View Full Version : So what's the best deal on diamond rings?
Averageman
03-22-17, 13:06
Just curious as to how to not get ripped off.
First, don't use mall stores like zales or Kay.
For chains it's hard to beat Shane for the overall value (quality/price/warranty), but I would research the local independent and build a relationship
bluenile.com is legit.
My best friend is in the jewelry business. His family owns a number of very high end stores. He turned me on to it and I used for my wife's ring.
I shopped around and took the printout of the stones I liked to brick and mortar stores see what they could do, they were coming in at twice as much for comparable diamonds.
I always dealt with a hometown jewelry dealer owned by an old jewish man with relatives in the diamond district. He would dump a sleeve of stones on the counter and look at each to determine which would be best suited for the setting I wanted. He wanted a long term relationship with his customers not a one time sale. I never had anything he made appraise for less than twice what I paid. I bought from him for 30 years until he passed. Stay away from the chain stores.
I always dealt with a hometown jewelry dealer owned by an old jewish man with relatives in the diamond district. He would dump a sleeve of stones on the counter and look at each to determine which would be best suited for the setting I wanted. He wanted a long term relationship with his customers not a one time sale. I never had anything he made appraise for less than twice what I paid. I bought from him for 30 years until he passed. Stay away from the chain stores.
Similar here. Used a reputable local sales guy.
Find out what you want, price out comparables and go shopping. Buy registered diamonds. Don't get fooled by lighting. Recessed lighting will make shitty diamonds look great.
BuzzinSATX
03-22-17, 16:25
Check out www.americusdiamond.com. They have stores in both SA and Austin, and I have several friends who bought from them and were pleased.
I personally have not bought from them. Also, I rarely buy jewelry, so I cannot tell you how their prices are. All I can attest to, second hand, is the word of friends who used them for diamonds.
I'd also suggest, call your homeowner insurance company and ask them if they can give you advise on what companies to stay away from. My daughter works at USAA and she runs across lots of folks who got screwed buying jewelry, almost daily...
Caveat Emptor, Brother.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
bluenile.com is legit.
My best friend is in the jewelry business. His family owns a number of very high end stores. He turned me on to it and I used for my wife's ring.
I shopped around and took the printout of the stones I liked to brick and mortar stores see what they could do, they were coming in at twice as much for comparable diamonds.
Blue Nile and World Jewels are the both very good.
when you go to some stores ask to compare to Tiffany ? its often OH OK then its this to compare
no idea about the online but agree the major stores are a rip off and quality jewelers should be able to take care of you
its interesting for sure
having shot weddings for 15 years I have seen and heard so much about rings :)
wife got a Tiffany small simple stone for our lifestyle in the islands nothing sticking up to catch or be reset etc.. and only cause we loved the settings and style we found Tiffany in line for the style etc.. so do not discount them either
bottom line IMHO is the style that matters and what she likes and the whole thing is a freaking racket to sell really expensive rocks :) and reality is try to sell back any ring for anything close to its appraised value
RetroRevolver77
03-22-17, 17:32
Pawn shop, plenty of them to be found there for really cheap- many to choose from as well.
I use USAA. Little known service they offer. Don't know if you qualify to be a member or not.
If not, then Blue Nile.
If I am spending serious $$, then I want to buy from a reputable place that can give me certification on the diamond. I want a laser inscribed number on the girdle of large rocks. For multi-diamond jewelry like tennis bracelets, I buy from a USAA or Blue Nile. Wouldn't go anywhere else.
If I were a chick, I'd just want money to buy my own ring, or invest.
Or an SR-25 ACC. That would be a long weekend where I would have absolutely zero dignity for an ACC. All you would need is cowboy boots and a camelbak mule full of gatorade.
Otherwise I'd want a conflict diamond. Don't care who makes it, just as long as someone got shot with a FAL over it.
in some ways two nice bands no stones figure nice bands around $250 and put the rest into a home etc..
Pawn shop, plenty of them to be found there for really cheap- many to choose from as well.
yeah :) cause that is what they are really worth in the end as a so called investment :)
BuzzinSATX
03-22-17, 18:30
Kinda off topic, but my wife and I have bought two sets of wedding rings, the first set when we got married in 1990, and the second set in 2006 at a midnight madness sale (diamond ring sets 75% off) the BX while stationed in Japan. Both sets combined cost us well under $1600 (I think we paid $350 of the first set).
