Bought a wedding ring at Shane Co, should I return it?

[ryboy2222]

Ok so we stopped at Shane Company and the girl showed me what she liked in there. I went back and purchased it and I'm suppose to pick it up this week. I thought Shane Co. was a great place to get a diamond at, now after finding this forum, I'm thinking mabe I should take it back for a better value elsewhere? I'll show a picture and the details of the diamonds and I would appreciate if you guys could tell me if it's a good deal or direct me to something similar somewhere else. I wanted my budget to be around 5k, the total price of the the engagement ring and wedding band ended up being around 5825+407.75 for tax. So total it cost about $6232. She isn't set on this exact style, but it is what she liked best out of what they had. She likes a setting where the main diamond sits up high and can be shown off. If anyone could help me find something comparable and of higher quality and even cheaper if possible, I would appreciate it! Thank you.



The main stone is EGL certified and here are the specs: 2335.00

.91ct
Color grade I
Clarity SI2
Cut Excellent
Measurements 6.16-6.14x3.82
Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent
Fluorescence None

Engagement ring has 10 round diamonds set in 14k white gold at .81ct retail price 1695.00

Wedding Band is 14K white gold with twelve round diamonds at .96ct Retail price 1795.00

 

[marymm]

Well, I looked real quick at WhiteFlash and was able to find something quite similar to the look of that Shane set - price-wise it is apx $520 less than what you spent (or $698 less if you pay via bank wire), and much, much higher quality.

For the center stone, this 0.806ct I-VS2 Expert Selection - http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2938288.htm# - although it is lower carat weight than the Shane center stone, you will note the face-up size (6mm) is about the same - and this ideal-cut diamond will be noticeably brighter, flashier, and livelier than that Shane diamond.

And this wedding set is similar in appearance to the Shane set - http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/wedding-sets/flush-fit-diamond-wedding-set-1768.htm - again, the carat weight is less, but the diamond quality is much higher.

The WF center stone is $3813 for PriceScope members (or if you pay by bank wire, $369
and the wedding set is $1945 (or if you pay by bank wire, $1886)
TOTAL = $5758 (or if you pay by bank wire , $5584)

PLUS an additional $50 off if this is your first purchase with WhiteFlash (applied if purchase is over $2,000)
[use coupon code "welcome50"]

Which makes the TOTAL = $5708 (or if you pay by bank wire, $5534)

Even if the above doesn't appeal to you, I would encourage you to return the Shane set, as with your budget you really can find something much nicer for your girl.

 

[Niel]

If she wasn't in love with that ring and it was just the "best of the bunch " return it and you can do better.

Here's a stone I think looks very promising.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-213709

I'd probably put it with this sense it shows off the diamond like she likes

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/14k-white-gold-rounded-pave-engagement-solitaire-item-8116

And if you're on a budget o wouldn't buy the wedding band yet. One you don't have to pay for it or the shilling to canada, also she gets the fun of trying on lots of styles and seeing what she likes and being part of that process. Unless your getting married right away I'd hold off.

 

[diamond-enthusiast]

Yikes. EGL grading reports sends me running out of the door.

 

[ryboy2222]

Thank you so much MARYMM. This seems to be a very close match and I really like the band and engagement ring together. Her heart wasn't super set on the Shane Co. ring that she picked out, they have a lot of settings and she liked the flush mounting on the band the best. I just thought it was weird when they told me all of the 3 main diamonds I picked up for the center stone, had inclusions and then they proceeded to show me with the loop. Then said that they aren't visible with the naked eye. So to me the stones looked sparkly and good. I have a lot to learn obviously!

 

[ryboy2222]

Thank you NIEL. I really like that engagement setting. Very simple but very elegant.

If she wasn't in love with that ring and it was just the "best of the bunch " return it and you can do better.

Here's a stone I think looks very promising.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-213709

I'd probably put it with this sense it shows off the diamond like she likes

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/14k-white-gold-rounded-pave-engagement-solitaire-item-8116

And if you're on a budget o wouldn't buy the wedding band yet. One you don't have to pay for it or the shilling to canada, also she gets the fun of trying on lots of styles and seeing what she likes and being part of that process. Unless your getting married right away I'd hold off.

 

[ryboy2222]

Yikes. EGL grading reports sends me running out of the door.

So EGL grading is that bad!? If they are so bad, then why do companies like Shane Co. use them?

 

[SB621]

Yikes. EGL grading reports sends me running out of the door.

So EGL grading is that bad!? If they are so bad, then why do companies like Shane Co. use them?

EGL isn't bad just they tend to have softer grading and are less consistent. Your I SI2 would probably be a J/K I1 diamond if it were graded by GIA. In other words- for most EGL diamonds you aren't paying less for non GIA stones, you're getting less. I think most stores like using EGL because they can charge more for diamonds with higher stats.

With that said I have a wonderful EGL certed diamond that I took to a GIA appraiser who varified all the stats were correct. It doesn't happen all the time, but it worked for me. More importantly though it scored well with the HCA and I had a return policey on it if there were any issues.

 

[heididdl]

I also have EGL stones that have been appraised much lower than the certification F = H on my one stone and G = I on my other still good colors and the clarity was sI1 and is really S11 in one stone and si2 in the other.

that being said. If I had to do it over I would have never have gone to a brick and mortor the suggestions that Neil and the others on this sight have given are spot on.

also I believe and this is my opinion I seem to have found B&M use EGL to have some of their stones graded that they want to show better on paper than if they sent them to GIA. So it makes uneducated customers feel good about what they are buying. I knew going into buying my studs that they were certified by EGL and made sure to have them independantly appraised before purchasing them

Again if I were like you at the begining I would just stick to GIA, if possible it just makes life easier

 

[kenny]

EGL isn't bad just they tend to have softer grading and are less consistent.

I'd call that, "bad".

 

[SB621]

EGL isn't bad just they tend to have softer grading and are less consistent.

I'd call that, "bad".

People vary.

 

[heididdl]

People are insecure and happy with purchases they have made and feel bad when they are told that EGL is bad. so I also don't care for the word bad...either......Just have to go into such a purchase knowing what you are getting and have it properly appraised to be okay. But as I noted if I had to do it again I would feel much more confident with GIA.

Sorry its just every time I hear the negative comments on EGL is makes me feel stupid and I am not.

 

[Niel]

I feel like trying to avoid hurt feelings isn't helpful in this situation. If he's in the return period and is unsure about his purchas, its important for him to know grading by that institution is lax and he would be better off buying a gia or AGS stone if he's trying to get as quality modern round brilliant stone as possible

 

[heididdl]

and I totally agree with you......100% I just had issue with EGL being called bad.