Quick Question

[Chris_UK]

Hi guys,
I''m new to this so hopefully I can get all the help on offer...I''m looking for an engagement ring and have been surfing the net looking for the best deals...The best one by far is on www.szul.com but I''m unsure as to whether or not their prices are too good to be true...Has anyone ever dealt with them before or heard anything about them...? Any comments or info would be much appreciated...
Thanks,
Chris_UK

 

[moremoremore]

according to the info posted on their web site about the pre-set rings they offer, you are better off going into a local store blind-folded and pointing...

 

[verticalhorizon]

Wasn't Szul the name of one of the baddies in GhostBusters?

Seriously, there isn't much information there, the prices/quality are questionable. I wouldn't purchase from them. Where did you find this site?

 

[Chris_UK]

I just came across them by chance...
They were on a list of online jewellers on some search engine website...
I thought they sounded too true to be viable...
They had a 0.50 carat H SI Round on an 18k gold ring for $930...
Why are they so cheap do you think...
Surely they can't advertise a product unless it is exactly how they say it is...
Maybe you guys could help some more..
I'm not rolling in cash but me and my girl are wanting to get engaged asap and I know I can get a better value deal from the US internet companies...
I'm looking to spend up to $1100...Will I get anything near to 0.50 carat SI for that price..?

 

[verticalhorizon]

You totally can.

This one is real quick... probably even find a better price.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-659463.htm#

It goes for $1057, but it is ideal cut. So even though it's 0.5ct, it'll be a ball of fire. A simple white gold Tiffany copy setting will be under $150. I think they have a yellow gold one at WF for like $80, they can plate it in rhodium probably.

Good luck!

 

[hoorray]

It is often said here...."if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Another fitting cliche is "you get what you pay for". There is a fixed number of diamonds manufactures, and the market is pretty efficient -- especially with Internet sales squeezing the margin. Thus, if you find something that is substantially cheaper than the market, there will be a reason -- typically quality related. Since they provide you NO information on cut, I would assume that these are not well cut stones. Since cut makes the difference between a sparkly ball of light or a piece of frozen spit, I would stay away.

 

[chialea]

Yep, and with a good or ideal cut, too. See the "pricescope" link up there? Choose "search by cut quality", and take a look around. I saw quite a few either "very good" or "excellent" cuts just shy of .5 ct (where there is a huge price jump) for $800-$900, in F-H colour and SI clarity. Even including shipping to the UK, that leaves you enough to buy a nice simple setting, eh? You might want to go with the vendor like GoodOldGold (who is really busy this week, so if they're a bit behind on their email, it's understandable) or NiceIce (who I don't see having any stones in the list) who have the stones in their hot little hands and lots of clarity photos on web pages.

 

[Chris_UK]

Interesting reply from my email to www.szul.com customer services....

Hello,

Thank you for your inquiry. Diamond products listed don the site are quoted with stones that come with a Szul Certificate of Authenticity.

GIA Certified Stones are also available and usually have an additional cost. Not because the quality is rated better, but simply because the stone has gone through a Certification Process thus increasing it estimated "value".

A Szul Certificate of Authenticity certifies the exact Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight of the stones in the piece. They are guaranteed to be as listed during purchase. In the rare event that an appraisal value results in a quality less than that stated, we will immediately recall the goods, verify with a licensed third party, and if the discrepancy is true we can either extend a complete and full refund and/or an exchange for a product of exact or better quality.

Szul stands behind its product quality and its Certificate of Authenticity and we are confident that the stones included will be of exact or better value.

If you are interested in a piece with GIA Certified stones, please contact our Customer Service Department and ask to speak with a Product Specialist. He/She will be able to assist you in selecting the proper certified stones and then subsequently setting them in the ring of your choice.

If you have any further questions as to the Szul Guarantee or the price difference with GIA processed stones, please feel free to telephone our Customer Service line so that you can speak to a Representative in more detail.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

Customer Service

www.szul.com | 800.332.4382 | [email protected]

Any comments on that...????

 

[moremoremore]

ummm, sure the Szul cert tells you exactly what you are buying....as Szul sees it...not like an independ. third party. Dude- move on.

 

[moremoremore]

no one on this board will tell you to go ahead and buy from them...so you're barking up the wrong tree!

You need to do some research and then you'll see for yourself!!!

