Thoughts on getting a ring QUICKLY?

[SRBT]

First of all, as a lurker for the past 3-4 months, thanks to you all for all of the wonderful insights and advice you post every day. It''s been an educational experience -- hard to believe the big purchase is on me!

Now that it''s on me, though, I want to move FAST and I''d like to solicit your thoughts/advice.

The last $ I needed for the ring (bonus money) JUST became available. I''d like to have a ring in hand by next Friday, or Saturday morning at the latest, as we are going away on a romantic NYE and I would like to pop the question at midnight.

I am really fond of 2 similar settings at Whiteflash and Blue Nile -- anybody have experience with quick turnaround at either of those vendors? I know the sig ideal stones turn around quickly at BN but I''m not sure that''s the best value for what I''m looking for (2ct+, size most important, H, VS2, want a good cut but she''s less exacting there).

I don''t know if I want to pay a brick and mortar premium but I suppose that''s an option. I''m in upstate SC for holidays until 12/28, so not a whole lot of options here. I will be back in NYC for a couple of days before leaving so that is theoretically an option too. I assume if I order online Saturday may be the drop dead date.

Any thoughts or help, pricescope gurus? Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Mara]

Why don''t you email AND call WF and ask them...note if you have a stone and setting in mind and ask them what the turnaround will be? Same with BN...do you have an idea there on time? I''d go do the reconnaisance and research and get going on this ASAP. I think that a week is possible definitely, but it depends on what you want. The holiday might throw a wrench in things but I''d still rather buy from a reputable vendor online than a B&M just because you are strapped for time! Good luck!

 

[musey]

WOW!

I don''t have any experience with those vendors specifically, but I will tell you that RUSH work through my jeweler (not the original creation of the ring, just repairs) took approximately 4.5 weeks.

I think the trouble you''ll run into here is not just the rush, but your timing. Christmas is at the beginning of next week, and most businesses will be closed at least the day of if not before as well. It''s also a Friday night, going into a pre-holiday weekend. (Again, don''t know if this applies to WF and BN, just generalizing.) So you''re looking at 2-3 business days between now and when your ring arrives!!

That probably doesn''t do you much good, but it''s always good to have a backup plan if this MUST be done by next weekend (local jewelers, etc.).

Anyway, no one can really tell you whether you''ll be able to get it in time, I''m afraid

Your best bet is just to call the vendors and ASK.

 

[Tropicmaster]

I am not sure where in the upstate you are, but there are some decent options for a B&M in Charlotte. Two jewelers in the Southpark area carry that kind of size and quality. Try Finks jewelers, or Donald Haack jewelery. They are both open today,tomorrow, and Monday. Call and see if they have something close before make the drive. Charlotte is within a 2 hour drive of anywhere in the upstae except maybe Clemson. For the kind of money you are spending, and the amount of markup these places carry you could probably get a private after hours appoinment.

 

[rainydaze]

yikes! i''m not sure i would rush a 2+ct H/VS1 purchase! although, there are some vendors here that are pretty reliable such that you can be pretty confident you will get a killer diamond even without the time/effort spent making sure of that yourself. i would call bill pearlman at pearlman''s, he is likely to have something ready to go and he is a wonderful person to deal with. you will get very personal service with him, as if you were in his store, over the phone/email. he is very helpful, and carries top quality pieces. i think he''d do what he could to work with you, your specs, and your deadline. he ships overnight for AM delivery (most do, or will i would think, but i know for sure he does) which would help you out. do a search here on him and you will find many satisfied customers and rave reviews.

no matter who you go with, i would say make sure they have a solid exchange/return policy and reputation so that if in your rush you/your FI find the diamond/ring isn''t all you hoped it would be, you have options after the fact!!

 

[Steel]

I agree with everything said so far...

Perhaps you could consider buying the stone only (if you know what you want and it is available now), then you can choose the setting together and take your time with that. If you don''t want to propose empty handed then you can propose with the stone. Just an idea.

 

[SRBT]

Oh, I''m definitely going to call and ask WF and BN this morning -- these were just the questions of an overactive mind that couldn''t sleep!

Thanks for the Charlotte suggestions. That''s an option if WF or BN can''t meet my request.

Atlanta is also probably not totally out of the question, if anybody has some good B&M suggestions there (without ridiculous markup).

I agree that rushing a 2ct+ rock sounds silly, heck, it makes me nervous, but I wouldn''t choose any seller without a great reputation and a solid return policy anyways. There are sentimental reasons for a NYE proposal, and I couldn''t find any great options for swinging a purchase earlier. Wish the damn thing came in two weeks ago!

 

[Steel]

Date: 12/22/2007 8:09:51 AM
Author: SRBT
Oh, I''m definitely going to call and ask WF and BN this morning -- these were just the questions of an overactive mind that couldn''t sleep!

Thanks for the Charlotte suggestions. That''s an option if WF or BN can''t meet my request.

Atlanta is also probably not totally out of the question, if anybody has some good B&M suggestions there (without ridiculous markup).

I agree that rushing a 2ct+ rock sounds silly, heck, it makes me nervous, but I wouldn''t choose any seller without a great reputation and a solid return policy anyways. There are sentimental reasons for a NYE proposal, and I couldn''t find any great options for swinging a purchase earlier. Wish the damn thing came in two weeks ago!

Soooooo,

Do you wanna give us an idea of budget? We [Me!] love to go virtual diamond shopping and promise to post link-ies to suitable stones......

