Where is a good place to buy an engagement ring?

Lozeebee on 29/05/2014 - 11:49

Hi all,

I'm looking around for an engagement ring and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

I've come across GS Diamonds (http://www.gsdiamonds.com.au/) who also happen to have a store in QVB.

It seems like you can get something pretty decent for around $4000-$5000 but I dont know how to measure what's good or not.

I don't necessarily want the cheapest out there, I don't mind paying a bit if the price is right I guess…

Does any other OZB'ers have advise on anywhere else besides above I can go have a look? Preferrably in the Sydney metropolitan area!

I'm looking at roughly $4000-$5000 range. Is that too little or too much?

Thank in advance for the help! I'm really lost in this area…

General Discussion

Comments

  • 2jzzzz on 29/05/2014 - 11:56
    +1

    Go to pricescope and research everything. You want something with the best quality cut over the other 3 c's. I just got a ring from an American retailer which would have cost me over $10k in Melbourne. I paid a third of that. B2C jewels, whiteflash, James Allen and Brian Gavin are great. Blue Nile is ok, but don't offer all the required images to make a decision.

    • cuteseal on 29/05/2014 - 13:01
      -1

      Agreed regarding pricescope. Over and above the 3Cs, it's also important to find one that has excellent symmetry. Also a low HCA score if you want it to sparkle. Hearts and Arrows as well if you want something to impress as they can use a viewer to see the shape.

      Having said that, I did all the research and ended up paying slightly more to buy from an Australian supplier vs US based ones like James Allen or Whiteflash (don't forget to factor GST in). I used Jogia Diamonds in Perth and was very happy with their service, if you are interested.

      Then again, it's $4-$5K on a piece of rock and this is ozbargain. Spend $100 bucks on cubic zirconia and put the rest in a High Interest UBank account, I say. :D

      • zeomega on 01/06/2014 - 23:42

        Once the wife-to-be finds out it's a CZ… i don't know if he'll be getting married at all! LoL.

        Again, I agree with all that's said, symmetry is one of the most important things. A stone with SI but with perfect symmetry will sparkle very well still. And with colour, Unless you put it side by side, you won't be able to tell the difference when it's on it's own. So anything up to a J will be great still.

        I know it's not economical (a diamond surely ain't in the first place), but sometimes girls like to be pampered. I got my wife a brand name ring. Whilst she's not the brand conscious type, it does get some "oooooosss and ahhhhhs" when the brand is mentioned. Do consider that whilst the rock may be much smaller … it tends to be more "elegant" (it's a psychological thing) due to it being from some big brand, EG: Tiffany n Co, Cartier, Bulgari, etc. Just a suggestion… :)

        I wish you all the best! It's an exciting time!

      • shump on 04/06/2014 - 12:33

        Want to +1 Jogia Diamonds - very competitive prices. They are an eccentric bunch when you visit their little room upstairs on Barrack St, Perth, but the boss Yogesh Jogia takes great pride in his work. I have bought significant rings there twice, half the price of retail. Note extra 5% off if you are a UWA Club member: http://www.universityclub.uwa.edu.au/uniclub_contact_us/memb…

    • ozeebee on 29/05/2014 - 14:26

      Great! Thanks for this.

      I'm assuming that pricescope is US based website?

      Sorry just to be sure as well, can we be sure all the diamonds and rings coming from overseas are all genuine and not fake?

      How does one tell?

      • cuteseal on 29/05/2014 - 15:14

        Yeah the pricescope is like a comparison engine, but tends to list only US stores.

        The diamonds with the better retailers (like James Allen or Whiteflash) are all independently assessed by the GIA or equivalent body. The assessment comes with a report listing the characteristics and specs of the diamond and a unique ID. The ID is then inscribed on the side of the diamond. You can check any report online if you have the ID. Some sites even list the report and ID on their individual diamond product page so you can do your checks beforehand.

        So basically if you are paranoid you can inspect the diamond to make sure the ID matches the report. Some jewelers also set the diamond in such a way that you can see the inscribed ID through the claws of the setting.

