Buying a Diamond

[Saltin]

Hallo.

This one is for you married/engaged guys (or any single guys that like to wear diamonds....err..)

How long did it take you to settle on a stone? I've done a decent amount of reading (I'd consider myself an educated buyer), but I've got about three weeks left before I want to buy it. Is that enough time?
I'd really like to have it bought by my deadline, but I don't want to rush it either, as it's likely going to be the single largest purchase I've ever made....

Opinions? Tips?

 

[theknight571]

It took me 3 trips to 2 different stores (stores had been recommended by friends and they were not major chains...just local mom & pop shops) before I found a stone.

I went into each store and told them what I was looking for...they presented some stones and I inspected each one and took notes.

Then went back to the store with the stone I liked best, bought it and had it mounted.

I spent several weeks reading about diamonds (grades/clarity/cuts etc) then it took 3 days to visit the stores and make the purchase.

Make sure you look at the diamonds through the loop and, if possible, set in the mounting you are going to use. A couple of the diamonds I looked at were excellent, but when set in the mount made the ring look funny.

-tk

 

[911paramedic]

Do yourself a favor, buy it where they have a money-back guarantee. Mine lasted all of 5 days I think. Women have a thought of what they want and if you can change it that helps a great deal.

(I will never do that again though, it should be the love and intent that counts, not the fQ#$%#@$cking ring. Sorry, did I go off on a tangent??)

 

[HappyPuppy]

This is stretching the topic a bit, but I'm gonna tell my story anyway.

When my wife and I got married we went to Vegas, just the two of us. We didn't even bother to go to one of the chapels, we just found a justice of the peace to perform the dastardly deed. Other than the fact that my knees were weak, I was sweating nervously and my head was spinning, the little ceremony went well. Just the JP, his secretary as a witness and the two of us. Yep, all was fine until he got to the part where I was supposed to place the ring on my bride's finger. Ring? What ring? My wife (to soon be) pulled a ring off her finger that her grandmother had given her and handed it to me. I placed it on the appropriate finger after dropping it twice. The ceremony was finished and we were pronounced slave and mistress, I mean man and wife.

When we got back to L.A. later that day we stopped in one of the original mega stores, which no longer exists, went to the jewelry counter and my new bride picked out a simple gold wedding band for $48.

Over the years we had our ups and downs but one thing always remained constant, my wife wanted a diamond wedding ring set. Unfortunately, we never seemed to be able to save up the money for the ring. Neither one of us thought it would be prudent to put it on a credit card since there always seemed to be something more pressing to use our money on, like reroofing the house, fixing the car, repairing the washing machine or, later on, buying "stuff" for the kids.

I went over our finances a couple of months ago and, by golly, we can afford to buy her the diamond rings she has always wanted. I rushed out onto the front porch to tell her the good news and she looked at me like I was nuts. She held up her left hand with that time worn gold band on her ring finger and said she wouldn't wear any other ring for anything. Through the ups and downs, the good and bad, the sickness and the health, that ring had been on her finger as a symbol of our marriage.

This coming September will mark our 30th anniversary.

 

[XZeroII]

I would say that you should talk with your potential woman and discuss things ahead of time. A diamond is a big investment (because of an artificially inflated price) and you should find out if shw wants a diamond, or maybe she would like to save to buy a house that you two can live in when you get married. Don't listen to people who say you should spend x number of months salary on a ring. That's hogwash. It's a waste of money and many women think so too. That is why I suggest talking it over first. If the woman says she would prefer a ring, then get the ring. If she would rather spend it on something else (honeymoon?), then you know not to spend too much. There are plenty of other ways to show your love besides a worthless rock on a slab of metal. How many roses would that diamond buy? How many nights in a hotel on a beach, going to a romantic dinner every night? If you need a ring though, I'd take the suggestion of making sure they have a policy where you can return it. Let us know what you decide.

 

[Geekbabe]

I've lost track of the amount of jewelery I've been given over the years that either sat in safe deposit, got lost or I gave to my daughters..Diamonds are nice but unless it a custom band with the diamond sunk, I can't really wear it as I work with my hands, so really check it out with the woman first.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
This is stretching the topic a bit, but I'm gonna tell my story anyway.

