UK Buyer - Not Sure What To Do

[Maisie]

An independant valuation will not determine the amount the insurer will pay out. The main principle of insurance is to put the customer back into the same financial position they were in before the loss occured.

Say, for example, you buy a ring from an American vendor.... you pay £6000 (including taxes). Your valuation says its worth £12000. Your insurance company won't give you the valued amount, only the amount you paid... thus putting you back into the same financial position you were in before your ring was stolen/damaged/lost.

The valuation in the UK would be worthless where insurance is concerned. You can only claim back the amount you actually paid for the item, hence the need for a VAT receipt.*

You can, of course, check your policy documents to find out your insurers procedure on claims.


* This wouldn't count for an inherited item of jewellery or a gift... but we aren't talking about that here - we are talking about buying from abroad.

 

[chizzy1982]

Thanks for the heads up on taxes Maisie - promise i don''y intentionally try and break the law!

 

[stebbo]

Date: 11/16/2007 9:40:16 AM
Author: Maisie
An independant valuation will not determine the amount the insurer will pay out. The main principle of insurance is to put the customer back into the same financial position they were in before the loss occured.

Say, for example, you buy a ring from an American vendor.... you pay £6000 (including taxes). Your valuation says its worth £12000. Your insurance company won't give you the valued amount, only the amount you paid... thus putting you back into the same financial position you were in before your ring was stolen/damaged/lost.

The valuation in the UK would be worthless where insurance is concerned. You can only claim back the amount you actually paid for the item, hence the need for a VAT receipt.*

Hi Maisie,

Do you have some names of insurers that payout according to what you say here? The policies I've seen (apart from those 'extended warranty' Watch and Jewellery Guard things) don't care what you paid, only what it can be replaced for (and worst case, what they can get it for). Eg. The AA,

 

[Maisie]

My husband worked for a large worldwide insurance company. I won't give the name here. He says the procedure for claims is that they ask for a receipt as proof of purchase. They then check the receipt for VAT paid.

I really think this has gotten off topic. Its against the law here in the UK to import jewellery over a certain value without paying customs duty and VAT.

If people want to find ways around this law, then thats up to them. Its a risk they will take. I pay my duties and taxes every time I buy jewellery from abroad. My conscience is clear.

I have an idea. Buy a ring from abroad, bring it back on the plane without declaring it when you get home. Call your insurance company and tell them you want to insure this jewellery that you got abroad, you do have a valuation but chose not to pay VAT and duty on it and see if they are happy to go ahead and set up your insurance...... Then let me know what they say

 

[ian_uk]

Hi;
I have been looking on here for a while and I think that i really need advice!
I am in the UK and planning to propose to my partner very soon.
The advice here is great and has helped me so i am now looking for a little more!

I am a dunce when it comes to knowing about a diamond and don''t want to get ripped off. I have read the advice many times but it just confuses me even more!

Basically I am looking for an emerald cut diamond on a very simple platinum setting and i am looking to spend about £1800 all in. I would love to spend more but my bank balance says otherwise!
The diamond doesn''t have to be perfect but i want to get the biggest diamond i can whilst also buying quality. I have seen rings with a 0.7 carat diamond on bluenile.com for £1500 plus VAT but i have also hear some worrying things about the company in terms of customer service/quality etc. The problem is that i just don''t get know if i a going to be ripped off!

Does anyone have any advice on what i can get or the best way for me to do this?
I just want a special ring and think i need some assistance!

Cheers

Ian

 

[Maisie]

Date: 11/18/2007 8:46:47 AM
Author: ian_uk
Hi;
I have been looking on here for a while and I think that i really need advice!
I am in the UK and planning to propose to my partner very soon.
The advice here is great and has helped me so i am now looking for a little more!

I am a dunce when it comes to knowing about a diamond and don''t want to get ripped off. I have read the advice many times but it just confuses me even more!

Basically I am looking for an emerald cut diamond on a very simple platinum setting and i am looking to spend about £1800 all in. I would love to spend more but my bank balance says otherwise!
The diamond doesn''t have to be perfect but i want to get the biggest diamond i can whilst also buying quality. I have seen rings with a 0.7 carat diamond on bluenile.com for £1500 plus VAT but i have also hear some worrying things about the company in terms of customer service/quality etc. The problem is that i just don''t get know if i a going to be ripped off!