  • bossmode on 29/05/2014 - 12:44

    I really wish you posted this earlier, there was one one for free a while back.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/05/2014 - 12:51
    +7

    In the Land of Mordor, in the Fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master ring…

    'Fires of Mount Doom Jewellery Emporium'.
    May well also sell engagement rings.

    You're welcome. Glad to help.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 12:57
      +5

      And into this ring Sauron pour his cruelty , malice , a 30 year old marketing campaign from the De Beers.

      One by one all the lands of Earth fell to the power of an overpriced rock .

  • [Deactivated] on 29/05/2014 - 13:35
    +1

    Don't forget your free ring sizer from Blue Nile

  • smol84 on 29/05/2014 - 14:46
    +1

    I ordered my one from http://www.jamesallen.com/ I got it valued here at 3 different jewelers and they valued it for $15k more than what I paid for it

    • ozeebee on 29/05/2014 - 15:01

      Thanks! Seems like a good website.

      I will use this as my base for research and comparison.

    • cuteseal on 29/05/2014 - 15:04
      +2

      Take those valuations with a grain of salt - you'll never get that amount if you had to replace it.

      Case in point, the diamond came off my wife's engagement ring and was lost. I paid $1700 originally but was independently valued at $3300. To replace at the same retailer - $2200. However, insurance wanted to use their own jeweler and their cost to replace - $1700. But I found diamonds with equivalent or better specs on whiteflash - $1100 - $1400.

      Anyway, I ended up buying a new diamond on my own - paid just under $2000 then got it independently valued and it came up to $4500.

    • JepunK on 31/05/2014 - 11:25

      when u ordered it from there, did you have to pay custom tax here?

  • matta on 29/05/2014 - 20:44

    Looked overseas and looked here. Suggest www.jogiadiamonds.com.au. Perth based and really good service, used them in October last year.

    • hashtag7 on 01/06/2014 - 12:29

      Used them before, good price but bad customer service.

    • slowcoach on 02/06/2014 - 15:10

      I also bought a diamond ring from them. Quite happy with it. Did a lot of research first on what I wanted, marked a few different diamonds and asked which they recommended. Turned out well.

    • ausooi on 03/06/2014 - 07:02

      Got mine from them as well. Found their pricing good value indeed. Even an independent evaluator told me that got a good price for it.

      Turned out better than expected, so quite happy with it. But their communications can be slow so got me anxious a little bit. But all good in the end.

      I would do a bit more research than just jumping straight to them. What I found very useful is their website and explanations. I was impressed that they've got videos on their diamonds as well.

      I know you mentioned Sydney, but a lot of my friends got their from overseas, and have said that with the budget airfares, still cost less than what they would pay here. Not sure anyone else agrees or not.

      For that price range, you should be able to get something decent, just dont tell your partner the price :)

      OH BY THE WAY, best of luck.

  • Seven8Nine on 29/05/2014 - 20:48
    +5

    costco, may be

    • lakers1222 on 04/06/2014 - 20:15

      I got mine on eBay and now I'm divorced.

  • nahi11 on 29/05/2014 - 21:03
    +1

    Oh damn, them prices.

    Makes me feel better about being single.

  • TRENT86 on 29/05/2014 - 21:12

    Hope diamonds http://www.hopediamonds.com.au/jewellery is the only one I know.

    If you want to go all out for your Wife then get one with a pink argyle diamond in it, All the women love them cause they are so rare and look awesome.

  • sarbear on 29/05/2014 - 21:40
    +1

    Ozebee you my sir are a brave man.Good luck with the proposal:)

  • [Deactivated] on 29/05/2014 - 22:09

    Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't engagement rings supposed to be the equivalent of three months' salary? Prices here are a bargain!

    • Tnetennba on 30/05/2014 - 03:02
      +15

      That's just marketing by De Beers in the 20th Century. In fact, diamonds aren't all that rare, but a massively successful marketing campaign by De Beers has led almost everyone to believe this.

      Ah, well, I'll probably have to buy one eventually :(

    • conan2000 on 30/05/2014 - 11:01

      As per brezzo that's was a marketing campaign many ears ago. It also becomes ridiculous if you're on a high salary. It would cost me more than my car! Also rather conveniently, my girlfriend doesn't like diamonds, so that will save me a small fortune when the time comes!

