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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
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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.
Engagement Ring Trends
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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.
There is a common theme that an engagement ring should cost 2-3 months of the groom’s salary. This may be true for some new couples, however we see it go a lot higher than that with some couples, and a lot less for others. We advise that you not spend more than you can comfortably afford in any situation. You don’t want to enter in to a new marriage with money troubles if you can help it, especially considering how often money problems can cause trouble in marriages. That leads us to our first engagement ring trend.
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.
Diamond Engagement Rings Secrets
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What are the top diamond engagement rings secrets and the most important diamonds-secrets for the best price? The first thing you need to know is that it’s no secret buying diamonds and engagement rings online from diamond website companies is much cheaper than buying diamonds and engagement rings at jewelers. Jewelry stores engagement rings are often times thousands of dollars more than engagement rings companies online. White gold engagement rings are the least expensive when buying 14k white gold engagement rings as opposed to 18k white gold engagement rings. The same thing applies to 14k yellow gold engagement rings as opposed to 18k yellow gold engagement rings. Palladium engagement rings are less expensive than Platinum engagement rings, and a platinum diamond engagement ring will be the most expensive option of all depending upon the diamond secrets you learn about first.
Learning diamond secrets will almost always save you money on high quality certified diamonds for engagement rings and diamonds of all kinds including fancy color diamonds. Fancy colored diamonds are not cheap though, with fancy pink diamonds being the most expensive fancy diamond color of all. Engagement rings and diamonds secrets can save you money on all kinds of diamonds and engagement rings including vintage style engagement rings and antique style engagement rings with micropave diamonds. Stop paying too much for diamonds when it’s not necessary. Learn what you need to know when buying diamonds and engagement rings online from website diamond companies to show the sellers of engagement rings that you know more than they think to buy the best diamonds for the money.
The previous 2 paragraphs are an example of the type of blog you want to stay away from. Engagement ring companies online that run a blog like that are not interested in teaching you about diamonds at all, and are probably more interested in the quick, "one time sale". Believe it or not, there are actually a couple of companies online that run a blog like that with a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, that quite frankly makes no sense. Pay close attention to a companies website blog and you will learn a lot about that company and where their focus is. Blogs are a good way for an online diamond company to obtain visitors to their website and the companies that run blogs like that, really do not have any thing good to teach you, and in many cases are actually trying to confuse you about diamonds. You may also hear something along the lines of "Don’t buy into all the hype. The more you learn about diamonds, the more you are going to spend." I can’t imagine for one second how teaching yourself about diamonds is a bad thing. Consider that you are about to spend a sizable amount of money regardless of who you buy your diamond from or what type of diamond you buy. Even clarity enhanced diamonds will cost at least a couple thousand dollars or more depending upon various factors, such as the size and quality of the diamond. When you buy a diamond, you should go slow and ask questions. After teaching yourself as much as you can, if there is anything that you don’t understand completely, ask a professional diamond dealer. If you feel that he/she is trying to rush you through the process of buying a diamond, don’t do it. They may very well have something up their sleeve that they are trying to hide from you. Buying a diamond is a serious venture. Do it right and do it slow. "Diamond Engagement Rings Secrets" 101
Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings
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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:
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
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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.
You have a contradiction in terms when you say the words "Independent" and "GIA certified" in the same description. You see you are probably thinking the word "independent" is being used by the diamond merchant to reference GIA as the independent source of the certificate or appraisal he will furnish you with. However the diamond merchant may very well be using the word "Independent" to describe a certificate or appraisal that will be furnished by someone completely other than GIA. The only reason he is including GIA in the same sentence, is because he is twisting the real meaning to fool you.
You see this diamond merchant knows very well that you are probably trying to teach yourself all about diamonds, by reading everything you can find about diamonds online. And you are probably trying your very best to make sure you get the nicest diamond for the most affordable price. You don’t want to be the one to get rip-offed. I mean who does?
So as you start to browse through the thousands of pages available online to learn about diamonds and engagement rings, you probably start to hear about "GIA Certified Diamonds". There is no doubt that you will hear nothing but good words about GIA certified diamonds. This is because GIA certified diamonds will command the highest price of any type of certified diamond. GIA certified diamonds are the"Gold Standard" when it comes to buying diamonds.
