How to Buy an Engagement Ring Without Going Broke

There are quite a few myths and “traditions” that come with buying an engagement ring. One of the most popular and most ridiculous is that you need to spend your three months’ salary to get the perfect engagement ring; that a good ring is the one that’s most expensive. This couldn’t be more untrue, to be honest. If you’re on a budget, you can still buy an amazing, gorgeous engagement ring without spending a fortune and saving a good sum of money on it. Here is how to shop smart when it comes to purchasing your engagement ring.

Consider Buying a Loose Diamond
It’s always a wise choice to get yourself a loose diamond and then set it on an engagement ring rather than buying a ring with a diamond already set in it. First of all, buying a loose diamond allows you to pay complete attention to your diamond’s quality. When you are making a big purchase like this it is very important that you evaluate the proportions and cut of the diamond and how it interacts with light to create the perfect sparkle. By being able to inspect the diamond properly you will also be able to check for any flaws that it may have and how visible they are. By buying a ring with the diamond already mounted on it, it’s hard to change things the way you want it but by buying a loose diamond of your choice and in your budget you can really make the engagement ring yours.

Take a Look at the Selection Online
Diamonds and engagement rings at big jewelry retailers are more expensive than the ones online due to high mark-up. These chain retailers usually have really high prices, sometimes even up to 200% more than their online counterparts because these stores have high overhead costs like the upkeep of the store, payment for a large staff, rent, etc. These overhead charges are added to the retail price of the diamond that you buy. On the other hand, online stores do not have these operational charges included in their prices so the same diamond can cost you a lot less compared to the one in a high-end jewelry store.

When Buying Online, Browse and Research
Online retailers usually have a vast collection of jewelry and diamonds but if you find something that you really like, remember to wait a little bit. Check the inventories of different online stores as you might find the exact diamond at a lesser price comparatively. It’s always good to keep your options open and look as much as you can; checking out different stores is ridiculously convenient online so definitely take full advantage of this. You can also choose to buy the loose diamond from one particular retailer and buy the ring setting from another. This way it will be easier to build yourself the perfect engagement ring!

If It's Bling You Want, Get Pave Diamonds
Now, if you want a really sparkly engagement ring that catches everyone’s eye but do not want to spend a fortune on it then definitely consider getting a pave band or halo for your engagement ring. A pave setting is a style where several tiny diamonds are placed close together. It gives sort of a “crushed ice” effect that makes jewelry look absolutely lovely and sparkly; also the small stones aren’t very expensive. Consider getting a smaller center stone and a pave band around to make your engagement ring shine the most without spending an unimaginable amount of money.

Balance the 4Cs
When it comes to the look of your diamond, all the 4Cs are not created equal. Cut, for instance, plays a big role in how your diamond looks. The better the cut, the more the diamond will sparkle. And more the diamond will sparkle, the better and even bigger it will look. A poorly-cut 1carat diamond can appear the same as a well-cut 0.90 carat diamond. On the other hand, clarity is one of 4Cs that doesn't always affect the way a diamond looks because clarity is not obvious to the naked eye. An FL (Flawless) clarity grade diamond will look the same as a VS1 (Very Slightly Included 1) clarity grade diamond to the naked eye. But the difference in price can be thousands of dollars. Diamonds are graded by looking under 10X magnification, so you have to decide, does it matter in your everyday life?

We hope you end up with the most glorious ring and an even more glorious deal! Get started on your diamond journey here.

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A Guy's Guide on How to Buy an Engagement Ring: Part 2

When you want to wow your fiancé-to-be with just the perfect ring, it is best to understand diamonds beyond the 4Cs. If you need a refresher on the 4 C’s, check Part 1 of the guide before reading this.