  • ibelynn on 30/05/2014 - 08:28

    Go to a manufacturing jeweler, you will get value for money.
    There's plenty around, and you can choose diamond and style

    • ozeebee on 30/05/2014 - 11:48

      Isn't the link I provided on the initial post a manufacturing jeweler?

      I thought they were.

  • Baghern on 30/05/2014 - 10:04

    hmmm if I ever get married I need to book mark this to justify a lower value.

    I've always look at 10k being the mark.

    • ozeebee on 30/05/2014 - 11:48

      Yes I think the budget is one of the more difficult decisions since diamonds and rings at the end of the day are valued differently everywhere you look.

      Thank goodness the 3 month salary rule is all bollocks.

  • hoju83 on 30/05/2014 - 10:11

    I highly recommend King Street Design in the Dymocks building on George St. (Appointments necessary)
    http://www.kingstreetdesign.com/Home

    My wife and I went there to get our wedding bands and we dealt with Allan. He was very friendly, patient and helpful in helping us find the particular style of rings we wanted and pricing was decent.

    I actually bought my engagement ring online but in hindsight I would have saved a lot more money by actually going in to see a good jeweller for advice and a quote. By all means do all the research you need online about the diamond and style of ring you want, but before you actually buy anything online do yourself a favour and go to any of the bricks & mortar jewellers that have been recommended in this thread.

  • denishdens on 30/05/2014 - 11:34

    www.suratdiamond.com

    Trusted site. Delivered to me here in Australia

  • ozeebee on 30/05/2014 - 11:46

    Appreciate the comments everyone. Have been busy looking at all the links provided. No specific choices yet, but it's good to be able to see the different range available.

    Obviouly the proposal will be a surprise? So what happens if I buy the wrong size online? Do I have to resend it back to the retailer?

    I guess this is one plus for the bricks and mortar store…

    • danyool on 01/06/2014 - 02:32
      +2

      Two things here - size and style.

      A couple of ways to sneak sizing info. If she wears any other rings (on ring finger on other hand) and happens to leave it out, grab it and trace it onto paper (around the inside of the ring), May be slightly off because each hand is usually slightly different sized, but should be a good gauge.

      Or, if she has sister/good friend that you know and who can keep secrets, you could employ them to find out her size. They might already know, or can casually check some time.

      Style - see sister/friend above. Potentially from just taking about what they like, or if they "happen" to pass a jewlers when they're catching up for coffee one day.

      If no sister/friend, one option might be if you get a stack of junk mail and look through it together and a jewlery catalogue is there you could casually comment on it. There's usually bound to be one or two big hidious rings which you could point at and say - "imagine wearing that?!" Which might lead to "no, i don't like that, but i like …" (Hoepfully it's not the one you've made fun of!) You're looking for: Does she like yellow gold/white gold, single stone, side stones, shape, etc. If you're cool enough and the proposal date is some way off, she might have forgotten.

      Or - just get a fakie ring, or even just the box, and then go shopping together after you've manned up!!

      Good luck!!

      • redpump on 01/06/2014 - 21:58

        If you have a picky gf (like I am) I would recommend a fake ring to propose with as well. Then you can both shop around for what she likes =)

        Otherwise, go with the safe option of gold, white gold or platinum solitaire with a single (biggest you can afford) diamond. At the 5k mark you can get a nice platinum solitaire with a 0.7ct diamond.

        If she has a lot of silver jewellery get white gold or platinum, if she has a lot of yellow gold jewellery, go with the yellow gold ring.

      • anastasiastarz on 06/06/2014 - 01:12

        Also going to recommend the prop ring, love the candy pop one. Or at Colette they have a huge 5-10c coin sized one.

