Do You Hear Wedding Bells?
|
So you've been in that perfect relationship for some time now. You've been dropping hints about the future and he is receiving you loud and clear. It's time to do a little "window shopping." After all, you don't want to leave one of the most important decisions in your life entirely up to him, do you? He WILL lose sleep over finding that perfect engagement ring, even though he will not admit it. So why not help him out a little, give him some guidance and direction.
There are so many choices when it comes to shopping for engagement rings and you and he will hear a lot of advice from a lot of "helpful" people. His "Uncle Charlie" will know a guy who knows a guy. Your sister will tell you that you have to get your ring where she got hers. Your co-worker will tell you about this really cool website. And on and on, there will be advice around every corner.
Let's go through some of the available options and identify the pros and cons of each. This should help you both figure out what the best option is for you.
Your Local Jewelry Store:Definintely a great place to start. A jewelry store will have a small selection of pre-set engagement rings for you to see in person, and try on. If you run into a helpful sales associate that is willing to spend some time with you and explain all of the nuances of buying diamonds, it will be well worth your time.
PROSSeeing the diamond in person. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing diamonds sparkle on your finger!
Talking to a knowlegable human being and getting answers to questions face to face.
CONSLimited selection. Most local jewelry stores do not have the financial resources to carry a large inventory of diamonds. However, many stores do work with suppliers who are able to send them goods on memorandum (like consignment) if they have a customer who is looking for a particular diamond.
Price. You will pay more at a jeweler, period. Sure you can try and negotiate and feel like you got a better price, but a jeweler will not sell you that diamond for less than a substantial profit. Most jewelers need to make a "keystone" markup on every item, which is double what they paid for that diamond. This markup covers the high overhead costs of running a store including insurance, rent and sales commissions.
Antique Shops:If you are looking for a ring that is truly unique, this is the place for you. You'll need to do some leg work and visit many different stores to see what's available, but it could be worth it in the long run.
PROSMost likely to find a one of a kind ring. If you have the need to be an original, stick to your search and you will find that proverbial "diamond in the rough."
CONSUnless you get lucky, expect a long search. You may only find a handful, if any rings in the shops you visit.
Most rings will not have any type of certification or appraisal. Unless you know a great deal about diamond grading, it is possible to get taken advatage of very easily.
The InternetThe Holy Grail and the Bottomless Pit of information, all wrapped in one. By far, you will find the largest selection of diamonds and engagement rings here, but that can be quite overwhelming. Start with the basics and work your way through this checklist.
1. Shape - Diamonds are cut into 10 most common shapes, but there are countless other "designer" shapes popping up in the industry on a regular basis. Most of the shapes are self explanatory (round, oval, pear, heart), but do you know what a Marquise or a Radiant looks like? Take a look at the most commonly available diamond shapes and decide what you like best.
2. Size - Bigger is better, right? Not necessarily. Unless your fiance has very deep pockets, you will not be getting a 5 carat boulder to weigh you down. Too many men are convinced that it has to be big. Would you like to have a big ugly rock that is dull and lifeless on your hand, just so you could tell everyone it's 3 carats, or would you rather have a beautiful, sparkling beacon of light catching all of your friends attention. You won't have to wave your hand in front of them to notice, they will come to you!
3. The 4 C's - The most common phrase in the diamond business and the most important when shopping for a diamond online. The 4 C's represent a diamond's cut, color, clarity and carat weight. CUT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A DIAMOND'S FIRE AND BRILLIANCE. So many people buying diamonds focus on color and clarity, that cut is often overlooked. You can spend a fortune buying a flawless clarity and perfect color (white) diamond, yet if it is poorly cut, it will be dull and lifeless.
4. The Mouting Metal - This is basically a matter of personal preference and what looks best on you. Yellow gold is classic and works best for a solitaire engagement ring. Yellow gold is also better for mounting diamonds with a lower color grade (yellowish tint), because the yellow from the diamond blends into the setting. White gold and Platinum give a modern look and work best with three stone rings. Be sure to choose a diamond with a high color grade, otherwise the white moutning will negatively emphasise a yellowish diamond.
5. The Online Engagement Ring Builder - The most fun part of buying a diamond online is being able to build your own ring. Choose a diamond and a setting, then email it to your fiance. Even if he doesn't buy it online, he will know exactly what style to look for when he goes shopping. No surprises, and everyone is happy!
