Diamonds anyone?

[Analyst]

After being on this forum for a while now, I've noticed many other superfuturians mention that they are currently married. Any guidance on those that have taken the plunge on shopping for the ring?

I know the general design of the cut and setting of what I'm looking for. The easiest thing to do would be to go to Tiffany (HK) or Cartier and pick up the ring. But are there other options I should consider? Should I buy in Asia or go to the diamond district in NYC? Can I find the stone and get it set at a different shop? Any help would be very much appreciated...

[denimdestroyedmylife]

don't do it, dude. yr too young!

[Pandemonium]

holy crap!

are you prepared to give away your life?

[Fuuma]

Just put the money aside and when the time comes blow it all on a whores and drugs in a wonderful weekend of debauchery, keep $20 and buy her a fake ring. That way you'll definitely have something nasty to say when the final shouting match before the breakup reaches its crescendo. I mean do you realy want to be the guy that has nothing to throw back when she says "Oh yeah, well I slept with your best friend and at least he makes me orgasm!!!"

On a more serious note, unless you have a friend who'se really knowledgeable about diamonds, you should stay with a recognized jeweller (i.e. Tiffany) if you want a really well cut and flawless stone. Carats aren't the only criteria as no two diamonds are alike, the big players tend to have consistantly higher quality diamonds although you won't find an incredible deal there. Oh yeah and remember, as cheesy as it seems, the way you deliver the ring as as important as the object in itself, it will stay etched in her mind forever; do something special, that really highlight the kind of relationship you've built together.

[englandmj7]

You're in THE country for stones man! Skip Tiffany/Cartier, etc. These places charge a 60% markup over other jewelry sellers on their name alone. Difference is, we're not comparing Gucci quality to Gap here........99% of the time, if you know what you are doing, you will be able to find the exact, same quality ring you were looking for for substantially less than these places will charge.

My uncle, who is a hobby gemologist, goes to Thailand a couple times a year strictly to buy diamonds, sapphires, etc. and sell them here for almost double the price. Mind you, there are plenty of the wrong places to go. Best way to avoid getting ripped off is to do a little research. I am sure there are message boards referencing stones in Thailand you can check out for yourself. Know what to look for when you look at the stone yourself through the loupe. See if they won't let you get the stone appraised elsewhere and tell them you want to be able to return it if they are incorrect about it's value. And be sure to bargain! Here's what I suggest:

Go to one of the more reputed jewelry sellers in Bangkok, there are several (I will try to get their names for you). Buy the loose diamond you want in the cut, etc. that you are looking for. If you really feel compelled to wow your girl by giving her the ring in the signature Tiffany baby blue box, take the diamond to Tiffany and get them to set it on one of their rings. Voila. You paid half price for the diamond, a little markup on a platinum band/setting, and you get a Tiffany ring for your girl.........

If Tiffany won't mount it for you, see if they might sell you a Tiffany ring setting on its own that you can get mounted elsewhere.

[RockTheVote]

I suggest you to spend some time to find what you really want or what she likes. england is so right about the mark-up. The name is good, but what really matter is that you are putting a ring on her finger. If I were you, I will find a really unique vintage ring or something different.. To me, it means more..

[cuddlysheep]

make sure you get her to sign that prenup.

[l33APPLE]

Get a Canadian rock then when some tool comes up and tell you why your ring is evil caused civil war and death you can slap them with no dought in your mind.

I am not joking my future wife has been told some man times her ring is evil and kids mined it and so on. It just makes me fell good to know they have no idea what they are talking about.

[Analyst]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. The only problem is that I'm not that young anymore

England, I'm thinking of getting the rock independently. Any help on names would be much appreciated, though. The thing is that Cartier and Tiffany have two ring designs that my girl really likes. Can I use their setting and ring, while getting the actually diamond elsewhere?

[airfrogusmc]

Take the bread and go to Vegas baby. A couple of hookers and you'll still be cheaper in the long run......

[englandmj7]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. The only problem is that I'm not that young anymore

England, I'm thinking of getting the rock independently. Any help on names would be much appreciated, though. The thing is that Cartier and Tiffany have two ring designs that my girl really likes. Can I use their setting and ring, while getting the actually diamond elsewhere?

I just called Tiffany Beverly Hills and they won't do it..........might be different in one of their foreign branches but I doubt it. I am sure they want to avoid people putting inferior diamonds on one of their settings and then trying to pawn the ring off as an authentic ring; didn't really think of that when I made the recommendation.

Granted, the woman on the phone was a bitch and could be wrong. They are a jeweler foremost, and I really can't imagine them turning away customers who've had stones as family heirlooms for multiple generations wanting to get Tiffany to mount them. But then, I suppose it might be like walking into Patek Phillipe with a Casio and asking them to replace the strap, etc. with their own branded parts.

