Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Men are not fools: How to save money on an engagement ring


Getting engaged is a special time and a milestone in the life of many. It can also be a time of great anxiety for those who want to follow up the perfect moment, with the perfect ring! Men are not fools, and they know that their bride-to-be has pictured this moment since she was a child, right down to the very last detail. So how exactly do you score a “deal” on those special rings?


Here are 5 tips to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to those special bands….

Comparison Shop Online – Online diamond and jewelery dealers offer up to a 40% discount on merchandise. Aside from the savings, there is no haggling involved, no pressure from a salesperson, and you have plenty of time to peruse the selection before making your decision.

Get Educated – If you don’t have a keen education on a stones different clarity, color, carat, and cut, you may spend far more than you need to!  Put your search engine skills to work and you’ll soon learn that what the industry considers to be a “mid-quality” stone, may be just what your looking for and trust me, she’ll never know the difference!

Skimp on the Setting – focus all of your attention and money on the stone, and skimp on the setting! Consider white gold or palladium over platinum, or go for a plain band rather than multi-stone or pave settings. This could save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on your total cost and she’s sure to love what you have chosen, even if it’s not the priciest one in the store.

Stay Away from Chain Jewelry Stores – Perusing chain jewelery stores when trying to get a sense of what you want to purchase is a great way to start. But, don’t make the mistake of purchasing your gem from a mass retailer. Many major chain stores spend millions of dollars on advertising in an attempt to sell you on the fact that they are a reputable company. Little does the buyer know that they have high mark-ups on their gems. Also, often times large chain stores will not negotiate on their price points and what you see is what you get!

Consider a Loose Diamond – Buying a loose diamond from a jeweler or wholesaler can offer a large savings.  Pair this with a great score on a setting and even after the minimal cost of having the stone set, you will have saved thousands of dollars!

If you take the time to become educated, and follow a few simple tricks of the trade, your bride-to-be and your wallet will be satisfied customers!

6 comments:

  1. passing this on to my future fiance ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. My fiance bought online and saved a ton of $

    ReplyDelete
  3. you should post something regarding to the carat/cut stuff! i have no clue on that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. thanks for the advice

    ReplyDelete
  5. my sister just received a beautiful ring purchased online and it was at a fraction of the cost.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hint hint to my wonderful boyfriend... ha!

    ReplyDelete