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Researching first diamond purchase, not near future

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Diamondforher

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
7
Hello,

Brand new on this forum, please redirect me if i am in the wrong place!

So I am researching a diamond purchase that I think I will make between 12 and 18 months from now, I want to get well aquainted before I put down any cash, so I can be comfortable I get the most value for whatever I decide to spend.

I went in to a retail jewler in the mall and did my first casual look through, spoke with the lady and she told me a little about the 4 h''s etc etc.

My take on the whole thing is the retailer has little incentive to offer great value for my money since most guys prob just go in and purchase without asking a lot of questions. My hope is that with enough knowledge and knowing where to look, i can avoid just being another customer and really become a buyer, even if it is just a one time purchase.

My pricerange is not yet determined, she would likely be fine with any size but deserves a diamond that makes other woman stop and say "wow" day in and day out, and I want her to have that because she would never ask for it. However I am just your typical middle class Joe, so it can not cost tons of money. My hope is that I can get a 2-3 carat diamond (if thats what makes women say wow).

Thank you all in advance!
 
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The tutorials under "KNOWLEDGE" at the top of the screen are a great place to start - they cover the basic 4 C's and go into detail on other information you're less likely to encounter while shopping.


Good luck!


ETA: A 2-3ct diamond that performs well will be a spectacular stone
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What is your preferred budget? I actually think a 1.5-2ct diamond will make most say wow. A 2-3 carat diamond will cost in the 20-40k range depending on color etc, so just know what you are getting into when you set a goal like that.

Diamond prices will be much higher in 12 - 18 months so there is little point researching much about price at this point. But read the tutorials as Yssie said.

On a side note, why the long wait to get engaged?
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Date: 5/5/2010 5:18:47 PM
Author:Diamondforher
Hello,


Brand new on this forum, please redirect me if i am in the wrong place!


So I am researching a diamond purchase that I think I will make between 12 and 18 months from now, I want to get well aquainted before I put down any cash, so I can be comfortable I get the most value for whatever I decide to spend.


I went in to a retail jewler in the mall and did my first casual look through, spoke with the lady and she told me a little about the 4 h's etc etc.


My take on the whole thing is the retailer has little incentive to offer great value for my money since most guys prob just go in and purchase without asking a lot of questions. My hope is that with enough knowledge and knowing where to look, i can avoid just being another customer and really become a buyer, even if it is just a one time purchase.


My pricerange is not yet determined, she would likely be fine with any size but deserves a diamond that makes other woman stop and say 'wow' day in and day out, and I want her to have that because she would never ask for it. However I am just your typical middle class Joe, so it can not cost tons of money. My hope is that I can get a 2-3 carat diamond (if thats what makes women say wow).


Thank you all in advance!
Click to expand...

Honestly, I would approach it not from what OTHER women will say "wow" too (and in my experience most people in real life do not comment on others rings very often!) and find out what your girlfriend would like - in particular what SHE prefers for size and style. If you do not want to ask her directly for some reason, try and scope it out with her friends. Believe it or not, not every woman goes for a bigger stone. It depends on her lifestyle, own style, what her peers may wear, her own comfort level, her jewelery tastes, what looks good on her own hand, and so on. And what is a big diamond depends on your area and her peers as well. The average e-ring size is somewhere around 0.33 ct - in some areas it is probably more like 0.25 ct and in others more like 2 ct and up. So in some areas even a 1ct diamond will look huge in comparison. If on the other hand she had a 3 ct stone in one of those areas she might feel uncomfortable wearing it.

Be aware you are looking at a lot of cash to plunk down for a 2-3 ct ring (particularly a well-performing one) and I don't know any reasonable woman who would be "wowing" for the right reasons if you financially could not afford her ring - whatever the size of it. I don't know what your budget is but if you are a self-described "middle class Joe", a $40,000 diamond is probably an awfully large chunk of your annual salary.
 
I''m glad that you are taking the time to become familiar with diamonds well in advance of your intended purchase date, you''ll find a wealth of information within the tutorials of this web site and those of the various vendors who contribute to the forum.

