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dukeofurl posted:Actually, Walter Hoving made it a policy that Tiffanys will never negotiate price. It's a very good policy. I never negotiate on price. If a customer needs to spend less we move to a different diamond or a simpler setting.
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Feb 9, 2008 00:26
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zman8 posted:Also, how much does cash upfront affect the cost? Typical online sellers will give you a few percent discount for sending cash via a wire transfer. It's basically the difference between sales price and the fees they pay to process credit cards. Buying online is much like the retail experience. Trusted online sellers with proven track records are the same as walking into a retail store since the customer oftentimes doesn't have the wherewithal to know if the retail seller is lying. There's a lot of trust involved regardless of where you buy your jewelry. In the interest of full disclosure I should say that I actually own a company that specializes in diamond engagement rings, and we sell them online. Our website is in the final days of construction, and we're hoping to officially launch next week. http://www.johnnybrookheart.com Feel free to shoot me an email. We happily give 5% discounts to goons, and our prices are already on par with other online jewelers. I could probably come up with 50 goons who could serve as references. 
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Nov 27, 2008 20:29
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zman8 posted:I was under the impression that there is still the "3 month's salary standard." Is that no longer true? The cultural standard for Japan is 3 months, and the US market uses a standard of 2 months salary generally. From what I see, the amount of money spent seems to be a function not of salary but of the social standing of the couple. Some social circles are full of women wearing big diamonds, and new fiances within that circle tend to receive larger stones. There's definitely a social context. Eastern cultures use diamonds as a store of value (easily transportable wealth for fleeing war-torn countries), and Western cultures often use diamonds as a social signaling mechanism. In the end it all comes down to a matter of personal preference.
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Nov 29, 2008 00:43
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Man, getting married is cheap. Elope. The wedding means nothing because it's the commitment that is important. My buddy Kyle threw a rockstar-tastic hoedown wedding. He rented an empty barn, hired a hillbilly band, and brought in some redneck bbq catering place. It didn't cost him much money and the guests still talk about how cool it is.
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Jan 3, 2009 21:21
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zman8 posted:It is a 1.22 VS2 Ideal G, in a platinum channel set with .6 total carrat princess cut VS2 F-G. See, this is why I always tell people to buy a very well cut diamond. The optical performance really makes a difference. That's a beautiful ring.
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Jan 9, 2009 18:37
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Bambi posted:It seems like it would be such a hassle if I had to exchange it for size purposes. Luckily, resizing a ring doesn't require an exchange. A goldsmith just cuts the base of the ring and either adds or subtract some gold to get to the proper size. If you are buying a ring online try to stay away from anything that has diamonds all the way around the band. Those rings often cannot be resized. You're going to pay higher prices in a retail store. I sell diamonds online, and while we have the ability to offer more value we have to forgo the walk-in business that retail jewelers enjoy. How about this ring?
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Jan 26, 2009 07:06
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Bambi posted:Too good to be true, or what? For what it's worth the seller seems pretty reputable. In this scenario I would be careful. That price is most definitely too good to be true. Ask if the stone has any enhancements - Many eBay sellers like to sell fracture filled diamonds as "Natural Enhanced."
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Jan 27, 2009 02:09
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As long as the moissanite is cut well it should look great. I haven't seen much difference between different moissanite pieces other than the color in the early stuff vs. the newer pieces.
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Feb 5, 2009 20:26
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Yoga posted:My fiance surprised me with my ring, and it has a real diamond, which I don't want at all. I want to keep the ring itself for sentimental reasons, but would like to swap the stone out for a moissanite or CZ. How does one go about selling a diamond? Any jeweler will work a deal with you, but honestly you'll be losing money if you sell it. I can only assume that he bought it at retail price. Take the ring back to where it came, and explain that you want something synthetic. Most jewelers give no questions asked returns for a limited time.
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Feb 6, 2009 20:27
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brc64 posted:Also, we want to walk up the aisle together to the Hyrule theme, because we're dorks. The Hyrule theme in flute, strings, and pipe organ would rock.
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Feb 11, 2009 05:08
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amethystbliss posted:You should definitely ask both your family and hers (if you feel comfortable) if anyone has any kind of heirloom jewelry. Or you could turn it into cash with which to buy an engagement ring. We oftentimes will take old jewelry in on trade towards a new engagement ring.
