How Would You Like To Save A Ton Of Cash On Your Engagement Ring Purchase?

Buying that diamond ring for your sweetheart sure can be one heck of a hectic and stressful time in your life! I recently went through the process and while it's very exciting, I always had questions tugging at the back of my mind like:

"Is she going to be happy with what I bought? Will it be big enough? How big is big enough? Will I be able to afford something nice?" etc etc

Now I went a little crazy because of all those questions running through my head. I did tons of research online whenever I could spare a few minutes. My fiends and coworkers would make fun of me because I would eat lunch as fast as possible so I could spend some more time researching. After maybe 2 or 3 weeks, I felt pretty confident in what I wanted to buy and what I could afford, so I went to a jewelry store.

I nearly keeled over with a heart attack when I finally got the jeweler down as low as I could get him price wise!

Now I don't think I'm a professional negotiator by any stretch of the word, but I was very knowledgeable when it came to diamonds and engagement rings, and that gave me a lot of bargaining power when I was talking to the jeweler.

But their prices and selection simply could not compare to the online jewelers. They couldn't even come close!

After doing all this research online and looking at prices, I knew what I could get, but in the stores, it was a whole different ballgame.

When it came down to it, I ended up doing more research to find the most reputable online dealers and went from there. Brick and mortar stores simply cannot match them in price and selection. Whereas before I was a bit hesitant to buy a ring online, I jumped at the chance after spending some time in stores.

Hands down, I strongly suggest at least checking out prices at some of the more reputable dealers before purchasing in a store. At the very least, they will offer you more bargaining power over the store and help you get the best ring possible.

Do you want to discover all the information you need to make the best purchase possible? Do you want to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars on your diamond purchase?

Then Click Here to discover my 100% Free Diamond Buying Crash Course.

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Engagement Ring Buying Guide Posted By : Ross Gordon

The first factor to consider is your budget. One common guideline is to multiply your monthly wages times two. However, if your budget won't allow that, determine what you feel you can comfortably afford. While a diamond ring is highly unlikely to lose value over time, the value of an engagement ring is in what is stands for, not its status as a financial "investment."

However, an engagement ring is a major purchase, and, as such, should be properly researched to assure that you are getting the best value for your money. This article will give you some basic information about shopping for an engagement ring.

Which Comes First, the Setting or the Stone?

Many stores sell the diamonds separate from the setting; you choose each and the store puts them together. It helps if you start with a general idea of the style you want. For example, if you want a traditional solitaire, then you only have to look at solitaire settings. If on the other hand, you want a heart-shaped diamond, the possible settings are more limited. Your jeweler may be able to help you focus your style on the setting that will suit you best.

There are six basic diamond shapes: marquise, pear-shaped, heart-shaped, oval, emerald-cut, and round brilliant.

The Five Cs of Diamonds

Traditionally, diamonds are evaluated in terms of the "Four Cs": Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat Weight.

The term "cut" is often confused with the diamond's shape. While different shapes are also referred to as "cuts" (such as "emerald cut"), for evaluation purposes, cut refers to the way facets are cut to give the diamond its "sparkle". Cuts are graded as Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.

Almost all diamonds have one or more flaws affecting the clarity of the stone. There are two types of flaws: internal (inclusions) and surface (blemishes). Inclusions can include cracks, air bubbles, and other minerals within the stone, while blemishes may include chips, pits, or scratches. Grades for clarity are: F-flawless; IF-internally flawless; VVSI-very very slightly included; VSI-very slightly included; SI-slightly included, and I-included. Except for grade "I", flaws are NOT visible to the naked eye, and affect only the diamond's value, not its appearance.

Color is determined by the way the diamond is formed over time, and does not change. As a general rule, the preference is toward the lighter color. Most jewelers grade color by the GIA scale, which rates diamonds from "D" (colorless)to "Z" (slightly brown). Most experts advise choosing diamonds graded "G" through "I" as they are considered "near colorless" and no color is visible to the naked eye.

The fourth "C" is Carat Weight, and refers to the size of the diamond. Because of the way diamonds are formed, smaller ones are more common that larger. Thus price reflects BOTH size and rarity. If buying a ring with more than one stone, don't rely on "ctw" -carat total weight-to determine value, especially if there is a larger center stone. Ask for weight and quality of the center stone itself.

The fifth "C" is Certification. Diamond labs issue certificates which provide a detailed "fingerprint" of each unique diamond. The certificate includes the diamond's weight, measurements, details of cut, and evaluation of quality, including the stone's individual flaws and characteristics. A certificate does not appraise the stone's value. The two most widely recognized certifying laboratories are the GIA-Gemological Institute of America and the AGS-American Gem Society.

