Diamond Ring

[Tinkelbell]

The only place I would buy diamond from is 'Diamond District' in Midtown Manhattan (between Sixth Ave. and E. 47th St.) The whole block are filled with diamond shops ( retail sale on the ground floor, while the wholesale on the top floors).

Since it costs a fortune to own a diamond. I have to make sure I'm dealing with the solid reputed establishment. These shops have an enourmous display of diamonds to suit's everyone's budget.

You also receive a certificate of the diamond you just purchased, along the receipt proving the amount you paid.

They allow you to trade it in anytime, with the credit the same amount on your receipt.

About 80% of these diamond operators are Jewish American.

They got their diamonds from South Africa dimond mines via Antwerp, Belgium.

Unlike some of the diamond shops at 'Avenue of Diamond' in Paragon, some of the owners whom I visited told me, most of their diamonds from Russia and India.

They don't have policy of buying back or trading in. One owner even suggest to sell it to a friend or a member of family.

..................................................................

Since I'm already up here, why not just throw in this interesting news.

There was a lawsuits against the giant diamond distributor- De Beers

The good news is De Beers had settled the suits in a tune of $295 millions at the end of last year. More detail, go to Diamondsclassaction.com

Although the dateline for filing for consumers is already passed on May 18, 2008.

The moral of this post is it's worth to deal with the good reputed shop. You got the real high quality diamond and the company stands behind you.

I am afraid most members will not believe you. Thanks for saying it better than me

philstone, let other members speak for themselves, will you ?

Why is it so hard for you to believe me ? What part ? Care to clarify ?

I don't know you - you don't know me. At least I'm relating my experience in this thread. What about you ?

[Mossfinn]

I am afraid most members will not believe you. Thanks for saying it better than me

philstone, let other members speak for themselves, will you ?

Why is it so hard for you to believe me ? What part ? Care to clarify ?

I don't know you - you don't know me. At least I'm relating my experience in this thread. What about you ?

I thought he was agreeing with you?

[Lickey]

It was our 3rd anniversary last month, i asked the mrs if she would like a diamond ring, she said no darling, you are my diamond!!

She said better to buy a S/H tractor for the farm, it will help make us money,

Now there is a sensible lady,

Cheers, Lickey..

[Spee]

The moral of this post is it's worth to deal with the good reputed shop. You got the real high quality diamond and the company stands behind you.

I agree with this point immensely. The more "middle men" involved, the greater the chances of getting ripped off.

IMHO, if you have made a decision to buy a diamond, buy the best quality stone that your pocketbook can afford. And go direct. As suggested, deal with sellers of high reputation who are proven to go right to the source for their product.

To make an analogy, if you were going to buy a new Lexus, would you buy from an authorized Lexus dealer or from Somchai's Used Cars down on the corner?

PS.

I also like Lickey's point. Ask your girl what she wants.

[a2396]

Diamonds are Forever

By Shirley Bassey

Diamonds are forever,

They are all I need to please me,

They can stimulate and tease me,

They won't leave in the night,

I've no fear that they might desert me.

Diamonds are forever,

Hold one up and then caress it,

Touch it, stroke it and undress it,

I can see every part,

Nothing hides in the heart to hurt me.

I don't need love,

For what good will love do me?

Diamonds never lie to me,

For when love's gone,

They'll luster on.

Diamonds are forever,

Sparkling round my little finger.

Unlike men, the diamonds linger;

Men are mere mortals who

Are not worth going to your grave for.

I don't need love,

For what good will love do me?

Diamonds never lie to me,

For when love's gone,

They'll luster on.

Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.

Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.

Forever and ever.

[mizzi39]

Do you peeps ever think on why it is that everebody thinks you should buy a diamond ring for the marriage?

Are you one of those sheeps?

Do some research na, and you will find out the real reason why those diamond marketing people were able to convince you.

This is very true and I think I know where "AlexLah" is going with this. . Although i bought my wife a diamond when we got married, I almost wish that i had spent that money on another sapphire and a few baht worth of gold (which I do buy on occasion and stash away). Diamonds are not a great investment nor are they rare. Companies like De Beers control the market and determine how many diamonds should be on the market at any given time. Unlike gold, diamonds do not increase in value. I have never heard of anyone making money off of a used diamond, even certified ones.

