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| Diamonds/Diamond Rings in Australia? | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 10 2009, 06:51:58 AM (460 Views) | |
| michaelavelli | Jul 10 2009, 06:51:58 AM Post #1 |
True Blue Mate
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Anyone know how expensive diamonds/diamond rings are in Australia relative to the US? I may be popping the question soon after I arrive there and I'm wondering if I should get the ring before, after, or maybe not at all right now given my budget constraints.
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| Dev | Jul 10 2009, 07:13:57 AM Post #2 |
"No day but today."
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The general "rule" out there for engagement rings (though, I'm not sure I totally agree with this) is that you should spend three months' worth of your salary on the ring. Honestly, though...just spend whatever you want within reason. If you see a ring that is "so her", then get it. It doesn't matter where you get it so long as you do.  That being said, though, I have noticed that jewelery tends to be quite a bit more expensive here (as are most things). I'd look in the US first. |
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Devon ----------------------- "What a shame that bitter irony has no nutritional value." 
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| surfermomkelly | Jul 10 2009, 08:17:33 AM Post #3 |
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True Blue Mate
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I noticed too (not sure if this is the case everywhere in Australia) that people have smaller diamonds and rings, while I notice here in the US (or at least where I live) most people have enormous rocks and platnium, etc. |
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| tazydevil5 | Jul 10 2009, 08:56:25 AM Post #4 |
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True Blue Mate
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Personally I would try to find one in the US. They are a bit pricier here I think. And yes, they dont have to be HUGE or anything....just something pretty that fits her personality.... On a side note: I have a lovely ring wrap that came from an engagment that went awry. It is saphire and diamonds. I thought to myself that I would like to wear it with a diamond like ring. I can tell you that I CANNOT find even a fake diamond that will fit the thing...the settings are way to high. I have a tiny diamond ring from the US that will fit it, but it doesnt fill up the hole. :((( I thought I could try a Diamonique or something, but I still dont want to pay out money and get it to AUS and it doesnt fit.... Someone said I should get a setting made for it....ah....not going to happen unless I win the lotto I dont think LOL Love Robyn PS Oh and congrats on the impending proposal :)))) Edited by tazydevil5, Jul 10 2009, 08:57:43 AM.
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| elsja | Jul 10 2009, 11:12:02 AM Post #5 |
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aussie pilot lover
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Get one in the US AND... get one at a jewlery mart or wholesaler... DO NOT go to a standard jewelry store- you'll get ripped off. By going to a wholesaler you can get so much more for your money!! |
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Elsja's Bloggity Blog | |
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| shylady | Jul 10 2009, 11:18:36 AM Post #6 |
oldYank
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Another thing to consider is the setting, if you want gold. I cannot wear 9k-10k gold, due to nickel-allergy, which is quite common. In the US you can get settings in 14k gold, while here in Australia it is typically 18k, which is MUCH more expensive.  Lisa |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| Laurie | Jul 10 2009, 11:45:10 AM Post #7 |
True Blue Mate
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I would buy it in the US and before you purchase it check what customs requires i.e. sales receipt with your name addy etc and make sure you claim it going through because you will get money back i believe on the tax - so that will save you money as well
Edited by Laurie, Jul 10 2009, 11:03:43 PM.
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| minx | Jul 10 2009, 05:35:26 PM Post #8 |
True Blue Mate
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If you are going to buy a diamond, please do some research first. Diamonds are not precious gems, the market for them is artificially created by the diamond industry... this being the case, prices are fairly fixed, worldwide. Decide on a budget first. Don't let the "x month's salary" marketing sway you - you decide how much you want to spend. Then you'll know how much diamond you can afford. Learn about the 4 C's, (color, cut, clarity and carat weight). These 4 things are what determine a diamond's cost. There was a couple on here a while ago that got royally screwed when buying an engagement ring here in Aus - they spent over $10,000 on a half carat diamond that was only worth $4000. They educated themselves after the fact, and it was a very expensive lesson. Edited by minx, Jul 10 2009, 05:44:49 PM.
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| crapola | Jul 10 2009, 05:52:12 PM Post #9 |
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True Blue Mate
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better yet, find out what her favourite gem is... for me, its sapphire... and get a ring with that stone. not all of us girls want diamond rings. both my engagement rings have had a sapphire as the major stone, with tiny little diamonds as accents. also, you might want to know if she wants/likes white, yellow or rose gold. |
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| gpierce | Jul 10 2009, 09:54:53 PM Post #10 |
True Blue Mate
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We bought a diamond in the US at wholesaler, with GIA report and all. We bought a $600-ish 18K setting for our stone in Australia and had it set here. I won't go into sums on the diamond, but we have to have it valued for insurance here and it's value is about 130% more than we paid for it in total:) Multiply what we paid by 130%, then add the two sums together and you get our Aussie value. Greg Edited by gpierce, Jul 10 2009, 09:55:17 PM.
