Diamonds in USVI (St Thomas), less expensive?

[Cascades]

Hey all,

Found this forum from doing countless hours of research and am hoping I can take advantage of the expertise here.

I''m trying to plan everything so I can propose on Christmas Eve. I happen to be going to St. Thomas for a friends wedding in Nov. and thought, hey, I have heard so much about jewelry being less expensive there, and since I''m on a pretty limited budget (just bought a condo and doing my best bob Vela impression to it) I thought if I bought the ring down there I could get more for my money.

But although I have done allot of research on the 4 C’s and think I''m pretty confident in what I want (Rather, what she wants - three stone''s, round or oval premium or higher cut, .5-.75 Carrot, VS2 or better, F,G or better, in a white gold or platinum setting), I''m also worried about ending up with a very expensive piece glass though.
I know the platinum setting is pretty expensive so I may have to go white gold and am ok with that as long as the stone is what I want and in my price range. I have done some research on the web (Adiamor and the like) and think I can find what I want but don’t want to buy a ring like this with our seeing it first.

Do you think I would have a hard time finding this at one of the shops (Cardow, DI, etc) in ST, Thomas? Do they have certified diamonds? If I do find it in ST Thomas do you think it would be less expensive?

Thanks in advance to all who reply - your helping a very nervous and overwhelmed newbie...

 

[Bagpuss]

I have no idea if you could find the ring you''re looking for cheaper in a retail shop, but I doubt it. I''d also be very careful of places that are supposed to be great for cheap stuff. The stuff is usually not the best quality and in fact you often pay over the odds for inferior goods.

If I were you I''d go to a reputable diamond vendor (either a B&M guy or an Internet vendor), explain what you want and give them an idea of your budget and see what they can offer you. You''ll get the best for your money and have some form of guarantee if things go wrong.

There are great vendors listed on this forum - I''ve used some of them myself and their goods and prices are excellent.

 

[Cascades]

Thanks bagpuss!

I will check out the list here - havent seen it yet.

You mentioned an internet vendor, do you or anyone else have any dealings with Adiamor?

 

[atroop711]

Hi...

I know the islands are great for watches..I got a great deal in Jamaica for an expensive watch.....but not sure about how good the deals are with Diamonds.

I just bought my stone and custom ring from Whiteflash.com....check them out...great price and great experience.

Good Luck
Annette

 

[Ann]

IMHO - don''t do it.

I have shopped there. Though I have bought some jewelry there, I would never buy diamonds. Think about it, you are down there on a trip, and the jewelers know it.

I know someone who bought a 9ct. diamond in St. Thomas. It looks like frozen pee. No kidding. And they think they got a "special price."

 

[laney]

I too would stay away. OR, instead, get yourself very educated on diamonds. That way - anywhere you purchase a stone, you''ll feel comfortable doing so.

First, read everything here in the KNOWLEDGE section. Then go to www.goodoldgold.com and read everything there. Both on rounds and ovals.

Then ask some questions here in the forum. After you have figured out what you want (yes.. there''s more to it than what you think).. use the prices tool at the top to get an idea of pricing for the size you are considering - or your budget. You can even go to bluenile, or mondera to just get a feel on size / price / quality.

But as the poster above mentioned - the quality issue might be the one you run into the most at DI or other jewelers. I stopped by one in mexico after I was educated and didn''t find anything really to look at.

You''ll do the best, bang for your buck, best quality stone, once you are educated to know exactly what you SHOULD pay for. You''ve come to the right place.

 

[Cascades]

Thanks for the advise

I know my GF derserves more then I can afford (one fo the many reasons i want to get a ring on her finger before she smartens up!), but she doesn''t want anything too flashy - THANK GOD!

Can anyone tell me which of the 4 c''s is more important - keepig in mind size/carot is not important to her - I am thinking arund .75. We really woudn''t care much about what it is apraised at - it''s more important to me/her that it look''s nice...

 

[laney]

Oh, and by the way ... you CAN see the stone before you buy with an internet vendor such as Whiteflash Good old gold (and others.). Just so you know - it does not have to be a blind purchase AT ALL - nor should it be!

 

[Cascades]

Ohh thanks so much laney, and of course everyone else.

I started looking on the WF and ERD websites per Bagpuss and I think WF is just waaaaaaaaay out of my range (about 2K total – I know, like I sad, she deserves better but…). I really want to do this as cash sale. Neither her nor I want to go into this in debt, plus the condo and home improvements have us constantly paying of loans anyway - but at least that builds equity.

Sorry, side tracked - in any case I will check out GOG next...

Thanks again - much appreciated....

