Buying diamond studs from US for UK

[bunzilla]

That could be about right, but I'm no expert in import law. I'm just speaking from my personal experience (for instance, this year my grandmother sent me a pair of designer gloves for Christmas and somehow I got charged more than the value of the gloves in customs duty/VAT!).

To save £100, I would still not choose the American option. You may have a greater selection by shopping American stores, but you're almost completely chopping yourself out of the return market. With BlueNileUK, if you get the earrings and aren't happy, you can send them back for different stones. You can also take advantage of their upgrade program in-country. By contrast, if anything goes wrong with the BG-US ones, you will be stuck paying shipping/insurance there and back all over again, risking duty/VAT twice.

For me, I'd still try and shop European. Just my opinion, though!

yer i totally agree with you with those points, so I'm pretty much relying on other people's experiences and reviews really. It defiantly seems less hassle if I just buy it here but it just kind of means less choices and not sure about the quality of some... and I don't think they could charge you more than the value of your goods. You should have complained. And try to get them to review it, maybe they read your label wrong.

 

[AndieAbroad]

... and I don't think they could charge you more than the value of your goods. You should have complained. And try to get them to review it, maybe they read your label wrong.

This is a total side bar, but...

Actually I got a random letter from FedEx TWO MONTHS LATER saying I owed £50 and I was like 'Whaaaaat?' To me, it's not right that someone can send you a gift and then you're surprised with the tax months later. Fair enough if I don't want to/can't pay at the time and I can't have my item, but I'd already had the gloves for months, with no indication of money owed, and what if someone just wanted to mess up my finances? This is a good way of financial terrorism! I refused to pay it and then FedEx actually sent me a letter from their lawyers saying they were going to sue me! So I am currently dealing with the lawyers, appealing the cost. It's totally ridiculous. Just having to go through this for a pair of gloves I've worn maybe twice is just such a bummer. My grandmother would never have sent them if she'd known what was going to happen.

 

[ame]

I recently purchased a pair of diamond studs myself and I've become quiteinterested diamonds. There's a lot of mention of fluorescence diamonds andtheir decreased cost. From my understanding of what was said, it seems itdecreased the warmth’s in lower colors. How would this effect the look of a Jcolored or lower diamond. Would a faint, medium, or strong fluorescence be preferred?

Its not a miracle worker but it will help cut some of the warmth. Not a ton, but just enough to help it look brighter and whiter to the eye. The stronger the fluor, the better the impact on the warmth will usually be in MOST lighting conditions. However, when you start getting below a J-K, you're getting into where the warmth is less likely to just be yellowish, and could be more brownish/tea colored, and that's harder to negate with blue fluor, even strong blue. You also have to see the blue fluor in a stone graded strong or very strong in person and several lighting conditions to know it's not milky or hazy, as some can be. The ones I mentioned above, the Brian Gavin Blues, are all pre-vetted to not be hazy.

 

[twitspie]

Hello,

I am in the UK and can highly recommend 77Diamonds...my engagement ring is form there (GIA certified) and many of my friends have used them too. You can go to their offices in London Bridge and see the stones in person hth.

 

[bunzilla]

I see quite a few people use 77Diamonds, but in terms in picking out a good stone from just the GIA, I am unsure how to really do that... I guess I should check them out tomorrow.

And as far as looking at the diamonds on BGD, I think something around these 3 would be pretty good.
1) http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...d_details/CAGS-104062894109/CAGS-104063276122
2) http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...d_details/CAGS-104063537037/CAGS-104063276050
3) http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...d_details/CAGS-104062894086/CAGS-104062036019

I think I like the second option most. But I am not really sure how to check the diagram to try to make sure it is eye clean.

 

[Jadewah]

Its not a miracle worker but it will help cut some of the warmth. Not a ton, but just enough to help it look brighter and whiter to the eye. The stronger the fluor, the better the impact on the warmth will usually be in MOST lighting conditions. However, when you start getting below a J-K, you're getting into where the warmth is less likely to just be yellowish, and could be more brownish/tea colored, and that's harder to negate with blue fluor, even strong blue. You also have to see the blue fluor in a stone graded strong or very strong in person and several lighting conditions to know it's not milky or hazy, as some can be. The ones I mentioned above, the Brian Gavin Blues, are all pre-vetted to not be hazy.

You're amazing! Thanks for your insight, I was so curious! Great advice as always

 

[ame]

My pleasure.

I poked on that 77diamonds site and it is worth a look though their search is a royal pain in the rear. You cannot search by angles, or really see them, and it's damn near impossible to just pull up a set in a link. They have a LOT of very deep stones though so you really have to pay attention to that. None of their links to see the GIA report online--like the real one--work.

 

[bunzilla]

Thanks Ame for having a look on that site!

I have spoke to my mum about this. She also agree that it might just be easier if I could buy from either a UK/Europe company from internet or a shop here. So I think I will pay a trip to Hatton Garden this weekend to see what they got and see what I could get for my budget and I guess if I can't find them then I might go back on the internet. I will keep u guys posted!

And thanks for all the others who suggested websites so far. Would still like to know more other places.

 

[bunzilla]

I have been to Hatton Garden today, but the quote and price I got for like 0.7cttw in platinum setting are like £1900, which I think its quite a lot more and also the diamonds are just graded by those shop and not GIA graded either. Bit disappointment.

But one of the jeweller did find a pair that he said it is around £1600 with platinum setting and la pousette back. G VS1. 0.66cttw.
The spec are:

Diamond 1:
Depth 59.7 %
Table 61 %
Crown Angle 32.5°
Pavilion Angle 41.6°
Girdle Thin to Medium, Faceted, 3.0%
Cut Grade Excellent
Polish Very Good
Symmetry Very Good

Diamond 2:
Depth 60.7 %
Table 60 %
Crown Angle 34.5°
Pavilion Angle 40.8°
Girdle Medium to Slightly Thick, 4.0%
Cut Grade Excellent
Polish Excellent
Symmetry Very Good

I didn't really like them and I don't think they are that good though. They look sparkly but I'm not sure if it's just the lighting in there and it's really hard to tell...

 

[chicinthecity777]

I would not buy from the U.S. simply because the return will be a nightmare. There is also a handling fee most courier charges which you will not be able to get a refund for should you return your goods. I would shop around in Hatton Garden as well and some of them would open to offering some discounts.

 

[ame]

I have been to Hatton Garden today, but the quote and price I got for like 0.7cttw in platinum setting are like £1900, which I think its quite a lot more and also the diamonds are just graded by those shop and not GIA graded either. Bit disappointment.

But one of the jeweller did find a pair that he said it is around £1600 with platinum setting and la pousette back. G VS1. 0.66cttw.
The spec are:

Diamond 1:
Depth 59.7 %
Table61 %
Crown Angle 32.5°
Pavilion Angle 41.6°
GirdleThin to Medium, Faceted, 3.0%
Cut GradeExcellent
PolishVery Good
SymmetryVery Good

Diamond 2:
Depth 60.7 %
Table60 %
Crown Angle 34.5°
Pavilion Angle40.8°
GirdleMedium to Slightly Thick, 4.0%
Cut GradeExcellent
Polish Excellent
SymmetryVery Good

I didn't really like them and I don't think they are that good though. They look sparkly but I'm not sure if it's just the lighting in there and it's really hard to tell...

Not good cut quality. Those are not closely matched for starters but the one is a 60/60, some folks like that, it's not as firey, more white light return. Fine but not really modern ideal. The other is not ideal or a 60/60. So it's not gonna be much quality light return or fire.