I don''t think that you need to be looking in the 3 - 4 carat range to "wow" your bride, I can''t remember what the exact statistic is, but something like less than 1% of women (globally) own a diamond larger than one carat in their lifetime... The number is something like 30% here in the United States.

Rather than focus on size, I''d focus on Cut Precision and Cut Performance, they''re the "C" that most jewelers fail to mention outside the walls of their own buying room. There is lots to be found on this subject throughout the forum. Cut Precision and Cut Performance are the primary indicators of Visual Performance, a.k.a. Light Performance (brilliance, dispersion, scintillation) and it is these factors that are going to WOW people
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Thank you all, great insights so far!
 
perhaps you should go back to a jewelry store after you''ve done some more online research so you can see size differences and color differences and see what appeals to you the most. 2-3 carats is a really large (and really expensive) diamond!

like the others have said the CUT is the most important thing in determining how the diamond sparkles and how pretty it is.

the tutorials under knowledge (at the top) can help you out. do you know what cut of diamond you want? (round, cushion, etc...) or what type of setting? it might be worth browsing some online vendors to get an idea of what this will cost.

also some other useful tutorials can be found here, many of these videos are comparison between two diamonds but if you search you can find tutorials on diamond color, also there are some comparisons of well cut diamonds to not-well-cut ones and you can really see the difference.

best of luck!
 
Pricescope is a great resource, jump on in! The place to discuss "mind clean" and having a slice of pie. The tutorials are a great place to start, and can also look at threads. As a pricescope convert, I would argue that all things being equal, cut will have a big effect on sparkle or that "wow" factor. So figure out your budget, and the people here can play with how to balance all the various "c's" to give you a beautiful diamond that your intended would love.
 
Date: 5/5/2010 5:18:47 PM
Author:Diamondforher
Hello,

Brand new on this forum, please redirect me if i am in the wrong place!

So I am researching a diamond purchase that I think I will make between 12 and 18 months from now, I want to get well aquainted before I put down any cash, so I can be comfortable I get the most value for whatever I decide to spend.

I went in to a retail jewler in the mall and did my first casual look through, spoke with the lady and she told me a little about the 4 h's etc etc.

My take on the whole thing is the retailer has little incentive to offer great value for my money since most guys prob just go in and purchase without asking a lot of questions. My hope is that with enough knowledge and knowing where to look, i can avoid just being another customer and really become a buyer, even if it is just a one time purchase.

My pricerange is not yet determined, she would likely be fine with any size but deserves a diamond that makes other woman stop and say 'wow' day in and day out, and I want her to have that because she would never ask for it. However I am just your typical middle class Joe, so it can not cost tons of money. My hope is that I can get a 2-3 carat diamond (if thats what makes women say wow).

Thank you all in advance!
Click to expand...
Hi Joe and welcome!

We will be glad to help you, if you could give us a rough idea of your budget please and what shape diamond do you want, a round? If you let us know we can see what you can get for it and possibly suggest some diamonds.
 
Okay,

So first thing....
sounds like 2-3 carat is way out of my pricerange.

My initial thought was "bigger is obviously better" but it sounds like (rightly so) I could get a 1 carat that is really beautiful that actually has more of a "wow" factor.

So how about 1 carat round cut. That sounds like a good place to start.

Truely I don''t know my budget yet. call it $4,000-$8,000 but for me I don''t want to equate ammount of money spent the with ammount I love her, if that makes sense. I would rather equate how much effort I put into finding her a brilliant diamond with how much I love her.

Question: Is the typical retail jewler a good route in terms of value, and if so is there room to negotiate the price?
 
Date: 5/6/2010 8:36:30 AM
Author: Diamondforher
Okay,



So first thing....

sounds like 2-3 carat is way out of my pricerange.



My initial thought was ''bigger is obviously better'' but it sounds like (rightly so) I could get a 1 carat that is really beautiful that actually has more of a ''wow'' factor.



So how about 1 carat round cut. That sounds like a good place to start.