 

[kenny]

Within reason Cut is the most important C, IMHO.
Good cut gives life and sparkle to a diamond -
Almost all diamonds are cut poorly because customers' priority is usually for largest stone possible, and most cutters respond to the realities of business and cut each rough diamond to yeild the heaviest stones possible - not stones cut for the optimum angels for light performance.
A great cut "gobbles away" a lot more of the rough.
Relatively few customers have ever seen a well cut diamond and dont' know such beauty is possible.

Fortunately a few sellers and cutters are offering stones with superb cuts.
You can find excellent cuts from PS vendors.

You have stated that (unlike virtually everyone else) size is not top priority to you. I share your opinion.
As a starting point I think you should start looking in the G to H color, VS2 clarity with Excellent cut.

Go to the top of this screen and click on the heading PRICES.
Select "Search by Cut"
Enter Cut: Excellent to Excellent
Size .7 to .8 Carat
Color G to H
Clairty VS1 to VS2

I just did this and I found 6 stones priced from $2816 to $3456.

Now go up or down in color or clarity to fit your budget - but insist on Excellent cut.
Learn more about cut on PS's Advanced Tutorial.

If your budget is much higher and you are happy with the .75 size, super duper cuts are also available, like Eightstar, Eighternity and Solasfera (my favorite).

If you budget is lower, look at I or J color and or SI1 clarity, but then the flaws may be visible to the naked eye.

 

[Cascades]

I should have been clearer - around .75 total (3 stone ring). I guess that would put me in the .3-.5 range for the middle stone? I’m guessing - please correct if I''m wrong?

I went to the top and started doing a few search''s - can you tell me what I’m look at/for in the Ideal scope picture? It’s Greek to me...

Thanks to everyone! This site has provided me w/ some great info and I want everyone to know how much it is appreciated...

 

[kenny]

At the top of this screen click on KNOWLEDGE.

Then on Advanced Tutorial.

Then see the section on Idealscope or Firescope.

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/firescope.asp

Also under TOOLS

Then Idealscope you will find this:

https://www.pricescope.com/idealscope_indx.asp

Actually read all the sections in the Advanced Tutorial.

It will take some time, but it is very well written and accessible to newbies.

 

[Cascades]

Thanks!

 

[kenny]

also

http://www.ideal-scope.com/using_reference_chart.asp

 

[mepearl53]

Ahhhhhhh Every jewelers pet peeve. Understand that diamonds, gold, and all precious metals and gemstones are priced on a international market. These prices for the raw material is within cents globally. The US market IS the most competitive market in the world. I''ve been to the islands maybe 40 times in my life and I always check out the jewelry stores for I am forever repairing the crap that people bring back. A relaxed atmosphere, love is in the air, and your relax your credit card which you quickly run up. Everybody pays the cruise ship and hotels to send business their way and this can run up to 15% of the price of a item. Most of the pieces are made in in Asia and good luck getting any service from them. Watch are suggested retail cheaper but you can negotiate the same prices here. Best time to purchase is May through October 31st, Hurricane season

 

[Cascades]

OK, that was my fear - it sounded to good to be true, and it was, thanks.

 

[E B]

Cascades:

Here are a couple of 3 stone settings that would allow a nice center stone:

(smaller side diamonds)
http://www.bluenile.com/product_details.asp?oid=4952&catid=93&filter_id=0&nav1=settings_channel.asp&page=2&col=1&row=4&pos=10&set_shape=

(larger side diamonds)
http://www.bluenile.com/product_details.asp?oid=3814&catid=93&filter_id=0&nav1=settings_channel.asp&page=1&col=1&row=4&pos=10&set_shape=

Whiteflash has some nice center stones that are very affordable:

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-802445.htm# (new diamond added, this one is better than the one I had before)

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-548843.htm# (affordable with the smaller side-stone setting)

Does any of this look like what you want?

 

[E B]

Ooh, here''s another beautiful setting (although I know nothing about the seller, someone might be able to review them)

http://www.engagement-ring-mountings.com/three_stone_ring_settings_info.php?id=1101

It''s only $525 in 18k white gold! With that .51 carat from Whiteflash, it''d be one gorgeous ring!

 

[Cascades]

Ebree - YOU ROCK! (no pun intended)

They’re all right on - The setting at Blue Nile is one of the two I really liked from Adiamor.com But I REALLY like the one from engagement-ring-mountings.com.

I may have to play with the specifics on the middle stone as the combination is just a hair out my range but all in all, I can only say WOW - do you know my GF? LOL You should be a consultant or sales rep....

