Mark up on stones is retarded. like a 1k stone is worth about $100, i shit you not.
Scott, ask the dealer if the stone is a natural or a synthetic when you go in. If its a synthetic, you should get it for about 1/10th the price of a natural stone(s). This is very important because stores legally have to tell you whether it is or isnt a man made stone if they have the documents. Unfortunately most stores "lose" the papers and at that point have no legal obligation to verify the origin of the stone (kinda fucked up). The good way to tell if it is a synthetic is if its been colored (most stones on the market are artificially colored these days). If you need any help with this let me know, ive learned more than i ever wanted to know about stones over the last couple of months.