Does anyone have any advice on what i can get or the best way for me to do this?
I just want a special ring and think i need some assistance!

Cheers

Ian

Hi Ian and welcome to Pricescope

You would be better off starting your own thread about what you are looking for. You will get more help that way... people might not read this one and you could miss out on some valuable advice.
I don''t personally know anything about emerald cuts so I can''t help you much .....

 

[QD Rocks]

Its a shame all the UK members seemed determined to buy overseas. Once you pay the duties and taxes it doesnt save you anything plus its very hard to deal with alterations if any are needed. Plus buying british and staying legal must be good. It will save you money compared to High street prices but not from UK Online prices.

Kind Regards

Paul

 

[Rhea]

Date: 12/9/2007 4:26:50 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Its a shame all the UK members seemed determined to buy overseas. Once you pay the duties and taxes it doesnt save you anything plus its very hard to deal with alterations if any are needed. Plus buying british and staying legal must be good. It will save you money compared to High street prices but not from UK Online prices.


Kind Regards


Paul

Paul, do you know of any UK vendors that have a large stock of stones, at competitive prices, and who will discuss crown angles, supply photos, etc? I''ve searched high and low for something comparable to WF or James Allen but have been unable to find anything.

 

[Maisie]

I don't agree that I could buy something exactly the same as I have from WF, in the UK, for the same money. I looked online and the prices were much higher, I also worked in a very well known jewellers and the prices were almost double what I paid - for significantly less quality.

There isn't a company that I could see in the UK who gives you as much info and the US ones do.

I'm all for buying British, but not where diamonds are concerned. They are just too expensive here.

Oh, and I am 'legal' as you put it. I always pay my duties and taxes!

 

[stebbo]

I''m with Maisie here.

Buying online is all about reputation, wealth of information and saving money.

Who in the UK has decent information online?

If more people started do it, maybe someone would start at decent online business in the UK. Huge opportunity.

Until that happens, I say earn in £, spend in $

 

[QD Rocks]

Hi Addy,

I am the owner of the one of the largest online companies in the UK, i cannot identify this company here as my post will be removed, In this business all online companies have some inventory of there own but most also show case stones and partners, very big trade wholesalers around the world. the exchange
rate that we all pay for diamonds is US dollars and our company can sell at the same prices as any US company providing the correct duties have been paid. The people posting remarks that its not possible have just not dealt with the correct people in the UK, Masie i am not suprised you saved money from buying in a jewellers buying online in the UK or USA will save you loads of money. I am not posting this to try and sell any body diamonds but just to educate people that there is choice and lot of the time you can buy the exact same products at the same price in the UK. The online companies you have mentioned are excellent companies with great reputations and i admire there companies. But if you look there is UK options.

 

[Rhea]

But that''s what we''re saying, we have looked and haven''t found anything comparable to what we can get in the US. Unless someone tells us where might be comparable so that we can research it we will just continue to buy from US websites and encourage other UK buyers to do so as well.

 

[Maisie]

Date: 12/9/2007 7:14:47 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Hi Addy,

I am the owner of the one of the largest online companies in the UK, i cannot identify this company here as my post will be removed, In this business all online companies have some inventory of there own but most also show case stones and partners, very big trade wholesalers around the world. the exchange
rate that we all pay for diamonds is US dollars and our company can sell at the same prices as any US company providing the correct duties have been paid. The people posting remarks that its not possible have just not dealt with the correct people in the UK, Masie i am not suprised you saved money from buying in a jewellers buying online in the UK or USA will save you loads of money. I am not posting this to try and sell any body diamonds but just to educate people that there is choice and lot of the time you can buy the exact same products at the same price in the UK. The online companies you have mentioned are excellent companies with great reputations and i admire there companies. But if you look there is UK options.

Maybe if you contact the admin for this site you can add your credentials and company name at the bottom of your posts. As long as you aren''t advertising yourself by asking people to buy from you it should be ok. There are lots of vendors who post here, but their posts are to help educate us and not sell us diamonds.

