18ct Solid White Gold 0.50 Carat G-Colour VS2-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Prong Setting Solitaire…
Price: GBP 3587.28
Platinum 0.65 Carat H-Colour SI2-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Prong Setting Ladies Engagement Ring…
Price: GBP 4735.25
18ct Solid Yellow Gold 0.50 Carat H-Colour SI2-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Prong Setting Solitair…
Price: GBP 2541.53
18ct Solid Yellow Gold 0.62 Carat G-Colour SI1-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Prong Setting Solitair…
Price: GBP 3125.50
18ct Solid Yellow Gold 0.65 Carat H-Colour SI1-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Prong Setting Solitair…
Price: GBP 3345.23
18ct Solid Yellow Gold 0.52 Carat G-Colour VS2-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Prong Setting Solitair…
Price: GBP 3321.73
18ct Solid White Gold 0.50 Carat G-Colour VS2-Clarity Certified Fine Diamond Tension Setting Solitai…
Price: GBP 3599.03
Retail Jewelry Stores
A common belief is that all jewelers are out to get you and that you’re going to pay too much for a diamond or engagement ring. This is true for all industries and businesses, not just the jewelry industry. There are good businesses and there are not so good businesses. There’s always a chance to pay more than you have to when buying a car, electronics, jewelry, or whatever. The key is to do your homework and find a jewelry store that you know is creditable; sometimes a referral from a friend is the best place to start. Now it’s true that most jewelry store prices will start off listing higher than many of the on-line businesses, but you have to consider all things. Who will size your ring when it needs to be done? How much will it cost when you have it done? How long will you be without your ring? There is a huge amount of convenience when buying local because many jewelers do all their work in-house. This means no waiting and sometimes you can actually have your ring sized or altered on the spot. Imagine proposing to your girlfriend and then telling her she has to wait 2-3 weeks before wearing it because it has to be shipped back to the on-line jeweler for sizing!
Other benefits are the warranties that come along with the purchase from a local jeweler. I had a customer come to our retail showroom not too long ago with a ring he bought from Bluenile. He brought his fiancé in to be fit for the ring and we sized the ring for $75.00. 2 weeks later she came back and said that she chose to have the ring sized too small and needed to be sized again. Another $75.00! Now they’re up to $150 in additional fees and they’ve only owned ring 2 weeks. Imagine the expenses you’ll accumulate over the lifetime of the ring! Another issue is the replacement of missing diamonds; today’s engagement ring styles are very complicated and can be set with intricate diamond combinations. These tiny diamond accents are prone to falling out. When you need to have a small diamond accent replaced you could pay $75.00 to $150.00 in repair costs. Do you see the repair costs adding up? Most local jewelers value your business; in effort to keep you happy they’ll take care of any costs associated with the upkeep of your ring. If you think I’m being one sided don’t worry, I have a lot of positive things to share with you about buying on-line also.
One of the other benefits of shopping locally is the ability to see and examine the diamonds before buying. A big misconception is that all diamonds are graded exactly the same way and that an SI2 on-line is the same as an SI2 in a store. Truth is that every diamond is uniquely different and some diamonds are better than others even if the grades are identical. There are good VS2’s and there are bad VS2’s how do you know which one you have? I’m assuming of course that you know what a VS2 is, if you don’t you can visit http://therealscooponbuyingdiamonds.blogspot.com and I’ll be happy to explain it further to you. You really need to see the diamond first hand and look at it under a microscope to be able to compare one to the next. You can have two diamonds graded exactly the same but one may be poorer a version of the same clarity grade because it was graded by two different people with different opinions. This of course greatly affects the value of the diamond and you’re not aware of it unless you see them first hand. Shopping locally empowers you by allowing you to compare one diamond to next in real life situations.
Now if you say “That’s all well and good but I still want the best deal I can get” and the bottom line price is still you’re biggest concern then simply be honest with the people you’re shopping with. Truth be known, most jewelers are flexible in their pricing. You just have to communicate your needs with them properly so they know where you stand. They don’t read minds and if you want the best deal you can get for a diamond then say that to them. You can’t get what you don’t ask for and nobody is going to volunteer this unless you ask for it. If you tell the local jeweler that you have been shopping on-line and you want them to match the price, they’ll probably do it. The best strategy is to bring the Internet listing from the website that you are shopping with and give it to the jeweler. Ask them to show you a diamond of the same size, clarity and color, this way you are comparing apples to apples. In some cases they’ll match the price and you’ll get the best of all worlds including warranties, service, price and convenience.
