Goldberry is fantastic. It is absolutely the place to go if you are looking for top quality designer jewelry. I recently purchased the perfect diamond engagement ring there. My fianc?e loves it, can couldn't be happier. Princess cut D color, super sparkling diamond, with a unique solitaire setting -- unlike any other ring I saw anywhere in the city.
If you've been shopping for an engagement ring, you'll realize there is a bit of a tension of size vs. quality for a given budget. Choosing Goldberry, you are choosing to get the absolute best quality diamond within your budget (she sells only D color diamonds, as others have mentioned, and the diamonds have spectacular light performance). So if you want to flash around a ring that is heavy on the carats with lower quality diamonds (not a perfectly colorless D and/or lower clarity and light performance), then this is NOT the place for you (unless of course you have the money to get a lot of carats at of the highest quality). If, however, you want a truly brilliant stone, then Goldberry is the perfect shop. Just to be clear, though, Goldberry doesn't push quality on your for the sake of bumping up the price. Goldberry is honest enough to encourage their clients not to pay for something they don't need. For instance, at some point with the clarity is ""good enough"" (e.g., VS2) and the higher grades do not make a difference to the eye --- Goldberry doesn't suggest going above VS2 unless you really want to.
Based on my experience, here is a how the process should work for the first-time buyers like myself: You should shop around at the various large jewelry stores downtown (Tiffany, Cartier, etc.) to get an idea of what you and your fianc?e like (diamond shape, setting, band, etc.) and to see what the market looks like for price / size / style / etc. Then, give Margie at Goldberry a call (she is by appointment only). She'll review everything with you, pointing out where the other stores are just trying to sell you. She's incredibly honest, direct and open -- for the amount of money you're spending, this is very comforting. After your initial meeting with Margie and armed with your inside kn owledge of the diamond business, you'll want to go out shopping again to finalize exactly the ring you want. From there, you will work with Margie to find the best possible stone in the market and to design the exact setting that you want. She will teach you a LOT about jewelry so you feel like you actually are making an informed decision. She has the finest of tastes, so you know that you are getting the absolute best quality on the market. Finally the piece arrives, and it is perfect! After that, cleanings are complimentary and she provides great post-purchase support to her clients.
From a design perspective, she has a great eye. She creates beautiful and unique pieces. If you're not looking for a traditional diamond, she specializes in color stones as well. Ditto if you're not looking for an engagement ring. I don't know much about these, but the rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. in her studio are stunning.
Margie puts an inordinate amount of time and care into each of her clients. I'm incredibly high maintenance when it comes to these kind of purchases; I do my diligence. I want to know every detail of the stone, the band, the purchasing process, the dealers, the diamond market, etc. We spent a number of hours on the phone during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends -- before I had even paid her a dime. Like I said, Margie is direct and honest, I never once felt as if I was being ""sold"" -- I can 't say the same for any other jewelry store in the city.
So, in short: If you want a top quality diamond engagement ring (but not overpay for it at Cartier), if you want to be a very informed shopper, if you want control over the design of the piece and selection of the diamond, the definitely go to Goldberry.
Pros: Best diamonds possible
Cons: Buyers have a lot of involvement (but you'll learn a lot)
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