So most people will start to search for diamond engagement rings with GIA certified diamonds. As you browse through the many diamond businesses online and start to see their prices on GIA certified diamonds, most people start to become a little surprised to say the least. You probably have already started to learn a little bit about diamonds by now, so you look for diamonds with good color, good clarity and good cut grade, along with the carat weight you had your heart set on. When you start to see the prices for GIA certified diamonds with all of the characteristics that you desire, most people become very surprised at how expensive they are. After all, you are not in the diamond business and it may very well be the first time buying diamonds for you, so who can blame you for being a little bit surprised to learn that a 1 1/2 carat round brilliant diamond can cost easily $14,000 for something along the lines of an F/SI1 with "Ideal Cut". (That doesn’t include an actual engagement ring setting yet) Now let’s add a setting to that. If you just want a simple & traditional solitaire setting, you are in luck. You are probably only going to have to add a couple hundred bucks to that. But if you want something with some diamonds on it, like the antique or vintage inspired rings that are so popular today, you are probably going to have to add a couple of thousand dollars more to the cost of the center diamond. Thousands of dollars more if you buy the setting from a jewelry store. (And certainly thousands of dollars more for the center diamond if you buy THAT from a jewelry store too) I mean you could easily spend $20,000 on an engagement ring with those specs in any jewelry store. (So much for that idea!) I don’t care if you have the $20,000 to spend, who wants to spend that kind of money on an engagement ring in today’s economic climate. Put it in the bank or invest it, you might need it.
OK. Now if you are like me, you say to yourself, "I don’t believe it, I am going to shop around and find a steal of a bargain. It must be out there somewhere! There is now way every diamond business is charging that kind of money!"
So you keep looking, and yet you still keep seeing pretty much the same prices. You see, the prices on GIA certified diamonds are all going to be very similar online. That’s because you are seeing pretty much the same diamonds and GIA certified diamond prices are "Regulated" so to speak by Rapaport. It’s kind of like the "Blue Book" of car values. The only difference in price you will see is in the markup. And this difference will be very little because you are buying your diamond online and the prices of GIA diamonds online are already marked up VERY LITTLE as opposed to your local jewelry store. So there is not a whole lot of room to discount GIA certified diamonds. The margins are pretty small. You also need to know that the diamonds you are seeing on these diamond websites are not their diamonds. They are part of a national database that is uploaded to their website. You could find the exact same diamond on many different websites. All of those websites that are offering that diamond for sale are buying it from the cutter for the same price, and then marking it up to you as a retail transaction. No-one actually has the diamond in their possession. It is just sitting at the diamond cutter and whoever sells it first, gets it. That’s why it’s always important to call first if you find a diamond online, to see if it is still available. It may have been sold by another diamond website company. I have heard stories from people that purchased a diamond from an online database, only to receive a call from the retailer saying that the diamond has "Just been sold". What they are really saying is that another website sold it before we could. (We actually have our clarity enhanced diamonds in inventory-That’s very rare in a diamond business)
Then all of the sudden "Presto" just like magic, a GIA certified diamond for only a couple thousand dollars. (Or so you think!)
You can’t believe your eyes! The secret source that you have been searching for has just appeared right before you very eyes. You knew that if you searched the internet long enough, it would magically appear sooner or later. You look at the website and it even says that the diamonds come with an "Independent GIA Appraisal" Could this really be? GIA certified diamonds for thousands of dollars less than EVERYWHERE else? Then the skeptic in you kicks in. I better call them and ask a few questions just to make sure. So you call. Yep, sure enough, the person on the phone tells you that your diamond will come with an "Indepenent GIA appraisal". Holy Toledo Batman, you just found the Magic source. Sherlock Homes would be proud of you.
There is just one small little catch though. The diamond has "Been Cleaned Up With A Laser" you know, the same kind you might find in a dermatologist’s office, or for laser eye surgery.
Well that doesn’t seem like such a big deal, after all, technology has come such a long way. Certainly they can do it to diamonds too. It’s still a GIA certified diamond you think to yourself. After all, the guy on the phone told you that it comes with an Independent GIA Appraisal. How could that be twisted around? So now you embark on even more research before you actually but that "GIA certified diamond". You find that there are these things called clarity enhanced diamonds. You may also find that a "Laser Drilled" diamond may be certified by GIA, and they are also referred to as clarity enhanced diamonds. "That must be the diamond that this guy is selling me", you start to think. But that is still not a big deal, because it is still a good deal, and "Laser Drilled" diamonds are still pretty valuable. This guy must just have a really good source that allows him to sell them for thousands of dollars less than EVERYWHERE ELSE.