I haven't worn a wedding ring for almost 8 years, since getting it caught in a fence gate and almost breaking my finger. Wife didn't really like it at first, but I told her all the times I'd been deployed and watched other guys doing their "what happens away from home stays away from home...", a dang ring doesn't stop anyone from messing around. Anyway, she stopped wearing hers a couple years ago. Nothing but a thing, really, and our marriage is as solid as ever after 27 years.
Pawn shop, plenty of them to be found there for really cheap- many to choose from as well.
Yeah. I unloaded one in a pawn shop towards a Model 28 many years ago. Felt like a fool, but in retrospect it was a great idea. Unfortunately I traded the 28 off somewhere along the line.
Next ring I bought was better quality, as was the girl. It'll be 40 years this July.
Kinda off topic, but my wife and I have bought two sets of wedding rings, the first set when we got married in 1990, and the second set in 2006 at a midnight madness sale (diamond ring sets 75% off) the BX while stationed in Japan. Both sets combined cost us well under $1600 (I think we paid $350 of the first set).
I haven't worn a wedding ring for almost 8 years, since getting it caught in a fence gate and almost breaking my finger. Wife didn't really like it at first, but I told her all the times I'd been deployed and watched other guys doing their "what happens away from home stays away from home...", a dang ring doesn't stop anyone from messing around. Anyway, she stopped wearing hers a couple years ago. Nothing but a thing, really, and our marriage is as solid as ever after 27 years.
hahahah we do not wear ours ;) 20 and 30 year old fingers almost 20 years later are not the same size :)
I sailed worked on boats when we met so would never wear to work as I liked my fingers attached to my hands
saw they had silicone rings now :) nice cheap option that wont rip your fingers off for some work related jobs
In 1998 I obsessed over getting the best diamond I could afford. I bought from http://niceice.com I had the cut, color and clarity verified locally. The stone was shipped loose. The man who confirmed the 3 C's told me it was a beautiful stone and The price was excellent. I'm divorced now but she has a freaking beautiful diamond. I hope,she saves it for one of our three kids. I wanted an ideal cut 1 C diamond. I bought a .947 C stone. The price difference was significant and I could not tell the difference in size. The ring was a home run. Get a properly cut stone. The difference is Enormous. The ring will turn heads if it's cut right. Give them a look. Congratulations!
Back in the day I had to pay for access to their information. Looks wide open now. This stuff is new:
http://niceice.com/diamond-buying-secrets/which-ideal-cut-diamond-should-you-buy/
Similar here. Used a reputable local sales guy.
Find out what you want, price out comparables and go shopping. Buy registered diamonds. Don't get fooled by lighting. Recessed lighting will make shitty diamonds look great.
Look at the stone loose. Not in a setting. Also they say stones are grade with a 10X loupe. I looked with a loupe and under a microscope at much higher power and I couldn't see the imperfections that were in the certificate.
If it's an engagement ring, like a good rifle, buy something you'll be proud to hand down one day.
You could try Costco. Get the Executive membership and you get 2% back. They have GIA graded stones and guarantee (or at least they used to) that it will appraise for double what you paid. I bought my wife's ring there back in 2005 and it is now worth nearly 5 times what I paid. Depending on your budget, the local store can have rings from under $2000 to over $30,000.
Moose-Knuckle
03-23-17, 03:59
I haven't worn a wedding ring for almost 8 years, since getting it caught in a fence gate and almost breaking my finger.
Your lucky.
If you have a weak stomach DO NOT google image search for degloved ring finger.
Silicon rings are popular now, all over the internet marketed towards MIL/LE but they are getting more mainstream.
Injury due to metal rings is more common than one would think.
Averageman, PM me and I'll be happy to steer you the right way. Too much to explain in one post. I'll help you find a great stone to fit your budget. There's a lot online, but you have know what to look for.
Saw this little gem (ha!) in our very own Equipment Exchange:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?144251-Beautiful-*MODERN*-White-gold-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-and-Wedding-Band-Set-wIGA-Cert
BuzzinSATX
03-23-17, 08:48
Your lucky.
If you have a weak stomach DO NOT google image search for degloved ring finger.
Silicon rings are popular now, all over the internet marketed towards MIL/LE but they are getting more mainstream.
Injury due to metal rings is more common than one would think.
Agree! While I don't operate machinery as much these days, I'm just not into wearing jewelry, watches, etc. since the days I had to remove it all the time.
OP, I asked my kid about jewelry claims and such. Her advice is below;
"As long as the diamond comes with a GIA or AGS certificate, its insurance"
Before buying a diamond you can check bluenile.com to see what the actual value of the diamond is"
If you plan to insure it, get it appraised by a reputable jeweler and keep it appraised and checked for damage every few years...speeds up theft, loss, or damage claims if needed.