  • srhardy on 30/05/2014 - 12:23
    +3

    the 'fake' diamond market is huge, now they can 'grow' diamonds in labs with better CCC i find it hard to tell anyone to buy a REAL one as most are from Africa and other places where they are STILL the cause of great misery and that seems like a silly thing to give someone you LOVE…

    But i know women and i know they like the standard things like diamond engagement rings, or at least your trained to think thats the best solution. Personally buy a nice ring for a few hundred and propose with that, if she says yes and you explain the delima of what you should do for your future together and she says a diamond is a deal breaker then get another G/F

    If she says its NUTS then one day when you have the opportunity get it for her, the wait will get you a better deal, make sure its not only bought with love but not at someone else's expense or spend it on a holiday and dig your own!

    enjoy & good luck

    • [Deactivated] on 30/05/2014 - 23:47
      +2

      But i know women and i know they like the standard things like diamond engagement rings

      Not all of us like or would want diamonds :)

    • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 14:32
      +3

      I didn't get an engagement ring at the time. He just kind of blurted the words unexpectedly at the airport. I thought it was the most romantic proposal ever :-)
      He did get me one after we got married and I had borned him twins… We had a joint account, so I guess I kind of paid for half of it. Hmmm did I get short-changed? :O

      • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 18:58
        -1

        You sure did;-)

      • montorola on 01/06/2014 - 10:07
        +14

        We had a joint account, so I guess I kind of paid for half of it. Hmmm did I get short-changed? :O

        Your husband is a true OzBargainer

        • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2014 - 18:06

          @wicket1120:

          Your husband is a true OzBargainer

          Hear! Hear!
          Anyway it wasn't an engagement ring, per se. It was more a thank you gift for the beautiful kids.
          I'll get you a proper engagement ring my love for our 60th wedding anniversary.Any woman who can put up with me for that long deserves the biggest,flashiest diamond that I can afford.It'll be as big as an egg, and so garish , that you'll be totally ashamed to wear it in public ;-)

        • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2014 - 21:45
          +2

          Blergh. lol

          Do you guys always communicate to each other via internet forums?

        • [Deactivated] on 18/06/2014 - 22:58

          @WT, I can't help it: he's my favourite ozbargainer ;-)

      • Mumbles on 03/06/2014 - 10:46

        Every relationship is unique.

        Your situation is rare. I've several friends who have the opposite experience. ie. proposal was not romantic (testing the waters for a year). No kids. Have independent finances and both are working.

        Would a ring have changed your mind or improved on your decisions? eg. more kids, sign your parents property over.

        He's a very lucky guy.

        • [Deactivated] on 18/06/2014 - 23:12

          @mumbles,no ring wldn't hv made any difference. As for more kids, We're working on baby #3, hv been for a while though, so not sure if there is going to b a baby #3 or not.

  • goosegog on 30/05/2014 - 15:11
    +4

    Just another thought on this dilemma as a person who has been married for almost 40 years. I was so excited to choose my engagement ring which cost 500 pounds back then - it's beautiful but I hardly wear it now. In hindsight that 500 pounds ( which would be worth a lot more now ) could have been used to a better cause to further our lives together as it certainly wouldn't be worth that now. A cheaper ring would have had the same meaning & as the old adage goes " It's the thought that counts". Think to the future - invest in your future prosperity - not a trinket which will devalue & further years down the track will be left in a jewellry box before finally being willed to your future offspring. Might sound harsh but is so true - I have my mothers,Grandmothers & Great Grandmothers - all lovely - but not worth a lot. So if it's sentimental reasons & you can justify the expenditure-go for it - otherwise think about the practicalities.

    • Baghern on 30/05/2014 - 15:47
      +8

      That's nice but this is the generation of Princesses

      • ozeebee on 30/05/2014 - 16:29
        +10

        Baghern, whilst this may apply in some cases, definitely not in ours.

        My gf is the type of person who takes care of everyone in her family. She even takes care of mine for no reason.

        That's why she deserves only the best that I can afford, as I'm the only one looking out for her.

        I didn't think my budget was that high anyway. I thought it was modest for what it will be used for.

        • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 22:37

          That's really sweet.

        • stringbean402 on 03/06/2014 - 17:46

          Marketing works !

