How to Save On Your Enagagement Ring
Congratulations! You have finally found the love of your life and decided to grow older with him/her. Your match is made in heaven, so it’s priceless. But not your ring! It comes with a price, often a hefty price tag. Even more confusing is the range of engagement rings available in the market today. From solitaires and halo settings to cluster rings and trinity designs, your options will make you go dizzy.
While there are plenty of engagement rings available, finding one that suits your taste and budget may not be so easy. When buying an engagement ring, it is essential that you get your money’s worth. Show us someone found the perfect ring in the first attempt, and we will show you a liar. The right ring, like love, should be sought and found. So, here are a few smart moves to help you save money while buying an engagement ring.
Look Up, Read Up, and Equip Yourself
You may know a hundred things about the series streaming on Netflix. You may talk two hours straight about your favourite sport or food. Well, well, how much do you know about the world of jewellery, though? The first step of saving money on jewellery is to understand its fundamentals and current trends. So, you need to do your homework before you even start looking for an engagement ring. Understand the difference between size and carats and what makes an emerald cut look better than a round cut. To put in simply, get the lingo used in the world of jewellery. So, look up, read up, and get the basics.
More Maybe Better
Classic engagement ring designs have a precious gemstone in the centre. For such a ring to shine, the gem needs to be noticeable. However, large stones come with hefty price tags. This is where you should think out of the box. Instead of a single solitaire or gemstone, go for diamond rings with cluster settings. This is an extremely popular setting for engagement rings these days. It features several smaller diamonds arranged in a cluster such that they look like a single large diamond. This setting can be considerably cheaper, yet they look just as good. You can also go for the halo setting where a single stone encircled by a number of smaller stones. This is a classic example of how you can get a stunning ring at an affordable price.
Compromise Three Out of Four Cs
If you have done your homework, you know that there are 4 Cs to look out for when buying gemstones. They are the cut, clarity, colour, and carat; they will impact not just the look of your ring, but its price too. Of these, you can settle for less than the best colour, clarity, and carat but never settle for anything less than the perfect cut. When it comes to colour, diamonds are graded from D to J with D being almost transparent and J being yellow. The difference between a diamond graded F and G is large in terms of cost but visually is not very noticeable. Similarly, when it comes to clarity, unless an inclusion is visible, you can settle for a lower clarity diamond to save some money. The cut is important because this is what determines how light will be reflected and how your diamond will sparkle. In other words, the fire and sparkle of a stone is determined largely by how it is cut. Also, certain cuts (for instance, the marquise cut) will make a stone larger than it actually is.
It Doesn’t Have to Be a Round Figure
We all like to think in terms of round numbers but when it comes to buying diamonds and gemstones, sacrificing a few decimal points may be a good idea. A diamond with a round carat value can demand a premium price. However, a diamond that is sized .85 or .9 instead of 1.0 can be much cheaper. Trust us, visually there is little difference and only a jeweller will know the difference.
Why Should It Be Diamonds?
It needn’t be! Diamonds, especially solitaires, are the most popular gemstone for engagement rings. But they aren’t all you have to choose from. When Prince William proposed to Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge with his mother, Princess Diana’s ring, it wasn’t a diamond but a sapphire that took centre stage. Many celebrities including Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor wore rings featuring gemstones other than diamonds. Picking a ring with your spouse’s birthstone is a great idea. You can go for precious stones like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires which will give the ring a vintage look.
Cut Back on the Metal
It isn’t just the 4 Cs that determine the price of a ring. You also need to consider the amount of metal being used. When it comes to engagement rings, the gemstone is more important. Hence, look for a ring with minimal metal. This allows the stone to shine and reduces your cost too. The prong setting is ideal. You could also look at eternity band rings with pave diamonds. These are tiny diamonds that give a ring a crushed ice look. By lining the band with these diamonds, you will get the sparkle of a big rock without emptying your bank account. Likewise, your engagement ring doesn’t have to be yellow gold. You can also pick white gold rings or rose gold rings, which are the hottest trends in the industry these days.
Consider a Set
Your jewellery shopping doesn’t end with finding the perfect engagement ring. At a later date, you are going to have to buy a wedding band to match this ring. So, consider buying both together. This not only ensures that both the rings look good together but can also help cut back on costs.
The Right Time Matters; So Does the Right Place
Diamond rings don’t often go on sale and hence there is no perfect time to shop for them. However, look out for good deals and offers. In India, many online and offline jewellers run great offers during festivals like Diwali, Akshaya Tritiya, etc. Check out such offers and see whether they are worth availing. Buy your ring only from a jeweller willing to give you an authentication certificate. Trusting a non-certified local jeweller just to save a few bucks can be a costly decision. Also, buy a ring only from a jeweller who is willing to give you a money back guarantee for at least 30 days from when you buy the ring.
Finally, don’t be shy to window shop. Cheap jewellery is no good and when you are spending a sizable chunk of your salary on a ring, it better be perfect. Inspect a lot of rings and ask as many questions as you would like. If one salesman doesn’t want to talk to you, find another one who will. Look online as well. Yes- it is safe to buy jewellery online as long as you get a certificate along with your ring.
