cornerstone

You're right - it's crazy. But people will pay what they think it's worth. What is couture fashion worth?

Of course, they have to make their money from a very small run, but still that says nothing for the buyer.

People that buy that (couture fashion) are mental, and frankly I'm tight!

Wow - I was going to say the same thing. I thought that you must have the labels mixed up - how come the rubber strap reflects like that? But given you've got it right - the rep looks off the chart better!

I sent Bruce a long email, but I'll summarize here.

Cut is a personal preference. What shape does she like? Carat is similar. Does you girlfriend prefer size or brilliance, assuming you have a budget?

I prefer color over clarity and would be willing to drop to an SI1 to get better color. The color is what makes a diamond "pop" when comparing the same cuts. An SI1 should look good to the naked eye with no visible flaws.

For pricing, always ask for quotes in reference to the Rap Report. The Rapaport Report is the price sheet wholesalers use to negotiate diamond prices. Most diamonds are priced at less than Rap, but the Rap sheet doesn't account for cut quality, grade and proportions. If you are looking for a perfect cut, you may pay Rap or better. Everything else should trade at a discount from Rap. I would shoot for 30% discount from Rap. You may not get it that cheap, but it gives you an idea. Ask the dealer to show you the Rap price for the stone you are buying.

Good Luck!

Thanks for sharing that - it's greatly appreciated!!

EDIT: forgot to say that the diamond.info website seems to have an excellent search engine for diamonds from different dealers (presumably they get some kind of affiliate commission, but still, it seems quite good)

For sure. Multiple pictures help too with wallets (for me anyway) - like with the pictures of the Gucci wallet you posted. You want to know that it can fit all your cards, etc.

I suppose the real market research question is whether you can shift enough of them every week to make it worth the effort.

Plus you would have to be scrutinised to determine whether you are a suitable candidate to be a dealer on this forum!!! lol!

Seems I haven't drunk all the brain cells away quite yet - it's coming back to me slowly!

Blue Nile diamonds

Also look around for some of the diamond forums: diamond.info seems to have a decent one.

Cheers!

Here we go - this is not a bad place to start Excel Diamonds

Might give you a good guide to prices you can get out of the stores. Presumably robertinaustin knows more (prepared to share the knowledge?! )

Shot me a pm if you want me to price some stuff for you. I am in the business and can give you an idea of prices.

Obviously take this up, but just to add to the mix there are some reputable diamond wholesalers out there. Unfortunately I can't remember the names, which isn't much use. Maybe they will come to me later!

It's a much better idea the way you are doing it rather than buying retail (obviously you have already determined this - just supporting the idea!). More than saving money you will end up with a much better diamond (by spending the amount you would in a store). I was quite surprised that places like Tiffanys can sell some yellow lower grade diamonds, and as for other stores some of the diamonds were down at brown. The thing that irks me is that as carats, colour and clarity improve, the retailers also mark up the ring - even though it's the same ring, same amount of work, same overheads. You can see comparing the 'wholesale' (i.e. not high street retail) prices for various carats and comparing them to their Tiffany equivalent finished rings.

Best of luck!

in terms of quality, it is probably hands down,

1) FM conq with the 2600 movt.

good luck!

Cheers! She's picked out the watch she wants - it's the FM for sure. I thought the P24 was going to be the way to go, but I was way off - glad I'm not the sort of person to impress her on the spur of the moment with a gen - lol!

By the 2600 movement do you mean the ETA 2671-2 (= the FM 2600??), or is there a better rep movement that I should investigate?

This is genius!

Looks like you've got a 100% positive rating on this so far! Ever considered politics?

[bitchin] better trade mark pizzanooo while you still can! [/bitchin] (I joke!)

On the Conquistador ETA front....

The genuine movement in the Ladies FM Conquistador is called the FM 2600: it has, I believe, 28,800 vph and a 38 hour reserve with 20 jewels and a platinum rotor.

Sounds plausible that it is a finished ETA 2671: this has 28,800 vph, (is the same size obviously, fitting a ladies watch), and has a 38 hour reserve. There is a possible discrepancy with the number of jewels - the original ETA 2671 had 21 jewels, but the new ones have 25 jewels and a ball-bearing rotor (this would be the ETA 2671-2 reference I presume). It's possible that he gen 20 jewels information is wrong too (I only found one source for it)

Any thoughts? Or am I way off?

