Proposal Ring - Part 3

[spunky9al]

How long does jannpaul usually take to craft out the ring? I know they usually give 6-8 weeks, any of u received ur rings earlier than that? TIA!

 

[jadeites]

How long does jannpaul usually take to craft out the ring? I know they usually give 6-8 weeks, any of u received ur rings earlier than that? TIA!

They can rush out the ring earlier if you are in a hurry to propose and happen to not need a custom design, but yeah, for me they did take the whole 6-8 weeks esp during Chinese New Year (I was resizing then). This is because I think they wait to do a lot of orders (including repair, plating and resizing of rings) together and the craftsmanship is done in Hong Kong and then shipped back to SG in batches.

This is how custom rings are made in batches instead of one by one: https://youtu.be/dfnsAvNISxk Around the 2 minutes mark, the mold of a bunch of rings is made in the same batch. Just something interesting

 

[vialo_89]

Hey, i am interested!

 

[ThiamWan]

Hi thanks for the insights! Just want to ask when you said "recorded some GIA numbers from Fonders that I initially liked and asked around. Most of the jewellers quoted prices cheaper than Fonders for the same diamond", these jewellers are online ones like Bluenile and James Allen or do you mean local ones like eClarity and Canary?

You can try all of them. So far, the cheapest one is still JP but they source it under their other company house of hung. JP only sells super ideal cuts and house of hung have ideal and normal exc ones. They are in the same place.
Just give them the GIA number and they can tell you the price. Its even cheaper than Bluenile or James Allen. Just that these diamonds are not Super Ideal quality so its cheaper.

One thing I find abt jp compared to others is that they're more passionate and enthusiastic in what they do. My usual experience with other places is when you give the GIA number, they will just quote you the price and wont say much. When you ask them if the diamond is ok, they will just say its good and expect you to buy. At least for JP they are more open and will analyze the full info about the diamond and will explain to you why this diamond is cheaper etc. So at least you know what you're paying for.

Its a long process and can be time consuming.. try to enjoy the journey. I look at so many places and will still go for super ideal. This is once in a life purchase and might as well go for the best.

 

[ThiamWan]

should see this video explaining cut and ASET

 

[vialo_89]

does anyone knows if bluenile or jp will be a better choice?

 

[jadeites]

does anyone knows if bluenile or jp will be a better choice?

Blue Nile alone buying blind will be a terrible choice.

You have a couple of options. If you want to get a super big, proven ideal cut (HCA score below 2), quality stone for your budget, I suggest you sign up on Pricescope forum and the users there will be able to suggest a James Allen stone for you. Nobody is paid but they are all diamond crazy like me so they are experts at helping you find the BEST high-quality stone. You confirm know you are getting something good.

If you go with JannPaul, you will be paying prices higher than on James Allen, but you will be able to see the stones with your own eyes. However, for your budget you will only be able to get a smaller stone than if you choose to buy online.

In the past, I went with JP (because I was scared to buy online) and I certainly received top quality service and a Super Ideal cut stone with outstanding performance. It is a reasonable price for Super Ideal stone and given the fact that really most mall jewelers in Singapore just want to cheat you and sell you lousy stuff, it is better to go with JannPaul than most other jewelers, although I have since dealt with another jeweler/diamond wholesaler (cjdiamonds.com) and two of my friends have bought 1 ct diamond halo rings from CJ diamonds at great prices. I would recommend getting price quotes from him too.

However, choosing to buy a Super Ideal cut from JannPaul is still more expensive than if I had gone on Pricescope forum and asked them to tell me which high quality ideal cut diamond to buy. Looking back on it now, I think I would rather have purchased a bigger diamond for the same price, but at that time when I purchased my JP diamond I really did not know any jewelers that I could trust and I was afraid to buy online.

Anyway there is also another option. I found ConciergeDiamonds.com on Reddit (based in Los Angeles) and I have asked him to help me look for a stone. I will most likely be buying from him cause he is able to beat James Allen pricing but maintain quality and I trust him based on his reviews on Reddit, Facebook and his Instagram. He works remotely with diamond buyers from all over the world and I know he will find me something good. And he will send me pictures and videos of all the stones shortlisted for me and photograph the ring before shipping.

If I were you and I want to get the best deal in the whole wide world, I will really fire all my cannons. I will first go to JannPaul and get quotes and suggested stones for my budget.

I will go on Pricescope forum and ask them to recommend me James Allen or other vendors’ stones for my budget and let them explain to me the value of the recommended stones and why it is good.

I will send Concierge Diamonds an e-mail (or just go on the live chat) telling them my budget and ask them if they can look for stones according to my budget. Tell him that this Redditor girl from Singapore sent you and asked him to help you lol (cause he is committed to going the extra mile for Redditors). Anyway he seems very honest to me and you can’t lie based on a GIA cert and ideal cut HCA scores <2. You CAN compare pricing between stones based on a GIA cert and scope images to check that you are getting an outstanding deal on a high-quality stone.

