Best way to buy an engagement ring?

[HelenePA]

Don't let him get suckered by the advertising - Every Kiss begins with Kay, "he got it at Jared's", etc...do the homework, check online - in addition to bluenile.com, goodoldgold.com is also a great source. If he's not afraid to shop around, he can get an awesome ring for a great price at a Pawn shop - and, don't forget the wholesale stores - Sam's Club, BJ's, Costco. I bought my (2+ carat) diamond at a diamond show at Sam's Club, bought a setting from my local jeweler, who said he wouldn't have been able to get my stone wholesale for what we paid.

I never thought to tell him a pawn shop! Maybe I'll take him for a ride there one day and see what we can find.. I have never been in one. maybe I can find something pretty for myself Sam's, BJ"s and Costco are not local to us.. If we kept going to all these places with out her she'd know something was up. She's my shopping buddy

anyone have any thought of ice.com there is a ring on there I want badly.. but its huge and I have very very small fingers.. I wish I could see it in person before I do take the leap.. http://www.ice.com/rings/silver-ring-prd_rsy_102403.jsp I wear a 4.5 so this is just huge to me. They also have some cute rings for her I told him to check out

 

[bonoriffic]

I"m sure he'd LOVE to take her to tiffany's but its not in his budget... 1ct diamond rings starting at 9,200$ uhhhh yeah wayyyyyy out of his budget... I really dont want him going to a "brand" store because they seem so expensive compared to other places I've been looking for him. ... 1 to 1.5k would be the ideal range right now.

The Tiffanys suggestion was for looking only. Nobody is suggesting buying from Tiffanys. It is for the experience of seeing ring options in a no pressure environment. 4 prong or 6 prong setting? Comfort fit, is it worth the small premium? Solitaire, tiffany cut, princess cut, what does she like. You can do it anywhere, but if you do it at Jarod you will get the strong sales pitch and that isn't fun when you are just seeing what she likes.

In your price range, anything other than online will result in a really poor diamond. For example, go to zales.com. Look at the $1499 engagement rings. First, how is every diamond exactly $1499? Every Zales in the US have identical diamonds for sale? Check out the fine print. That diamond will be 0.5 carat and have a clarity of I1. There is no guidance on polish or symmetry, and more importantly cut. It is probably not ideal cut and the polish and symmetry are also probably awful.

An I1 diamond has visible flaws to the naked eye. You'd be better getting cubic zirconium. For the same price point, you can go to bluenile.com and get a 0.6 carat diamond of V1 quality (no visible flaws with the naked eye, usually not visible under 10x microscope). V1 is several steps ahead of the I1 Zales diamond, and above the minimum S2 Tiffanys requires) Also the cut is ideal, which is the largest factor in determining the flash and brilliance of a diamond. Polish and symmetry are also ideal. In short, a diamond with a lot of wow factor.

For that price you are going to get a diamond of I or J in color, and definitely less than a carat. Size and color can be overcome with a diamond that really sparkles. You aren’t going to get that at a chain store, and a pawn broker won’t have any documentation on the diamond for insurance purposes.

It takes 2 minutes to build the perfect ring at bluenile and I guarantee you it will be superior to anything you find elsewhere. Plus no sales tax!

 

[HelenePA]

The Tiffanys suggestion was for looking only. Nobody is suggesting buying from Tiffanys. It is for the experience of seeing ring options in a no pressure environment. 4 prong or 6 prong setting? Comfort fit, is it worth the small premium? Solitaire, tiffany cut, princess cut, what does she like. You can do it anywhere, but if you do it at Jarod you will get the strong sales pitch and that isn't fun when you are just seeing what she likes.

In your price range, anything other than online will result in a really poor diamond. For example, go to zales.com. Look at the $1499 engagement rings. First, how is every diamond exactly $1499? Every Zales in the US have identical diamonds for sale? Check out the fine print. That diamond will be 0.5 carat and have a clarity of I1. There is no guidance on polish or symmetry, and more importantly cut. It is probably not ideal cut and the polish and symmetry are also probably awful.

An I1 diamond has visible flaws to the naked eye. You'd be better getting cubic zirconium. For the same price point, you can go to bluenile.com and get a 0.6 carat diamond of V1 quality (no visible flaws with the naked eye, usually not visible under 10x microscope). V1 is several steps ahead of the I1 Zales diamond, and above the minimum S2 Tiffanys requires) Also the cut is ideal, which is the largest factor in determining the flash and brilliance of a diamond. Polish and symmetry are also ideal. In short, a diamond with a lot of wow factor.

