Two quick questions :)

[chanceusc]

Hello everyone and thanks in advance for reading my post with the interest in helping someone out! I have two quick questions:

First.. is it cost efficient to buy diamonds separately from the ring itself or is it just as efficient to purchase a ring with a stone already set.

Second: My girlfriend is from Egypt and that is where the official proposal must take place. Does anyone know if gems / jewelery are generally cheaper in 3rd world countries like Egypt (especially since it''s located in Africa)?

Thanks again in advance!

 

[belle]

2 quick answers

Date: 1/4/2007 6:21:28 PM
Author:chanceusc

First.. is it cost efficient to buy diamonds separately from the ring itself or is it just as efficient to purchase a ring with a stone already set.

it depends on what you are looking for and who you''re buying from.

Date: 1/4/2007 6:21:28 PM
Author:chanceusc

Second: My girlfriend is from Egypt and that is where the official proposal must take place. Does anyone know if gems / jewelery are generally cheaper in 3rd world countries like Egypt (especially since it''s located in Africa)?

it depends on what you are looking for and who you''re buying from.



seriously though, if you want a high quality diamond, you are much better off buying here in the u.s. from one of the vendors that specialize in top quality cuts.
there are many threads on both of your questions, so try doing a search.

 

[Gypsy]

Well, I have an Aunt whose husband was stationed in Turkey for work and she lost her 2 carat diamond... she found a 5 carat one over there somewhere for the same price a 2 carat would have cost her here. Here''s the rub though... it looks terrible. It doesn''t sparkle at all... its not well cut and you can tell. Many of the third world countries do not sell you diamonds with the type of information that you need to make an educated choice about the stones. I have family in other countries in the middle east ... and its the same thing (athough no one else has an ugly 5 carat... just ugly 2-3 carats)... and YES they paid ''less'' than they would have here for the same crappy cut stone. But... really do you want a crappy stone? For me, spending ANY money and getting something that looks like dirty glass is too much. My mother went to vist my aunt and came back with a new setting with pave all over it. Yes, she paid less than she would have here for the same setting (metal costs less out there too).. but the melee are icky and unmatched and don''t shine. I have a halo turquoise from Iran... the turqouise itself is beautiful... the halo? It''s just flat out cheap and shoddy half the pave is yellow and some has black spots in it. And you know what? My family back there is wealthy. Flat out rich... they don''t shop in the cheap section of town... but they buy the local tradesman''s work for jewelry... the ''best'' local tradesmen... and my ring is the result. It was expensive IMO because the setting is just awful and needs to be replaced ASAP as far as I''m concerned.

So really... its not a matter of prices. It''s a matter of value. And from my experiences with diamonds from third world countries... not worth it. Now, gold peices are flat out another matter. The gold smithing over there is incredible.

 

[UCLABelle]

Chanceusc- Welcome to PS! Congrats on getting ready to propose. I do know of someone that got a GREAT price on a stone in a 3rd world country, but it turned out to be way below its certificate (which may have been fake). It was one experience, and I will not say that it will always happen. However, for sake of ease and security, I would buy it here. The only question I would remember, when buying a diamond, esp in Egypt, is to try and stay away from conflict diamonds.

 

[rjdodd]

At the risk of appearing stupid, re: a crappy cut (but relatively cheap) turkish 5ct stone. How expensive / hard is it to get a bad 5ct recut as a good 4ct (or 3, 3.5 or whatever)? I only ask because if it was bought for a 2ct price a recut to a good 3ct (or more) would seem to make sense to me.... I''m probably missing something though.

 

[chanceusc]

Thanks for all of the responses! So with metals being cheaper there but diamonds being.. well.. questionable.. it seems like it would be a good idea to buy a diamond here and and then have a ring crafted there. I don''t want to get over to Egypt with the intention of buying a ring only to find out the diamonds are.. eh.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/4/2007 11:03:29 PM
Author: rjdodd
At the risk of appearing stupid, re: a crappy cut (but relatively cheap) turkish 5ct stone. How expensive / hard is it to get a bad 5ct recut as a good 4ct (or 3, 3.5 or whatever)? I only ask because if it was bought for a 2ct price a recut to a good 3ct (or more) would seem to make sense to me.... I''m probably missing something though.

A good cut might well make a diamond like this look better - BUT...it can depend on any inclusions left in the diamond after recutting, as it is possible that this diamond could be a very included I3 for example. If a diamond has many visible inclusions which will block light passage, a great cut won''t do much to help it. But it is possible that this diamond could be improved, it would take an expert to advise as to the benefits of a recut who can examine the stone.