Anyone here have a good jeweler or diamond broker connection?

[Rick Lee]

It's time to upgrade Mrs. Lee's ring. I don't want to deal with selling a loose diamond and would prefer someone who can offer an upgrade and take hers in trade plus cash from me. Any great Pelican connections out there?

[MBAtarga]

There has been a jeweler on here. I contacted him for a similar project - but I decided against it for other reasons. I'll check PMs and see if I can find him.

Edit- quattrorunner - and he's still active just today.

[look 171]

Sorry I can't be of any help. My Dad still had some connections even retired but since he passed away 3 years ago, I lost all that. Your hardest part is to sell it to someone who wants a ring like yours. Retailers are going beat you to pulp with their low offers. They just can't sell it unless its a single diamond. You would have to sell it at way below wholesale price.

[stomachmonkey]

If you where in TX I have a guy who makes my wifes bespoke stuff.

Real crusty old South African dude and old world craftsman.

He won’t take your stone in trade though.

Try to find a local guy that you can work with.

We don’t shop retail except to get ideas / inspiration because the markup on this stuff is stupid.

My guy makes custom pieces of much higher quality for less than retail jewelry shops sell mediocre to average stuff for.

I pay for time and materials and not the overhead of marketing, a retail storefront, and front of house sales staffs base.

You may find you’ll make out better even if they won’t take your old stone.

[Rick Lee]

I know the markup on retail is nuts. I'm a cash buyer. We're probably gonna have to write off her current setting, as she wants something new, and we really just want to move up another 0.50ct for the rock. So anyone who will offer a decent trade with my paying the difference would be just right for us.

[look 171]

Rick, quality and size of the stone is the key here assume its a diamond? The setting and other smaller stones (again under assumption that there are smaller stones?) are basically worthless to a retailer. It really is cheap to purchase those pre-made settings. A stone can be a hard sell from a retailer's stand point. Good luck with the trade. The right retailer will take your trade so they can sell you a bigger rock. Just being honest here.

[Bill Douglas]

Rick, as a hobby I buy a few diamond rings at high end estate type auctions. Buy a decent sized (good quality too) rock that is in a ring that no one wants, and any good jeweler can fit it up to your wife's ring.

Saves you a fortune.

[Rick Lee]

Mrs. Lee is a pretty good shopper. She'll sniff out the best deal there is to be had. We're gonna have to get creative.

[GH85Carrera]

My mom inherited her mom's wedding ring, and her MIL and two grandmothers rings. All of them were fairly small diamonds and mostly sentimental value. She had her wedding ring modified to have all those diamonds on it, and it was well done, and most important mom loved it.

When she died she willed it to my sister-in-law and now she cherishes it. She was trying to add up the number of years of marriage all those diamonds represented and was over 250 years of marriage in one ring. They all went 50+ years of marriage and mu brother and SIL have been married since 1978.

Cash value is likely not that much but my SIL will never sell it.

[Amail]

I know a guy. Check you PM's.

[aigel]

Wasn't there an expert on diamond rings on the board? Maybe add a flower store?

I don't think those ancient threads are still in the database. It is a shame ...

Edit .... ooooo ....
Pity poor me....

Looks broken up but still, some of it is still there ... 2.8 carats!


G

[look 171]

George, there are a bunch of old names on that thread. Hell, lots of old names here too.

[look 171]

When we got hitched, my wife didn't really have too much of a choice on the stone. Dad call his diamond wholesaler and requested a few stones of a certain grade. I took her upstairs with me to pick them up so dad can have a look back at the shop. She was in shock when the dealer came out with a shoe box size of diamond of various sizes. He picked out a few bags and poured each of them out onto a tray and said to me, "you pick, take what you need and pay me after your wife decides on the stone". I took three like I was suppose to and laughed but my wife was wild eyes, mouth open. Off we went back to dad's shop to make our selection. Fun times. Now, my wife isn't into jewelry, neither is my mother or my sister. Me, I'm only into em' if someone is wearing them. My cheap Casio watch is my jewelry. She wears it once every few years. Oh, she didn't have too much of a choice on the design neither. She wanted a certain way and my father just took over and showed her the setting in the rough right before it was soldered together. She still gives me siht for it today.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by look 171

George, there are a bunch of old names on that thread. Hell, lots of old names here too.

Amazing. 20 years ...

[look 171]

Originally Posted by aigel

Amazing. 20 years ...

Yeah, where did the time go?

I remembered debating with you about the durability of the little Toyota truck engine vs German engines from BMW or Benz. Where did the time go? You know why I remember it? You red 911 with one wheel off the ground. This was in Tech which I no longer visit in over 10 -15 years.