I looked at Calvins, Krugers, Americus Diamonds, Jared's, and Zales. With the exception of Zales, all of the stores has great service and it was obvious they had a lot of knowledge and expertise. In the end it came down to the final price, which no other place could even touch. I purchased a very traditional 3-stone princess cut, with two side stones totaling .5cwt, and a .59 cwt center stone, with a palladium band, all for $2600 after taxes. All of the stones were immaculate, with the center stone D color and VS2 clarity rated by EGL-USA. Become familiar with different ratings agencies, as my EGL-USA stone might be rated lower from a stricter agency such as GIA. It is important to become comfortable with looking at diamonds and being able to spot the inclusions. If you are looking for a diamond, I highly recommend considering Calvin's, as they truly gave me the best deal I could find.
Pros: Worked hard to find what I wanted, prices no one could beat
Cons: Inconvenient location in northwest austin
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