Double check with the admin though.

 

[QD Rocks]

Hi Addy, are you in the UK ? and also are you looking to buy a stone or are you just enjoying the pricescop forum. Everyone is entitled to there opinion and the companies you have mentioned are fine companies but i assure you there is UK companies that can match these.

 

[Rhea]

Not looking right now, but it appears others are. And they can''t find UK stones for the same value. If you know of these companies why are you keeping it to yourself when this is clearly such a hot topic right now? People on here who want larger stones and are based in the UK are never going to actually consider a UK company if they can''t find it.

 

[Maisie]

The reason I buy from the United States isn''t just because I save money. I could go to a high street jewellers in England and get a carat for a lot less than I paid for the one I have now. BUT it would be a dreadful nasty stone. Whiteflash has built up a fantastic reputation here and there are many satisfied customers willing to recommend them.

I love how I can have all the information about what I am buying, and even with the 20% taxes and import duty, I still saved a lot of money. I also love the upgrade policy. I have taken advantage of this twice in the past year and now have a larger, more superior diamond than I could ever have afforded in England.

I agree that there should be the same service offered in the UK. If there is such a service, it isn''t advertised enough as we don''t know its there.

 

[QD Rocks]

Hi Addy,

My post states clearly i am the owner of the business that i am talking about, but due to pricescop rules i cannot paste links to my business. as i mentioned i am not here to sell either but to educate people there is a UK option. If you have found this site you have spent some time searching for the best place for info. If you spend the same time looking for a UK option you will find them.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

with all due respect Paul, having spent a little time looking round your site (it having been identified in another thread on here) your prices are still higher that prices in the US... even after adding custom duties. from a couple of £100 to £1000s

But the biggest thing is - we''re spending ALOT of money here... weither the person is buying a 25pt, 100 or even a 270+pt stone and how can we advise anyone on a purchase when all they have to go on from your own site is the table and depth info and its physical measurements.

when you compare to many of those who get recommended on here - who provide a wealth of info - pictures of the diamond your about to buy, a scan of the certificate, crown and pavilion angles, ideal scope images, ASET images...

for example compare this page with a page of your own diamond details... (oh and that one is £220 than what you are listing 0.33 F VVS2 at.. but i''m guessing you would price match - but how would we know that we''re getting a similar cut quality)

its maybe something to think about starting to do as Internet diamond purchasing kicks off.

 

[QD Rocks]

Hi Lord summerisle,

I understand my site has had links on this site but i cannot and will not promote it myself as its against the rules. you have viewed the price on a small stone
and your comments might be valid each seller is more competative in diffrent price points. The reason that we and the other big online sellers advise a
cut grade is to try and help the public understand the diffrences between cut. Not even the labs can agree on what is an ideal cut stone. The labs only give a cut grade on rounds and unless clients pick the phone up they would never understand the diffrences. The info that is listed on the link you sent is freely available to any shopper by seeing a copy of the certificate and this can be suplied. shoppers are free to shop in what ever country and where ever but the same quality is available in the UK. and yes price match is done.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Paul, i think you are missing what i was trying to get accross, and i''m sure its more my typing style more than anything.

Please just take this as constructive critisim... but you have popped up on a number of recent threads about uk buyers wanting a stone to say there are UK options.

i just wanted to highlight the differance in the experiance. yes i know i highlighting in my last post about pricing differances, which at the end of the day are only minor differanes...

but as someone who has been through this myself, and having helped a lot of my friends buy stones - the one thing that does help put folk at ease is being able to SEE the diamond in pictures, and a wealth of informations rather than just a listing of minor detail. And knowing that the diamond in question is held in stock, and when i phone them up to ask a question they can go and get it and have a look - as i only tend to do searches by cut quality which only brings up those that are in stock

while i understand the business model of listing diamonds from the warehouses - it keeps your costs down, and dont need to hold as many stones in stock ... but the diamond i buy might not be the one i recieve as another vendor for that warehouse has sold the diamond.