Seriously thanks for taking the time and doing a few searches for me. I absolutely love the setting and am 99% sure it the one.

Now for some more questions - I know, sorry!

1) I read on one of the many sites I saw in doing my preliminary research (soyouwanna.com) that you can negotiate - is that true? If so I''m a very happy camper because I wont have to do too much in order to afford this.

2) Can any one give me some feed back on engagement-ring-mountings.com?

3) How would I go about getting the stone from WF mounted to the Ring?
a) Can i just bring to a local jewelry store?
b) Any idea on that cost?

Again, I can''t thank everyone enough (especially you EBree - I''ll send your invitation here). Who know I few post on this site and I would have exactly what I want (hope I can afford it). Of course my boss wont be too happy since I haven’t gotten too much done today but oh well, such is the price for love right?

 

[E B]

Cascades,

It was my pleasure! I had so much help from other girls here on PS, it''s only fair to extend my services as well. Plus, as weird as it may sound, I *love* doing research. When I saw that setting at engagementringmountings.com, I fell in love. It''s gorgeous. If you don''t get any reviews, try giving them a call to get a feel for their services. Check their return policy, just in case you''re unhappy for any reason.

When looking at stones from Whiteflash (where my boyfriend is in the process of buying mine from), be sure to look at their Expert Selection stones. These stones, from what I''ve heard, are "cherry-picked" from Brian, the expert WF cutter. They''re the best "bang for your buck", so to speak.

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/expert-selection/1.htm

If you buy your stone from Whiteflash, they might be willing to set the stone in your setting for a small fee. I have no idea of the fee, or if they set their diamonds in an outside setting, but I do know they''re constantly praised for customer service on this board and others. Contact anyone at Whiteflash (from their website) and discuss what you want and can afford. They''ll definitely work with you.

Good luck, and I hope your ring turns out beautifully, whichever combination you choose!

 

[Cascades]

Thanks again and good luck with yours as well.

I will call WF as well as look into the Expert Selections.

I checked the return policy and you have to call within 48 hours - not too bad since once I open the box I will know if it's the one I want in 2 minutes but...

I'm going to make a post especially for them and see if anyone has anything to say.

 

[diamondsbylauren]

Hey Cascade,
St Thomas is a lovely Island- make sure to hit Megan''s Bay- one of the nicest beaches ion the world - supposedly-
Also talew the boat over to St John- also possesing some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

As far as buying down there- You are probably far better off buying domestically, considerinbg what you''re looking for- and that you''re here looking.

St Thomas used to be on my route, when I was selling diamonds to jewelry stores.
Bill hit it on the noise about payoffs- of course any passenger told to go to a particular store likely knows they''re being pushed for proprietary reasons.
There''s a HUGE amount of diamonds sold down there. Surely a store like Pearlmans can compete with the best island stores, but a lot of smaller retail jewelers stateside can not.

I underlined best stores because youy''d really have to get lucky to actualy pick the best stores from the hundreds that are there.
A few good ones to check out:
Imperial
Magnum
Ballerina
Grand


If you did find anything in one of the stores I mentioned that you loved, well, you will probably do OK.
Personally, i prefer the independant owned stores to the one you named which is more of a "chian" type operation.

 

[Shay37]

Date: 9/30/2005 2:15:31 PM
Author: Cascades

Thanks again and good luck with yours as well.

I will call WF as well as look into the Expert Selections.

I checked the return policy and you have to call within 48 hours - not too bad since once I open the box I will know if it''s the one I want in 2 minutes but...

I''m going to make a post especially for them and see if anyone has anything to say.

Also, Whiteflash gives a Pricescope discount, so be sure to ask for it. They also have two prices, one for credit card transactions for which they are charged by the credit card company and must get back. The other, cheaper price is if you do a wire transfer. Be sure and let them know those things so that you can get the discount.

Shay

 

[TechSales]

Hey everyone - it''s me, just changed my user name...

Anyway - just wanted to let everyone know I have found better deals on diamonds/rings on line then @ St Thomas. St Thomas was great (as you can see from my pic) but the jewelry shops totally put me off. First it was like a mad house - due to all the cruise ships I assume. 2) I had better experiences shopping for used cars. I went to three stores and none of the sales people seemed eager to help or answer any questions I had...

Could have been just me but that’s my 2 cents...

BTW - Ebree - that’s an adorable puggle!! Is it yours? My GF wants one too - maybe xmass - if I can get this ring squared away. I think I''m going to pull the trigger on Friday or over the weekend.

