Where can I find this setting?

[hellofish]

First of all, thank you to everybody that helped me purchase a stone. I ended up buying a GIA ExExEx 1.71 carat F SI1, completely eye-clean, with an HCA score of 0.8. I paid $14,160. It''s being shipped as we speak, and I hope that it turns out to be a great stone. What do you guys think of that price?

More importantly, I''m trying to locate a setting now. I live in the LA area and am looking for the setting below. I got it off of Robbins Brothers'' website, but they''re charging $1500 for it. I want something just like it - in platinum, flat sides, 2.5mm, and tapering into the crown. Also, I''m kind of in a time crunch - need it within a week. Any recommendations?

 

[neatfreak]

Honestly, if you need it in a week I would just order it from RB or get something from a local jeweler. You can certainly get a plain platinum setting cheaper, but at the cheapest it's going to be $800 or so probably. Your other option is to get a temp setting to propose with, then pick out the setting together after.

Also check out Pearlmans and Whiteflash for plain plat. settings. But I don't know if you could get the setting from an online vendor and get the stone set in a week unless you work FAST.

 

[mrssalvo]

$1500 is a decent price for any type of special ring in plat. I''d just get the one from RB too, especially since you''ve got a time issue.

 

[fabcrab]

I agree with both posts that you may want to buy it from a local jewelry store. The temp setting idea sounds good too if you don''t know the exact setting she wants but if you''re going to do that you may end up paying more than just buying that setting directly even if you find a really good deal online.

Oh and I really like that setting btw.

 

[hellofish]

Thanks for the responses, everybody. I checked out the jewelery district in downtown LA and found it overwhelming! I would appreciate any suggestions or referrals any of you may have!

Actually, I have a story to tell. I went to one of the larger corner kiosks in the jewelery district that offered to do that setting at $375 in platinum. I found that a little too cheap to sound legitimate. He asked me what kind of stone I had. I told him all the specs and he kept telling me that I got ripped off (I know that I got a good/great deal and expected a lot of the jewelers in the district to make this comment to try to make me look at some of their stones. This has happened to me a lot of times).

However, when I later called back asking if he himself would be doing the setting of the stone or if it would sent off to a "communal" diamond-setter in the district, he became irate. He started telling me, "I''m not going to switch your stone. I sell diamonds that are worth many more times than yours. In fact, I don''t even want to set your diamond. Maybe you should just buy the ring and take it somewhere else to be set." I told him that he misunderstood what I meant, that I just wanted to know if he''s the actual jeweler or not since it would be nice having him set it. Then, he told me that I was acting crazy. Strange thing is, I never even expressed any indication to him that I was scared that the stone would be swapped.

Tell me guys, is something fishy/wrong here?

First, does the price for the platinum setting sound a little too cheap?

Second, why would he keep telling me that he doesn''t want to do business with me, that he''s been in business for 20 years and that he''s never swapped diamonds when I never even indicated any fears of that?

In fact, his whole staff was rude, but he was the only person I found in the jewelery district that had the actual setting ready (all he would have to do is affix the crown for a 1.7 carat and mount the diamond). I''d like to go somewhere else, but given the convenience factor, this guy seems to be a good way to get things done fast. I contacted RB and they said that it would take 4 weeks to get the ring since my girlfriend''s ring size is so small.

Thanks so much everybody!

 

[neatfreak]

Weird. Just weird. I wouldn''t deal with him...but that''s just my opinion. I won''t work with someone who is rude to me esp. when I am paying THEM for a service.

 

[mrssalvo]

definitely sounds fishy. if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

I''d stick with well established reputable jewelers and stay away from the Diamond District. This is too important of a purchase to chance it IMO.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/10/2007 4:04:08 AM
Author: hellofish
Thanks for the responses, everybody. I checked out the jewelery district in downtown LA and found it overwhelming! I would appreciate any suggestions or referrals any of you may have!

Actually, I have a story to tell. I went to one of the larger corner kiosks in the jewelery district that offered to do that setting at $375 in platinum. I found that a little too cheap to sound legitimate. He asked me what kind of stone I had. I told him all the specs and he kept telling me that I got ripped off (I know that I got a good/great deal and expected a lot of the jewelers in the district to make this comment to try to make me look at some of their stones. This has happened to me a lot of times).

However, when I later called back asking if he himself would be doing the setting of the stone or if it would sent off to a 'communal' diamond-setter in the district, he became irate. He started telling me, 'I'm not going to switch your stone. I sell diamonds that are worth many more times than yours. In fact, I don't even want to set your diamond. Maybe you should just buy the ring and take it somewhere else to be set.' I told him that he misunderstood what I meant, that I just wanted to know if he's the actual jeweler or not since it would be nice having him set it. Then, he told me that I was acting crazy. Strange thing is, I never even expressed any indication to him that I was scared that the stone would be swapped.

Tell me guys, is something fishy/wrong here?

First, does the price for the platinum setting sound a little too cheap?

Second, why would he keep telling me that he doesn't want to do business with me, that he's been in business for 20 years and that he's never swapped diamonds when I never even indicated any fears of that?

In fact, his whole staff was rude, but he was the only person I found in the jewelery district that had the actual setting ready (all he would have to do is affix the crown for a 1.7 carat and mount the diamond). I'd like to go somewhere else, but given the convenience factor, this guy seems to be a good way to get things done fast. I contacted RB and they said that it would take 4 weeks to get the ring since my girlfriend's ring size is so small.

Thanks so much everybody!

I agree with MrsSalvo, don a pair of gasoline drawers and run like the dickens away from this chap. Not worth the potential headaches of using him judging from his attitude.

 

[hellofish]

Thanks everybody. Well, I found someone in the jewelery district to do it. He seems the most legitimate. Someone who posted is right: quote too low of a price, you get scared; quote too high, you feel like you''re getting ripped off.

The person I found is Mozaffarian Jewelers (www.mozaffarianonline.com). Really nice guy, sincere, didn''t try to make the hard sell, didn''t try to push products on me that I didn''t care about, and was fine with me leaving and looking around elsewhere. He offered to do the ring above for between $650-$700, depending on how much platinum he has to use. Also, he said that he''d be able to get it done within a week. He says that he has his own designer and designs rings for high-end retailers (he actually showed me the purchase orders of some of the high-end . I liked the fact that he''ll be using a computer to design the ring instead of only using a molding or something crude. Strangely enough, I like the fact that he wouldn''t budge on his price and that he broke down the final price for me, which will be dictated by how much platinum he has to use.

What do you guys think of the price? I''ve found a lot of jewelers in the district offering to do it for between $350-$500, but none seemed like they really knew what they were doing (plus, their workmanship seemed questionable). Is this a good price?

 

[neatfreak]

A "good price" is only determined by your willingness to pay for the service. But considering most custom platinum rings would run over $1000, yes it''s a good price assuming you get good craftsmanship.

 

[DMBsGirl]

I agree with everyone else, if he reacted this way to a simple question imagine how he would act if something were wrong with the setting and you wanted him to correct it. Too risky IMO.