I will visit CJ diamonds in Boon Keng and view his stones - this could be another budget but still high quality option and you are able to see the stones in real life. I saw the diamond halo ring made for my friend and it’s really good. 1 carat diamond halo for 10k. Very sparkly cut. Worth buying. Of course not everybody buys 1 ct.

Overall, I feel that my personal strategy to get the biggest, cheapest but still ideal cut (HCA<2) high quality diamond at a budget price would be either James Allen or Concierge Diamonds. And Concierge Diamonds will custom make the ring for you at an unbeatable price but if you look at their Instagram the craftsmanship is still high quality. So personally I am going with Concierge Diamonds.

And after all your hard work, I would suggest that you compile all the diamond price quotes w/ GIA number, and information given from all of the above sources, and post everything on Pricescope forum and let others who are experts help you make a final decision on where to buy your diamond. Then you will know you are getting the absolute best deal possible.

P.S. most people are not crazy bargain hunters like me so it’s really easier to go to JannPaul and pay money for a confirmed outstanding diamond with top-quality service.

 

[libra84]

You can try all of them. So far, the cheapest one is still JP but they source it under their other company house of hung. JP only sells super ideal cuts and house of hung have ideal and normal exc ones. They are in the same place.
Just give them the GIA number and they can tell you the price. Its even cheaper than Bluenile or James Allen. Just that these diamonds are not Super Ideal quality so its cheaper.

One thing I find abt jp compared to others is that they're more passionate and enthusiastic in what they do. My usual experience with other places is when you give the GIA number, they will just quote you the price and wont say much. When you ask them if the diamond is ok, they will just say its good and expect you to buy. At least for JP they are more open and will analyze the full info about the diamond and will explain to you why this diamond is cheaper etc. So at least you know what you're paying for.

Its a long process and can be time consuming.. try to enjoy the journey. I look at so many places and will still go for super ideal. This is once in a life purchase and might as well go for the best.

Yes I agree that the staff at JP are very professional and helpful. But their diamonds are really quite high price compared to other sellers like Whiteflash. However, I do recognise that JP has to pay rental and you get to see the diamonds physically while Whiteflash you can only depend on the scope images on their website.

Thanks for the info again and I indeed enjoyed learning something new

 

[libra84]

You can quote the GIA numbers at any jeweller including eclarity and canary, even Jannpaul can help you bring in the diamond you want (but it won’t qualify for their trade-in policy).

This is because anyone can bring in that diamond for you (maybe even me LOL I went to register with hari krishna diamonds, hk.co but you need a company to do so) and sell it to you at a markup from the wholesaler’s price. They will usually be able to beat the other price that someone else quoted you, because no matter who you ask, they will still make a certain percentage from the diamond. They all check on Rapnet.com (international diamond listing for jewelers) to figure out where the diamond is located.

It doesn’t mean that Fonder’s pricing is not competitive, because if you took the lower price to Fonder and try to ask them to match it, they can still do so. You can always check for the market value of the diamond you’re looking at on James Allen and Fonder is in that range. I don’t think there’s any risk in buying from Fonder if you find a diamond you like at a good price, pick a setting, get the ring made and that’s enough for you. In the kinda unlikely event that the business closes down eventually, you can get your ring polished and resized anywhere.

Thank you again jadeites! You are really knowledgeable and passionate about diamonds!

Just to share with all the guys and girls here, I went to view diamonds at Poh Kim Jewellery today and I was very impressed with their diamonds and prices! I was able to see the hearts and arrows and took pics of them using my phone but too bad I cannot share them here with you guys (no 50 posts yet). Under the ASET scope, I was able to see a lot of red and very little light leakage! The boss is very patient and the staff (uncles and aunties) are very nice people! Total different kind of shopping experience! A huge shoutout to Poh Kim Jewellery!

 

[Son-Y-noS]

does anyone knows if bluenile or jp will be a better choice?

You can't really compare both as they sell different quality stuff. Bluenile don't even have Super Ideals so can't compare. If you're going for quality, then its JP. If dont mind sacrificing your quality, there are many options out there besides Bluenile.

 

[KinoChoco]

Yes I agree that the staff at JP are very professional and helpful. But their diamonds are really quite high price compared to other sellers like Whiteflash. However, I do recognise that JP has to pay rental and you get to see the diamonds physically while Whiteflash you can only depend on the scope images on their website.

Thanks for the info again and I indeed enjoyed learning something new

Do note that whiteflash’s ACA is lower quality than JP’s Super Ideal and don’t forget to include in the taxes and more expensive settings from WF and lack of free re-sizing / re-polishing services and you will notice that you will be getting a better deal with JP (based on 1.2+ CT when I was searching back then)

 

[x3dnd3x]

Quite a few of my friends also say to get from Poh Kim.

 

[jadeites]

The quotes seems pretty reasonable to me. Previously, I saw some quotes posted here will similar specs as yours. For your reference.

