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Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings?

L

l2tothel

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
9
Hi, I am new to this and do not know much about diamonds. Basically the only thing I know is what I learned from the salesperson at Shane Co today.

I found a ring on Costco's website that I immediately liked: http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?Prodid=11484615&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|108|28447|56574&N=4017520&Mo=49&pos=4&No=26&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=56574&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10573-Cat28447&topnav=#BVRRWidgetID

This ring is at the top of my bf's price range. We looked at similar rings today with G colors at Shreve & Co and Shane Co and they are more expensive with white gold, not platinum and smaller diamonds in the setting.

I am overwhelmed with all the information on this site as well as things like depth, table, etc. I want to know if Costco is a good deal (and quality) or if there are better places to buy and if so, where?

Thank you!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Pretty ring. You can probably get something similar to it in the same price range. What kind of lab report does the stone
have? GIA/AGS? I think someone (reviewer) said IGI. These labs are pretty lenient compared to GIA/AGS so you may
not be getting what you think you are getting.

James Allen has some similar settings. You will also be able to get aset images of their stones so we can evaluate
the light return. AGS grades light return for princess cuts which is very nice.

Here are some settings. White gold would be cheaper and would leave more money for your stone.
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/-Platinum-Princess-Cut-Engagement-Ring.html
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/ring/item_58-2800.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/Engraved-Platinum-Channel-Set-Ring.html
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/Platinum-Round-Raised-Pave-Engagement-Ring.html

Some possible stones...
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1371055.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1375611.asp

Here is an AGS graded stone...unfortunately it is more expensive...
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2605282.htm
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

I would agree with tyty that you can probably get better quality for near the same price by going with an online vendor with an excellent reputation. I wouldn't buy any diamond without a GIA or AGS lab report. I think Costco is fine for some other jewelry pieces, but not for an engagement ring. Plus, you can get the setting made in your exact size.
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Thank you so much for the info! My IDEAL ring would be platinum (or white gold) cathedral setting, channel set with princess and at least a karat center stone but I can't seem to find this online. Do you have ideas where to find this?
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

I myself was going to buy a e-ring from Costco and while googling to get info on their jewelry, I found pricescope. I am not going to say that Costco has bad jewelry bc some of it can be gorgeous, but its a gamble with that particular ring bc that one (and some of their others) is not graded by a reliable lab. If you want to go with Costco, I would look at their solitaires and their "one of a kind" selections bc those are ususally graded by GIA and they will have the report listed on their site. Its the rings that they have a larger quanity of that are graded by IGI (which is VERY lenient).

Now, that being said, after reading about princess stones on pricescope, I found out that there is no way to know if it is going to be a *good* stone by just looking at a lab report. You really need to see how well the stone reflects light and you can do this with an ASET image and Ideal Scope photo. The more I researched, I realised that I could get an excellent quality stone for similar prices as Costco by doing my research. I recommend looking at Pricescope vendors--in particular James Allen, Whiteflash, and Good old Gold bc they will give you the extra info (although James Allen will only give it to you for 3 stones). There might be more vendors to look through that has the extra info but those are the few I am familiar with. Let us know your budget and what in particular you are willing to buy (ie, color and clarity) and pricescopers will find many for you to choose from. Use PS because it is a VALUABLE tool.

I am not trying to dismiss Costco bc you can get excellent jewelry from them BUT for your e-ring, I would suggest getting as much info as possible about the stone before you purchase. Especially with Princess diamonds bc the good majority of them out there are DUDS!! I responded to this because I was in your shoes a few months ago and was convinced I was going to buy through Costco but last month I bought my Princess through a pricescope vendor (with the help of fellow PSers) and I could not be happier.

Welcome to pricescope!!! Stick around and YOU WILL get YOUR DREAM RING!!! I PROMISE!!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

It looks like tyty333's first link looks like whatbyou've described. Is there a certain prong or head type you were looking for?
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Okay, I think I am convinced that Costco is not the way to go. After going to the two stores I went to yesterday, it just seemed the easiest and most price efficient. I know good things are worth waiting for though!

The first link is very close but I don't want the extra space under the center stone. I would say the max my bf could spend is $7000 total of course he would like to spend less.
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Yes, its easiest to get the setting and a diamond at the same place but it certanly doesnt have to be that way. And you are right that Costco is convenient. If I was a guy that just wanted to quickly purchase a ring that I know would be an ok-good ring but didnt have time or want to do the research, then yes, Costco is a good way to go...you will get an ok-good ring at a GREAT price...and its MUCH SAFER than going to a "mall" store. BUT, if you have the time and are willing to do the research then you can do much better.