While a jeweler may give you his opinion regarding the grading of a particular stone, an AGS or GIA certificate is based on unbiased, standardized criteria.

Three Things to Watch Out For

1. Fractions of carats. FTC rules allow diamond weights to be rounded off as fractions, so a 1/4 carat stone can weigh as little as .69 carats. Ask for the exact weight, not a fraction.

2. Laser drilling. Over 30% of diamonds are laser drilled to remove flaws. This may cause weak spots in the stone. Thus laser drilled stones may be valued lower. A certificate will state that whether or not a stone has been laser drilled.

3. Fracture Filling. New technology has made it possible to repair surface fractures with a liquid crystal. This often makes the diamond appear of higher clarity than it really is. Again, a certificate will acknowledge such treatment.

By knowing what to look for, you'll be better able to compare rings as you search for the Perfect One.

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Choosing a Fabulous Bling Bling Engagement Ring

Most men feel the pressure when choosing an engagement ring for the woman of their dreams. This is often due to the fact that the average man does not sit around and study diamond rings or learn what is important and what is not. It is a common misconception to just think about the size of the diamonds and color of the setting because you can end up with a not-so-pretty ring. As most men forget some of the important characteristics of a diamond ring, here is a bling bling buying 101 to help make your purchase.

The Five C?s
The five C?s are what most jewelers associate with when you are buying a diamond ring. They are as follows; color, cut, clarity, carat and cost. Each of these aspects of a diamond affects another. If the stone is larger in the same cut it will be more expensive but a stone might be smaller in a different cut and still be more expensive. Also you might have speckles of dirt in the diamond which decreases the clarity or the sparkle and makes it worth less.

Color
Diamonds come in array of different colors from clear to blue or pink. There are even canary diamonds which are yellow but more expensive than the yellow tinted clear diamonds. Most popular by demand are the clear diamonds that have no tint of color in them.
This color scale is marked from D,E,F as colorless to further letters in alphabet as color increases. As you continue in the alphabet, the more color a diamond has and typically it will cost less. The only exceptions are when you have rare diamonds that are colorful like yellow, pink or blue.

Cut
The two most sparkling cuts of diamonds are the brilliant and the radiant. These diamonds sparkle more due to the amount of laser cuts they do when cutting the diamond. Each crossing set of cuts, also known as a facet, allows the light to sparkle off of it a little more creating a more beautiful diamond.
The brilliant diamond is round and the radiant diamond is rectangular with soft corners. These cuts are recommended because if you are on a budget and can only afford a smaller diamond, you will still get a lot of sparkle for your money.

Clarity
The clarity of the diamond is determined on the amount of dirt spots or bubble looking spots in the stone. These marks are called inclusions and most are not visible to the naked eye. The more there are in the diamond and the larger they are, the less value is put on the diamond. This is one of the most important things to consider when looking at a diamond.
If there are multiple inclusions that are large, the diamond would be not as sparkling and that would decrease the value. Most people would get a large diamond if they could afford it, but a lot of larger diamonds have more inclusions than smaller ones. This make the larger diamonds with great clarity cost way out of your budget.

Carat
Carat is the measurement of size they use when evaluating diamonds. The carat is a weight measurement that equals about two-hundred milligrams. Diamonds are anywhere from 0.01 carat to 5 carats. The most common way to get a good sized diamond without paying too much is to get a .9 or .95 carat which is just under one carat. When shopping for a diamond you will see this difference and also see rings with total carat weight.
The total carat weight is the total of all the diamonds in any given ring. Make sure you look into that as the center stone may be smaller than anticipated due to side stones in the setting. If you want to be very careful, go to a diamond store that allows you to view each individual loose diamond prior to setting it for you. This allows you to verify the specs prior to purchasing.

Cost
Diamond rings can cost anywhere from one-hundred dollars to millions of dollars. Each of the four previous C?s come into hand when determining the cost of any diamond ring. The general rule of thumb is to spend three months pay on a diamond ring. I think that is a little steep and would stick to one month?s pay. You can always upgrade in the future or spend the money to put a down payment on your first home together or go on a vacation.
Make sure that you price rings out based on the color, cut, clarity and carat before making the purchase. Some stores have sales on diamonds which usually means they are overpriced to begin with. I would stay away from places like that. There are jewelry exchanges and places that do not have sales and guarantee their diamonds for a lifetime. These are the types of stores you want to look into.

Final Note
As a final note of advice when choosing a diamond ring is the warranty and wear and tear policy of the store. It is more desirable to go with a company that will polish or re-dip it in white gold at no extra cost throughout the years as rings wear. Also if your diamond falls out, make sure they will replace it at equal color, cut, clarity and carat at no charge. This way you do not have to worry about that expense yourself. Just make sure you bring your ring in every six months so the warranty stays true!

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