ring hunting

i'm sharing some info based on our ring hunting experience months ago :)


more options for 916 gold and selalu ade diskaun 5 ringgit! for perfect cut diamond, HOF of similar spec is cheaper than Lazare. HOF mostly disc 10%, u can get up to 15% in Bangsar branch, talk to Syahrunizam. their SA? hmm, double standard :( Habib Semua House mahal and they put HOF in torn box! this one SA told me for below 0.5c, better go for HOF since price not much diff from certified diamond. my friend had bad experience with their workmanship, but this may not apply to all i believe :) no custom made for platinum band. 75% diamond value for upgrade.

dont get overwhelmed with their xx% + xx% sale! the price in the end just similar to other jewellers :( wide selection, but i dont quite satisfied with their band - ringan sangat for their price heee! their signature collection is Le Lumiere, available at The Garden.

best customer service so far, be it any branch. have price control policy, thus max discount is 15% while members can get extra 5%. membership rm10 je, janganlah kedekut hehe. high end collection is Estrella, reasonable price for well cut diamond. good thing, this collection come in platinum settings :)

they dont have 916 gold. but trust me, their 750 gold is far better. expensive workmanship cost. limited collection, separate price for diamond & band. white gold band starts from rm1k+, and platinum will cost u double :( they claimed their white gold is pure, not the typical in market came in chrome and just celup with white gold - reason to why theirs are expensive..hmm, not sure!

the only brand carrying Lazare in Msia now. HQ in bangsar, but Pavilion's offer better customer service. expensive workmanship cost. they have yearly sale for certified diamond (up to 50%), last time was in July 09. psst, heard they're having sale again this Nov/Dec, not sure if it includes Lazare.

my next fave to Lazare, but too expensive! famous among Singaporeans, as Habib J to Malaysian ;P worth only if u buy their 66-facets brilliant rose signature, collection satu lagi tu standard certified diamond biasa je..showroom @ Bangsar Village.

tiffany novo is gorgeous, so as the price! rather than expensive platinum, u can find titanium with nicely crafted T&CO for your man here, less than rm2k :) both platinum & titanium are hypoallergenic, tapi problem nak resize if u gemuk after kahwin....

FAQs & My 2-Cents

1) should i go for cert diamond?

- recommended but not necessary. if u need one, consider only GIA / AGS. cert available only for 0.3c above

2) well cut diamond with reasonable price?

- malaysian brand, D&P's Estrella or Tomei's Le Lumiere are reasonably priced. u can ask other local jewellers too, request for 3EX (triple excellent). Lazare & HOF are internationally recognized, hence more expensive.

3) 4C priority? - my opinion..

(cash hehe!)> cut > color > carat > clarity

if u pick well cut diamond, u can compromise on color. this wiseman said perfect-cut H is better looking than normal diamond with F color (agreed by all jewellery shop that i went..)

4) min 4C to be considered? - my opinion hehe..

cut - VG (very good)

clarity - SI. VVS above only if u're going for investment.

color - near colorless, nothing further than J.

carat - depends. similar carat might look differently to slim and fat fingers. if u're torn between 0.49c and 0.5c, pick 0.49c since there'll be huge price diff once they jump to 0.5c and above, whilst physically the size almost similar to our naked eyes :)

5) should i custom made?

if u u're buying loose diamond or u they dont have nice band setting as u wish. risk includes outcome may not as expected, they dont have simulation maa...

6) my last 2 cents ...

- dont get overwhelmed with their investment strategy e.g. "for cert diamond, we accept 100% of your diamond value for any upgrade within 2 yrs etc" i know it's tempting, but somehow upgrading ring which has shared ur laughters & tears as husband & wife is not that right to me, sentimental tau! get your hubby to buy a new one instead of upgrading your wed ring. if he cant afford now, tunggu jelah his next bonus hehe...

- dress up for ring hunting! not to extend carrying your latest designer hbag, but at least be presentable. first impression lasts, remember? :)

- appear knowledgeable. some 'blings' conversation include :

"which size u're looking for..?" . this is referring to carat, not your finger size ;)

"sorry miss, we only have one with 32-pointer". SA usually used pointer instead of carat, 32 pt = 0.32c hehe..

"may i know what's roughly your budget?" dont immediately stop as "my budget is rm6k". sambunglah dgn your min req e.g. "my budget rm6k, perfect cut, min 0.3c and color not beyond J. ade?" SA yang bijak will check in system with other branches to maximize your option ;)

- wear your ring! (merisik/engagement). this gives impression u're not first timer :)

- and finally, bring your banker hehehe....!

panjang pulak entry ni :P

p/s : baru notice comment2 previous entry belum dibalas...mlm nnt je lah, dah 7am ni should mandi and go to work huhu!