Has anyone had good/bad experiences with local jewelry stores?

Any tips?

I have no idea where to begin regarding these things.

12/27/2005 11:09:49 PM

http://www.bluenile.com

[Edited on December 27, 2005 at 11:14 PM. Reason : .]

12/27/2005 11:13:15 PM

I purchased mine online through BlueNile.com

I was able to pick each diamond (got a 3-stone platinum ring), and the ring itself...it was set and shipped within a week and I couldn't be happier with it. I was also able to locate a (relatively rarely occuring) 10% off coupon online as well that saved a bundle on the platinum.

It also saved a TON by avoiding NC sales tax...which does make a large difference on expensive rings. They only thing I hate about buying an online ring is that I hadta have it re-sized ($50 at Bailey's as they do it in-store and don't replace any metal with anything less than platinum) and you hafta get platinum polished every 6-8 months due to the patina that develops.

I could've eliminated those 2 gripes myself had my lady not lost weight (which I'm definitely not complaining over) and had I not chose platinum, which will develop the patina (loss of luster over time).

Bailey's (in Cameron Village) was excellent in re-sizing my ring, but everything in there is stupid expensive. Just my opinion, but I'd go BlueNile. They'll take it back within 30 days if it arrives and you don't like it EDIT: Also, BlueNile sends you the actual AGS (or that other company...) certificates to each diamond you buy. They also send a real (and a copy) appraisal with a signature so you can get it insured and whatnot. Very professional company.

Here's what BlueNile can do for you:




[Edited on December 27, 2005 at 11:21 PM. Reason : pic]

12/27/2005 11:15:02 PM

Duncan Design Limited

* 2308 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh
NC 27608
* Phone: (919) 834-7713


I've had multiple things done there, it is a small place, everything is unique.

12/27/2005 11:15:33 PM

^^^Yeah, that's the type of stuff I got from google, but I don't know if I want tips from a company selling diamonds.

I don't know why (because I've never actually had any experience with jewelers) but I trust jewelers less than any other profession I can think of.


edit: so I can trust Bluenile then. Cool.



[Edited on December 27, 2005 at 11:23 PM. Reason : .]

12/27/2005 11:19:36 PM

^I'd say used car salesmen/mechanics then jewelers

12/27/2005 11:23:38 PM

Well I have a basic understanding of cars.

[Edited on December 27, 2005 at 11:25 PM. Reason : .]

12/27/2005 11:24:14 PM

You obviously never have your car worked on, do you?

12/27/2005 11:24:49 PM

way to support the slaughter of millions of innocent africans

12/27/2005 11:26:45 PM

Not professionally, no.

But I know how much they're worth, and I feel confident that could tell when I'm being ripped off.

Which is much, much more than I can say about diamonds

12/27/2005 11:28:05 PM

Quote :

"way to support the slaughter of millions of innocent africans "

Quote :

"Not professionally, no. But I know how much they're worth,"

I thought you were refering to the post above you at that point, ha ha.

12/27/2005 11:29:47 PM

My fiance and I went to Jareds in Cary for my engagement ring.

My grandmother gave us her anniversary ring to have the diamonds out of it reset into a ring for me. The sales people at Jareds were incredible. They treated us well, educated us, did excellent work on my ring, and gave us some wonderful and creative ideas for what to do with the original ring.

12/27/2005 11:33:45 PM

i have a slightly used ring you can buy from me. 1.5 carrot 14k white gold. antique design, 1 carrot rock in the center with small diamonds in the ring itself. appraised at 7000, will sell for 3500. All it needs is some polishing.

12/27/2005 11:42:21 PM

we used heilzberg (sp) in crabtree mall.

we're very happy. i recommend that, where ever you end up going, you get your diamond(s) insured. if mine ever falls out or somehow gets damaged, it's replaced for free.

12/28/2005 7:18:39 AM

Quote :

"How To Buy A Diamond: Insider Secrets For Getting Your Money's Worth, 5th Edition (Paperback)by Fred Cuellar "

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402204094/qid=1135773295/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-7433817-1399316?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

This book has been extremely informative:
-Sixth edition is coming out in Jan if you want to wait.
-Education about the 4 C's, including all of the angles.
-Checklist for things to look for when you walk into a store.
-Includes a "wholesale" cost table. Find out whether you are getting ripped off or not.
-Includes contact information so you can ask questions; they respond in 24hrs or less usually.

Each store itself is different based on who works there. If they don't have somebody certified on staff and a 30x scope, walk out immediately. If you are looking for New Years, you are going to be rushing it. Might get the stone, but most likely will take longer to get the ring setting.

