So, as some of you will have read in my last post, I called two jewellers that I had heard good things about.

The first, quoted an approximate price of $1800 for the band, plus the gem price.

The second asked me to go in and look.

Yesterday a friend took me to a place she had heard about. They go to Thailand to buy their gems, and while they are reasonably priced, this is my issue with them:
The gems originally come from the gemfields IN AUSTRALIA, are sent to Thailand to be cut & polished (and I am assuming, sometimes treated). Then these buyers go from Australia to Thailand, to bring them back to Australia.
So, I really don't like outsourcing like that.
Also, they do not come with a certificate. They guy tried to lead us to believe that, if you're spending 'only $200' on a gem (which would be $500 in a jewellery store) you don't need a certificate. He said, as long as you like it, what's the big deal.
And I do agree with that. BUT I do not want to make someone else rich because they fooled me. I would rather pay $50 for a treated gem, and know it's a treated gem, than pay $200 for a treated gem that I have been led to believe is natural and untreated. I just believe in honesty. Is that so bad?

Does that make any sense? Or am I just being picky?

So, today in my lunch hour I went to the second shop I called.
The woman was quite helpful at the start. She even pulled out a band that had already been made, but someone had decided not to buy it. It was beautiful, very elegant and simple, in white gold.

I asked about the gems and she showed me some that are from the Australian gem fields. She asked why I wanted Australian only - and I told her 'oh, I just like to... you know, keep the money in the Australian economy...'
WHY did I say that? *sigh*
Is it really such a big deal that I do not want to buy anything that may have come out of conflict? I get people rolling their eyes at me. Like I should just not care where they come from. I am going to be looking at it every day for the rest of my life, it is meant to be a symbol of love, why would I want that symbol to make me sick to my stomach every time I look at it?
Is that too hard to understand?

So anyway, back to the story:

So I asked the lady a round about price for the ring, including the gem I had taken a liking to. She said it would be around $1800, because the ring was already made, and that is priced on 'old gold' prices, whatever that means. So we are getting somewhere. First shop, $1800 for the band. Second shop, $1800 all up.
I also get a 10 year warranty and lifetime service & cleaning on the ring, as well as having all the appropriate valuations and certificates, for both the ring and the gem.

You know, it is funny. As soon as she gave me the price and showed me some more stones, it seemed she either got bored of me, or decided that if I wasn't going to buy anything right then and there, she must latch onto someone who potentially would. And it is a shame, because everything was going great until she gave me the price (and I had a GOOD reaction to the price) and then all of a sudden her attention was on someone else who had walked in the door (even though she was sitting down with me) and then another worker of the shop. So I don't know, it's possible I mis read the situation, but I was trying to tell her when I would call, but she didn't seem to hear me, so I just took a card. Maybe it's something to do with the economy and sales? People giving up before they've done the full pitch now? I don't know. It was interesting. I am trying to not take much offense to it, they have a good reputation after all.

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The next thing I need to consider is, in August there is a Gem Festival. It is about 11 hours drive from where we live. So, I could potentially source my own gem. But, it would be over two months before I even get it, let alone get the ring made.

And then I have to factor in the cost of driving there, staying over night, and then driving home. My friend has already offered to go with me (she is actually more excited than I am about this whole thing - it's odd - or maybe I am just the odd one). And then I got home and DF said he would go too.

But now I just dont know if I want to wait that long!

*sigh*

Anyway, sorry about my rambling. I am trying to get things sorted in my head, and it ends up being about as clear as mud in the end anyway. Blah!