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Averageman
03-23-17, 09:06
Thanks All.
Still working this out. I may well check the PX this weekend.
I believe I used BlueNile as well.. It's been quite a while, but the diamond was fantastic. You could pick the exact levels of cut, weight, clarity, etc that you wanted / could afford. It went very smoothly.
Someone mentioned store lighting. It's not just the type lighting but also the frequency. They can run those lights at a high frequency that makes things seem more pleasing to our eyes. You know our normal frequency is 60Hz. This has gone on for ages and I knew a guy that designed the systems way way back.
I believe BlueNile has a satisfaction guarantee as well and I think you get an appraisal for your insurance too. I would not hesitate to shop there again. As a matter of fact when my wife left me, she kept the diamond, that's how good it was... lol.
SomeOtherGuy
03-23-17, 09:37
So I assume you know this, but gem diamond prices are massively inflated due to the DeBeers cartel. If diamonds traded freely the prices would be maybe 10-25% of what they are now. Look at a diamond as an item of immediate consumption, not an investment of any kind.
hahahah we do not wear ours ;) 20 and 30 year old fingers almost 20 years later are
I haven't worn a wedding ring for almost 8 years, since getting it caught in a fence gate and almost breaking my finger. Wife didn't really like it at first, but I told her all the times I'd been deployed and watched other guys doing their "what happens away from home stays away from home...", a dang ring doesn't stop anyone from messing around. Anyway, she stopped wearing hers a couple years ago. Nothing but a thing, really, and our marriage is as solid as ever after 27 years.
I have a nice band that I haven't worn in 4-5 years due to size issues and discomfort. I could get it resized, but don't feel like it. My wife doesn't care much. We've been married almost 12 years and she has no doubt, or reason to doubt, my commitment. She still wears her wedding ring, but only when we go out on date night, or some kind of fancy occasion or reason to impress other people. For day to day life, it lives in a safe.
in some ways two nice bands no stones figure nice bands around $250 and put the rest into a home etc..
Did I mention the lack of investment features? My wife's wedding ring cost not quite the price of a car when I bought it. I could afford it (it was definitely not pocket change) but in 20/20 hindsight we would have been better investing the money in something smart, or taking a HUGE vacation to some place far away and awesome, vs. having some fossilized carbon on a keyring.
By the way, the actual precious metals gold and platinum have far more likelihood of retaining value or even appreciating than the diamond does. Their prices are basically set by the market, or possibly even manipulated below free-market prices (for complex financial reasons). While fine jewelry is much more expensive than just the metal value in it, the metal and fine craftsmanship actually has lasting value.
Depending on your situation, I would propose a more basic ring and a great honeymoon. I realize some women just want the bling for social reasons, but this is my 2 cents.
Otherwise I'd want a conflict diamond. Don't care who makes it, just as long as someone got shot with a FAL over it.
Awesome. If you really want a diamond, this is good.
Also, IMHO there is nothing dumber than a 3-carat diamond with low grade color (pale yellow/tan) and big inclusions. If you're going to spend $$$$ on a real diamond, get one with a high grade on color and no inclusions.
hahhah I used to see it happen on the boats :)
worst was nothing to do with a ring but a eel
took the finger and huge chunk of the hand with it and the guy was trying to put it back on his hand when we were diving :) hahaha over 50 stitches and reconstructive surgery
had a tourist guy turned out he was a surgeon and he kinda tried to leap out of the water to the edge of the boat got it caught and POP :)
a lot of boat guys would wear their ring on a necklace :)
Your lucky.
If you have a weak stomach DO NOT google image search for degloved ring finger.
Silicon rings are popular now, all over the internet marketed towards MIL/LE but they are getting more mainstream.
Injury due to metal rings is more common than one would think.
I always dealt with a hometown jewelry dealer owned by an old jewish man with relatives in the diamond district. He would dump a sleeve of stones on the counter and look at each to determine which would be best suited for the setting I wanted. He wanted a long term relationship with his customers not a one time sale. I never had anything he made appraise for less than twice what I paid. I bought from him for 30 years until he passed. Stay away from the chain stores.