When my wife and I got married we went to Vegas, just the two of us. We didn't even bother to go to one of the chapels, we just found a justice of the peace to perform the dastardly deed. Other than the fact that my knees were weak, I was sweating nervously and my head was spinning, the little ceremony went well. Just the JP, his secretary as a witness and the two of us. Yep, all was fine until he got to the part where I was supposed to place the ring on my bride's finger. Ring? What ring? My wife (to soon be) pulled a ring off her finger that her grandmother had given her and handed it to me. I placed it on the appropriate finger after dropping it twice. The ceremony was finished and we were pronounced slave and mistress, I mean man and wife.

When we got back to L.A. later that day we stopped in one of the original mega stores, which no longer exists, went to the jewelry counter and my new bride picked out a simple gold wedding band for $48.

Over the years we had our ups and downs but one thing always remained constant, my wife wanted a diamond wedding ring set. Unfortunately, we never seemed to be able to save up the money for the ring. Neither one of us thought it would be prudent to put it on a credit card since there always seemed to be something more pressing to use our money on, like reroofing the house, fixing the car, repairing the washing machine or, later on, buying "stuff" for the kids.

I went over our finances a couple of months ago and, by golly, we can afford to buy her the diamond rings she has always wanted. I rushed out onto the front porch to tell her the good news and she looked at me like I was nuts. She held up her left hand with that time worn gold band on her ring finger and said she wouldn't wear any other ring for anything. Through the ups and downs, the good and bad, the sickness and the health, that ring had been on her finger as a symbol of our marriage.

This coming September will mark our 30th anniversary.

Thats a nice story mate.

So what did you do with the money in the end then???

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
This is stretching the topic a bit, but I'm gonna tell my story anyway.

When my wife and I got married we went to Vegas, just the two of us. We didn't even bother to go to one of the chapels, we just found a justice of the peace to perform the dastardly deed. Other than the fact that my knees were weak, I was sweating nervously and my head was spinning, the little ceremony went well. Just the JP, his secretary as a witness and the two of us. Yep, all was fine until he got to the part where I was supposed to place the ring on my bride's finger. Ring? What ring? My wife (to soon be) pulled a ring off her finger that her grandmother had given her and handed it to me. I placed it on the appropriate finger after dropping it twice. The ceremony was finished and we were pronounced slave and mistress, I mean man and wife.

When we got back to L.A. later that day we stopped in one of the original mega stores, which no longer exists, went to the jewelry counter and my new bride picked out a simple gold wedding band for $48.

Over the years we had our ups and downs but one thing always remained constant, my wife wanted a diamond wedding ring set. Unfortunately, we never seemed to be able to save up the money for the ring. Neither one of us thought it would be prudent to put it on a credit card since there always seemed to be something more pressing to use our money on, like reroofing the house, fixing the car, repairing the washing machine or, later on, buying "stuff" for the kids.

I went over our finances a couple of months ago and, by golly, we can afford to buy her the diamond rings she has always wanted. I rushed out onto the front porch to tell her the good news and she looked at me like I was nuts. She held up her left hand with that time worn gold band on her ring finger and said she wouldn't wear any other ring for anything. Through the ups and downs, the good and bad, the sickness and the health, that ring had been on her finger as a symbol of our marriage.

This coming September will mark our 30th anniversary.

Wow, that's so sweet.

I hope my girl won't care that I'll probably never spring for a very expensive ring. That'll only make me love her more.

 

[Cyberian]

This coming September will mark our 30th anniversary.

Congratulations, you grumpy old bastard!

 

[Maetryx]

My wife splurged and bought herself a ring the other day. Grrrrrrr. Here we are trying to buy a house and she goes and buys a ring. From the Comic Shop. For $1.50. With a retroactive 30% employee discount, because she used to work there. So $1.15.