There are no magical formulas or pixie dust that allows one on-line jeweler or retail jeweler the ability to buy a diamond for less than their competitors. Retailers and on-line jewelers pay the same amount for a diamonds and the going rate is the going rate. So your local jeweler has the ability to sell the diamond at the same price as the Internet jeweler, you just have to give him reason to. The best advice I can give you is “Don’t make them jump through hoops”; if they’re going to give you a great deal don’t make them work hard for it. Otherwise they may lose interest in the sale and say “No Thanks!”. Be honest and fair with them and you may be surprised at how helpful they can be.
Internet Jewelers
Ok I know you have been waiting for this, so here it is… Yes you can buy a diamond for less on the Internet! You’ll also save the sales tax. But you need to know that not all Internet jewelers are created equal and you really need to become familiar with whom you are dealing with. Lets start with some important issues. First, you should know that most Internet jewelers don’t own their own diamond inventories. What they do is create computerized lists from diamond wholesalers and suppliers from around the country and place these lists on their websites. Now the problem with this is that these Internet jewelers have never seen the diamonds that they sell so they don’t know what they are giving you. If you see a diamond listed on their site and ask them to describe it to you they have to call the supplier who owns the diamond and have them describe it to them first so they can describe it to you. That’s fine as long as you are aware of the process.
Now, there are Internet jewelers who do own their inventories and actually hand select the diamonds that go on their website. The benefit is that these Internet jewelers have the ability to weed out problem stones because they get to see the diamonds before they buy them for resale. Allow me to give you an example of a problem diamond, take an SI1 diamond for instance. By definition, an SI1 diamond should not have imperfections that can be seen to the naked eye. However, I’ve seen GIA certified SI1 diamonds with imperfections that were plain as day when viewing the diamond to the naked eye. How does the Internet jeweler that’s selling computerized lists of diamonds know what kind of SI1 he/she is selling? They don’t! That’s why its important to choose an Internet jeweler who owns their inventory and hand picks each diamond personally. The benefit is that you can call them and ask them to describe the diamond to you to be sure that it’s not a problem diamond. When wholesalers have problem diamonds that retail jewelers and Internet jewelers (that own their inventories) won’t buy, they list them on Internet websites because there’s nobody to verify the problem.
In the end you suffer because you unknowingly buy the problem diamond. What’s the solution? Work with an Internet jeweler that can hold the diamond in their hand and inspect it for you. Or work with a smaller yet trustworthy Internet jeweler who has a pulse on all the suppliers that they work with so they can verify the validity of the diamond grade. The larger Internet jewelers like Bluenile undoubtedly have a harder time weeding out the problem diamonds because they sell so many diamonds from these published virtual lists. You’re diamond purchase is just another number to them while the smaller Internet jewelers can spend more time with you on the phone answering your questions and sorting through their diamonds. Another benefit to shopping online is the lack of pushy salespeople to deal with. As with many retail environments you’ll occasionally run in to the hard-core salesperson at local jewelry stores. If you’re the type of person who likes to move at his/her own pace and doesn’t like to be pressured then the Internet jeweler is a great option. If you find an informative site you’ll have the time to gather information about diamonds at your own pace without the pressure of having to make a quick decision. You’ll also cover a lot of ground very quickly because you can compare thousands of diamond prices with the click of a mouse. Shopping locally can be a long laborious process while spending hours at each location before going on to the next store.
If you choose to buy your diamond online require several things from your Internet jeweler. First is a no-frills return policy, the standard for an established and creditable Internet jeweler is 30 days. Next is gemological certification, this is important because you want to be assured that the diamond is graded as fairly as possible. I would only choose the Internet jewelers that display the BBB-Online Seal. The Better Business Bureau is a great consumer advocacy group and won’t allow any website to display the seal unless their identity has been verified. They’ll also remove the seal if the Internet site is abusing the use of the seal or is using unfair business practices. In the end you’ll have to decide what’s more important, price or guarantees. Some people would never buy a diamond from an Internet jeweler and some hate shopping locally. There are no secrets or shortcuts but you have to take the time to understand that there are pros and cons to both options. Nobody can say what’s best for you and your fiancé but you.
Good Luck Shopping and feel free to contact me for any information about diamonds or diamond engagement rings!
Andy Moquin
President – Andrews Jewelers Inc.