Thanks for your help - this is what I have decided on:

 

[oldminer]

Shopping in the Islands is definitley a fun thing to do. You will see so much variety in jewelry that few stores in the USA offer, especially in colored gems. Love is in the air. Partners have time to stroll, have a cool drink and shop. The problem is that you get a strong build up on the ship from a paid representative of the stores. The delivery of the sales pitch is excellent and informative. They make you really want to buy.

On the other side of the coin is the impulsive nature of buying jewelry while on a cruise or visiting a foreign place for a few days. How many times does it take to learn to avoid impulsive buying and the costly mistakes that naturally happen when you rush a decision. Remember for a moment how good consumer protection laws are here and how much more difficult a problem becomes when you buy outside the USA. Sure, St. Thomas is a US Island, but it is not treated the same as a State. Things are differerent there. They even drive on the left side of the road, so that is just an indicator.

Buy some trinkets, shop til you need a long, cool drink. Only buy if you are dead certain of what you are doing. And, if you are an impulsive buyer, have fun, buy whatever you want, but just don''t whine about it later. No one wants to comfort someone who doesn''t deserve sympathy.

A last thought. I have examined many items bought in the Islands. Not all has been a rip-off or misrepresented. Some people have done okay there. Some have gotten good adjustments after their return. It isn''t all bad or all good. You can do very badly in the USA, too, if you don''t do your learning in advance.

 

[diamondsbylauren]

Very true David- a LOT of great deals have been had in the Caribbean.
I used to sell huge amounts of K-L-M colored stones down there. A lot of larger ones too.
I thought it was ironic when I''d show the same stuff to stores in the States- and have buyers tell me how their clients would not buy these colors. Meantime, their clients were going on cruises and developing secret relationships with Caribbean jewelers
So the better guys in St Thomas were selling 20 two carat stones to every one the average stateside sold.

Funny thing is- today, due mainly to the internet, most of the cruise ship passengers are asking for higher colors.


Of course the other ( dangerous) side of the coin is that plenty of these places- as David warned- have a different set of rules.
One time I was on a cruise and I went into a jewelry store on an island which is British
They had a really crappy looking light yellow- maybe W-X color range.
They told me it was certified ( by CGL) Fancy Yellow and it was $17,000- of course I looked like quite a special chap- so I could have it for $11k.
It was a $3500 ring, tops.

 

[TechSales]

All I know is the sales people seemed almost bothered that I knew what I was looking for. I asked for a three stone ring in white gold with a 1 to 1.5 ct, center stone H or I color and VS1 to VS2 clarity. And when they did actually have something I was interested it was no less expensive then in the states. And when I asked about cert''s they all of a sudden had other people to take care of...

 

[fisiogrl]

Hi there,

I was on a caribbean cruise where i ''learned'' all about diamonds from the cruise''s ''Expert Shopper''. I will say that he knew what he was talking about with respect to the diamonds themselves. What he was trying to teach people echoed a lot of what I already knew from Pricescope. He did teach me about Deboers....fascinating. They sound like a bunch of crooks!

He recommended diamonds at DI in Cozumel as they are one of the site holders from Deboers and therefore, have first crack at the good rough. So I thought that maybe there would be a chance for a deal and was excited to check them out.

The salesgirl at the first DI store had NO IDEA what she was talking about. And maybe it was just the lighting, but their G/H coloured earring studs looked terrible - really yellow. If I had had more time I would have insisted on checking out the rest of their supply, but I was so put off that I figured that I would go to the beach instead......and do my shopping online at home! Much better value.

And even the watch that I was looking at for my huband was the cheapest at $460 in the Grand Cayman. I have seen it on ebay for $340. Exact same.

 

[diamondsbylauren]

expert shopper huh????.....alrighteeee then.
DeBeer's is the syndicate the "expert" was referring to.
Of course DI has absolutley no connection as a "Sightholder", but why let the truth get in the way of a sales plug?
I think a lot of the most expensive store pay the biggest kickbacks to the cruise directors- so a lot of times passengers get sterred in exactly the worng direction....ouch, double whammy.

IN fact, there's a big difference between St Thomas and most other Islands-or Cozumel -simply because St Thomas is US territory. No duties mean a far better supply of US sourced diamonds and merchandise.
Trying to get diamonds and jewelry into Mexico for example- is a nighmare.

 

[fisiogrl]

Oops, ofcourse DeBeer''s was what I meant!
(I always assume they will have more of the dutch spelling to the name.)

It''s easy to be swayed by the so-called experts. I sure hope that people on the cruise took the info with a grain of salt. For some things, his advice was helpful - I did get my rum for a good price!

I didn''t realize that St. Thomas had some of the US advantages, still doesn''t seem to pay off though compared to online.