Trip to Antwerp Vs online diamond dealers

[amatdiam]

Hi everyone. First of all, as a lot of persons, I would like to thank this forum for all information (to the say the least) a diamond beginner like me found on pricescope. I live in Paris, France and I am about to propose my girlfriend. Now that my ideas are pretty clear (mainly after spending hours on this site) as to my diamond search, I am thinking about going to Antwerp to find a loose diamond (Antwerp is 2 hrs away from Paris - direct by train). I have contacted some well-established dealers there to arrange appointments after having provided the characteristics of the stones I have in mind (e.g. G-H color, VS2-SI1 clarity Cut: EX and Ex/VG on polish and symmetry - No fluor or faint). I am aware that I will have to negotiate prices. However, quoted prices (tax excluded) which such well-established dealers provided me via email are far higher than prices available on WF, Blue Nile, Abazias etc....I was surprised, at first instance, since I thought that Antwerp, as "the" world diamond center, would propose more competetive prices. Is any of you had some feedback or experience in this respect ? At the top of that, sale of loose diamonds within the US are not taxed. I was also thinking of making my purchase via online dealers and make it delivered at a friend's place in NY who often comes to Paris. This way I could spare VATax on the price that I, as a EU resident, would be charged in Antwerp anyway. Others could argue that a payment in cash in Antwerp would save VATax as well but I have understood that Antwerp diamantaires are being scrutinized by Belgian tax authorities which ended up with the diamantaires avoiding cash payments (dunno if this is true).

Given the above and the fact I have a friend living in NY, I have the impression that buying in the US via online diamond dealers seem at first glance more interesting (given that there is return policy on each of the serious online diamond dealers) than going to Antwerp. I would be happy to have your opinion, in particular as to whether or not a trip to Antwerp (which is not burdensome if you live in Paris) is a good idea. I suspect that some of you will answer in saying that I would be able to see the stones with my eyes in Antwerp but with the return policy of Blue Nile, WF etc…I think it breaks even.....Please share your thoughts

 

[Roel1976]

Hi Amatdiam,
I myself live 30 minutes from Antwerp and ordered a nice diamond from James Allen last week.
I discovered during my search that the etailers from the US can deliver far more competitive prices than anyone in Antwerp could give me. I still don't understand why diamonds in the USA are cheaper but it seems that even after sales tax, they are the cheapest.
I do not know what kind of stone you are looking for, but if you have a friend in the US and you order there online you might want to consider having it delivered at your friends and picking it up in person to avoid paying EU sales tax

 

[amatdiam]

Hi roel1976, the question you raise is actually the good one: how is it possible that retailers in Antwerp who have access to prime diamonds, have a lot of customers willing to buying stones (as per history..) come with higher prices.....put aside a moment the EU VATax issue (b/c I am sure that if a cash payment is proposed - and with some persuasion - some Anterp dealers would agree and then VAT would be taken off) , I am really not sure that one non professional could, even after lenghty negotiations, have a better price for Triple Ex diamonds than we would by purchasing through US online dealers. Maybe there are some tips that we (as non professionals) we do not know, but after gone through forum/threads on pricescope I think that there are not and that even in Antwerp loose diamonds would cost more.....just a guess