Well Sherlock Homes, I am going to let you in on a little secret. The diamond he is selling you is not a GIA certified diamond. As a matter of fact, it has not been certified by GIA at all. It’s not even a "Laser Drilled" Diamond. It is clarity enhanced though. But it’s a "Fracture-Filled" clarity enhanced diamond. The only reason he is using the phrase "Independent GIA Appraisal" is because it was certified by a company that has a GIA graduate gemologist on staff, that certifies the diamonds. It’s a twist on definitions. You see the diamond is not GIA certified, the gemologist is. He went to GIA to get his/her graduate gemologist degree, and now he/she is a "Graduate GIA Gemologist". Some diamond ring companies like to conveniently refer to him/her as a "Certified GIA Gemologist". GET THE PICTURE
The bad news is that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and what your mom taught you is true. "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is".
Just like everything else in the world, you get what you pay for when you buy a diamond.
The good news is that a "Fracture-Filled" clarity enhanced diamond can truly be a good deal and still look extremely beautiful. There is nothing wrong with that. You will pay thousands of dollars less and you will get a good deal on a nice looking diamond. But don’t let yourself be fooled in to thinking that you are buying some magically discounted GIA certified diamond. It doesn’t exist. But you are certainly welcome to keep trying.
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.
What type of certified diamond are you really buying?
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It seems that many people in search of buying a certified diamond are running in to a little bit of confusion. Many of these people believe that they are buying a GIA certified diamond when in fact, they are not. It’s not necessarily that the person selling you the diamond is outright lying to you, it’s just that perhaps he or she is using a little "slight of the hand" so to speak.
Almost everyone buying a diamond is going to perform some amount of research first. Some people are comfortable with doing a small amount of research on just the basics such as the 4C’s of diamonds, and yet many others are very thorough with their research. I have spoken with many of our customers that have literally researched diamonds for months, before they even picked up the phone or stopped by a jewelry store. Thorough research in regards to diamonds is not a bad thing. The vast majority of people buying diamonds know absolutely nothing about them before they set out looking for one. Given the fact that you could easily be on track to spend thousands of dollars on this little gem, I would highly recommend that you learn as much as you can before you buy a diamond. If you think about it for a second; Would you spend $4,000 to $10,000 (Or more) on anything else, and not want to know as much about it as you can?
Wanting to learn about diamonds before you spend that much money is not the problem.
The problem may actually be with who you listen to and what you read on the internet. There is a lot of valuable information on the internet explaining about diamonds. There are also many good diamond sellers that will supply you with even more helpful information, and answer your questions honestly.
But on the flip side of that, there is a lot of really bad information on the internet about diamonds, AND there are some diamond sellers that don’t necessarily have your best interests at heart.
Many of the people that buy engagement rings from us, like to to call us first with their questions. I love when they do that, and I always welcome any question from our customers. This gives me the chance to not only answer their questions honestly and thoroughly, but also to make sure that they have been given accurate information by other diamond companies. I have heard some really strange things that my customers have been told, prior to speaking with me. Everything including stuff about the size of diamonds, the shape of diamonds and the cost of diamond engagement rings.
What I have discovered is that when a customer is told something by another diamond company that is way off-base, it’s often because that particular diamond company wanted to sell the customer a particular diamond. Maybe it’s because the diamond company got a really good deal on a particular diamond (through whatever means) and wants to make a huge profit. They don’t really care what you want, they just want to sell you that particular diamond. So they will tell you everything good about that diamond, and everything bad about the diamond that you want. They will try to make you think that the diamond they have, is the best. (Or best deal)
Anyway, enough of that and back to our point about certified diamonds.
THERE IS A HUGE DISTINCTION ABOUT CERTIFIED DIAMONDS THAT YOU NEED TO LEARN ABOUT.
You need to know the difference between an actual "GIA Certified Diamond" and other diamonds that may come with something like an independent GIA Certificate, or appraisal. Only diamonds that have been certified by the laboratory GIA (Gemological Institute Of America) are actually GIA certified diamonds. GIA is not just a laboratory, GIA is also like a college. They train people to become GIA certified gemologists. Once you have graduated, you become a GIA graduate gemologist. (Now you can even start your own diamond grading laboratory.) Some people refer to them as "Certified GIA Gemologists." That is where the confusion starts, and some diamond companies use that confusion to sell diamonds that are not GIA certified, and lead you to believe that they are. They may tell you that you are buying an "Independent GIA Certified Diamond" (Or something along those lines) Many people hear this and assume that they are buying a GIA certified diamond, and they are not. They are just buying a diamond that has been certified by a certified GIA graduate gemologist. That’s why the diamond seller is careful to use the word "Independent".