  • Archi on 30/05/2014 - 16:30

    you could buy the diamond first without the setting.. propose with that… and then you can get her input on the design of the ring..

    maybe get a custom made one. there are a couple of jewellers in the dymocks building in Sydney and get a ring hand made… which is individual and not one like it in the world. they could even copy a designer ring at a fraction of the cost.

  • Diesmile on 31/05/2014 - 12:04
    +1

    Ha, my wife and me bought our engagement ring from GS, quite lovely people there.

    Though we did end up getting a 28k ring, so make your price firm.

    edit: btw, there is not much point doing your research, because in the end is your wife who picks the ring. The most important factor: is she happy with it?

    I spent large amount of time reading all the spec meaning and picked one I would deemed as best value (E colour, VVS1) but the wife just wanted something bigger.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 15:18
      +1

      28k?! I think the most important question is, are you happy?

      • Diesmile on 31/05/2014 - 22:44
        +3

        i am, because i believe my wife worths it. it is quite bit our saving, but hey, if you only marry once, might as well treat her nice.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2014 - 19:50
          +1

          :-)

        • xyron on 02/06/2014 - 15:20

          Except statistically, most people marry twice on average in their lifetimes in the west…

          …28k is crazy money, unless you are earning a fair decent chunk over $250,000 per year.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 12:36

    have you tried looking at the artificial diamonds which are very well priced

  • msmhw on 31/05/2014 - 12:57

    Have a look at overseas stores there are cheaper than what you can find here one of my friends bought a ring from Amazon. He and his gf were very happy with it.

    Have a look at this ring, looks geart
    http://www.amazon.com/White-Diamond-Clarity-Three-Stone-Enga…

  • TPbMe on 31/05/2014 - 13:46
    +3

    Hi ozeebee~ from a female's perspective I think it's so romantic to want to propose & surprise her with a ring BUT….you run the risk of spending a lot of money (I think your budget is fine,by the way)on something that she dislikes & she won't want to tell you that.This ring will be on her finger forever - she has to love it! It has to be the right style,colour gold,stone & design as well as complement her other jewellery. I'm sure she'd apreciate your thoughtfullness if you proposed with an inexpensive band (even a keyring loop!)with the commitment of shopping together for the lifetime ring.

    • gavbro on 01/06/2014 - 15:56
      +5

      This ring will be on her finger forever - she has to love it! It has to be the right style,colour gold,stone & design as well as complement her other jewellery.

      No pressure then.

  • Sweet Potatoes on 31/05/2014 - 15:26
    +6

    I would be mortified if my partner spent 4k on a ring for me!! Its an awful lot of money for something you wear on your finger. My engagement ring years ago was $300! And I was perfectly happy with that.
    Think about all the poverty in the world - 4K could feed a child for years.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 22:36

      I'm the same. $238 mine cost 11 years ago. Wouldn't have it any other way. Helped us off to a good start in life by having that money in our pockets, not on my finger. Another factor to consider with expensive rings is if they will get worn.

      Most of my friends with expensive rings are too scared to wear them on a daily basis for fear of losing them, or the setting isn't practical for daily wear (if it's too high it catches on everything). So remember to keep these factors in mind when choosing.

  • lo200 on 31/05/2014 - 16:09
    +2

    I purchased my wife's diamond ring online from the states from http://www.bluenile.com/ as it was much cheaper than anywhere locally.

    I was a bit scared at first because it was a large amount of money buying a 2ct diamond online and from overseas, but it arrived to me safely, I quickly got it valuated and GIA certification verified from a local diamond valuer and the value was double my purchase price.

    So I would highly recommend buying from Blue Nile as it was a quick and safe transaction.

  • Happydeals on 31/05/2014 - 17:25

    I bought my engagement ring for my wife from MyDiamonds. The ring was custom made - I chose a diamond from their database and my wife chose the ring design. I wanted to choose a diamond that gave the best sparkle for my budget so I used this http://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca and other calculators to help me. I guess it worked because she gets compliments at least once a month from customers at work.

    With MyDiamonds you can view the diamond in person at one of their offices by appointment before you buy so you can ask any questions and consult about the ring design if you want them to make your ring. You also get an independent valuation with the purchase.

