Well, I may be popping the question within the next 10 years and I need some advice. I know nothing about diamonds, and need help. I was thinking of purchasing online through Amazon or Blue Nile. I know I want one that is perfectly clear in color, but from reading, it seems like you can cut some corners on the cut and the clairty (how many people will be carrying that little monacle microscope?). I dont feel like shopping from store to store and risk the possibility of getting ripped off. Are the diamonds online a good deal, or would I be better served by going store to store? Also...what about pricing...they say 2 months salary, but that seems a little steep. Is this before taxes or after taxes 2 months?

Stavs

Stavs Wrote:
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Also...what about
> pricing...they say 2 months salary, but that seems
> a little steep. Is this before taxes or after
> taxes 2 months?
>

Depends. Is she hot?

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I think….
there….
4a.m.

I can and have seen imperfections in diamonds that I see on other people. I bought my wife a 'perfect' cut diamond once. That was the year I bought her diamonds for every 'event' that gifts were needed.

I've only done this once (but she did say yes), so YMMV. No experience at all in buying online.

If you do go to stores, borrow the little monacle and learn how to use it to check the rock for flaws--all of them will have some. Then pull back from the monacle and see if you can still spot them with the naked eye. If you can, send it back, that's not a "perfectly clear" rock. Repeat as necessary. Don't be afraid to play two stores off each other to get the price down.

And that is everything I know about diamonds. Except that they cost too much because they're controlled by a monopoly (which is also what I know about cable television and BellSouth, come to think of it)...

Remember the "four C's"...
Cut
Color
Clarity
and
Carat.

I don't remember all the details of the "scale", but each characteristic has a range....
I would suggest getting the grade ABOVE "eye clean" on clarity. Meaning; "eye clean" means that the average person without a magnifier can't see any imperfections... however, a CLOSE look and a person CAN see the imperfections...
So get the grade that means that you HAVE to have a 3x magnifier to spot the imperfections.

Basically, do your shopping WITH a small loupe... so that you get better than eye-clean, and better than "average" cut and color.

Also;
Gems are very hard to adequately shop for on-line.
There are lots of rip-off "high quality diamond" vendors.

Better bet is a local Jewelry store with a good reputation and a good return policy.

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
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Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
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Eureka, CA

cubic Zirconia. . .she will never know. . .until it is too late! (just kidding)

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Will Collier Wrote:
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> And that is everything I know about diamonds.
> Except that they cost too much because they're
> controlled by a monopoly (which is also what I
> know about cable television and BellSouth, come to
> think of it)...


I look at the cost and I see my granite countertops or hardwood floors....or dare I say my new deck. It seems quite excessive for eye candy. A buddy of mine was telling me how the value goes up and the ring he bought is worth $10k...I then asked him if he would ever sell it and he said hell no. So big whoop if it goes up in value. Its a scam I say

Stavs

you forgot the 4th C. . .cooties. ..


seriously, there is a diamond monopoly as described above. ..have you though about a different sorta rock perhaps?


Emerald. . .ruby.. . .or whatevever her favorite stone might be?

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Really GOOD emeralds are getting hard to come by... and more expensive than diamonds..

Great choice though.
My mom's engagement ring is an Emerald...

Warning though; Emeralds are much softer than diamonds, and will get corner wear on their facets... take that into consideration when designing a mounting for a ring around an Emerald.

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

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Eureka, CA

If I dont show up with a diamond I'm dead.

. . .sad non? Women are brainwashed that diamonds are it and nothing else will do. . .when there are so many other gems out there. . .


More money doesn't = more love. . .

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Newt,

Any links for free diamonds this week?

You can blame the prices AND the brainwashing on our good buddies at De Beers, the diamond cartel.
[people.howstuffworks.com]
[www.adiamondisforever.com]

I'll keep an eye out for you. . .if something falls off the back of a truck. ..I'll let you know.

;)


$tevie. . .yeah nasty stuff. . .heard about that. . .that is exactly what I was referring to. . ..

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2006 12:11PM by NewtonMP2100.

How about a man made diamond?

I hear they are getting good gem quality output. Mined diamonds have too much chance of having someones blood spent procurring them and I'd rather not support the Debeers monopoly and its inflated prices.

=wr=

Nowadays, there are Canadian non-DeBeers, and Russian non-DeBeers diamonds on the market also...

But DeBeers is still 95% of the worlds diamond market.

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

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--
Eureka, CA

get her a pony instead

Stavs Wrote:
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> Also...what about
> pricing...they say 2 months salary, but that seems
> a little steep. Is this before taxes or after
> taxes 2 months?


What a laugh! Who do you suppose the "they" in "they say" is? Marketing, marketing, marketing.

I would just go to eBay and look for the best deal you can find on a diamond.

First of all, don't buy online. Go to a jeweler (several, preferably) and take a look at their loose stones. Do not purchase a mounted stone - the prongs can hide pretty significant inclusions.

