Thursday, November 27, 2008

Three Keys to Buying Cheap Engagement Rings

By Tom W. Mason

If you're intimidated by the process of engagement ring shopping, you're not alone. Most of us are worried about this large, important purchase. However, there are some ways you can save a lot of money and make the whole process much simpler.

Everyone wants the biggest diamond possible - bigger is considered better. This is one of the things that stresses us out so much. No one wants to pay a lot, but a bigger diamond is the goal.

Fortunately, there are ways to get a high quality, large diamond for a lot less than you might think. It's all about getting the most out of your money.

Here's an example to help you understand.

Every diamond out there has been graded according to four major characteristics. These are carat, clarity, cut and color. We'll take a look at color to show you more.

Color grading scales range between D and Z, with D color grading indicating the best color. To decide what quality color a given diamond has, each one is inspected under very high magnifications.

What's the catch? D-grade diamonds look the same as H-grade diamonds, unless you have a microscope. That's a difference of four grades.

The naked eye can't tell the difference between the two. It's actually almost impossible to tell unless you place them on a pure white background, side by side, then view them under magnification. Grades below I may show a difference if you know your diamonds, but most people still can't tell the difference.

The point here is that no one should ever pay more for a higher grade diamond if they can't see the difference between it and one that's supposedly lower in quality. Leave the finest diamonds for the very rich - after all, the difference can only be seen with a microscope!

The price difference is a big one, too. It could be thousands of dollars. Of course, as can be expected, jewelry stores try to sell the highest graded diamonds for the most profit - you would, too. Unfortunately, most people don't take the time to educate themselves, and pay a lot more than they need to.

This is only one example of a way to save when you buy an engagement ring. Pick a diamond with a lower grade in color, and you'll be able to buy one that's a lot bigger for the same money. - 16035

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