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#2
02-18-2007, 06:28 AM
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costco
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#3
02-18-2007, 09:24 AM
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Sorry for the length....
Not to toot my own horn, but I worked for Birks Jewelers for, well, a while, a very good while. While there I received a pretty extensive education on diamonds and other gems. For I while, I was working on become a gemologist. Anyways, no matter what ANYONE tells you (unless they are agreeing with me  ) CUT is EVERYTHING. To be frank, you can have a ‘crummy’ diamond, poor colour, flawed up to wazoo, but if the cut is great, none of that matters. It’s kinda of like love. It doesn’t matter if the one you love chews with their mouth open, or has smelly farts – you love them because they are beautiful to you. Cut is like that, only beautiful to everyone. Next off, don’t be sold on (I’m assuming that you are getting a round diamond) cuts with more facets. Some companies claim that the more facets, the more sparkle. If this was true, the entire industry would be doing it. That said if you can ‘see’ a difference – and it makes you happy - then go for it. Lastly, and second most importantly, don’t listen to “it’s a (any given jeweler)’s ‘good’ cut”. I don’t care how big you think you are, you have no right to claim what a ‘good’ cut is. Look for diamonds that have an AGS certificate with them. Some jewelers don’t provide the certs, but the diamonds are AGS graded – Birks, for example does this. Having rambled on, I have a great deal of trust in Spence Diamonds, and the utmost esteem for Birks. Quite frankly, Birks ain’t cheep (they sell everything for EXACTLY what’s it worth, not a penny less) but they are the best, with out question. They have higher diamond standards than Tiffany’s. You get a Birks diamond if you are shopping with out compromise. If nothing but they very best will do. Not just in the stone, but in the over all construction of the ring itself. Birks gets FIRST crack at ALL the diamonds cut and mined in Canada. They take near 90% of the AGS 0-1 cut stones. That’s 10% left for the rest of the world Costco isn’t a bad offer. They are (in Edmonton at least – at least back then) one of only two place that is GIA certified (Birks being the other). The thing with Costco (albeit less expensive) is selection is limited (which can/may not be a problem) as well, you never know the history of the item you are buying. I will elaborate. High end Swiss watches are ALL serial numbered. And you have to be a jeweler of a certain caliber to be able to sell certain brands. Well, Costco is not of that caliber. Well, they still sell watches like Omega. Guess, what, no serial numbers on the watches – filed off. So where did the watch come from if not Omega? This may or may not bother you. You cannot get a watch serviced if it’s missing the serial numbers by the manufacture. Fortunately, diamonds do not need to be serviced. They best advice I can possibly offer you is to shop, shop and shop around. Forget numbers and sales pitches. There is no one magical place to get ‘em – you just have to find the one that sings to you. When it’s really the right ring, like the right person, you will just know. Hope this helps. -Pauli
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#4
02-18-2007, 10:11 AM
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Diamonds are worthless, they just cost as much as work that was put in to it for cutting. Same hipe as with oil. You will never see a queen wearing a diamond, because it is worth nothing. ************************************************* Take 10 min to search on web why it is so... ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ten Reasons Why You Should Never Accept a Diamond Ring from Anyone, Under Any Circumstances, Even If They Really Want to Give You One (2/14/02) By Liz Stanton, CPE Staff Economist 1. You've Been Psychologically Conditioned To Want a Diamond The diamond engagement ring is a 63-year-old invention of N.W.Ayer advertising agency. The De Beers diamond cartel contracted N.W.Ayer to create a demand for what are, essentially, useless hunks of rock. 2. Diamonds are Priced Well Above Their Value The De Beers cartel has systematically held diamond prices at levels far greater than their abundance would generate under anything even remotely resembling perfect competition. All diamonds not already under its control are bought by the cartel, and then the De Beers cartel carefully managed world diamond supply in order to keep prices steadily high. 3. Diamonds Have No Resale or Investment Value Any diamond that you buy or receive will indeed be yours forever: De Beers’ advertising deliberately brain-washed women not to sell; the steady price is a tool to prevent speculation in diamonds; and no dealer will buy a diamond from you. You can only sell it at a diamond purchasing center or a pawn shop where you will receive a tiny fraction of its original "value." 