As for the quality of the stone, that's a personal choice. I chose to go with lower carats, but get a higher quality cut, color, and clarity.

Color: F or better
Clarity: VS1, VVS2, VVS1 or better
Cut: Many people think that this refers to the shape of the stone, when that is just a small part of it. "Cut" refers to the actual proportions of the stone relative to the ideal proportions for the chosen shape. The quality of the cut will drastically affect how the stone catches the light and how "brilliant" it looks. When looking at stones, hold them from the bottom under a bright light to compare brilliance. Don't forget to look up and around at the light pattern given off by the stone as you hold and move it under the light - a brighter, more complex pattern often indicates a better cut.
Carets: Personal Preference

When you do find a stone, look at it under a 30x scope and draw out any imperfections. Like a fingerprint, you can use this to verify the stone that gets mounted is the stone you picked.

- Shadow

Stavs Wrote:
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> If I dont show up with a diamond I'm dead.


This is why all the rest of the suggestions really won't cut it!

I've been buying diamonds for my wife for several years as our house has gotten filled up (nice gift, takes up little room). When I first started, I recognized pretty quickly that I could see the difference with a naked eye, at a particular quality level. So, I stay out of the malls/areas around the malls.

Color and clarity matter, and they are pretty obvious. It turns out the cut is a BIG deal. You can get one "brilliant round" cut that looks very different than another with the same color/clarity. Here's how Blue Nile explains it: [www.bluenile.com]. The problem with that is that there's a lot to keep track of regarding cut variables and two different ways that the different grading standards employ. It all gets summarized in a one-word evaluation. So, I have never bought one on line, although a recent report in one of the financial magazines (Kiplinger's???) said that Blue Nile was the best.

What I really do is have a salesperson pull out several that have equivalent ratings on the 4 c's. Then, I look at them in comparison with each other (away from the bright lights of the show case) and buy the most sparkle. It's worked so far.

I buy most of my diamonds from these guys. [www.solomonbrothers.com]

I bought a small (but very nice) engagement ring some 20+ years ago. Actually, we even picked it out together. The next time I even attempted to buy diamonds was a few years ago when I bought her diamond earrings for Christmas. I went to her favorite jeweler, told the guy whom I was buying for and how much I wanted to spend, and he set me up with a very nice pair. A few weeks later she asked if I'd be hurt if she returned it and exchanged it for a watch. No problem for me. I'd rather have her get something she'll actually use.

Better yet, I now don't even attempt to buy real (read: expensive) jewelry for her anymore. I'll never have to worry about the 4 Cs again (unless it's bread crumbs).

Check out Costco, too. Remember that with Costco, if she doesn't like it, not that you won't, she can return it.

Now a personal note. I told my husband specifically not to buy me a diamond for my engagement or wedding ring. I preferred a single band with colored stones. It is gorgeous. I don't like the idea of being told that I have to wear a certain stone or it isn't correct. Especially by the price setting monopoly that sells it. Also, I would have freaked out if he had spent anywhere close to two months salary. What a huge waste. I could not enjoy wearing something that cost that much for everyday jewelry. The amount he spent on my ring did not have any bearing on how much he loved or cared for me.

However, that's just me, and not everyone will feel the same. You should do what is right for you and your situation. Just get the best deal you can.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

I agree rgG - two months salary is WAY too much. My guy already knows that if he wants to spend that kind of money it had better be in the form of new, top of the line, Macs for both of us.

Kathy

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I was told 1 carat and over gets quite a premium, so go JUST under 1 ct (.98). You'll save $ and no one will be the wiser (unless they pull out a scale).

2 months salary???? 2 months salary?!?!?!?!?! What shall I give up for that 2 months? Food? Rent? Utilities? I'll pay 2 friggin months salary for a damned ring that goes on some broads finger the day that friggin DeBeers gives of 2 months gross income. I guess that's a never.

Don't forget when you get rid of the broad, she keeps the ring. I'd say cracker jack box.

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I think she's better served with granite countertops and radiant floor heating...you know that whole barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen thing (just teasin ladies!!!)

Stavs

Not sure of your age Stavs, but I was able to get a great deal at a local shop with a student discount. The owner/operator was at some point on the board of directors at my University.

MacGurl Wrote:
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> I agree rgG - two months salary is WAY too much.
> My guy already knows that if he wants to spend
> that kind of money it had better be in the form of
> new, top of the line, Macs for both of us.

Wuvvu.

Greg the dogsitter Wrote:
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> MacGurl Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I agree rgG - two months salary is WAY too
> much.
> > My guy already knows that if he wants to
> spend
> > that kind of money it had better be in the
> form of
> > new, top of the line, Macs for both of us.
>
>
> Wuvvu.


Guys, this is nice and everything but please, get a room.

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Diamonds = Slavery

Great documentaries on this. I would never buy a diamond. What they do to people to get them, ridiculous.

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3GHz - The clock is STILL ticking Steve.