[12DrinkMore]

Shheeesh, all this fuss about a chunk of carbon, the same stuff that piles up in my exhaust. Want some for free?

And if you really love her, and money is no object, how about going for the biggest in the Universe?

"The largest diamond found in the universe, so far, is located 50 light years away in the constellation Centaurus. The Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics believes the 2,500 mile-wide diamond was once the heart of a star. It is estimated to be ten billion trillion trillion carats, more or less"

I'll bet de Beers will do everything they can to stop that being mined.

Quote from wikipedia.

[12DrinkMore]

The link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond privided even more gems of information.

"Currently, gem production totals nearly 30 million carats (6,000 kg) of cut and polished stones annually, and over 100 million carats (20,000 kg) of mined diamonds are sold for industrial use each year, as are about 100,000 kg of synthesized diamond."

Six tons of a "gal's best friends", and that doesn't include the amount of rough diamonds that didn't get cut and polished. Common as muck really.

How about buying a cubic zirconion, indistinguishable for all intents and purposes but a lot cheaper?

However, I think I'll mount a bit of charcoal in a ring and tell the GF it is a special black diamond.

[Spee]

How about buying a cubic zirconion, indistinguishable for all intents and purposes but a lot cheaper?

Cubic "zirconion" (sic) is to a fine diamond, what a $10 Nana Plaza knock-off is to a Yacht-Master II.

When you buy one, you've already delusionally convinced yourself that no one notices ........................ but they do.

If you're gonna buy a fake diamond for your girl, make sure she knows it is a fake diamond.

[Spee]

4. SI quality is pretty good. A lot of women flash their rings at you, and say.. oohh this is VVS quality, and when you look at it under a loop, it is not. So.. unless your sig other is going to show her ring to people with loops for glasses, then SI is good enough as you still need a loop to see any imperfections.

No disrespect intended, but SI is just a few grades north of frozen spit. You give an SI to an Asian woman, you could be suggesting that she is flawed as well.

Agreed. SI-type imperfections can be seen with the naked eye. All the loop view does is show how many and how big. SI's are fine for something like a tennis bracelet where all the stones are fairly small. But for single stone earrings, pendants and engagement rings, I wouldn't recommend going less than VS1 or VS2 clarity and F or G color.

The beauty of a diamond is how it disperses white light into all colors of the rainbow with a sparkle, from any angle the viewer may be looking at it from. Believe me, people look and they notice, especially other women. Just my own wrong opinion.

[12DrinkMore]

Cubic "zirconion" (sic) is to a fine diamond, what a $10 Nana Plaza knock-off is to a Yacht-Master II.

When you buy one, you've already delusionally convinced yourself that no one notices ........................ but they do.

If you're gonna buy a fake diamond for your girl, make sure she knows it is a fake diamond.

All right, all right, the correct spelling is zirconia. Can't see why they chose zirconia over zirconion or zirkonium anyway, probably means the same.

Bet you've never spelled the full name of Bangkok correctly anyway.

KrungthepmahanakhonAmornrattanakosinMahintharayutthayaMahadilokphopNoppharatRatc

hathaniburiromUdomratchaniwetmahasathan AmonphimanAwatansathitSakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

I've never managed to get a knock-off in Nana Plaza for 300 Baht. It's always cost me about 6 times that. And she will certainly not be getting a zirkonium either. Which bar do you go to?

[klikster]

The moral of this post is it's worth to deal with the good reputed shop. You got the real high quality diamond and the company stands behind you.

I agree with this point immensely. The more "middle men" involved, the greater the chances of getting ripped off.

IMHO, if you have made a decision to buy a diamond, buy the best quality stone that your pocketbook can afford. And go direct. As suggested, deal with sellers of high reputation who are proven to go right to the source for their product.

To make an analogy, if you were going to buy a new Lexus, would you buy from an authorized Lexus dealer or from Somchai's Used Cars down on the corner?

PS.

I also like Lickey's point. Ask your girl what she wants.

There is a gem dealers' saying that goes something like, "The closer you get to the mine, the more likely you are to get synthetic."

[klikster]

How about buying a cubic zirconion, indistinguishable for all intents and purposes but a lot cheaper?

