Advice on Diamond Ring

[chris7cc]

Hi everyone,

 

Looking for advice on buying a diamond ring ether on board or at port, it is my wife's and I 10 year wedding anniversary year in 2021 and we are going to NYC and then a B2B on Symphony of the Seas from Miami 16th October & 23rd October. I am looking to buy my wife an eternity ring whilst we are away, where would you say I will get the best value for a ring? On the ship? At one of the islands? Sawgrass Mills in Miami? Or even in NYC.

 

We are visiting; Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan, Antigua & St Thomas

 

Cheers

 

Chris.

[PORT ROYAL]

16 minutes ago, chris7cc said:

Hi everyone,

 

Looking for advice on buying a diamond ring ether on board or at port, it is my wife's and I 10 year wedding anniversary year in 2021 and we are going to NYC and then a B2B on Symphony of the Seas from Miami 16th October & 23rd October. I am looking to buy my wife an eternity ring whilst we are away, where would you say I will get the best value for a ring? On the ship? At one of the islands? Sawgrass Mills in Miami? Or even in NYC.

 

We are visiting; Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan, Antigua & St Thomas

 

Cheers

 

Chris.

Personal opinion only 

At this point of time, would not trust the Caribbean et al.  It’s the Wild West.
Would suggest you go to a local reputable diamond dealer, purchase a certified diamond (tax saving?) and have the ring made to your own design (more personal and a one off).   The dealer will have a good and trusted maker contact.  This ring will  probably be at a price of one third to a half of what you would expect to pay in a jewellery store.

You then have total peace of mind, and if there is a problem in the future, the resolution is close to hand, complete with a certificate for the stone.

Go on line for ideas as to the prices of certified stones at various sizes and grades, for your price point.  You are then armed with the information to make a purchase with some confidence.

 

 

 

.

Edited December 19, 2020 by PORT ROYAL
Typo

[CruiserBruce]

Agree. I would buy locally to where you live. Much less risky in terms of quality. 

[msmayor]

Why not buy the ring from a local jeweler you trust, then give it to her on the cruise?

[PORT ROYAL]

11 minutes ago, msmayor said:

Why not buy the ring from a local jeweler you trust, then give it to her on the cruise?

Because a man can’t be trusted to get correct size and quality of stone, the setting, the ring size, etc etc.  And a one off bespoke piece for a special occasion, rather than something commercial, is just that little bit better. But this is just one’s opinion.

 

[evandbob]

Probably the best place to buy a diamond anything on the OP's itinerary is in NYC.  West 47th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, is known as the Diamond District, and has numerous stores where one can shop and compare quality and price.

 

I would advise the OP to study up prior on diamond characteristics and grading, and to have an idea of what setting, size,  and style ring he wants to purchase.

[Essiesmom]

Agree with above.  The diamond district in NYC is a wonderful place.  EM

[PORT ROYAL]

24 minutes ago, evandbob said:

Probably the best place to buy a diamond anything on the OP's itinerary is in NYC.  West 47th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, is known as the Diamond District, and has numerous stores where one can shop and compare quality and price.

 

I would advise the OP to study up prior on diamond characteristics and grading, and to have an idea of what setting, size,  and style ring he wants to purchase.

Have purchased in NY from Jangmi on the basis of reviews.  Very pleased with the purchase,

Later BIL corresponded with them before arriving (style, stones, price, size), they were very responsive.  In fact, when in the store, SIL could not decide between two pieces.  So she issued those deadly words “can we afford both?”.  Plastic surrendered.. Very happy with the two and the prices.  Doesn’t harm to drop them a line.

[1025cruise]

I'll add my vote to your own local jeweler where you can return it, have repairs done, and be guaranteed to what you get. If you insist on buying on your trip, NYC would probably be the best. But before you go, research the shops, perhaps even contact them in advance.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

Probably the best place to buy a diamond anything on the OP's itinerary is in NYC.  West 47th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, is known as the Diamond District, and has numerous stores where one can shop and compare quality and price.

 

I would advise the OP to study up prior on diamond characteristics and grading, and to have an idea of what setting, size,  and style ring he wants to purchase.

As someone who has lived in NY my entire life I agree that W. 47 St.Is the best place in Manhattan to buy jewelry.

[clo]

3 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 And a one off bespoke piece

You're not going to get "bespoke" at a shop in the Caribbean.

 

3 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Because a man can’t be trusted

Oh my, you might want to come into at least the last half of the 20th century. LOL.

[neverbeenhere]

I’d skip the ring and buy a cruise in a suite to the locale she would love.

[dreamercruise]

Neither.  Best value to me is best diamonds (ideal cut, high color, no visible inclusions), above average workmanship on ring, and super customer service (customer satisfaction).  Ideal cut diamonds are cut to maximize brilliance, sparkles, and scintillation.  I have bought ideal cut diamonds from Whiteflash and have had great experience. (You can buy online or in person at their Houston store. Inquire about their return policy.) if I am not satisfied, I simply return the item, and Whiteflash will fix to my satisfaction. Attached photos are taken from their website and the ring that I bought a few years ago. The cut of their ACA diamonds is far superior than those in NYC diamond district, which in turn trumps that onboard the ship.

The eternity rings in the photo contains 21, 0.10 ct or 10 points diamond melees of F color, VS clarity, and ACA ideal cut. Metal is platinum (recommended metal for rings).

