Price for Diamond and Setting - Does this make sense?

[aarondc]

Hi,

This is my first posting here. Thanks for any help you can provide with this quandary I have.

I recently went to New York to look at engagement rings with my girlfriend. We decided on a funky independent jeweler in the Lower East Side by the name of Jelena Behrend. On her Web site www.jelenabehrendstudio.com she has a number of rings including a setting and 0.5ct SI-1 round cut diamond for $2,900. This sounded great to me. I asked her if I could provide the diamond. She said no. My thinking was that I''d get a high quality 1.5ct stone for about $13,000 and be out the door for under $15,000. She then sent me her quote and I nearly fell over:

1.5 ct, round premium cut VVS2 diamond, color F, symmetry very good, with a platinum 3mm wide and 1.75 mm high hammered ring and platinum prong "Dusha" setting:$28,250.00

1.5 ct round ideal cut VVS1 diamond, color D, symmetry excellent, with a platinum 3mm wide and 1.75 mm high hammered ring and platinum "Dusha" prong setting:$38,740.00

1.5 ct round ideal cut IF diamond,color F,symmetry excellent,with a platinum 3mm wide and 1.75 mm high hammered ring and platinum "Dusha" prong setting:$49,500.00

I wrote her back and said that the prices seemed totally out of proportion. I told her that my budget was $17,000 with everything. She responded with this:

"For $17,000.00 you can get 1.5 ct VS2, color G stone ring."

I asked her to clarify the cut, polish and symmetry. She responded:

"cut,color,clarity will be all in the "good" range. I may get you some of the features in "very good"range" and that she is giving me a "super good price".

When I look for stones with the above specs on Blue Nile and James Allen (Dirt Cheap Diamonds), it just doesn''t add up.

My question is, is this really a good deal like she says? Do jewelers always mark up their diamonds to such stratospheric levels?

I''d really like to purchase this ring from her, but if it''s unreasonably priced I''d have to say forget it.

What do you think?

Thanks for your input.

Aaron
Washington, DC

 

[allycat0303]

Hey aarondc,

Well I went on the website and looked at the Dusha ring.

And I went to the whiteflash site and looked at a H&A 1.5 G VS2 for $16, 30.

So you are looking at $870 for a custom 14k gold ring.

Is this a huge markup? Well I''ve seen a lot worst then that. If the diamond from the woman was an ideal cut diamond, I would say, I think this is a great deal for a custom piece.

However, since the diamond is *good* it becomes a matter of how much you are willing to pay for that exact piece designed by the artist. I think it''s expensive. And to me, the ring isn''t something that is one of a kind, impossible to find something similar. So personally I would pass, and buy a diamond and have a custom setting made (or find one that is similar). But if your girlfriend is really, really set on that setting, and doesn''t want anything else...well I don''t know..it''s a difficult choice. Good luck!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Get the diamond yourself from Good Old Gold, WhiteFlash, etc. Then have the setting made that you want. There is no point in overpaying for a lower quality diamond. And G-H color is just fine, and so is VS1 and VS2. You''ll get a much better cut diamond going through one of the vendors here with an excellent reputation.