SHOPPING FOR INEXPENSIVE ENGAGEMENT RINGS
Don't Pay More Than You Need To - You Can Find
A Discount Engagement Ring If You Know What To Look For
Also see
inexpensive
moissanite rings,
antique
style engagement rings and
discounted wedding rings
  Your
diamond engagement ring should
reflect your own personal style and taste, should be something that you’ll be excited to wear for the rest of your
life, and your engagement ring should also should be something that won’t send
your fiancé into bankruptcy.
There are many options out there, and
you can certainly find one that is both beautiful and
fits into your fiancé’s budget, whatever that may be. The trouble
is, with so many diamond engagement ring options, most of us need a
little help finding our way.
Diamond engagement
ring shopping is a big deal, but it doesn’t have to be complete seriousness.
Shopping for an inexpensive engagement ring can be a lot of fun, so enjoy it! Use the below tips to make it easy.
Diamond engagement ring buying guidelines
Set a
budget for your diamond engagement ring
Ask your fiancé if he has a budget in mind for
the ring. One-month’s salary is generally the rule of
thumb that the jewelry industry likes to suggest. Your
budget should be what he is able to realistically afford.
He may have a figure in mind already - ask him.
This will make it much easier for you both once the shopping
begins.
This way, you’ll know that your fiancé isn’t spending
more than he can afford and you won’t fall in love with a
ring that is way beyond your price range.
Something to keep in mind is that many jewelry stores allow the
buyer to upgrade the diamond at a later date - this allows you
to get the
diamond you really want sometime in the
future. Ask about this before you buy.
These are the most common terms used
when describing an engagement diamond. Know the definitions to
these terms and which elements are most important to you when
deciding which diamond engagement ring to buy. Then, when you’re choosing your
diamond, you’ll know exactly what the jeweler means when he says
you’re looking at a .70 Carat, G, SI1,Good Cut Diamond.
Shop
Around For Inexpensive Engagement Rings
Don’t buy your engagement ring from the first
shop you go into. It’s an emotional purchase, so you may be
easily swayed to buy a diamond engagement ring that may not be
exactly what you want. If you love the first diamond
engagement ring you try on,
shop around a little and then go back and get it later.
When shopping
for an inexpensive engagement ring, consider
alternative venues. The internet is an excellent place for
discount engagement ring shopping, especially because of the lack of
sales tax for many online purchases. The rule is, if the
online retailer does not have a retail store in your state, you
will not have to pay a sales tax on your purchase. This
can save you hundreds of dollars when current sales tax can go
up to around 9.4% depending on where you live. On a pack of
gum, 9.4% doesn’t seem like much, but on a $3,500 diamond
engagement ring, the total tax would be about $330.
Forgoing the tax can make the difference between an inexpensive
engagement ring and an expensive one.
Also,
consider buying in a “Duty Free” territory or country (like the
US Virgin Islands or St. Maarten); you can save the money that would
originally go to sales tax - this adds up to around a 7% savings
depending on where you live. You can do this while on a cruise
or resort vacation (or by buying your diamond engagement ring from a
website located in one of these countries). This is a great way
to get a fabulous deal AND let her pick out the ring and the setting
she really wants. Remember, she is going to wear the engagement ring
for hopefully the rest of her life - let her pick one she really
likes and will be proud to wear as opposed to you just guessing what
she'll like!
Play with
metals
Diamond engagement rings come in a variety of metals from
traditional yellow gold to white gold to platinum. They also come in some alternative metals like titanium for
those allergic to gold or on a tight budget. As you’ll see,
different metals will affect the look of your diamond - one that ranks slightly low on
Color may look better with a yellow gold band than a
platinum one because it better compliments the diamond.
See
yourself in shapes
Commonly confused with
Cut, the shape of the
diamond will make a big difference in
the appearance of the diamond on your diamond engagement ring. The most typical
shapes used are Brilliant or Round,
Oval, Marquise, Princess, Emerald and Pear. You may already
have an idea of what shape you prefer, but when you try on your
diamond engagement ring, you may be surprised about what looks good on
your hand.
Don’t
forget the setting
When you start shopping for your
diamond engagement ring, you’ll find that most of the shopping has to do
with the diamond itself and not the setting. That’s because the
diamond is usually the bigger part of the purchase.
But that doesn’t mean that the setting has to be an
afterthought. Often, it’s the setting
that catches your eye and in many cases, it’s the setting of the
ring that makes your diamond engagement ring different from anyone
else’s.
Get the
perfect fit
The size of your diamond engagement ring should be
tight enough that it won’t fall off, but loose enough that it is
comfortable for your finger. To get the best fit, make sure
that your hands are cool when your diamond engagement ring is sized.
Warm hands swell from heat and may result in a larger size than
what’s needed. The good news is that most
rings are easily sized down, so a change to a smaller size will
be a simple adjustment.
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