  • gimme on 31/05/2014 - 17:34
    +4

    Meh, engagement rings are like buying a new car. The minute you walk out of the shop it depreciates by 20%. Waste of money. The marketing machine behind it though has created a HUGE industry out of correlating love with the size/value/shininess of a 'worthless' gesture. I'd much rather spend my money on something a lot more useful or memorable. I guess I've been lucky (or smart) enough to find someone who didn't give a crap about rings. 15+ years and still going strong.

  • SirNed on 31/05/2014 - 17:52

    And another one to add to your list Delphi Diamonds www.DelphiDiamonds.com.au in Pitt street.
    Missus threw her ring out after cleaning her bag out.
    Got a new one made for her using these guys way cheaper than others we checked out and custom made the ring were were after. Couldn't have been happier.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 19:36
    +2

    Sorry mate, don't know much about rings. But as a happily married man, I wld say find a woman who doesn't care for these things, marry her, then shower her with gifts and love, for she's a keeper:-)

  • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 20:08
    +3

    Why never women buy things for men? Who decides? Just saying

  • nerdycat on 31/05/2014 - 21:21
    +1

    I'd suggest affinity diamonds. It's near Pitt st mall. The guys there are very very helpful… They helped my fiancé who knew nothing about jewellery to choose mine. They explained everything to him so he could make a informed decision. Going back to them to order wedding rings.

    On ring size just make sure it does not have diamonds around the whole band. Jewellers normally resize for free…

    • bajillionaire on 02/06/2014 - 20:28

      I second Affinity Diamonds. Sam is very patient, down to earth and honest. Even if you don't end up buying from him you will know what to look for in a diamond, and have to knowledge to make a decision about what is important to you in a diamond (eg the trade-off between size, colour, clarity, etc).

      I myself and a few of my friends have bought from him over the years. Apart from having had to fork out for a diamond in the first place(!), no regrets from buying from Affinity Diamonds.

  • kimmik on 31/05/2014 - 21:38

    The only ring that means anything is the wedding ring. I did not purchase an engagement ring and will not purchase eternity bands or any other anniversary rings.

    Propose with an onion ring and a poem.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2014 - 21:50

      Propose with an onion ring and a poem.

      LOL!

      Totally off-topic, but I've got a mate who says "first come the ring, then the wedding , then suffering"

      and she's been married 4 times and currently engaged to soon-to-be hubby #5. Go figure.

      Edit: I wonder if she got to keep the engagement rings? hmm maybe not so off-topic

      • montorola on 01/06/2014 - 10:13

        5th time being wed? I'd have thought she would have given up on marriages by now lol.. Must love walking down the aisle

        • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2014 - 15:34

          probably does it for the super……

          plenty of women do

        • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2014 - 20:01

          @montorola, she is actually quite a romantic. Unfortunately, she also has a penchant for sleazy, old men who don't treat her right.

  • Professor Chaos on 01/06/2014 - 12:04

    go with blue nile or adiamor, you will need to spend some time to select the stone but you will get good value for your money. select the stone with slight blue florescence, you will manage to get bigger one in less price

  • gavbro on 01/06/2014 - 16:06

    Does anyone have any experience with Moissanite? Is it really 'better than diamonds' with regard to sparkle/price?

    My girlfriend is pretty reasonable (she's a bundy girl… they make them good up there) - she said that if the rock is indistinguishable to diamond in most aspects then who cares if it real diamond or not. I'd love to be able to compare the 2 in person somewhere.

    • anastasiastarz on 06/06/2014 - 01:19

      Google is your friend on this one, we got the moissanite which does look exactly the same but cheaper. Sorry don't have many details as my beau dealt with it all.

  • Emmzy on 01/06/2014 - 20:25

    I got my engagement ring from GoldeNet a couple of years ago. Really good price & you pick the design & exact diamond you want. I even sent them a photo of a design I liked (from a major jewellery store) & they made it for me

    http://www.goldenet.com.au/

  • drprox on 01/06/2014 - 20:41

    i bought one on james allen.
    http://www.jamesallen.com/
    They're great as have a virtual loupe so can see the actual stone
    I ended up with a ring that would have cost at least twice as much to buy at a store in Aus.

