"Antique Engagement Rings"

What are antique engagement rings? Sometimes antique and vintage get confused. They are not the same. Vintage describes a set of items of superb quality (usually) of a certain year. While Antique describes a certain era, or period of time/years. Usually a hundred or more years old and are not dependent on whether or not the design was highly prized or desired. Antique quite simply means old. What sort of antique engagement rings are out there? You can use your imagination on this one. Rings and jewelry have been found in old digs, tombs, graves, attics, and some have been in plain site the whole time while being passed down from generation to generation known as estate antique engagement rings from all classes of life and using the material of the times in many beautiful and artistic designs. And as you can imagine, antiques are precious, hard to come by items, so they usually will command a pretty penny to obtain them.

Which leads us to Antique "Style" Engagement Rings. Like anything that is adorned, loved and cannot be obtained, people still desire them. And the right craftsmen or jewelry maker can replicate them. HOWEVER to truly replicate them they would need to use the material of the times. So even antique style engagement rings can come at a cost. To avoid this the jewelry maker can use materials of the present era and usually this good enough, for without a team of forensic scientists chances are no one will ever know. All in all, engagement rings for any taste, desire, design or class can be obtained or created if you know the right person or business. Whether or not these will be affordable engagement rings will be totally up to you.

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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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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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What type of certified diamond are you really buying?

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.

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".

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Questions About Diamonds And Engagement Rings

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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Diamond Engagement Rings

It is believed that currently more than two-thirds of brides-to-be are actively involved in shopping for their diamond engagement rings and many of them are visiting jewelry stores or browsing online by themselves. A recent survey states that this is about a 20% increase over the numbers that were shopping for engagement rings on their own in 2005. The trend seems to be continuing upward as it is becoming more obvious that theses new brides are generally very happy with their engagement ring purchase, particularly when it comes to the style and design they prefer. The majority of the brides cited in the poll stated that they felt even more comfortable researching and shopping for their new engagement ring, than they did when shopping with their fiance’. Another startling fact that came to light in the poll was that despite today’s economic downturn, 80% of the couples that purchased a new diamond engagement ring chose not to purchase a smaller diamond. Traditionally about 1/3 of couples purchase their diamond and engagement ring mounting separately.

Given the fact that buying diamond engagement rings online has become more popular than ever, brides now have an opportunity that was not available before the internet. Couples had been traditionally stuck with just the engagement ring selections that their local jewelry stores were offering. And to make matters even worse, many couples in "small town america" did not have any choices at all. They would have to travel many miles to neighboring towns just to see a couple of diamond engagement ring designs. Fewer jewelry stores meant fewer choices, and probably higher prices. The internet has changed all of that. Any person located anywhere in the world can view huge selections of affordable engagement rings with prices that are more affordable than ever before. And without the pressure of an annoying high pressure salesperson. The resources that are available for diamond engagement rings online are changing the diamond industry. Jewelry stores can no longer charge the outrageous mark-ups that they once enjoyed, leaving you at their mercy. You can have the upper hand when it comes to buying your diamond engagement ring if you just turn to the best free resource you have at your fingertips. Diamond engagement rings online available worldwide at the store called Secret Diamond.

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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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Buying Engagement Rings Online

How do I know it’s safe buying engagement rings online and how do I know which online jewelers are the most reputable?

This is probably one of the most common questions we are asked by our prospective customers. Considering the average customer that wants to buy an engagement ring is budgeting anywhere from $3,000 to as much as $10,000 (or even more sometimes), it’s no wonder they are a little bit concerned. Often times this is by far the most money they have ever considered spending online. It may even be the single largest purchase they have ever made anywhere. I mean let’s face it, some cars may not even cost that much.
Most customers start out shopping for engagement rings in their local jewelry stores. I hear quite often our customers saying "I have shopped everywhere!" They like the idea of buying an engagement ring from their local jewelry store, but when they see how expensive it can be and how little they are getting for their money, they start looking on the internet.

This is where it starts to get fun and scary at the same time. The number of companies (and so-called companies) selling jewelry online can almost be a little overwhelming. Depending upon which phrases you use when searching for your engagement ring, you start to see more and more companies selling engagement rings. For instance "affordable engagement rings" will bring back different results than "engagement rings sale". And the search phrase "engagement rings" will bring back different results than "diamond engagement rings". This holds true for almost every different search phrase.

Tip:
When searching for engagement rings online, go to your favorite search engine and type in many different search phrases. This will allow you to see many more vendors returned in the search results. Search engines "Rank" websites for different phrases. By using various phrases in your search, you will see many more options available than if you use the same phrase over and over. You may also consider browsing past the first page of search results. Many of the most legitimate engagement ring companies are not always located on the first page for every search result. It does not necessarily mean that they are not good jewelers. It may just mean they are too busy running their jewelry business to "Optimize" their website, to be found everywhere in the search engines. Search engines do not rank websites by the quality of the jeweler. Websites are "ranked" by search engines using entirely different methods that have nothing to do with the quality of their work.