Truely I don''t know my budget yet. call it $4,000-$8,000 but for me I don''t want to equate ammount of money spent the with ammount I love her, if that makes sense. I would rather equate how much effort I put into finding her a brilliant diamond with how much I love her.



Question: Is the typical retail jewler a good route in terms of value, and if so is there room to negotiate the price?
Click to expand...

Errr...I do not think anyone (at least anyone not superficial) would equate your budget - or what you can comfortably buy - to your love. These days many women also choose and pay toward their ring, or skip the ring altogether, for reasons that work for that couple and I certainly do not think that means they are not loved!!!


So do determine a comfortable budget for yourself as it will help you see what falls in that budget - and help PS members provide better advice!

If by jeweler you are talking chain mall stores...they are not highly recommended around here. Huge markups, poor selection, and little knowledge (I find the salespeople at them have less knowledge than I do from PS in my experiences!).

Independents can be better but you need to scope them out - and they will still have high prices. A good relationship with a local independent can be a great thing to have...but you do not have to overspend on a diamond to get that!

Most around here go with one of the PS vendors (Whiteflash, Good Ole Gold, Brian Gavin, etc). Each have different services and specialties, and upgrade policies. You can find a lot about them around here. Their prices are far more reasonable, much better quality than I see overall in maul jewelers and they often offer PS members discounts. Some of them also offer upgrade policies on certain diamonds which is important to some people.
 
Date: 5/6/2010 8:36:30 AM
Author: Diamondforher
Okay,

So first thing....
sounds like 2-3 carat is way out of my pricerange.

My initial thought was ''bigger is obviously better'' but it sounds like (rightly so) I could get a 1 carat that is really beautiful that actually has more of a ''wow'' factor.

So how about 1 carat round cut. That sounds like a good place to start.

Truely I don''t know my budget yet. call it $4,000-$8,000 but for me I don''t want to equate ammount of money spent the with ammount I love her, if that makes sense. I would rather equate how much effort I put into finding her a brilliant diamond with how much I love her.

Question: Is the typical retail jewler a good route in terms of value, and if so is there room to negotiate the price?
Click to expand...
I was in the same boat not that long ago...i quickly realized that brick and mortar stores and even local small jewelers could not provide the same amount of information for these diamonds. I started reseaching here and reading up on things like this http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-performance http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-precision

The first thing i learned is CUT is extremely important. Learn the specs for the type of diamond you want i.e. princess cut or round...learn whats makes ones better than another.
Next online vendors are safe to buy from (Whiteflash, Good Ole Gold, Brian Gavin, etc). I personally went with whiteflash and was amazed!
Color and Clarity dont need to be super to be great. I went G VS2 and the diamond is amazing.

So find out what type of cut she likes so you know where to start looking for information....

I paid extra for a better cut diamond but i gave up in size....honestly i couldnt be happier because my FI is in love with it and everyone thinks it looks amazing!
 
yes. size is definitely not as important as cut. A smaller well cut diamond will sparkle and shine and look amazing in all lighting conditions. Where as a larger but poor cut diamond will just look like a piece of dull rock in comparison. When the well cut diamond sparkle and shine it actually make it appear bigger and more eye catching! So i would say cut is the factor that you cannot compromise. As for colour and clarity, it depend on personal preference. For me anything eye clean is good (min SI1) and clarity wise go for D-G if you like a white stone and H,I,J etc if you like a bit of warmth in the diamond. Try to find out about your gf''s preferences if you can
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shape, size, colour.. that''ll be a good place to start
 
Very informative so far, thank you.

I will read some of the tutorial stuff that ya''ll have linked.
 
Would anyone mind linking me pics of (forgive me and educate me on how to write the specs out)

78-100 point SI1 D-E-F Stones
 
video on color

here is a video on color that may help you to see the differences (although best to see in person)

go to one of the PS vendors and search for 0.75-1 carat stones...some recommended ones are

whiteflash
brian gavin diamonds
good old gold
james allen

good luck!
 