  • npp on 01/06/2014 - 20:54

    Do not go to GS Diamonds. I was in the same position as you last year, Went to GS Diamands and nievlely purchased a ring for my Fiancée from a convincing man and had nothing but problems with the Diamond setting, quality of the band and the staff… ended up getting a full refund rather then store credit because "your fiancé would never be happy with anything in our store"… went to Arman's fine jewellery and couldn't be happier with the ring we designed and got made by hand.

    • ozeebee on 02/06/2014 - 11:47

      Thanks for the heads up. Will keep this in mind.

  • MeesusEff on 01/06/2014 - 20:56

    Overseas but very good quality, does not bother me that they are not natural made diamonds but I rather the money be put into starting a life together rather than a material object (that I would probably find annoying to wear day in day out).

    http://www.orro.com

  • sal78 on 01/06/2014 - 21:21
    +1

    www.jogiadiamonds.com.au we bought from them years ago and they ares till around. very professional, wholsesalers, a large database of loose diamonds. Tbh, all diamonds worldwide are traded in USD and since AUD is low atm, it isn' a good time to buy diamonds. they have magic numbers i.e 1 caret or 0.50 carat etc so if you buy just under it's considerable cheaper. Also less popular shapes are also much cheaper.

    I got the 3 stone oval shaped ring with 0.75 centre and 0.35 exact on each side. The middle diamond is E VS1 and side diamonds E VVS1. It's important they are exactly the same in colour, weight and clarity. for the same ring but slightly smaller weight was $30k at Tiffanys. Jogia charged me around $5k. I picked it up from a jeweller in GC who set the ring on a a band for us and gave an independent valuation and paid after I was happy with the ring. Valuation was at $14k. It's really high quality if u know your diamonds. Don't go highsteet, the quality is much lower. All the value is in the diamonds, source loose diamonds wholesale.

    This was an eternity ring. My E Ring is a single tiffany style round brilliant solitaire set high on a 6 prong. The diamond is D VS1 0.48 carat (cheaper since just under half) set on a platinum band. my husband paid I think USD $1.3k for it from Mondera.com (similar to Bluenile but I think non existent anymore).

    I know size is important but it really depends on the girls hands…on small petite hands, a huge diamond looks too flashy and tacky and it gets in the way.

    http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=3+stone+oval+engag…

    Btw, neither of us wear rings. I just wear it on special occasions. I'm likely to lose anything that I have to keep taking on and off.

    • sal78 on 01/06/2014 - 22:02
      +1

      btw, hubby proposed to me with a 400 GBP ring he got from the first highstreet store he walked into 13yrs ago The diamond was so tiny and he got mega ripped off. But the proposal was so thoughtful and beautiful and a complete surprise. He isn't the type to do lots of research on diamonds, get the best price etc and I accept that. doesn't mean he can't be romantic in other ways. Even though I didn't like the ring, I'm glad it was a surprise and also it was all he could afford at the time and it was from him. That's what is important. A few yrs later I upgraded and he was more than happy gift it to me even though I did all the research and bargain hunting. A few more yrs later when AUD was strong I got another eternity ring. I don't think I will buy anymore. I don't even like wearing rings. But it's nice for special occasions and something I can leave to my daughter.

      I think being frugal is great but I really can't stand guys that are frugal on their wives and vice versa. I'm pretty frugal myself but it would annoy me if we could afford it but hubby said it was too exxy, waste of money or i'm not deserving. I really don't think husbands and wives should be stingy on each other. in anything, they should lavish each other..

  • ankor on 01/06/2014 - 21:42

    I went James Allen,and a friend went 77diamonds. Both really good online retailers, but in comparison 77diamonds had more open and hands on sales consultants.

  • mattie on 01/06/2014 - 22:04

    Another option is to buy from auction http://sam.leonardjoel.com.au/view-auctions/catalog/id/176/

  • bugsbunny on 01/06/2014 - 22:36

    Hi guys,

    After reading all comments above I'm also leaning towards buying online via the states however have one question and I apologise if it's stupid but there's also tax we have to pay on the diamonds as they are over $1000?