First, I would decide on a setting bc that will ultimately tell you how much you have left to spend on the diamond. Do you want WG or Platinum. You can save a little $ w/WG. They both have their good points and their bad points. Some people LOVE platinum and wouldn't consider anything else. I am someone that is in the other camp--I HATE platinum. I have owned both and I cant stand the patina that develops and prefer the "brand new" look of freshly plated wg. Most wg will need rhodium plated occasionally just like platinum will need polished occasionally if you want it to look shiny. Some people prefer the patina that develops though. Platinum is considered more luxurious and I can understand why people choose it but for me, I would pay more for the WG if I had to. It wasnt about the price, I prefer the WG. I would do a little research, decide what metal you want to use and then start looking at settings.

Also, start to think about what color range you are looking for in a diamond and what clarity you would be happy with. That HUGELY affects the price. Once you find a setting and know how much money you have left, make another thread listing your price range and specification ranges: Shape, color, clarity and then you can go from there.

Good luck and have fun!!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

I just want to say I really like the Costco setting - the profile with the platinum swooping is very pretty, as are the graduated side stones. Good luck to you!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

This looks like it could be BEAUTY...and you save $$$ for it being just under the 1 carat mark, but with about the same L X W size.

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/Loose_Princess_Cut_Diamond-144/Loose_Princess_Cut_0.94_Carat_G_Color_VVS1_Clarity_diamond-564911.html

Excel will look at the diamond, and give an opinion, if you ask. They also have a bunch of settings with side stones on their site, but you don't have to get the setting from them, you can find another setting at a local jeweler, or online, and ask a local jeweler to set the stone for you.
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

The prongs and profile of this ring from ID Jewelry look a bit similar to the Costco one: http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_45&products_id=2339&cType=ER ETA: Click on the enlarge image to see a profile view of the ring.

The main differences is that the ring is made of 18kt white gold and has alternating round and princess cut stones plus it looks like it fits a round stone. It says that you can order the ring in platinum (for a different price) and if you contact them and ask I think they may be able to substitute the rounds for princess cuts so all the diamonds on the sides will be princess and they may be able to set a princess cut stone in that setting.

Good luck! :)
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Thanks for your responses! I just showed the sites to my bf and he really likes the first link ( http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/-Platinum-Princess-Cut-Engagement-Ring.html ). He was wondering why the price was so low for the setting but it does seem like this is a good company to buy from? As far as diamonds, it doesn't have to be perfect but at least a karat and no inclusions or champagne color to the naked eye.
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

jamesallen is a good place to buy from =) in fact I just ordered my e-ring from them few days ago. :bigsmile:
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

JulieN|1303070653|2898617 said:
James Allen is very popular on Pricescope.

This looks to be a nice diamond, you can request an ASET picture of it and post it here: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1373142.asp
Click to expand...

I agree, this looks good. James Allen has a huge inventory to look through. This one is G, which will(should) look white and its a VS2 which means it shouldnt have any visible inclusions. You can even go down to a SI1 and have it be eye clean but I would call the vendor and ask them to check for you that it is "eye clean" to your standards. As far as color, with princess stones some people dont like to go below G for color bc they tend to show color in the corners. It really varies from person to person though how much they can notice color. Some people have no problem going down to an I. And then there are those that prefer a 'warm' stone and will go to a J or lower. If you can,go to a local B&M and ask to see stones in different color ranges to get a feel for what you like. Remember a well cut stone will always look better though regardless of color. If you cant see stones in person, then a G is the safest bet. Most people agree that G is a 'sweet spot' where most people dont see any color once mounted looking down at the stone. If you were a guy trying to surprise your girl and couldnt take her to look in person, then a G would be a safe bet. The side view is where you would see some color but depending on your setting you might not have a side view (for instance, my ring I cant see a side view at all).

Remember when looking through inventories, for a princess you want the table % to be less than the depth %...the table shouldnt be more than 72% and I find that the smaller the better. Look through pricescope, they have a tutorial about what to look for in a princess. It goes beyond the 4 C's. For instance, a princess has chevrons. A 2 chevron princess has a different look than a 4 chevron princess. Thats why when you look at the photos, the patterns look different.

Its a little overwhelming at 1st but spend a few hours reading up and you'll be fine. I am trying to point out to you the things that I SLOWLY picked up by reading pricescope. I am trying to make it a little easier for you than it was for me. Its funny when I think back to the beginning of my search and how little I knew. I hope that this helps you a little bc I feel like I was in your shoes not that long ago. (and I am a girl too BTW, I did all the research for my fiance)
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

lbbaber|1303053887|2898415 said:
I myself was going to buy a e-ring from Costco and while googling to get info on their jewelry, I found pricescope. I am not going to say that Costco has bad jewelry bc some of it can be gorgeous, but its a gamble with that particular ring bc that one (and some of their others) is not graded by a reliable lab. If you want to go with Costco, I would look at their solitaires and their "one of a kind" selections bc those are ususally graded by GIA and they will have the report listed on their site. Its the rings that they have a larger quanity of that are graded by IGI (which is VERY lenient).