4. Diamond Miners are Disproportionately Exposed to HIV/AIDS Many diamond mining camps enforce all-male, no-family rules. Men contract HIV/AIDS from camp sex-workers, while women married to miners have no access to employment, no income outside of their husbands and no bargaining power for negotiating safe sex, and thus are at extremely high risk of contracting HIV. 5. Open-Pit Diamond Mines Pose Environmental Threats Diamond mines are open pits where salts, heavy minerals, organisms, oil, and chemicals from mining equipment freely leach into ground-water, endangering people in nearby mining camps and villages, as well as downstream plants and animals. 6. Diamond Mine-Owners Violate Indigenous People's Rights Diamond mines in Australia, Canada, India and many countries in Africa are situated on lands traditionally associated with indigenous peoples. Many of these communities have been displaced, while others remain, often at great cost to their health, livelihoods and traditional cultures. 7. Slave Laborers Cut and Polish Diamonds More than one-half of the world's diamonds are processed in India where many of the cutters and polishers are bonded child laborers. Bonded children work to pay off the debts of their relatives, often unsuccessfully. When they reach adulthood their debt is passed on to their younger siblings or to their own children. 8. Conflict Diamonds Fund Civil Wars in Africa There is no reliable way to insure that your diamond was not mined or stolen by government or rebel military forces in order to finance civil conflict. Conflict diamonds are traded either for guns or for cash to pay and feed soldiers. 9. Diamond Wars are Fought Using Child Warriors Many diamond producing governments and rebel forces use children as soldiers, laborers in military camps, and sex slaves. Child soldiers are given drugs to overcome their fear and reluctance to participate in atrocities. 10. Small Arms Trade is Intimately Related to Diamond Smuggling Illicit diamonds inflame the clandestine trade of small arms. There are 500 million small arms in the world today which are used to kill 500,000 people annually, the vast majority of whom are non-combatants. References: Collier, Paul, "Economic Causes of Civil Conflict and Their Implications for Policy," World Bank, June 15, 2000. Epstein, Edward Jay, "Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?", The Atlantic Monthly, February 1982. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82...02diamond1.htm Global Witness, "Conflict Diamonds: Possibilities for the Identification, Certification and Control of Diamonds," A Briefing Document, June 2000, http://www.globalwitness.org/text/ca...s/reports.html Human Rights Watch/Asia, "The Small Hands of Slavery: Bonded Child Labor In India," Human Rights Watch Children's Rights Project, www.hrw.org/reports/1996/India3.htm . Human Rights Watch, "Children’s Rights: Stop the Use of Child Soldiers;" www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/index.htm . Kerlin, Katherine "Diamonds Aren’t Forever: Environmental Degradation and Civil War in the Gem Trade," The Environment Magazine, http://www.emagazine.com/september-o..._consumer.html . Le Billon, Philippe, "Angola’s Political Economy of War: The Role of Oil and Diamonds, 1975-2000," African Affairs, (2001), 100, p.55-80. Mines and Communities, "The Mining Curse: The roles of mining in ‘underdeveloped’ economies," Minewatch Asia Pacific/Nostromo Briefing Paper, February 1999, www.minesandcommunities.org/Country/curse.htm . Other Facets, Number 1, April 2001; Number 2, June 2001; Number 3, October 2001, www.partnershipafricacanada.org/hsdp/of.html .
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#5
02-18-2007, 01:35 PM
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Unfortunatly alot of what andresont says is true.Actualy its all true,but not true with every diamond.But since in the end they are all mixed together,you cant tell one from the other.I personaly wouldn't buy one for those reasons also.But if you're going to,check out Spence.They will buy it back at the same price they sold it to you.
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No matter how hard you try, you can't baptise cats.