For that price you are going to get a diamond of I or J in color, and definitely less than a carat. Size and color can be overcome with a diamond that really sparkles. You aren’t going to get that at a chain store, and a pawn broker won’t have any documentation on the diamond for insurance purposes.

It takes 2 minutes to build the perfect ring at bluenile and I guarantee you it will be superior to anything you find elsewhere. Plus no sales tax!

It isn't my price range its his. Its what he can afford right now.. down the line they can always upgrade.. if you would have known this boy five years ago you would have never thought he would be getting ready to ask a girl to marry him. You'd have thought he'd be dead by now.. he's overcome A LOT in the last 5 years and I'm very proud of him. I will tell him to check out bluenile. There are lots of options out there. I'm just looking for the best one for him right now.

as for a pawn broker couldn't he go get an appraisal and get documentation on the diamond?

There is one last option... giving him my mom's engagement ring... I got it when she died in 2005. Its a 3/4 ct round white diamond. I'm still debating on this... its hard for me to let go of it.

 

[dakcp2001]

Mine is also bluenile.com!!! Love it! It is nice because he can customize what she likes.

 

[bonoriffic]

as for a pawn broker couldn't he go get an appraisal and get documentation on the diamond?

Sure you can go get it appraised, after you bought it. A $1500 ring at a pawn broker might really be worth $5000, or it could be fake. If you are going to spend $1500 he might as well know what he is getting.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Well when DS was looking he went to Jareds and other local places. I told him to go NYC and that we knew someone at a Jewlry Exhange in NJ. He saw something he liked at Jareds...and I was like you don't but from a chain store!! (Sorry..coming from NYC there are just too many other options). He went to the see the person our family knows, and he bought a gorgeous diamond, that was more karats and better quality and cheaper then the other ring he saw. He got a wonderful deal, and my FDIL loves loves her ring .

My DH went through a diamond broker in NYC.

 

[onelilspark]

The Tiffanys suggestion was for looking only. Nobody is suggesting buying from Tiffanys. It is for the experience of seeing ring options in a no pressure environment. 4 prong or 6 prong setting? Comfort fit, is it worth the small premium? Solitaire, tiffany cut, princess cut, what does she like. You can do it anywhere, but if you do it at Jarod you will get the strong sales pitch and that isn't fun when you are just seeing what she likes.

In your price range, anything other than online will result in a really poor diamond. For example, go to zales.com. Look at the $1499 engagement rings. First, how is every diamond exactly $1499? Every Zales in the US have identical diamonds for sale? Check out the fine print. That diamond will be 0.5 carat and have a clarity of I1. There is no guidance on polish or symmetry, and more importantly cut. It is probably not ideal cut and the polish and symmetry are also probably awful.

An I1 diamond has visible flaws to the naked eye. You'd be better getting cubic zirconium. For the same price point, you can go to bluenile.com and get a 0.6 carat diamond of V1 quality (no visible flaws with the naked eye, usually not visible under 10x microscope). V1 is several steps ahead of the I1 Zales diamond, and above the minimum S2 Tiffanys requires) Also the cut is ideal, which is the largest factor in determining the flash and brilliance of a diamond. Polish and symmetry are also ideal. In short, a diamond with a lot of wow factor.

For that price you are going to get a diamond of I or J in color, and definitely less than a carat. Size and color can be overcome with a diamond that really sparkles. You aren’t going to get that at a chain store, and a pawn broker won’t have any documentation on the diamond for insurance purposes.

It takes 2 minutes to build the perfect ring at bluenile and I guarantee you it will be superior to anything you find elsewhere. Plus no sales tax!

I guess it has more to do with who you're dealing with at the store than the store itself. We didn't have a high pressure salesman at Jareds. The local place we went to though? She asked when he was going to be buying it. We were both a little bewildered until I said "I really don't want to know that." To which she asked him, "Well, don't you have any idea?" My boyfriend jumped in with, "Well I do, but I'm not saying anything with her around." Meanwhile at Jareds, we weren't asked anything more than "What kind of ring are you looking at? Do you have any preferences?"

Personally, to me it's like trying on anything you can't afford. 9 times out of 10, you'll fall in love with the more expensive version and can't find anything in your price range that makes you happy.

 

[HelenePA]

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Personally, to me it's like trying on anything you can't afford. 9 times out of 10, you'll fall in love with the more expensive version and can't find anything in your price range that makes you happy.

