A young man walks through our doors. As he enters, he shudders with excitement. So much sparkle, so much pressure. Today he is picking out the engagement ring his future wife will be honored to look at everyday for the rest of her life. ‘It has to be perfect,’ he thinks, ‘but I have no idea what I’m doing.’ He walks the cases of engagement rings, petrified that he might pick a terrible diamond. He wants something big and beautiful, but doesn’t know if his budget will work. Every case he sees makes the decision harder.
Does this sound familiar? I cannot tell you how many times this exact scenario unfolds. Well, I have good news! Today we are going to fix this fear and get you feeling confident in your purchase! We are going to have a quick lesson about what to look for when buying an engagement ring!
Lesson #1: Cut is everything.
Most of you have probably heard of the 4 C’s of diamond buying: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. Each of these C’s are pieces to the “buying the perfect diamond” puzzle. Today, we are going to go over what is the most important C of all: Cut. You might be thinking, ‘What makes cut so much better than everything else?’ Well, the last time I checked no one looked and my diamond and said “Wow! Look at how flat and dull it looks! How beautiful!” No, you know what they say, “Goodness! Look at that sparkle!”. If the diamond you are looking at doesn’t sparkle, then it’s possible it has a poor cut. You could have a flawless, colorless, 2 carat diamond, but if it isn’t cut well, then it doesn’t matter what the other C’s are because that diamond is going to look lifeless. I don’t know about you, but I want a brilliant, sparkling diamond! The good news is, you can usually hold two diamonds side-by-side and tell which cut is better purely by how much they sparkle. We will be explaining the 4 C’s of diamond buying more in-depth in the future, so stay tuned!
Lesson #2: Bigger isn’t always better.
Yep, you heard me correctly. Just because you ask for a bigger diamond does not mean that it’s going to outperform something a little smaller. Now, if you want a big, beautiful diamond, we will help you understand how to balance the features of your diamond to get you there. Many times people prioritize carat weight over some of the other C’s when their main focus is size. You might be asking for a 2 carat diamond, but if your budget is $10,000 for the diamond, you need to be prepared to balance cut, color and clarity to get you there. With the same budget, you could afford an incredible nearly colorless, beautifully-cut-1 carat diamond that will sparkle all day – every day. I’m not saying not to go for the big diamond, but if you do and you have a tight budget, you should understand how to balance your priorities so your objectives are met.
Lesson #3: Know your budget and timeframe.
This. Is. Big. Having to choose the ring your spouse is going to wear for the rest of their life is challenging enough, so make it easy on yourself and come a little bit prepared! We have made a handy infographic below depicting roughly how diamonds are currently priced to help give you an idea. The infographic obviously does not apply to every diamond and there will be exceptions, but it helps give you an average range of what to expect. Timeframe is also important! The best time to start looking is about a month and a half out from when you are planning to pop the question. If you want to have a custom ring made, you have time. If you need a ring ordered in a certain size, you have time. You get the idea.
Lesson #4: Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Engagement ring shopping is unbelievably exciting – but it is nothing to be nervous about. When you go into a jewelry store, don’t be afraid to ask questions! I’m being absolutely serious. No matter how dumb you think your question is, we would rather you ask than have something gnawing at you! Don’t know what the 4 C’s mean? Ask! Want to understand the process of custom design? Ask! The only question we prefer you not ask is if we can have the diamonds melted down to create a bigger diamond. That is so not how diamonds work (and yes, we have been asked that before). With a such an important purchase, you need to feel comfortable and confident, and the people at the store are there to help and answer any questions you might have.
These are just a few things to get you in the loop about diamond and engagement ring buying. This is such an exciting time and we want you to feel prepared, not nervous! Congratulations on your upcoming proposal! You are going to rock it.