6 replies to this topic

[ed-fu]

Hi Everyone!

I am planning to propose to my girlfriend for 3 years now but before the big question, I need to find the perfect engagement ring that would really impress her. She likes something big, sparkly and with lots of diamonds. I was browsing the Internet earlier this week and I found the perfect ring from Shenoa & Co. Unfortunately, after reading negative reviews from this forum, I am now hesitant to continue with my order. Ordering online is another issue, I am not so confident buying jewelry online because I cannot entrust someone with my money for his/her word. So what I'm planning to do is find a jeweler who customizes jewelry according to my preferences and just to be on the safe side I'd like to provide them with the rocks too. (Am I being too paranoid by buying the rocks separately or will it actually save me money compared to letting the jeweler provide the diamonds?)

So I need any opinion, from experts to personal experiences about the following:
- Reputable and Good Jewelers in the US and/or UK who can copy/recreate a design or make a customized jewelry design.
- Reputable Stores which sell loose rocks, diamonds preferably white and yellow ones.

If you can include contact details I'd be much thankful!

[davidelevi]

On the "online" problem - look at the "order" as an option to inspect the piece. Rather than paying for transport and parking, you are paying for shipping back and forth. You aren't committing to buy for at least 2 weeks with most online vendors, and you aren't any more likely to be scammed by a reputable dealer when you order online than when you order in person at a store. If you want a double layer of protection, pay with a credit card; this will cost you between 2 and 5% on "cash discounts", but it builds a pretty good protection and gets somebody with real financial muscle on your side.

The issue is the reputation, skills and level of service you can find, not the location/channel that you choose to use.

I don't understand what your concern is with "providing" the diamonds vs. having the jeweller help you complete a full project. If it is a matter of money, you have more leverage by closing a larger deal where you have one provider for everything, than by fragmenting your purchase across two or more vendors. If what you are concerned about is responsibility for the quality of the ring, again, you are better off by choosing one vendor.

More to come in a couple of hours. Now I need to go!

[denverappraiser]

Depending on what it is you're looking for, custom manufacturing things one at a time using retail US or UK labor is rarely the least expensive way to make much of anything. Production work in Asia where they're making dozens or hundreds of similar items using inexpensive workers is almost always a better, or at least less expensive, path. Often by quite a bit.

Will you get a better deal from your US/UK craftsman if you supply some or all the materials? Maybe, but probably not although it doesn't hurt to ask. More importantly, there's value in having the same person supply the components because it reduces fingerpointing at the back end. 'The stones are defective', 'the mounting is defective', 'the setter was a butcher' are all the same if it's the same person but they're importantly different if you're using different suppliers.

It may be worth noting that most of the 'Internet jewelers' are no more or less than a jeweler who happens to be in someone elses neighborhood and who is using the internet to find far away customers. They may or may not be a good store and by all means evaluate them on their merits or lack thereof, but the fact that they're advertising online is no more an endorsement or a disparagement than is advertising in the yellow pages.

Edited by denverappraiser, 01 June 2011 - 09:43 AM.

[ed-fu]

Thank you davidelevi and denverappraiser for your answers!

denverappraiser, on 01 June 2011 - 09:32 AM, said:

Will you get a better deal from your US/UK craftsman if you supply some or all the materials? Maybe, but probably not although it doesn't hurt to ask. More importantly, there's value in having the same person supply the components because it reduces fingerpointing at the back end. 'The stones are defective', 'the mounting is defective', 'the setter was a butcher' are all the same if it's the same person but they're importantly different if you're using different suppliers.

- It's good you pointed this out to me. The location is not the topmost priority since I have a job that allows me to travel both US and UK. Finding a reputable store is what bothers me. What should be my criteria for choosing a jeweler? And if ordering online is not so much bad as I'm thinking it would be, can you recommend me good online stores?

[ed-fu]

Quote

Davide - Specialised Consumer Information and Assistance,
Diamonds by Lauren ([url]http://diamondsbylauren.com[/url])

I just happen to notice this now and so I tried to visit the website. I see you customize rings as well and after reading testimonials I'd like to know how much would you charge me if you were to recreate a ring I found online. You can message me later for the link.

[denverappraiser]

The message system on this board is disabled and it's a rules violation for Davide to pump his own stuf on the forum in any but the most subtle ways. You can reach him or his coworkers through the link you found. I'm sure they will be happy to discuss their products and prices.

[jan]

ed-fu, on 01 June 2011 - 05:43 AM, said:

Hi Everyone!

I am planning to propose to my girlfriend for 3 years now but before the big question, I need to find the perfect engagement ring that would really impress her. She likes something big, sparkly and with lots of diamonds. I was browsing the Internet earlier this week and I found the perfect ring from Shenoa & Co. Unfortunately, after reading negative reviews from this forum, I am now hesitant to continue with my order. Ordering online is another issue, I am not so confident buying jewelry online because I cannot entrust someone with my money for his/her word. So what I'm planning to do is find a jeweler who customizes jewelry according to my preferences and just to be on the safe side I'd like to provide them with the rocks too. (Am I being too paranoid by buying the rocks separately or will it actually save me money compared to letting the jeweler provide the diamonds?)

So I need any opinion, from experts to personal experiences about the following:
- Reputable and Good Jewelers in the US and/or UK who can copy/recreate a design or make a customized jewelry design.
- Reputable Stores which sell loose rocks, diamonds preferably white and yellow ones.

If you can include contact details I'd be much thankful!

What exactly were you looking at with Shenoa that you thought that you liked?