Proposal Ring - Part 3

[KinoChoco]

Wow at a great deal. Mine was SIC 0.52 G VS1 from Jannpaul at $4200. Almost same spec as u but urs more affordable price

Fonder diamonds are of lower quality, so don’t worry, you did not overpay as the quality aren’t the same

 

[terrorblade]

Fonder diamonds are of lower quality, so don’t worry, you did not overpay as the quality aren’t the same

You haven't seen mardybum and my diamonds and you've already passed a biased and sweeping judgement on quality based on price and brand.

I think people need to understand a higher price doesn't always mean better quality. The higher price can be due to various reasons like marketing, higher overheads, more expensive supply sources, different suppliers, etc. It may also mean a different business model with more overheads that is passed down to customers. So many different possibilities.

 

[summersky1986]

Any comments on fonder vs michael trio?

 

[xprezzshawn]

The moment someone says we are all buying based on the piece of GIA cert is already a clear indication that fellow needs more education on diamond Liao, period.

Can you tell apart 2 diamonds with naked eyes as a CONSUMER without any documentation?

 

[ThiamWan]

You haven't seen mardybum and my diamonds and you've already passed a biased and sweeping judgement on quality based on price and brand.

I think people need to understand a higher price doesn't always mean better quality. The higher price can be due to various reasons like marketing, higher overheads, more expensive supply sources, different suppliers, etc. It may also mean a different business model with more overheads that is passed down to customers. So many different possibilities.

Fonder’s “SIC” is not the same as JP’s “SIC”. They anyhow use that term to market their diamonds. You read the older posts.. you can find the same “SIC” diamond from Fonders in other websites for cheaper price and those websites do not label them as SIC.

 

[terrorblade]

Fonder’s “SIC” is not the same as JP’s “SIC”. They anyhow use that term to market their diamonds. You read the older posts.. you can find the same “SIC” diamond from Fonders in other websites for cheaper price and those websites do not label them as SIC.

I don't think that's a fair statement. May I ask if you have made an appt to Fonder's showroom? You do know Fonder has a local showroom right?

When I was looking for my gf's ring, I made an appt and went down personally to the showroom where I was shown diamonds of different specs, how to use their website and evaluate different aspects before deciding on a diamond.

This is a Proposal Ring thread where we can share our experiences with the jewelers and our end products. This is not a JP thread or fanclub. No need to put down others and sway opinions. I believe everyone can make their own judgement call.

 

[throwawaygrad]

Everyone please chill...

Happen that I was on Fonder's website just yesterday and I ticked the Super Ideal option, but when I clicked on a few diamonds, they were stated as having "brown tone"... I don't think they will pass JP SIC criteria in this case, since JP checks their ASET scope so well.

P.S. My diamond was bought from James Allen

 

[theblueark]

JP doesn’t have monopoly of all the super ideal diamonds in the world. Even without the filtering, by sheer luck some of these super ideal diamonds may be in the hands of some suppliers without themselves knowing it cos they only looking at 4C.

 

[terrorblade]

Happen that I was on Fonder's website just yesterday and I ticked the Super Ideal option, but when I clicked on a few diamonds, they were stated as having "brown tone"... I don't think they will pass JP SIC criteria in this case, since JP checks their ASET scope so well.

P.S. My diamond was bought from James Allen

Yes, that’s a move in the right direction. To evaluate each and every specifications on the website about each diamond and decide if that’s the diamond for you.

Based on my understanding, SIC diamonds is a category of diamonds with superior cut proportions and not any company’s branded diamonds.

Fonder’s website is transparent – customers can browse thousands of such diamonds with superior cut proportions. Customers can further narrow down the list by color, clarity, cut, polish, symmetry, fluorescence, carat, certificating lab, etc. The website also provides BGM (“Brown-Green-Milky) info for every diamond. This info is not stated on GIA certificate but they show it. If you go down to their showroom and have a consultation session with them, you will be advised on how to avoid BGM diamonds.

 

[ThiamWan]

I don't think that's a fair statement. May I ask if you have made an appt to Fonder's showroom? You do know Fonder has a local showroom right?