You can order a loose diamond from Friedman's, but they overcharge like crazy. I got what I was looking for a Kay's in Blacksburg at about wholesale price.

[Edited on December 28, 2005 at 7:46 AM. Reason : .]

12/28/2005 7:41:58 AM

i don't know what your budget is but some things to consider:

- if you can pay cash (actuall 100's), do it. most jewelry stores will knock a good chunk off for it.
- you need to decide if you are going with white metal (white gold or platinum) or yellow. i'd talk to the gf on this one. or if this is a surprise, take note of what most of her jewelry is. we ended up going with platinum since most of my jewelry is white. this is also important in picking out the color of the stone. for example, if you go with yellow gold, there is no sense in looking at rings with better than say g-h in color. the reason is the yellow gold behind it will just cast a slight gold/yellow tint anyway. so you can spend your money on carat/clarity/etc instead of going after an "e". if you go with platinum, you may want a more colorless diamond.
- you need to decide on what style ring you want - do you want a solitaire or a 3 stone ring or other.
- as far as clarity goes, the way i look at it is that if i can't see it with my naked eye, i don't care really. i have a vs1 with a slight inclusion near a prong... honestly, i don't care... it could have been si... if you can't see it, who cares. no sense going after something that needs a microscope to see. use the money on color, carat, and cut. my opinion anyway.
- carat. this really is a function of your budget. once you go over 1 ct, the price increases quite a bit. buy what you can afford. optimize all the parameters... who cares if it is 1.5 carats but is really yellow and has no sparkle. buy the "prettiest" ring, the one that really catches your eye.
- buy the diamond separate from the setting. usually this will be the least expensive. mall stores with pre-set diamonds are usually way over priced. plus, by purchasing them as separates you can more easily inspect the stone and pick out exactly what you want.

tiffany's has a fairly well laid out tool that shows you all the parameters to look for. of course, ignore their somewhat snobby tiffanys propaganda
http://www.tiffany.com/expertise/diamond/brilliance/cut.asp?

12/28/2005 9:37:24 AM

talk to QTPie

one of my coworkers got one from her and highly recommends her

12/28/2005 10:15:47 AM

one ring to bind them

12/28/2005 12:07:51 PM

diamonds are evil

12/28/2005 12:11:30 PM

i bought my wife's engagment and wedding band at Jared. could not be more happier with the experience. they will continue to get my business.

12/28/2005 12:18:21 PM

My husband and I both got our wedding rings from Jared and we were very pleased with the service. We told them our budget and they didn't even try to show us anything that was outside of that. In fact, our sales person spent most of her time crouched over looking at prices so that she would only take out the rings that we could afford. And, we found exactly what we wanted there.

12/28/2005 12:34:40 PM

too lazy to read all that.
if you want a ring that will last get gold.
I got white gold, have to get it refinished all the fricken time to keep it looking good. they tell me that silver and platinum do the same.

12/28/2005 12:46:07 PM

Thanks for the responses. I've been fiddling with Blue Nile and Tiffany's sites.

^Can anyone confirm that? I've heard this from other people, and someone above mentioned that platinum discolors, but why are white metals so popular if this is true?

12/28/2005 12:51:27 PM

platinum is so high right now it would be better to stick with gold and spend the savings on a better diamond for that is what is mos important.

12/28/2005 12:53:45 PM

You have to get white gold rhodium plated from time to time to keep it from yellowing. It's not very expensive to do and my white gold rings look wonderful right now, having just been rhodium plated 4 months ago.

12/28/2005 12:59:29 PM

^jared will do it for free every six months (for life) if you pay a nominal fee when you get the ring

12/28/2005 1:05:15 PM

Yeah, I think that I paid that on my wedding band. Sadly, however, my engagement ring was not purchased there, so they wouldn't offer me that insurance on it.

12/28/2005 1:06:57 PM

Ok ladies, tell me what you think:

Princess Cut
Carat weight: 0.72
Cut: Good
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
$2,592

18k Gold 2.5mm Comfort-Fit Solitaire Setting
$250


I can't really justify getting anything but the smallest, plainest band. Anything else either looks tacky, makes the diamond look smaller, or does both.

12/28/2005 1:21:47 PM

Quote :

"platinum is so high right now it would be better to stick with gold and spend the savings on a better diamond for that is what is mos important."

gee, blanket advice! supose the girl HATES yellow gold. good thing he's proposing, and not you.

^ something to consider with that setting (going by what google images shows here as a "comfort fit solitaire") is how much the setting protrudes. i don't know if your girl is rough and tumble of any kind, or if she's careless, but i view settings like that as a major liability. my grandmother had a setting like that and her stone was constantly coming loose, even after she quit farming. they eventually got it reset like this, for peace of mind.

