Engagement rings (NOT FOR ME)

[Bill86]

Okay so it's looking like my brother is looking at these and I have ZERO advice to offer, besides the obvious "don't do it" :D.

Anyways he asked if I would post this as I know a lot of you are married or getting married.

Basically this is what he is looking for (I don't really understand most of it)

1.25-1.5 Caret
Round Stone
VS 1 to SI 1
Color F-I
Very good - Ideal Cut

I have no idea what he is willing to spend on this or how soon he's going to buy one but it's looking like ASAP.

School me on buying an engagement ring of this type. Where to buy is probably the ultimate question. He obviously wants something nice, but only knows what he can google. He has no personally experience or friends with experience (he's only 24).

[elderboy02]

Might wanna PM chippewastud79. I remember him knowing a ton about this stuff.

[LasciviousXXX]

Well, a standard 1.5 carat solitaire w/ a clarity rating of SI1-SI2 with a color in the G-H range will run him around 14k-18k at most of your box jewelry stores (Kay, Jared, etc) . Obviously if he wants to step it up to a VS status and F color it will increase in price exponentially. Best idea is to have a friend who actually works in the jewelry business so he can get you a decent price on the perfect loose stone first, and then choose a setting second.

However, if he doesn't know someone in that industry, best practice is to spend a week or two going into various jewelry stores and taking 20-30 mins to talk with a salesman about what he's looking for and what they have to offer. Places like Tiffany's & Cartier have big names that his fiance will recognize if she's into that. Both good places to start.

[Bill86]

I believe he is looking to purchase the stone first and then a setting. I could be wrong, though. But I do know he's not spending 14K-18K.

[LasciviousXXX]

Is he wanting to spend less than that? Because if he is, he's DEFINITELY not getting the specifications he wants for less than that. The only exception would be if he had a buddy who owned a jewelry store that didn't mind taking a loss on a stone. Otherwise he's going to have to come down on either color or clarity if he still wants to maintain the carat size. :2

[KidRock]

Is he wanting to spend less than that? Because if he is, he's DEFINITELY not getting the specifications he wants for less than that. The only exception would be if he had a buddy who owned a jewelry store that didn't mind taking a loss on a stone. Otherwise he's going to have to come down on either color or clarity if he still wants to maintain the carat size. :2

Agreed! That is solid advice right there!

[Bill86]

Is he wanting to spend less than that? Because if he is, he's DEFINITELY not getting the specifications he wants for less than that. The only exception would be if he had a buddy who owned a jewelry store that didn't mind taking a loss on a stone. Otherwise he's going to have to come down on either color or clarity if he still wants to maintain the carat size. :2

It's very hard to say, he just told me today he was planning on buying one. Prior to that I haven't heard from him in probably almost 2 months.

He says he's been researching this out for a while but knowing him more like a few days. I gather he doesn't know much at all...but thinks he does.

I'm thinking he wants to buy the diamond in cash and not put it on a credit card. I guess the budget would depend on how soon he's looking to buy or if it's going on his credit card.

Sounds strange but he doesn't tell me much. Since I posted the thread I figure I'll ask what are the most important factors? Color? Clarity? Size? Cut? Shape?

[big pete]

I would recommend buying the rock at Blue Nile and the ring at a local shop. He'll end up saving a good chunk of cash (what I did and saved $2k)

[Jasonw560]

www.americusdiamond.com

Click on the video. Surprised Chip didn't post this first.

[forgop]

Check out Craigslist and eBay. Lots of deals to be had as half of the marriages end up in divorce anyway and they're willing to cut their losses by selling rings cheap. :2

[LostAbbott]

Is there a possibility that his lady might not like diamonds? I know that at least in Seattle diamonds have fallen off as people learn more about them, while ruby, emerald, and sapphire have started to come on. I had mt great grandmother's wedding ring remade in 18k gold and my wife loves it. Some of the other stones may be to soft though depending on the setting and how rough the wearer is on their jewelry.
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[Eleven]

I make jewelry for a living. It's all I have ever done. I can get certified stones in that range, anywhere from 7-12K, depending on the specs.