Yes, natural cubic zirconia is cheaper than diamond, but it probably more rare. Sadly, nowadays cubic zirconia (CZ) generally = lab grown cubic zirconia and is very cheap

FYI

The first natural cubic zirconia was discovered in 1937 by German mineralogists. In the 1970s, Russian (then Soviet) scientists developed a technique to grow cubic zirconia crystals effectively in the lab, but it wasn’t until the world-renowned Swarovski crystal company began mass-producing cubic zirconia in the 1980s that it became popular.

[Pez]

I asked where the diamonds came from.

He told me that they were industrial diamonds from Russia.

So I bought one with 8 stones for approx 23 Kbht

He he what a joke - Industrial diamonds you must be joking. Industrial diamonds are what it says - nothing to do with appearance just hardest material used mainly for industrial metal cutting, the largest of which are used as thread chasers used for cutting hard alloys partic in the aircraft industry. The smaller ones are used to make drill bits for the oil industry and other items like glass cutters. The really small stuff is smashed up and made into grinding wheels.

However, the Russians do make man made diamonds that are so good De-veers has spent millions of £ in developing ways to detect these diamonds. The technology used to made these diamonds is from the defunct nuclear weapon industry.

[klikster]

I asked where the diamonds came from.

He told me that they were industrial diamonds from Russia.

So I bought one with 8 stones for approx 23 Kbht

He he what a joke - Industrial diamonds you must be joking. Industrial diamonds are what it says - nothing to do with appearance just hardest material used mainly for industrial metal cutting, the largest of which are used as thread chasers used for cutting hard alloys partic in the aircraft industry. The smaller ones are used to make drill bits for the oil industry and other items like glass cutters. The really small stuff is smashed up and made into grinding wheels.

However, the Russians do make man made diamonds that are so good De-veers has spent millions of £ in developing ways to detect these diamonds. The technology used to made these diamonds is from the defunct nuclear weapon industry.

Diamonds (especially yellow diamonds) are being grown in labaratories in the US as we read these posts.

http://www.asia-gems.com/diamonds/synthetic-diamonds.php

Edited August 12, 2008 by klikster

[Hawkup2000]

I don´t know anything about diamonds but I just want to say that I am amazed of all the knowledge you guy/girls have about this. I always find it interesting to read about different topics when people "know their stuff".

To have a special knowledge about a certain topic is cool no matter what it is about; cats, textiles, airplanes, gems or something else. By reading two pages here I have learned a lot. When the days comes to shop for gems I will be very careful .

[12DrinkMore]

I don´t know anything about diamonds but I just want to say that I am amazed of all the knowledge you guy/girls have about this. I always find it interesting to read about different topics when people "know their stuff".

To have a special knowledge about a certain topic is cool no matter what it is about; cats, textiles, airplanes, gems or something else. By reading two pages here I have learned a lot. When the days comes to shop for gems I will be very careful .

Well, you've hit the right forum.

We're all expert here

[sylviex]

The beauty of a diamond is how it disperses white light into all colors of the rainbow with a sparkle, from any angle the viewer may be looking at it from.

True.

Believe me, people look and they notice, especially other women.

Not me. I really don't. Interesting, creative designs with metals, gems and stones of any kind may catch my eye, but generic jewellry, never.

I might make an assessment of the artistry but not the price.

Sometimes, reading on this forum makes me feel like I am living in the 1950's !

[Tinkelbell]

quoted from 'Spee' ............"Believe me, people look and they notice, especially other women. Just my own wrong opinion. "

...............................................................

I have to agree with 'Spee' about this comment.

Remember, the Thai would do anything to save face. That goes with showing their wealth through many forms such as wearing expensive jewelry, buy only designer's brands clothing or perfume etc. Although not everyone is happy in keeping up with the Jones in this scenario. Some have to force themselve to go through with it.

My cousin once said to me that she had to wear load of expensive jewelry because she wants to make a statement to all the people she had known before. Long ago her husband got himself a business deal that later went bad and landed him in a jail. She and children were left penniless. Now back on their feet, raking in a fortune, she knows people look and they notice, that's why she has to load herself even she feels crumsy with those big rocks on her fingers, ears, wrist and neck. She said if she live among strangers, she would go without it, she would be more happy too.

When the golf legend 'Tiger Wood' first came to Thailand in the late '90. Thai television station invited his mother for the appearance and conducting an interview.

Most of the Thais watching at that time, gasped with the jewelries she was wearing, seemed she piled up every piece she had. The Thais called her ' tu-tong-cluern-te ' ( portable gold shop).