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#7
02-18-2007, 04:17 PM
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Well if all this gibberish said, you can tell my GF she doesnt get a diamond engagment ring. And this is not all true, many diamond stores now gaurantee a buy back price of equal value to your purchase price. Also im going to purchase a canadian diamond and im pretty sure most of this doesnt apply to those workers. Also in regard to number one. This is BS stuff is only worth what people are willing to pay for, wether or not you think they have be "Psychologicly condition" or not. I know people who sell 5 dollars bills for 50 because the serial number is special. Or I recall a grilled cheese being sold for thousands of dollars. Also if your going with this statment. religion is the same way it has no value exept for the people that want to believe, millions have died for it as well. Everything is what we made it to be, and without circumstances like that there would be no need for currancy.
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Sean  Back in the good ole days 
Last edited by Tarolisol; 02-18-2007 at 04:22 PM.
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#9
02-18-2007, 05:57 PM
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Yes, I wasn't sure if it was for that, but congradulations!
I have a few questions… Andresont, do you drink soda? Or fast food? Or (here’s the kicker) keep fish? Guess what, they are all “Psychologically Conditioned Wants”. Your body doesn’t actually WANT soda – it wants water - YOU want soda. “Diamonds are Priced Well Above Their Value” Yup, well, sorta. There is a very high markup % percent, if that’s what you are referring too. So do $199.99 MH light bulbs though. “Diamonds Have No Resale or Investment Value” well, I’m not sure where you got this one, but last I checked, you can buy second hand diamonds many many places, so ‘no resale value’ is silly. As far as investment goes, of course not. Neither do cars, cloths, fish tanks or pretty much anything else you buy. That’s what stocks and property is for. “4. Diamond Miners are Disproportionately Exposed to HIV/AIDS” Maybe, but those Nike shoes were also made in a sweat shop. And if that’s a problem buy a Russian diamond, or Canadian. “Open-Pit Diamond Mines Pose Environmental Threats” Yes, so does pretty much any manufacturing company in a 3rd world country – heck, many in 1st world countries! What about all those beef farmers way down south that chopped down a huge chunk of rain forest? “Diamond Mine-Owners Violate Indigenous People's Rights” Yeah, for money though. If the indigenous people didn’t want it on their land, they could kick them off. The companies have the legal right to be there. If they didn’t, the diamonds would belong to the land owners, not the mining companies. “Slave Laborers Cut and Polish Diamonds” – too touchy of a subject, buy again, who made that jacket? “Conflict Diamonds Fund Civil Wars in Africa” so does art, and drugs, and anything else that is small and of high value. “9. Diamond Wars are Fought Using Child Warriors Many diamond producing governments and rebel forces use children as soldiers, laborers in military camps, and sex slaves. Child soldiers are given drugs to overcome their fear and reluctance to participate in atrocities.” WHAT? If the governments are using drugged up 12 year olds as soldiers, well, what does that have to do with diamonds? This was my favorite “You will never see a queen wearing a diamond, because it is worth nothing” Last I checked, the Imperial State Crown, which is a center piece of the Royal Crown Jewle Collection has 2,868 diamonds. Not to mention the Imperial Crown of India with 6000+ diamonds – and then theirs the Crown of Queen Elizabeth with a whopping 17 carat diamond in it. Oh yeah, and Princess Diana’s engadment ring, albeit was a large sapphire (which holds it’s value to about the same degree as a diamond) was surrounded by diamonds. Don’t believe enything you read on the internet. Sean, a diamond, or a ring from a vending machine, is worth the world if you and her are right. Congratulations again!
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#10
02-18-2007, 08:06 PM
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Years ago I bought a diamond engagement ring.
I recall it was one instance where the seller had all the power. For most transactions the buyer has a lot of power. You can research a car or a flat panel TV, you can read reviews and compare prices online. If you don't like the price you go down the street to the next place. Most of us (me included) have no idea how much any particular diamond is worth. You have to rely on the salesperson who tells you its quality and value. Of course they will tell you it is a $12,500.00 diamond but they will sell it to you for $8,000.00 (that is what I was told). Because most people know nothing about diamonds we are buying on blind faith. And hopefully we only have to buy a diamond once, so we have no experience in shopping for diamonds. The consumer has no knowledge and therefore no power. The best advice I read was to get an independent appraisal of a diamond before buying it.
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