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[CarlBkk]

In Thailand I'd either recommend online such as www.bluenile.com as another poster said, or Jubilee Diamonds in Silom (nearby Holiday Inn, opposite side of the road). Jubilee have loose diamonds and ready made pieces.

Have a budget in mind for the ring. Compare stones on the same and different certificates, but definitely get one with a known certificate (AIG being the best). Don't pay too much attention to colours and grades because the difference between a VVS and VS is not great to the eye, but is significant to the pocket. As is a D and an E. Just make sure you choose a diamond which veers away from "yellow". Diamond prices in Thailand are slightly higher than in the UK or USA, most are cut in India, but as you know labour to make a ring is lower. Bare in mind that diamonds over 1.00 carat jump up in price considerably - I'd recommend 0.6-1.0 carat size.

I work in the jewellery business but not with diamonds. If you need a recommendation for a custom-design piece or a loose diamond at very low mark-up let me know - one of my suppliers who handmakes my best quality designs is 100% trustworthy and fair and has done some excellent work. She can also copy designs from magazines or brochures.

[Heng]

CarlBkk, on 2007-06-03 07:10:01, said:

Have a budget in mind for the ring. Compare stones on the same and different certificates, but definitely get one with a known certificate (AIG being the best).

GIA being one of the most recognized actually, but I'm sure that's what you meant. And if it's just the cert from a non-reputable dealer, buyer beware, as there are as many fake certs floating around as their are fake degrees from Khao San Road.

In the end, just IMO, a diamond isn't really an investment anyway (although I'm sure there are plenty who hold/buy/sell diamonds who would disagree)... it's more of the experience that counts when one buys the rock with/for one's fiance... kind of like the most expensive date one ever goes on.

[Edonista]

pop_corn, on 2007-06-03 13:35:51, said:

Tiffany & Co.
make your gf veeeeeery happy...!
hahahahah
i mean, this would make me happy, at least.


ps, I love this branch, the models r just fantastic. http://www.tiffany.com/

A woman's dream quite often is a man's nightmare

[uptou]

i'd go for a coloured stone,ruby or sapphire.a diamond engagement ring is one of millions.thailand is the coloured stone cutting center of the world &
aigs in bangkok has one of the most respected gem labs in the world.maybe they have or know of agents who can help you buy a stone.buying coloured stones is a minefield in thailand even if you have some knowledge,what with treatments such as berrylium,flux fracture filling,glass filling,etc,sold without disclosure.ive also heard that price wise the usa is a good place to buy diamonds.

[CarlBkk]

Heng, on 2007-06-03 15:19:31, said:

quote]

GIA being one of the most recognized actually, but I'm sure that's what you meant.

Yes, sorry. GIA, not AIGS which is the gem-testing/training body!

[teejay]

I'd go platinum over gold. Bulgari makes a nice ring, but at a nice markup (somebody else mentioned Tiff & Co, but I prefer Bulgari)... but if it's a country girl, who cares, get her a cubic z and tell her it's worth 10000000000 dollars, the villiage will be impressed. Horses for courses..... good luck on the engagement.

[Jamie]

teejay, on 2007-06-04 13:32:44, said:

I'd go platinum over gold. Bulgari makes a nice ring, but at a nice markup (somebody else mentioned Tiff & Co, but I prefer Bulgari)... but if it's a country girl, who cares, get her a cubic z and tell her it's worth 10000000000 dollars, the villiage will be impressed. Horses for courses..... good luck on the engagement.

Yeah, that's really classic.

[jbsears]

I just bought my fiancee her engagement ring in January. I bought it at Paragon but we bought our wedding rings at the Old Siam complex. The problem with buying diamonds in Thailand is that Thais treat them like gold. They buy and then sell them back when they get bored of them or need money. Therefore, a lot of diamond stores only carry colorless, vvs2 and above diamonds. An engagement ring doesn't need to be that at all. Since an engagement ring is forever and never to be sold back, it is only for the eye to see. Therefore, a color of I and above is sufficient for white gold. With yellow gold, you can even go worse. For clarity you can get VS2 and above since they are still not visible to the naked eye and usually not visible at 10x magnification. In the US rings are usually sold at SI1 or SI2 since they are still flawless to the naked eye but are visible under 10x magnification.

I personally would have preferred to buy my fiancee's engagement ring in the US but that just wasn't an option for me. I would just recommend the following two things: don't buy a colorless diamond (D,E,F) as you can save a ton of money by buying a near colorless diamond (G,H,I) and no one but a diamond jeweler can tell the difference, and second, don't buy a diamond that is VVS2 or above, no one will be able to tell the difference from one of them and a VVS1 or 2 with the naked eye including a diamond jeweler.

Good luck shopping for the ring!

[Beardog]

Why not just get her a nice 1 baht Gold ring in Thailand. Most girls here in Pattaya are absolutely stoked with a simple Gold ring, besides if she really cares about you ,the ring is just a symbol of your love.
Unless she is a bargirl In Patts . God help you.but seriously from what I see most are dazzled by Thai gold.
I showed my girl Gold river gold(3 colors)& sttings with gems Including diamonds & she was more interested in gold as it is easily traded for whatever reason.
Now if you really want to impress her buy her some land,it would be looked at as far better than a piece of glass as most girls in Thailand do not know jack about gems anyway(BARGIRLS EXEMPT)
Beardog