diamond rings

Q.Gosh this makes me nervous. We haven't yet got my ring but were planning on going to the Jewelry Mart in San Francisco. I've been once and they have all the diamonds in little baggies with all the information provided (cut, clarity, color). I've done my research on what is good and what isn't. But how do you not get "screwed"? People actually switch the stones?? How do you protect yourself against that???

A.I think the important thing is to know what you're looking for and what it **should** cost - retail and wholesale. In my sis & BIL's case, they didn't get "screwed" as I don't think stones were switched, but they didn't realize, that for what they paid (which seemed a bargain) was not what they should have paid for that quality, precisely because they didn't do the homework first. They just figured it would be a bargain, and compared to retail prices in the malls, it was - theoretically, but not as good as it should have been. My fiance has this tendency too - he always wants to buy second hand stuff claiming it's cheaper than new, but with smart shopping, new can be cheaper and better. However, we did use an antique shop for my ring (so technically it's 2nd-hand...I liek to say heirloom) after a lot of shoppping and learning....just to make sure we didn't get ripped off, though we were definitely on the low-end of the price scale for diamonds anyways.

Other Questions :

What did you use for the inside felt, flock? I love making jewelry boxes but haven't found a good way to finish the inside.

Nice box. What did you use for the inside felt, flock? I love making jewelry boxes but haven't found a good way to finish the inside.The inside is finished thusly... http://home.earthlink.net/~schwalden/cherrybox1.JPG I build the inside b...

Dallas Gold and Silver ?

So this guy at work called his wedding off but already bought his ring and the engagement/wedding band set. He has the certifications from Kay and the rings are worth about $5000 total. Dallas Gold and Silver offered $500 for the pair. Pe...

Would you wear fake Cz Jewelry that looked like the real thing and spend the cash on a trip instead?

Would you wear fake cubic zirconia that looked like the real thing and spend the cash on a trip instead?I don't think I would consider a CZ as a diamond replacement, so money "saved" on a CZ vs. a real diamond wouldn't convert into cofarbucks ...

Bridal/bridesmaid Jewelry

I've been lurking in the corners for the past few months, and thought I'd make myself visible with a question. My sister is into jewelry making. She uses beads, semi-precious, stones, crystals, pearls and the like to make earrings, bracelets, ...

Hip Hop Man Jewelry

We all know Eric B wouldn't win. You've got some big moneymakers who may sway the voters with lots of ads, like Master P. Then, you've got grassroots campaigners like The Coup, who can't afford the big ads at all. Who could lead our w...