I've been a long time lurker but am a first time poster, so please go easy.
I am currently shopping for an engagement ring and am wondering if some of you may have tips/suggestions as to how to maximize the value I can get. I've done the research regarding the 4C's and have gone to quite a few stores to look at diamonds but could definitely use all the help I can get.
For instance, is there a time of the year when diamonds are cheaper due to seasonal sales, etc... What are some of the strategies that can be used to get the best bang for the buck -- is it buying the diamond over the internet, negotiating with BM stores, etc...
Is the reason diamond pricing is all over the board is because retailers have different markups on the same diamonds or are Tiffany's diamonds in some way superior to the lower priced counterparts?
I've searched FW but the only threads I've been able to find so far have all been archived. Would anyone here like to offer some new ideas or strategies?
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mrmakochan said:Have you checked out Pricescope and the forums there? There are a lot of knowledgeable people there.Thanks, I have. Pricescope seems to focus very heavily on internet shopping and on the best specs but I'm trying to get some tips of maximizing the best deal, which may or may not be by going with an ideal cut from an Internet vendor.
BTW, i'm a fan of man-made diamonds. read the WIRED (computer magazine) article if you're really interested. great info in that article. it's a couple of years old though.
BTW, i'm a fan of man-made diamonds. read the WIRED (computer magazine) article if you're really interested. great info in that article. it's a couple of years old though.Thanks, I quoted the above threads in my post above. As for CZ, they are just not an option. I don't think that a diamond symbolizes my love and commitment any more than a CZ but the idea still makes me cringe. Besides, I'm quite certain that my girlfriend feels the same way about it.
bozo007 said:So after finding all those threads, you still felt your situation is unique enough to start a new thread?The situation is anything but unique, which is the reason that quite a few people might benefit from a current thread (i.e., one that hasn't been archived) that discusses the latest diamond tips & tricks. For instance, I keep hearing that diamond prices have gone up 20-30% over the past year or two and that gold and platinum have gone way up as well. Having said that though, would it make sense for a jeweler who has a gold setting in stock that he purchased before the prices skyrocketed? Are jewelers willing to negotiate on the price? What are the best techniques that can be employed?
Even more importantly, we may end up upgrading the diamond at a later date. My question then is what characteristics I should look for to make sure that the diamond either appreciates in the future or at least doesn't drop too much in value.
P.S. Why all the negs and the hostility? I thought that I searched and then asked a legitimate question that many people can benefit from but instead am receiving rude replies.
Snake, FW has lately been flooded by noobs who post crazy threads and annoy people. Your question is actually a good one, but I think you may be getting the raw end of the "noob backlash" a few of us may be feeling. Please don't take it personally.
Don't be discouraged SnakeEyes09. I've been lurking FW for 4 years now and the crowd is just getting tougher by the day. You just gotta ignore them and not let the "senior members" bully you around.
I've also been doing my research on an engagement ring. But that's about a year away... so no pressure yet!
Please keep in mind that not all of us prefer diamonds. I really like colored gemstones (ruby, sapphire, tanzanite being among my faves) even though diamond is also my birthstone.
BTW, i'm a fan of man-made diamonds. read the WIRED (computer magazine) article if you're really interested. great info in that article. it's a couple of years old though.Thanks, I quoted the above threads in my post above. As for CZ, they are just not an option. I don't think that a diamond symbolizes my love and commitment any more than a CZ but the idea still makes me cringe. Besides, I'm quite certain that my girlfriend feels the same way about it.
I never said anything about CZ. i said man-made DIAMONDS (AKA flawless diamonds). if you dont know, you should invest some time reading about them. they ARE BETTER than mined diamonds for 3 main reasons:
1) slaves (or mine workers) are not needed to mine flawless diamonds as they use a seed diamond & are lab grown. 2) mined diamonds are not flawless 3) you'll save $$$
Thanks, PopTart. I really appreciate your suggestion but am afraid that a non-natural diamond is simply not an option here. There is nothing wrong with people going that route but I have the same reaction to those as I do to CZ.
To me, giving a nice natural diamond is not about impressing people but is about going with the tradition and my sense of the way the engagement is supposed to be. There is nothing inherently wrong with people disagreeing and using non-natural diamonds, or not even using an engagement ring. It's just not for me. The fact that I do want a diamond does not however mean that I want to pay for things that don't add value to it, which is the reason that I started this thread.
PonziWatchDog said:Don't be discouraged SnakeEyes09. I've been lurking FW for 4 years now and the crowd is just getting tougher by the day. You just gotta ignore them and not let the "senior members" bully you around.
I've also been doing my research on an engagement ring. But that's about a year away... so no pressure yet!Thanks, Ponzi! I was about to assume that all the responses I'd receive on FW would be rude and unhelpful but your post and a few others here gave me lots of hope
SnakeEyes09 said:To me, giving a nice natural diamond is not about impressing people but is about going with the tradition and my sense of the way the engagement is supposed to be.
CoffeeEater said:You've been brainwashed by DeBeers.Engagement rings and diamonds are a very personal choice, so I am somewhat puzzled as to the reasons that you find it necessary and acceptable to tell people how they should be expressing their sense of commitment for each other.
The majority of people in this country think of a diamond ring as an essential engagement symbol. Yes, DeBeers has done a masterful job of marketing this to people but if people, for whatever reasons, want to give diamonds to each other, who are we to tell them that they shouldn't do it (as long as they are being financially responsible). Please don't hijack this thread with OT comments about DeBeers, diamond monopoly, etc...
Yes, a diamond ring or any jewelry for that matter is a discretionary purchase as are nice clothes, nice cars (or even basic cars with various options), dining out, etc... It is perfectly fine for you to completely abstain from these purchases but I'd encourage you to think twice about making these comments to people who disagree and can afford them.
I just learned that you can have a newly purchased ring (or any shippable purchase I suppose) shipped out of state to a someone who you know and trust and avoid sales tax. They then ship back to you. A friend of mine mentioned he just did this. I'm suprised I didn't know of this already.
How legal is this type of thing? I would image there is some sort of law that frowns upon this practice. But are we talking the type of law that says you're supposed to pay state sales tax at the end of the year on goods purchased on the internet from and out of state retailer? Or the type of law that sends you to jail for not paying income tax?
I do this all the time. I stay in a tax free state and friends living on the orther side of the stateline get their stuff shipped to me and pick it up later.
I am not sure if the law can do a lot. How is it different from driving across the state line to do tax free shopping (or asking a friend across the stateline to buy something from the mall for you) ? I can understand a moral/ethical issue can be made out of it, but I think it will be difficult to enfrce using the law.
bye
Dman081 said:I just learned that you can have a newly purchased ring (or any shippable purchase I suppose) shipped out of state to a someone who you know and trust and avoid sales tax. They then ship back to you. A friend of mine mentioned he just did this. I'm suprised I didn't know of this already.
How legal is this type of thing? I would image there is some sort of law that frowns upon this practice. But are we talking the type of law that says you're supposed to pay state sales tax at the end of the year on goods purchased on the internet from and out of state retailer? Or the type of law that sends you to jail for not paying income tax?
Dman081 said:How legal is this type of thing? I would image there is some sort of law that frowns upon this practice. But are we talking the type of law that says you're supposed to pay state sales tax at the end of the year on goods purchased on the internet from and out of state retailer?This is called "use tax". It's rarely enforced, but if you make a big ticket purchase out-of-state, the retailer may report this purchase to your home state, and you would be required to pay the use tax, or face penalties and an audit.
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