Thats the point you idiot. A $1000 natural diamond will be probable half that or less if you get the same type in mand made form. So a $500 natural diamond will come no where near the quality of a $500 man made one. Did I speel it out S-L-O-W enough for ya??
Heh, Hear Hear! Spend less than 1k on it man, you don't need to go broke over a ring. You can find a nice traditional style solitaire for less than 1k.
Ahhh! I'm sorry I didn't ready everyone's responses but I spent one year waiting for the perfect diamond for my wife. It also was good to wait that long since it gave me time to design the right ring to put it into. When you buy a diamond buy is loose. Don't buy one already mounted, too much can be hidden that way. Buy from a local shop, if you don't have an "in" research your butt off for each place. I was lucky enough to have an "in" to the distributor for my area. All diamonds that come to my region go through him so he gets "pick of the litter". Become friendly with someone at the store, this helps and will happen because of the amount of time you will be there. Each time you there have them bring out several diamonds. You pick that one that LOOKS best to you. It may not be a perfect VG, flawless and all that BS! Don't be sold on the rankings. Oh, I spend three month's salary. It's not how much you spend, it's not how big the diamond is. I went all out because it was a show of my promise to be forever. Plus it looks damn nice on her! Mine is the same. I don't have a solitaire I have several diamonds which are far lesser quality than my wife?s but you can't tell in the setting I have them in.
Be reaseonable. You are not DeBeers. No need to spend like those idiots.
Diamonds are a BS cartel of crap anyway. If it wasn't for a million stupid women that scream "SPARKLEY" evertime they see one, we could be rid of this crap.
Diamonds are a BS cartel of crap anyway. If it wasn't for a million stupid women that scream "SPARKLEY" evertime they see one, we could be rid of this crap.
Well, if you and your potential spouse are aware of the blood and conflict and marketing behind to diamonds, man-made or going with just a plain yet very ornate gold or platinum band should be just fine.
I've had one of my friends do that (platinum engagement band)... another, they went out of their way to get man-made diamond.
I've had one of my friends do that (platinum engagement band)... another, they went out of their way to get man-made diamond.
Gotta love the name calling, always a sign of intelligence and class...with that said please present your arguments in a clear format....what you are saying is that a natural diamond that costs $1000 will only cost $500 for a similar quality man made, but the fact is that man made as big smooth pointed out are not as readily available and or as cheap as everyone hopes they will be since they cannot keep up with the supply of natural diamonds....maybe in a few years your hypothesis will be correct, but for right now it isn't the case.....also I was asking how *you* personally could tell which is better since you seemed to come off as some type of expert on the subject, I now see this is not the case and you were only offering your opinion.
To those suggesting Canadien diamonds, while they are a way to avoid buying from Debeers they are not nearly as inexpensive as people had hoped they will be...basically they are the same price as buying from Debeers so the only redemption in buying them is that you avoid the moral implications of buying from the cartel....
Many people obviously don't know that DeBeer's owns a massive diamond mine in Canada... if not the biggest Canadian Diamond Mine.
Originally posted by: Davegod75
When they say two months salary do they mean before or after taxes.....
everything i like is like 5,500 plus..and that's just the diamond
of course that's
cut = ideal
color = F or higher
clarity = VVS1 or higher
carat = .6 - .1
polish/symmery = VG/VG or higher
Am I too picky?..if so what is the thing you can get lower of without sacraficing look
Just for the sake of comparison, my jeweller just quoted me this diamond:
.81/G/VVS2/Ideal Cut/VG symmetry/GIA Cert = $3375
As you can see, it's one grade lower clarity, but one grade higher color, and over $2000 less. Visually, unless you have some gemological expertise, you would not know the difference.
dont buy anything before you check out diamondtalk.com and pricescope.com first. I was a regular there for a few months before I pulled the trigger.
good luck!
rich
good luck!
rich
Kelemvor
Lifer
- May 23, 2002
- 16,928
- 8
- 81
Just don't go to a mall jewelry store befzuse youaren't going to get the honest answers and knowledge you will get by going to a smaller, private (find a famil run) jewelry store. But the 2 month thing doesn't matter. It's all up to you and what you feel comfortable spending.
I'm admitedly new to the whole diamond shopping experience and for the sake of those others in the thread that may have questions, I will post them.
- What do the color/clarity/etc ratings mean and what is the extent of the scale?
