Diamond buying tips??

Old School,

I don't know how much you're looking at spending but there is a new diamond cut by Tiffany's called the Lucida cut. Its very striking and you should go to tiffany's to look at the cut's and styles. But go through a wholesaler, I really haven't ever looked and don't plan on soon!

 

That Luida cut is very highly price from what I hear.

 

For that much money you will probaly get a .50-.75 Karat ring.
Not to big, and the dimond is not too visable at that size.

Probably by the end of the process, you will end up spending around 3000-3500 for a somewhat repectable ring.

And something she will not kick you to the crub for.
At least that is what my girl tell me.

Women just flat out cost $$$$$.

But remember what your get in return!!! Priceless..

 

It is amazing what we cover on this site.

Old School-
I am actually in the market also. Take a look at bluenile.com. It can get you started. Also, I have family in the business. Shop around and find what you want. Get the best price and if you would like, I will try to beat it for you!

I am going to pop the big question on Saturday. Does anybody have any creative ideas?

 

The best prices I have seen were at Nazar "I think"it is located on the corner of Westhimer and Chimmy Rock. "I think" they have great prices at least on the Platinum bands, and the rocks are not to expensive or over priced.

But some friends have told me to find a diamond from a Asian business friends tell me they have the best prices. youjsut have to find a reputable seller.

 

My range right now is around $2500-$3500. i can always increase the value of the ring later.

$2500= .60-.750 k ring with platinum band, princess cut, on cathedral setting, color is F, clarity IS(this seems ideal to me).
$3500= .870-1 k Ring with platinum band same char: as above ring.

And after reading some of the other suggestions here, the ideal ring for me and my situation would be
1.250 Karet, color I, clarity IS. Lowering my color specs should allow me to get a larger karet size and she can show that off. For around $3500 hopefully.

A tip is to get a ring right under a karet and you should get a $500 discount because is it not offically a "Karet".
But they are hard to find. But this depends on the perspective your girl has on the technical weight measurements.

I am still learning also and this thread is helping me alot also.

 

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Does anybody else have Diamond advise?

 

De Beers controls all of the diamonds, and they keep the main inventory. ANY shop that sells diamonds and keeps them in inventory will have to pay the high cost of keeping and protecting that expensive inventory. They pass that cost onto you. It's not a question of whether or not you will get gouged, but by how much.

That's why I would always suggest going through a broker...and why I bought my diamond off the Internet (generally, they are all brokers). If you don't feel comfortable reading the certs on a stone, and you want to see it in person before you buy it, you can always find a local broker. You tell them what you want, they'll try to get close to it, a clearinghouse will "loan" them the stone, and then you can see it. If you want it, you buy it. Usually for quite a bit less than a jewelry store will have it for.

If you do use the Internet, you'll see what I'm talking about. You'll start looking at inventories in different websites, and you'll see the same exact diamond (exact cut, weight, clarity, color, depth, culet, and inclusion maps, etc) at several different places. That's because all of these guys have access to the same diamonds. It's just a matter of who will give you the best deal on it.

Buying a nice diamond off of the Internet is not for everyone, and it scared the hell out of the lady who would become my wife....but her fears were allayed after we had it appraised. She has a gorgeous stone, and she gets a lot of compliments on it. I have the peace of mind of knowing that if she loses it or it gets stolen, insurance will pay me enough to replace it.....AND buy me a new wave runner.

 

I think the truly sad truth about "diamond rings" is that we are just pawns of corporate America.

In the early 1900's, wedding rings were simply (and more affordably) rings with no stone. De Beers and other diamond monopolists seized control of global diamond mining and inventory and then paid hollywood to incorporate "Diamonds" into the film roles as the wedding band of choice and then paid actors and actresses to make it the fashion.

The diamond mines today are predominantly in extremely corrupt areas in africa including sierra leon in which it would be very common to see funds going to terrorist, anti-government and other warlord activities.

Relate that story to your loved one! And she will respect you for your ideals and your strength of character when you give her a plain Platinum band!

YEAH RIGHT! hahaha.... If only our loved ones were as idealistic as we profess to be when it benefits our checkbook. Then again, being outwardly idealistic in these times usually does fatten the checkbook!

 

This is why, if you are going to buy a diamond, you should by a Canadian diamond, or other non-blood diamond. About 10 years ago they found kimberlite pipes in the Canadian Shield and we now we have two mines in production and two more planned. When they are in full production, Canada will produce about 12% of the world's diamonds. These mines were built to very strict environmental standards too. Just make sure you don't buy a blood diamond. If you find out after the fact that you bought a diamond that was sold to fund a brutal war or terrorists, it's going to spoil the meaning of the ring.