Some advice on where to buy

[dasnoop8]

Help!
I am overwhelmed by the huge number of sites offering diamonds. I know what I want and I''m about to pop for a diamond
but can''t seem to pull the trigger-Too many choices out there! Besides a legittimate certificate, good return policy, and a good price what else should I look for?
I''ve even found a site that offers free loss protection insurance for a year! It seems that they''ll do anything for a sale. Is this legit-has anyone heard of this before?

 

[find45di2]

I can definitely see why or how you would get overwhelmed. Rather than wing it, I would either click one of the sponsors in the PriceScope forum since they have a reputation to maintain. Or, I would go with one of the popular places people always recommend on the boards which include these below.

IF THIS IS GOING AGAINST FORUM RULES, PLEASE DELETE THIS POST. I have no clue if I am able to recommend like this or not so just delete, please don''t ban me. Here goes my feedback:

WhiteFlash.com
-They give a discount to PS members, and they have all the needed info to ask questions on this board and choose a good stone and feel confident in what you are getting.

GoodOldGold.com
-They take it a step beyond and give really cool in depth pictures.

If I wasn''t working with a personal seller locally, I would be going with GoodOldGold, or WhiteFlash.

Stick to these and you can be confident in your purchase.

 

[Regular Guy]

Dasnoop8,

Vendors advertising here have been vetted for a long time (and you can research users on posts here) to add to your comfort level.

Also, beyond what you've noted...it's helpful to have, without necessarily needing to pay a significant premium for it...

- options that present reflector images (read the tutorial here, above, under Knowledge) that help you see how well an option will really perform
- experienced vendors who also have somewhat significant stock on hand, to easily look for you at an option you're interested in, and do some virtual comparisons between you're interested in, on your behalf.
- the protection thing can be good, but is also easily replicated at a nominal cost for fairly inexpensive insurance...so I'd find the availability of the two items above outweighing that pretty well.
- notes below my signature may be helpful.

Welcome and good luck!

P.S. the vendors recommended above come well recommended here, and they'be also been documented to be the most popular here; they make a good suggestion, no doubt!

 

[dasnoop8]

Thank you for the tips! I''ll continue my search with the two vendors you mentioned and keep in mind the tips you posted.

 

[denverappraiser]

Prepaid insurance included with the purchase is a handy enough thing to be sure but I’m not sure I would pay a whole lot extra to get it. With most companies a years policy will cost you between 1%-3% of the cost of the stone depending on your zip code and the kinds of coverage you choose.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Jewelry Appraisals in Denver