There are hundreds of diamond and jewelry web sites out there, but my advice is to stick with the leaders in the field. The two major players are Blue Nile and Mondera. On their sites, you can browse thousands of diamonds as well as build your own engagement ring and see how different settings look with different shape diamonds. They both have highly knowlegable and very friendly customer service staff that can answer questions about diamonds and settings, and offer a no risk 100% guarantee and return policy.
You can also browse our site for weekly updates to diamond prices and more in depth diamond education. We also maintain a searchable database of diamonds from leading online jewelers so you can compare similar diamonds from multiple sources.
Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!
For more information, please visit Diamond prices and education.
|
|
|
Rose Petals Add The Perfect Touch For A Wedding
Rose petals will add luxury to a wedding day or any other special occasion. Why settle for throwing ordinary rice when instead you can make the wedding so much more romantic by tossing rose petals?From your flower girl spreading a path of rose petals down the aisle to the happy couple being showered with rose petals upon completion of the services they add that li...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Personalized Wedding Favors
Personalized wedding favors are among the most popular of gift selections made by brides and grooms to show appreciation to the guests sharing in their wedding day. Traditional ceremonies have made wedding favors a part of the celebration since the sixteenth century. Modern technologies have made it affordable for many small gift items to be personalized to reflect the gracious sentiments ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Subtle Danger Signals On The Domestic Front
If you've been around long enough, you're aware of the many things that can play havoc with domestic peace, ev...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Dallas Wedding Receptions
The most important day of your life is drawing near and you want to plan it to perfection. Everything has to be just right, the chapel, the dresses, the food and most importan...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Bridesmaids Gifts: A Token Of Love, Appreciation And Affection
No one has as much fun as the bride to be on her wedding day, except, perhaps, her bridesmaids. Bridesmaids enjoy all of the fun of a wedding without the stress and headaches of planning the blessed affair. Bridesmaid's gifts are a popular item among wedding parties and the brides honored attendees. Often the bride to be offers bridesmaids gifts to her wedding party at a rehearsal dinner, in order to thank her friends and family for participating in her union ceremony, and recognize th...(related: Marriage Wedding)
11 Things To Remember In Planning Your Wedding
Every woman dreams of her own wedding. May it be a small gathering in a picturesque orchard, a grand ball in a gigantic castle or a funky wedding along the coastline, she wants it planned and tailored to her wishes. Planning your wedding would take time, effort and energy but it's worth it. For brides out there, here are some things you can't forget to look into.1. PaymentsOf course, planning your wedding will need sufficient amount of cash. Establish who pays for what. This is usually worked out between the couple and their famili...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Save The Date Cards?best Ideas And Wording
The sole purpose of save-the-date cards is to give the people you intend to invite to your wedding plenty of advance notice. If, for example, you are planning to marry during the holiday season or a holiday weekend, you'll want your guests to reserve you wedding date on their calendars months in advance. If you will be inviting guest from out of town who will need to fly in for the wedding, they will need time to make...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Are Wedding Decorations Waiting In Your Future?
If there are wedding bells in your future, then surely there are wedding decorations as well. Or, maybe you are looking for Easter decorations, baby shower decorations, or even prom decorations? For some good ideas on any party decorations, just check online!When you are planning a party, no matter how big or small you will want to use decor...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Spotlight On The Asian-themed Wedding
Asian-themed weddings are on the rise, and at first this might come as a surprise. After all, nothing could seem further from the Laura Ashley vision we get when thinking of a wedding.And in fact, that's one of the forces behind the rising popularity of the Asian-themed wedding: how it turns things upside-down. In fact, in a Chinese-style wedding, white is bad (it's the color of death) and red and black are good (they're the colors of luck and prosperity).You might wonder whether brides that plan Asian-themed weddings are Asian (or marrying someone who is). The answer is, sometimes. Surprisingly often, they aren't, and the choice is pure...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Marriage Counseling: What Do Wives Really Want In A Husband? Part One
Numerous men have pondered the questions, "Why does my wife say she's unhappy? What does she want that I'm not doing?" Many of the men raising these questions have been blindsided by a wife's confession that she's not happy in the marriage and wants a separation or divorce. I've seen many examples of this dynamic in marriage counseling sessions that I've conducted.It can be confusing to try to figure out what a partner wants. And men, in particular, are having a harder time than ever because of changing expectations on the part of many females. In the past, it was enough for a husband to be a good provider, to have stable employment, and to bring home an adequate paycheck. If he didn't ordinarily drink too much, ga...(related: Marriage Wedding)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Weddings & Honeymoons | All Rights Reserved. | Marriage Wedding