Ritani Endless Love: Buy just the setting? Look-a-likes? Loose Stones?

[Alice in DiamondLand]

After many hours of surfing to diamonds and settings, my b/f and I went to EE Robbins yesterday. What fun! I fell in love with the Ritani Endless Love solitaire setting. After researching online, it seems it might be difficult to buy the setting and provide the stone, but have read conflicting messages. Please shed light on the following:

1. Where can you buy just the setting? I’ve read that Ritani won’t let you provide your own diamond, that the diamond needs to have certain specs, that they will only do it if you provide the stone on an existing setting and I am wondering what the deal is. I’ve read thus far that Bailey Banks, Finks, and Soloman Brothers are possibilities for having this done. Others?

2.How about the custom route? The Ritani was so incredibly beautiful I wonder if a copy could really recreate it. How do you find a person to do custom jewelry? Recommendations for someone in the Seattle vicinity?

3. What other designers do a similar setting to Endless Love? I especially loved the thinness of the band, how the diamond is mounted and the halo of diamonds around the diamond.

Thanks in advance for any info you can give us on the above!
~Alice in Diamond Land

 

[Alice in DiamondLand]

I also wanted to ask about loose diamonds:

With my sister-in-law’s wholesale license, has bought loose diamonds in NYC. We figured the ones purchased were 50% less than Blue Nile. Looking at diamonds with the same specs, we figured that EE Robbins and Costco are both about 10% less than Blue Nile. Thoughts on purchasing loose stones and getting them with a wholesale license?

~Alice

 

[denverappraiser]

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On 8/1/2004 7:19:44 PM Alice in DiamondLand wrote:


Thoughts on purchasing loose stones and getting them with a wholesale license?
~Alice----------------

Alice,

A wholesale license only has to do with the way sales tax is handled. If you have a license and you buy a stone for resale, you won't have to pay tax at the time of purchase but are expected to either collect tax when you sell it, or sell it to another dealer with a valid tax license. If you set it and wear it yourself, you are supposed to submit the tax at that time. Whether you do this or not is, of course, entirely between you and the taxing authorities.

How the tax is handled shouldn't affect the price being charged by the dealer who sells to you although some dealers like to make a big deal out of it and a few will require that you get one because it reduces their paperwork requirements. They just don't want the hastle. It shouldn't be necessary to get a tax license to get a good deal unless you actually are a dealer who is buying things for resale.

Neil Beaty, GG
American Gem Registry, Inc.
www.gemlab.us

 

[treysar]

Hey! I'm going through the same thing - I love that setting, but it's pricey and they won't sell it w/out the center stone. I am considering getting it custom made, but there are some similar settings - search pricescope for "Ritanti" and you'll see some of the other posts for look alikes - good luck, and let me know what you find, if it isn't on here already!!

 

[Ashya]

did you get the setting?

BEcause, I love the setting too, and I am currently deciding wether or not to persue the ring ( i have a few other designs i like)

I found the same setting at this website.(19686L) If you cannot see the item #, just save the page to your computer, and view it through your documents, where you should be able to zoom in. Im not sure if its exact, but having the setting already cast, saves time and money.

http://www.adwar.com/products/catalog18/page1082/index.html Here is the link to the company. Remember, these are just the castings, so they are not polished or molded into a final product, and of course the have no stones in them. Any reputable jeweler can order a casting from these people, buy the stone and make your ring. It saves money because the jeweller doesnt have to make a mold and so forth. Furthermore, the casting are great becauser there is alot on them for the jeweler to work with.

Furthermore, there are many similar designs in the Adwar catalogue, so be sure to check them out. REGARdless, you will save money if you go this option. ALways cheaper then getting the jeweler to make the ring from scratch, and ALOT cheaper then buying the Ritani ring!

LEt me know what you do,
Joanna