Its like looking at million dollar estates and knowing all you can afford is a 150k house. There is no way I'm telling him to take her to tiffanys (plus I dont think there are any around me) having her fall in love with a 10k ring then getting a small ring when he does propose.. I'm sure he knows what she wants. I haven't asked. I just wanted some choices for him to get the best deal at. I'm not saying she's getting an ugly 1ct diamond ring when he could buy her a 1/2ct pretty diamond for the same price he isn't that stupid bonoriffic I'm sorry his price range doesn't seem to live up to your standards. She knows how much he makes they've talked marriage she has a small promise diamond already. She knows what he can afford they work at the same place. He's already got the okay from her mom and dad. Thank the rest of you for your help. I'll be sure to pass on the info and sites you've all mentioned... bluenile sounds like a place for him to start.

 

[bonoriffic]

bonoriffic I'm sorry his price range doesn't seem to live up to your standards.

Not sure where that attack came from.

I did point out at that price point what you will find in chain stores will be of very poor quality. It is a simple fact, and I used Zales online info to show this. I did however follow that up with an example that the same price range offered an excellent quality diamond (superior to Tiffany's minimum standard for clarity was mentioned) from Blue Nile.

Suggesting a store where you can obtain excellent quality diamonds at a low price certainly lives up to my standards.

 

[Dancind]

My favorite jeweler is not a chain, but he is very honest and is always buying estate items. He has shown me some incredible diamond rings that he's gotten in. Once he offered me a 2 ct mine cut diamond engagement ring, high quality, for $3500. I already have a ring, lol. But a girlfriend decided to take her daughter and DF to see them and they wound up with a beautiful antique ring with a 1/2 ct solitaire for $650. They had priced a similar style ring at Zales for $6000!

Try some places that buy gold & silver and have jeweler certification. You would be amazed at what they are buying at scrap prices.

 

[love2disney]

Another place is the We Buy Gold places. They usually have a 2nd hand jewelery store on the side and most of it is appraised. I got an amazing diamond pendant from the one we have here for a unbelievable price.

 

[AKL_Megs]

My husband bought my engagement ring at a popular "small business" jewelry store in our area, and I really wish he hadn't. I had issues with sizing, and then issues with quality after sizing, and they just don't stand by their product.

My wedding ring is from Jared, and it is just so beautiful and of high quality. I believe they stand by their product better.

Good luck, and congrats!

 

[Skatermom23]

At a friends invitation, I attended a huge jewelry show with her and apparently that's the place to buy diamonds. You really have to know your stuff though or know someone who does. The prices were incredible. I was very skeptical going and could not believe the swarms of people buying diamonds in this fashion.

 

[janets]

My original engagement ring came from a jeweler on 47th Street in NYC. We had the opportunity to look at a number of stones, and when I gave her the price range, she brought out a selection of stones that ranged in size and clarity. I could have gotten a small stone with exceptional color and clarity, or a larger stone with lower color grade or lower clarity. It's amazing what the same money will buy.

I don't think bonorific was suggesting anything other than using Tiffany's as an opportunity to look at styles and shapes (there are so many different settings, prongs, etc to look at) that what she thinks she likes might end up not looking best on her hand. I don't know how many people really think about whether the prongs are set "on" the band or "in" the band and the difference that makes in the profile of a ring.

I'm a great fan of trying on and looking at different styles and settings before buying something that costs significant money and will be a long term purchase.

If he has any opportunity to go to a jewelry exchange, it would also be a good idea. Diamonds are priced pretty standard along the same color/cut/clarity/size range. Most reputable jewelers are going to price closely. He needs to educate himself about what he's seeing and I would strongly recommend he learn to look at a stone through a jewelers' loop to be able to identify any imperfections in a stone. Years ago, we were on vacation in the Caribbean, strolling through the many diamond stores looking. The salesperson tried to steer me to a case of diamonds and took out a few for me to look at. When I asked for the loop, however, he immediately said "oh, you don't want these stones, these are not good enough for you...come over here and look at these." I couldn't help but wonder what he was trying to pass off to the uneducated shopper.

Anyway, there are numerous on line sources to learn about diamonds and how to recognize quality stones. Also, he needs to look at any stone OUT OF THE SETTING. Too often, the setting hides imperfections that reduce the quality, but since you can't see them, a less than honest jeweler can pass it off as a better stone.