A caution about full eternity band is that you cannot make changes to its size if your finger size changes.  One can add a small metal bar/section to accommodate the possibility of size adjustment.  I did not add a sizing bar to mine, because I do not want to see any metal bar if the ring spins.

[VMax1700]

Certainly would not consider buying a diamond ring in the Caribbean.  Maybe NY, but bear in mind that the ring would technically be liable to import duty and vat when you return to UK.  Also you would probably need to get an independent valuation for insurance purposes and that valuation may not be what you want to hear.😂

[navybankerteacher]

42 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

As someone who has lived in NY my entire life I agree that W. 47 St.Is the best place in Manhattan to buy jewelry.

Exactly - best selection and prices.  Of course if you have a good relationship/experience with a local jeweller, you might want that option -- but  not at some Caribbean spot.

 

As long as you will be in NY anyway, hit West 47th Street - and think of bringing your wife along - being asked for input may well trump the value of surprise.

[clo]

17 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

being asked for input may well trump the value of surprise.

TOTALLY agree.

[dreamercruise]

Just realize that you are from UK.  Ok. You can shop online and Whiteflash will ship ring to you. I met (online) a lady from UK in a handbag forum.  She saw my posts about diamonds, and contacted me.  Through emails we communicated, and I helped her arriving at her purchase decision.  When she received her diamond tennis bracelet, she was thrilled about the high quality of the sparkling diamonds.  Prior, she visited multiple local diamond  shops, so she already has a baseline for comparison.

[donaldsc]

I don't buy jewelry but I have a friend who buys a lot of it.  She says that when you buy a piece of jewelry, you should either a) know your jewels or b) know your jeweler.  Sounds like you do not fall into category a). 

DON

 

[iancal]

IF I were buying a diamond ring I would never consider buying in the Caribbean.  Nor would not buy it at home from one of those mall jewelry stores either.

 

I would take a look at my local Costco store or Costco on line.  I would also look at Blue Nile on line.  Or I  would deal with a small, local jeweler that is recommended to you and who you trust.  If you do not know of one, you might seek out an insurance adjuster.  At one time we had a claim and the adjuster sent us to what appeared to be a hole in wall office in an older office building.   We were extremely pleased with the stones and the work.

 

We deal with a small guy in an out of the way place.  He does a lot of repairs and a great deal of custom work.  A year or so ago we were in his shop and I noticed that he had no diamond rings in his small display case.  I asked him. His reply....I tell my customers to pick out a ring at Costco based on the size, shape etc. of the diamond.  Then bring it to me.  I will do whatever setting they want.  He cannot match wholesale the price and quality at Costco.

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by iancal

[George C]

We bought my wife’s engagement ring 30 years ago at Imperial jewelry in St Thomas have bought lots more over the years, highly recommend.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, evandbob said:

Probably the best place to buy a diamond anything on the OP's itinerary is in NYC.  West 47th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, is known as the Diamond District, and has numerous stores where one can shop and compare quality and price.

 

I would advise the OP to study up prior on diamond characteristics and grading, and to have an idea of what setting, size,  and style ring he wants to purchase.

Agree - as long as you do the research (both on gem selection and sales knowhow) on identifying at least 2-3 jewelers in that NY Diamond District area and truly doing some "comparison" shopping.

 

Sad to say that most ships and many ports prey on folks who have zero knowledge of gemstones. So, as convenient as it may seem, all you're buying on a ship or in some Caribbean port is just that -  "convenience."

 

FWIW: If you have any professional experience with US embassies specifically or the US State Dept. in general, do your best to identify their "cultural attaché" and query him/her about best places to buy jewelry in their region. Before retiring, I often used this strategy across/around the Pacific Rim for a variety of purchases from jewelry to indigenous art to custom clothing and have never been disappointed.

[cruisemom42]

My ex parents-in-law, both lifelong New Yorkers, actually went to Amsterdam to purchase diamonds for the engagement rings of both of their future daughters-in-law. Perhaps a better bet for someone in the UK?

[Essiesmom]

My local jeweler goes to Antwerp to buy diamonds.  Unfortunately, not this year.  EM  

[JRG]

 

10 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Because a man can’t be trusted to get correct size and quality of stone, the setting, the ring size, etc etc.  And a one off bespoke piece for a special occasion, rather than something commercial, is just that little bit better. But this is just one’s opinion.

 

 

Trust this my good fellow!

 

You  have missed the most important aspect of diamond ring selection....that is the cut of the center stone.   In the case of brilliant cut stones you should consider the following rules.

 

Rule #1....A center stone greater than 1.0 carat is worth a alot more than one at say .999 tcw 

 

Rule #2....Look for 1 that is sufficiently greater than 1.0xx though,  to ensure that the maximum refractory properties of the diamond have not been sacrificed to achieve Rule #1 during the cut of the raw stone.

 

The challenge to buying in the Jewelry Districts in both NYC and LA is that you can stand out like an onion in a bowl of tomato soup if you don't have some street sense about you,  or unless you know somebody.   But is is the best place to buy.   Tell them you know the rules.

 

For Cruisers you can use this knowledge about 'being able to buy in the Jewely Mart at home' when you are shopping in the Ports and sometimes it helps.

 

 

[BlueRiband]

A cruise industry insider who posts here from time to time did have a recommendation for the best island to purchase a diamond: Manhattan.