Now the reason that you need to know about this distinction is this. GIA certified diamonds (That is diamonds that have actually been certified at the GIA laboratory).
Those GIA certified diamonds will actually cost more than almost every other certified diamond out there. That’s because GIA is respected and known to be the most accurate and strict diamond grading laboratory in the world. If GIA says that you have a VS2 clarity diamond, nobody is going to argue with that. Or if GIA says that you have a "G" color grade diamond, no-one will argue with that. You can be rest assured that your diamond is exactly what it says on the certificate.
Now this is not a slam on all the other diamond grading laboratories in the world, or all the diamonds graded by them. You can actually buy a diamond graded by another laboratory, that is actually nicer than some GIA certified diamonds. For instance: A diamond that is graded by another diamond grading lab as "D" color grade, VVS1 clarity grade and an Ideal cut grade, is probably going to be a lot nicer than a diamond graded by GIA as "J" color grade, SI2 clarity grade and just a Fair cut grade. But the point is that if you compare apples to apples (that is 2 diamonds with exactly the same grades as stated on the certificate) a GIA certified diamond will almost always be nicer and more expensive.
So we are ABSOLUTELY NOT SAYING that you should only buy a GIA certified diamond.
Some of the prettiest diamonds, best diamond deals , even most affordable engagement rings are not GIA certified diamonds. What we are saying is that you should know exactly what type of certified diamond you are buying. If you want to buy a GIA certified diamond, just make sure to ask if the diamond was certified by GIA (The actual Lab), and not an independent GIA certified gemologist. Ask to see the actual GIA certificate supplied with the diamond. Don’t let yourself be a victim of this confusion. It is absolutely fine to buy a diamond that was graded by another laboratory, just make sure you know that it was and that you pay accordingly.
You also need to be aware that "Fracture-Filled" Clarity Enhanced Diamonds are never certified by GIA. Only "laser-drilled" clarity enhanced diamonds can be certified by GIA. I would highly suggest that you read our other post "fracture-filled versus laser-drilled clarity enhanced diamonds".
Laser Drilled Or Fracture Filled Clarity Enhanced Diamonds
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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.
The key word here is "Independent".
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.
Touch of Love
With all the amazingly unique engagement rings we have for sale at SecretDiamond.com this engagement ring is no exception. We call this the Touch of Love. It reminded us of two birds flying together to form a heart shape in the sky. It’s more evident
when looked at from an angle. There’s a 1 carat round center diamond shown on the pictures, but in reality we can make this engagement ring setting to fit almost any size center diamond. There are approximately 35-40 smaller round diamond going down the outside center of the band all the way around the sides surrounded by milgrain detail work on the edges. On the inside of the band you will see 8 round cut diamond encased in the smooth to the touch 14K Gold band that feels very comfortable on your finger. Of course if your hypo-allergenic you will want to avoid the gold and go with the band crafted in Platinum or Palladium. This engagement ring will definitely make your special bride to be feel how much you love her! All of our center diamonds are guaranteed to by crystal clear to the naked eye with a VS/SI clarity grade and you’ll be proud to show how bright the color is with our colorless to near colorless grade of F/G. All our the side diamonds in all of our engagement rings are also guaranteed to be VS/SI clarity and G/H in color.
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Save Money By Buying A Clarity Enhanced Diamond
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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?
Answer: That is not correct. Often times we hear things that are said by professionals in the diamond business about clarity enhanced diamonds that are way off base. These individuals either do not understand clarity enhanced diamonds, or they are trying to scare you so you will buy a diamond from them. It is important to note that we also sell non-enhanced diamonds with all certifications such as EGL and GIA certified diamonds so it doesn’t matter to us if you buy a clarity enhanced diamond from us, or a certified non-enhanced diamond from GIA. We choose to also sell clarity enhanced diamonds because we understand them very well and we know that they are an excellent value to offer our customers that want a bigger diamond for less money. So back to your question. The color grade of a clarity enhanced diamond will never change, Period. When you enhance the clarity grade of a diamond, you are not changing the original color grade of the diamond. So if you buy a clarity enhanced diamond that is a perfectly colorless "D" color grade, it will never change, ever. The same applies to all color grades of clarity enhanced diamonds. The color will never change. The same thing applies to the "cut grade". If you buy a clarity enhanced diamond with an "Ideal" cut grade, you will always have an ideal cut diamond. Even 50 or 100 years from now. The cut grade will never be affected by the clarity enhancing process. Remember, you are not enhancing the cut grade and you are not enhancing the color grade of a clarity enhanced diamond. You are only "Enhancing the clarity grade".
