what do u all think about zales

[confusedaboutdiamonds]

I think this is a very informative forum & everybody is very helpful. we r trying to buy a 1 carat diamond, what do u all think about zales. they r selling a 1.05 carat diamond, g color, si 1 , excellent cut for $ 6500. it is a GSA certified diamond (anybody heard of it ?) also the cerificate says nothing about culet or fluorescence.
the only thing that i like about buying frm there is the lifetime warranty for $ 370 that covers almost all kinds of damage with free replacement, also covers theft for first 2 years.
do think its a good deal. please adivise.

 

[belle]

make sure you read and completely understand the terms of the warranty before you decide whether or not it is a good deal for you. also, try to look at some branded diamonds such as ''hearts on fire'' to compare with the diamond you are considering. generally chain store diamonds are not well cut (sparkly) and cost at least the same or more as their well cut (sparkly) counterparts.

 

[confusedaboutdiamonds]

we were also considering blue nile ... the prices r pretty much the same . my only consideration was the warranty , but this GSA is another factor coz it does not figure any where.

 

[belle]

Date: 10/9/2007 10:35:50 AM
Author: confusedaboutdiamonds
we were also considering blue nile ... the prices r pretty much the same . my only consideration was the warranty , but this GSA is another factor coz it does not figure any where.

the prices may be the same but you have to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. there are no ''gsa'' graded diamonds on there, so we already know the comparisons are not equal.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/9/2007 10:35:50 AM
Author: confusedaboutdiamonds
we were also considering blue nile ... the prices r pretty much the same . my only consideration was the warranty , but this GSA is another factor coz it does not figure any where.

Welcome to Pricescope. I think you will find it is GIA not GSA for the report, have you looked at any of the PS vendors sites to see what they have to offer?

 

[mamalala]

I''d stay away from B&M for major purchases like a diamond. Wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets etc might be ok to purchase from a mall store, but even then you are not getting the best quality as you would get from a PS vendor.

 

[confusedaboutdiamonds]

thank you guys gor all the help. i guess this settles it ... stay away from zales

 

[onedrop]

Date: 10/9/2007 10:53:28 AM
Author: mamalala
I'd stay away from B&M for major purchases like a diamond. Wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets etc might be ok to purchase from a mall store, but even then you are not getting the best quality as you would get from a PS vendor.

JMO, but I wouldn't say stay away from ALL B&M stores when shopping for diamonds. Saying that would discount Good Old Gold which is a B&M which does a lot of on-line business. In fact I was just in a B&M store in a mall and the salesperson there was very knowledgeable re: cut, quality, H&A, etc. and was not pushy at all. Their stock contained all kinds of stones, all the way from excellent to good. And the prices were pretty competetive considering they have major over head from being located in the mall. Note, this was not a chain jewelry store but simply a jewelry store in a mall. And the fact is, many people prefer to be able to look at stones IRL before purchase. So I can't agree to stay away from all B&M stores.

However I would never suggest that a person pay a premium for a poorly cut stone, and in my experience Zales just doesn't provide the quality for the $$ in most cases. If one can find an excellently cut stone from an on-line vendor and is comfortable purchasing on-line then I say go for it! But if the preference is to purchase at a B&M, I'd suggest somewhere other than Zales.

 

[musey]

Date: 10/9/2007 11:08:05 AM
Author: confusedaboutdiamonds
thank you guys gor all the help. i guess this settles it ... stay away from zales

Good choice

We all LOVE to help people find their perfect diamond and setting... if you post your budget and what you''re looking for, I guarantee you''ll get a far superior product in the end than you ever would have gotten from zales, and for the same price tag.

Just let us know what you''re after, and we''ll be off searching for your perfect ring!

 

[confusedaboutdiamonds]

budget $ 6000-6500
looking for
1- 1.05 carat, G, VS1 - VS2, certified diamond

 

[musey]

What shape diamond?

Is your budget just for the stone, or stone and setting? Do you want to max out size & specs for budget, or stick to 1-1.05 G VS1/2, regardless of whether it's far below budget?

Have you already found a setting elsewhere? Or are you looking for that, too?


(P.S. Do try the PS search, when I plugged in your numbers just now the results started at $488

 

[surfgirl]

I have to echo onedrops post. There is no reason to stay away from ALL B&M shops, only those with inferior product. I''m always uncomfortable with the mob mentality that ALL B&Ms are awful, they''re not. Can you get a better deal online? Perhaps, but not always. And sometimes it''s not all about the pricetag, for some people it''s about the actual stone and seeing as many in person, as possible, before buying. If I were you, I''d look both online and in stores near your home. Narrow it down to what parameters you really want and what you can live with. Then compare to online pricing and see if you find something that peaks your fancy and take it from there.