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Engagement Ring Shopping Tips Needed ** UPDATE **
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Not necessarily true, especially considering your budget. A good SI2 can be eye clean, which is all that matters for the most part. G is a great color as it balances affordability and with quality. Both of these take a backseat to Cut however, as that is the most important aspect.
Dismissing a stone b/c it is SI2 with a great cut in favor of a VS2 stone with a mediocre cut is a mistake.
mugs
Lifer
Man, you and I think exactly alike. I got F because it's on the bottom end of the "colorless" range. I got VS1 or VS2 because I thought VVS1 and VVS2 were overkill, I only cared about what could be seen. And I went for the best possible cut I could find. Max size was set by the (now) wife.
This is true. Every SI2 stone varies and you need a GIA cert which documents the inclusions. Inclusions which can be hidden by the prongs of the mounting are something to look for. You have to make the sacrifice somewhere when you are on a tight budget and that is a good place IMO. Going I or J in color will become noticeable in good light, especially if it is held up against a D-G diamond, which will likely happen.
You are probably looking at more like $2500 or so for a stone of that size, color and clarity. And as others have mentioned, it would be silly to pay a premium for a VVS1 D color stone that small.
Again, the Cut is the most important. You can sacrifice color and clarity where necessary.
judasmachine
Diamond Member
DON'T BUY A DIAMOND. unless of coarse it isn't a blood diamond.
AbsolutDealage
Platinum Member
OP, you should definately do your research and go to a couple of jewelry stores to get a feel for what you want. If this is not going to be a surprise, you may want to take your "other half" with you to the store at least once to get her input on the matter... that's up to you.
When I went through all of this, I ended up going around to a lot of shops and looking all over online. I bought a loop, tweezers, and an Ideal Scope (to help with cut grading).
I ended up buying my ring from a jewelry show where I scored access into the wholesale section. I spent a lot, but what I bought would have cost significantly more anywhere else.... and I figured that you only have one chance to do it right.
When I went through all of this, I ended up going around to a lot of shops and looking all over online. I bought a loop, tweezers, and an Ideal Scope (to help with cut grading).
I ended up buying my ring from a jewelry show where I scored access into the wholesale section. I spent a lot, but what I bought would have cost significantly more anywhere else.... and I figured that you only have one chance to do it right.
Saulbadguy
Diamond Member
Who really cares? The price of diamonds is totally artificial.
It sucks that the world is entirely brainwashed in to thinking you have to get a diamond, and you have to pay out the ass for it. Just read this thread, it's pathetic - people talking about grades and color and ******, when all they are paying for is something that really should not be worth that much.
The price of diamonds is not as artificial as you make it out to be. DeBeers does not have the monopoly they once had. They've found diamonds in other parts of the world (such as Canada) where DeBeers does not have control. Like it or not, the price is also driven by the huge demand in luxury goods in general. Diamonds are not rare but good quality ones sure are.
Besides the fact that you are crapping on the OP thread, you should realize that many things in this world are driven by economics and supply and demand. DeBeers sure has a sordid history but realize that the current backlash against them and diamonds in general is often based on incomplete information and generalizations which are not completely true.
You can hate diamonds all you want but realize that if your future wife wants one, there is not much you can do. Everybody has certain excesses which are not necessary and unfortunately, women like diamonds and whether this is natural or artificially created by excellent marketing really does not matter.
After you get 30 years under your belt, you can get her one of $$$ these $$$
cjmtfd102401
Senior member
Save yourself some money and go to pawnshop and get one. My fiance got mine after a good day at Tunica, it is a nice size diamond and it came with the band that has 4 diamonds in it. PM ni4ni for more details, he won't tell me anything.
mugs
Lifer
Eh... you can't really set an arbitrary amount that's "too much"... that much money is a lot for most people, but chump change for others. A girl who says "you have to spend $____" or "It has to be X-carat or bigger" is (aside from being stupid) a golddigger, and you don't want that. But there's nothing wrong with buying your woman nice jewelry either. An engagement ring is the most expensive piece of jewelry that many women will own... it doesn't hurt to get something nice.