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Feb 17, 2009 21:59
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This is a little off-topic, but it's valid since most people in the thread seem to be concerned with saving money on their wedding expenses. Is there any interest for some men's wedding bands in titanium or tungsten? I'm considering buying a large close-out lot from a bankrupt jewelry store. Photo attached below. If I can get enough interest I'll buy the entire lot and put them in SA-Mart for $60 shipped.
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Feb 17, 2009 22:59
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No, not really. An enhanced diamond is one that is either heat treated to improve the color and clarity (HPHT treatment), or has black inclusions laser drilled out and the cavities refilled with a material that has a refractive index similar to diamond (Fracture Filled). They're very durable, and even untreated diamonds will chip if struck at the proper angle. The only caveat is that if you are using a fracture filled diamond you have to alert the jeweler any time there is work done on the piece. A hot torch can liquefy the filling and the diamond will have to be retreated.
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Feb 24, 2009 04:38
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I just called one of the companies that supplies me with diamonds and they remember the duty as being ~30%. Ouch!
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Feb 26, 2009 21:34
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KarmaCandy posted:Okay... this is going to sound even tackier, but I'm actually kind of serious: Yeah, that's pretty boorish. You have to figure that every person will have one drink per hour (They normally drink two in the first hour, one in the second, and then it slows down drastically). If you have a four hour mingle you will be spending roughly $700 per hour. If you're worried about your friends being drunk idiots then don't invite them or switch to a brunch reception.
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Mar 3, 2009 06:58
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Rockwell posted:I posted in here a long time ago and realized I never posted a picture of the engagement ring (I'm kinda picky in what I buy). I'm very happy and comfortable with my purchase. That's a beautiful ring. I love the Birks box, too.
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Mar 3, 2009 19:21
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I can do that very easily. PM me your specifics or use the contact form on johnnybrookheart.com.
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Mar 7, 2009 00:47
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Those are fantastic invitations. I love the veneer, and good show.
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Mar 11, 2009 05:08
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Psylocibe: PM Borg: Are you forseeing any great difficulties in the marriage/green card process? A friend of mine married a foreign national and her green card took 9 months from submission to approval.
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Mar 21, 2009 05:15
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Sup Rootbeer Baron. Brick or Click? Psylocibe: Pricescope is great in the "which one is priced better" equation, but people forget that GIA reports only include half of the information that describes a diamond. If you loved the diamond then stick the report in a filing cabinet and tell the Pricescope crowd to get stuffed. Like every internet forum there are a lot of good guys there and also a lot of clowns. SterlingSylver posted:When talking over engagement rings with my girlfriend, we've more or less decided on a range of diamonds that would work (.75-1ct, F color or better, etc...). We're also not thrilled by the idea that this stupid hunk of carbon will help fund the general loving up of the continent of Africa. 1) Rough diamonds ship to the American dealers with contractual guarantees that they come from countries not currently involved in conflict. The paperwork must be filed with the US government after the diamonds are imported into the USA. No diamantaire can afford the bad publicity that comes with buying conflict diamonds. Things have greatly improved since everyone realized what was going on. Any jeweler can source a Canadian diamond, but they often demand a price premium simply because Canadian workers are paid more to mine them. The last retail average I heard was a 30% premium, but that may have come down in recent months. We have a manufacturer connection for them so in most cases we aren't forced to charge extra if the customer wants a Canadian diamond. 2) Resizing is no problem unless the setting has diamonds entirely encircling the finger. If the ring has only metal underneath the finger then it shouldn't be an issue to go up or down enough to be comfortable. I'm sorry that you feel skittish about shopping online, but many people are doing it these days. The big trade off is that you may not be able to see it in person initially, but most jewelry websites have great return policies if you are unsatisfied. If you go to buy a diamond in a brick and mortar store you will almost assuredly pay a higher price because the retail stores have to cover their inventory carrying costs and other overhead. We online jewelers can sell higher quality at lower prices because our monthly expenses are 10% of a retail store.
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Mar 22, 2009 08:37
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That's very pretty, roop. I love the scalloped prongs for the side diamonds. Guy LaDouche: My goldsmith recommended this swirly design for you. It's a solitaire, but you could always turn the other two diamonds you have into a set of earrings for the wedding. Let me know if you would like a price on it.  