12/28/2005 1:34:38 PM

Haydon & Co.

12/28/2005 1:37:36 PM

ive been wearing a platinum ring for a few years and it doesnt discolor but its definately not as shiny as it used to be. Its like the finish wears off or something. Ive had it cleaned at the mall a few times which helps make it look better but I think that they are right, to keep it looking new, you have to get it polished often. I would suggest paying whatever the fee is when you buy the ring for them to take care of stuff like that forever. This should also include getting it resized, etc. for free. I got mine at Carlyle and Co. and they were really awesome too.

12/28/2005 1:37:55 PM

^^^ I've never considered that. She's not so much "rough and tumble" as she is "clumsy and will break everything she owns given enough time."

So I think I'll look at recessed bands. Would that significantly effect shininess?

12/28/2005 1:42:46 PM

platium will last a lot longer than white gold. yes, it needs to be polished but it's well worth it.

12/28/2005 2:28:20 PM

lets just say that if i was a chick, and you presented that ring, i would so no.



Haydon co. or Baileys if in Raleigh

12/28/2005 2:51:02 PM

boonedocks, table/pavilion/crown/culet/girdle on that?

You can also try a two-tone ring if its available for that particular setting. Platinum or White Gold near/around the prongs, yellow gold for the ring itself.

12/28/2005 3:04:15 PM

Go to Roblyn Jewelers. They're on Millbrook Rd. I bought my Wife's engagement and wedding ring from them. They do a lot of wholesale and custom work (so their markup is nowhere near Jolly's Bailey's, Jarred's) but will also sell to individual customers. It's a family owned local business and the people that run it are really nice and informative. When you buy from them you get lifetime service for cleanings and other stuff for free. I bought my wife's engagement and wedding rings there. They charged me $5500 total for the two rings. Jolly's wanted $9500 for the same rings with comparable diamonds.

Look them up in the phone book and call them. You will NOT regret it!

12/28/2005 3:05:46 PM

go see QTPie at fink's.

She took care of all of my engagement/wedding jewelry needs.

12/28/2005 3:08:40 PM

^ What he said... The lady knows her stuff!

12/28/2005 3:14:05 PM

Quote :

"Ok ladies, tell me what you think: Princess Cut Carat weight: 0.72 Cut: Good Color: G Clarity: VS1 $2,592 18k Gold 2.5mm Comfort-Fit Solitaire Setting $250"

it depends on the table. what are its dimensions? see here for info on dimensions and proportionality (see bottom). proportions are important to maximize brilliance.
http://www.diasource.com/fourcs.htm#wcd
lots more good info here:
http://www.diamondreview.com/tutor/4cs/tutor_4cs_intro.shtml

i think you were smart to go with a g if you are going with yellow gold. princess or round are good bets as well as they brilliant cut so they will typically be "sparkly". emerald is the toughest as it will look more glass like and inclusions are much easier to spot.

12/28/2005 3:16:52 PM

Quote :

"Go to Roblyn Jewelers. They're on Millbrook Rd. I bought my Wife's engagement and wedding ring from them. They do a lot of wholesale and custom work (so their markup is nowhere near Jolly's Bailey's, Jarred's) but will also sell to individual customers. It's a family owned local business and the people that run it are really nice and informative. When you buy from them you get lifetime service for cleanings and other stuff for free. I bought my wife's engagement and wedding rings there. They charged me $5500 total for the two rings. Jolly's wanted $9500 for the same rings with comparable diamonds. Look them up in the phone book and call them. You will NOT regret it!"

I agree. I got my finace's engagement ring from there and they were extremely nice and informative.

12/28/2005 3:25:56 PM

Try Touch of Gold, Inc. My dad runs it and has been doing work for 25 years, and we dont send stuff out. He is pretty reasonable on prices too. We do a bunch of custom and repair work as well. I work there on weekends. The store is located on the corner of Falls of Neuse and Durant, in the Falls point shopping center with Kohls dept store.

12/28/2005 4:22:46 PM

Finks.....hahahahhahahaahaha


go to a certified jeweler and dont get screwed. itll be on the door when you walk in. If you do got to dimeadozen or mall store, better get the stone appraised by an independant before you lay cash down. if not, its your loss to a great investment (unless your finacee is a white trash chick that doesnt really cae what you give her)

12/28/2005 4:26:04 PM

Quote :

"unless your finacee is a white trash chick that doesnt really cae what you give her"

It's the white trash chicks who do (overly) care.

My girlfriend would say yes to this:

12/28/2005 4:43:05 PM

^ agreed. My ladyfriend has given me the no-diamonds speech. She's one smart cookie.

