when is the best time of the year to buy an engagement ring?
- Thread starter krunchykrome
- Start date
no.
anytime you are about to buy a jewelry and dropping a couple of thousands for it is never a good time.
anytime you are about to buy a jewelry and dropping a couple of thousands for it is never a good time.
I did look at Ebay for certified diamonds, but my only concern is the certificates. I was told Bluenile was a reputable company, and while reviewing some of their info on diamonds, they say that GIA and AGSL are the two most respected diamond laboratories in the world. Im just catious as to whether these certified diamonds on ebay are trustworthy.
How do you know?
WHenever some rich guy gets broken up with by his girl and lists the ring he got on craigslist for dirt cheap.
IGL
GIA
IGI
those are your top three. Many ppl don't like IGI because they are so strict in their grading, but I like them best because of it. They grade so conservatively that when they certify something, I KNOW it is better than by any other standards.
As for the sales... yes, I would think it would include engagement rings.
If you are looking to spend big, I would suggest you pick your stone first and then have it set in a ring, as opposed to just picking a ring.
GIA
IGI
those are your top three. Many ppl don't like IGI because they are so strict in their grading, but I like them best because of it. They grade so conservatively that when they certify something, I KNOW it is better than by any other standards.
As for the sales... yes, I would think it would include engagement rings.
If you are looking to spend big, I would suggest you pick your stone first and then have it set in a ring, as opposed to just picking a ring.
When buying.... Stay out of the malls. They have commerical grade diamonds and incredibly inflated prices.
Find a jeweler. A proper jeweler.
This is what I did.... I invested in two loupes 10x and 20x. I went to the mall stores JUST to look. It made me feel comfortable in holding the loupe (which is not as easy as it looks, to do properly) and practice what to look for. I also asked a lot of questions. Did not get many answers, but I was able to pick up enough info so I knew what to ask and where to look for answers. I read on the internet. I got a video. I read and looked and read and looked... everywhere. I learned about carbon and feathering and where to look for hidden spots of both. And i learned about how important measurements are. I learned about refractions and reflections. I learned about cutlets and girdles. These are ALL important. Not just the C's. Of course the C's are the first thing to look at, but...
for example:
I looked at one diamond that had the right C's. but it had a huge cutlet and a feather on the table. I looked at another that was slightly less in the C's but only had one tiny carbon spot under the prong and a tiny cutlet. Although the first one was more $$$, guess which one looked like a better diamond? I also looked at a diamond that was colorless, and eye clean and big... but it was not in proportion, so the light did not travel thru it well. table, crown, pavilions, hearts&bows (or not)... there is a lot to learn. But if you take your time, learn your stuff... you can get a fantastic diamond and save BIG TIME over someone who just walks in and looks for something big and pretty.
When it was time to buy... i look ONLY in jewellry store. Not jewellry chains, but store... mostly family owned. I found someone I could trust and I told him what I wanted. He got a bunch of stones delivered and I went thru them all until I picked the one I wanted. I then sat with him and designed my setting.
As I posted in another thread the other day. ...
Look for a JEWELER, not someone who only sells jewelry. You would be surprised by the turnover in staff in dept store and mall stores. But a proper jeweler, in a proper jewellry store.. he will WORK to be your lifelong jeweler. Most ppl go someplace, but a piece and don't usually go back to the same place for the next piece. A jeweler will work to be the jeweler you go to for every major milestone... engagement, marriage, mother's day, anniversary, valentines day... he will want to be your jeweler. So, he will treat you with care, not just try to make a one off sale.
Originally posted by: KarenMarie
When buying.... Stay out of the malls. They have commerical grade diamonds and incredibly inflated prices.
Find a jeweler. A proper jeweler.
This is what I did.... I invested in two loupes 10x and 20x. I went to the mall stores JUST to look. It made me feel comfortable in holding the loupe (which is not as easy as it looks, to do properly) and practice what to look for. I also asked a lot of questions. Did not get many answers, but I was able to pick up enough info so I knew what to ask and where to look for answers. I read on the internet. I got a video. I read and looked and read and looked... everywhere. I learned about carbon and feathering and where to look for hidden spots of both. And i learned about how important measurements are. I learned about refractions and reflections. I learned about cutlets and girdles. These are ALL important. Not just the C's. Of course the C's are the first thing to look at, but...
for example:
I looked at one diamond that had the right C's. but it had a huge cutlet and a feather on the table. I looked at another that was slightly less in the C's but only had one tiny carbon spot under the prong and a tiny cutlet. Although the first one was more $$$, guess which one looked like a better diamond? I also looked at a diamond that was colorless, and eye clean and big... but it was not in proportion, so the light did not travel thru it well. table, crown, pavilions, hearts&bows (or not)... there is a lot to learn. But if you take your time, learn your stuff... you can get a fantastic diamond and save BIG TIME over someone who just walks in and looks for something big and pretty.
