well heck, thankya Joey!!!
just a few months ago (ok, over a year ago) I decided my wedding set needed to be replaced. I just took my beautiful great quality original diamond and had it re-set in a big, beautiful, platinum thingy. Just a couple of grand, with the new band and all.
and do you know what they did??? (this was not at Eiseman's, my real jeweler
)
for $35 buckaroo's they put a CZ (!!!!!!!!!!!!) in my old ring. wow! can you believe it??? You absolutely cannot tell the difference between it and my good diamond. (when just casually looking at it)
I couldn't believe it and man was my hubby happy.... and yes... i did order my 500 just one month later.
You CAN have your cake and eat it too.
ok. sorry to hi-jack.
I would most certainly get educated before being suckered at a chain type store.
They generally have decent, run of the mill diamonds.
But if you want a really good 3 carat, get online and do some research, THEN visit some quality jewelers.
K
(i'll step out of here now)
ps. i would surmise that a good diamond is around $10k a carat, and 3 carat stones are much rarer, harder to find.
good luck!
I have a friend who has one (one carat per kid) and I could discreetly ask her or her hubby what it cost per carat.