We live vicariously! We live vicariously! We live vicariously! We live vicariously! We live vicariously! We live vicariously! We live vicariously!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 12/22/2007 8:09:51 AM
Author: SRBT
Oh, I''m definitely going to call and ask WF and BN this morning -- these were just the questions of an overactive mind that couldn''t sleep!

Thanks for the Charlotte suggestions. That''s an option if WF or BN can''t meet my request.

Atlanta is also probably not totally out of the question, if anybody has some good B&M suggestions there (without ridiculous markup).

I agree that rushing a 2ct+ rock sounds silly, heck, it makes me nervous, but I wouldn''t choose any seller without a great reputation and a solid return policy anyways. There are sentimental reasons for a NYE proposal, and I couldn''t find any great options for swinging a purchase earlier. Wish the damn thing came in two weeks ago!

It''s only silly if your options are less than desirable. However, WF has two in your exact color and clarity at 2 cts. They are their branded diamond, which means no worries. And, if the settings your eyeing are stock settings, and you explain your situation, maybe there''s a slight possiblity they could do it.

5% off with PS discount.


http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-418636.htm


http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-418637.htm#

 

[kellyfish]

Could you propose with the stone in a holder and pick out the setting together? It is pretty late to pick out a setting (unless you know exactly what she wants and can get it last minute) that she will wear everyday for the rest of her life.....Trust me, if you get a killer 2ct you are going to blow her away with that!!!!

 

[SRBT]

Do you wanna give us an idea of budget? We [Me!] love to go virtual diamond shopping and promise to post link-ies to suitable stones....

Budget is probably 30k at the very outlying, but if at all possible I''d like to keep it under 25K, 22k or under even better. I have a general idea of what''s in stock at various places right now, but I love reading the advice on here so anything you find would be great!

I think after calling BN and WF, the best options timing-wise would be either a BN sig collection or a WF cut above (btw, those stones you linked to on WF are FANTASTIC and are definite possibilities), since they have those on-location. Unfortunately that doesn''t perfectly fit my budget as I am certain that size > cut quality in this instance.

Could you propose with the stone in a holder and pick out the setting together? It is pretty late to pick out a setting (unless you know exactly what she wants and can get it last minute) that she will wear everyday for the rest of her life.....Trust me, if you get a killer 2ct you are going to blow her away with that!!!!

Thanks! I actually already have the settings picked out. There are two similar settings at BN and WF which are platinum, with shared-prong melee extending about 2/3 of the way down the ring. I''ve actually had the opportunity to see both in person so that''s one reason I trust BN and WF.

Don''t want to give the impression that I''m a crazy impulsive soul, although I guess to a certain extent this is by definition a bit impulsive. I''ve been doing homework for several months now, so I''m not going in this looking to just throw a check at the first thing I can get. Looked at some other options for getting things out a bit early, but waiting for the bonus looked like by far the best choice -- and by all expectations I should have received it about a week and a half ago, which would have given me plenty of time. Unfortunately, holiday crunch and circumstances combined with a late bonus put me in a bit of a pickle. Wish me luck, and thanks!

 

[Mara]

sounds like you know what you want which is great, my opinion having deal with WF multiple times is that if they are able to do it, they will...the holiday might present an issue but i know they read emails on the weekends and sometimes they have extra help manning the phones aka during holiday season...so if you know the setting you want, get one or two stones in mind and then go to them with AB and C and say hey this is what i want, can it be done. if the ring itself can''t be turned within the timeframe (diamond melee added in might present extra time required, if it was a plain solitaire maybe not)...maybe get the stone itself in a plain simple basic setting which i would imagine would be easier, then propose with that and choose the setting together after the fact.

to me many things are possible even with just a few days if you are willing to be able to be in touch with them on an hourly basis if necessary and know what you want already. good luck!

 

[gailrmv]

I would get the right thing and not rush. Personally I would contact WF and see what they can do. If they cannot get the setting you want in the timeframe, how about having the diamond set into a simple white gold (so she can wear it) and then change the setting later.
Or wait and propose after you have the completed ring in hand even if its after new years.
I would not rush into a local store and buy whatever just to have it by new years.

 

[SRBT]

Just wanted to post a quick THANKS to everybody who responded. I pulled it off!

I wound up purchasing the e-ring from blue nile, and through some very helpful customer service wound up putting together a great ring that I received in time. We went to a country inn for New Years, and BN worked with me to get the ring shipped to a fedex location about 30 miles away from the inn. I managed to convince her that I had a misdelivered christmas present that was shipped to my office instead of my sister -- I wrapped up a bunch of trash in an empty fedex box! We trucked up to the fedex location in the morning on New Years Eve, I went inside and threw away the fake box, and pulled the ring and other goodies out to hide in my coat.

I''ll post details in the proposal forum sometime, but suffice to say, it went off as planned and my bride-to-be loves her ring! It''s a GIA excellent, vs2, H, 2.25 ct center stone set with shared-prong about 3/4 of the way around of a platinum setting.

And also, a huge THANKS to all of the people who post on Pricescope! Outside of this thread, I''ve been anonymously collecting information from you guys for months now. Without the valuable info I''ve gleaned from these forums, there''s no way I could have pulled this off in a short period. For any of my friends who are looking at diamonds -- I tell them they are doing themselves a disservice if they don''t start here!

 

[Ellen]

Excellent, congrats!!

And please do try to post pics, that''s all we ask yanno.

 

[Atenay]

ooops sorry wrong thread

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Sounds like you did a great job! And as Ellen said, we do need pictures!!!