I think I may have talked her around to the Conquistador, even though it's more expensive you're getting more 'watch' for your money. Perhaps, I dunno. At least I know I can get it from a dealer here.

I actually spent ages looking into the P24 - I thought it was perfect. I was wrong! "Too square" was what I was told. She doesn't like "too round" either...

I think the Franck Muller Sunset is available as a rep (looks easy to rep) but our dealers might not carry it because it's just a quartz. Means it might be worth asking them to source it...

I found these reps:

Quite a lot of ladies ones there.

I also found this being sold as a rep (can't be sure that it's a photo of the actual one for sale, but doesn't look quite like gen):

Failing these - there's the ETA based Conquistador that the dealers carry. Does anyone know if the genuine uses the ETA 2671 or a different movement? And what's the relevance of the ETA 2671-2 - is that different from just a plain 2671?

Rolex....

Reps, reps, wherefore art though?

No ones knows anything about Franck Mullers or the ETA-2671?!

In that case - who has the best Sub?

I've been struggling to find the right rep for the missus - and hit upon a good idea (ish). I sat her down in front of 900+ pics of genuine ladies watches at Wingates to pick out what she liked (budget no limit - basically if you have all the money in the world what would you buy.....)

Out of those 900+ watches she picked two watches......and one was a Franck Muller Conquistador I kid you not - only one of the best reps available!!

So major result for me.

The other watch she likes (and probably prefers) is another Franck Muller - the ladies Sunset:

Does anyone know if there is a rep available of this? I have looked around but with no luck. The gen is a quartz.

In my internet travels I also came across this watch: a ladies Curvex (?!), also a quartz that looks very similar:

If these don't pan out, I'm obviously looking hard at the Conquistador - does anyone know if the gen also uses the ETA-2671 (I'm guessing it does - most Ladies Automatics seem to be this)?

I'm sure this revelation will soon put a stop to what is obviously a very popular activity.

Now, who figured this out...and why?

69?

Waddaya mean back page...?

@Chronus: true, but the manager always picks those players that don't deliver. Or players he's never seen play

Just received this 'Offical Time' 'Genuine Python' 24mm strap in this mornings post. So married it up with my monster Tauchmeister (the scourge of airport security checks, and point of avid interest for all SE Asian Rep wholesalers!!!).

Wow - now that watch is a statement!

Interesting..........Mr Panerai's name is also Bruno

.

And other wepons!

Love it!

I'm feared to ask where in Harry Potter the watch is?

Erm, i wish our new manager wasn't Sven mk2.

Unfortunately, he is.

He isn't even that! lol!

McClaren might as well crucify himself and staple The Sun sports pages to his forehead to save some time.

The average England manager trajectory goes:

1. Euphoria

2. Posing with Sun Page 3 girls

3. Using up goodwill with bore draw in friendlies against Belarus or whatever

4. Everyone except the FA realising he's crap

5. FA trying to hire someone else

6. Revealed as a love cheat

7. Tournament disaster

8. Picture on back page of Sun as a turnip.

9. Sacked.

10. Appointment as Leeds manager.

Meanwhile McClaren is already:

1. FA trying to hire someone else

2. Revealed as a love cheat

3. General indifference to his appointment

4. No goodwill to use up in Belarus friendly

5. Sun already looking for stock photos of turnips...

Leeds might as well start warming the manager's seat and clean out the fish tank for his imminent arrival (with a 6 million pound payoff).

Aye, and a username like 'tiffanyco' fills you with real confidence!

45% Dixie

Seems a bit on the generous side!

I think it gives you about 35% just for not being from Mass. !

There once was a Senator from Mass

who was searchin around for a Lass;

He lucked out and found it;

He fucked up and drowned it.

And That was the end of HIS ass!

What's up with the Panerai fever? I have a hard time seeing the great thing about these watches. Imo there's a lot more beauty in a VC or Patek than in a Panerai.

No idea! I think they lace them with heroin or something!

More seriously, I think they grow on people when they see their first one because they are so big. Massive watches don't work on my arms, so PAM's aren't for me. Maybe you should try and see...

Plus I get the feeling that all the minor variations tap into the inner collector in some folk - they gotta have them all

Cheers!

I don't know about the watch, but there's something off with the pic. Something screams faked to me, and I don't know if it's the super-loose strap or the paper bag sleeves.

Yes, walzing up to the door of an AD and pressing the buzzer dressed in paper clothes tends to have the effect of them calling the police in my experience....