Shane Co vs Solomon Bros vs A. Rixom

[ramblinknight]

Right now I''m trying to decide between 3 diamonds at 3 different locations. I''m looking for a 1ct SI1 H-I VeryGood-Excellent Cut GIA diamond.

Shane Co found a good diamond that is 1ct SI1 I Very Good GIA. It was originally $5010, but they brought the price down to $4300 to compete after they found out I''ve been shopping around and I know a lot. The service was good, but it took me getting referred to the Asst. Mgr before I found someone very knowledgeable. The best thing going for them is their service and guarantees and also their many locations. I am worried about the depth though at 64%. Is that bad?

Solomon has a slightly better 1ct SI1 I Very Good GIA with slightly better proportions. The price is $4330. The service is good and they also have the best setting. They have a good location but not all the guarantees.

A. Rixom has the best diamond I''ve seen. It is 1ct SI1 I with a "Select Ideal" cut and GIA certification. The price is $4335. The service is good, but the location is not quite as convenient. They said they can match the setting at Solomon for $100 less.

I am also planning on getting insurance from a provider. I like Shane because it would be easy to get the ring polished (platinum) when necessary. Please let me know what you recommend. Should I go with the best diamond (A. Rixom) or the best service (Shane) or something in between (Solomon)?

Thanks!

 

[mrssalvo]

d) none of the above

seriously, the first one at 64% depth is way too deep for a round..assuming these are rounds??

I'd suggest reading the tutorial here on Pricescope. Goodoldgold.com also offers a very nice easy to understand tutorial and learn about CUT. it is the most important "C"

as for the insurance..you best bet is to get your own. most jewelry stores offer it until with all kinds of disclaimers, like you must go in every six months and if you forget, bye bye insurance. you can add it to a homeowners or renters policy or there are stand alone policies with Chubb and Jewelers Mutual. most local jewelers will clean you ring and inspect it for free or a very minimal fee.

you might also want to type in the vendors you are looking at in the search to see what kind of customer feedback they have received.


ETA: welcome to Pricescope

 

[kristy_lyn]

I think people will need more information on the angles before giving you good advice...

You will probably be paying a premium for the customer service, the name, and the Bricks and Mortar overhead.

 

[ramblinknight]

Thanks for the posts. To clarify, the diamond is indeed round. I am simply trying to decide how much more a local B&M is worth. I like the idea of free cleaning an polishing. Also, Shane will fix prongs for free if I get them to check it every 6 months. If Jeweler''s Mutual covers all repairs though then Shane is now worthless to me. Also, if I can always get a free polish at any local jeweler that hurts Shane''s value too.

I have read some posts about each Jeweler. A. Rixom has great reviews along with Solomon. Shane seems to have mixed with their weakness being the price.

 

[mrssalvo]

ramblinknight..I suggest learning what you can about cut and then determining if any of the stones work for you. if a stone is too deep, like the first one, you are paying for carat weight that you won't see plus it won't perform/sparkle like a well cut stone.

folks here are going to want to know the carat weight, crown and pavillion angles, table, and depth in order to know how the stone will perform. color and clarity are personal as to what your eye can or can't see.

do a search on jewelry store insurance policies. they really are worthless. my local jeweler cleans my ring for free whenever i'm in there and i've never purchased anything from him. i would like to someday but haven't yet. most good jewelers will do this for you for free in hopes of getting some future business. You're going to want to get your own insurance in case of lose, theft, damage etc..

you have a nice budget. go to the home page and enter the specs you would like and let the PS tool do a search. it will pull up stones for you so you can compare price. just make sure you are comparing ideal cut stones to ideal cut stones

 

[ramblinknight]

Ok, I got the angles and some other stats for two of the diamonds:

Shane Co
(1.01ct I think) 6.26x6.31x4.02, crown angle 35, pavilion 40.6, girdle - med - thk, tbl 55%, depth 64%

Solomon
1.04ct - 6.50x6.53x4.09, crown angle 35, pavilion 41.2, girdle - thin-med, tbl 54%, depth 62.8%

If you have any input on these please let me know. Solomon is obivously better - how good is it?

