In the Market to buy a solitaire Diamnond / Advice

[asphaltgambler]

I plan to purchase a diamond engagement ring with-in the next 2 months. Yeah...................I'm taking the plunge!

What advice I need is how does one determine the real market price / value of a particular stone? I see huge differences in pricing in same or very simlilar stones.

I understand weight, cut and clarity. Is there a website or source where I can enter the basic info and get fair market price? I'm not talking about retail, wholesale, insurance value, etc, etc

I have been to several local pawn shops and there is one that specializes in jewelry. They are not a shady or fly-by-night enterprise. They do HUGE business.

They say that whatever they sell me it will appraise for double; possibly more depending on the individual stone.

Anyone ever been down this road? I mean it's as hard as trying to compare matress prices! How can I shop for the best deal?

[the]

A search in OT using the terms "diamond" and "engagement" gives you 11 threads.

You should probably read them all, but especially this one.

[widebody911]

• "Don't"
• divorce attorney on retainer
• therapy

[legion]

I bought a few books off of Amazon. I recommend you do the same. The longest one was about $75 pages. Saved me some money!

Priority #1 is to set a budget. Do not deviate under any circumstances. Keep in mind the price of a setting and wedding band when determining this figure.

Next thing you have to realize is that there are various "grading" laboratories. Some are reputable, some are not. Some will objectively grade a stone, some will accept "suggested gradings" from jewelers. Do your research and you will find which are reputable. (I can't recall off the top of my head which are which.) Do not buy any stones graded by disreputable laboratories.

Finally, you have to find a jeweler you can work with. I went to a big jeweler here in town that had been in business for 75 years. I told them what I wanted and what I wanted to spend. (Round Ideal, .75k, D-F color, and VVS2 or higher clarity.) The first stone they showed me had a huge chunk missing from the side, I left without saying a word. I stopped by a small strip-mall jeweler that had been around a little less than a decade and they were willing to work with me. I worked with the owner. He ordered diamonds from around the country to show me and was patient until we found the right one. We repeated the process with the setting. We negotiated on the price. To this day, I buy all of my wife's jewelry from them, and the knock 10% off of their sticker price because I bought an engagement ring from them. The mall stores where all staffed by post-high school punks who were trying to score a big commission. A waste of time IMO.

[Jims5543]

I feel sorry for you man. My wife and I were very young when we got married. We were trying to buy our first home and just plain get established financially.

My wife was fine with a CZ in a custom made ring with guard.

15 years later she has a very nice diamond that I was able to buy off someone at a discount after having it checked for clarity and quality. She now has a very nice ring.

What I love about her is that she never demanded I go over my head in debt. so she could show off some giant ass rock. After spending so much money on my stupid car habit I decided to take a nice chunk and get her a real diamond. She never asked for it.

The only ones that knew my wifes ring was CZ was me, her and our Jewler.

[legion]

Originally posted by the
You should probably read them all, but especially this one.

Is that our Ferrari-driving Motion?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

[widebody911]

[turbo6bar]

Haha, good stuff.

[asphaltgambler]

I have already been down that road..............by the river...........eating government cheese.

Seriously I need info here on what market price is for a particular grading.

As in: I want to buy this Targa with 80K on the clock. Where to look to for market price?

There has to be info; something/somewhere that does this for diamonds even if it is an estimate

[vash]

CONGRATS!!!! i am a paranoid, cynical, fool. i would buy the thing from a reputable, high end jeweler and cough up the extra hundreds...err thousands, to get a stone that measures up to the love that you must feel for this lovely lady.

my girl said "NO". (actually it was "HELL NO!"), so i have one laying around. i could rebuild a three liter, with it....loveisabtich.

[Dantilla]

Step 1:

Stay away from any mall jewelery chain!

[legion]

BlueNile.com will give you a good idea of retail prices...

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by Dantilla
Step 1:

Stay away from any mall jewelery chain!

Go into your town's most upscale jewelry store...tell the clerk you wish to look at engagement/wedding sets. Then, in a firm but loving voice, say: "Whatever you want, sweetheart." Smile and be sincere when saying this. This because you will be saying this for a long, long, time.

[legion]

I'd been telling my wife since the day we started dating that I did not want to get married, ever. I did all of my shopping in secret, and surprised her by proposing at dinner out one night. She was too shocked by the fact that I actually proposed to complain.

[Seahawk]

I proposed to my wife without a ring...

We then did our homework together, set a budget (like other folks have suggested) and settled on a loose stone, then she picked the setting.

That approach worked for us.

And the appraisal...be practical, but your're not supposed to sell it!!!

[sammyg2]

Oh man, poor Motion. He's never gonna live that one down.
funny stuff tho.........

[Laneco]

Buy her a STUNNING CZ ring and a beautiful 911! Dang that makes me happy just thinking about it!

angela

[Flatbutt1]

www.nomarriage.com NOW!!!!

[motion]

Damn it, the.