When it was time to buy... i look ONLY in jewellry store. Not jewellry chains, but store... mostly family owned. I found someone I could trust and I told him what I wanted. He got a bunch of stones delivered and I went thru them all until I picked the one I wanted. I then sat with him and designed my setting.
As I posted in another thread the other day. ...
Look for a JEWELER, not someone who only sells jewelry. You would be surprised by the turnover in staff in dept store and mall stores. But a proper jeweler, in a proper jewellry store.. he will WORK to be your lifelong jeweler. Most ppl go someplace, but a piece and don't usually go back to the same place for the next piece. A jeweler will work to be the jeweler you go to for every major milestone... engagement, marriage, mother's day, anniversary, valentines day... he will want to be your jeweler. So, he will treat you with care, not just try to make a one off sale.
Thank you for that
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
Find a diamond wholesaler or large dealer then take the diamond to a proper local jeweler to get it mounted. Know the identifying featrures of the stone before you leave it to prevent the switcheroo.
Also ask your mom or her mom if there are any diamonds that are already "in the family" and have that diamond remounted in a custom band.
Also ask your mom or her mom if there are any diamonds that are already "in the family" and have that diamond remounted in a custom band.
there is a lot of great information to be had on that site
I still believe there is nothing to subsititue examining and inspecting stones in real life.
JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,574
- 972
- 126
I used to work for GIA. I'd go with a stone that is GIA certified any day.
BTW-I know some people if you're serious. Don't know if they deal in mail order but I could check.
BTW-I know some people if you're serious. Don't know if they deal in mail order but I could check.
The entire process of looking at engagement rings is quite overwhelming. BTW, I was browsing at mall jewelers and I was looking at their prices with respect to the quality of diamonds. Most of the diamonds I was looking at were 1ct+ solitaires and they were selling for $5K+, however they were I1 or I2 or clarity and I-J in color. They didnt see like fair prices.
Originally posted by: KarenMarie
When buying.... Stay out of the malls. They have commerical grade diamonds and incredibly inflated prices.
Find a jeweler. A proper jeweler.
This is what I did.... I invested in two loupes 10x and 20x. I went to the mall stores JUST to look. It made me feel comfortable in holding the loupe (which is not as easy as it looks, to do properly) and practice what to look for. I also asked a lot of questions. Did not get many answers, but I was able to pick up enough info so I knew what to ask and where to look for answers. I read on the internet. I got a video. I read and looked and read and looked... everywhere. I learned about carbon and feathering and where to look for hidden spots of both. And i learned about how important measurements are. I learned about refractions and reflections. I learned about cutlets and girdles. These are ALL important. Not just the C's. Of course the C's are the first thing to look at, but...
for example:
I looked at one diamond that had the right C's. but it had a huge cutlet and a feather on the table. I looked at another that was slightly less in the C's but only had one tiny carbon spot under the prong and a tiny cutlet. Although the first one was more $$$, guess which one looked like a better diamond? I also looked at a diamond that was colorless, and eye clean and big... but it was not in proportion, so the light did not travel thru it well. table, crown, pavilions, hearts&bows (or not)... there is a lot to learn. But if you take your time, learn your stuff... you can get a fantastic diamond and save BIG TIME over someone who just walks in and looks for something big and pretty.
When it was time to buy... i look ONLY in jewellry store. Not jewellry chains, but store... mostly family owned. I found someone I could trust and I told him what I wanted. He got a bunch of stones delivered and I went thru them all until I picked the one I wanted. I then sat with him and designed my setting.
As I posted in another thread the other day. ...
Look for a JEWELER, not someone who only sells jewelry. You would be surprised by the turnover in staff in dept store and mall stores. But a proper jeweler, in a proper jewellry store.. he will WORK to be your lifelong jeweler. Most ppl go someplace, but a piece and don't usually go back to the same place for the next piece. A jeweler will work to be the jeweler you go to for every major milestone... engagement, marriage, mother's day, anniversary, valentines day... he will want to be your jeweler. So, he will treat you with care, not just try to make a one off sale.
Very nice post. :thumbsup:
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