For instance: G, SI1, 1.25ct Round, 7k, give or take a few bucks. F, SI1, 1.50ct Round, 12K give or take. Those are stones available to me right now, and they change all the time.

The color on both of those are at the high end of what he wants, but the clarity is at the lower end. In my opinion, color is the more important factor in his specs, because the difference between SI1 and VS1 isn't real noticeable to the average eye, but bad color is.

Standard solitaire mountings, 14k, 4prong would run between $130-$160.

I normally don't just throw prices out like this, but forewarned is forearmed. At least he will know what's what. I'll help if he wants, but like I said before those stones change daily, some get sold and others become available.

[jjirons69]

Bill, reading all this makes me want one of these!

http://www.oldtimecandy.com/assets/images/singles/ring_pops.jpg

[chaase321]

I would recommend buying the rock at Blue Nile and the ring at a local shop. He'll end up saving a good chunk of cash (what I did and saved $2k)

I used Blue Nile . Com for the whole ring and saved a huge amount (over 2.5K) from what I was getting at Jared. And because I looked for around a month periodically, I was able to find the right cut, color, wight, and clarity I wanted. When I took it into the jeweler he thought I got an awesome deal and said it was exactly as described on bluenile. Couldn't be happier. :2

[Brutus2600]

I used Blue Nile . Com for the whole ring and saved a huge amount (over 2.5K) from what I was getting at Jared. And because I looked for around a month periodically, I was able to find the right cut, color, wight, and clarity I wanted. When I took it into the jeweler he thought I got an awesome deal and said it was exactly as described on bluenile. Couldn't be happier. :2

I was getting ready to post this.

Blue Nile is going to be your easiest, cheapest online diamond broker if you're looking at loose stones. They have a wonderful search function that lets you adjust stuff you're flexible on and lock in things you're not (like for instance, you could go for a lower quality diamond and keep it at 1.5 carats).

Also, in my opinion the difference between a 1.25 and a 1.5 carat diamond isn't much size-wise, but you could go with a higher quality 1.25 carat diamond that will sparkle more than a 1.5 carat at the same price.

And if she wants a diamond, then she wants the sparkle :tu

[kydsid]

As someone who just went through this this is my advice. Jared, Kay et al the name jewelry stores are a rip off!!

I used bluenile.com as a baseline to know what prices where on stones in certain categories. However it's hard IMO to get a sense of a stone from a picture and specs.

Listen to Eleven. Find your town's Eleven. That is what I did. An independent jeweler, especially one that is connected to the diamond trade in your town will get you the best price. Bar none.

I feel confident this is the way to go. Why? I bought the diamond and ring, and had it appraised myself. The appriasal came back at 62% more than I paid, AND identical four C diamonds on bluenile are about 500 to a 1000 more than I paid too.

[mmblz]

I used bluenile.com as a baseline to know what prices where on stones in certain categories. However it's hard IMO to get a sense of a stone from a picture and specs.

Also pricescope.com

[smitty81]

I would recommend buying the rock at Blue Nile and the ring at a local shop. He'll end up saving a good chunk of cash (what I did and saved $2k)

I used Blue Nile . Com for the whole ring and saved a huge amount (over 2.5K) from what I was getting at Jared. And because I looked for around a month periodically, I was able to find the right cut, color, wight, and clarity I wanted. When I took it into the jeweler he thought I got an awesome deal and said it was exactly as described on bluenile. Couldn't be happier. :2

I was getting ready to post this.

Blue Nile is going to be your easiest, cheapest online diamond broker if you're looking at loose stones. They have a wonderful search function that lets you adjust stuff you're flexible on and lock in things you're not (like for instance, you could go for a lower quality diamond and keep it at 1.5 carats).