 

[chialea]

----------------
On 6/16/2004 10:59:38 AM Chris_UK wrote:

A Szul Certificate of Authenticity certifies the exact Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight of the stones in the piece.
----------------

It could very well list the correct colour, clarity, and carat, and have those be D, IF, and 10, and it could STILL look like a ball of "frozen spit", as it is so evocotively put. Cut is really, really important, and this doesn't mention it at all.

 

[pqcollectibles]

A 14K gold solitaire set will run around $100 or so. With your budget you can easily get a very well cut diamond, that will outshine anything Szul sells.

From the White Flash Expert Selection:

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-677993.htm# $1018 (with discount) This diamond has a FABULOUS Ideal Scope image!!! I wouldn't be surprised if White Flash cut this diamond to be an A Cut Above Hearts and Arrows diamond, and for some reason, was not considered for the ACA brand.

There are many other diamonds available in your price range as well. You can use the search engine on the PS home page, and click the AGS0 box to help eliminate a lot of diamonds with poor proportions. Or you can search by Known HCA Rating to look at super Ideal cuts and Hearts and Arrows diamonds.

G/H/I/J colors and SI clarity will help you maximize your budget,............ get the largest stone possible for the money. Don't be afraid of considering I and J color diamonds even in white metal. Well cut diamonds visually appear much whiter and brighter than their actual color grade. Smaller diamonds have less body to hold and show color as well.

 

[Chris_UK]

How does this beauty shape up...?
One question though...
What is fluorescence..?

Shape BR Color Grade H Clarity Grade SI1
Weight 0.474
Measurments 5.01 - 5.04 x 3.12 mm
Depth 62.2%
Table 55%
Girdle 1.0-1.4
Culet PT
Crown Angle 34.000
Pavilion Angle 41.100
Polish IDEAL
Symmetry IDEAL
Fluorescence N
Cert. AGS
This diamond has been laser inscribed
Price
Cash price per stone $935.68

 

[pqcollectibles]

----------------
On 6/16/2004 10:59:38 AM Chris_UK wrote:

Interesting reply from my email to www.szul.com customer services....

Hello,

Thank you for your inquiry. Diamond products listed don the site are quoted with stones that come with a Szul Certificate of Authenticity.

GIA Certified Stones are also available and usually have an additional cost. Not because the quality is rated better, but simply because the stone has gone through a Certification Process thus increasing it estimated 'value'.

A Szul Certificate of Authenticity certifies the exact Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight of the stones in the piece. They are guaranteed to be as listed during purchase. In the rare event that an appraisal value results in a quality less than that stated, we will immediately recall the goods, verify with a licensed third party, and if the discrepancy is true we can either extend a complete and full refund and/or an exchange for a product of exact or better quality.

Szul stands behind its product quality and its Certificate of Authenticity and we are confident that the stones included will be of exact or better value.

If you are interested in a piece with GIA Certified stones, please contact our Customer Service Department and ask to speak with a Product Specialist. He/She will be able to assist you in selecting the proper certified stones and then subsequently setting them in the ring of your choice.

If you have any further questions as to the Szul Guarantee or the price difference with GIA processed stones, please feel free to telephone our Customer Service line so that you can speak to a Representative in more detail.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

Customer Service

www.szul.com | 800.332.4382 | [email protected]

Any comments on that...????----------------

Translated,.............

Their products, as listed on the website, are not set with Independently Certified diamonds. In order to compare Apples to Apples (GIA to GIA) pricing, you will have to call their Customer Service Dept for additional info. Even then, will they give you Sarin info, an Ideal Scope image, Firescope, etc, etc????

I've gotten pretty good a discerning color and clarity,......... I could give you a Certificate of Authenticity on a diamond with a guarantee!!

 

[pqcollectibles]

You can read an explanation on Fluorescence here:

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/fluor.asp

The diamond you posted has good potential to be a sparkler, but not the best you can do for the money. It rated 2.2 Ex/Vg/Vg/Vg on the Cut Adviser (link at the top of the page) with the comment, "Worth buying if the price is right".

You can go here:

http://www.pricescope.com/sift.asp

Enter your color, clarity, and carat weight, and you can see there are several extremely well cut candidates in your price range.

 

[Chris_UK]

Thanks guys...
Your help is much appreciated...
I'm more confident of getting what I want now and not being ripped off....

 

[diamonddoll]

Your budget for a H SI one is reasonable. But, you might want to consider a I color or SI2 if it's eye clean to more money and get a bit bigger carat size. From what I've seen of my months long serch for a diamond, there are many I and even Js that will face up really white if they are cut well.