(For an explanation of diamond grading, see Diamonds)

What to Expect from Venders:
There are probably 500 million people who want to sell you an engagement ring.  Where to start?  Who to buy from?  Here are some things to consider:

Warranty: Some venders give you a warranty such that if the center stone falls out, they replace it for free.

Service: Some venders offer free polishing and setting tightening for free for the rest of your life, or for a certain time period.

Brand Name: If the recipient of your ring is brand conscious, you might consider giving her a ring in a box she recognizes and values.  If she loves to walk into Tiffany’s “just to look”  Or likes to ooogle at Cartier ads in magazines, Why not wow her with a ring from there?

Uniqueness: Jewelers vary in how much they can customize your ring.  Some can make the entire ring from scratch according to your wishes, some have a set  “catalogue” of settings (the metal part) and stones and you can mix and match.  Other venders sell rings “as is” and some jewelers make one of a kind “art pieces.”

Security: Of course, when you are buying an engagement ring you want to make sure you get the real thing.  Generally, there’s not much to be afraid of in the way of fraud.  But when in doubt, you can usually tell how secure a jewelry source is by how much it has to lose if caught selling a fake.  The more developed the reputation, brand and physical infrastructure, probably the safer it is.  

Customer Service: When purchasing an engagement ring, it might be reassuring to have attention and guidance from an expert.  The level of customer service you will experience during the buying process varies among jewelers.

Price/Value for Money: Venders vary in the degree that jewelry is “marked up”.  A ring with a certain size and grade of diamond can be had for $3000 from one source and $10000 from another.  The mark up is usually related to the presence or absence of the above features.

(For an explanation of diamond grading, see Diamonds)

Here is a general analysis of different types of engagement ring venders.  Certainly, there are shades of grey, variations and exceptions to these categories, but this will outline a general idea of engagement ring sellers and give you a starting point. Each type of jewelry vender has a rank out of 5 stars for how they perform in the above described categories.

Jewelry Source	Warranty/ Service	Brand Name	Uniqueness	Security	Customer Service	Price/Value for Money
Mainstreem retail chains (e.g. Zales, Benolds, shops found in malls)						Medium priced
Premium Retail Chains						Highest mark up
Independent Jewelers (Individual “Artisans”)	Varies	If the jeweler is well known locally	Most unique	Depends on length of time in business		Usually high priced
Internet Auctions			Depends	Depends on  reputation		Best deals can be found here
Internet Stores				Depends on   reputation
Antique or Resale stores

 

Now that you have a sense of where you might like to shop, get tips on how much to spend on an engagement ring or read about common engagement ring myths and misconceptions...

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