inexpensive diamond ring?

mrnomoneybags

Dimonds in SA are not as cheap as you think ........ i thought that until i visited there early this year.


-Tom

Hintza

Look at second hand or antique rings, this is where you will get the best bargains. Worth also considering a stone and having it set.

Or combine the two ideas and reset a second hand stone.

I tend to buy stones and set them.

Bargain_Bunny

I used Cooldiamonds (.co.uk I think?) after seeing them mentioned online, the Independent I think, and they were great -superb value, certified stone, and they were kind enough to let me choose the stone via scans of the certificates.

Got an internally flawless diamond that the other half loves.:T

(edit: BB's other half posting, not BB!!)

Astaroth

Certified stones are only worth paying the extra for if the diamond warrents being certified though having looked at some of the ebay offerings some of the "certified" stones really werent worth being used as anything but drill bits.

The main thing to decide first is what your woman would prefer in terms of balance of quality and size - for some they would love a large stone even if it means it has a small amount of colouration or isnt cut perfectly where are others would prefer something little more than a stone chip as long as it gets the A+ rating in all the catagories and hasnt been artificially improved with drilling etc.

I wouldnt buy off the internet as every stone is unique and you really have to inspect it yourself - also good to view it in natural light and not the fluresent lights in shops as some companies put coatings on the diamonds (or drill them and fill it with resin) that reacts to fluresent light making it look a lot better than it is.

Whilst you may not want to buy from them, have a look at the Tiffany's website as burried in their diamond section they have a good series of articals on both what the gradings mean and what to look out for to see if it is a quality stone or not.

Christmasshopper

Look at Mays Jewellers and Pawnbrokers on Rochdale Road, Collyhurst. They have some fabulous new and secondhand rings at really good prices. If you buy a secondhand ring they will polish it up to look like new and put it in a new box. They also have a smaller shop on Salford shopping precinct.

@Cat

If you're considering white gold, even though they tend to be cheaper, I wouldn't go to Argos. Mine and my husband's 18ct white gold wedding rings came from there less than two years ago and they've both gone back to yellow.
My 18ct white gold engagement ring from H Samuel however, is still the same colour it always was.
It seems all 18ct white gold isn't of the same quality, just wanted to point that out.
Good luck with the proposal and ring finding!

fatboyonadiet

Think4_CustService wrote:

I would recommend the diamond trade centre in Shudehill, Manchester:

http://www.thediamondtradecentre.com/

I got my wife's ring there after scouring the high street. Family run business, very friendly and knowledgeable staff. You'll get far more for your money than in any high street chain.

I would recommend this place too, think it's the same as what another post recommended? Save about a 25 - 33% over high street, drive a hard bargain with him and he will budge slightly on price too. Other option is to go to Jewelley Quarter in Birmingham save about 40% over high street.

These are rough estimations over rings I've bought from these places and looked at similar ones in high street, that said most high street jewellers will budge 10 - 20% in prce from experience.

fatboyonadiet

&#64 wrote: »

If you're considering white gold, even though they tend to be cheaper, I wouldn't go to Argos. Mine and my husband's 18ct white gold wedding rings came from there less than two years ago and they've both gone back to yellow.
My 18ct white gold engagement ring from H Samuel however, is still the same colour it always was.
It seems all 18ct white gold isn't of the same quality, just wanted to point that out.
Good luck with the proposal and ring finding!

Suprised your white gold one hasn't done the same, white gold is just normal gold with a coating on it, most of the times will start to erode, depends on how much washing up you do! And will need a re-coating.

skyepark

fatboyonadiet wrote:

Suprised your white gold one hasn't done the same, white gold is just normal gold with a coating on it, most of the times will start to erode, depends on how much washing up you do! And will need a re-coating.

Really? im sure you can buy gold coated with white gold but normally white gold is white gold with alloys, you can pink gold too just not here. its the carat that gives it away. 24carat is teh most you can get

skyepark

nothing cheap about a diamond, what about those who die minining it for us saps wholl pay the price, get a second hand one adn have it reamde into summat else or vintage/antique otherwise.