Are You Getting a Fair Deal?

As global leaders in engagement ring trends, guidance and education, we are often asked something along the lines of the following question: “I am thinking of getting this really beautiful engagement ring, that I found in the discount engagement rings section at XYZ store, for $999. This engagement ring is in 14k gold with 1/3 carat in diamonds; do you think that this is a good deal?”. Here is another common question: “I found this engagement ring store with a whole section called unique engagement rings, so I’m thinking of buying this engagement ring in 18k gold with 1/4 ctw; do you think that this is a good deal?”. Unfortunately, both of these questions are missing a significant amount of information. One of the common misperceptions is that diamonds, engagement rings and jewelry as a whole are a commodity. In other words, the misconception is that one can compare two diamond engagement rings by looking at the gold stamp and total diamond weight. The reality, however, is that the gold stamp and total diamond weight are in fact the least important factors, contributing to the final price of an engagement ring or any other piece of jewelry.

cheap engagement ring
cheap engagement ring

We begin our illustration with a simple comparison – two three stone trilogy engagement rings. The heart trilogy engagement ring features less than a tenth of a carat in round (brilliant) cut Italian diamonds, with a price tag of over $1,000, and the second trilogy engagement ring offers 1/5 of ctw., with a price tag of about $500. Does this make the heart trilogy engagement ring a bad deal? Does this make the tension set trilogy engagement ring a great deal? As with all engagement rings and jewelry in general, the difference is in the details. The Italian heart trilogy engagement ring, much like most Italian engagement rings, is produced almost entirely by hand, with astronomical attention to detail. The tension set three stone engagement ring, although beautiful, is a much less complex design, and consequently carries a significantly lower price tag.

solitaire engagement ring

unique engagement ring

Next we examine two solitaire engagement rings, both with the exact same carat weight of the round cut solitaire diamond – 0.15ct. The white gold solitaire diamond engagement ring carries a price tag of under $500, and the two-tone white gold rose (pink) gold solitaire diamond engagement ring is listed at $1,499. Does this make the two tone solitaire diamond engagement ring a ripoff? The beauty about this engagement ring comparison is that the majority of the differences are visible to the naked eye. The white gold solitaire engagement ring is a mass produced design with almost no manual labor. The Italian two tone solitaire diamond engagement ring is a seventeen hour manual project, which includes the 0.15 carat hand cut Italian diamond. So which of these solitaire engagement rings are offered at a fair price? With a difference so elaborate, you be the judge.

classic engagement ring

classic engagement ring

Finally, we take another common design – the side stone engagement ring. These two side stone diamond engagement rings are almost identical, with 1/5 tdw and a four prong setting, securing the round cut center diamond. However, the first side stone engagement ring is essentially a mass produced, mainstream design, and the second is a 100% manually produced Italian east-west side stone engagement ring. Consequently, the mainstream side stone engagement ring is listed at only $499, and the Italian side stone engagement ring is listed at $1,399. Which one is the better deal? You be the judge.

Contrary to common belief, engagement rings are not a commodity, and when comparing one engagement ring to another, it is important to compare apples to apples. Don’t let engagement ring stores sway you into comparing karats and carats. Instead, try to compare engagement ring details, and be sure that the better engagement ring deal is in fact a better comparable deal, rather than a substandard version of the engagement ring you are looking for at a lower price.

Categories: Cheap Engagement Rings, Unique Engagement Rings

About the Author,