 

[vi edit]

It took me about 2 full months to decide on what I wanted to get, and how much I was willing to spend. I ended up going with a smaller diamond, but a lot better color and clarity. It's the color and clarity that really give it that sparkle. That, and a lot of rings just look gawdy with a rock bigger than 3/4 of a carat.

Anyhoo...I picked the ring out all by myself. Even 7 months after giving it to her, she's still getting complements on it, and still smiles evert time she put it on. I really didn't spend that much on the ring all things considered. The rock isn't very big, but with the platinum setting and the better overall quality, it's very elegant, without being obnoxious.

Best advice to give you is this - If you know your girl well enough, then you know her tastes, and know what she'll love to have.

I followed this advice and it paid off very well.

 

[Geekbabe]

nothing says "I love you" quite like a shiny new case,motherboard, cpu,DDR Ram and video card

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: baffled2
nothing says "I love you" quite like a shiny new case,motherboard, cpu,DDR Ram and video card

You're such a hopeless romantic!

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: baffled2
nothing says "I love you" quite like a shiny new case,motherboard, cpu,DDR Ram and video card

Ah yes, but at least the diamond is still worth more than a cheeseburger and handful of fries 5 years down the road

 

[Geekbabe]

Originally posted by: Cyberian

Originally posted by: baffled2
nothing says "I love you" quite like a shiny new case,motherboard, cpu,DDR Ram and video card

You're such a hopeless romantic!

Hey, so I'm a freak of nature, I can't help it !! There's damm little that gets me more excited than an intelligently laid out new motherboard, and a $300-$400 buck video card that I didn't have to pay for...
drool, and oh cooling solutions, !!!

 

[Geekbabe]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: baffled2
nothing says "I love you" quite like a shiny new case,motherboard, cpu,DDR Ram and video card

Ah yes, but at least the diamond is still worth more than a cheeseburger and handful of fries 5 years down the road

LOL,I still remember each and every uber comp I've ever built for myself, from the agonizing delight of choosing my parts to that sweeet sound of that single "beep" I can think of darn few things that give me more pleasure !


Btw, I've had many an expensive ring, the resale value down the road isn't what you think it is unless the stone is exceptional

 

[RU482]

My brother-in law took me to a diamond broker he had done business with in the past. Their selection was very nice, though bare stones. Just like a store, they had a microscope available. They also connected me with someone who set the stone in a ring for a reasonable cost.

The benefit--- I got a GIA certified diamond at about 20% less than a jewelry store (malls and mom-n-pop) non-certified diamond of equal size/cut/clarity/color.

Look in your yellow pages (you may need to go to a larger city) under diamond brokers, maybe do a search. I got mine in Omaha NE.

 

[Cyberian]

Hey, so I'm a freak of nature, I can't help it !! There's damm little that gets me more excited than an intelligently laid out new motherboard, and a $300-$400 buck video card that I didn't have to pay for...
drool, and oh cooling solutions, !!!

Well now, there goes my very last desperate hope of winning your heart!

 

[BuckleDownBen]

I think I would recommend buying the ring from a reputable local diamond retailer, and not from the internet or one of those big stores. This is because they should stand by the ring in case it doesn't fit right or something. For the extra couple hundred, it will be worth your peace of mind. I spent 4 K for a platinum band + .8 carat princess cut diamond the color and cut were good, but it had some small inclusions), which was about a months salary (before taxes). The most important thing is to look at 10 or more diamonds before buying. My wife and I shopped for it together. We first looked at diamonds on the internet and we thought we had to have something with no inclusions. But when we to the store, we relaized the cut and color were far more iomportant. I mean, her ring sparkles, but you wont see the inclusions unless you take out a microscope. I think it is VS3, with D color and very good cut.

 

[yakko]

I don't buy diamonds because with DeBeers having such a strangle hold on the market and artificially inflating the prices they costs way too much.