On the other hand, you just might be able to convince them to sell you a setting on it's own and like I said, get it mounted elsewhere at any random jeweler. If you have the exact measurements of the stone you bought, you could say that "I bought X setting from you guys a couple years ago, and in a freak accident, the prongs were broken; would it be possible to get a replacement; no I don't have the diamond, it's at my house in Karachi.....of course I can't go get it you measly bastard!".....or something of the sort. Probably more trouble than it's worth though. Worse comes to worse, you can get the design copied by a Thai jeweler, who will usually be able to do it to a T.

I emailed my uncle about the jewelers in Bangkok and should be able to let you know in a week or so. Cheers!

[sybaritical]

Hey analyst. Pulled this out from somewhere way back deep:

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/archive/index.php/t-9505.html

Some pretty good tips as I recall.

[Fuuma]

You're in THE country for stones man! Skip Tiffany/Cartier, etc. These places charge a 60% markup over other jewelry sellers on their name alone. Difference is, we're not comparing Gucci quality to Gap here........99% of the time, if you know what you are doing, you will be able to find the exact, same quality ring you were looking for for substantially less than these places will charge.

My uncle, who is a hobby gemologist, goes to Thailand a couple times a year strictly to buy diamonds, sapphires, etc. and sell them here for almost double the price. Mind you, there are plenty of the wrong places to go. Best way to avoid getting ripped off is to do a little research. I am sure there are message boards referencing stones in Thailand you can check out for yourself. Know what to look for when you look at the stone yourself through the loupe. See if they won't let you get the stone appraised elsewhere and tell them you want to be able to return it if they are incorrect about it's value. And be sure to bargain! Here's what I suggest:

Go to one of the more reputed jewelry sellers in Bangkok, there are several (I will try to get their names for you). Buy the loose diamond you want in the cut, etc. that you are looking for. If you really feel compelled to wow your girl by giving her the ring in the signature Tiffany baby blue box, take the diamond to Tiffany and get them to set it on one of their rings. Voila. You paid half price for the diamond, a little markup on a platinum band/setting, and you get a Tiffany ring for your girl.........

If Tiffany won't mount it for you, see if they might sell you a Tiffany ring setting on its own that you can get mounted elsewhere.

As I mentionned in my post you've got a world of options if you know your gems or are in contact with someone who does, however if that's not the case why not go for an almost risk-free option (which of course brings lesser returns, but you know that....). Now if I knew your uncle I'd skip all this crap and go straight to the real source and get some small but qualified shop to do the work.

[cultpop 0217]

Get a Canadian rock then when some tool comes up and tell you why your ring is evil caused civil war and death you can slap them with no dought in your mind.

I am not joking my future wife has been told some man times her ring is evil and kids mined it and so on. It just makes me fell good to know they have no idea what they are talking about.

so true. canadian diamonds are some of the only cruelty and blood free stones available.

me personally, i wont be buying my girl a diamond when the time comes and she knows why and agrees with me. i think the hype is bullshit and their rarity and value is manufactured by the distribution system. fuck debeers! whenever a new mine pops up (quite frequently actually) they buy it up and sit on it. they currently have more stones waiting in storage or unmined than there are rings on peoples fingers. that and diamonds have only been associated with engagement for less than 100 years. dont buy into the "diamonds are forever" hype. but if your girl insists, go canada. they are not part of the debeers cartel.

my mother told my dad back in '72 in no way would she ever wear a diamond (for the same reasons) so she got the deepest green emerald ive ever seen. its color makes me wonder why diamonds are so popular.

[poly800rock]

After being on this forum for a while now, I've noticed many other superfuturians mention that they are currently married. Any guidance on those that have taken the plunge on shopping for the ring?

I know the general design of the cut and setting of what I'm looking for. The easiest thing to do would be to go to Tiffany (HK) or Cartier and pick up the ring. But are there other options I should consider? Should I buy in Asia or go to the diamond district in NYC? Can I find the stone and get it set at a different shop? Any help would be very much appreciated...

whoa..you're getting married?

[nairb49]

You're in THE country for stones man! Skip Tiffany/Cartier, etc. These places charge a 60% markup over other jewelry sellers on their name alone. Difference is, we're not comparing Gucci quality to Gap here........99% of the time, if you know what you are doing, you will be able to find the exact, same quality ring you were looking for for substantially less than these places will charge.

My uncle, who is a hobby gemologist, goes to Thailand a couple times a year strictly to buy diamonds, sapphires, etc. and sell them here for almost double the price. Mind you, there are plenty of the wrong places to go. Best way to avoid getting ripped off is to do a little research. I am sure there are message boards referencing stones in Thailand you can check out for yourself. Know what to look for when you look at the stone yourself through the loupe. See if they won't let you get the stone appraised elsewhere and tell them you want to be able to return it if they are incorrect about it's value. And be sure to bargain! Here's what I suggest:

Go to one of the more reputed jewelry sellers in Bangkok, there are several (I will try to get their names for you). Buy the loose diamond you want in the cut, etc. that you are looking for. If you really feel compelled to wow your girl by giving her the ring in the signature Tiffany baby blue box, take the diamond to Tiffany and get them to set it on one of their rings. Voila. You paid half price for the diamond, a little markup on a platinum band/setting, and you get a Tiffany ring for your girl.........

