The importance of being an educated consumer.

[hihowareyou]

I was going to post this in the diamond grading topic but it has been drifted off topic enough without me in there too.


I was cleaning out my bag this week when I found the business cards and quotes from jewelers from back when we first started looking at engagement ring sales. The first quote was for over $5000 for a 0.31 E/F SI1 (no mention of cut quality) with 0.18 ungraded baguettes on the sides in white gold. This is an Australia so around US$4200.

I''m not sure how it works overseas but the more research we did the lower the quotes for and the better quality the stones got. It seems the prices we were given were based off our answer to the question "do you know specifically what you are looking for?". The more specific we could be about cut and the 4 C''s the lower the quotes were.

Also I want to thank PS as we are getting much more than a 0.31 for much less than $5000 and something much more wonderful and unique than we could have found already made up in a local store

 

[Tuckins1]

SO glad that PS could help! I too am appalled at what I "would have" been ok with had I not ever found PS. Scary thought!

 

[Black Jade]

Yes, there are some problems with the ways that diamonds are sold in b & M''s, especially malls, but I do think that sometiimes some of it is the consumer''s fault. Eve n though me and hubby actually bought the first engagment ring with NO research (we did okay, we lucked out) I''m surprised in these days with the internet available and so much more information out there at how little research some do before buying diamonds.

You don''t have to do a LOT.

Pricescope definitely educates you--it is a blessing to have this website.

 

[hihowareyou]

oh i completely agree Black Jade, i rarely buy anything over say, $50 without first researching options, quality and prices let alone something significant like an engagement ring. i do think that if you don''t understand what you are handing over money for you are likely to be taken for a ride and it is something very easy to avoid.

some of the things that we were told by sales people were hilarious. we got the very common ''we can get you a GIA certificate if you want but it will cost you extra and isn''t as reliable as our grading system''. looking at princess cut stones we were told ''symmetry on this stone is very good so it is the absolute best you can get''. other sales people would talk themselves around in circles e.g. telling us that ''stone a'' was perfect because it was a D colour but then when we asked about cut they would move to a different stone saying that cut was the best thing and since ''stone b'' has a better cut that it was absolutely the right stone for us and we should buy it asap before it is sold to someone else, then of course we bring up clarity and suddenly ''stone b'' is trash and the IF ''stone c'' is the best they possibly have

 

[Sam82]

before pricescope, I would have told my bf to go to a maul store. He would have paid top dollar for an I1 or I2 stone. Now we are getting a much better diamond for much less money. yay pricescope.

 

[kenny]

Diamond education can be a double edged sword.
Yes, it prevents you from getting ripped off, and gets you a better stone for less.

But . . .

It also can introduce you to (and get you to consider buying) much more expensive diamonds.

I've spent so much money on diamonds that 5 years ago I'd never consider parting with.
Why?
Partly because I have learned so much and understanding leads to appreciation and desire.

 

[Ozgirl]

That is so true Kenny.

The more i find out about diamonds, the more I want to buy them in all their shapes and colours.

I think I''m becoming a diamond addict