Where can I get the best diamond for my money?

[mattykhz]

Hi everyone,

I live in the UK and have done my research in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham which is famous locally.

I am proposing to my girlfriend next month whilst on holiday in South Africa.

I am looking at spending between £2500 and £3500.

We were originally quoted £2500 for a D, IF, 0.5ct Round diamond in a platinum setting, but did not find a suitable setting we liked. I got fed up with looking especially as some places we visited had reductions and sales which made equivalent rings more expensive prior to the reduction and then were nearer what we were quoted (£2500) at the sale price. This false mark up and reduction made me think twice of many of the retailers and only a few seemed genuine.

So I have left it there, thinking that I may be best to get a diamond and then get a setting custom made.

We were advised that we could get a 0.7ct for the price of the IF, D 0.5ct if we were willing to drop down from the D and IF.

I guess the first thing people ask when they see a ring is how many ct it is, and not care about cut, colour or clarity.

I have read the FAQ''s and done searches, trying not to ask the same question as everyone else has and noticed some people refer to D, IF stones as collector stones. With many people who search for such stones doing so for their perfection and rarity.

I am prepared to get a stone between D and F in colour, IF and VVS2 and between 0.5 and perhaps 0.8 ct (or larger depending on my budget). The stone has to be round and today I have only just found out about the Hearts and Arrows.

I have been to a diamond factory in Amsterdam and did not find the pricing that competitive, probably due to the influx of tourists.

Being in the UK, I believe I can get a stone from anywhere in the EU and not get stung by Import Duty and Tax. I am unsure if I can purchase from outside the EU and still not pay anything extra.

With the opportunity of buying from EU countries, Antwerp in Belgium springs to mind more than Amsterdam, am I better purchasing here in the EU?

Can I find better stones or more competitive pricing elsewhere?

Is it worth me looking when in South Africa?????

Any help and advice would be appreciated.

I have only found this site today, have already requested quoted from the online system, but perhaps I can gain some much needed advice from fellows on this forum.

Thankyou in advance.

Matty.

 

[GC]

I''ll leave the real answers to the people who are experts in this matter. I''m just a noobie and am just learning my way around ring shopping. But one question...

Is there a reason you want a D-F stone with an IF-VVS1 clarity? Not that there''s anything wrong with, but I think like you said...those are more collector stones. Unless you simply want "the very best" I''d say there''s no reason to pay the very high prices that you will for a stone with those qualities. Only an experts microscoped eye would even be able to tell the difference.

Like I said..if you just want the best, then keep those standards, but if you''re willing to budge some, I''d certainly consider going down in the color/clarity a grade or two at least.

 

[Upside Down Man]

Along with what GC said, you could get, say, an F/VS1 stone that is still colorless and not only eye-clean, but almost loupe-clean as well. An F/VS1 with an excellent cut will be a gorgeous stone. You could go all the way up to 0.80 ct and still be well within your budget. And an F/VS1 stone will look EXACTLY the same to the naked eye as a D/IF.

 

[mattykhz]

Thanks for the quick replies.

I did want something perfect, as it is a once only purchase, and realise that I can get bigger by dropping down the scale in terms of imperfections and colour.

I think I may consider F, VS1. But it does seem cut is the most important (am I wrong) and hopefully will get something that is dazzling. Is that the benefit of the Hearts and Arrows cut?

I have never heard of it before today, especially looking in this country.

I have found this website:

http://www.original-diamonds.co.uk/

Not sure how competitive they are?

I was thinking I would get a good deal in South Africa, especially as I would be able to claim back the VAT when leaving. But it does seem on further searching I can get as good a deal sat here on the web.

I guess just like everything, it''s knowing where to look and what to look for.....

 

[mattykhz]

Forgot to ask if anyone knows of any good sites for checking out Platinum settings?

I've spent the last few months researching and booking my South African holiday and am worn out from that, yet have to try and resolve this issue as I don't need the ring to be able to propose but the need will be expedited once I have done so.

 

[mrssalvo]

Check out www.pearlmansjewelers.com for a ton of settings.

