Diamonds?
 

Where in Eastern Europe is the best place to buy diamonds? Is Prague a good start? I'll be there in Nov. and would like to buy one for a X-mas present.

Prague would be the last place I'd think to buy diamonds - didn't you ever hear of Brussels!

That said, if you don't know your stones, can't use a loop, know prices, grades (quality), have recommendtions about a dealer from satisfied customers - it's like buying a pig in a poke. You'll probably walk out with a piece of "faux"; or pay too much for a chip.

Find someone reputable at home, wherever that might be.

I'm afraid I have to agree with Sandi. Buying a diamond is tricky business unless you know what you're doing.

Buy Moser glass in Prague. Amsterdam for diamonds but it is not in eastern Europe is it?

Amsterdam isn't a good place to buy diamonds either; we priced a stone that was one and a half times higher than a similar stone in the US. (Our jeweler told us this before we left but we had to find out for ourselves.) If you want to buy jewelry, find something in Prague that is unique in style and design to the country... that will make it special.

Here is a link to something I saw not too long ago on tv...I thought it might intrigue you....
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/S...cs_hunter.html

Prague sells garnets all over. I thought Amsterdam was OK for diamonds--not spectacular, but OK.

Antwerp is the best place for diamonds; they do more trade in Diamonds than Amsterdam, but it is still better to have a personal recommendation before going into a dealer or shop.

And, from what I know about diamonds, their price is determined by cut, clarity and carat; in other words, if you find a bargain, it will probably be for a reason.

I have to say that I think Katherine is on to something. The cover story of Wired magazine a couple of months ago was very scary stuff for the diamond industry. As a result, I am not buying any more diamonds. The whole industry is carefully controlled and you are paying over the odds for something that can be manufactured, exactly, by a machine. Far better to put the money into art or property. Just an opinion.

In Prague, I'd stick to Czech products such as the wonderful glassware...not that I agree that using a jeweler's loup is a "must" either..if it were I doubt most people currently wearing diamonds would have them.
If you are asking this because you think that prices might be better in Eastern Europe the fact that most diamonds on the market are there thanks to the DeBeers cartel means prices are somewhat controlled..that is, unless you can get stones mined in the former USSR which actually has far more vast (than S. Africa) diamond resources but you don't see stones from there very often, unfortunately. Good luck.