If Tiffany won't mount it for you, see if they might sell you a Tiffany ring setting on its own that you can get mounted elsewhere.

Hobby gemologist! and you're a hunter if I recall correctly. You have an interesting life my friend. If I ever go to wherever you are, I"m hitting you up to do some crazy shit.

[englandmj7]

As I mentionned in my post you've got a world of options if you know your gems or are in contact with someone who does, however if that's not the case why not go for an almost risk-free option (which of course brings lesser returns, but you know that....). Now if I knew your uncle I'd skip all this crap and go straight to the real source and get some small but qualified shop to do the work.

There are alot of amazing places in Thailand that will custom make you something from scratch. If the engagement isn't a full-on surprise, it would be a great experience for both you guys to go in and meet with a jeweler to have a unique piece made. I know what you mean though man. Once my wife sees a piece of jewelry at Tiffany, or Harry Winston, etc. it HAS to be from there and can't be a replica. Not because she's greedy (she'd love anything I bought), but just because you want to prove you're the sugar daddy.

Hobby gemologist! and you're a hunter if I recall correctly. You have an interesting life my friend. If I ever go to wherever you are, I"m hitting you up to do some crazy shit.

Anytime my friend.

[Fuuma]

There are alot of amazing places in Thailand that will custom make you something from scratch. If the engagement isn't a full-on surprise, it would be a great experience for both you guys to go in and meet with a jeweler to have a unique piece made.

He could use a "lended" ring for the proposal and tell her that she'll get exactly what she wants later, some shops do give that service to customers....

[masuerte]

my mother told my dad back in '72 in no way would she ever wear a diamond (for the same reasons) so she got the deepest green emerald ive ever seen. its color makes me wonder why diamonds are so popular.

If my girl wants diamonds I'mma show her that Blood Diamond movie before anything... hopefully she won't be that ignorant but hey... you take what you can get .

Also I think it's better to use something more relevent and personal to your relationship as a way to represent her hand in marriage. I went on a date with a patissiere (well, she wanted to become one) who wanted to open up her own shop one day and I fell head over heels for her... went so far as to think up of a way to ask her hand in marriage one day: using a madeline or cupcake or something.

[l33APPLE]

It's not that bad for your girl to want a diamond. When you buy a rock just do some home work and make sure your stome is in some program like the Kimberley program that tracks the origines of your stone. Just remember blood Diamonds is a movie.

[ericdw]

i bought an engagement ring last summer in hong kong. my dad goes there on business 7 or 8 times a year and has developed a relationship with a diamond merchant there after buying my mom a bunch of stuff.

i would definitely agree with the posters who said to stay away from tiffanys and the other big popular jewelry companies for two reasons. first off, the obvious, they mark up their products a ridiculous amount. second, especially because you're in an area that's known for its high quality diamonds, the big companies like tiffanys get their diamonds from a central dealer, and while they will have some nice stones, you'll have a better selection of better cut diamonds if you go to a local place. it's important to remember that it's not only the color and clarity of the diamond that makes it nice, just as important, if not more, is the cut. that's where the diamonds of a similar cut and clarity will be differentiated. the better the cut, the more sparkley the stone. and places like hong kong and bangkok are known for carrying a ton of amazingly cut diamonds.

also, about getting the rock independently and then putting it in a tiffany's setting... a lot of diamond retailers work with a jewelry craftman who will copy any setting you show him a picture of.

[svartedoom]

honestly, if you knew the real story behind the farce of new diamonds. buy used diamonds, the ones in pawn shops. they are cheaper and bigger! however, if you can, don't buy any at all. if you want something to remember her by, just get a ring or something like that. the money you save , you can put that towards the mortgage or a trip. trust me on this. but yeah, get an used diamond. it is the same shit.

[Analyst]

whoa..you're getting married?

Poly, yeah man. Going to be in Dec. You going to be in the neighborhood?

[poly800rock]

Poly, yeah man. Going to be in Dec. You going to be in the neighborhood?

sorry, probably not...who the hell is going to show me around next time? congrats analyst! i've been meaning to email you..but i'll probably just pm you when i get time next week.

[Analyst]

sorry, probably not...who the hell is going to show me around next time? congrats analyst! i've been meaning to email you..but i'll probably just pm you when i get time next week.

Poly, I'll always take the time to give you the quick and dirty tour of Bangkok. Actually, you better make it here soon. I may be coming back to the states or moving to HK at some point.

[Analyst]

Thanks for everyone who pitched in all the words of encouragement and discouragement. I ended up finding the perfect stone and design. The engagement went smoothly and everyone was happy cheers!

[proper_villians]

how did you end up proposing?

[m@!]

Should I buy in Asia

yes

or go to the diamond district in NYC?

NO!

Can I find the stone and get it set at a different shop?

yes!