Buying an Engagement Ring

 

The decision to purchase an engagement ring represents a turning point in many people’s lives. We make the process as simple as possible. Let our knowledgeable and experienced sales team help you understand all aspects of selecting a diamond and a setting for your engagement ring.

 

STEP 1: DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET

As with most major purchases, it can be helpful to know your budget before you start shopping. We can help you focus your selection on diamonds and settings in your price range. Diamond marketing groups typically suggest spending an amount equal to two months salary on a diamond. We suggest that you spend what you are comfortable with spending. We pride ourselves on giving customers much more than they expect for their money. If you have a specific price in mind, we can in many cases provide a much higher quality diamond for the same price as a diamond you would find at a competing store. We buy many of our diamonds direct and with the volume of diamonds that we sell, we pass the savings on to you. Buy a diamond you will cherish and appreciate forever.

 

STEP 2: CHOOSE A SETTING AND A RING

Rings and mountings can come in numerous metal types. The most common are white gold, yellow gold and platinum. Platinum rings are generally more expensive than white or yellow gold. This is largely because the cost of platinum is more than gold and the purity is higher. Wedding rings today are also available in steel, tungsten, titanium and other alternative metals. Although you can purchase a diamond ring already mounted, we love to show customers loose diamonds and let them select the setting and diamonds separately, to create your own custom design. Our specialty is loose diamonds and we carry one of the largest selections of loose diamonds in the country. We have expert jewelers on-site so we can mount most diamonds and size your ring on the spot. By seeing loose diamonds outside the mounting, you can examine the diamond more easily and see any inclusions or flaws in the diamond. These inclusions can sometimes be hidden by mountings or prongs. Buying a pre-mounted diamond can limit your ability to see what you are purchasing. Also you will need to determine whether you want your engagement ring to be a solitaire ring (a single diamond in a mounting), a three stone ring, or a cluster of diamonds, typically with one large diamond and several smaller diamonds. In addition to the engagement ring, many brides choose to have a wedding band. For those who choose to have a wedding band, it doesn’t necessarily need to match the engagement ring.

 

STEP 3: CHOOSE A STONE

Choosing the right stone is very important since the stone is often the centerpiece of the ring. By far the most common choice for an engagement ring stone is a diamond – although some people do select other stones such as rubies or sapphires. Among diamonds, the round brilliant, or round, diamond is the number one choice for brides. Other possible, but less popular, shape choices are marquise, heart shaped, oval, princess, cushion, radiant, flanders, trillion, and European cut. See our diamond guide for more information about diamond shapes.

 

STEP 4: CHOOSE A GENT’S BAND

While you are shopping for engagement rings and diamonds, you may also want to consider a gent’s wedding band, commonly worn by grooms. Gent’s bands are available in 10 karat (10k), 14 karat (14k), 18 karat (18k), titanium, tungsten, or steel. Some people choose to mix titanium, tungsten or steel with gold or platinum for a unique look.

 

STEP 5: ENJOY YOUR SELECTION

We hope your marriage, just like your diamond, will last forever. Be sure to periodically examine your prongs and the general appearance of your ring, especially if you have hit it hard on something. If a prong is loose, bent or broken, you should bring it in to be checked immediately. You are always welcome to bring your ring into our store if it was purchased here as we do not charge for cleaning or checking over the integrity of your ring. This can help prevent the diamond from falling out and being lost. Regardless of the condition of your ring, we suggest you return to our jewelry store every so often to have your diamond checked and cleaned by our professional staff.