Lab Report (Sometimes called Certification)

Always buy diamonds that have been graded by gemological labs like the AGS or the GIA. How do you know whether the diamonds have a grading report? Just ask, “Is this diamond graded by GIA or AGS?” The diamonds should always be accompanied by the grading report. If you're doing your engagement ring shopping online, many retailers upload the report online. Simply put –you know what you're buying when you choose lab-graded diamonds. These labs are independent institutions that grade diamonds without any bias. So, the rating is impartial.

 It is easy to read these reports. They state the cut grade, color grade and clarity grade of your diamond along with the carat weight. The GIA also has the grading scale on the report so it's easy to refer to it. The report will also include grades for other factors like polish and symmetry. These terms relate to the way facets are cut on a diamond. Besides these factors, the report also has the proportions of your diamond. This brings us to the next point – The Proportions.

The Proportions: Anatomy of a Diamond

The sparkle or the 'light performance' of the diamond is based on the way it is cut. If you read Part 1 then you know just how important this is!  You many notice that all diamonds sparkle beautifully in a store. The bright store lights are designed in such a way to enhance the brilliance of all diamonds. So, how do you know if your diamond will still have that 'bling' when you bring it home?

This image shows the anatomy of a round brilliant cut diamond. The table ratio, the depth and the angles of the crown and pavilion all go together into determining how the diamond will sparkle. These details are mentioned on the grading report. 

Insider Tip: So, what do you do with these numbers? You will find a tool online called the Holloway Cut Advisor. It is a free online cut grading tool that is patented. Input the numbers from the grading report to find the score. Diamonds within the 0 to 2 range are considered as excellent. The wonderful thing about using this tool is that it is scientific, no artificial lights or pushy sales agents. 

ASET Images

What is a diamond ASET image? The Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool® (ASET) was developed by the American Gem Society. It looks a bit like a jeweler's loupe and can bought online. When a diamond is viewed through this tool, the resulting image shows how the diamond returns light using a color dispersion technique. 

An ASET image has red, green, blue and white in it. Red shows areas in a diamond where the light is reflected from angles which favor intensity and brilliance, green represents areas from angles which will return light with less intensity. The blue (sometimes black) areas are a reflection of the dark camera lens. What you should do not want to see are large black areas that are not part of the arrow pattern, or white areas which show light ‘leaking’ from the diamond, meaning it will fail to sparkle. So, in simple terms, the ASET image of your diamond should show plenty of red.

Insider Tip: So, how does this help you? The cut, color and clarity grades stated on grading reports help you narrow down your diamond search. Use the HCA tool and ASET images to buy the perfect diamond from your list.

Think of choosing the diamond as a series of tests that get progressively harder to pass. First, you have the cut, color and clarity grade. By browsing diamonds with excellent cut grade, clarity range of FL to VS2 and a color grade range of D to H, you narrow down the search considerably. Further, the HCA tool helps you narrow down the list of eligible diamonds. And finally, the ASET images can help you choose the perfect diamond as it shows the light performance or the brilliance.   

Let's take a look at two diamonds graded by the GIA. Both the diamonds are graded as GIA excellent cut but the ASET shows the difference between light performance or the sparkle. 

Insider Tip:  ASET images are either ‘backlit’ meaning the image shows the leakage as white – this is most telling environment in which to view ASET images, or the images are not-backlit where the leakage shows up as black.  Both methods show the same information, but it is sometimes easier to conceal flaws in the non-backlit pictures.

Before knowing this, all diamonds in engagement rings may have looked the same to you – shiny. Now, we are sure you will be able to find a 'top-performing' diamond for your engagement ring with these insider tips.Impress your partner with your newfound knowledge and buy her a diamond she will always treasure.  

Insider Tip: Many online jewelers take the guess work out this by offering “Branded” diamonds.  At B2CJewels this is the “Perfection cut for Performance” line of diamonds. Each individual diamond in this line has been evaluated as a GIA XXX or AGS Ideal cut diamond, the HCA and proportions examined, and the ASET picture verified. This can save you, the consumer, a tremendous amount of time and energy as you know, when selecting one of these diamonds, that it is a top-performer.

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