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Engagement Ring Advice Needed

T

twa5786

Active Member
Feb 21, 2007
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USA
Fanatics - I'm well underway in the engagement ring process, and I was wondering if any of you had any experience negotiating diamond and/or band prices, and what your advice would be in that department?

I'm avoiding the mall stores, so I can eliminate that aspect.
 
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Understand the difference in quality. Cut and Clarity. Some will try to sell only on size and it will be a yellow color to it. Also some have imperfections in the diamond. See if you can see some under a microscope to determine differences in imperfections and clarity. There is a grading scale for diamonds, know the grade and what it means.
 
Thanks Buf. I understand all of that. Now that I have a few diamonds and pricing to compare, and I can pit the different stores against each other a little bit, I think I have a little leverage. It's just difficult figuring out how much you can negotiate the band - I think the diamonds are easier to compare.
 
Remember a diamond is just a shiny rock that someone dug out of the ground and treat it's value as such when negotiating.

When I bought my wife's ring I paid less than 1/2 of their asking price on the diamond. I'm sure I still got screwed and they still made a ton of money on that shiny rock.
 
Awesome, thanks guys. ISUAggie, you are the man! I bet they hated you when you walked out of that store!
 
Bigger isn't necessarily better. Look at cut and clarity. Also, by within your means. I know of too many people buying rings they can't afford and then being in debt for awhile or paying a lot more due to credit card interest because of it.
 
You can go low on clarity and a little lower on color if the cut is good. Sometimes you can get a bigger looking stone with less carat weight by getting a shallowed cut so it will look bigger.


but overall.... dont do it
 
As someone else said, the Blue Nile is a great place to get a good idea of what you are after. My husband spent a good bit of time checking things out on there. First, decide what your budget is and never, ever, tell it to a salesperson :)
Know what your lady is interested in and how much you are willing to give up in size vs. quality. Not sure where you are from but we went to Joseph's in Des Moines and they were great.
 
i know its a mall store but try brodkeys jewelers. my wife just went in with a friend of mine who was picking one out for his girlfriend. they were willing to sit down with him and show him size/color under a microscope and they showed him the differences between some of the better quality and lesser quality diamonds. he also told them the price he was able to spend (up to $1500) and that he really wanted a particular diamond that was too much (~$2000) which was a colorless half karat. the person working there called the store owner and said he would sell it for $1250 and would mount it in a solitaire band for $200. this price also came with a warranty (not sure exactly what it was) but a warranty + diamond + setting for $1450 is a pretty good price. just some help there.
 
One important thing to look for...how does it shine when it's out of the light. Any diamond can shimmer and shine when it has a bunch of lights pointed at it. Take it below the counter or out of the light and see what it looks like then. That will tell you a lot of how the diamond will look when she wears it every day.
 
Always buy your rings through Amazon. No sales tax. Free shipping too. You can send it back in 90 days with little pouting on their part (if the romance does not last).
 
Maybe it's just me, but if you have to put it under a microscope to tell the difference in quality, then why the hell would I pay extra money for better clarity and cut? The one lady showed me two different diamonds that were the same size and asked me if I could see the difference. I said, "yes, about $2000".

IMO, nobody is ever going to put the ring under a microscope ever again. Save the money, and you can get a bigger size for the same money if it's not the same "quality"

Anyone else feel that way? or is it just me?
 
I'm no expert, but had good luck with Iowa Diamond. I walked out with a .5 carat, color D, clarity VVS2, Asscher Cut Diamond for under $2000 w/ mounting and band. At least, I feel like I wasn't ripped off while still supporting a local business too.
 
Have you looked at Sam's Club. I got VS1, a little over a carrot for alot less than mall stores were selling lower quality SI1 stuff.
 
peteypie said:
Maybe it's just me, but if you have to put it under a microscope to tell the difference in quality, then why the hell would I pay extra money for better clarity and cut? The one lady showed me two different diamonds that were the same size and asked me if I could see the difference. I said, "yes, about $2000".

IMO, nobody is ever going to put the ring under a microscope ever again. Save the money, and you can get a bigger size for the same money if it's not the same "quality"

Anyone else feel that way? or is it just me?
Click to expand...

I think some look at it as an investment as well. Much like gold in a way. I know of couples that "upgrade" later on, and getting the most out of something when hopefully it's a better quality to begin with will pay off later on.

To me size wasn't a concern. So providing something more priceless in quality instead of a yellow scratched up rock was more meaningful.

EDIT: And since the engagement/marriage didn't work.........now I have a very good piece of rock that I can at least get my money back and more. Now I can upgrade on the next lucky lady who really deserves it!
 
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