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Beauty & Fashion
> Jewelry
Tips on Choosing a Diamond
Wedding Ring
 Do You Hear Wedding Bells?
So you've been in that perfect relationship for some time now.
You've been dropping hints about the future and he is receiving
you loud and clear. It's time to do a little "window shopping."
After all, you don't want to leave one of the most important
decisions in your life entirely up to him, do you? He WILL lose
sleep over finding that perfect engagement ring, even though he
will not admit it. So why not help him out a little, give him some
guidance and direction.
There are so many choices when it comes to shopping for
engagement rings and you and he will hear a lot of advice from a
lot of "helpful" people. His "Uncle Charlie" will know a guy who
knows a guy. Your sister will tell you that you have to get your
ring where she got hers. Your co-worker will tell you about this
really cool website. And on and on, there will be advice around
every corner.
Let's go through some of the available options and identify the
pros and cons of each. This should help you both figure out what
the best option is for you.
Your Local Jewelry Store:
Definitely a great place to start. A jewelry store will have a
small selection of pre-set engagement rings for you to see in
person, and try on. If you run into a helpful sales associate that
is willing to spend some time with you and explain all of the
nuances of buying diamonds, it will be well worth your time.
PROS
Seeing the diamond in person. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing
diamonds sparkle on your finger!
Talking to a knowledgeable human being and getting answers to
questions face to face.
CONS
Limited selection. Most local jewelry stores do not have the
financial resources to carry a large inventory of diamonds.
However, many stores do work with suppliers who are able to send
them goods on memorandum (like consignment) if they have a
customer who is looking for a particular diamond.
Price. You will pay more at a jeweler, period. Sure you can try
and negotiate and feel like you got a better price, but a jeweler
will not sell you that diamond for less than a substantial profit.
Most jewelers need to make a "keystone" markup on every item,
which is double what they paid for that diamond. This markup
covers the high overhead costs of running a store including
insurance, rent and sales commissions.
Antique Shops:
If you are looking for a ring that is truly unique, this is the
place for you. You'll need to do some leg work and visit many
different stores to see what's available, but it could be worth it
in the long run.
PROS
Most likely to find a one of a kind ring. If you have the need to
be an original, stick to your search and you will find that
proverbial "diamond in the rough."
CONS
Unless you get lucky, expect a long search. You may only find a
handful, if any rings in the shops you visit.
Most rings will not have any type of certification or
appraisal. Unless you know a great deal about diamond grading, it
is possible to get taken advantage of very easily.
The Internet
The Holy Grail and the Bottomless Pit of information, all wrapped
in one. By far, you will find the largest selection of diamonds
and engagement rings here, but that can be quite overwhelming.
Start with the basics and work your way through this checklist.
1. Shape - Diamonds are cut into 10 most common shapes, but
there are countless other "designer" shapes popping up in the
industry on a regular basis. Most of the shapes are self
explanatory (round, oval, pear, heart), but do you know what a
Marquise or a Radiant looks like? Take a look at the most commonly
available
diamond shapes and decide what you like best.
2. Size - Bigger is better, right? Not necessarily. Unless your
fiancé has very deep pockets, you will not be getting a 5 carat
boulder to weigh you down. Too many men are convinced that it has
to be big. Would you like to have a big ugly rock that is dull and
lifeless on your hand, just so you could tell everyone it's 3
carats, or would you rather have a beautiful, sparkling beacon of
light catching all of your friends attention. You won't have to
wave your hand in front of them to notice, they will come to you!
3. The 4 C's - The most common phrase in the diamond business
and the most important when shopping for a diamond online.
The 4 C's
represent a diamond's cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
CUT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A DIAMOND'S FIRE AND
BRILLIANCE. So many people buying diamonds focus on color
and clarity, that cut is often overlooked. You can spend a fortune
buying a flawless clarity and perfect color (white) diamond, yet
if it is poorly cut, it will be dull and lifeless.
4. The Mounting Metal - This is basically a matter of personal
preference and what looks best on you. Yellow gold is classic and
works best for a solitaire engagement ring. Yellow gold is also
better for mounting diamonds with a lower color grade (yellowish
tint), because the yellow from the diamond blends into the
setting. White gold and Platinum give a modern look and work best
with three stone rings. Be sure to choose a diamond with a high
color grade, otherwise the white mounting will negatively
emphasize a yellowish diamond.
5. The Online Engagement Ring Builder - The most fun part of
buying a diamond online is being able to build your own ring.
Choose a diamond and a setting, then email it to your fiancé. Even
if he doesn't buy it online, he will know exactly what style to
look for when he goes shopping. No surprises, and everyone is
happy!
There are hundreds of diamond and jewelry web sites out there,
but my advice is to stick with the leaders in the field. The two
major players are
Blue Nile -
Named Forbes' Favorite Online Jeweler for the FIFTH consecutive year!
and
Diamonds and Jewelry from Mondera.com .
On their sites, you can browse thousands of diamonds as well as
build your own engagement ring and see how different settings look
with different shape diamonds. They both have highly knowledgeable
and very friendly customer service staff that can answer questions
about diamonds and settings, and offer a no risk 100% guarantee
and return policy.
You can also browse our site for weekly updates to
diamond prices and more in depth
diamond education. We also
maintain a
searchable database of diamonds from leading online jewelers
so you can compare similar diamonds from multiple sources.
Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!
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Choosing the Wedding Ring: Gold, Silver, or Platinum?
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