I had a custom ring built for my wife on our 10th anniversary.. The jeweler brought in a 6'6" Jewish diamond dude that was packing a nice 1911 under a black trench coat. I caught a look as he pulled out his sleeve of diamonds from an inside pocket. He walked me through the entire process; showing me examples of cut, clarity and color. He then picked out several that were the size I desired and then we haggled on price, cash of course. When all was said in done, due to a good jeweler and an honest diamond seller, the ring appraised at 2.5 times what I paid for it. We still do business with this jeweler a decade later.
Take cash and go to either Philly or NY to the diamond districts.
Just curious as to how to not get ripped off.
Buy used ones. The whole market is a sham. If you try to sell a used one you will get half or often far less of the insured value. Craigslist and estate sales, you can bring the seller to a jewelry store and have them do a once over. Pay both for their time. You will save thousands.
Chances are you not going to do the work above, so your next best bet is james allen and blue nile. I saved about 4-5k going through james allen.
Those two online dealers you choose the stone and then choose the ring. I dont know how many carats you're looking for, but H or I color work great especially in white gold or platinum, you want the stone to be clean to the eye with an very good to ideal cut. If it's wedding ring vs stud earring or a pendant you have to get a little better dimond. Reason being women hold out their hand and there is far more inspection of the stone. If it's for studs or pendant you can save a lot as you can't really look at those all that closely unless they are off.
I dont know her choice of metals but you can save a lot of money on stones if you mount them in platinum. Seems counter intuitive as you are spending more on the mount but you will save way more on the stone. Reason being if mounted in gold the diamond has to be a better color rating not to show its natural yellow shade. If you take a stone out of a gold setting and put it in platinum or white gold you would immediately think its a different diamond and of far better quality. You need to do some research on the 4 C but color is an easy place to save money. A nicely made J color will not look "yellow" face up. Think of it that diamonds are like teeth. There are people who have noticeably yellow teeth. Those are more like K color and down.
There are people with ridiculously white teeth. The kind of teeth when they smile, you are startled by how white their teeth are. That's like D, E, F color diamonds (more D, E, than F, though).
Then there are the rest of us who have just plain old white teeth. That's G-J. You would never look at a J color diamond and say it's yellow, but it's certainly not "as white" as a D color diamond. But that's the beauty of it -- you never really notice that the teeth on the guy who has just "regular" white teeth aren't as white as possible until he's standing next to a guy with D color teeth. You just look at his teeth and say "hey, those look white to me!"
So unless you compare a J color diamond next to a D/E color diamond, you're not going to ever really see and appreciate the difference. Also, if you can find a J color diamond with medium blue fluorescence, (and in most cases, strong blue fluorescence) it can make the stone look whiter.
Princess cut diamonds are cheaper as the cutter generally get two diamonds out of every one stone. You can get more for your money in the princess cut. That being said you will get far more brilliance and sparkle out of round cut but they are more expensive as there is more waste when cutting it and you only get one cut stone.
If you go to jewelry row or a nice store they are going to show you a crazy diamond off the bat and keep referencing back to it. Not worth your time. Number one piece of advice is a get a budget for the whole project, then go look at settings and take that price off the top. The money left over is what you have for your stone. That allows you to eliminate a lot of stones to look at just by filtering them by price. The two online stores mentioned above have sold hundreds of millions of dollars in diamonds and can be totally trusted. Probably more than your local jeweler. They can easily turn around the whole purchase in two weeks and often in a week if needed.
Hope this helps, it's a daunting task. Good luck.
ETA - if you are looking at a 1 carat diamond look at .88 - .97 as they will be a lot cheaper and you can't tell the difference in weight looking at them. Same for 1.5 carats, go 1.31. People even in the industry will mistaken it for a bigger diamond.
bluenile.com is legit.
My best friend is in the jewelry business. His family owns a number of very high end stores. He turned me on to it and I used for my wife's ring.
I shopped around and took the printout of the stones I liked to brick and mortar stores see what they could do, they were coming in at twice as much for comparable diamonds.
I'm throwing in with Blue Nile as well. I purchased my wife's diamond there. Do the research and learn about the 4 C's: cut, clarity, color, and carat. A smaller diamond with the right cut/clarity looks a lot better than a larger diamond with poor qualities. I ended up purchasing a diamond from Blue Nile and had it fitted locally. I was just out of college, and spent about $3,000 total in 2010. When the ring was appraised in 2011, it was valued at just under $7000.
bluenile.com is legit.
My best friend is in the jewelry business. His family owns a number of very high end stores. He turned me on to it and I used for my wife's ring.
I shopped around and took the printout of the stones I liked to brick and mortar stores see what they could do, they were coming in at twice as much for comparable diamonds.
That is what I have used in the past.
C4
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