If all goes well, you will only need to buy one engagement ring in your life. Shopping for an engagement ring in San Diego can be a daunting experience especially as it is a sizeable investment. You need to find one that your future wife will like but at the same time get good value. Here are ten tips to set you in the right direction when it comes to buying an engagement ring.
1. Determine Your Budget. When a man is shopping for an engagement ring, salespeople sometimes will tell him that the amount he spends on a ring is tied into the amount of love he has for his lady. It is much better to budget to your personal finances and decide how much you can afford before you step into the San Diego Jeweler.
2. Choose a Stone. While many jewelers will sell you a preset ring, you are more likely to get a better deal if you choose the diamond separately. A good way to save money is to go for a diamond with high color and cut, but with slightly lower clarity. Make sure you look at the stone with a jeweler's loupe (like a magnifying glass) – but most flaws (or "inclusions") can barely be seen even with a loupe.
3. Pay Attention. You will need to make a lot of choices on your choice of engagement ring, such as platinum or gold, modern or traditional, flashy or understated. It is better if you do your homework in advance. Look at the jewelry your beloved wears on a daily basis as this will give you a strong indication of what she likes.
4. Make the most of Your Budget. Ask your jeweler to show you a stone with more surface area, it won't sparkle as much but it will look bigger and cost you much less. Ask for stones that are slightly less than the next carat (0.8 instead of 1 or 1.9 instead of 2) as this will not be noticed but again will lead to big savings. You can choose white gold instead of platinum.
5. Choose the Setting After you've got your stone, then comes the setting. You could go for simple with a solitaire setting, or you could add filigree, extra side stones, and other details.
6. Get a Quality San Diego Jeweler. Get recommendations on the best San Diego jeweler especially from friends and family who have shopped for engagement rings before. Best quality are the small specialized San Diego jewelers rather than the nation chains as the latter often sacrifice quality for mass marketing.
7. Take a Buddy with You. It is best to shop with someone else as jewelry stores can be daunting places especially if you do not regularly visit jewelry stores. It is best to bring a lady with you or if you can your sweetheart's best friend or mom along to help you choose the best engagement ring.
8. Allow Plenty of Time. It is likely that you will not be able to just walk into a jeweler and walk out with the engagement ring since they will need time to set the stone and/or resize the ring. So, allow a few weeks before you plan to propose.
9. Think About Bringing Your Sweetheart With You. You will lose the element of surprise, but you will then be sure that she loves her engagement ring. More and more couples are doing it this way.
10. Get it In Writing, would you buy a house without an inspection? No? Well then don't buy a diamond without a diamond-grading report from the GIA or EGL USA. It should include the 4 c's of color, cut, clarity and carat, as well as the shape and size. And, like your house, don't forget to get the engagement ring insured.
Follow these tips and you will be sure to delight your loved one with the engagement ring of
her dreams. Here are some great collections to get your started http://www.enhancery.com/jewelry.php?categoryID=00006