CEO – Rokstok.com
http://www.andrewsjewelers.com
An engagement or wedding ring is possibly the finest piece of jewelry you’ll ever buy in your life. And with good reason too, a wedding is the most important occasion of your life. What better than a sparkling diamond ring to seal the covenant of love and to pledge togetherness for eternity!
As you attempt to pick the finest diamond ring to grace the occasion, you may be confused by the wide variety of choices in colors, styles, stones and shapes. Follow certain basic guidelines, some of which are commonly applicable for all diamond jewelry, and others specific to the occasion.
Decide on the Budget:
Don’t we all know how easy it is to exceed the budget while shopping for anything. Diamond ring shopping is no different, and here there is also the added pressure of getting a very expensive ring to show how much you love someone.
But remember that the price tag in no way represents the love you have in your heart. Do not succumb to external pressures as you firmly decide on the budget that you can afford. Buy the high end diamond ring within your budget. Spend the amount that you are comfortable spending.
Of course, if you want the rarest, most precious and most expensive, by all means go for it. The key to deciding on the budget is how much you can afford to spend.
Engagement Ring Style:
You are going to be faced with a mind boggling variety of choices in diamond jewelry. Platinum or gold? Traditional or modern? Chunky and flashy or elegant and classy? It is much easier for a man to pick just the right diamond engagement ring, if he has a fair idea about the kind of jewelry his sweetheart wears on a daily basis.
If she likes silver, white gold or platinum jewelry with intricate designs, you may want to select a platinum engagement ring with filigree. Platinum is the top pick among romantics at heart because it’s a pure metal, as they know their love is. If she favors gold pieces, pick a diamond ring set in gold. The classic look of gold makes it a popular choice. White gold is also a well-liked and more affordable alternative. If you are still undecided, it may be worthwhile asking for the opinion of a close friend or family member. She and her best friend may have spent hours discussing secret dreams about engagement rings and wedding attire.
A Diamond is All Bling:
A huge chunk of cost of a diamond ring is the stone. A sensible diamond buyer should know about the cut, clarity, carat and color before making the purchase. Two diamonds may look very similar, yet have remarkably different costs.
Shape of the Diamond:
The most popular engagement ring is the classic, round diamond solitaire. But that’s just the beginning in diamond ring choices. Always look at what really sparkles and stands out. It is possible to create newer cuts in diamonds with intricate refraction patterns. There are also novel diamond shapes like hearts, which may be the ideal choice for you.
One final tip is to buy that particular piece of diamond jewelry that makes you happy. As you embark on a life long journey of togetherness, what is more precious than even a diamond ring is the love and happiness in your hearts.
As lips whisper the sacred vows and the tintinnabulation fill the ambience around, all eyes gazes on the fingers of the bride and groom as they exchange the engagement rings and get bonded forever. Engagement rings hold special significance in a wedding and in most cases diamonds are women’s best friends.
Again, engagement Rings look the best when they are studded with perfect cut diamonds reflecting their eternal beauty and brilliance. So, before you gift your loved ones the most precious stone in the form of engagement rings ensure that you are buying internally flawless diamonds that meet the cardinal rule of 4Cs including cut, carat, color and clarity.
Diamond engagement rings come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Diamonds can be round shaped that are supposedly the best shape to reflect utmost brilliance; or the other shapes include square, rectangle, oval shape or pear shape. Emeralds cut diamonds are rectangular shaped and they are considered to be the ultimate style statement in terms of sophistication. In the heart diamond rings, the diamond stones are either elongated or flat and mostly set in Platinum. However, it is the pear shaped diamond rings that refracts maximum amount of light and dazzles with its brilliance.
The three stone studded radiant diamond rings make a wonderful wedding anniversary gift too. In these kinds of diamond rings three matching diamonds are put in a horizontal row with the middle position taken by a big-sized diamond.
The three stones in these hold a very special meaning; they symbolize the past days lived together, the present moments of togetherness and also hold a hope for the future. If this isn’t amazing, there are other varieties that include but not limited to cluster rings, solitaire rings. Where in a diamond solitaire ring is a ring with only one perfect cut diamond stone that sets it apart from the crowd.
The solitaire diamond rings are simple yet stylish and are available in varied shapes that harmonize well with the fashion sense of any woman. Again, the cluster setting engagement rings is made as a large piece from many small stones.
Before you buy diamond engagement rings ensure that you buy the stone backed with authentic certification such as GIA or AGS as the market is filled with many scammers. You should always try to avoid buying Moissanite diamonds, as there will be lot of jewelers who would try to dupe you by selling them as real ones.