Is engagement ring shopping stress you?

Getting engaged is one of the most exciting and privileged times in a person’s life. 

It is traditional in Western Culture to mark this moment with a gift of an engagement ring which generally consists of a diamond in a setting made of a precious metal.

It is often said that you should consider your engagement diamond as an investment, in my 33 years of selling diamond rings I have found this not to be the case, with just a very few exceptions. These exceptions would be pink diamonds, or other such rare colours or significant sizes that cannot be found readily.

The reason I am so confident about this is due to the fact that there is no accessible market to sell secondhand diamonds safely and securely at anywhere near the price you paid.

So with this I mind you can now select a diamond that appeals to you and fits you budget.

Today your options are even easier as you can choose between a MINED diamond, one that is dug up from the earth, or a LAB GROWN diamond, which is a diamond that grown in a laboratory from a slice of natural diamond.

In brief , LAB GROWN diamonds are diamonds but due to the fact that they grown in 3 months 15% - 25% of the cost of a MINED.

If you budget is modest, but your dream diamond is large, then a LAB grown diamond could be an option for you. What is definite about LAB GROWN diamonds is that they will continue to get cheaper and cheaper, while MINED diamonds will hold their value as it is a finite product.

Whether your decide on the LAB or the MINED diamond the principles of choosing a diamond are exactly the same 

The now 5  categories that make up the price a diamond in order of importance are as follows 

1. MINED or LAB GROWN

2. SIZE – carat weight of the diamond, it is the first thing people can notice

3. CUT – this refers to a few very important points

4. COLOUR

5. CLARITY   

While it is important to know what these characteristics are, you first need to look at the diamond with your naked eye and see if you like it.  It is often the cast that you can pay for a high clarity which is very difficult for the naked eye to see the difference. 

You can easily see if it has been cut well, as it will have amazing brilliance, if it is large or small, and on closer inspection you can see the colour.

We can work through this process with you, in store or over the phone, to ensure that you get a beautiful diamond to mark the most amazing time in your life, that you will enjoy for years to come, and most importantly, that it fits your budget.