12/28/2005 4:52:08 PM

my fiance got my ring from Jared. I recommend them bc you can pick out the band and then the stone, so that it will be rare that someone else has the same ring. They have wonderful customer service.
He got a 1.5 carat marquise for under 5000, great clarity and color.

[Edited on December 28, 2005 at 5:25 PM. Reason : i LOVE MARQUIS]

12/28/2005 5:23:13 PM

http://www.pricescope.com/ is your friend.

They ahve everything you need to learn about diamonds and every tool to find the right one to purchase. Their forums are full of gemologists, jewelers, retailers, and general diamond freaks (pretty much every online diamond vendor as a rep on the forums). The diamond search tool is so damn handy. It is tied into the inventory of numerous online vendors. I bought a diamond through http://www.whiteflash.com/ but others have mentioned http://www.bluenile.com and it toois reputable. There are a few others that are worth looking at, just check the forums.

I know buying online might seem weird but if you go online and buy and AGS or GIA certified diamond with a certification letter from an independent gemologist then it is absolutely no different than going to one of Raleigh's premier jewelers (like Bailey's or Jolly's) and getting an AGS or GIA certified diamond. Those lab certifications when combined with an outside verification certificate give you absolute certainty that you are getting the same thing. By going to a jeweler all you are doing is helping them pay their employees, rent, utilities, stock, and advertising. I found the exact same diamond I purchased online (in terms of clarity, color, cut, size, and dimensions) at Jolly's for $6,000 more than what I paid. Six thousand dollars!

Whatever you do, make sure you know enough to call bullshit on a retail jeweler.

Also, I bought the setting at Jolly's because they were the only vendor that carried the specific design. Having it done there was worth it because my fiance can drop the ring off regularly to have it cleaned, polished, and the setting checked for free.

[Edited on December 28, 2005 at 7:16 PM. Reason : .]

12/28/2005 7:14:42 PM

Ok, here's the deal. I've been in jewelry for a while and I currently work for an upscale jewelry store (I don't necessary want to divulge where). I suggest that you should try finding out what she likes. This may entail just taking a stroll through some jewelry stores to see what catches her eye. What you like may not necessarily be what she likes. Also, don't be scared to get white gold or platinum. Most girls these days don't like yellow gold. White gold originates as yellow, so over time it will take on a yellowish tint...you'll have to have it rhodium plated every 1-5 years, and it will look good as new. Platinum doesn't have a finish that wears off. Over time tiny surface scratches will give platinum a patina that can easy be buffed off anytime, and again, it will look brand new.

Honestly, there isn't a lot of difference from jewelry store to jewelry store. The environment may be different, and some may have more selection than others, but as far as solitare engagement rings go, its not really going to matter where you get it. The diamond does not need to be certified, and in fact, buying a certified diamond adds in cost that isn't necessary. Every jewelry store will have a Diamontologist or Gemologist working there that can tell you everything you need to know about the color, clarity, etc.

Color, in my opinion, is a very important quality. As far as color goes, don't go for anything lower than a G or H. Getting a colorless diamond (D, E, or F) isn't really a necessary expense. As far as clarity is concerned, don't go lower than SI. That way no inclusions can be seen with the naked eye. Having clarity higher than SI is also an unnecessary expense, especially if you have to watch your spending.

I know that is a lot to read, but it is important that you be informed. PM me if you want more info.

[Edited on December 28, 2005 at 8:07 PM. Reason : .]

12/28/2005 8:06:25 PM

CMI Jewelry in Raleigh. Lowest prices I saw, and I was happy with the service.

They are not a chain, and rely on word of mouth, which is how I found them. However, they are a pretty big, nice place. I would recommend either this place of Jared, but CMI had more options for me, were more straight forward, and had better prices. I wasn't spending 5-10K for a number of reasons, but got good service, and the person who helped me was not pushy. According to her they aren't on commision. As was stated above, if you trust the place, certifications etc. might not be necessary. But do your research, look at a few places, and most of all, regardless of all the letters and numbers and ratings find one that looks like "the one" to you.

12/28/2005 10:36:28 PM

We did Blue Nile.

12/28/2005 10:42:31 PM

I purchased from Mondera.com because it had the best prices I've ever seen for simple bands (like wedding bands style), but I don't know how their diamonds and other gems compare with other places.

Oh and my engagement ring was bought from a company wholesale in NY. Since we didn't have to go through a retail outlet it was much cheaper than it would have been otherwise and we still got the gemologist's report with the ring and stuff. The prices for the same stuff from the store's retail outlet made my jaw drop.

[Edited on December 29, 2005 at 9:16 AM. Reason : ]

12/29/2005 9:13:05 AM