0.60 F VS2 $5,400 (Super Ideal)
0.62 E VS2 $5,650 (Super Ideal)

0.585 E VS1$5,500 (Octagon Brilliant)
0.62 G VS1 $5,400 (Octagon Brilliant)

0.624 G VS2 $4,800 (Super Ideal) That’s what i bought my JP diamond for a year ago. Am now selling it at $3,500, JP has agreed to custom-make a new ring setting for it for the buyer. Send me a message if you’re interested!

I personally think that G is totally white to me, so I wouldn’t pay more for F or E colors. I remember I asked if there are any 0.6 diamonds “just to look”. Another couple was viewing it at that time, so Joy told me I can come back later. Came back in an hour and she said they didn’t place a deposit on that diamond. Previously I had chosen a 0.55 diamond, and the 0.62 was significantly bigger to me for maybe $500? I can’t remember the exact price. The next 0.6 JP diamond available other than that was much more expensive, i think $5,500 and above. I decided to get the 0.62 in the end because at that time, I thought I could only afford a 0.5ct diamond and I was super happy that I could buy a bigger one :> then I quickly confirmed with Joy on the spot haha. I still remember my excitement!!!!

 

[wusgnb]

hi all ,
my budget low abit, so JP is not suitable right?because i saw many recommend jp

And i get this from singapore jewelry shop, is this ok?
GIA Triple Excellent
colour :E
Clarity :Sl1
fluorescent :medium blue
clarity characteristics :crystal

 

[ErinaMizuno]

hi all ,
my budget low abit, so JP is not suitable right?because i saw many recommend jp

And i get this from singapore jewelry shop, is this ok?
GIA Triple Excellent
colour :E
Clarity :Sl1
fluorescent :medium blue
clarity characteristics :crystal

one note in mind is to not buy diamond with fluorescent. They are heavily discounted diamonds

 

[ErinaMizuno]

Thank you again jadeites! You are really knowledgeable and passionate about diamonds!

Just to share with all the guys and girls here, I went to view diamonds at Poh Kim Jewellery today and I was very impressed with their diamonds and prices! I was able to see the hearts and arrows and took pics of them using my phone but too bad I cannot share them here with you guys (no 50 posts yet). Under the ASET scope, I was able to see a lot of red and very little light leakage! The boss is very patient and the staff (uncles and aunties) are very nice people! Total different kind of shopping experience! A huge shoutout to Poh Kim Jewellery!

you can upload the images in imgur and give us the link. we can help u upload it

 

[wusgnb]

i saw here ,0.4 to 0.5 cart atlease nid 3-4k right?

 

[jadeites]

hi all ,
my budget low abit, so JP is not suitable right?because i saw many recommend jp

And i get this from singapore jewelry shop, is this ok?
GIA Triple Excellent
colour :E
Clarity :Sl1
fluorescent :medium blue
clarity characteristics :crystal

We can’t tell you if it’s good or bad without at least the GIA report number and you also didn’t mention the size and budget would be helpful.

If you are on a budget, that is totally okay, but your very best value if you want to buy the best, biggest ideal cut diamond for your budget, I would suggest you make an account on Pricescope forum, tell them your budget and let them recommend you the best (that means HCA<2 and it has maximum light return) diamond they can find you. Then just order it online from James Allen.

If you purchase it in Singapore, firstly, you will ganna conned because the majority of jewelry shops in Singapore just want to sell you a shitty diamond and take your money. How would you ever know you are being conned or not if you don’t understand diamond reports or how a diamond should sparkle or what is ideal cut? You can definitely learn and I encourage you to read up about it but many people have no interest haha. But please buy an ideal cut diamond with HCA <2 if you insist on buying from Singapore. otherwise really it is a waste of thousands of dollars if you get a dull-looking diamond that doesn’t sparkle. All shitty diamonds will sparkle in the shops, the truth will come when you take it to a window (natural light) and it still sparkles.

If the diamond you posted was cheap, it’s cheap partly because of the fluorescence. And I bet it wasn’t an ideal cut diamond. If you want to resell it in future, resale price is affected because of fluoro. HOWEVER, if you are like me and want to buy the biggest diamond i can buy in my budget, I will consider diamonds with fluorescence since they are cheaper. The problem is that diamonds w fluoro sometimes are hazy/milky, so you have to know what to look out for. You just need to look at a diamond with fluoro and a diamond without fluoro in the shop and make sure they look identical. You will definitely be able to see if one is cloudier than the other. Faint fluorescence is no problem (but you still get a faint discount).

Also, JannPaul is worth visiting regardless of the budget you have. They have ideal cut stones and I know some people who went to JP with a very very tight budget. You can definitely still get something from JP.

 

[wusgnb]

i have the report number, but i cant upload here
GIA report number:7223358878
0.42 carat
And my budget around 2k

 

[libra84]

you can upload the images in imgur and give us the link. we can help u upload it

Ok thanks! But how do I let you know the link? I cannot even PM you the links. Didn't know HWZ is so strict haha