Also, in my opinion the difference between a 1.25 and a 1.5 carat diamond isn't much size-wise, but you could go with a higher quality 1.25 carat diamond that will sparkle more than a 1.5 carat at the same price.

And if she wants a diamond, then she wants the sparkle :tu



What kind of warranty does this place carry on their rings?

My wife LOST her ring and now I am thinking about getting her another one........

Like if a diamond falls out.

[kydsid]

What kind of warranty does this place carry on their rings?

My wife LOST her ring and now I am thinking about getting her another one........

Like if a diamond falls out.




They use Jewelers Mutual Insurance, that you have to buy seperately for loss or theft. This is the same insurance you can get for any ring. I got it from my independent dealer.

http://www.perfectcircleinsurance.com/bluenilehome

http://www.jewelersmutual.com/

[smitty81]

They use Jewelers Mutual Insurance, that you have to buy separately for loss or theft. This is the same insurance you can get for any ring. I got it from my independent dealer.

http://www.perfectcircleinsurance.com/bluenilehome

http://www.jewelersmutual.com/

Ok, just wondering.

Kay jewelers replaced the diamond for free if one ever fell out.

[mosesbotbol]

Go for yellow sapphire instead.

24 is way too young to get married unless she has big dowry...

[smitty81]

Go for yellow sapphire instead.

24 is way too young to get married unless she has big dowry...

Man, I tell ya. My wife would lose her head if it wasn't attached to her neck. I knew it would be a matter of time before it was lost really.

She keeps taking it off because her fingers get swollen and then she forgets to put it back on........................bam, lost.

[FriendlyMan]

is this a diamond or a colored stone.

Okay so it's looking like my brother is looking at these and I have ZERO advice to offer, besides the obvious "don't do it" :D.

Anyways he asked if I would post this as I know a lot of you are married or getting married.

Basically this is what he is looking for (I don't really understand most of it)

1.25-1.5 Caret
Round Stone
VS 1 to SI 1
Color F-I
Very good - Ideal Cut

I have no idea what he is willing to spend on this or how soon he's going to buy one but it's looking like ASAP.

School me on buying an engagement ring of this type. Where to buy is probably the ultimate question. He obviously wants something nice, but only knows what he can google. He has no personally experience or friends with experience (he's only 24).

[kydsid]

Ok, just wondering.

Kay jewelers replaced the diamond for free if one ever fell out.



And that is one of the selling points, Kay and all the other chain jewelers have. Nothing wrong with it, and there is the convenience they are all over the country.

However, I got insurance at a price that will take 25 years of insurance premiums to equal the difference in cost between my jewler and Kay for similar sized diamond and ring.

Plus my policy guarantees for theft too. I don't think Kay would care. Not that you would need to tell them it was theft and not loss, semantics really.

[mmblz]

if you're a home owner just itemize jewelry on your home owner's insurance

[Bill86]

Go for yellow sapphire instead.

24 is way too young to get married unless she has big dowry...

My brother is one that can't be reasoned with...I tried.

Not the case.

[kydsid]

I must seem like a post whore but I did just go through this purchase, like last week, and been researching everything in my usual habit, so hard not to give out some more info. :)


if you're a home owner just itemize jewelry on your home owner's insurance


Also an option. But when I looked into it my insurer would not pay for damage, only payout was theft and loss. The loss carried a larger deductable too, theft however did not. For the value I wanted to insure at it was $50 more a year to go seperate.

If we had more jewelry it would be more cost effective from what I found to add to my home owners however.

One of the biggest differences though with what I got is that you go back to your jeweler for replacements and repairs but also go back for periodic inspections.

The other difference is with my homeowners they pay me cash and I still have to go get a new diamond or repairs. With this policy, if we lose the stone it is replace with a like stone by the participating jeweler, no matter what the current market price of that stone.

