Jewelry Recommendations

[ugadevil]

I don't know if there are any jewelry experts on the board, but I am currently looking at buying an engagement ring. I am not familiar at all with jewelry and what type of places to look for. I've looked online at the big chains (Zales, ShaneCo, Jareds, etc.) but was wondering if that's the best way to go? Are places like that reliable and quality or is it better to go to local stores? Any help would be appreciated, by myself and the person who will be receiving the ring

[Exiled_Devil]

My personal opinion, and a strong one. It stemmed form a generic dislike of chains for luxury items, but was verified when I went to purchase a set of earings for my wife. The chains I had poor experiences with (pressure, sub-quality, and huge prices) included Jared and Zales. If you are in the Triangel area, I can suggest three different jewelers that have spectacular products and provide great service.

My wedding band is an original form one of them, and the only time I have ever seen another like it is when I see my best friend, because he is a copy-catting kind of guy.

FYI, the 'two months salary" thing was made up by marketers - it is not a rule of any sort. You may have to negotiate that with your intended, of course.


Edit: Also, there are two gem-grading services. One ois for-profit and tends to give higher grades. The chains use this one. I don't recall its name, but I know it is the service Jared uses.

Exiled

[billybreen]

I don't know if there are any jewelry experts on the board, but I am currently looking at buying an engagement ring. I am not familiar at all with jewelry and what type of places to look for. I've looked online at the big chains (Zales, ShaneCo, Jareds, etc.) but was wondering if that's the best way to go? Are places like that reliable and quality or is it better to go to local stores? Any help would be appreciated, by myself and the person who will be receiving the ring

First of all, congrats. Big step. I went through this process two years ago, and getting a ring was actually a lot of fun.

I would steer well clear of the big chains. It's just so impersonal. I can give you the name of a fantastic jeweler/artist in Columbia, SC who created engagement rings for my sister, many of her friends, and my wife. Her prices are competitive, and she is incredibly particular about the quality of stones she selects (and the symmetry of stones, if you are thinking of a multiple stone setting). Fantastic quality, and I trusted her enough to go through the whole process without ever seeing the stones myself (I live in Boston).

Are you doing this as a surprise? While it may be easier to have the future wife involved, I took the more traditional route. To help vet the ring design, I enlisted my wife's sister and best friend. I think it was worth it.

[Indoor66]

When I bought jewlery in Durham I went to Carlyle & Co. They are, I think, at Northgate and at Southpoint. They were knowledgeable, helpful and honest. My favorite was Connelly's on Main Street. Tom Connelly made the first basket at Duke Indoor Stadium in 1940. Unfortunately, it is closed and Tom as gone to shooting baskets on high.

[billybreen]

A couple of other points: take the time to learn about diamonds. My jeweler gave me homework, strongly suggesting that I read this book cover to cover. It only took an hour or two, but it made me feel far more comfortable making these big dollar decisions.

Also, 2 months salary is definitely just marketing. You can do better than 2 months

[gadzooks]

FYI, the 'two months salary" thing was made up by marketers - it is not a rule of any sort. You may have to negotiate that with your intended, of course.

That bears repeating. If you want and are able to spend that amount, by all means do, but don't feel that you are obligated to simply because you heard it in a commercial. I personally did NOT want a ring that cost that much, and made sure that my then-boyfriend was aware of that before he went shopping.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I like the radio ads for this place. Sounds like they give you better than average value for your money.
http://www.diamondsdirectraleigh.com/
They also have an offshoot, Varia Designs (you can Google that).

David Glenn on 850thebuzz does their radio ads.

[blublood]

Yes, please avoid the chains! Maybe I'm biased, but I think it's really cool that I can say my ring came from Barton Clay rather than Zales/Diamonds R Us, etc.