This was from the women who was looked down upon when she announced her marriage to Earl Wood, the former black Green Baret.

[teacup]

quoted from 'Spee' ............"Believe me, people look and they notice, especially other women. Just my own wrong opinion. "

...............................................................

I have to agree with 'Spee' about this comment.

Yep me2 !!

Woman likes to look at other women, more than men look at women, or men look at other men.

Women have a different incentive for looking at other women, than a man looking at women. It’s not like we want to date them or sleep with them, but if they’re nice to look at, then we will ask ourselves as why do they look good, and might have something we like.

I can't speak for everyone but myself,……..

I have the habit of constantly comparing myself to other women.…..sometimes I get the little tips from the way they dress, or was just admiring and wanting something they have and I don’t….. nose, butts, boobs, or the swaying of her hips, yes even DIAMONDS too…..and NO...I don’t see men doing these to other men, that often.

Well, there are women who are into women, rather than men too, I guess….but this is a whole other subject entirely.

[ozsamurai]

Having worked in the trade myself for a few years I can back up alot of what has been said in this post re the technical aspects of the diamond. But what has been neglected a bit is, the girl. Having seen thousand of rings with varying sizes of diamonds pass through my hands, there is one thing that can not be replaced, and that is the look on the face of you significant other. No matter how long you take to explain the value for money theory, if a girl likes it, she likes it, no amount of logic can change that. Whether its a monster rock or a cluster of specs, she has to love it... I find diamonds a little boring to be honest, buy rubies, emeralds, sapphires and you can get her 20 rings for the same value...

[mizzi39]

Having worked in the trade myself for a few years I can back up alot of what has been said in this post re the technical aspects of the diamond. But what has been neglected a bit is, the girl. Having seen thousand of rings with varying sizes of diamonds pass through my hands, there is one thing that can not be replaced, and that is the look on the face of you significant other. No matter how long you take to explain the value for money theory, if a girl likes it, she likes it, no amount of logic can change that. Whether its a monster rock or a cluster of specs, she has to love it... I find diamonds a little boring to be honest, buy rubies, emeralds, sapphires and you can get her 20 rings for the same value...

I agree. I find diamonds a little boring too. Not sure on the value of other precious stones such as ruby, sapphire, and emeralds, but would much rather spend my hard earned cash on one of these for my misses. my wife doesn't even wear her diamond everyday, but she never takes off the sapphire that i bought her when we got engaged.

Diamonds are grossly overpriced, overrated, and a terrible investment anyway.

[Spee]

quoted from 'Spee' ............"Believe me, people look and they notice, especially other women. Just my own wrong opinion. "

...............................................................

I have to agree with 'Spee' about this comment.

Yep me2 !!

WoW!! There's a first. Two people agreeing with me in the same thread. Must be my lucky day!

Woman likes to look at other women, more than men look at women, or men look at other men.

This is very much true with Thai women, IMHO. My partner has recently returned to the village from working abroad. She always told me that when she went back, it was important for her to have all of her friends in the village see how well she had done, besides having the house and truck. So over many Christmases, Valentine's Days and birthdays, she has been given a pretty engagement ring and gifts of jewelry that she wanted. She is very happy and seeing her happy makes me happy.

As for the other posts just above, I don't know that I'll ever be bored with diamonds. But on the other hand, I don't buy them for investments, collecting, etc. I just treat them as any other big ticket item that might only be bought only once or a few times in one's life. Shop around, fine a nice one and get the nicest one that you feel you can afford.

PS.

Before even looking at engagement rings or another ring to be a gift, take her out window shopping to a jeweler and while there, have them casually measure her ring size. That way the ring you do buy will be sized properly and fit well on the correct finger.

[klikster]

Diamonds are grossly overpriced, overrated, and a terrible investment anyway.

The exception being good quality natural fancy colors. The reason, they are very rare. A saturated red (not brownish red) will fetch pretty penny.

[LaReina]

4. SI quality is pretty good. A lot of women flash their rings at you, and say.. oohh this is VVS quality, and when you look at it under a loop, it is not. So.. unless your sig other is going to show her ring to people with loops for glasses, then SI is good enough as you still need a loop to see any imperfections.

