13 Steps To Make Sure You Get The Best Price For A Diamond
Any good wedding starts with an outstanding proposal! It is nowadays that some crazy proposals ideas are running around and finding its ways to your YouTube, FB or late night talk shows; some proposals include skydiving, snowboarding, MTV style video clips and some are as romantic as an antique Italian Restaurant. We would like to focus your attention to the one thing in common to all those crazy ideas: The Engagement Ring.
Engagement Rings as they are known to us have showed up more than 2200 years ago, in ancient Rome, and yet today is the most popular symbol of a man asking a woman to marry him. Since the Engagement Ring’s habit has become both an emotional act, combining with a financially fashion statement, we would like to amplify your knowledge about the financial, emotional and professional aspects of how to get The Best Engagement Ring Deals!
1. Let’s start by saving!
Collect the largest amount you are able to, self service gas, take the bus, bring your lunch box from home instead of eating out, and spend your evenings in happy-hours bars instead of fancy restaurants and elsewhere. It is important to have a large sum of money, in order to minimize the financing program which will appear later on our article.
2. Set your budget:
No algorithm has ever proved it-self to be just the right calculation for an engagement ring. We have taken into consideration some of variables and money spent for some of our brave study cases: annual income, expenses, saving funds, future to be fiancée profession and more. We can give you these important measurements:
- The average engagement ring price based on recent 3-years sales in the US is at 6000$.
- The amount spent, should consider the option of a “total loss”. Easy to say though hard to imagine, but it happens. In case of a diamond fall, stolen or a ring damaged, you must allow yourself putting the same money once again without any difficulties. You may as well consider future salary raises but you should also know that expanses rise constantly (wedding, honeymoon, children).
We recommend of a one month salary plus 50% as a reference, you might find some assistance in the next table:
Annual income | 150% monthly salary reference |
25000$ | 3125$ |
45000$ | 5625$ |
75000$ | 9375$ |
100000$ | 12500$ |
125000$ | 15625$ |
160000$ | 20000$ |
200000$ | 25000$ |
250000$ | 31250$ |
350000$ | 43750$ |
3. Gather intl. about your future fiancée
This important step would keep you from making a return, re-sizing and will save you both time and money. Will she be using hand gloves? Is she more of a center stone woman? Or a setting style? Be smart, ask her friend, take pictures of her jewelry box, measure her favorite ring and so on.
4. Get your basic knowledge of the rocks- the 4 C’s:
a. Color- A colored diamond is cheaper than a colorless one! graded D to Z, more expensive is closer to D.
b. Clarity- The common symbols are FL IF VVS1 VVS2 vs1 vs2 s1 s2 i1 i2 i3 as FL is the highest clarity. Professional diamonds graders would have to examine very carefully with equipment in order to obtain a vs2 and a
c. Cut- A diamond’s cut is actually ones total design in aspects of light and natural design. The cut ranges from Excellent to Poor.
d. Carat- 200 milligrams that’s it. A diamond can vary from a quarter of a carat and even less to a few carats. Here off course- the smaller the cheaper.
5. Sum all of the above into a final conclusion
Write for yourself the diamond engagement ring you should be looking for. Always remember that “Rocket Science” is much easier than the average woman’s mind, so take your time to estimate your conclusion.
6. Choose Your Metal
Platinum versus Gold, white or rose- the metal is an important part of the engagement ring; you should start with checking for any allergies to these materials and continue with your conclusion to determine whether you are going on the gold or platinum.
7. Be smart, Be like Bill
Smart and Fare Shopping- we are almost there, starting to look for the perfect ring that fits her style and my budget, but where should we look? On-line? In stores? The one and only correct answer is to look safely. Make a little research on-line of diamond engagement rings stores, see other people’s reviews, go thru the customer’s complaints and see if those people would go back there.
8. Double Check
Check the stores’ policies- the customer’s shopping support, the shipping methods, boxing style, insurance and most important; Return, Refund and Trade-In policies.
Now you are ready to take a look at some of the optional diamond rings that are online and out there!
9. Shape comes first, metal and settings later!
Let’s start with looking for the shape you need, in order to do so, you should choose 2 or 3 different on-line diamond engagement ring stores, that have passed our quality check on the previous topics, set the search for your budget, cut and other factors, see what you are up to for your first search.
10. Ask for your papers!
Every diamond should have a certificate- ask to see it, this certificate shows the grading that was given to the diamond by an authorized gemological association such as the GIA.
11. Privacy and safe shopping
Make sure that your research is safe from harm- do it from work, a public library or a friend’s computer. Don’t let her suspicious blow the surprise.
12. Get a friend
As it is acceptable when it comes to shopping electronics, cars or any other consumption products, so it does to engagement rings. Two guys who will shop together, will sure get a greater discount even for different styles, size and budget. Open your eyes and look for surrounding relationship statuses.
13. Plan your timeline
It is well known that Engagement Rings high season is in between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. Be smart, Be like Bill, plan your purchase before Thanksgiving or right after Valentine’s, it might force you to hold your ring for a while but with the appropriate return and refund policies it might work!
As with other online retailers, internet-only jewellers can offer cheaper deals as they avoid the overheads associated with running a shop. Make sure you shop around and only buy from a company with a good reputation and excellent, authentic reviews.