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.
Questions About Diamonds And Engagement Rings
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Given the fact that many of our customers will often have the same questions about diamonds and engagement rings, we thought that it might be a good idea if we listed some of them here on our blog. Although we will be glad to take as much time as you need to answer all of your questions on the phone, we understand that some people would rather just ask a question anonymously. However we would like to emphasize to you that you will never receive any type of pressure to purchase anything, from the staff at Secret Diamond. We do not want any of our customers to make their purchase from us unless you are absolutely confident that the time is right for you. We are people that have to buy things too, and we don’t like pushy salespeople any more than you do. If you have a question about diamonds that you would like answered, please feel free to call us or write to us at support (at) secretdiamond.com. We will be glad to answer your question in an email or on the phone.
Question: Is a "J" color diamond too yellow?
Answer: The answer to this question is not necessarily written in stone. Although my personal opinion is that a diamond with a "J" color grade is too yellow for my own personal taste, it may not be for everyone. Some people are more sensitive to a yellowish color in a diamond than others. I have actually had customers tell me that they can tell the difference between an "E" color grade diamond, and a perfectly colorless "D" color grade diamond. That is only one color grade difference, and both color grades are extremely free of color. That is a talent that most people do not posses. Even GIA certified gemologists will have to break out a set of "Master Color Stones" to make the call between a D and an E color grade diamond. (It is much easier to tell the difference in 2 color grades of a diamond without the assistance of Master Color Stones) So back to your questions. I personally believe that a "J color grade diamond" is a little bit too yellow for my taste. If you can afford to buy a diamond with a better color grade, I would suggest that you consider it. Although an excellent cut diamond with a "J" color grade can sparkle very nicely, it will typically not look as good as a diamond with a better color grade, and the same excellent cut grade. When considering what metal to use in creating engagement rings with a J colored diamond, it’s best to go with white gold, palladium, or platinum. Avoid the yellow gold. The diamond will reflect the light of the engagement ring setting and your J colored diamond will look much better in a light colored setting than a yellow setting. Also if you think the only way to get affordable engagement rings is to go with a very yellow diamond or very low clarity grade than you have but to look at SecretDiamond.com. We offer incredibly eye clean and bright white diamonds in all of our engagement rings and diamond stud earrings. For a fraction of what you would pay in most jewelry stores.
Question: Why does the cost of a larger diamond increase more than it’s size?
Answer: If you have been shopping for diamonds, you have probably noticed that a diamond with twice the carat weight, can cost 3-4 times as much. The short answer for this is because it is more rare. Larger diamonds with the same quality as smaller diamonds are not as common in nature. Remember, diamonds are not created in a factory with machines. Mother Nature created these sparkling little wonders over the course of millions of years, and she did not make very many big, perfect diamonds. So if you buy a bigger diamond, you are not just getting a bigger price tag. You are also getting a diamond that is much more rare.
Question: When shopping for engagement rings, what does the term "ctw" mean?
Answer. When you see the term "ctw" it is an acronym (or abbreviation) for "carat total weight." You may also see it as "tcw" which means the same thing, except in a different order. The meaning for it this way is "total carat weight." Whatever the number is before the "ctw" is the total weight of diamonds or gemstones in the engagement ring. Don’t get this confused with the carat weight of the center diamond. That should always be listed separately because the center diamond is where the majority of the value is. The larger the center diamond is, the more valuable it is. For example: If you have a ring with 2 carats of total diamond weight, but they are all small diamonds, it won’t be nearly as valuable as a ring that has a single 2 carat diamond. So if a single diamond weighs one carat for instance, it will be worth a lot more than 10 diamonds that total 1 carat.
Question: I understand that a clarity enhanced diamond is graded after the enhancement, but do you know what clarity grade the diamond is before the enhancement?