 

[Rhea]

Date: 12/9/2007 7:35:00 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Hi Addy,


My post states clearly i am the owner of the business that i am talking about, but due to pricescop rules i cannot paste links to my business. as i mentioned i am not here to sell either but to educate people there is a UK option. If you have found this site you have spent some time searching for the best place for info. If you spend the same time looking for a UK option you will find them.

I understand what you''re saying, but I have yet to find a comparable UK option even after searching. At this point, to me, US seems better than UK in terms of price, photos offered, details offered, and upgrade policy. Maybe there is a vendor in the UK who is just as good and they will come to light in many of these threads but for now that just doesn''t appear to be the case.

 

[QD Rocks]

Hi Lord Summerisle,

I take your valid points on board, the site we are talking about is one of the finest. Photos are available on some but not all and if you need to see a picture of the diamond before making a purchase then thats fine. My point is only that the same products are available from UK sellers and you dont save money by shopping overseas.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-403851.htm this stone is available on our site also and they are the same price. Not a .33 pt diamond.

Also the upgrade service offered is a genuine one and in most cases we dont make money when doing this. but if the client is unhappy they can get a full refund. But this doesnt happen as who would turn down a better dearer stone. Also all online companies Hold inventory and also work with other peoples stones.

My opinion is that you can trust the info on the GIA cert, but its just my opinion.

 

[stebbo]

Date: 12/9/2007 7:58:38 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Hi Lord summerisle,
...
The info that is listed on the link you sent is freely available to any shopper by seeing a copy of the certificate and this can be suplied.
...

But see this just doesn''t work. People are sorting through lots of contenders from different stores. They don''t want to contact you yet, not to waste your time at such an earlier stage, nor feel obliged to buy from you for your effort.

They want to instantly see that certificate so they can narrowing down a big selection of stones to a final few. That''s when they''ll want to contact you.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Date: 12/9/2007 8:44:52 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Hi Lord Summerisle,


I take your valid points on board, the site we are talking about is one of the finest. Photos are available on some but not all and if you need to see a picture of the diamond before making a purchase then thats fine. My point is only that the same products are available from UK sellers and you dont save money by shopping overseas.


My opinion is that you can trust the info on the GIA cert, but its just my opinion.

True, you can go off the GIA cert - but one little differance between your 2 sites is that WF have provided a scan of the cert... which also also contains the additional info that the crown is 34° and pavilion is 41°

which saves me having to go to the GIA website and check the cert number... here which you kindly provided

But generally speaking i dont look at whiteflash''s extended lists... only their Expert Selection and A Cut Above lists, which are inhouse with all the info. Same as i look at Good old Gold stocklists, which again has all the info

 

[QD Rocks]

Hi stebbo,

The diamond we are talking about doesnt seem to have a scan cert on either site. And a feature that could show a scan of every report would be a great improvement but is impossible the way the trade works. We make every effort like the rest of the online sellers to do this but its not possible. I also fully understand a shipper will buy from where ever he feels happiest with. I am not here to compare my company with the finest in the business but my reason for these posts are, you do not save money buying overseas. If you want to because you like the site or the staff or for any other reason then thats your choice.


Lord Sommerisle

You do have a good knolwedge and i am sure when searching for yourself or friends you will find a great stone at the best prices. You have good reason to be a WF fan they do a great job. But we are just trying to give the UK consumer a diffrent option than buying overseas. Every company has strenghs and weaknesses
but so many people on this forum shout that you save so much money buying overeas and this is not the case.

Its been a pleasure speaking with you.

Paul

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Date: 12/9/2007 9:21:21 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Hi stebbo,


The diamond we are talking about doesnt seem to have a scan cert on either site.

just for reference its here

And a feature that could show a scan of every report would be a great improvement but is impossible the way the trade works. We make every effort like the rest of the online sellers to do this but its not possible. I also fully understand a shipper will buy from where ever he feels happiest with. I am not here to compare my company with the finest in the business but my reason for these posts are, you do not save money buying overseas. If you want to because you like the site or the staff or for any other reason then thats your choice.