Date: 5/6/2010 11:49:07 AM
Author: Diamondforher
Would anyone mind linking me pics of (forgive me and educate me on how to write the specs out)

78-100 point SI1 D-E-F Stones
Click to expand...
Just an FYI...i totally thought i wanted a D-F stone too but after seeing G and H stones i realized they were great as well. My G stone is amazing and my FI cant stop telling how white it looks!
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Color is one area that its ok the skimp on in order to bump cut, size and clarity!
 
Date: 5/6/2010 12:22:42 PM
Author: Diamond_Newb

Date: 5/6/2010 11:49:07 AM
Author: Diamondforher
Would anyone mind linking me pics of (forgive me and educate me on how to write the specs out)

78-100 point SI1 D-E-F Stones
Click to expand...
Just an FYI...i totally thought i wanted a D-F stone too but after seeing G and H stones i realized they were great as well. My G stone is amazing and my FI cant stop telling how white it looks!
9.gif
Color is one area that its ok the skimp on in order to bump cut, size and clarity!
Click to expand...
Would you mind telling me some of the other specs on your FI diamond?
Carat clarity etc.

Thanks again all!
 
Date: 5/6/2010 12:25:55 PM
Author: Diamondforher

Date: 5/6/2010 12:22:42 PM
Author: Diamond_Newb


Date: 5/6/2010 11:49:07 AM
Author: Diamondforher
Would anyone mind linking me pics of (forgive me and educate me on how to write the specs out)

78-100 point SI1 D-E-F Stones
Click to expand...
Just an FYI...i totally thought i wanted a D-F stone too but after seeing G and H stones i realized they were great as well. My G stone is amazing and my FI cant stop telling how white it looks!
9.gif
Color is one area that its ok the skimp on in order to bump cut, size and clarity!
Click to expand...
Would you mind telling me some of the other specs on your FI diamond?
Carat clarity etc.

Thanks again all!
Click to expand...
LOL FI stands for Fiancé (i think)...i wasnt refering to clarity

Here are the specs on my ring though.
G - Color Which is really a beautiful white!
VS2- Clarity - Personally i couldn''t skimp on this. It was a mental "Mind clean" thing.
1.047 carats
Princess is the Cut...which is something you need to find out what type of cut she likes!
from WhiteFlash.com and it was one of the ACA (A Cut Above) diamonds meaning it was a top cut.
In my eyes (still somewhat new) the ASET and actually pic of my diamond were perfect hence the reason i pulled the trigger.

Heres another place to view some guidelines for cuts on fancy diamonds....just select the cut type and see the chart!
http://www.gemappraisers.com/oldcutgraderules.asp
 
This is al relative to taste i assume, but is there any rules about cost of band vs cost of diamond?

Lol I knew FI was Fiance
 
If i was you try out the search upper right on a lot of your questions...there are alot of opinions and great ideas out there...Sometimes you will get a couple of answers here but there are a ton out there...i spent a lot of time reading other threads

As for the setting question - Major personal preferance. I have seen very cost efficent simple bands to crazy diamond studded settings. I went for a slightly more expensive setting....more than i wanted to but, in the end the whole package (diamond and setting) looks perfect! I feel the rule is buy what you like!
check this thread: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-cost-vs-setting-cost.9694/
or this one https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/price-of-diamond-versus-price-of-setting.103079/
other one https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/how-much-is-too-much-to-spend-on-a-setting.25916/

I was somewhat lucky because i had an idea of the type of setting my FI liked and what type of cut....the rest was up to me.
 
Date: 5/6/2010 12:52:59 PM
Author: Diamondforher
This is al relative to taste i assume, but is there any rules about cost of band vs cost of diamond?


Lol I knew FI was Fiance
Click to expand...


It really depends on what your GF wants! Some people prefer the classic solitaire setting (which would be less expensive) and some like a setting with lots of diamonds (more expensive)

common types of settings are solitaire, side stone, three stone, pave band, halo setting, others...maybe browse online to see what you like or you think your GF would like?
 
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