Back to our tips. The fun starts when you begin seeing how much money you can save on your engagement ring. Then it gets even more fun when you start to see the larger selection of engagement rings available online. (We also hear from our customers that we have the most unique and beautiful engagement ring selection available anywhere) It’s quite common for customers to search everywhere else first, and still not find their "perfect engagement ring".
UNTIL THEY COME TO OUR ONLINE ENGAGEMENT RING STORE. I hear from many of our customers that they came back to our website as many as 15-20 times trying to decide which "perfect engagement ring" to choose from. The trouble was not being able to find one that they liked. The trouble was just choosing which one they liked the best.

Tip:
When you search online for engagement rings and you start to see many different websites selling the same engagement ring, using the same photo, that typically means that they are not making their own engagement rings. They are probably buying the engagement ring from an engagement ring casting company, and then just setting the diamonds. Quite frankly, they may not even set the diamonds. In the large diamond districts such as New York or Los Angeles, there are many companies that perform various services. Some companies may just make "raw castings" and some companies may just "set diamonds". This makes it very easy for the so-called "jewelers" to put together an engagement ring and sell it to you. Often times these various specialized companies will even be located in the same building, making it even easier for these individuals to present themselves as "jewelers".

This is where the scary part begins. How are you supposed to know which engagement ring sellers are the "real deal?" After all, there are so many of them to choose from. How are you supposed to know if they will deliver the engagement ring that they are promising you? Or even at all? Also, will they actually honor their return policy? What is their return policy, and do they even have one? And how likely is that they will be there 5 or 10 years from now to stand behind their work and help you properly maintain your engagement ring? (Engagement Rings do require proper maintenance) THESE ARE ALL VALID QUESTIONS TO ASK ANYONE YOU ARE CONSIDERING PURCHASING AN ENGAGEMENT RING FROM. And any other question you are concerned about.

Although it can be scary trying to figure all of this out, especially considering the large sum of money you are about to spend with a complete stranger, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself. Listed below are basic ideas you should consider before making your engagement ring purchase online.

* CHECK FOR THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU LOGO ON THE WEBSITE AND CLICK IT TO MAKE SURE IT IS VALID
Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond is a proud member of our local Better Business Chapter and we are in excellent standing. Every reputable online seller of engagement rings that we are aware of, is also a proud member of their local BBB. You can easily click on the BBB logo on their website and check to see if it is valid. If it is valid, you should be taken to their individual report page listed in the BBB. This page will tell you if there are a large number of complaints against the company. It will also tell you how they handled complaints and if they resolved them, or just ignored them. The trick here is to not just look for the BBB logo and assume it is valid. There are online companies that may have belonged to the BBB at one time and decided not to renew their membership because they did not like being held accountable. There are also companies that place the BBB logo on their website that don’t even belong the the BBB. They are hoping that you won’t click on it, or that you don’t even know it should take you to the BBB report on their company. And then there are the companies that just don’t even bother belonging to the BBB because they already have too many complaints against them that are unresolved, or resolved in a questionable manner. The last trick that unscrupulous sellers will use, is to place the BBB logo on their website and even make it clickable to the BBB online. However rather than bringing you to their report page, they will just bring you to the homepage of the BBB, again hoping you don’t know any better. Well now you do.
Remember, reputable online diamond sellers realize that you want to be protected in your purchase, and they will PROUDLY belong to their local BBB chapter.

* DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS
You can learn a lot about a business when you ask them questions. Listen to their answers carefully and judge for yourself if you feel they are answering your questions honestly and in a well informed fashion.

* Reputable jewelers will gladly spend as much time as needed to make you feel comfortable with your purchase. They should not rush you through the process of buying a diamond. If you feel you are being rushed, you should carefully consider your decision if they are the right company to buy from.

* A reputable jeweler will not be offended by relevant questions. If you are asking a jeweler valid questions about the diamond you are considering buying (such as it’s quality) and he or she seems to get offended, they could be trying to hide something. The same thing holds true for relevant questions about their business. Don’t forget that you are considering spending a lot of money with this jeweler. You have every right to make sure you are protected with your purchase.

* Check For Online Reviews About The Company
Although this can be an excellent way to find out more about the reputation of an online company, you have to be a little bit careful with this method. This process can be easily abused, and abused both ways. Some online diamond sellers are well aware of these review sites and will place fake reviews on them. It can even be difficult to distinguish between the real reviews and the fakes ones. However if you see an overwhelming amount of positive reviews, chances are pretty good that this is an established and well run business. The other way this process can be abused is by the businesses competitors. I have even seen where an online competitor left a fake review portraying the business in a negative light. Considering how large the internet is, sometimes these fake bad reviews can take a long time for the legitimate business to be made aware of, especially if they are not interested in abusing the process. They may not be regularly visiting these review websites because they are actually letting their customers leave the real reviews

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The Differences Between Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands and Diamond Engagement Rings

**One of the first differences is that a diamond engagement ring, by definition, will have a diamond in it. It is probably the most specific phrase used of the three. Usually that diamond will be the ring’s focal point or “Main Attraction”; if you will. However some diamond engagement rings can have so many diamonds in them, that the center diamond is not always necessarily the focal point. It is even possible for the total carat weight of the accent diamonds to weigh more than the center diamond. ( More elaborate engagement rings might be manufactured this way) However with a Traditional Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring, there is always only one diamond attached to a plain gold, platinum or palladium band. If a diamond engagement ring has more than one diamond, it should not be referred to as a solitaire diamond engagement ring. Traditionally when a man asks a woman to marry him, some type of diamond engagement ring is given to her. This is meant to be an everlasting sign of his eternal commitment to her. That is why it’s placed on her left ring finger before the wedding and placed back there after the marriage begins. It was once believed that the “Vein Of Love”; or (Vena Amoris) ran directly from this finger to the heart. Some believe the tradition of wearing a diamond engagement ring on the left ring finger began for this reason.