Also, I really think guys overspend on engagement rings. Obviously, you don't want to cheap out just for the sake of cheaping out, but all the diamonds and shadow diamonds and blah blah blah just get overwhelming after a certain point, especially if your bride-to-be has a small hand. Because our engagement was a kind of impromptu decision, my now-husband had to put the whole ring on his college student's credit card. It's a small diamond, very delicate and beautiful, and I will absolutely love it until the day I die. : )

[Clipsfan]

The rating institute that you should pay attention to is the GIA. One of my friends is a jeweler (family business) and his family have been very involved with the organization and it's a good one with good ratings. When I bought my engagement ring a couple years ago I bought it from my friend, but he also mentioned that www.bluenile.com has really good prices on the whole on stones. You can buy either just the stone there or a stone and a setting. The downside is that you don't see it all in person before you buy, but I believe that you get better quality (the stones are all certified) at what really seems like good prices. The chains often have inferior stones.

I also second that you don't need to spend a certain amount because the ads say that you should. I probably spent a little more than necessary on my wife's ring, and even this morning she was talking about not wearing it because she feels that people pay too much attention to it (and it's not an outrageous ring by any means). I was talking to a friend of mine from Japan at the time I was thinking about buying the ring and he just laughed at me, saying that in Japan rings often end up costing in the low hundreds.

[sue71, esq]

There was an article a few years ago where the chains were compared to high-end (Tiffany's, etc) to Sam's Club.

Bottom line was don't go the the chain stores.

If you wanted to feel really, really special (ie major VIP treatment), and wanted the prestige of the blue box, go to Tiffany's. Good-great quality, but you're paying for that AND everything else. Very knowledgeable.

Sam's Club, on the other hand, did not have as knowledgeable a staff, the surroundings weren't as posh, nor was the treatment VIP as with Tiffany's, but the quality of the stones were on par with them and you got a MUCH better value.

The article basically said that if you want to feel really special and important for spending that kind of money, go ahead. If you don't mind not being pampered and were concerned only with getting the ring, Sam's was a great deal.

Anyone else remember this article? Consumer Reports maybe? NYT? I think the Today Show may have done a piece on it at the time as well.

Sue

[xenic]

I had some repair work done at the jewelery store in the Wachovia tower. They came highly recommended, and they did excellent work (nothing too difficult though.)

Also, I don't know much about her business (and whether she does engagement rings), but Catherine Calloway (sp?) over in Hillsborough made me a beautiful custom Jewish Star about 15 years ago.

I met a guy named Travis Kukovich (sp?) that runs a jewelry shop in the granville towers plaza over in Chapel Hill. He showed me some of his work and it was awesome.

[cato]

There was an article a few years ago where the chains were compared to high-end (Tiffany's, etc) to Sam's Club.

Bottom line was don't go the the chain stores.

If you wanted to feel really, really special (ie major VIP treatment), and wanted the prestige of the blue box, go to Tiffany's. Good-great quality, but you're paying for that AND everything else. Very knowledgeable.

Sam's Club, on the other hand, did not have as knowledgeable a staff, the surroundings weren't as posh, nor was the treatment VIP as with Tiffany's, but the quality of the stones were on par with them and you got a MUCH better value.

The article basically said that if you want to feel really special and important for spending that kind of money, go ahead. If you don't mind not being pampered and were concerned only with getting the ring, Sam's was a great deal.

Anyone else remember this article? Consumer Reports maybe? NYT? I think the Today Show may have done a piece on it at the time as well.

Sue

I would second the recommendation of blue nile and the like, and add them to the same category as Sam's Club/Costco. But it may be a good idea to get a sense of what your girlfriend would think of that. My wife wanted me to get as good a deal as I could have at blue nile, but she didn't want me to buy her ring over the internet.

Most important of all, if you are surprising your girlfriend and you don't know what she likes, make sure that you can exchange the ring. She'll be wearing it for a long time, so it's important to get it right.

[sue71, esq]

Most important of all, if you are surprising your girlfriend and you don't know what she likes, make sure that you can exchange the ring. She'll be wearing it for a long time, so it's important to get it right.

Also, with Sam's, you need to know your basics before you walk in. Again, no one there to hold your hand, so maybe the 2nd most important point (as said by others, you should know the basics regardless of where you go).

That being said, I received a diamond bracelet from Sam's (a gift that I picked out). I had it appraised a few years later, and it was valued at more than double what was paid. YMMV but the article said this was somewhat typical for the engagement rings as well.