- What kind of certs are available and what exactly do they provide?
- Is there a substantial market for used diamonds?
- Does anyone have a link to DeBeers' list of heinous atrocities that have been mentioned?
- Where can one purchase man made diamonds?
- After you acquire a stone, where is a good place to go about finding a setting?
Also a question on tradition as far as engagement/wedding rings:
You buy 2 seperate rings, right? Which one is the expensive one, the wedding ring or the engagement ring? Are they supposed to be a set that are worn together? When you propose do you have both or just the engagement? Does that mean the engagement ring should be the good one? Can they even be the same one? I've never really understood this. I've seen people that just have like a gold band for engagement then a diamond for wedding, some wear both and some only the wedding afterwards. And how about the guy's ring, the gal buys that right? Does the guy get an engagement ring too? Should you shop together for at least the setting so they match?
Sorry for asking so many dumb questions, but I really am clueless about this stuff. I usually have a pretty level head about spending my money as does she (heh heh) so I'd like to begin my research now so I'll be better off a year or two down the road. Thanks guys!
- What do the color/clarity/etc ratings mean and what is the extent of the scale?
- What kind of certs are available and what exactly do they provide?
- Is there a substantial market for used diamonds?
- Does anyone have a link to DeBeers' list of heinous atrocities that have been mentioned?
- Where can one purchase man made diamonds?
- After you acquire a stone, where is a good place to go about finding a setting?
Also a question on tradition as far as engagement/wedding rings:
You buy 2 seperate rings, right? Which one is the expensive one, the wedding ring or the engagement ring? Are they supposed to be a set that are worn together? When you propose do you have both or just the engagement? Does that mean the engagement ring should be the good one? Can they even be the same one? I've never really understood this. I've seen people that just have like a gold band for engagement then a diamond for wedding, some wear both and some only the wedding afterwards. And how about the guy's ring, the gal buys that right? Does the guy get an engagement ring too? Should you shop together for at least the setting so they match?
Sorry for asking so many dumb questions, but I really am clueless about this stuff. I usually have a pretty level head about spending my money as does she (heh heh) so I'd like to begin my research now so I'll be better off a year or two down the road. Thanks guys!
Just spent the cash on a $6k diamond ring for the g/f... or should I say fiance'...
Anyways, that's ~3 months salary after tax, but the ring is amazing looking. I have a family member w/ a tax ID, so I went to a "trade only" jewelry show and got a really nice ring...
1.06 carat premium ideal cut (unbranded H&A), H, VS2... surrounded in a platinum 6-prong setting, w/ 12 princess cut and 20 round cut pave' set stones (totalling about 1.4 carats for the stones on the setting).
I don't know.. I feel pretty broke, but it's worth it when I see her wear it. I should be getting a promotion/big raise towards the end of the year, and that will help me with paying the ring off.
As for the topic:
Also, if you are shopping around locally, I would recommend you get a loupe (probably something like a Belomo) and definately get yourself an Ideal scope. That will get you started.
Anyways, that's ~3 months salary after tax, but the ring is amazing looking. I have a family member w/ a tax ID, so I went to a "trade only" jewelry show and got a really nice ring...
1.06 carat premium ideal cut (unbranded H&A), H, VS2... surrounded in a platinum 6-prong setting, w/ 12 princess cut and 20 round cut pave' set stones (totalling about 1.4 carats for the stones on the setting).
I don't know.. I feel pretty broke, but it's worth it when I see her wear it. I should be getting a promotion/big raise towards the end of the year, and that will help me with paying the ring off.
As for the topic:
Agreed.
Anything above H is a waste of money.
Anything above VS2 will never be seen with the naked eye.
.6 to .1???? Is that 1.6 to 2.1? For all the research I did, the conclusion that I came up with was to get an H, VS2, ideal cut stone. I wanted something that was above a carat, but it really depends on your budget. If you are looking for those C's, then all you really need to do is find stones that meet those 3, and then pick the size that fits within your budget.
Agreed.
Also, if you are shopping around locally, I would recommend you get a loupe (probably something like a Belomo) and definately get yourself an Ideal scope. That will get you started.
Color
There are many many different types of certs available. The 3 most popular are the EGL, GIA, and AGS certs. The EGL certs are supposedly a little less accurate then the GIA, and provide less information. Any cert you get should at least have the clarity and weight of the stone. They will also contain measurements of the cut, and usually an image showing any extra facets and the locations of inclusions in the stone. There are some "extras", such as laser inscription of cert number, etc. which you can research on your own.