**The term “Engagement Ring” tends to be much more flexible. “Engagement Rings” can come in many different forms. Only your personal preference will determine the TRUE MEANING of what an engagement ring is for you. There is no right or wrong answer defining the term engagement ring. You should wear the type of engagement ring that makes you feel happy and/or satisfied. Engagement rings have been defined very differently throughout the years and are even being re-defined today by many people that may prefer something different. The following are some examples of engagement rings.

Engagement Rings that have a colored gemstone instead of a diamond. The colored gemstone may even be a birthstone. There are even engagement rings that have many different colored gemstones, and not a single diamond in the entire ring.

An engagement ring that has many small diamonds instead of one larger diamond. Or an engagement ring that has some diamonds and some colored gemstones.

An engagement ring that does not have any diamonds OR colored gemstones. At all. Just a plain gold or platinum band.

Engagement rings may not even be made of precious metal. It could be something that was homemade. Perhaps out of aluminum, tungsten, or even copper. I think I even heard of a cigar band being used before in the case of an emergency. (I think you get the picture) The important thing is to wear something you will enjoy and will bring you satisfaction. Your engagement ring can be in any form you desire. Your engagement ring can also serve as your wedding band if you desire.

SEE The Differences Between Engagement rings, Wedding Bands and Diamond Engagement Rings

**The term “Wedding Band“; can actually have a couple of meanings. It can serve as an Engagement Ring itself. However traditionally the wedding band is something that is given to the bride after the diamond engagement ring. This typically takes place at the wedding. At this point, the bride may place her engagement ring on her right hand and then place the new wedding band on her left ring finger. After the wedding band goes on her finger, the engagement ring should be placed back on her left ring finger, after the wedding band. The wedding band should always be closest to the heart. However please keep in mind that you are not required to purchase or wear both an engagement ring AND wedding band. If you prefer to have your wedding band serve as your Engagement Ring too, just slide it off before the wedding and place it back on during the ceremony.

Engagement Rings By SecretDiamond.com sells many Affordable Diamond Engagement Rings and Engagement Ring Sets. If you are going with, what many consider to be the “Traditional”; route, you will probably be purchasing and engagement ring and separate wedding band. It is important to consider various options at this point. You are probably going to want a “Matching” wedding band. This is a wedding band that is manufactured specifically for the engagement ring that you are purchasing. This means that the 2 rings will fit together properly without large gaps between the 2 rings. It will also probably mean that the overall design will compliment each other and be aesthetically pleasing. This is also where the phrase “Engagement Ring Set” comes in to play. An engagement ring set is nothing more than an engagement ring with a matching wedding band manufactured to go together as a set. If you are not able to purchase an engagement ring set due to budget constraints, you may want to consider bringing the engagement ring with, when you pick out your wedding band. This will help ensure a proper fit. The wedding band may be purchased at a later date. You do not need to purchase both rings at the same time, and you usually only give your future bride the engagement ring first anyway. Especially if your wedding is some time off in the future. That will give you extra time to save up for the wedding band.

There is also another option. Sometimes engagement rings are very elaborate or very thick in design. It can almost be impossible to have a matching wedding band to wear on the same hand or same finger. It is even becoming more common today to wear another completely different style wedding band altogether. It can even be an eternity ring worn on the right hand. Just remember one thing when it comes to engagement rings, wedding bands and diamond engagement rings. YOU ARE THE BOSS and you have the last word on what is right for you.

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Can I buy my engagement ring or diamond jewelry wholesale?

If you are the “End User”; of that engagement ring or piece of diamond jewelry and if you are not in the business of buying from manufacturers with the intent of reselling to consumers, you can not buy your engagement ring wholesale. You may feel that you received a price similar to “Wholesale“, but you can not actually purchase your engagement ring wholesale. (In the truest and legal sense of the word) Unless you are a wholesaler with a Federal Tax ID number and possibly a state resale tax ID #. In many cases when engagement rings and diamonds are being advertised for sale to the public as wholesale, it is at least misleading, and possibly even illegal in some states. This actually applies to most types of products for resale, not just diamonds, and engagement ring sets. It is true that purchasing your engagement ring online can save you quite a bit of money, but you are still technically buying at retail. That means you are purchasing affordable engagement rings, not a wholesale engagement rings. The savings typically are because when you buy online, you are enjoying a lower profit margin on that loose diamond or diamond engagement ring. This is possible because many online jewelers do not have the large overhead that a traditional brick and mortar jewelry store will have.

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