Just hope she doesn't start demanding upgrades after you're married!
ponyo
Lifer
Go to Costco to buy your woman the diamond. 2% executive member cashback and 1% amex/costco rebate. Make sure to save your receipt!!!
Give your woman the diamond ring. Do not tell her where you got it.
After you separate/divorce your wife, get the ring back and take it back to Costco with your receipt for a full refund.
Costco can custom order any diamond for you and they're pretty competitive pricewise. I think I've read that Costco only markup their diamonds like 7% over their cost vs 14% for all other merchandise Costco sells. Sure you can find cheaper if you know what you're doing but you can't beat the convenience/price and the Costco warranty.
Give your woman the diamond ring. Do not tell her where you got it.
After you separate/divorce your wife, get the ring back and take it back to Costco with your receipt for a full refund.
Costco can custom order any diamond for you and they're pretty competitive pricewise. I think I've read that Costco only markup their diamonds like 7% over their cost vs 14% for all other merchandise Costco sells. Sure you can find cheaper if you know what you're doing but you can't beat the convenience/price and the Costco warranty.
HomeAppraiser
Platinum Member
That won't fit on her finger.
However some women are size queens and if they demand over a carat then they deserve that milky looking occluded crap that they sell at the mall.
I input the stats for the diamond I bought my wife 13 years ago in to pricescope.com and got this.
I paid $1100 with it set in an 18k gold ring. She hardly wears it now 🙁
Saulbadguy
Diamond Member
I had to take the plunge, and I focused on the setting itself, not on the diamond. It meant more to her than just getting the biggest rock I could afford.
frankgomez75
Platinum Member
Nice Rock... 🙂
For now I'll have to settle for something a little smaller...
I second looking and asking questions on pricescope.com, its a forum filled with very knowledgable people. I spent a month on that site before I bought my diamond. If you are looking for a Round Brilliant, you definitely want to look for ideal crown and pavillion angles as some say the lend to the brilliance of the diamond.
frankgomez75
Platinum Member
UPDATE:
Currently what I'm looking for is:
Princess Cut
Carat: .70 - 1.0
Color: F - G
Clarity: SI1 - SI2
Cut: Good - Very Good
Band: White 18K Gold Cathedral Setting
I found this on Blue Nile:
Carat: .72
Clarity SI2
Color: F
Cut: Good
Cost: $1885 (White 18k Gold Cathedral Setting an additional $300) total = $2185
GIA Certified
I also found this at Jareds Jewelery in Houston:
Princess Cut
Carat: .72
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Good
Cost: $2100 + tax = 2273
IGI Certified
Now here is the difference... at Jareds I was told if I buy the band (an additional $200 for a White Cathedral Setting) an it gets lost/stolen or the ring falls out of its prongs.. they will replace the diamond for the same cost. My total at Jareds would be $2490
So my question is... is what Jareds Jewelery offering worth the additional $305 for that protection or is it just not worth it?
Currently what I'm looking for is:
Princess Cut
Carat: .70 - 1.0
Color: F - G
Clarity: SI1 - SI2
Cut: Good - Very Good
Band: White 18K Gold Cathedral Setting
I found this on Blue Nile:
Carat: .72
Clarity SI2
Color: F
Cut: Good
Cost: $1885 (White 18k Gold Cathedral Setting an additional $300) total = $2185
GIA Certified
I also found this at Jareds Jewelery in Houston:
Princess Cut
Carat: .72
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Good
Cost: $2100 + tax = 2273
IGI Certified
Now here is the difference... at Jareds I was told if I buy the band (an additional $200 for a White Cathedral Setting) an it gets lost/stolen or the ring falls out of its prongs.. they will replace the diamond for the same cost. My total at Jareds would be $2490
So my question is... is what Jareds Jewelery offering worth the additional $305 for that protection or is it just not worth it?
MikeyIs4Dcats
Lifer
you mean they will charge you the same price you paid for a replacement diamond? how is that a good deal???
and here's some info on IGI reports
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