Not sure about this one.
Google is your friend. Personally, I'm not really interested.... so you can research it if you are.
Nowhere that I know of. The market is very small right now, you would have to go way out of your way to get a manmade stone, and you probably wouldn't save much money as of right now.
It's really a judgment call. Personally, I like to have my hands on the stone and the setting before I spend that much, so I would probably go looking at some local family owned shops. It's up to you.
Yup.
Engagement ring.
Usually, yes.
Just the engagement ring.
Yes.
I don't think they can be the same one, maybe someone knows more than I do around here.
Her or her family, IIRC.
Nope.
It depends. If you want them to match, then you should buy them as a set. With some engagement settings though, there is a specific wedding band that goes with them. In that case, the whole matching thing goes out the window. There is nothing that says they have to match, so it's pretty much personal preference.
Don't take my word for all this stuff, you can do your own research. This is what my interpretation of the situation is based on the research I have done. Please, feel free to correct me.
BigSmooth
Lifer
- Aug 18, 2000
- 10,484
- 12
- 81
My answers are below in bold:
Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I'm admitedly new to the whole diamond shopping experience and for the sake of those others in the thread that may have questions, I will post them.
- What do the color/clarity/etc ratings mean and what is the extent of the scale?
I would check out the 4 C's tutorial at http://www.goodoldgold.com
- What kind of certs are available and what exactly do they provide?
The most respected certifications are from the AGS and GIA. They provide documentation of the specs/grades of the diamond. Other labs are sometimes inconsistent in their grading so they are not as respected.
- Is there a substantial market for used diamonds?
Not really. As long as there is demand for diamonds it will always have value. However, if you bought a diamond retail and turned around and sold it on eBay the next day, you'd be awfully lucky to get half of what you paid for it.
- Does anyone have a link to DeBeers' list of heinous atrocities that have been mentioned?
Don't have one handy, but suffice it to say that they're pretty evil. In recent years they have taken steps to eliminate "conflict diamonds" but for years they used them. They are certainly guilty of monopolistic practices such as price fixing that are illegal in the U.S.
- Where can one purchase man made diamonds?
Good luck. The companies using the new CVD technique, Apollo and Gemesis, are only able to make a very small quantity. I don't believe they'll be widely available until next year at the earliest, and even then quantities will likely be very limited.
- After you acquire a stone, where is a good place to go about finding a setting?
All kinds of places will sell settings. I bought mine from the same place as my diamond to make things easier. You can go to a local store, buy from the internet, or have one custom-made.
Also a question on tradition as far as engagement/wedding rings:
You buy 2 seperate rings, right? Which one is the expensive one, the wedding ring or the engagement ring?
The engagement ring is usually the one with the big rock. The wedding ring or band is usually somewhat simpler.
Are they supposed to be a set that are worn together?
They can be, but they don't have to be. Many people get a set because they think they look better together.
When you propose do you have both or just the engagement? Does that mean the engagement ring should be the good one?
Either way. Typically the woman does not wear the wedding ring until you are actually married so you don't really need it until then.
Can they even be the same one?
Yes, some people choose not to have a separate wedding band.
I've never really understood this. I've seen people that just have like a gold band for engagement then a diamond for wedding, some wear both and some only the wedding afterwards.
And how about the guy's ring, the gal buys that right?
Sometimes, or you can buy matching wedding bands together, or whatever.
Does the guy get an engagement ring too?
No.
Should you shop together for at least the setting so they match?
Personal preference, some women like to be surprised, some want to pick everything themselves. Some people want matching wedding bands, some don't care.
Sorry for asking so many dumb questions, but I really am clueless about this stuff. I usually have a pretty level head about spending my money as does she (heh heh) so I'd like to begin my research now so I'll be better off a year or two down the road. Thanks guys!
Is that Ideal Scope any good? Haven't seen that.
Is the Pro model any better than the cheap model?
I think its great personally. It does a really good job at grading the cut... such that I could probably guess at the angle numbers on the cert just by looking at the stone. I ended up getting what is essentially an unbranded Hearts&Arrows because of it.
I'm not really sure about the pro thing, but I think the dome would just be a PITA rather than helping.
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