 

[kristy_lyn]

Based on the HCA scores, the Shane diamond looks better...

Shane scores a 1.1, and the other scores a 3.7

To narrow down diamonds, you want to try to get them under a 2, to maximize Fire, light return, scintillation, and spread. Look in the "Cut Adviser" link on the PS homepage.

 

[mrssalvo]

I''d still pass on both stones

 

[turtledazzle]

The diamond from Shane Co. will appear to be smaller than a 1 ct. diamond (presumably because of the depth) -- a 1 ct. should be ~6.5x6.5mm.

If you''re interested in looking online, this might be a good choice if it is eye-clean: http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2045516.htm#

I bought my diamond online (from James Allen), and had it set locally -- that way I have a relationship with a local jeweler, but I saved a lot of money by purchasing the diamond separately (no tax and no B&M overhead). You just have to make sure you can find a jeweler who will allow you to purchase the setting separately. I had no problem (all ~6 places I went to said they would set a diamond I brought in), but I have read that some jewelers don''t like to do this.

 

[turtledazzle]

If you''re willing to go down in size, there is this: 0.9ct I VS2 Round H&A
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/2212/

 

[pricescope]

Ramblinknight, welcome to the forum.

For the record, A.Rixom = UnionDiamond.com. It is their local store in Atlanta.

$4300 for an ideal cut 1ct I SI1 GIA is not high price at all

Stone #1 is indeed too deep and has very small spread (diameter) for the carat weight

Don't be discouraged or confused that many regulars on the forum will recommend you their favorite vendors and their stones. Eventually, after doing your research and education, you should do business with a vendor you feel most comfortable with.

Good luck and post about your experience

 

[kristy_lyn]

If you do a search, it looks like uniondiamond actually has 6-7 stones in that size range and color/clarity level. (Not sure about how they are cut...you''d have to click on each of them separately...)

Maybe you could ask to look at a few of them to see which you like best!

 

[nick9c]

I personally don''t like any of those diamonds. I assume you are from the Atlanta area...I am as well. I''m not really big on Shane Co. - they are overpriced. I bought my diamond from Whiteflash and it''s currently in the process of being placed in a Tacori setting by Solomon Brothers. Solomon has some nice settings, and you can talk them down as well. I did. They will work with you. I would go through A. Rixom (Union) if you don''t want to deal with out of towners. Also, although I haven''t used them, I''ve heard Universal Diamond Corp. off Peachtree (3343 P''tree Road) has some nice diamonds. They are a wholesaler to the southeast, by appt. only.

Use the Holloway Cut Advisor here on Pricescope in the Tools section to weed out potential bad performers. Best of luck to you...it''s a tedious process. I looked for a few months before finally pulling the plug...just wanted the best value for the money.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Another vote for going with an online PS vendor. I bought my stone from WF, and was extremely pleased.

First things first is to read the tutorials here and on GOG. Educate yourself!

Don't let your desire for "free" cleaning & inspections from B&M's sway you. I do a great job of cleaning and inspecting my ring myself. Just purchase an ultrasonic cleaner and a loupe and you'll be set!

 

[ramblinknight]

I found a good diamond online at blue nile for a great price. Please let me know if this is a must buy. It got a great rating on the cut advisor and is tax free!

57%table 60.7%depth 34crown 40.8pavillion 1.02 SI1 I w Excellent Polish and Very Good Symmetry.

The GIA cert is attached.

Thanks for all the support!

 

[JulieN]

6.49/6.56=98.9% I don't like to go past a 1% difference for out of roundness.

 

[sluke]

I would pass on the Shane Co. one. If the Shane is a round brilliant, it is too steep. You can get your ring polished and prongs check at a local jewelry repair shop (there are a few that don''t sell jewelry) for free or a nominal price. I''ve had my e-ring for 3 yrs, purchased it from one of the online vendor and get it check regularly at the local jewelry shop. Never had to paid anything.

If you are wary about buying such a big purchase online, you can always have the stone sent to a local appraiser for your evaluation. You will have to pay for shipping and insurance, but overall, you will have a beautiful diamond for a good price.

Good luck!