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| michaelavelli | Jul 11 2009, 12:15:28 AM Post #11 |
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True Blue Mate
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Thanks for the responses so far. Just a couple things I'd like to explain. 1. My girlfriend isn't terribly concerned about a diamond ring. She wants a proposal though, some kind of moment/event that she can remember. She's even said she wouldn't care if I just proposed with a wedding band, or some kind of non-diamind "promise ring." That being said, I know she'd love a diamond ring, and I'd really like to get one if it makes financial sense to do so. 2. I'm well aware of the complete scam that diamonds are, lol. De'Veers has almost a complete world-wide monopoly on diamond minds, and artifically inflates the price by keeping a stranglehold on how many diamonds hit the open market. Diamonds, as I believe, aren't rare at all. The whole diamond engagement ring is the result of one of the most impressive marketing campaigns in the last 100 years, including the pretty ingenius idea of bribing movie producers back in the middle of the century to include a diamong engagement ring in any scene that included a marriage proposal. That being said, this is just one of those things in life that I will accept spending some money on (within reason), for a variety of reasons. 3. I've done a good amount of research so far on diamonds - the "4 C's" and whatnot. I think I'm mostly trying to look for a .7-.75 carat Princess-cut diamond with at least a Very Good cut rating, I color rating (at the lowest), and a VS2 clarity rating. From what I've read you should rank them cut -> color -> carat - clarity. A great cut on a diamond will make it look bigger than it actually is because of the way it reflects light or something. A diamond with ratings like this, from what I've seen, is going to run me about $1,700 USD, plus another $300 or so for the setting. 4. $2,000 wouldn't be a huge deal except that I'm about to move to AUS and I don't know how long it'll take me to find work. I'm bringing a certain amount of $ over with me (been saving awhile) so it won't be a huge deal if I don't find work immediately, but $2k would be a pretty decent sized dent in that figure. So, the decision to get a diamond or not has a lot of factors, and I just thought I'd check to see if it'd be better, if I do decide to get one, to wait until I was in Australia. Looks like that answer is no, lol. |
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| JasonP27 | Jul 11 2009, 01:52:08 AM Post #12 |
Yacker
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I bought a diamond engagement ring/wedding band combo from Wallace Bishop here in Australia. Both bands are white gold, and the total carats were I believe around .75 (~.50 + ~.25) and the color was H. The original price was close to $4000 AUD, but they had a sale, up to 50% off everything on display, though the set I bought was only 30% off. However, because my girlfriend's cousin works at a Wallace Bishop, she was able to get me the manager's discount (50% off) so it was worth it. I am planning on proposing this upcoming week, as long as all my other plans fall into place. *rubs hands together like Mr. Burns* Edited by JasonP27, Jul 11 2009, 01:54:14 AM.
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| surfermomkelly | Jul 11 2009, 05:09:19 AM Post #13 |
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True Blue Mate
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130% more!!! HOLY COW!!! let me ask you this, here in the US we have a separate insurance policy for my daimond....do they do that there because if its really 130% more that is scaring me. |
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| shylady | Jul 11 2009, 09:10:03 AM Post #14 |
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oldYank
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haha, good luck Mr Burns!  
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| surfermomkelly | Jul 11 2009, 11:56:22 AM Post #15 |
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True Blue Mate
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Jason, I forgot to say congrats and good luck! |
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| gpierce | Jul 11 2009, 11:56:25 AM Post #16 |
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True Blue Mate
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Hi Kelly. Here we have Home and Contents Insurance. It's kind of like homeowners insurance. Some policies will have a certain amount in them for Jewelry. If you have something that's worth more than that amount, then you have to call it out specifically. Technically this is sort of like a separate insurance policy as it will have specific call outs as to how/when they will cover it, though it is contained within the same policy. In our case, the standard coverage offered by NRMA was not enough to cover that piece, and it has limitations on portability (if it gets stolen/lost at a restaurant for example, not covered in standard policy). So, we had to call it out specifically, and get a valuation. All I was saying is that compared to what we "paid" the value was 130% more. That doesn't mean all Jewelry will be valued 130% more here!:) Greg |
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| surfermomkelly | Jul 11 2009, 02:28:03 PM Post #17 |
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True Blue Mate
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Gotcha that makes sense. Like I said we have to have a policy of its wone on my diamond here, so that will be something I look into right away. I'm always worried about it, it was a family diamond, so although its worth a ton cash wise, its really sentimental to Larry as it was his mom's who passed away. |
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| JasonP27 | Jul 11 2009, 06:38:30 PM Post #18 |
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Yacker
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thanks! but it has nothing to do with luck 
Edited by JasonP27, Jul 11 2009, 06:47:19 PM.
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| WilliK | Jul 11 2009, 07:31:42 PM Post #19 |
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Chinwagger
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I have to agree with a previous post about the idea of combining stones. My ring is a diamond with 3 saphires and I love it. It isn't huge nor is it tiny but it suits me/my style and is a really feminine design. The sentiment of the saphires (not only being one of my favourite stones) is that it is my birthstone and my husband's as well. And - I now tell my children that the 3 saphires represent each of them and the diamond represents their mom and dad together - obviously this has been a coincidence - we did not plan the children around the ring - lol! Anyway - point being that if you can bring some sentiment into your purchase choice - it means a lot more and as time goes on - it will have the same significant memories and meaning if it is handed down to a child or grandchild... |
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