[DevilAlumna]

Congrats on a very big decision!

I would second the Blue Nile recommendation; I've heard very good things about them and their service. But, I've never used them.

If you're unsure of what you want, I would also consider checking to see if there's an engagement ring store specialist in the area. (Up here, we have EE Robbins, but they're local.) They typically have ONLY rings (no necklaces, earrings, etc. to clutter the store) so you get a wider variety of styles, designers, and folks who really know how to do up the big event. (EE Robbins chipped in a Limo for the night my husband proposed.)

As for styles, consider that of your fiance-to-be. Is she a traditional type? Maybe just the standard solitaire diamond. A little more on the fringe? A custom design might be the thing. Is she active? Maybe platinum, which scratches easily, isn't the right metal. What color jewelry does she usually wear? Try and get the metal color to match.

For the stones themselves, again, what might your gal prefer? Knowing it's a higher quality stone (good clarity) and willing to sacrifice on size; or a little flashier, so a fancier cut and larger size, but maybe not the best color. It's good to know in advance which of the 4 c's matter most to you. (Yes, you need to learn about the 4 c's. Blue Nile has some good online training; any decent store will spend some time and show you comparisons too.)

In the end, if you're not asking for her input, it means you want this to be an expression of your choices. So, take confidence in that. Enjoy thinking about what cut you find prettiest (personally, I like the brilliant or princess cuts), and what size(s) of stone(s) you could arrange in a design.

I guarantee, she will say yes, no matter what the ring looks like. That it came from you, with all the commitments and love it implies, will be the most special part.

[Lavabe]

I am unsure about the jewelers in Athens. I know a few over here in Cobb, but I'll echo the sentiment ... avoid the big chains.

I know a fantastic jeweler in Diego-Suarez, Madagascar.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[tecumseh]

Congratulations
At the risk of sounding like a curmudgeon I would ask you to reconsider the diamond purchase if you wife is a liberal creative person she might go for it. Still a ring of course but why a diamond? The diamond engagement ring was largely a creation of a monopoly DeBeers to sell more diamonds, it is an artificially, commercially driven tradition.

I really like jewelry and this Christmas I bought my wife a beautiful Topaz ring and a nice pair of emerald earrings. I find other gemstones far more interesting than diamonds. I do not think a diamond solitaire ring is very attractive unless the stone is quite large and of good quality but then you are talking some very serious money. But even with serious money a decent sapphire, ruby or emerald to me is a far more interesting gem, note that good quality sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are more expensive than diamonds on a per carat basis. Plus everyone knows diamonds then they are always sizing upthe gem and figuring how much it cost you much better to add some mystery to the whole thing.

If your bride to be has blue eyes consider getting a blue sapphire to match. If you are on a tight budget you can even consider getting an "artificial" or laboratory created sapphire. Here you can get a really large stone that is perfect (too perfect?) is genuine sapphire and in a setting with some genuine diamonds along side can really look stunning. If anyone asks yes it is real ruby or emerald or sapphire.

[Jim3k]

A couple of things. I'm in agreement about the chain stores. I also agree you should read up on diamond quality - size, cut, clarity and color.

Then decide whether you are feeling moral or not. There is a movement against so-called blood diamonds, from places where the miners are, or have been, exploited -- Sierra Leone, Angola South Africa (though SA has been better of late. There are diamonds of excellent quality now coming from Canada and Arkansas that many people prefer because they are not at risk for being blood diamonds.

The other thing is that after you have read up on what to look for, consider buying a loose diamond in a wholesale diamond district -- New York and L.A. have them. I imagine Atlanta does, too. Then you can choose a setting separately from any source you like, or even have it custom made. If you can't go to a diamond district, go to a reputable local jeweler and ask to see his loose diamonds. It will be an eye opener. He will certainly let you use his loupe and may even have a diamondscope to look through. You can both have fun with that.

Ed. Wow, Jeff Capel. What's 434 stand for?