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Apr 6, 2009 03:32
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PhillyLucky posted:I just bought my girlfriend an engagement ring a few weeks ago. The ring itself was 2500 dollars. It seems like a nice ring, but the stone doesnt seem gigantic. She wanted something with numerous diamonds, so I think its a little over 2 carats, but Im assuming alot of the diamonds are in the band itself. I sell diamonds, and there's no rule of thumb as to what you're supposed to spend. I've seen millionaires buy half carat engagement rings, and I've seen blue collar guys blow half a year's salary on museum quality diamond specimens. I can't tell you if you bought the right ring, but if you post the specs I'll tell you if it's on par with the American engagement market. Post a picture and the women in the thread can at least tell you if it's pretty.
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Apr 7, 2009 21:52
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Chemmy posted:They have a diamond selector where you can pick what stone you want and it's all conflict free so you can still give deBeers the middle finger. DeBeers diamonds are sold through the legitimate channels and are legally classified as Conflict Free. Brilliant Earth's marketing campaign puts up a "we are different" facade, but I do not believe that they promise a DeBeers free diamond or sell any different products than your local retail jeweler. Turkeybone, is there a reason why you are paying $550 for a titanium ring? For that price (or very close) you could have the same ring made in white or yellow gold. For a light blue or green diamond you will probably need to look for a natural diamond that has been irradiated to add color. They are available in every color of the rainbow, and are exponentially cheaper than purchasing a natural fancy colored diamond. I would stay away from man-made diamonds. As of yet there is no cost savings except for off-color and off-make gems, and sourcing them can be difficult since they are sold outside the normal channels. We sell all of these things. If you would like a quote, or any jewelry questions answered, feel free to shoot me a PM here or a message via the http://brookheart.com contact form.
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May 12, 2009 08:40
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Kitten Kisses posted:I tend to be a clumsy person so I know I will be banging my hand and that ring into walls and crap pretty often. I also have a puppy who loves to chew my fingers. I think sapphire should be strong enough to stand up to that but I'm worried about the paved diamonds falling out. I am being paranoid over this, or should it be a real concern? You are going to be A-OK! If you have to repair the ring once every five to ten years the costs involved will be minimal. You don't sound any rougher than the average jewelery customer, but you should always remove your jewelry when doing rough work with your hands.
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May 24, 2009 21:46
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dishwasherlove posted:What should I know about buying a platinum engamgent ring? Gold is out because she is too fair skinned (doesn't own any gold jewellery) and white gold needs to be constantly replated with rhodium. Typically, a good rhodium job will only need a touchup every year, and possibly significantly less. My wife's engagement ring is two years old, and it hasn't needed another rhodium plating yet. It's always a good idea to have a ring inspected and cleaned annually. Loose prongs can happen from banging the ring against a door or table, and it's the #1 reason we see missing engagement diamonds. The only thing to know about platinum is that it's heavier, and that the costs are significantly higher. The metal is fairly affordable right now, but there will always be a price premium since it is significantly more labor intensive.
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May 24, 2009 21:53
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Lixer posted:This brings us to $500. Your price is insane for all the work it's going to be. A real caterer with advertising, a commercial kitchen, insurance, and employees would charge at least $2,000. I just checked prices with a local caterer and for passed appetizers they want $6 per head + 22% service charge. And that's just for light appetizers before a meal - If you want the apps to replace a meal then you're looking at $20+22% a head. That doesn't include the $1,000 cake! Since you aren't a pro I would tell her that your price is "Total Expenses + 50% profit." Do not buy anything yourself. Make the bride go with you to the restaurant supply house (or Sam's club) and she can pay for the food. You should copy every receipt and then give her a bill for your profit. The worst case scenario is that you don't get the job and can avoid the disaster this is guaranteed to turn into.
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Jun 6, 2009 04:41
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maso posted:Also keep in mind that many women know they don't need TWO rings. She may be happy with a ring serving for both engagement and as a wedding band. That's what I'm doing. We often sell diamond engagement rings with very simple wedding bands. Many women feel uncomfortable wearing a high dollar engagement ring on the bus. The simpler wedding band gets worn alone when traveling through bad neighborhoods.
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Jun 19, 2009 06:41
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RedFish posted:Go there. Pricescope is a great resource, but understand that it's an anonymous internet forum. Professionals like to giggle when the Pricescope crowd says things like "a GIA XXX cert is the same thing as an AGS 000 cert. They both mean that the diamond is ideal and displays hearts and arrows." (Absolutely untrue) There are a few fantastic jewelers that hang out there, but a lot of the people on Pricescope are self-certified "experts." If I gave Pricescope money I would be their recommended diamond house. The website exists to make someone money from referral sales, product placement, and advertising. It's the internet. The usual skepticism applies. Kitten Kisses posted:Thank you You're welcome! Your ring came together wonderfully.