 

[billandopus]

I'm too tired to get into another discourse about diamond buying. I did it enough while working for a buddy's family business for a summer - a great experience. Too make it short I know of a relatively comprehensive website (not affiliated personally) that I like that breaks it all down with good info. NiceIce

My brief advice is this: shop with your GF/prospective fiancee and find out what she likes/dislikes. Get her whatever she likes. It's for her ... not for you EVEN though you are paying. You have to let your own preferences go. Take note what pointage (carat weight) is appropriate for her finger, whether she prefers yellow/white gold or platinum and style of shank (mount). Remember that her finger size is relative to the style of shank chosen along with the pointage. A particular style shank with a certain pointage may call for a wider band to accomodate proper mounting. This is important for those who are customizing their ring because a style that your GF/prospective fiancee likes that has a different pointage than the pointage you intend will look slightly different when the final outcome arrives. Get my drift?

Case in point: customer(s) come in and like a particular style shank (cathedral) with a 45 point round brilliant in 18k yellow gold. The shank is 3mil or so. Customer(s) like a large rock and go for a decent 75 pointer with same style and material. The goldsmith makes up a rubber form to give the customers an idea of the final product. The shank happened to be enlarged to 4-5 mils to "balance" out the proportions. They thought it was cool. When final product arrived two weeks later the customers were a bit surprised to see that the ring actually seemed substantially "larger" on her finger. They ended up liking it but the point of all this is that human perception as well intentioned as it may sometimes throws you a curveball when the final results is displayed. Heck, this happened to me except that the "base" ring my wife liked was a 32 pointer and I upcharged it to a 75 pointer which blew her mind because of the perceived difference ... but she got used to it.

BTW, a custom ring plus any matching wedding bands will take anywhere from 2-3 weeks or so. Maybe longer depending on how busy the gemologist/goldsmith is. If you are in a serious bind you can always request a rush. Some don't like to be rushed because it can interfere with the quality of finished product. Hey, no self respecting gemologist/goldsmith will put out shoddy work just because of the time factor. Most won't accept a job with too limited a time frame. You can always pick up something she likes off the rack and then return it for some custom work later on if she's cool with it. That way she can have total input on the ring itself once you get the formalty out of the way.

Heck, forget I said all this. Just make her happy and you will get all the sex you can handle! (just kidding). Good luck.

 

[billandopus]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
It took me about 2 full months to decide on what I wanted to get, and how much I was willing to spend. I ended up going with a smaller diamond, but a lot better color and clarity. It's the color and clarity that really give it that sparkle. That, and a lot of rings just look gawdy with a rock bigger than 3/4 of a carat.

Anyhoo...I picked the ring out all by myself. Even 7 months after giving it to her, she's still getting complements on it, and still smiles evert time she put it on. I really didn't spend that much on the ring all things considered. The rock isn't very big, but with the platinum setting and the better overall quality, it's very elegant, without being obnoxious.

Best advice to give you is this - If you know your girl well enough, then you know her tastes, and know what she'll love to have.

I followed this advice and it paid off very well.

Actually, it's overwhelmingly cut (proportions and symmetry) that give a diamond it's fire and brilliance. Color and Clarity compliment. A poorly cut stone with D (essentially colorless) color and a FL rating (flawless) will look like crap and many jewellers will cry into their coffee if they ever saw one rueing what could have become.

1-cut, cut, cut. That's why you typically want a GIA/AGS/Whatever cert diamond because you can be sure that you are getting what you are paying for. It will look great in the showroom under manipulative conditions and while you are walking your dog in the park. An uncertified stone is much trickier to deal with and you are placing your trust into the hands of the dealer to accurately represent that rock presented to you. Is this worth a couple of hundred dollars? Maybe. Maybe not.
2-d to f color if you think it matters otherwise g and h are great values paired with yellow gold. If platinum - stick with e-f.
3-clarity. si1 represents best value. Two well cut stones but with differing clarity, one vvs1 and the other an si1 (level of inclusions) will look, more or less, the same to the average layperson (seriously) but the hit in the pocketbook is serious as well. If you aren't a gemologist you don't have the experience to even use a 10x loupe much less find the inclusions under a DiamondLite under optimal lighting conditions. Those who carry a 10x loupe in their pocket raise their hands. Not me. When I say well cut I mean that the placement of any problematic inclusions (if any) are taken into account during the cutting and proportion process. Usually not an issue.