 

[Clarygrace]

I agree with Upsidedown, I have a D VS1 radiant 1.01 ct and it is a stunner. It is cut close to ideal cut, it's graded as a fine international trade cut. The only inclusions on my stone are a cloud & crystal in one tiny area (almost on top of each other) and are extremely hard to see under magnification. I still can't figure out why GIA graded it a VS1 and not higher. Can anyone explain that to me?

Being in the EU you certainly have a greater advantage to us in the US, being close to two diamond centers and being able to save on add'l taxes etc. You will find a lovely stone for your intended, that I'm sure of.

Good luck with your search!

 

[JulieN]

www.infinitydiamonds.be

 

[ff]

For settings try:

http://www.leoingwer.com

They have a TON of settings but you''ll have to have your jeweler or one of the great PS vendors order it as they don''t deal directly with the public.

Good luck!

 

[jhn]

I'd say you'll get the best diamond and ring for your money in South Africa But perhaps is hard to loose your girl going on ring/diamond hunt?

If ordering diamonds from Antwerp you'll have to pay British VAT wich is 17.5%, this is the same youäll have to pay if you order fram american stores or internet vendors. Im living in Sweden and looked into the possibility of buying from Antwerpen but they have to charge VAT if shiping inside EU, but not outside EU. Does thet make sence? No, not at all...

Check out Soth African venors at:
http://diamondsource.co.za
http://www.mynhardts.com/

And a couple more at:
http://www.diamonds.co.za/index.php?pr=Dealers

 

[Snow White]

Hi Matty,

Welcome on PS to a new European Guy

Have you tried http://www.bluenile.co.uk ?

I bought my diamant with http://www.diamant-gems.com .
They are based in Antwerpen and Paris and I was very happy with the service provided.
They perfectly understood my request and presented me several stones within my criteria, respecting my budget.

I did appeciate to see several stones (with certificate) at the same time in order to build my mind on the topic ( comparing colors, clarity with my eyes and not only in theory)

Good luck in your research!

S.W.

 

[Snow White]

Short notice as you may be a bit in a hurry:
If you budget is 2500-3500£, it means 4700-66000 US$.

considering the 17.5% VAT non included in blue nile web site, you can spend there 4000 to 5600 US$
You can find a wonderfull stone with this budget.

Have Fun!

S.W.

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome!

If you can, take your time and look around and compare and read the tutorial. Cut is so important as this is what people will notice - the diamond sparkling away - cut is what makes a diamond beautiful. However you don't need a Hearts and Arrows to be beautiful, what is called a good make ( cut) might do the job nicely. Read up and learn about the best proportions needed for a round diamond, you can also buy a little tool called an Idealscope which is a huge help when diamond shopping. This will help you determine how well a diamond is cut. If a D IF is very important to you then fine, but you wouldn't notice much difference between that and an F VS for example, assuming the cuts are similar.

Idealscope Here

Hope this helps get you started.

 

[mattykhz]

I was thinking South Africa would be good for diamonds but do not want to spend all holiday diamond shopping.

It may well be a joint decision rather than a suprise purchase, so having my girlfriend with me is not a problem.

We are doing Cape Town for 5 nights, then the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth, UP to Vic Falls which is where I will probably pop the question, Safari in Hwange then back to Cape Town for 2 nights then home.

I have done a search on Cape Town for diamond sellers and have tried to contact some to narrow down search before I go.

Finding this website has given me more to look at and Ihave probably learnt more in the last 24 hours than I thought.

So it does seem to me that I will end up for the best cut, hearts and arrows or similar in as big a size my budget will allow by dropping to F and VVS2.

Does anyone have any experience of buying in South Africa?

I know I can claim the VAT back at the airport, and guess then it is down to me whether I declare the diamond at our customs or not. Although I obviously need to look into the lovely charges UK Customs add on for bringing things into the country.

Thanks again for all the replies. Hopefully once I find a diamond then can look for the setting or at worst, get one custom made.

 

[yellowsparkles]

Diamond shopping in South Africa is is fun. Although may not be cheaper. I bought a small ring and earrings when I was in S. Africa. I would suggest doing a lot of research before going so you know if you are getting a better price or not. How is the pound to the rand? Yes, you can claim VAT back at the airport (minus a small processing fee). If it were me, I would wear the jewelery on the plane and not declare it. I am not sure of UK customs rules, but I think it has to be a major purchase before having to claim it (like $10,000 or more).