No disrespect intended, but SI is just a few grades north of frozen spit. You give an SI to an Asian woman, you could be suggesting that she is flawed as well.

Agreed. SI-type imperfections can be seen with the naked eye. All the loop view does is show how many and how big. SI's are fine for something like a tennis bracelet where all the stones are fairly small. But for single stone earrings, pendants and engagement rings, I wouldn't recommend going less than VS1 or VS2 clarity and F or G color.

The beauty of a diamond is how it disperses white light into all colors of the rainbow with a sparkle, from any angle the viewer may be looking at it from. Believe me, people look and they notice, especially other women. Just my own wrong opinion.

Dont worry about me, I do not take anything personal but..You guys are so dead wrong. But you are entitled to your thoughts. I have been involved in the jewelry manufacturing industry, and I know what kind of diamonds are being used in a couple of very well known western companies. And this is for solitare engagement rings. You can get very good SI quality diamonds here in Bangkok. Go to the upcoming trade show.

I have met people who come to thailand to buy jewelry stock and stones then boast and brag about their supplier and tell me the price that they paid for regualar semi-precious stones and then gone to well known stone suppliers in bangkok and bought better quality for a fraction of the price for them. You just have to know where to go and what you are doing.

[Heng]

There's nothing more romantic than explaining to a girl before her wedding/engagement ceremony how the history and economics of owning a diamond is really not in her best interest (and to be sure to tell her friends, okay?).

[zaza]

I don't have any diamond ring, should I try to get one ?

[12DrinkMore]

Dont worry about me, I do not take anything personal but..You guys are so dead wrong. But you are entitled to your thoughts. I have been involved in the jewelry manufacturing industry, and I know what kind of diamonds are being used in a couple of very well known western companies. And this is for solitare engagement rings. You can get very good SI quality diamonds here in Bangkok. Go to the upcoming trade show.

I have met people who come to thailand to buy jewelry stock and stones then boast and brag about their supplier and tell me the price that they paid for regualar semi-precious stones and then gone to well known stone suppliers in bangkok and bought better quality for a fraction of the price for them. You just have to know where to go and what you are doing.

Hey, haven't I met you at one of the temples in Bangkok, who knew my home town and insisted that Wat Pra Keo was shut for the day? But you did know that there was a "Special One Day Government Authorised Sale of Gem Stones", and this was a golden opportunity to make a killing by buying at rock bottom prices, and I could sell the stones for a massive profit.

Go to the upcoming trade show.

Dont worry about me, I do not take anything personal

nothing personal, you understand

[LaReina]

Dont worry about me, I do not take anything personal but..You guys are so dead wrong. But you are entitled to your thoughts. I have been involved in the jewelry manufacturing industry, and I know what kind of diamonds are being used in a couple of very well known western companies. And this is for solitare engagement rings. You can get very good SI quality diamonds here in Bangkok. Go to the upcoming trade show.

I have met people who come to thailand to buy jewelry stock and stones then boast and brag about their supplier and tell me the price that they paid for regualar semi-precious stones and then gone to well known stone suppliers in bangkok and bought better quality for a fraction of the price for them. You just have to know where to go and what you are doing.

Hey, haven't I met you at one of the temples in Bangkok, who knew my home town and insisted that Wat Pra Keo was shut for the day? But you did know that there was a "Special One Day Government Authorised Sale of Gem Stones", and this was a golden opportunity to make a killing by buying at rock bottom prices, and I could sell the stones for a massive profit.

Go to the upcoming trade show.

Dont worry about me, I do not take anything personal

nothing personal, you understand

Hells Bells! Was that YOU!!!

Wow.. it has been what?? Well... heck.. how long has it been? and you still remember me.. glad to know I made such a long lasting impression on you.

Was it the tuk tuk ride and seeing the carpet store?? Or making it back to the temple only to find out it was never closed??

Bless your heart....

p.s. you are so cute..

[12DrinkMore]

Hells Bells! Was that YOU!!!

Wow.. it has been what?? Well... heck.. how long has it been? and you still remember me.. glad to know I made such a long lasting impression on you.

Was it the tuk tuk ride and seeing the carpet store?? Or making it back to the temple only to find out it was never closed??

Bless your heart....

No, it was the reduction in my wealth.

p.s. you are so cute..

I have never, to be the best of my knowledge, ever been called "cute" before. And for good reason