Shopping for the perfect engagement ring can seem like an intimidating process at first, but as long as you follow the right guidelines you’ll be fine! If you stick to our Do’s and Don’t list, you’ll come away with an incredible diamond at an even better price.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Purchasing a diamond engagement ring:
Do: Work with a family owned jewelry company that has low overhead costs
Hands down, you will always find the best deals on diamonds at smaller, family owned jewelers. The reasoning is pretty simple – it costs less for them to operate their business than larger jewelers, which means they can sell their diamonds for less!
Another perk is the service. At Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers, you’ll find personalized service in a casual atmosphere. We do everything we can to provide a transparent, stress-free experience for our customers.
Don’t: Buy a diamond from a mall retail store
Unless you enjoy paying exorbitant prices on items, there is no reason to do your shopping at a mall jewelry store. Their high operating costs, sales commissions, and expensive marketing campaigns directly translate into markups of 100% or more.
The other issue? The quality is sub-par. Mall retail stores are notorious for selling lower quality diamonds at high prices.
The only exception here is Tiffany. Their diamonds are high-quality, but you’ll pay an arm and leg for the name and blue box! Markups at Tiffany can be as high as 324% for a diamond that you can easily find at a local jeweler like Jonathan’s for a fraction of the price.
Do: Research the 4C’s on your own before you start shopping
With all of the information on the internet about diamonds and the 4C’s, you should absolutely do your homework before attempting to buy a diamond.
We believe that the best buyer is an informed buyer. Here are several articles that will help you learn more about the 4C’s and what to look for when you begin the diamond shopping process:
Don’t: Keep an open mind on clarity grade or carat weight
After you arm yourself with information about diamonds, you want to keep an open mind when it comes to diamond selection. We often see clients come to Jonathan’s that are dead-set on a specific carat weight or clarity grade.
While it’s great to know what you want, it’s important to remember that diamonds are extremely complex! All VVS1 diamonds don’t necessarily “look better” than all SI1 diamonds. It all depends on the specific characteristics you are most interested in.
An experienced jeweler will be able to show you a wide range of diamonds that fit within your price point and explain the differences between each stone to help you make a more informed decision.
If you still love the type of diamond that you came to find, great! It’s always smart to weigh the options.
Do: Take the time to hold and inspect your diamond
If your jeweler doesn’t have tools in their office available for you to use for inspection, don’t walk. Run.
At Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers, we allow customers to hold multiple diamonds from our inventory in their hands and inspect them with any tools they’d like. Your jeweler should teach you to use any evaluation method you choose, and should never be afraid to point out inclusions or any feature of a diamond.
Don’t: Forget that your future bride will never see the diamond you didn’t pick
Many times, it all comes down to a choice between two diamonds. Always remember – your future bride will never see the diamond that you didn’t pick! Your perspective will be different than hers because you looked at multiple diamonds in detail while making your decision.
Your bride will absolutely love whatever diamond you choose for her. After all she’s already won the best prize of them all! 🙂
Are you interested in creating your engagement ring with a loose diamond from our inventory? Contact Sergio@jfjco.com to schedule an appointment and find the perfect diamond today.
Want to see some examples of our work? Take a look at our engagement ring photo gallery and video gallery. You can keep up with Jonathan’s on Facebook, Twitter, and even follow our personal Instagram accounts below:
