Engagement Rings Christmas Sale

Starting Dec 8th and going until Dec 31st. SecretDiamond.com is having it’s annual Christmas Sale. Save up 5% on any and all engagement rings, engagement ring sets, as well as diamond stud earrings in any carat size. Surprise your girlfriend this Holiday Season with an engagement ring and it will be a Christmas she’ll never forget. Even a second diamond ring for your wife, or an irresistible pair of absolutely eye clean diamond stud earrings. Remember Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for shipping, so the sooner you order the safer you’ll be! If there’s an engagement ring design you absolutely have to have and it’s not on our site, send us a picture, give us a call, and 99% of the time we can recreate it for you at an even cheaper price than for what you saw it for on any other website.

Hurry Sale ends Dec. 31st. 2009.

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Buyer’s Guide For Engagement Rings & Diamonds

Based upon the many questions we receive about diamonds and engagement rings, we thought it was important to create a buyer’s guide for engagement rings & diamonds. Since many of people shopping for engagement rings and diamonds are first time shoppers, they are going to have questions that need to be answered. We take diamond education very seriously here at Secret Diamond and so should you. We understand that not everyone out there is a diamond expert and shopping for a diamond can be very confusing the first time you do it. Quite frankly, shopping for engagement rings can be pretty confusing too, especially if you are not familiar with all of the engagement ring terms like "Solitaire" or "Filigree" or "Milgrain". Many people that are in the market to purchase an engagement ring or even diamond stud earrings, have never owned a diamond in their life. And even if you consider yourself a pretty knowledgeable person when it comes to diamonds, reading our "Buyer’s Guide For Engagement Ring & Diamond Shoppers" may help you brush up a bit. Although this guide can’t possibly teach you everything you need to know about diamonds and engagement rings, it will be a very good start on the basics. It will include enough information so that you can start to shop with confidence knowing that you understand what makes a diamond desirable and what is truly a good deal on a quality diamond engagement ring. Come with us as we explore the world of diamonds and help you search for the "Perfect Engagement Ring" for your bride-to-be.

The Diamonds & Engagement Rings Budget Decision

Without a doubt, the first step in purchasing diamonds or engagement rings is to determine how much you are planning to spend. How much you can spend and how much you are going to spend may be 2 different amounts. Although many grooms would like to buy their new bride the biggest, nicest engagement ring that money can buy, the reality is that you may have to settle for something less. Good quality diamonds with a larger carat weight can get rather expensive. (And don’t forget to add the cost of the engagement ring setting) Try not to spend more than you can comfortably afford without going in to much debt if you can help it. Although you could certainly consider taking out an engagement ring loan, starting off a new marriage with the extra added stress of living in debt is not necessarily the best idea. Believe it or not, many couples decide to spend less on their diamond engagement ring than they actually can afford. They may be opting to allocate the money saved on something else, like their new home together or a much needed new car. Or perhaps they have decided to spend more money on the honeymoon or the wedding. Investing the money saved or putting it in the bank for a "rainy day", may not be a bad idea either. Whatever the case may be, deciding on your diamonds and engagement ring budget is the first decision you will have to make when getting engaged.

The Engagement Ring Setting

In most cases, the price of the diamond in your diamond engagement ring is going to account for the majority of the cost, with some exceptions. A Diamond engagement ring really consists of 2 parts, the center diamond and the engagement ring setting. In most cases there is also a 3rd part, the wedding band. However the wedding band is often purchased at a later date and you may have extra time to save for it. However many styles of engagement rings are available in matching engagement ring sets (matching wedding band included) that you can purchase at the same time. If you can afford to purchase both at the same time, you may ask if there is a price break for doing so. It may also be beneficial to purchase both the engagement ring and the wedding band at the same time to make sure they fit together perfectly. But for now, we will just stick to the diamond engagement ring portion of your purchase. Again, the diamond will often account for the majority of the cost. Exceptions will start to take place if you are purchasing an antique or vintage style engagement ring with a lot of extra carat weight of diamonds in the ring itself. Also, some types of engagement ring styles will have very detailed hand engraving, filigree or milgrain details. The more intricate your engagement ring gets, usually the more expensive it gets. Another potential significant cost to your engagement ring setting is the type of precious metal you choose. 14 Karat Gold Engagement Rings will be the most affordable option, in either white or yellow gold. 18 karat gold engagement rings will usually cost a little bit more. ($200 more per ring at www.SecretDiamond.com) That’s because an engagement ring made from 18k gold will have more gold in the ring. 14k gold engagement rings are approximately 58% gold, and 18k gold rings will be 75% gold. More gold in the ring, increases the cost of the ring. That is also why an engagement ring with a thicker band will cost more. The thicker the band, the more gold that is required to make it. The same principal applies to Platinum engagement ring settings. Platinum is the rarest metal on Earth, therefor it is very expensive. A simple solitaire engagement ring setting made in platinum, can increase the cost of the ring by $300 to $500. And if you are buying a platinum ring with a thicker style band, the cost can go up another $1500 to $2500. I have even seen platinum engagement ring settings cost as much as $10,000 with out a center diamond even included yet. Many times they may also have a significant amount of accent diamonds too, which contributes to the overall cost. That is the #1 reason why many people choose not to buy platinum engagement ring settings. A solitaire engagement ring setting will be your most economical choice. Typically they are not overly thick, and a solitaire engagement ring won’t have any accent diamonds to drive up the cost of the setting. So if you buy a solitaire setting, you will have 3 things that save you money. They are thinner, not intricately designed, and have no accent diamonds to drive up the overall cost. Three things that will all save you money. And please don’t feel that you are settling for anything less if you buy a solitaire engagement ring. They have a very simple form of classical elegance to them that has always been very popular in the past, and will always be very popular in the future. Besides, you will have more money left over to spend on the center diamond itself. You can get a bigger and/or nicer diamond. Many couples decide to purchase a solitaire engagement ring band so they can afford a bigger/nicer diamond, and then buy a fancy engagement ring setting in the future when they can afford it easier.

Next we will discuss the all important diamond purchase. Make sure to come back and read the upcoming section of our guide because buying the best diamond for your money is easy to do once you learn how. We will teach what the most important factors are when selecting your center diamond, and teach you a few tricks on how to save some cash.

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Engagement Ring Trends

Are you searching for the latest "Engagement Ring Trends" and new ideas for your engagement ring? Choosing an engagement ring is a personal choice that will almost certainly require a lot of different decisions. The choices are almost endless such as what shape do you want your diamond to be? What type of metal is best suited for your taste and your budget? Are you looking for a simple solitaire diamond engagement ring or a very detailed design with an antique or vintage style. Many engagement rings worn today may even have gemstones such as Emeralds, Topaz or Aquamarine accents. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to your engagement ring except what you like and what you want to spend.

With today’s difficult economic conditions, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many couples to get married. People still meet and fall in love, and then may want to get married eventually. However it’s a well known fact that weddings can be very expensive. When you add up the cost of the engagement ring, the wedding and the honeymoon, it’s no wonder that couples are looking to spend less money wherever they can. Studies have concluded that the average amount of money spent on engagement rings has declined over the past decade or so, and is predicted to decline even more in the future. Exactly why is anybody’s guess. I believe that it maybe for a couple of reasons. #1 is that it is very easy to spend less on an engagement ring when you buy it online. It used to be that only jewelry stores sold engagement rings and could charge as much as they like. They really had very little competition except for a few other local jewelry stores. If each jewelry store kept their prices high, each jewelry store owner would make more money. I often hear from many jewelers that have been in the business for many years about how good the old days were. The days when they had their way with the consumer and unloaded any diamond they wanted for just about anything they wanted to charge. Huge mark-ups and huge profits. Almost like they were doing the newly engaged couple a favor. These old-timers long for those days, but they know things have changed for good with the internet. That is why many small independent jewelry stores are going out of business. They just can’t compete with the new way of buying diamonds. The internet makes saving thousands of dollars on your engagement ring entirely possible with all of the competition out there. And you will certainly have many more styles of engagement rings to choose from. The 2nd reason for people spending less on their engagement ring is just simply the economy. People’s average salaries are not keeping up with inflation. And then of course there are the lay-offs. Gone are the days of working for a company for 35 years and retiring at 62 or 65 with a full pension. Many workers today may not be able to retire at all. And even if you are working for a stable company, it just seems that it’s getting harder everyday to get married, buy a house and raise children, and still have money left over for your retirement. I know many couples that are in a 2 income household with good careers and still have trouble making ends meet. So whatever the reason may be, the trend is that people are spending less on engagement rings than they did before.

Another "Engagement Ring Trend" is White Gold Engagement Rings. Without a doubt, white gold is sold at least 5 to 1 over yellow gold engagement rings, Platinum Engagement Rings & Palladium Engagement Rings at our diamond company. And just like Yellow Gold, your engagement ring can be made with 14K or 18K white gold. There are probably a couple of reasons for this trend. The first reason is because white gold tends to keep your diamonds looking whiter. A Yellow gold ring can give a little bit of yellowish tinge to your diamond in some cases. Years ago, yellow gold was the metal of choice for diamond engagement rings and just like all things in fashion, it tends to be cyclical. White gold was invented after the 1st world war and ever since then, white gold and yellow gold rings have rotated in popularity. However at least for the last 5 years or more, white gold has stayed as the most popular choice for engagement rings. Platinum is also a very popular choice for it’s naturally white properties, sturdy makeup, and hypoallergenic properties. However platinum is too expensive for many couples and some of the engagement rings that we offer would just be too heavy in platinum. Palladium is the newest metal for engagement rings and is quickly becoming a very popular choice. Like platinum, Palladium Engagement Rings are naturally white and hypoallergenic. They are also about 12% harder than platinum diamond rings. The only draw back to palladium is that not very many companies know how to work with it, so you might have to send it back to us for maintenance, repairs and re-sizing if needed. With all things considered, white gold is still the most popular engagement ring metal of choice, and I seeing it staying that way for the foreseeable future. Just remember that any white gold engagement ring will need to have it’s rhodium plating redone periodically to keep it looking white. Palladium and platinum will not require that maintenance procedure.

The shape of the center diamond is another part of an engagement ring that is subject to trends. Years ago, Marquise shaped diamonds were very popular. Then there was a time that Emerald shaped diamonds were popular. Round diamonds have been very popular, because they are the most sparkly when cut properly. However the diamond shape that I see being the most popular today is "The Princess Cut". At times, we sell more princess cut diamonds than any other diamond shape, including rounds. There is no doubt that round brilliant diamonds have always been the top seller, but Princess cut diamonds have got to be right up there. I don’t know if it is just the name "Princess" (what bride doesn’t want to be a princess on her wedding day?) or if it’s because many women are just sick of seeing round diamonds everywhere. I do think there is a little bit of mystique to the Princess name in a diamond that dates back to her childhood fairy tales, but I could be wrong. So to recap. Round diamonds have always been popular and remain so today, but The Princess Diamond is certainly the newest engagement ring trend in diamond shapes.

The last thing that I see as a trend in engagement rings is the style and design of the engagement ring. Just like round diamonds, Solitaire diamond rings have always been popular and remain so today. I also see them being very popular for many years to come. A big advantage to a solitaire engagement ring is that you are not spending very much money on the engagement ring setting itself (unless it’s platinum) and you will have more money available to spend on the actual diamond itself, if you wish. Solitaires also require less maintenance because you don’t have a bunch of little diamonds (micropave diamonds) that can come loose or fall out. However antique style or vintage style engagement rings are super hot today. Just like all things in fashion, antique style and vintage style rings are coming back around in popularity. The only difference though is that the last time antique style or vintage style engagement rings were hot, they were the real thing. They were not antique style or vintage style back in the early 20th century, they were just a new engagement ring. Many people would like to buy an antique engagement ring, but there are a lot of potential drawbacks to them, so they opt for a new engagement ring with an antique style. However many antique engagement rings are handed down from generation to generation and are worn today by many new brides. Antique or vintage style engagement rings will almost always have milgrain and/or filigree details and possibly micropave diamonds incorporated in to their design. An antique style engagement ring can literally be a masterpiece of craftsmanship and design. They can truly be one of the most beautiful engagement rings that you will ever see, however you will usually pay have to more for them.

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Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings

	What are "Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings" exactly? Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings are a type of diamond engagement ring that has just a single diamond placed in the center of the ring on the top side. Another term that is often used is an abbreviated version called Solitaire. If the diamond engagement ring you are choosing has any other diamonds included whatsoever, it will not be a solitaire in the strictest sense of the term. However there are many other simple designs of engagement rings that look almost like a solitaire, but technically they are not. Solitaire engagement rings are the oldest form of the "engagement ring" since the tradition began hundreds of years ago. Solitaire diamond engagement rings come in many forms and are available in all shapes and sizes of diamonds. Even though they have a very simple design, the number of choices you have are almost endless. In fact, they are the most flexible engagement ring in terms of how many options you have. The first option you will have is the shape of the solitaire diamond. The following diamond shapes are available: Asscher Cushion Emerald Heart Marquise Oval Pear Princess Radiant Round Trillion Those are the 11 most popular diamond shapes to choose from. There are many more shapes available, however they are not the mainstream diamond shapes. The next decision you will have to make is the size of the solitaire diamond for the ring. This may be determined by your budget more than anything else. The most popular size for solitaire diamonds today is 1 carat, however diamonds are available in all carat sizes. "Carat weight" is the correct term as the word "carat" refers to the weight of a diamond and not it’s size. However a heavier carat weight will usually mean that you will have a larger diamond. The smallest diamonds are 1/100th of a carat and are often referred to as micropave diamonds. Diamonds this small are not used for solitaire diamond engagement rings. They are typically used in designer, vintage or antique style engagement rings as accent diamonds in the band of the ring, or around the center diamond giving it a "Halo Diamond Engagement Rings" effect. Typically a solitaire diamond engagement ring will start with a diamond that is at least 1/4 carat. Traditionally 1/2 carat solitaire diamond engagement rings were very popular, but the desire for a larger diamond is more popular today. There are also solitaires that are available in 3/4 carat diamonds, as well as 1 1/4 carat, 1 1/2 carat, 1 3/4 carat, 2.0 carats and much larger. The size of the diamond you choose is only limited by your budget and her personal taste. Many new brides do not want a large diamond for their ring. They may feel that it is too expensive or too "Showy" for them. You should never feel pressured to purchase a particular carat weight diamond and you should never purchase one that is more expensive than you can afford. The next choice you will have to make for your solitaire diamond engagement ring is the type of metal. The type of metal and the thickness of the band will determine how much it costs. A Plain 14k gold band that is on the thinner side (2mm) may only cost a couple of hundred bucks, while a thicker platinum band can cost over $1,000. (Platinum is the rarest precious metal on earth and therefor your most expensive choice) The thicker the band becomes, the more Karats it will require. That will increase your cost as engagement ring bands are made from precious metals. "Karat" and not "Carat" is the proper spelling if you are referring to gold, rather than diamonds. Diamonds are weighed by carat weight with a "C". "24 Karat" gold is solid gold. "14 Karat" gold is 14 parts of gold out of 24 parts or approximately 58% gold. "18 Karat" gold is 18 parts of gold out of 24 parts and approximately 75% gold. Because 18 Karat gold engagement rings have a higher gold content, they will cost more than 14 Karat gold engagement rings. You will also have to think about what style of solitaire diamond engagement ring band you want. There are many choices of designs such as the classic "Tiffany Style" solitaire or a "Cathedral Style" Solitaire band. And all of the different styles will be available in different thicknesses. The thicker the band, the more it will cost. When thinking about the type of precious metal to choose, you can buy Platinum (Most expensive), Palladium, 14k white gold, 18k white gold, 14k yellow gold and 18k yellow gold. Most engagement ring companies will not offer palladium solitaire diamond engagement rings, however Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond offer all of our engagement rings in Palladium. White gold is by far the most popular choice for engagement rings and certainly for solitaires. You will only have to choose between 18k and 14k white gold. If your partner is allergic to nickel (used as a mixer metal) you may consider palladium or platinum solitaires as these are hypoallergenic choices. The last thing to consider is the size of her engagement ring finger. The engagement ring finger may be a different size than her other fingers. Most engagement ring companies will only offer their engagement rings in 1/2 sizes, however Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond offers their engagement rings in quarter sizes for a more comfortable fit. See our page on ways to get the size of her engagement ring finger without her knowing here.

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Independent GIA Appraisals and Independent GIA Certificates

It seems that some people searching for diamond engagement rings are becoming a little confused over the term Independent GIA Appraisals and Independent GIA Certificates. We have been asked a lot lately if there is such a thing as an "Independent" Gia Appraisal/Certification. The short and easy answer is No.

If you really want a GIA certified diamond and you are willing to pay for it, then call us at 651-263-5121. We have access to the same diamond databases that you see on all of the other websites out there. We will find you that GIA certified diamond for a very fair price. But we won’t try to fool you in to thinking you are buying a GIA certified, "Fracture-Filled" clarity enhanced diamond. You may want to read more about "Fracture-Filled versus Laser Drilled" clarity enhanced diamond here.

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Diamonds & Engagement Rings Require Maintenance

Although I am sure you have heard that a diamond can last forever and that they are the hardest known substance on earth, you might be surprised to learn that they are not indestructible. Diamonds & engagement rings require maintenance in order to preserve their beauty and prevent damage from occurring. Surprisingly the person you may trust the most to handle your diamonds properly, may also be the person that is most likely to chip or crack your diamond.

The fact is: Engagement Ring Insurance Is Easy & Engagement Ring Insurance Is Affordable. There is a company online that insures engagement rings for a very reasonable fee. Last time we checked, the cost to insure an engagement ring was approximately 1% of the purchase price. So if you purchase an engagement ring for $3,500 from us, you can insure it for just $35 dollars a year! That’s affordable. The company is called Jewelers Mutual and you can find them at www.jewelersmutual.com. Just call them and ask them how much it is to insure your engagement ring. Their prices may vary a little bit, but whatever the cost is, your engagement ring is worth it.

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Laser Drilled Or Fracture Filled Clarity Enhanced Diamonds

Are the companies on the internet selling laser drilled or fracture filled clarity enhanced diamonds?

It seems that there is a company advertising that his diamonds are just "Cleaned up with a laser." This gives the implication that the diamonds he is selling are "laser drilled" and not "fracture filled" clarity enhanced diamonds.

There are 2 types of clarity enhanced diamonds.

#1) The first type is called "Fracture Filled". This is where the diamond has an imperfection referred to as a feather. The word feather is another name for a fracture in the diamond. These diamonds have a small amount of material injected in to the fracture of the diamond. This material has the same optical properties as the diamond itself. This makes the feather "visually" disappear. The key word here being "Visually." You see, the fracture is still in the diamond, you just don’t see it. It makes the diamond look eye-clean. There is nothing wrong with doing this and quite frankly you can save thousands of dollars purchasing a diamond this way and still have a diamond that appears extremely nice to the naked eye.

However the problem is that when you buy this type of diamond, you should be made well aware of it. You should not be tricked into thinking that you are buying a "Laser-Drilled" diamond.

There is a big difference in value of between laser-drilled diamonds and fracture filled diamonds. Laser Drilled diamonds are more valuable and the cost of them will be much closer to that of regular non-enhanced diamonds. There are also some small alterations you have to make in order to keep the "Enhancement Material" from coming out of fracture filled diamonds.

#2) Laser drilled diamonds are a type of diamond that typically will have small mineral spots in them that are still visible to the naked eye. A laser is used to drill a microscopic hole in the diamond and then the diamond is soaked in acid. This will bleach out the dark mineral spots thereby making it a diamond with "enhanced clarity." The reason this is more valuable is because the diamond did not have a visible fracture in it, and the process of laser drilling a diamond is a "permanent fix."

GIA will never grade fracture-filled clarity enhanced diamonds. The reason they will not grade clarity enhanced diamonds is because the process can be reversed. (We will re-enhance it for free though) For example: If they give the diamond a clarity grade of VS2, and 10 years later the enhancement process is reversed, the diamond may then look like an SI2. They don’t want a certificate with their name on it saying that this diamond is a VS2.

GIA will certify laser drilled clarity enhanced diamonds because this enhancement process is permanent. They know that once they give the diamond a clarity grade, it will stay that way forever.

Remember that not all clarity enhanced diamonds are the same. There are Laser-Drilled clarity enhanced diamonds, and there are Fracture-Filled Clarity enhanced diamonds. There is nothing else, and there is nothing in between. These are the only 2 types of clarity enhanced diamonds that can exist in engagement rings today. So if you buy a clarity enhanced diamond, you are buying one or the other. Please don’t be mislead in to thinking that you are buying something magical and getting it for thousands of dollars less.

You need to be very specific when you buy a clarity enhanced diamond. You need the ask a question like: "Is this clarity enhanced diamond fracture filled in any way?" Make sure to ask the question in a manner that can not be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

One more thing you should be aware of. An "independent" GIA appraisal/certificate is not the same thing as a GIA appraisal/certificate.

This is a little trick that some sellers of diamonds like to use. Although GIA is a diamond grading laboratory, it is also a school. You can go to GIA and learn how to grade diamonds and then become a GIA certified gemologist. After you have graduated, you can start your own diamond grading lab. You may call yourself an "Independent GIA Certified Gemologist" or "Graduate GIA Gemologist". Because people see the name GIA, they think they are buying a GIA certified diamond and they are not. They are really buying a diamond that has been certified by an independent GIA certified gemologist. THE GEMOLOGIST HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY GIA……NOT THE DIAMOND.
There is nothing wrong with buying a diamond that has been certified by an independent certified GIA gemologist. But you need to know that you are not buying a GIA certified diamond. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT. The reason you need to know that is because GIA is the most respected diamond grading lab in the world and a diamond that has been certified by GIA is the most valuable type of diamond you can buy. Because of this reason, you will also pay more for it.

In order for you to be buying a GIA certified diamond, it has to be graded by GIA itself and carry an actual GIA certificate. This is the case for all diamond engagement rings and loose diamonds claiming to have a GIA certified certificate.

Fracture Filled diamonds are a good deal and will cost you thousands of dollars less than any other type of diamond. However don’t let yourself be duped in to thinking you are buying something else.

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Save Money By Buying A Clarity Enhanced Diamond

Question: I am shopping for an engagement ring and I would like to save money by buying a clarity enhanced diamond, but I am scared. My cousin works for a jewelry store and when I showed them your website, they told me that the diamond will change over time and start to look horrible. Is this true?

The absolute worst case scenario that will happen to your clarity enhanced diamond if the material used to enhanced it is reversed, is you will be able to see the feather that was enhanced. It will not turn in to a black lump of coal, it will not crumble in to a thousand pieces, it will not turn yellow or green, and it will not instantly become worthless. All you have to do is send the diamond back to us and we will re-enhance it for free. Quite frankly a good quality clarity enhanced diamond can even look nicer and still be worth more money if the enhancement process is reversed, than a some diamonds that are not enhanced. If you go out and buy an SI2 diamond with a J color grade and just a good or fair cut, you are not buying a very nice diamond. The SI2 will probably have visible flaws and the J color will look yellow, and with a poor cut grade, your diamond will not sparkle. The argument that all clarity enhanced diamonds are less valuable or less desirable than all non-enhanced diamonds just doesn’t make sense. Does this mean that everyone in the world should just go out and buy clarity enhanced diamonds? No. You have to decide what is the right choice for you. If you don’t mind spending $6,000 to $10,000 on a 1 carat engagement ring, or $15,000 to $25,000 on 2 carat engagement rings, then by all means give us a call. We will gladly offer you the best deal on a GIA certified diamond engagement rings. However if you don’t have that kind of money, or you have it and would rather spend it on something else, you can be rest assured that your clarity enhanced diamond engagement ring will stay beautiful for the rest of your life and we will stand behind it with you.

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Freddy’s Diamond

A Fairytale Story called Freddy’s Diamond

Once upon a time there was a noble man by the name of Freddy. It seems that Freddy was in love with the fairest lady of the land and her name was Princess. Freddy and Princess had been in love since the day they met many years ago and Freddy wanted to marry his fair Princess almost from the start, however he had a big problem. Although he was a noble man, he was just a humble blacksmith for the Royal family and he really did not earn very much money. He knew the love of his life did not really expect very much from him except his never ending devotion. You see, she had assured him many times that their love was not a love born out of material wealth, but a true and lasting love born out of trust and mutual respect for each other. This is why Freddy adored her even more and wanted more than ever to express his love for her with the biggest sparkling diamond engagement ring she had ever imagined. Unfortunately he had a big problem because he had no idea just how expensive diamonds can be.

Fresh with a burning desire to please his fair maiden, Freddy set out on the adventure of his lifetime to find the biggest diamond in the kingdom. His first stop was at the local village jeweler that he heard about from one of his friends. After browsing through the jewelery cases in search of the perfect engagement ring, he was stunned to find out that he was only able to afford a very small diamond. How could this be he asked himself? My precious Princess deserves more than this little diamond! He asked the jeweler if their would be any engagement ring sales coming up so that he might be able to buy a larger diamond. To Freddy’s surprise, the jeweler said that the engagement rings were already discounted and on sale for the cheapest prices he could offer. Freddy tried not to show his disappointment as he pondered to himself, "If all diamonds are this expensive, I will not be able to buy the large, sparkling diamond engagement ring that I dreamed of placing on Princess’s finger on our wedding day." Freddy was heart broken.

That night he decided to go to the local pub and seek out his friend so that he could ask how much he paid for her engagement ring set. Sure enough he found his friend at the pub celebrating with his fiance. When Freddy was able to speak with his friend alone, he asked him how much he had spent. He was shocked to hear that his friend had spent almost $9,000 for her Platinum Engagement Ring Set with a 1 carat center diamond. "Where did you get that kind of money?" he asked his friend. It seems that his friend had the good fortune of winning $10,000 in a recent jousting match. Freddy was again heart broken because he did not know how to joust and he did not have any relatives that could lend him the money to buy their new engagement rings. "What do I do now?" Freddy asked himself. Disappointed, he went home and went to bed.

The following weekend Freddy decided that he would travel to the neighboring village to see if there were any affordable engagement ring sellers. He searched around every corner and stopped in every jewelry store throughout the entire kingdom, only to grow more disappointed with every stop. He spent several days searching and searching, only to discover that he could only afford a 1/2 carat diamond. He couldn’t even afford the white gold engagement ring setting that he had his heart set on.

Just when Freddy was about to give up and go to the village pawn shop to see if he could buy a used engagement ring, he heard a story about a man that saved thousands of dollars by purchasing a clarity enhanced diamond engagement ring online. Even though his parents taught him that when something seems too good to be true it probably is, Freddy decided to look into it anyway just to be safe. It seems that there was a new invention called the internet. Freddy had never heard of the internet before but was amazed when he started browsing online for an engagement ring for Princess. Although many of the prices on diamonds were less expensive than the prices in the village jewelry stores, they were still out of his engagement ring budget. Since Freddy was determined to buy the engagement ring that he had always dreamed of giving to Princess when he proposed, he kept searching the internet. After all, it was so convenient to browse through all of these engagement rings online in the comfort of his home.

After searching online for affordable diamonds, Freddy finally found the website he was searching for. "How appropriate that it was called Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond", he thought. He discovered that he could easily afford the huge diamond that he had always wanted to buy Princess. Now his only trouble was deciding which beautiful engagement ring to choose. He found many styles that he had never seen before. New styles and designs that he liked even more than the one he saw from the fancy overpriced designer. After asking many of Princess’s friends for their opinions, he finally picked one & made the purchase online with his credit card. He couldn’t believe it when he found out that he didn’t even have to pay the king’s high sales tax. It was so easy and secure. He was even able to read many of the reviews & testimonials about the company that he found online that made him feel very comfortable with his purchase. 7-10 days later the new engagement ring arrived at Freddy’s cottage door. After signing for the package that was delivered overnight free of charge, via fully insured FedEx delivery, he opened it up. Included inside was a beautiful ring box and a certified appraisal that was also included free of charge. He wasted no time and immediately planned a romantic getaway with Princess.

Although the fairytale story called Freddy’s Diamond started out as a sad one, you will be happy to learn that Princess said yes when Freddy proposed and they lived happily ever after.

The End

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Cleaning & Care For Clarity Enhanced Diamonds

First let us say that your clarity enhanced diamond is very much like any diamond that you may purchase. Cleaning & caring for clarity enhanced diamonds is really quite simple and will require no more time than other diamond jewelry you may purchase. They are set in engagement rings, diamond earrings and diamond jewelry of all kinds. Please be confident that you can wear it, admire it and enjoy it just as you would any other diamond. In fact, the most respected diamond grading laboratory in the world, The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has stated that the clarity enhancement process is stable under normal wear and tear conditions.

If you are comfortable with this technique, you may also try using Vodka to clean your clarity enhanced diamonds with. It actually works quite well and is totally safe for your diamond. If for any reason these techniques for cleaning and caring for your clarity enhanced diamonds are not adequate for you, just call us toll free at 1-877-999-9920 to discuss further options for all of your diamond jewelry care.

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Purchasing Diamonds & Engagement Rings Online

Over the years we have answered numerous questions from customers about purchasing their diamonds and engagement rings online. It seems that most people are very interested in the idea of buying diamonds or engagement rings online for a couple of reasons. The main reason we hear is that our prices are dramatically less expensive than those of their local jewelry store. This is really not surprising when you consider why. The first reason why we are less expensive is low overhead. We do not have fancy jewelry stores that have a significant amount of overhead. Think about all of the expenses that jewelry stores have that we do not. Many jewelry stores may have only 1 or 2 locations. These stores can only sell to the local customer base, so they have to spend an enormous amount of money on advertising to convince the locals to buy from them instead of online. Typically they are not selling their engagement rings worldwide like we are, and in many cases they may not even have a website to display their diamond rings. At Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond, we do not spend a single penny on advertising, throughout most of the year. Lets say that a local jewelry store has an advertising budget of $50,000. (Not really that much) Just imagine how many diamonds or engagement rings have to be sold, just to pay for that advertising. Again consider that they are more than likely, only selling to their local customer base. I think you would be surprised to hear how few engagement rings some jewelry stores actually sell. That advertising expense is added to the cost of your diamond engagement ring.

The second reason why we are much less expensive is because we work directly with the diamond importers, right at the source. Unlike your typical jewelry store that has maybe 3-4 companies that mark-up the diamond before it gets to them, with Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond you are buying a diamond that has the fewest number of companies marking up the diamond before it gets to you possible! Fewer companies marking up the diamond, means a lower cost to you. Now when you have sold as many diamond engagement rings online worldwide as we have, you have a very large base of happy customers. Just read our testimonials page located at the link below to see what our satisfied customers have to say about our Engagement Rings Store. Also please feel free to visit our Better Business Bureau page to see that we are a proud member of the BBB online, and in excellent standing.

Again this means lower prices to you. Why? Because we receive many sales referred to us by other satisfied customers. Customers that refer us to their family members, co-workers and best friends. In business they say that the best form of advertising is "Word of Mouth" advertising. When we sell an engagement ring to someone that is referred to us by our happy customers, that sale cost us nothing in advertising dollars. That means that we do not have to "Add The Cost Of Advertising" to the price of our engagement rings, which means additional savings to you, our future customer.

We want you to know that at Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond, we take "Word of Mouth" advertising very seriously. We are very proud of our commitment to our customers (Past, Present and Future Customers) And we want you to know that we will work very hard to earn your trust, and to make you our next satisfied customer. We want to earn YOUR future business, as well as all of the future business you refer to us including YOUR family members, co-workers and friends.

I think it is important to note that this is not an article meant to criticize your local jewelry store. Everyone I know would like to spend their money in a local community business, including us at Secret Diamond. Also, a jewelry store can add a certain value to your engagement ring buying experience. You will actually be able to see, touch, feel and try on the engagement ring before you buy it. And it will most likely be easier to have your engagement ring worked on for routine maintenance, or cleanings without having to ship it back to us. However if you are working with a limited budget, or you have the money & you just don’t want to pay a lot more than you have to, buying diamonds or engagement rings from our online store is without a doubt, the best way to save.

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Very Cheap Engagement Rings

Sometimes we are asked about very cheap engagement rings by couples working with a tight budget. First you would have to ask yourself if you really want a very cheap engagement ring, or just a nice quality engagement ring at an affordable price. Since cheap can have 2 different meanings, my guess is that people really mean affordable engagement rings. Everyone wants a cheap price, but nobody wants cheap quality. Unfortunately often times when you pay a cheap price, you get cheap quality. The key to purchasing a really cheap engagement ring and getting good quality, is to do your homework first and study diamond quality (The 4 C’s). Realize that you do not need to purchase an engagement ring that is Flawless in clarity, or even VVS in clarity. The vast majority of diamond buyers out there, just want their diamond to be bright and sparkly, without visible inclusions. This means that you can often times go as low as SI1 clarity, and still have a clean to the naked eye diamond. (You will not see imperfections with the naked eye-No magnification) This is particularly true when buying a GIA certified diamond, since their grading standards are the most strict in the world. If you buy a GIA certified diamond, you can be rest assured that it is EXACTLY the grade they say it is. After all, they invented the diamond grading system that is in use worldwide today by every single company in the diamond industry. Unfortunately, this also means that a GIA certified diamond will probably not qualify as a "Very Cheap Diamond." Quite frankly, they are typically the most expensive diamond that you can buy. Any diamond that is GIA certified, will command a premium as opposed to diamonds certified by almost all other labs. However if you would like to purchase the best quality diamond that money can buy, at least you know that you can save some money by lowering your clarity grade a bit. A higher clarity grade diamond will not necessarily look better than a lower clarity grade diamond.

The clarity grade of a diamond is really not nearly as important as the "Cut Grade" or "Color Grade" of a diamond when it comes to how much it will sparkle or how good it looks to your eyes. If you don’t have an unlimited budget to work with, just make sure the diamond is clean to the naked eye, and then get the best "Cut Grade" you can afford. Remember that it’s the "Cut Grade" that will determine how much your diamond will sparkle! Don’t allow yourself to be fooled by a jeweler that is trying to sell you a VVS1 or VVS2 diamond by telling you that you have to buy a high clarity grade diamond in order for it to look good. That is just not true in most cases!
Now as far as color grade goes, that is a little bit more complicated when it comes to Very cheap diamonds that still look good. You see, the "Color Grade" of a diamond is something that you CAN SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE. And since some people are more sensitive to color than others, this can get a little bit tricky to recommend. The vast majority of customers that I speak with, want a diamond that is as white as possible. Most people don’t want a diamond that looks yellow, unless of course they are buying a "Fancy Yellow" diamond. (That’s another subject) So I am often asked, "What color grade diamond is the best to buy if I want a cheaper price, but still not get a diamond that appears too yellow?" To start with, I highly recommend that you look at our diamond color grade charts available on this page. http://www.secretdiamond.com/info/diamondcolorinfo.htm

It is important to note here that the diamond grading scale begins with "D", not "A". This is because in years past, before GIA invented the 4 C’s, there was no universal standard method for diamond grading. Diamonds grades were called all sorts of different things by different jewelers. So when GIA invented the 4 C’s, they wanted to start fresh. They did not want to be confused with the way diamonds were graded in the past. Now let’s get back to "Color Grade".

Even though D, E and F color grade diamonds are all in the "colorless category" of diamonds, only "D" color grade diamonds are truly colorless. Let’s repeat that. Only a diamond that is graded "D" in color grade, is truly colorless. Every letter after that, you are getting a diamond that is slightly more yellow in color, than the grade before it. So an "E" diamond has just a tiny little bit if color to it. An "F" diamond has a slight bit more, and so-on. However "E & F" color grade diamonds have so little color present, that GIA decided to place them in the same "Colorless Category" as D. The same method applies to diamonds in the "Near Colorless" category. These diamonds are "G, H, I and J" Now remember, every color grade you go down the scale, the diamond gets a little bit more yellow. So by the time you get to "J", you are 6 color grades away from a colorless diamond (That’s quite a bit), even though it’s in the same "Near Colorless" category as "G".

(I would also like to mention here that at least to my eyes, it is very difficult to see a difference in diamond color grades that are only 1 color grade apart, like between F & G. It becomes a little easier to see the difference, when there is a 2 color grade difference, like F & H)

In my own opinion, "J" color grade diamonds start to look too yellow for my own personal taste, especially in certain types of lighting. For instance, you can really see the yellow color in bright sunlight. The only way I would personally buy a "J" color grade diamond, is if it was graded by "GIA" (remember they are very strict) and it was very well cut, maybe even "Ideal Cut". The massive sparkle from an Ideal cut diamond, will help hide the yellow color of a diamond. However an ideal cut "J" color grade diamond, will not look as impressive as an Ideal cut diamond with a better color grade. That is just my opinion. I am sure there will be some people reading this with "J" color grade diamonds, that disagree. More power to you! Again I would like to mention that some people are more sensitive to diamond color than others.

Now let’s get back to the subject of "Very Cheap Engagement Rings" and "Very Cheap Diamonds". The color grade of a diamond is somewhere that you can save some money on diamond engagement rings. You don’t have to buy a "D" color grade diamond for it to look good. I have even had customers tell me that they are actually TOO CLEAR, that they actually like a little bit of color. (Beauty is in the eye of the beholder) That’s why I would venture to say (again in my own opinion) that you don’t even have to buy an "E" or "F" color grade diamond for it to look pretty darn good. If you want to save money on your diamond engagement ring, most people would be pretty happy with the appearance of a "G" color grade diamond. Many honest jewelers will tell you that if you want to get the most "Bang For The Buck" when buying a diamond, consider buying a "G" color grade diamond. They are still pretty colorless looking, and they will cost less than D, E and F. (Maybe put some of the money you saved towards getting a better "Cut Grade?!)

RECAP: So if you are looking for "very cheap engagement rings" or "very cheap diamonds", you can go as low as SI1 clarity grade (Especially GIA certified) and as low as "G" color grade (again especially if GIA certified). This is called a G/SI1 diamond. But please remember, try not to sacrifice on "Cut Grade". I would strongly recommend that you don’t go any lower than "Very Good" cut grade. And even consider buying "Ideal Cut Grade" if you can afford it.

Tip: Before you save money by purchasing a diamond online, consider visiting a local jewelry store to look at diamond color grades in person. This may help you see for yourself how sensitive you are to color. But be aware of the tricks jewelers use to make all of the diamonds they sell look good. It’s common to have special lighting in jewelry stores that help their diamonds look whiter. Ask them for a white cloth to place diamonds on. If they have a "D" color grade diamond, use that for comparison. You can also place your hand above the diamond to block the "Special Lighting". Then look at the diamonds. Also don’t forget to flip the diamonds over and look at them from the underside, if they are loose and not set in a ring. Some diamonds "Face Up" white, but are actually yellowish in color. If you can’t look at the diamond from underneath because it is set in a ring, look at it from the side. Just don’t be fooled by tricks. Do your due
diligence.

Another way to save money on diamonds and engagement rings, is to buy a diamond that weighs just slightly less than what is referred to as a "Key Weight". In other words, buy a .98 carat instead of a 1.0 carat diamond. Or buy a 1.98 carat diamond instead of a 2.0 carat diamond. Once a diamond hits 1.0 carat, the "Price Per Carat" goes up. And when a diamond hits 2.0 carats, the "Price Per Carat" goes up. If you go just slightly under these "Key Weights", your diamond will probably look just as big, but your price tag won’t! We will write more about this "Money Saving" method later, so check this blog often for more diamond buying tips that will help you save. You see at Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond, we don’t sell engagement rings with cheap quality, we sell exceptional quality engagement rings with cheap prices.

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Although round diamonds have been the most popular diamond shape in years past, the Princess Cut is quickly gaining ground. What is it about this particular diamond shape that is making it more popular by the day? Is it the name; Princess Cut? Is it the brilliance of the diamond? Or Is it the price? Yes, if all things are equal, Princess Shape Diamonds are generally less expensive than round shape diamonds. This is because there is less waste created when cutting a princess diamond than a round diamond. (A princess cut will typically yield approximately 60% to 62% of it’s original rough diamond weight) However based upon my experience speaking with thousands of our customers, the cheaper price does not seem to be the primary factor when purchasing their engagement rings or diamond stud earrings. The number one reason for considering this beautiful shaped diamond is for it’s unique qualities.

I think it’s important to note that a very desirable quality of a princess cut diamond is to have it’s measurements as square as possible. Princess diamonds that are more rectangular rather than perfectly square, are generally less expensive and less desirable. Always look for as close to perfectly square as possible in your princess engagement ring or stud earrings. A length to width ratio of 1.05 or less is recommended.

The Princess Cut was invented in 1980 and is known as a brilliant cut diamond, rather than a step cut, like an emerald shape. It’s 4 corners are sharp and uncut, unlike that of a radiant. Depending upon how the diamond is cut, it will typically result in a diamond that has either 50 facets ( 21 on the crown, 4 on the girdle, & 25 facets on the pavilion)
It can also be cut in a manner that produces 58 facets. This type of cut will yield 21 facets on the crown, 4 on the girdle, and 33 facets on the pavilion.

Stay Tuned For Additional Facts About The “Princess Cut”

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