This is really off topic, but I figured some of you guys may know. Do any of you guys have experience buying an engagement ring in the DFW area? I just wanted to get some ideas of some reasonable places to go besides the overpriced, over-advertised ones. Thanks.

 

Uh-oh! I see where this is going......."Honey will you marry me?" "Yes"............(2 weeks later) FOR SALE 2004 Twilight Blue G35C / 5AT.....Reason for selling.....The G just isn't practical anymore. I need an SUV, plus the wife won't let me mod it anymore........(1 year later)......FOR SALE SUV....Reason for selling.....not practical anymore.....Kids on the way and need a bigger house and a Honda for better fuel economy and safety.

 

That is too funny of a response. However, I proposed on Christmas Day to my girl. I went to Jarad's. First I went to the jewelry exchange and then to a jeweler my friend recommended to me. I went to Jarad's after a very good friend of mine went there and bought his girl her ring there. They have everything you can want. Depending on your budget they have diamonds as small as .25 carat all the way up to whatever you want. Hope this helps.

 

I proposed a few days after you did ... but I had done a half dozen months of research before buying. I ended up going with bluenile (online).

Show up at Posado's tonight and I'll tell you everything you need to know!

This is a pic of what I ended up buying although the center stone is bigger than in this picture:
http://www.bluenile.com/assets/produ...D_150_zoom.jpg

Center stone is 1.38 carat, ideal cut (signature ideal), F color, VS2 clarity

There are so many factors that go in to deciding on the center stone.

 

Good job buying the ring. I know what you mean. I spent a few hours at the store when buying the ring. It was almost the most stressfull thing you have to do. Where do you guys meet up at?

 

I am not in the dallas area, but my dad is a 3rd generation jeweler in NY (I'm staying out of the biz, but I have a background).

An honest jeweler should always show you the flaws in the stone. He should instruct you how to use a loop (Put it close to your eye and bring the ring into focus by moving your hand closer/further). He should be able to tell you where all the flaws are and you should se them (depending on the flaw). Some look like ghost whispers, some like black dots, etc.

Make sure you ask if the stone has been treated or backfilled.

As grading goes color starts D (best) aka colorless and runs through the alphabet.

Grading-remeber SI1 (Slightly Imperfect) and better, you won't be able to see the flaws with the naked eye. If he tells you a stone is SI1 and you see flaws with your naked eye, there are problems.

Remember the 4 C's - Color, Cut, Clarity, Carat -

Round stones are the least expensive per carat due to there being less waste when they are cut. Fancy cuts (Marquis, Oval, Radiant, Princess, Pear, Etc)will incur a premium.

Certified Stones: Always a great investment to buy a certified stone, you will pay a little more, but you know what you are getting. There are 2-3 recognizeable gem labs that certify stone I believe (May have changed). I don't remeber off the top of my head, but I believe GIA was one. Do your research or I can ask my dad which ones are good. Obviously a certification is only as good as the person/place that did it.

Remember your price points: There are exponential increases in costs as you hit certain Carat weights. IE - Say you have 2 identical stones, one being .99CTW (Carat Total Weight) the other 1.01CTW At .99 that stone could be priced at say 10,000 per carat whereas the 1.01 could be priced at 10,500 per carat. So even though color, cut, etc are the same, you'll pay more for the larger stone because it went over the 1.0 CTW mark. The price points are usually set at half and full intervals. In bigger stones I believe they increase the point on the 1/2 or 1/4 CTW weights. Just something to note!

My dad always reco's people to go with a smaller stone of better quality then a larger stone of worse quality. Keep in mind the bigger you go, the more color, visible flaws, etc will be noticed.

Finally - If possible, no matter what you are willing to spend, put a bulk of the money into the center stone and as little as possible (if you can get away with it) to the band and side diamonds. Typically, girls remount their rings every 10yrs or so. If your money is spent on the center, consider it more of an investment.

 

this sounds familiar

 

Great post Diesel - good info.

You may laugh, but Sam's club has become one of (if not the) largest diamond sellers in America, and carries certified stones at a competitive price.

 

COSTCO also has special order diamonds from their website also. I ordered mine and had it sent to the local store, no deposit required.

 

Just keep in mind with Costco (keep in mind this is coming from the son of a jeweler/small business owner) - Yes larger chain type places can offer lower prices due to their buying power, but where is the customer service? I understand Costco has a great return policy etc, but sometimes I think the major chains just extend themselves too far. Who is selling the stones/jewelery in Costco and what experience do they have? Sometimes it's worth it to support a local and reputable mom & pop shop in the long run!

Remember when you can run down to the local hardware store and pick something up quick. Now you have to drive a few minutes, find help in HD, wait on a long **** line or do the SELF CHECK out that takes even longer....when all is said and done, you spent over an hour trying to buy a bolt! And Blockbuster, yeah they were nice and cheap when they first started, now they ran all the mom n pops out of biz and charge you an arm and a leg to rent a dvd you have to return 20 minutes after you rent it! (Yes I know they changed their policy, just ranting a bit)

Bigger is not always better.

 

You're probably right, so I need to enjoy this car as much as possible, while I can. I had about 12 boxes show up after new years day (everything from an AVIC-D1, to new springs, to Klasse). Needless to say my girlfriend was really pissed so I have to make up for it.

 

Damn I'm good!

 

Having just gone though the same expieirence my self (got engaged on 12/16). The best advice I can give is this.... you get what you pay for. That goes for any store, including costco. Also, dont under estimate cut. You can the the most clear, colorless diamond out there but if the cut is wrong, it will look like salt. I would say that Cut and Clarity are actually the most critical variables in selecting a stone.... well cost too. Good luck.

 

Does anybody have access to the Dallas Market Center. I heard that there are several places there that offer a wide selection of loose diamonds.

 

FireFox, I didn't even realize it was you that started this thread as we were driving all over SMU campus yesterday, lol.

I'm don't know anything about the Dallas Market Center but I can give you pointers on what to look for when you find some loose stones that you are interested in buying. Diesel's post was pretty informative so there's not much more to tell you from that aspect.

I would still suggest looking at bluenile.com at least to use them as a reference. I started looking at the Jewelry Exchange for loose diamonds but soon realized that their website does not provide enough information. I was not only looking for a diamond with an ideal cut, "colorless" color, and a good clarity but also learned how the proportions of the cut greatly affect the overall brilliance and ability to reflect light. Here is some information from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) about Diamond Cut: http://www.gia.edu/research/29324/diamond_cut_faq.cfm

It is very important for you to go to jewelers and look at the different cuts and colors and clarities with your own eyes. Hold a "F" color next to an "I" color of the same size are clarity. Then compare a VVS1 clarity next to a SI2 clarity of the same size and color. Lastly compare an "ideal" cut next to a "good" cut of the same size color and clarity. Size (carat) is really based on your budget but let your eyes decide between the other 3 C's.