Price advice ... I''m a novice!

[Searching*1]

Hi,
I''m very new at buying better quality jewellery but I am now trying to buy a few items to replace others that were stolen - some of which were very sentimental and inherited. In standard insurance company style I have had to fight quite hard not to simply be sent to their catalogue style suppliers - fine for every day I''m sure but not really where I''m going to find something special to remember my Gran! I have finally been passed through to a company that can make or source jewellery to order, but obviously I know I''l pay more than off the shelf ... my query is, how much more should I be paying?

Having looked round I''ve seen a cushion cut green garnet, mounted on a split shank ring with pave diamonds on the shank (where it''s split) - I love it but I can''t find the price for the pic I''ve got. I''ve seen similar on one website for a bit over $2000 but with diamonds set all round the main stone (halo I think) and others without the halo, but normal red garnet and pave only on half of the split shank. I''m obviously going to ask the company that is dealing with my claim but having never bought bespoke jewellery before I don''t know if I''m getting value for money!

Any advice would be really welcome!
Thanks!

 

[Kismet]

I don''t know what Pokey paid for that ring but if I had to guess, I would say 4k for the setting alone and another 3-4k for the center stone. Tsavorite garnets of that size and color are expensive. A fine quality red garnet of similar size wouldn''t be as pricey. Because of all the micropave, the cost of that setting is mostly in labor. So if you''re comparing 2 rings you want to look at the quality of the work and not necessarily the diamond carat weight. That ring is also done in platinum, which drives up the price as well.

 

[chrono]

I am sorry to hear about the loss of some very sentimental pieces. That ring is known as the Pokey special; it is a tsavorite in a setting handmade by Leon Mege (Art of Platinum). I expect the setting to cost at least $4K and upwards for the excellent workmanship. If you decide to get it done elsewhere, the price difference could be due to the quality of the setting, diamonds and bench work itself. As for the stone, large tsavorites of top colour are also not inexpensive. My guess is at least $4K and upwards as well. Red garnets are typically much less than tsavorites.