So I have a $100 deductable that covers all damage, theft, loss etc. I thought it was a good deal. YMMV

[chippewastud79]

if you're a home owner just itemize jewelry on your home owner's insurance

:tpd: My wife's ring costs up about $12 per 6 months, and the replacement value is significantly higher than that. :2

[chippewastud79]

I have the advantage of having a jeweler who is a distributor, so he gave me more knowledge than I will ever need about the diamond industry. I've posted this before, and some people have found it helpful. :shr

Find the Rapaport online, it will give you the best idea of what a diamond should cost. It is the industry standard for pricing and updates quarterly I believe. It isn't meant to be public, but there are certain sites out there who will have a copy, even if it is an old one.

Personally, I buy diamonds from a distributor, above a 'wholesaler', 'dealer' or individual store. Diamonds, like any item go up in price the further they travel. The best bet is finding a distributor who gets the diamonds straight from New York (point of entry for all diamonds). You will likely have to pay in cash or in full before you can take the finished product.

Avoid online jewelers like Blue Nile. They loosely group their diamonds into far more broad ranges than a jeweler would. They buy diamonds in bulk that are all 'similar' to the type that they are selling, they could be anywhere from 2-4 steps off of what you think you are buying. You could end up paying $1000 for a diamond that was supposed to be a certain weight, color and clarity but they send you a diamond that was close enough to the untrainned eye but ends up being worth $800 when appraised.

Know what you are looking at, learn the 4 C's before you go, this will also help with the Rapaport. Personally, buying a loose diamond and having it set is far more personal than buying a completed ring that anyone can buy. Always ask to use the jewelers magnifier to examine the diamond yourself. A good jeweler will point out the flaws in the diamond under the glass for you, this is so you can realize why the diamond was rated the way it was.

For metals, if you are going with a white/silver colored metal, I would recomend paladium over platinum and white gold. Paladium is a precious metal that is slightly more expensive than white gold but far less than platinum. White gold is essentially bleached gold and will yellow over time and need to be redone to return to its 'white' color. Platinum is far more expensive but also far more labor intensive, it scratches far too easy and must be buffed out periodically. Paladium is brighter, more scratch reistant and whiter than both the other two. For the price, I don't think you can beat the look.

Have an idea what type of ring she would like: solitare vs. three stone, plain band vs. design, square cut vs. round cut, etc. If you have a basic idea, you should be able to customize a ring that she will love.

Best of to him luck with the search.

[chippewastud79]

Check out Craigslist and eBay. Lots of deals to be had as half of the marriages end up in divorce anyway and they're willing to cut their losses by selling rings cheap. :2

The resale on any jewelry will never be close to the original price paid. Try pawning an engagement ring and watch the owners laugh when you want even half what you paid for it. :bh

Personally, for my money, I wouldn't want to buy a piece of jewelry that was intended for someone else's marriage/wife/fiance/girlfriend. It might just be me, but there is a reason that piece of jewelry is no longer on the woman's finger, maybe its bad ju-ju or whatever, but superstition of not, its not as heartfelt snagging someone's used jewelry. About as close as I would get would be buying loose stones on the 'personal' market and creating a new piece from it. :2

[jdakine]

Well, a standard 1.5 carat solitaire w/ a clarity rating of SI1-SI2 with a color in the G-H range will run him around 14k-18k at most of your box jewelry stores (Kay, Jared, etc) . Obviously if he wants to step it up to a VS status and F color it will increase in price exponentially. Best idea is to have a friend who actually works in the jewelry business so he can get you a decent price on the perfect loose stone first, and then choose a setting second.

However, if he doesn't know someone in that industry, best practice is to spend a week or two going into various jewelry stores and taking 20-30 mins to talk with a salesman about what he's looking for and what they have to offer. Places like Tiffany's & Cartier have big names that his fiance will recognize if she's into that. Both good places to start.

Agree. I would go into a Tiffany store. They have a little diamond book that will help you understand about the 4 C's. The Sales Professionals are well trained with product knowledge and have access to inventory domestically.
Good Luck