Amy MariettaIf you’re on the hunt for that all-important diamond ring, it’s understandable to feel a little overwhelmed. Unless you’re buying this piece of jewelry for your own investment purposes, you’re likely looking for something for a wedding or engagement, which carries a lot of emotional weight as well as the high price tag.
There are so many different styles available at a wide variety of price points, so before you head into the jewelry store or start looking online, you’ll need some pointers.
This article has you covered: here are four key buying tips for making sure you pick the perfect piece for that special someone!
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Setting Your Budget
Before you do anything else, you should work to lay down a budget. It might be difficult at first to decide how much you can reasonably afford, but once you get the numbers set, your options will become much clearer.
The most important thing is that once you’ve set your budget, you don’t go back on it. It’s easy to be swayed in store by a more expensive option that you can’t really afford, so be strict with yourself and spend within your means.
Knowing the 4 Cs
When it comes to diamonds, the 4 Cs govern pretty much everything other than your own subjective choice. The framework is made up of cut, carat, clarity, and color.
Cut refers to how the diamond has been shaped to optimally reflect light – it’s what determines that quintessential diamond brilliance. Color is graded on a scale from D to Z, D being the most transparent, and Z presenting as a considerably yellow or brown stone.
Clarity looks at how many flaws and imperfections the stone has, both on its exterior surface and inside, while carat is a measure of a diamond’s weight.
Each of these elements comes together to determine the overall objective value of the piece; a heavier, clear colored, flawless, brilliantly shining diamond will be worth the most money.
Choosing the Right Jeweler
There are many factors that determine the best places to buy a diamond ring.
Both physical and online stores operate in much the same way. The best way to go about it is to determine and write down your criteria for what you want, and then visit the store with a list of core questions to see if they have what you need (you’ll need to figure out how your budget fits into where you fall on the 4 Cs spectrum).
Visit several different stores before making your decision, and always ask the jeweler about their grading and quality policy.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the perfect diamond ring can be tough, but hopefully, you now have a better idea of how to get started. Take things one step at a time, do your research, and work on building a concrete idea of what you want before you go searching. It’ll take some time to figure out, but rest assured: it’ll all be worth it in the end!