When I was looking for my gf's ring, I made an appt and went down personally to the showroom where I was shown diamonds of different specs, how to use their website and evaluate different aspects before deciding on a diamond.

This is a Proposal Ring thread where we can share our experiences with the jewelers and our end products. This is not a JP thread or fanclub. No need to put down others and sway opinions. I believe everyone can make their own judgement call.

I didn’t go down to their showroom but did use the live chat on their website. They recommended me some of their SIC and gave limited info on them. But they did give the the cert details of them and I cross referenced it with other jewelers including MT, JP, etc. Surprisingly, they all could obtain that same diamond too and gave me different quotation for it. Fonders price was actually among the higher ones for the same diamond. And other places wasn’t selling it as a SIC but Ideal.

But the again, maybe your experience was different from mine

 

[terrorblade]

I didn’t go down to their showroom but did use the live chat on their website. They recommended me some of their SIC and gave limited info on them. But they did give the the cert details of them and I cross referenced it with other jewelers including MT, JP, etc. Surprisingly, they all could obtain that same diamond too and gave me different quotation for it. Fonders price was actually among the higher ones for the same diamond. And other places wasn’t selling it as a SIC but Ideal.

But the again, maybe your experience was different from mine

Yeah, different experience. I chatted online with them, made an appt and went down for consultation at showroom. I really think people should go down and see for themselves. Not pushy, no obligations, can walk off and think about it.

 

[throwawaygrad]

Back here to share a setting I found really nice! It's a .75ct solitaire but the band is only 1.3mm and still seems tall enough to sit flush with a straight wedding band.

My band is probably 1.7mm, if I knew of this design, I would have used it. Too bad I already designed my ring sigh

nataliemariejewellery.com/products/signature-solitaire-0-74-carat-diamond?variant=3867512537116

 

[terrorblade]

Back here to share a setting I found really nice! It's a .75ct solitaire but the band is only 1.3mm and still seems tall enough to sit flush with a straight wedding band.

My band is probably 1.7mm, if I knew of this design, I would have used it. Too bad I already designed my ring sigh

nataliemariejewellery.com/products/signature-solitaire-0-74-carat-diamond?variant=3867512537116

This was the drawing for my 0.5ct engagement ring. Mine's 1.5mm at the thickest and tapers at the ring.

 

[throwawaygrad]

This was the drawing for my 0.5ct engagement ring. Mine's 1.5mm at the thickest and tapers at the ring.

Nice! What made you select the protruding prongs, are they to protect the diamond against smudges/scratches? My prong design is the standard round tip/ wraparound diamond kind but it's super easy to touch the diamond

 

[terrorblade]

Nice! What made you select the protruding prongs, are they to protect the diamond against smudges/scratches? My prong design is the standard round tip/ wraparound diamond kind but it's super easy to touch the diamond

They’re not protruding after the diamond is set! Haha! Same will wrap around too!

 

[mardybum]

Does this price include $550 setting for 0.52?

Yes inclusive of settings :

 

[KinoChoco]

Checked fonder diamond Long ago, their ‘SIC’ are a joke. Live chat personnel even more retarded. So yes, I stand by my statement, all their diamonds are below SIC quality and they have the cheeks to tell people their SIC diamonds are the best rounds you can find.

Don’t assume that we judge based on price or branding, most of us here checked way more than you can imagine, I’m sorry if you don’t feel comfortable hearing this terror, but it’s a fact that fonder’s diamonds are more inferior than JP’s SIC.

PS: I don’t even think ‘JP’ is branded, they are just honest.

 

[terrorblade]

Checked fonder diamond Long ago, their ‘SIC’ are a joke.

By checking Fonder Diamond, do you mean making an appt, going down to the showroom and get a consultation?

 

[groundum]

guys, i am new here. need help

so i went to JAnn Paul just now. Was served by this nice lady, Julie. may I have your POV on these three option please, al the price exclude setting (just loose diamond price)

SIC:

0.43c, G, VS1, 2600$

Solasfera:
0.35c, F, VS1, 2450$

0.37 G, VVS1, 2400$

May another question is, is it OK to ask for GIA number usually? Went to few like SK, goldheart, either they were reluctant for me to take the GIA number, or were quite shocked when I asked for permission to jot them down.

