Certified Diamonds - Joseph Rea the Jewellers

Cottongrass

I've just proposed to my girflriend, and I've begun the search for a 'rock'. We tried Belfast yesterday, and Joseph Rea has the largest collection I've seen anywhere, with a price range to suit everyone, but there is one thing - they don't do certificates! (At least not automatically - you can pay £500 to get one)
Now I'm a local, and I've never heard of a story questioning the integrity of Joseph Rea. My girlfriend is not a local, and she's never heard of Joseph Rea, so this practice of selling diamonds without certificates raises a red flag to her.
I will ask them on Monday about this selling practice again, but has anyone come across this before?

Also, can anyone recommend a jewellers, given that we are all moneysavers here? (I'm feeling lightheaded at the prices!!)

Cheers,
Cottongrass

BatCat

Hi,
I've been living in Belfast over 7 years now and several people at my workplace have bought engagement rings from Joseph Rea without a complaint. Never heard anything about certifications though.
When we bought my engagement ring the jeweller gave us a valuation for the insurance and that was that. I've since had the valuation agreed by another jeweller (purely by chance when the ring went to be repaired).
You intrigued me though, diamond certification seems like an American thing
http://www.robbinsdiamonds.com/elexese-certified-diamonds.php
Frankly, so long as it's sparkly, it suits her, it isn't going to bankrupt you and isn't a conflict diamond and she likes it what does it matter?
Cheers,
BatCat

Cottongrass

BatCat wrote:

Frankly, so long as it's sparkly, it suits her, it isn't going to bankrupt you and isn't a conflict diamond and she likes it what does it matter?
Cheers,
BatCat

That's the way I feel, but things are never simple now, are they?
I appreciate your thoughts though.

Cottongrass.

criminal_smile

Cottongrass wrote:

Now I'm a local, and I've never heard of a story questioning the integrity of Joseph Rea. My girlfriend is not a local, and she's never heard of Joseph Rea, so this practice of selling diamonds without certificates raises a red flag to her.
I will ask them on Monday about this selling practice again, but has anyone come across this before?

Also, can anyone recommend a jewellers, given that we are all moneysavers here? (I'm feeling lightheaded at the prices!!)

Cheers,
Cottongrass

Don't know about whether or not it's an american thing, but I bought my fianceé her ring at Xmas. Got it in Beaverbrooks, and it came with a certificate for the diamond. Quite reasonable too. Priced the same ring in Their Glasgow Braehead branch when I was over last month, and it was £500 dearer over there.

bagpuss

In my experience certified diamonds usually cost a lot more than uncertified ones, and I think that you will find that the majority of jewellers do not give a certificate automatically with a diamond, unless it is one of extremely high quality. I don't know if you know anything about diamonds, but they are graded according to the C's, that is Cut, clarity, colour, and carat. Cut being the shape, ie pear, round, etc. Clarity indicates how visible to the eye any flaws are, colour how "white" the diamond is (with blue white being the best) and carat, well how large the stone is.

You will obviously pay more demanding on how perfect the diamond is bearing in mind that a perfect blue white diamond with no inclusions in it will set you back thousands!!

Good luck with the hunt, but any good jeweller should be able to talk you through the above and give you guidance. Go and talk to them after all they are there to provide you with a service which ultimately you will pay for when you buy the ring! One thing to look out for though is free aftercare, ie cleaning is always very handy! Make sure too that you have adequate insurance.

Hope this helps

Bagpuss

PS You could also go to South Africia - they do lovely diamonds there (I speak from experience in Cape Town - a friend of mine bought some earring there for half the price they would have been here!)

IvanOpinion

Instead of SOuth Africa you could do a nice cruise of the Cariibean and get some fantastic Tanzanite and Diamond creations for a fraction of the price that you would pay over here (St Maarten or ST Thomas seem to be the best).

I always said that if I had it to do all over again I would get a basic ring over here and then get married on some Caribbean island and get the proper rings while on holiday.

Apart from that I know nothing about diamonds and jewellery and I stongly encourage Mrs O to have the same attitude (not that she ever listens to me). The good news however is that she does not like gold therefore for years I got away with silver but now she has found white gold and insists on that - being a good MSEr I keep telling her that you can't tell the difference between white gold and silver ... I may as well be talking to brick wall.

Ivan

System

being a good MSEr I keep telling her that you can't tell the difference between white gold and silver ... I may as well be talking to brick wall.

Thats cause shes right.

IvanOpinion

Judi wrote:

Thats cause shes right.

Its not that shes right ... it is just a case that she out numbers me

Ivan