Where to start
- Diamond Education
Perhaps the most important thing to know is what you’re looking for. An engagement ring? A necklace? Earrings? A bracelet?
Next, pay special attention to the other jewelry items the person you’ re buying the piece for tends to wear. Do they prefer a certain type of metal, for instance platinum or yellow gold? Do the other items they own tend to be delicate and understated or more substantial and chunky? Do they prefer long earrings that dangle low or studs? And, of course, always make note of any items they’ve previously commented on. Buying a diamond for an engagement ring or for any special occasion can be an intimidating task, but if you know the basics of diamond shopping, you’ ll feel much more confident in your ability to make a great purchasing decision.
The other piece of information that will be helpful, especially if you’re going to be shopping for a ring, is the size you’ll need. There are many clever ways you can determine your partner’ s ring size if you don’t know it. If the person has another ring in their collection, you can place it on a piece of paper and trace the inside of it. If your partner has a friend you know and can enlist the help of, try that. Be creative and look up tips online. Other people have been in your position!
Next, you’ ll want to know what shape of diamond your partner prefers. It’ s easy to explore the wide variety of diamond shapes that are available by conducting an online search. Keep in mind that some shapes lend themselves to a single stone while others can complement each other more effectively. For example, if you think your partner would prefer a single diamond on a ring or necklace, a pear shape might fit the bill, but if you think your partner would prefer multiple stones (for example a halo, three-stone, or sidestone arrangement), oval or round shape diamonds might best serve your purposes.
Know your budget
It’ s always important to know your budget before you begin the process of buying jewelry for someone. Think about the occasion, about what amount of money you are comfortable spending, and about what other large purchases may be on the horizon for you.
Only you know what is appropriate for you and what you are comfortable spending. Have a number in mind before you start the process, and leave a little wiggle room in either direction, just in case you come across an item you’re sure will be perfect for your partner.
Find Your Jeweler
For some, this can be one of the most intimidating aspects of purchasing jewelry. Since most people don’t have a strong understanding of the science of precious stones and metals, it’s easy to feel like you might be taken advantage of by a jeweler. You want every assurance you can get that the jeweler you go to will be helpful and fair.
This is where Jewel Hero can help, particularly if you don’t have a jeweler you use regularly or know of a jeweler that comes highly recommended by a friend (and you might still be uncomfortable with). With Jewel Hero, you can have confidence that the jeweler you connect with is reputable, because they’re within our network, and you can trust they will be fair with you, because Jewel Hero’s engagement system forces jewelers to compete for your business, ensuring you’ll get the most competitive prices that jewelers in your area are prepared to offer.
The 4 C's of Diamonds
As you would expect from the name, this measures the weight of the diamond and corresponds with the diamond’ s size
A diamond’ s cut refers to the workmanship with which the diamond was cut and the scale ranges from “Excellent” (more expensive) to “Poor” (less expensive). The cut of the diamond is a key determinant of its value
Diamond clarity refers to the absence or presence of blemishes and imperfections and is measured on an 11-point scale from “flawless” (most expensive) to “I3” (less expensive)
Diamond color is measured on a scale form “D” to “Z”, with “D” representing a colorless diamond (most valuable) and “Z” representing a diamond with more color (less valuable)
Don’ t assume that a larger diamond is more valuable. Diamonds with great color, clarity, and cut can be extremely expensive, even if they are smaller in size. Larger diamonds that have more imperfections may be less expensive. In determining a diamonds’ value, and ultimately its price, all of these factors are taken into consideration.
It’ s important to know your partner to know if they would prefer a larger ring even if it has more imperfections or more color, or if they would prefer a smaller and less flawed diamond.
The 4 Cs provide a great standardized system for evaluating the quality of diamonds and communicating that quality to buyers, so it’s important to have a basic understanding of the system. To learn more about the system, visit: https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-purchase-diamond-engagement-ring