Answer: Although the clarity grade before the enhancement can vary, a good rule of thumb is that clarity enhancing a diamond will typically increase the clarity grade on average by 2 clarity grades. For Example: An SI2 clarity grade diamond will be enhanced to a VS2 clarity grade and an I1 clarity grade diamond will be enhanced to an SI1 clarity grade diamond. At Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond, we tend to encourage our customers to steer away from clarity enhanced diamonds that are SI2 after the enhancement process. SI2 grade diamonds are not typically "Eye Clean" and the reason for buying a clarity enhanced diamond in the first place is to buy a larger, "eye-clean" diamond for less money. If you are OK with buying a diamond that has visible clarity flaws, you may as well just buy a diamond that has not been enhanced. Also, the vast majority of clarity enhanced diamonds will be enhanced to a clarity grade of VS2 to SI1. The reason for this is the "2 grade rule." If a diamond is SI2 before enhancing, it will turn out to be VS2. If a diamond is already a SI1 clarity grade, it will most likely already be "Eye-Clean" and there will be no reason to enhance it to VS1. Most diamonds that enhance to the SI1 clarity grade are probably SI3 or I1 clarity grades before the enhancing technique but may also be I2 to start with. A diamond that enhances to SI2 clarity grade was probably an I2 or I3 to begin with. Although the "2 clarity grade" rule is a pretty good one, it is not written in stone. When purchasing a clarity enhanced diamond, it is always recommended that you only deal with a trustworthy company that has the diamond certified by an independent 3rd party. We view it as a conflict of interest when a company that is selling you the diamond, also certifies it. That is kind of like asking the sales person that you just bought a car from, if you got a good deal.
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A famous national jewelry store chain that sells a lot of engagement rings and goes by the name of The Shane Company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this past Monday 8/31/2009. It also appears that the famous voice of the commercials on the radio, Tom Shane himself, is the largest unsecured creditor.
The company filed papers in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Denver. The jewelry store chain is based out of Centennial Colorado and listed it’s liabilities & it’s assests at between $100-$500 million dollars in the documents that they filed with the bankruptcy court.
Just twenty of the largest unsecured creditors of The Shane Company are owed as much as $26 million dollars according to a court filing. Located in the diamond district of New York, Dison Gems is owed $4.7 million dollars and is listed as the largest unsecured creditor of the jewelry company.
But a late filing revealed that Tom Shane (The President, CEO, Chairman and the company’s famous voice) is owed the most money. Tom Shane has loaned The Shane Company approximately $20 million dollars during the past couple of years, according to the court filing.
It is estimated that Tom Shane owns approximately 70 percent of the jewelry store chain. The rest is owned by a series of trusts created to benefit his children.
It was stated by the company’s attorney that the current economic conditions as well as the declining retail market for the companies luxury jewelry, has left the company strapped for cash. The company hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by the end of the year.
"The severity of this past holiday season dramatically impacted existing liquidity requiring the company to seek this bankruptcy protection," Tom Shane said in a written statement. "I am confident that this action will guarantee that our customers will continue to enjoy the top-notch service, expansive selection, and unbeatable prices that they have enjoyed since the days of my grandfather."
The Shane Company currently operates 23 stores in 14 states and was founded in 1971. The company advertises that "Now you have a friend in the diamond business.” It claims that customers pay “no middleman markup” because the company buys its diamonds and precious gems directly from the cutters throughout the world.
Tom Shane is the third generation in the Shane family to be involved in the jewelry business.
The board and shareholders of The Shane Company decided on Jan. 7 to authorize the Chapter 11 filing, according to a document filed with the court.
Shane Co. has about 6,000 creditors, including about 750 secured lenders, vendors, consignment creditors and landlords, and about 4,600 customers. The company filed a motion with the bankruptcy court seeking approval to: process credit card payments, honor the company’s warranties, guarantees, upgrades and gift cards. The company would also like to be able to continue its layaway program.
The Shane Company stated that approximately 70 percent of the purchases that occur in its brick and mortar jewelry stores and the company’s online jewelry website, are made with credit cards or debit cards. On average, the company says that it pays approximately $243,000 a month in credit card processing and other fees.
With one exception (Pearls) The Shane Company provides a lifetime warranty on it’s jewelry and engagement rings. The jewelry store chain also offers an "upgrade policy" that allows customers to return any jewelry made of gold or platinum and set with diamonds, rubies or sapphires. In order to take advantage of the upgrade policy, a customer must purchase another item of at least double the cost. The company will then offer a full credit of the original purchase towards the new piece of jewelry.
