store that we would have to sit down with and go over the uncertified diamond with us to make sure of the clarity and color etc, if we decide to go that route. We would definitely have to see it for ourselves with the tools they use so we know exactly what we are getting. To me, if the diamond looks good compared to maybe a certified diamond but much less expensive, I believe I would go for the non-certified diamond. But only if it meets my standards. If I am not 100% sure I love the diamond, I will definitely keep looking. I am a little wary of jewelers not telling the whole truth like you kinda mentioned, which is why we are looking now! To my knowledge, my BF is planning to propose around the summer of ''09, so I am glad we are searching together now. I read many threads about how it took people many months to find that one stone that was right for them, and with EC''s it might be a little tougher than that!

I am just so grateful I found this website and have so many experienced people helping! My BF and I are going back to that jeweler tomorrow around 2 so I will get back with y''all on how that goes!

 

[swingirl]

Considering how close you are to Whiteflash...you should call them, too. People have flown in to Houston to visit them and you are right there!

 

[vintagelover229]

Whiteflash is a very as well. If you are wanting a designer setting, I am not sure they provide those (they might?) I''m sure they''ll be able to make whatever you want. GOG does have designer stones. I live in the houston area and went there myslef. The staff there are wonderful!

 

[happygolucky851]

Hello Ladies! Thank you again for all your help!! I honestly appreciate everything!

Well today we went again to the jeweler and it went EXTREMELY well. We were only expecting to see a few more diamonds to get a feel for what we like and what is out of the question. Well the jeweler called 5 stores and only had two within our pricerange! I was honestly a little upset but I kept being reminded that it is just the beginning! When we sit down the first diamond to come out is a .74 VS1 I color L/W 1.49. It looked like a dull yellow baguette! I was not impressed at all! The second one was what the jeweler was so excited about! This little stone was a .72 SI1 E color L/W 1.29 (i think) COMPLETELY clean and icy white for $2850!! We looked through the microscope and could not find the inclusion what-so-ever! This stone was so beautiful, and although it was smaller in size than what I was hoping for, it DEFINITELY made up for it in sparkle!! I fell IN LOVE with this stone!

We set it on top of a plain WG band and it looked beautiful!! I was speechless! So after drooling over this diamond and simple setting, we took a look at wedding bands. I wanted to take a look at what I liked and didnt like so the BF will have an idea. We found a beautiful .54 channel set eternity band with milgrain in WG for $850!! I couldn''t believe that either! I tried it on with the stone sitting on the plain mounting and I wanted to cry! It is pretty much my dream set! So on the verge of tears, we started talking prices and payments. My BF has the money in cash right now to pay for the diamond, so the jeweler said if he could do that then they would not charge tax on the diamond but they would charge tax on the WB and ring, which would come out to be $1400 taxable. They gave us the option of paying a 12 month interest free plan or something else that doesnt matter because we are going with the 12 month plan.


So overall, I am completely shocked we found this AMAZING diamond, perfect wedding band and simple solitaire setting. This is better than what I pictured my dream ring of looking like and we just cannot pass this up! Although when we left my BF said now that I know what you want, you are out of the loop, no more coming with me to the jeweler, no more anything!

but I guess I should try and leave a little bit of a surprise! (at least what''s left of it!) So I guess no pictures or anything until we''re engaged!! SORRY!! Anyway, I just had to share my excitement with y''all!!

And thanks again for everyone''s help! We just couldn''t pass this little beauty up!!
If I can get anymore info I will definitely be sharing!!!

 

[somehowcollide]

Every birde to be should be as excited as you, happygolucky851!! I''m glad that you found the ring of your dreams. I have a couple questions though, is your stone certified (and if so, by which lab?) and will you still window shop/browse for rings even though you''ve chosen yours already?

I love fancy cuts and ECs are my absolute favorite. I hope that some anniversary down the road, I will be able to get one as well!!

 

[purrfectpear]

Personally I would have Whiteflash call in a couple of stones. They have at least 3 or 4 virtual listings over 1 carat, under $3300, H color or better. It''s worth the drive to Houston.

 

[happygolucky851]

Somehowcollide:

Thank you very much! it''s nice to hear some positive feedback. The stone is certified, EGL. But I won''t know any specifics except what I have given you until I actually get the ring since the BF said I am out of the loop!!

But if there is anymore info I get, I will definitely be sharing! Of course I will be window shopping and looking around but I think my BF is dead set on that beautiful stone because he likes to keep things as simple as possible, and since the jeweler gave us such great deals on everything and also having the e-ring custom made is an absolute dream so I don''t think he wants to go anywhere else, but I guess I won''t know until that day comes! That definitely won''t keep me from looking! I''m pretty much obsessed now!

Purfectpear:

I am actually from Houston so when I am home I might go and take a look, but ultimately it is not up to me since I am not buying. Although I would love a larger stone, I just cannot get over how icy white and sparkly that stone was, and I don''t think we will be able to find another stone of that color and quality (ESPECIALLY for an SI1) for around the same price. I think that was the deciding factor on that stone. Comparing the I to the E, I really could not believe the difference!


I just cannot wait to have the ring on me so I can show y''all what i''m talking about!