Been looking for a ring for my girl, and everyone u talk to gives the reason their diamond is the best. Im so confused now. I know I want a Princess Cut, D,E,F color, VS1 or better clarity in a platinum setting. Budget is $7000 to $10,000. I know Tiffanys has a name for quality and style, but are they over-priced? Shane has good prices, but do they have a quality diamond, and quality rings? PLEASE - someone tell me in a non-biased way who has a great diamond in the 4c's, price, quality of the ring... does the GIA report mean something, or is it an expensive piece of paper? How about a website that compares them side by side? HELP!
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Need engagement ring advice
Started by notjeep, Nov 22 2005 01:11 PM
2 replies to this topic
#2
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- A-List Jeweler
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- 57 posts
Emerald
Posted 22 November 2005 - 03:49 PM
notjeep,
I sell diamonds myself, but I'll try to be as non-biased as I can
Tiffany's is not overpriced. Yes, they cost about 50% more than what you'll pay anywhere else, but hey, it's Tiffany's. Those kind of bragging rights don't come cheap.
I don't know much about ShaneCo, their diamonds or their rings.
As a general rule, websites that sell diamonds are going to be less expensive than diamonds you find in stores. You want the best deal on a diamond? Shop online.
GIA reports are worth every penny. If you *really* want a diamond that is D/E/F color and VS1+ clarity then make sure your report says 'GIA' at the top. Otherwise that EGL/IGI/XYZ diamond that you bought as a 'F-VS1' might really be more like a 'G-VS2' (or worse) according to GIA standards.
I sell diamonds myself, but I'll try to be as non-biased as I can
Tiffany's is not overpriced. Yes, they cost about 50% more than what you'll pay anywhere else, but hey, it's Tiffany's. Those kind of bragging rights don't come cheap.
I don't know much about ShaneCo, their diamonds or their rings.
As a general rule, websites that sell diamonds are going to be less expensive than diamonds you find in stores. You want the best deal on a diamond? Shop online.
GIA reports are worth every penny. If you *really* want a diamond that is D/E/F color and VS1+ clarity then make sure your report says 'GIA' at the top. Otherwise that EGL/IGI/XYZ diamond that you bought as a 'F-VS1' might really be more like a 'G-VS2' (or worse) according to GIA standards.
Jim Schultz
www.jamesallen.com
www.jamesallen.com
#3
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- A-List Appraiser
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- 5,148 posts
Ideal Diamond
- Gender:Male
- Location:Denver Colorado, USA
Posted 22 November 2005 - 06:52 PM
I'm not a diamond dealer but I offer a competitive lab to GIA. As with Jim, I'll try to be unbiased. 
The GIA examination is an interesting and valuable service. It's an independent analysis of some of the most important attributes of the stone. You bet it's worth the money. The difference between a $5,000 diamond and a $10,000 can be a very subtle thing. There are plenty of other labs, most of which are cheaper than GIA. Some are quite skilled and some of us offer a useful service (some don't). The problem is that it's very difficult to tell the difference between a good one and a bad one and the penalty for being wrong can be severe. Unless you have some good reason to trust them, don't. GIA doesn't tell you everything there is to know about a diamond, and they don't claim that they do, but for what they have, they are the standard that everyone else is held to.
It's not the document that made the diamond beautiful, but it sure does make it easier to compare between two different stones when both are beautiful and they are $1000 different in price, especially if you don't have the skills, the tools or the temprament to do the grading yourself.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
The GIA examination is an interesting and valuable service. It's an independent analysis of some of the most important attributes of the stone. You bet it's worth the money. The difference between a $5,000 diamond and a $10,000 can be a very subtle thing. There are plenty of other labs, most of which are cheaper than GIA. Some are quite skilled and some of us offer a useful service (some don't). The problem is that it's very difficult to tell the difference between a good one and a bad one and the penalty for being wrong can be severe. Unless you have some good reason to trust them, don't. GIA doesn't tell you everything there is to know about a diamond, and they don't claim that they do, but for what they have, they are the standard that everyone else is held to.
It's not the document that made the diamond beautiful, but it sure does make it easier to compare between two different stones when both are beautiful and they are $1000 different in price, especially if you don't have the skills, the tools or the temprament to do the grading yourself.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
There's never a crowd when you go that extra mile.
Professional Appraisals in Denver
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
There's never a crowd when you go that extra mile.
Professional Appraisals in Denver
