How To Find an Affordable Engagement Ring »
By Tom W. Mason on Nov 30, 2008 in Jewelry | 0 Comments
If you're intimidated by the process of engagement ring shopping, you're not alone. Most of us are worried about this large, important purchase. However, there are some ways you can save a lot of money and make the whole process much simpler.
Everyone wants the biggest diamond possible - bigger is considered better. This is one of the things that stresses us out so much. No one wants to pay a lot, but a bigger diamond is the goal.
Fortunately, there's some good news. You can find a larger diamond for a much smaller cost than you'd think. Just shop smart and learn about how diamonds are priced.
Here's an example to help you understand.
Every diamond out there has been graded according to four major characteristics. These are carat, clarity, cut and color. We'll take a look at color to show you more.
Diamond color is graded on a scale from D to Z, with D being the best quality. Determining a diamond's color is done under high magnification in a lab.
However, while there may be a big difference between a D diamond and an H diamond to the microscope, there's not a big difference in those four grades as far as you're concerned.
There's no difference at all between the two to the naked eye. Unless you look at both diamonds side by side on a white background, under magnification, you'll never see any difference at all. Even trained eyes can have a hard time telling the difference between I and D diamonds, though there's a little visible decrease in color quality if you know what to look for.
So what's the point? Why pay more for diamonds graded higher when you can't tell the difference between them and one that's graded lower.
The price difference is a big one, too. It could be thousands of dollars. Of course, as can be expected, jewelry stores try to sell the highest graded diamonds for the most profit - you would, too. Unfortunately, most people don't take the time to educate themselves, and pay a lot more than they need to.
This is only one example of a way to save when you buy an engagement ring. Pick a diamond with a lower grade in color, and you'll be able to buy one that's a lot bigger for the same money.