Shane Co. also said it had outstanding obligations As of Dec. 27 2009 the jewelry store chain stated that it had approximately $260,000 of outstanding obligations through its gift card program and the gift cards carry no expiration date. The jewelry store chain also said it’s holding $3 million dollars in deposits for the "Layaway Plan" for approximately 4,300 customers.
Purchasing Diamonds & Engagement Rings Online
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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.
Now also consider the very well known, national jewelry store chains that spend literally millions of dollars a year on advertising. I know they have a lot of stores to spread the expense around to, but I can’t even begin to imagine how many engagement rings they have to sell, just to pay for their advertising. Now add the cost of renting the mall space, the cost of the salespeople, the cost of fancy store displays, the cost of fancy lawyers, fancy accountants, fancy salaries for the fancy corporate executives and so-on, and it is really no wonder why they are SO EXPENSIVE.
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.
We received this question about Ring Sizing, and thought many people could use this information Hope it helps.
Question:
Hello,
I am very interested in purchasing a ring through your company and had one question. It says there is free ring sizing, what exactly does this mean? Is there a way I can try and size up her finger before I make the purchase? Or should I take my best guess and buy the ring and send it back for sizing if it doesn’t fit? Any help would be much appreciated, thank you.
Answer:
There are many tricks to getting the ring size. Here is a safe way. Go into her jewelry box and get a ring you know she normally wears and take it in to find the size. It will probably be a right hand ring. And if she is right handed, then your best bet is to take the size of the ring and go down about a quarter ring size. So if the ring you take in is a size 6, then when you order request the ring be a size 5 3/4. Because normally the dominant hand is bigger. The ring finger is on her left hand so going down in size is a safe bet. But if she is left handed, you are pretty safe ordering exactly the size of the ring you brought in, or even going up a quarter.
This is what I did when I was searching.
I pretended to talk to my mom on the phone and acted like she was telling me a story about a REALLY REALLY BIG GIRL. Say size 22 ring. Just so the surprise factor was there when I told my girlfriend, who was listening to my conversation. I said "NO WAY" and then I looked at my girlfriend and said "I need a comparison" and I looked at her hand and said "Hon, what’s the size of your ring finger?" Most girls will know. She told me a five, and I looked amazed trying to figure out just how big a girls hand to be with a size 22 ring finger. She was none-the-wiser and was completely into the story. I wasn’t going to purpose for another 2 months, so she never suspected a thing.
So you can be stealthy one way, or have a little fun and tell the story. It worked for me perfectly. Or just ask her for her size outright. But no matter what way you choose, you can send the ring back to get resized to us for free one time. So you’re safe. engagement rings
While the idea of being able to shop for engagement rings online is certainly an appealing one, a lot of men are understandably a little reticent without being able to have a better idea of what the ring will look like in person. Especially when you consider the importance of what a diamond engagement ring symbolizes. Of course most online jewelers will feature photographs of their wares on their site; still sometimes this is not quite enough to satisfy many potential buyers. However, one Minneapolis-area company, Secret Diamond has certainly hit upon an excellent solution: professional videos of their diamond engagement rings that are built right into their product pages!
This innovation allows customers to click on a photo of the engagement ring they’d like to garner a better view of, and instantly they are treated to a video presentation of that particular ring, which is rotated for viewing from all angles. Visitors to the site can see much more of the ring as it would appear in person.
Says company owner Jim Morris: “For a long time, jewelers found selling engagement rings online to be an uphill battle. After doing a little research into exactly why men were reluctant to buy engagement rings online, we found that it was simply that they couldn’t get a good enough idea of how the ring would look when they popped the question.” Mr Morris continues: “Once we added videos of our rings to the website, we overcame that resistance; we already knew we had a larger engagement ring collection than most jewelry stores, it was just a matter of providing a more complete view of how they would look in real life – simple, but it has worked wonders. We also decided to provide videos of actual rings that we send to our customers, rather than use computer generated renderings like other websites. We felt this would give our customers a much better idea of what to expect when they receive their engagement ring in person.”
This certainly represents the newest approach to selling jewelry online and is likely to change the way that men look for engagement rings for that special someone. The company is continuing to add more videos to the website, but there is already a wide variety of engagement ring styles featured in their videos. Secret Diamond is also adding to their product line, with Diamond Rings crafted from Palladium being the latest addition.
To learn more about Secret Diamond, their diamond engagement rings and to see their engagement ring videos for yourself, visit http://www.SecretDiamond.com
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