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Jun 23, 2009 04:38
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LuckyDaemon posted:..there are 5 bridesmaids and 3 groomsmen... That's a small army. No one will notice.
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Jun 26, 2009 16:37
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Hawkeye posted:Does anyone have experience buying a ring without seeing it in person, if they are not able to get a stock one in? Sure, we sell engagement rings all the time to people over long distances using only photos. If you show up to get the ring and it is not as advertised you can always demand a refund. But you're probably going to be A-OK. Mercury makes nice goods.
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Jun 29, 2009 03:36
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Hawkeye, I was going to send you a PM (but you don't have plat), but make sure that you're paying under the listed price on that website. $1,500 is ~$500 higher than that setting should be.
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Jun 29, 2009 03:38
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Hawkeye posted:...do you bust out pricescope for the diamonds on the band and calculate the cost of gold etc. That's not really how it works. The overwhelming cost in an engagement setting is the costs of having an artist concept a design and then the labor to produce the ring. Setting all those small stones takes quite a bit of time. Hawkeye posted:He also said that "finished" the ring would be about $1200. I assume by that he means resizing/fitting in stone etc. "Finished" means properly sized, stones set, and polished. Don't feel bad saying "Eh, I like it; but it just seems a bit expensive with what else I've seen. Could we do $1,000?"
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Jun 29, 2009 23:24
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I have always liked the gown from Charlotte Balbier. http://www.charlottebalbier.com/ If I were not in the jewelry business I would open a boutique solely to sell their dresses.
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Jul 2, 2009 03:41
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Hawkeye, I feel your pain. It's what I do every day, and it's a serious pain. It's almost futile for two reasons - 1) Typical reports only list 50% of a diamond's total characteristics and 2) there are no real definitive standards for the absolute best make. A room full of diamond merchants can argue for hours over what makes the most beautiful diamond. Its amazing how specific you can get on a diamond. There are specialist Japanese gemology labs that issue multiple page reports for a single stone!
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Jul 3, 2009 07:23
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Hawkeye posted:That's my plan, it seems logical to me but please let me know. Hawkeye, that's a fine plan. You're welcome, and I like to help.
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Jul 3, 2009 21:22
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EchoBase posted:A three stone diamond ring Three stone diamond rings are very common for engagements. I have a style on my website that is priced from $3,000 to $123,000 depending on size. It's a very popular engagement style. My wife's diamond ring was a secondhand piece of estate jewelry. To be honest, it is not the kind of ring you would expect a diamond merchant's wife to wear but it was what I could afford at the time. She treasures it and has refused numerous attempts to upgrade it. There's always the thought that your fiance feels you recycled a ring to be selfishly cheap. Some women feel their fiance didn't think they were worth buying a ring (very likely if your fiance has low self confidence). If it's a problem of perception I would recommend having the diamonds reset into a new three stone design. If you can't reconcile this I recommend breaking off your engagement. You two need to spend a lot of time talking to figure out what you're going to do.
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Jul 14, 2009 19:59
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demozthenes posted:Insight. I think there's a lot of great perspective in that post.
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Jul 15, 2009 00:15
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Karnegal posted:The appraisal on the ring was also significantly more than the ting cost (something like appraised at 5k paid 3k). You have to ask yourself a question. If it was "worth" double the appraisal would they have sold it to you for half price? When a retailer's default behavior is to pass out an appraisal for an amount higher than the purchase price you know that it's just a marketing trick.
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Jul 21, 2009 01:49
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It looks great. If you have a loupe or a small magnifying glass try holding it up to your camera lens. That should do it.
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Jul 24, 2009 18:18
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demozthenes posted:she asked me to look up origins of Tiffany's diamonds - he wants to buy her an enviable piece from there, but will buy a rock separately and have them set it if it will ease their consciences. Tiffany will not set an outside diamond in their rings. I have always been amazed at the secondhand diamonds we see with Tiffany paperwork. There are better options if you care about quality. You'll probably never find a public listing of where Tiffany sources their diamonds, but I believe that the majority of them come from a mine in either South Africa or Lesotho. Neither of those countries is currently at war so they would not be classified as blood diamonds.
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Jul 26, 2009 05:34
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