Also, how is JP solasfera differ from SK's All Love ?

 

[Draculav]

There’s some confusion about diamond quality, certificate and price comparisons that’s creating a lot of misunderstanding amongst the bros. To make it easier for everyone, let me try to summarise it as best I can to clear the air.

First off, there is different diamond quality. You can categorise them into,
Tier 1 - aka Super Ideal Cuts
Tier 2 - aka Ideal Cuts
Tier 3 - aka Excellent Cuts

Is there a visual difference? Yes, especially when you compare them (or at least to me). I won’t go into details about this as its better that you discover it yourselves.
On paper (certificate), these 3 different Tiers can have the same details on paper, as the certificate gives only basic information. Choosing a diamond solely on the certificate info is plain buying blindly. It’s like asking a Doctor to diagnose a patient with a stethoscope. Is it useful? Yes. Can it diagnose a patient fully? No. The Doctor would need a MRI scan, blood test, etc. to get the full information of a patient to give an accurate diagnosis. Same thing as diamonds, where the ASET, Hearts and arrows scope, etc. is needed for a fuller analysis.

These different Tiers can affect the diamond’s price too. We use a 0.5ct D VVS1 for example.
Tier 1 (Super Ideal Cut) 0.5ct D VVS1 - $5,000
Tier 2 (Ideal Cut) 0.5ct D VVS1 - $4,000
Tier 3 (Excellent Cut) 0.5ct D VVS1 - $3,000

These 3 diamonds have same certificate but the cost is different. In essence, quality can affect price.
But the crux of the matter is that there is no universal law or rule of what is a Ideal Cut, which makes things very complicated.

For example, Shop A uses a Tier 3 (Excellent Cut) 0.5ct D VVS1 diamond, calls it a ‘Super Ideal Cut’ and sells it for $4,000.
If you compare it with another Shop B selling a Tier 1 (Super Ideal Cut) for $5,000, you would think Shop A is a good deal, where in fact, the true price is only worth $3,000.
*This is purely an example, and I’m not labelling any shops.

Basically, don’t blindly trust all these labels and what the any shops calls them, and do your own research on whether your diamond truly belongs to which Tier.
Even if you don’t care about the quality, by knowing which Tier your diamond belongs to, you can use it to gauge what’s a good price you should be paying for it.


The next point is finding the same diamond being offered at different shops. Why are different shops able to sell the same diamond?
Shops can sell diamonds in 2 different ways.
1. Own inventory
2. Floating goods

Own inventory is basically owning the diamonds that they sell. Usually, these are the better quality ones as which shop would want to use their own money to invest in lousy diamonds?
Floating goods is when the shop doesn’t own the diamonds, but borrows it from the suppliers to sell. Usually, these are the more problematic ones because these are the diamonds that shops don’t want to buy for their own inventory.
So where do all these diamonds go to that shops don’t want to invest in? The floating goods. There can be many many reasons to this like the diamond being milky, off color tinges, durability issues, light leakages, etc (which is all not on the certificate).
I’m not saying that all of these diamonds are bad, but you have to be very careful about them and they are floating goods for a reason.

Majority of websites do the floating goods method, or some can use both methods. Most people avoid the floating goods as there are many risks involved, but I feel that there is no right or wrong in this.
Its just what is your level of tolerance that is acceptable to you.
The problem only comes in when websites just calls anything Super Ideal Cut just to fool people into competing with JP standards.

So it really depends on what you want. At the end of the day, everyone just wants to get the best bang for the buck. Some go for quality value, some go for paper value.
But whether you want a Tier 1 or Tier 3 diamond, I believe that everyone wants the best price you can get for it.
Its just that some might confuse the labels and compare a Tier 1 and Tier 3 diamond which is not correct.

Basically, you don’t want to buy a Tier 3 diamond and pay a Tier 2 price for it, thinking its a Tier 1 quality.