Buying an Engagement Ring Online
Buying an engagement ring is a huge purchase and if you haven’t bought a new car or house before this point it may be the biggest purchase y, ou have made yet. The range of styles and prices in engagement rings is endless. There are thousands of rings available from hundreds of retailers online (and offline). It may be difficult to think of buying an engagement ring online, but in today’s hectic world, one less thing to shop for among a bunch of retailers that are difficult to tell the difference between could be an improvement.
I recently bought a ring online and am very happy with it. (I’m wearing it right now) I had to go to a local jeweler to find out my actual ring size before I ordered it, but otherwise the process was fast and easy. I knew what I wanted though, so I could make the decision quickly. If you don’t know what style you want, start surfing the jewelry sites online and see what is available that jumps out as an appealing design. Also, look at your budget and find out what size diamond is appropriate and kind of metal you can afford.
White gold is just as beautiful as platinum yet platinum is far more expensive. With diamonds I think most girls want a one carat stone because a lot of people they know have that, but the stone really just has to be beautiful in the setting. A 7/8 ct stone may be just as beautiful and more within your budget. Conflict free diamonds are also a big topic of discussion, but are more expensive than a non-certified-conflict-free diamond. The reality that surrounds diamonds and how they are mined isn’t great but actually verifying anything is very difficult.
The other part of this process is educating yourself on the choices in stone quality that are available.
Diamond Color - Most people want a really white stone, as colorless as possible. D-I are best. I’ve seen someone with a huge diamond that is yellow-ish and it looks awkward next to a white gold ring. A smaller whiter diamond in that case would have worked better. Don’t let them say that a yellow diamond is “warmer” in color. It isn’t as good. The ring at left is from Shapiro Diamonds. They are a Jeweler offering Engagement Rings Dallas and using sapphires in an engagement ring makes it more unique and saves money at the same time. Remember Princess Diana had a sapphire engagement ring and it was amazing.
Diamond Clarity - This is where you have some leeway. Most people go for the most perfect clear diamonds available. (IF through VVS) I think this is where you can save money. Most inclusions in a SI1 or SI2 or I1 are so small (air bubbles or dust specks) that you can’t see them without a special magnifying glass. You won’t notice they are there and nobody else will either. These diamonds are about 20% cheaper than the higher clarity diamonds.
Diamond Cut - You don’t have a lot to choose from here. Most diamond sellers and jewelers only buy the near perfect ratio of width and depth of cut. This was standardized with very efficient machinery years ago and you don’t have the choice of old mine cut diamonds with wide faces and not much depth anymore even though I think they make a big impact. The shape of the diamond is up to you, I prefer round brilliant cuts but there are so many to choose from. Skip the emerald cut, it is very hard to keep clean and just looks like clear cut glass. No facets to reflect light and sparkle.
After deciding your diamond look at rings settings. Some people prefer really glamorous pave style rings with tiny diamonds encrusted down the shank, while others (like me) like a simple classic setting with a baguette diamond on each side and a thin ring with comfort fit rounding on the inside. There are also popular trends going back to vintage settings and reproducing them as well as very modern minimalist styles of rings available. Getting a set that includes the engagement ring and a wedding band saves time later when you already have that ring purchased.
Once you get these choices worked out, you need to find a jeweler online that has a good return policy. If you get the ring and it doesn’t look as good as the pictures or just doesn’t look as you wish, they should take it back within a month or so. Also, if your fiance’ decides that she doesn’t like the style and wants to choose something else, they should also let you return the ring. It is no fun being stuck with an $5,000-$10,000+ ring that nobody wants.
Always leave plenty of time when you are ordering online. There may be a wait of between a few weeks and a few months before your ring is created for you just because of the manufacturing and diamond setting process.
For any of the rings pictured here visit the Shapiro Diamonds LLC website. I think they have a beautiful selection although they do not have the prices listed online. You have to call for the pricing info and to place an order. If you are in Texas, stop by and see the jewelry in person.