[Lavabe]

Congratulations
At the risk of sounding like a curmudgeon I would ask you to reconsider the diamond purchase if you wife is a liberal creative person she might go for it. Still a ring of course but why a diamond? The diamond engagement ring was largely a creation of a monopoly DeBeers to sell more diamonds, it is an artificially, commercially driven tradition.

I really like jewelry and this Christmas I bought my wife a beautiful Topaz ring and a nice pair of emerald earrings. I find other gemstones far more interesting than diamonds. I do not think a diamond solitaire ring is very attractive unless the stone is quite large and of good quality but then you are talking some very serious money. But even with serious money a decent sapphire, ruby or emerald to me is a far more interesting gem, note that good quality sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are more expensive than diamonds on a per carat basis. Plus everyone knows diamonds then they are always sizing upthe gem and figuring how much it cost you much better to add some mystery to the whole thing.

If your bride to be has blue eyes consider getting a blue sapphire to match. If you are on a tight budget you can even consider getting an "artificial" or laboratory created sapphire. Here you can get a really large stone that is perfect (too perfect?) is genuine sapphire and in a setting with some genuine diamonds along side can really look stunning. If anyone asks yes it is real ruby or emerald or sapphire.

If I may be a "curmudgeon" as well ... the sapphire mining I've seen in developing countries has its own issues as well. A number of social scientists have written about its effects on deforestation and public health (can discuss in a PM). Having said that, some of the SE Asian ones (Lao/Thailand) have posed fewer of these issues.

I finally agree with tecumseh on something, but my wife pretty much didn't want the engagement ring to be sapphire, despite her blue eyes. If I had gotten sapphire, she wouldn't have married me. As someone else suggested, check with her best friend or family before going away from the culturally-mandated diamond.

Then again, if her name is Ruby ...
Cheers,
Lavabe

[devildeac]

A couple of things. I'm in agreement about the chain stores. I also agree you should read up on diamond quality - size, cut, clarity and color.

Then decide whether you are feeling moral or not. There is a movement against so-called blood diamonds, from places where the miners are, or have been, exploited -- Sierra Leone, Angola South Africa (though SA has been better of late. There are diamonds of excellent quality now coming from Canada and Arkansas that many people prefer because they are not at risk for being blood diamonds.

The other thing is that after you have read up on what to look for, consider buying a loose diamond in a wholesale diamond district -- New York and L.A. have them. I imagine Atlanta does, too. Then you can choose a setting separately from any source you like, or even have it custom made. If you can't go to a diamond district, go to a reputable local jeweler and ask to see his loose diamonds. It will be an eye opener. He will certainly let you use his loupe and may even have a diamondscope to look through. You can both have fun with that.

Ed. Wow, Jeff Capel. What's 434 stand for?

Good tips

434=assists(though 1 site i looked at said 433 assists were his career total)

[tecumseh]

If I may be a "curmudgeon" as well ... the sapphire mining I've seen in developing countries has its own issues as well. A number of social scientists have written about its effects on deforestation and public health (can discuss in a PM). Having said that, some of the SE Asian ones (Lao/Thailand) have posed fewer of these issues.

I finally agree with tecumseh on something, but my wife pretty much didn't want the engagement ring to be sapphire, despite her blue eyes. If I had gotten sapphire, she wouldn't have married me. As someone else suggested, check with her best friend or family before going away from the culturally-mandated diamond.

Then again, if her name is Ruby ...
Cheers,
Lavabe

I didn't want to get into the politics or greenness of jewels because they are all pretty much bad news. We know about blood diamonds, Lavabe talks about sapphires but if you look at how we get our rubies it also appalling most come from Burma and they rape the land and abuse child labor in the process. Emerald mines are not pretty sights either. In fact mining by its very nature is not green and never can be.

Another (cheap) suggestion is sometimes there is a family heirloom like grandmas engagement ring. This creates kind of a living tradition of marriage and is a strong "welcome to the family" kind of message. My grandmother had the sweetest emerald ring which unfortunately was stolen.
I whole heartedly agree a lot of women want that diamond and anything else is trouble. Here is a link which suggests more women are getting colored stones and like them because they seem more individualistic. (plus they look a whole lot betterhttp://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif