Latest Jewelry Trends

Friday, October 4, 2013

Top 10 Factors to Consider Before Buying Engagement Ring



It’s natural to get excited for engagement but you need to handle this excitement in the effective manner. Go for engagement ring shopping but it’s essential to consider 10 basic factors first. Now explore what these factors are.

  1. Know Your Budget
I often observe that people start the shopping without setting any budget in mind. It’s not the right approach and you should know your budget before you start your actual shopping. Generally, when you go for diamond ring shopping, you come to know a rule “spend two months salary”. However, there is no need to follow always. One best rule is to buy a ring that you can afford. No need to get the loan from friends or family.


2. Do Some Homework
I think every fiancé needs to do some homework before stepping foot in the store. You should decide about shape and style of the ring. At this point, I suggest you to pay attention to the jewelry items worn by your sweetheart. If she wears light and delicate silver ring then it’s better to pick a flimsy diamond engagement ring. Sometimes, you don’t find what you actually want so, in this situation you can build your engagement ring own your own. A little homework will save your time and you may quickly get your desired item.

3. Must check 4C’s of Diamond
According to my own viewpoint, every person should have complete knowledge of a thing which he is going to buy. Purchasing a diamond means big investment; you need to be extra careful. It’s important to know main four characteristics of diamond such as clarity, color, carat and cut. You can find the detail information of all such characteristics through an online resource. Your shopping will become easy after getting the information.


4. Buy Loose Stones
Well, every person who likes to save money on engagement ring purchase should pick loose diamonds. Pick a perfect shape of diamond stone. Normally, women love to wear round shape stone but you can try other shapes too. Always check the stone through a jeweler’ loupe or magnifying glass so that you can get an idea about its clarity and color.

5. Go for Right Setting
Once you picked the stone of your ring, next thing to do is to select the most appropriate setting. It has been observed that women like to see a big diamond at center and little stones at one or both sides. When you are about to build your engagement ring then you will find countless options to choose from. It’s better to get an idea of setting from the ring which your fiancée often like to wear; otherwise go for a popular setting.

6. Go for Shopping With a Buddy
No doubt, two minds are better than one. Therefore, it is advised to get your buddy with you while buying diamond engagement ring. He is able to suggest you the best ring for your fiancée. You should also contact you’re the best friend or mother of your fiancée, she can also help you in the shopping. She will surely tell you what to buy and what to skip.

7. Try Online Shopping
 It’s indeed a comfortable way of finding the best engagement ring. There are many jewelers who give you a chance to build your engagement ring by picking stone, setting and style of your choice. This shopping will definitely save your money since online retailers charge lower than offline/physical retailers.

You can check Amazon where you can find a great variety of engagement rings. You are able to find affordable rings there.
   
8. Always Shop from a Quality Store
This is an important consideration that will not make you a victim of fraud. A jewelry store is regarded the quality one if it’s a part of Gemologist Institute of America (GIA) and it also offers money back guarantee.

 
9. Inspect GIA Certificate Carefully
Whenever we buy we inspect every room of it carefully so, it’s important to inspect GIA certificate of diamond thoroughly. This certificate informs you about the grading of color, cut and clarity and also about size and shape.

10. Get Your Ring Insured
You should always insure your ring. There is no need to buy a separate insurance policy for the ring, you can add it into your home insurance.

Considering all these factors means making an informed decision. No matter you are going to build your engagement ring or get a ready-made ring, following these factors is a must. Go and get Engagment Ring for Someone Special

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

10 ways to Save money on Engagement Ring Shopping




Have you decided the day of your engagement? You need to go for engagement ring shopping once you have decided the date and day of this special event of your life. However, I always advise you to start your relationship with a right financial footing as engagement ring shopping is not the single expense to bear, you have to bear the expenses of wedding and honey moon, either. When you want to get the best and the most affordable engagement ring then simply you need to  follow 10 money saving ways. Here are these:


1. Online Shopping is Better
I know that you can build your engagement ring with the help of local jeweler. Nevertheless when you have a desire to save a few bucks then simply its online shopping which is better. You are able to find a wide variety of engagement rings with affordable price tags. You may have a question why the price of online jewelry is lower than an offline store. Actually, online jewelers have to bear a few expenses of running a business on the web so they are better able to come with a lower price as compare with the jewelers who have brick and mortar stores.
2. Don’t  Choose Diamond always                        
If you don’t have much to spend budget then simply you need to consider another stone for the engagement ring instead of diamond. For example, you can build your engagement ring with emeralds, amethysts, sapphire, ruby, etc. There are many celebrities who presented sapphire and ruby engagement rings to their beloved ladies , so you can follow them.
3. Get a Light Weight Ring
The traditional ring is ,generally, of one carat but you can save your money by picking a light weight ring. For example, you can go for either 0.90 carat engagement ring or even lighter. A reduction in the weight makes it simple for you to get a ring that matches with your budget.
4. Buy Lower Grade of color &clarity
It’s a fact that color and clarity of diamond ring have a direct impact on the price. However, you can save a lot by choosing a lower grade of color and clarity of diamond. If you don’t have good knowledge of diamond characteristics then I suggest you to first check GIA (Gemologist Institute of America) report on the web. It’s available free of cost to every person.
 
5. Try Treated Diamond
Another way of getting an affordable engagement ring is to give a try to treated diamond. A diamond is treated just to remove some imperfections from the stone. You can save up to 30 percent if you pick this kind of diamond. However, you should never pick a diamond with filling treatment.
6. Avoid Brand Names
Brand names of diamond engagement ring are indeed preferable for many people. However, fact is that brand manufacturer gets premium price for the diamond. You can get the same style of ring from a non-branded ring manufacturer at a lower price. In reality, brand jewelry makers have to spend a lot of money for marketing and thus they charge a little more. An added price of ring doesn’t translate to added quality always.
7. Go for Fancy Shapes
Round cut diamond engagement ring is very popular and thus, the chain retailers charges a premium price for this kind of shape.
 
 You are able to save money by selecting other shapes like oval, marquise, hearts, etc. Jeweler charges extra price for popular shapes while you are able to get a discount for less famous shapes.
8. Try Negotiation Skills
You should never hesitate to ask for the discount from the jeweler. There is a possibility that jeweler can suggest you a solution with which you can build your engagement ring with a good price. Another important thing to note at this point is that summer season is not considered as the peak season for engagement ring sellers, you are able to get a ring of your choice at a reasonable or cheap rate during summer.
9. Buy Loose Diamonds
Instead of buying a pre-set engagement ring, you are in a position to save money by choosing loose diamonds. There are many online jewelers who offer high quality loose diamonds at an affordable price.
 
You should know that a pre-set engagement ring may have some hidden flaws while if you get buy loose diamonds and set them into a setting of your choice then there is little or no chance of flaws.
10. Buy Affordable Setting
If you don’t want to compromise on the quality of diamond then I suggest you to go for an affordable ring setting. For example, you can buy white gold rather than platinum, 14 k gold instead of 18 k gold, and plain band in place of a band with accent diamonds. However, you should try to pick a setting that looks perfect with your selected diamond stone.

I’m sure that you will get not only affordable but also nice-looking engagement ring by following these ten simple methods of saving.