    Cheers

    • nerdycat on 02/06/2014 - 12:45
      +1

      Yes you will be charged by customs for tax and they will collect on delivery of the item. My friends got their wedding rings from overseas and totally forgot about the tax.

    • Kenb0 on 02/06/2014 - 23:54

      Yes, will get charged gst in it but even with that added on, it's still much cheaper than buying it here. I bought my diamonds loose from the US from Brian Gavin diamonds and Whiteflash, three diamonds in all, ranging from E-F colour, VS1, and the cut on all 3 were as close to perfect as you can get. The diamonds were all AGS-certified ideal. All three were Hearts and Arrows(means they exhibited hearts and arrows patterns when viewed under a viewer) and you can only see these clearly when the cut is mathematically perfect(supposedly). They are definitely very blingy. Even now my fiancée gets comments on how bright and sparkly her ring is.

      Got it set at a local jeweler and when I brought them in to be set into a design I had chosen, they were very impressed with the quality of the stones and admitted there was no way they could match the price I paid for them. I wanted it set locally so if there was any problems with sizing, etc I could bring it back easily.

      Buying it from overseas was no problem at all, especially if you buy from reputable stores. Can check on pricescope to see what others say about them. After I had paid via wire transfer(extra discount), they fedexed the stones to me within a few days. Got stopped at customs, they called me to pay the tax, I paid it via credit card, and stones were delivered to me the next day. If you're worried about buying from overseas, can always pay via credit card and do a chargeback if not happy. I was happy enough to do a wire transfer as I could get some good rates on the exchange rate. Don't use any of the big4 banks to do wire transfers as they charge fees and hey shaft you on he exchange rate. PM me if you want more details

      Good luck!

      • bugsbunny on 04/06/2014 - 08:06

        Thanks for your help cassyip and kenb0! I think I will most likely look to buy online.

        • Kenb0 on 04/06/2014 - 08:20

          If you really want to get into the nitty gritty of looking for blingy diamonds, I recommend www.niceice.com as a good starting point. I just went through all the posts and got a good idea of what to look for. Same with www.goodoldgold.com/4Cs/ . Lots of good diamond information there, might get information overload, but at the end of it, you'll know what to look for when you see idealscope/ASET images, etc..

  • reader64 on 02/06/2014 - 03:39

    Goldstein or any half decent jewish jewlery shop in the jewish quarters of syd or melb. hey have acess to vastly superior quality gems due to Israel being a diamand trading Mecca. and having relatives in the trade so deals are to be had.
    i got my wifes ring from one as my mother is jewish knew someone at a Jewish retailer managed to get a 2.5ct ring for under 7100. had it valued by Angus coote and Independent appraisal was worth 15,400. so do try them out there worth a steal.

    FYI the first price is not there best price in these stores they live to haggle.
    i also manages to get a seiko coutar from them for 466 dollars RRP is 950 these are good deals.

  • le3lee on 02/06/2014 - 08:39

    I havent been reading all the comments but 4-5k seems a bit low..anyway, I have a friend who is a diamond wholesaler based in Sydney. Pm me for details if you're interested.

  • bozbargain on 02/06/2014 - 09:07

    Got mine hand made by a goldsmith in Sydney: http://www.studio303.com.au/
    Great if you want something unique, they're lovely to deal with - no fancy shop front but they have some beautiful rings.

  • DrStinge on 02/06/2014 - 09:34

    No one has said Cash Converters yet!? The ladies just LOVE antiques!

  • ozeebee on 02/06/2014 - 11:52

    I remembered having a conversation a while ago regarding the preferred style of ring.

    It would be a 3 diamond ring, with the bigger stone in the middle and 2 smaller ones on each side. With a White Gold band/ring.

    Good thing is at least I have an idea of style and colour.

    As someone asked above, did anyone have to pay the customs tax when bought online considering it's over 1000aud?

    • sal78 on 02/06/2014 - 14:47

      sounds like mine. find a loose diamond wholesaler. is she a small girl? a 2 carat would look awful on small hands on small body. goodluck.

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