Pick Your Favorite Diamond Shape
When hunting for a ring, a lot of what depends on which mounting you choose is impacted by what looks good with the diamond center stone shape you pick. Many times I find a person who has fallen in love with one (and has a backup shape), has really done themselves a favor by somewhat narrowing the mounting choices to a style and design that would fit best. While I agree it is empowering to have a huge reservoir of choices, it also helps to be able to figure out what truly catches your eye. In my experience, every woman tends to fall in love with a particular shape at some point in the process. Figuring this out first and fast is the best tip I can give to make the entire experience easier on you.
Quality Versus Quantity
There is a universal frustrating moment when you find exactly what you want, but cannot have it because of budget. It can really take away from the whole experience. You have to go into this process with a clear set of priorities. Ask yourself: Do you want a larger stone, better quality, more money in the diamond, or a very intricate and labor intensively designed mounting? In almost every sale I’ve ever made, something had to be sacrificed to hit a comfortable price point. For my money, I would pick quality over quantity any day of the week. That said, little changes in quality can make a big difference in the size you can afford. If you have had your heart set on a large stone, go with it, but be careful not to compromise too much on the quality. You want to make sure that this is a stone that you can love for a lifetime.
Browse Bridal Magazines and Jewelry Websites
Taking the time to browse through magazine and websites for that perfect style is a great way to get started on the right path. I find that the person who has an idea through visuals can come in more prepared, have a basic idea of price and as a result the rings don’t all run together. If you know what you want, you will know it when you see it at the store. This is especially true after looking in multiple stores, eventually all of the rings start to look alike. You are going to want to cast a wider net as the jewelry is always much larger in photos than they are in person, so pick a few favorites at this point. Once you get to the store, you will find that some of the looks you love on the page or on the screen, really don’t scale down all that well.
Decide Which Metal is Best For You
First, choose which color of metal you decide you like the best, white, yellow or even rose. Once that is decided, there are many different options to choose from. Everything from gold content, white metal types, factors of durability, longevity, price and even allergy issues. My best advice is to research online on various sites first and then ask a trusted jeweler to explain the difference to you. You should also ask your friends and relatives for their own experiences. White metal is the most common choice these days and lately I find Platinum is regaining popularity due to the increased price of gold. Platinum is a very long lasting metal which has little to no wear over time compared to gold (white or yellow) which is much softer. So do your due diligence and see what your research tells you, but more than anything be sure to take a look at each of the metals first hand.
Take a Break
If, after doing all this, you still find yourself in that “lost in a ring shopping maze”, step away from the jewelry. Yes, you heard me right, the jewelry salesmen is telling you to stop shopping for jewelry. Once you put a little bit of distance between you and the experience, the cream will rise to the top. Even though you may have LOVED it at the time, if you cannot remember the ring or even where you saw it a week later, it probably wasn’t the one. Give yourself a little perspective and I bet you that something will stand out from all of the options you see. The ring that you remember, the stone that you cannot get out of your mind, that is almost always the one. If nothing stands out, then you might just want to start from step one and try again to find the ring that’s right for you.
So, those are the best tips that I have found to be helpful when searching for that perfect engagement ring. I am sure there are others, so if you have been through the ring shopping experience, we would would love to hear your feedback, frustrations and advice on what helped you find that yours.
Thanks for stopping by, as always….Greatly Appreciated.
Respectfully,
Daniel Gordon