Lord Sommerisle


You do have a good knolwedge and i am sure when searching for yourself or friends you will find a great stone at the best prices. You have good reason to be a WF fan they do a great job. But we are just trying to give the UK consumer a diffrent option than buying overseas. Every company has strenghs and weaknesses

but so many people on this forum shout that you save so much money buying overeas and this is not the case.


Its been a pleasure speaking with you.


Paul

Indeed it has, i hope we havent been too hard on you

TI is good to know that us UKer can get diamonds in the UK at similar prices to the US, and i''m sure you are making a good business out of it. But i hope we have shown you why we recommend US stores... and mostly - those stores which are part of the PS community, because they provide the info that we crave... but alot of that comes down to the different business model than which you work with.

Please stick around

 

[stebbo]

Date: 12/9/2007 9:21:21 AM
Author: QD Rocks
Hi stebbo,

The diamond we are talking about doesnt seem to have a scan cert on either site. And a feature that could show a scan of every report would be a great improvement but is impossible the way the trade works. We make every effort like the rest of the online sellers to do this but its not possible. I also fully understand a shipper will buy from where ever he feels happiest with. I am not here to compare my company with the finest in the business but my reason for these posts are, you do not save money buying overseas. If you want to because you like the site or the staff or for any other reason then thats your choice.

Paul

Heh I totally understand how hard it is to have all certs online and wouldn't expect anyone memoing stones to do so, but the vendors in the states with great selections *in stock* are too hard to resist, regardless of price.

Agree with you on equivalent pricing though--I've compared Blue Nile US's prices with Blue Nile UK's prices for the same exact ring and they're essentially identical. No duty was charged on the diamond, free shipping, and the exchange rate I noticed they used was even better than the consumer would get on that day.

 

[stebbo]

Date: 12/9/2007 9:40:03 AM
Author: Lord Summerisle


Please stick around

Yes, please, and have a look at the forum rules - you''ll see that you''re allowed to put your company name in your sig.

 

[QD Rocks]

Stebbo & summerisle

You havent been to hard on me, all i wanted to do was get the price point across. I understand Ps is a community and you advise people on what you feel is best. I do intend to approach Ps about marketing as it seems such a great place for consumers to get honest info they would never get in a store and i think its great.

I do know the Forum rules about my contact details, but it would look like i was trying to sell to clients when giving advice on here and that would be sad. I just want to give honest advice where i can.

I will keep looking on ps and if i can offer any advice i will.

Thanks its been fun

Paul

 

[D2B]

To the original poster,

I am also in the UK, I bought my half eternity ring from signed pieces after a lot , and I mean a lot of in depth searching in the UK. I have never ever bought anything online prior to this, and was very dubious, worried and nervouse about the whole process. In the end I went to Bond Street, Hatton Garden, local jewellers, High street jewellers etc, and the more I learned the more I wanted X clarity and X colour etc etc and I could not find this in the UK for anything near the same price as in the US (and I paid VAT and all taxes). It was so much cheaper and I had the option of returning the ring within 30 days if there was any issues. I had my ring independently appraised by a UK appraiser who told me I had an excellent purchase and had done very well and completely verifiedthe quality of the piece and the price I would have had to have paid to get comparable quality in the UK.

So, I guess, do your research, but for me, the price I saved and more importantly the quality of the diamonds I got, has meant that my very first tentative internet purchase was for a diamond ring. I would stick with reputable PS vendors and use the PS community, but in the current climate there is no way I would buy in the UK - with the money I saved I am looking at buying a pair of diamond earrings (also via a pricescope vendor_).

What has impressed me about the US vendors is not just the price, but the transperancy of information on the diamonds, (I might not be an expert, but I can take that info and get feedback from PS) and the great exchange /refund options - this enables you to get indpendant appraisals

Good luck

Edited to add: I have also been looking in the UK for the diamond earrings, mainly because it is nice to try things on and buy them to get a perspective of how it will look, and would have been happy to buy here, but again, if the price was right, the colour and clarity was pitiful, and if the colour and clarity was right, the price was ridiculouse, so again, I am looking at pricescope vendors, the only challenge now is deciding what I want in terms of style.
Sorry for the horrible spelling, late and am tired

D2B