scared

[socialworker]

well i just picked up a ring for my baby at a zales outlet store. the price of the three stone princess cut was 2800.00 however they started deducting stuff and then the price ended up being 1,799.99. i walked into the store wanting to pay around 4,000 but now i think i picked up a cheap ring. my finance was there and she loved the ring, i tried to point at another one which was about 3,999.99 to no avail. she is a simple woman, who never owned any gold or diamonds until she meet me, not because she cant afford it(parents are doctors) but because she never cared.

according to the International gem information appraisal summary card:

cut/style: rect mod brill cut
weight: est total weight 0.98ct
color: E-F
clarity I1
Pol/sym: Good/Good
Est. Retail repl value: 3,316.00

one platinum mounting ring wt in total 4.6 dwt stamped cont. three natural damonds two at 0.245 ct each, tw 0.49 ct, one at 0.49 ct.

the one that i wanted her to get was for 3,999.99 had a clarity of i1 and color of H .the only difference is that it was two carats. what do you all think?is it a cheap ring? should i talk to her about it? we have 15 days to trade it in for another one according to zales outlet policy

 

[Rank Amateur]

The diamond is at the lower end of the clarity spectrum, but at the upper end of color (if all things are as advertised). I'll guess that the $1800 price is OK but not great. Sounds like a typical Zales ring. They don't lose money on a sale.

The real question ----> Is it what you were looking for and is it what you want? Does it sing to you?

If the answer is yes, then don't fret about it.

If the answer is no, then the diamond geeks on this board will be glad to help you spend your $1800, or better yet $4000.

Fasten your seatbelt!

R/A

 

[Jax172]

Well, if you like it than that is all that matters. Personally, I think you might be able to do better elsewhere, but that's just my opinion and I have a bad history with Zales. All I can suggest is that you get your own insurance on it because their little "warranty" doesn't hold up. It has a "normal wear & tear" clause and if they determine that the damage wasn't under their definition of normal wear and tear, they won't help you. And from what I've experienced, they don't like owning up to their warranty. Also, it doesn't cover loss or theft of the ring. So my advice is to get it independantly appraised and if after that everything is OK with the grading and you love it, then keep it, enjoy it and get it insured.

 

[valeria101]

Hi!

I guess I might know what you mean, since I can still remember the time when I had no interest in jewelry either (ok, this was easy in my country and still a popular atitude now). The price you paid seems quite typical. As usual, you could have probably saved a few dollars online, but the point seems moot: the end user seems to have enjoyed the buying experience more than I'd expect her to instantly fall for an intensive course in diamond grading and optimized online shopping! So, congratulations for staging a happy encounter between lady and diamond! Anyway, the ring that you bought, I guess, makes a great INTRO for an upgrade. At least, it did not take me long to develop a strong inetrest in jewelry, once I got the introduction right...

 

[Hest88]

If she loved it, that's all that matters. The money you saved can go for your wedding.

 

[Mikesgirl]

You nailed it, Hest.

 

[Mara]

Yes you may be stuck if she loves the ring (even if you do not)....good luck prying it off her!

Personally--I would never buy anything from Zales in the way of 'good jewelry', they are a slightly upgraded maul store. You got a good deal, the stones probably aren't the best cut, definitely not a great clarity grade (I1 means that you should be able to visibly pick out inclusions without magnification), but again...if she loves it..good luck trying to get something else for her.




Though if they are princess stones, it would be hard to find really well cut princesses at any sort of regular B&M and definitely not pre-set...so if you are on a time schedule or don't want to build your own with well-cut stones over the course of a few weeks, what you did is probably the best way to go.




Sounds like a typical maul store purchase, a decent color grade and then a not-so-great clarity grade, 'pre-set' for a good price.




Also...the 'estimated replacement value' of $3k is not really valid. The replacement value is what you paid for it today..since that is what you could get the ring at again if you had to buy another one. Of course the store wants you to feel good about your purchase, appraisals are normally inflated for mental happiness purposes...hee hee.




Bottom line is that some research beforehand probably could have benefitted you during this purchase--but nevermind that! If she loves it, it's hers!

Good luck and would suggest an independent appraisal just to sure that all matches the cert, etc.

 

[socialworker]

thank you all for the info and yes she loves it. so i guess i'll use the rest of the money for the wedding or better yet christmas. thanks all for the advice.