Now, that being said, after reading about princess stones on pricescope, I found out that there is no way to know if it is going to be a *good* stone by just looking at a lab report. You really need to see how well the stone reflects light and you can do this with an ASET image and Ideal Scope photo. The more I researched, I realised that I could get an excellent quality stone for similar prices as Costco by doing my research. I recommend looking at Pricescope vendors--in particular James Allen, Whiteflash, and Good old Gold bc they will give you the extra info (although James Allen will only give it to you for 3 stones). There might be more vendors to look through that has the extra info but those are the few I am familiar with. Let us know your budget and what in particular you are willing to buy (ie, color and clarity) and pricescopers will find many for you to choose from. Use PS because it is a VALUABLE tool.

I am not trying to dismiss Costco bc you can get excellent jewelry from them BUT for your e-ring, I would suggest getting as much info as possible about the stone before you purchase. Especially with Princess diamonds bc the good majority of them out there are DUDS!! I responded to this because I was in your shoes a few months ago and was convinced I was going to buy through Costco but last month I bought my Princess through a pricescope vendor (with the help of fellow PSers) and I could not be happier.

Welcome to pricescope!!! Stick around and YOU WILL get YOUR DREAM RING!!! I PROMISE!!
Click to expand...

We must be twins, because I did the exact same thing. We actually bought a princess-cut engagement ring at Costco, then did some online research, found PS and Whiteflash, returned the ring to Costco, and customized one through Whiteflash. The caveat is that the new ring cost us about $1600 more for the same color, clarity, and size of center stone (that is if the IGI stats were equivalent to the AGS ones). But we were able to get a branded AGS ideal cut stone that sparkles like no princess I had ever seen. However, the diamond in the Costco ring was very nice and sparkly to begin with and would have been a nice choice if we were more concerned about price than cut quality.

My mom has a few diamonds from Costco, and they're very nice. The larger ones come with GIA reports. Overall, I think they're a great place to buy pre-set round diamonds (because you can plug in the numbers from the GIA cert to judge cut quality) or smaller non-engagement pieces at discount prices. But you can't pick your stone and setting separately, and I'd only buy in person (where they can show you the exact stone and certificate) rather than online.

That diamond and setting from JA both look very nice, so I'd go head and reserve the stone if you're interested in it. Then ask them for an ASET image.
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

You guys are all so great! I really appreciate your time and knowledge. I put the one diamond from James Allen on hold and asked the salesperson to pick two more comprable ones to put on hold and send ASET images to me. So in a couple of days, I will be back, asking for opinions on the three diamonds.I trust you guys! :)

BTW, the thread on princess shaped stones was my very first visit on this site. :) So many beautiful rings! Also, after seeing lbbaber's ring, I thought I might change to a halo cause her ring is gorgeous but my bf said that for an engagement ring, he pictured something pretty simple. So, I am sticking with the channel setting because that is what I have envisioned as well and I will have to wait for a bling halo ring for my right hand in the future! :)

BTW, the salesperson at James Allen told me that they would be able to do cathedral height on the ring setting. How much higher is that and is it recommended? I originally wanted a cathedral setting but the bf likes the one we found and I am all about compromise. :D
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

motownmama|1303059133|2898469 said:
I just want to say I really like the Costco setting - the profile with the platinum swooping is very pretty, as are the graduated side stones. Good luck to you!
Click to expand...
Ditto! At first glance, it actually seems like a pretty good deal -- if you liked the look of the stones *in person*. Would it be an online purchase? Do they have a good return policy?

Usually I am all about shopping around -- but if you really like that particular setting --- I don't believe I've ever seen it elsewhere. And to have it custom made would be cost-prohibitive in your budget. Good luck deciding! And congrats!!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Thanks again for all your help! My boyfriend said that he will take over from here and I am not supposed to go on this site until we actually get engaged (I hope soon!) You guys rock and its so nice to know that strangers are so willing to help me engagement ring dreams become reality. :)
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

l2tothel|1303157493|2899335 said:
Thanks again for all your help! My boyfriend said that he will take over from here and I am not supposed to go on this site until we actually get engaged (I hope soon!) You guys rock and its so nice to know that strangers are so willing to help me engagement ring dreams become reality. :)
Click to expand...
How exciting! Please come back and post photos when you get engaged. We love to hear proposal stories too (and stick around after the big day for future bling!)! I cant wait to see what you decide!! I am sure it will be BEAUTIFUL regardless of what/who you go with. Good Luck!!! :D
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Got engaged Friday the 13th! Here is the picture of the ring we ended up with. Thank you so much for all your help!

IMG_20110514_114228 (1).jpg
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

haha, you guys are funny for picking out the date. Congratulations! and the ring is beautiful~
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Wow! Amazing! Congratulations! I think PS (pats self on back) did a pretty good job! Its always pleasing to hear back from
folks we are able to help...and the pic is fab!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

Congrats - soo sparkly!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

I love when posters come back and post what they bought. Congrats on the gorgeous ring!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

It's lovely! I'm a big fan of channel-set diamonds - I think they're so underappreciated around here!
 
Re: Overwhelmed - seeking opinions on Costco engagment rings

congratulations,a nd thanks for coming back to share with us!
 
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