Engagement Rings - Ways to Pay Less

Due to the current world financial crisis, the cost of jewelry components like gold, platinum, silver and gemstones, has swiftly risen. Hence, the cost of jewelry has also risen dramatically. What should the guy who wants to propose to his girlfriend do? Well, it shouldn't cause him to postpone proposing. There are ways to get around the high prices and to make your girlfriend a very happy fiancee.

Brand - A brand name diamond is always going to be much more expensive than an unbranded stone. In the same respect that branded clothing is more expensive than unbranded. If you are looking to save money on a ring then just go for a generic stone. Plus, just as clothing fashion comes in and out, so does jewelry fashion, so in a few years, spending a huge amount on a branded stone might not seem like such a sensible idea.

Negotiation - Just like lots of other items, there's no shame in dickering over the price of your chosen stone. Jewelers often mark up jewelry 200% or even more. This gives them plenty of wiggle room in the price of the ring or stone. Anyone buying an engagement ring is smart to spend a little time discussing the price with the salesman and seeing if they can get him or her to lower it a bit.

Shape - Some shapes cost more than others. Look for an oval or pear shaped diamond. Diamonds that are cut into oval or pear shapes appear to be larger than they actually are, or than diamond cuts of equal carat weight. This is also a less popular diamond cut so that the price of these is naturally a little lower.

Band - The band of an engagement ring is important but who notices that first when looking at someone's engagement ring? People's eyes always go right to the center stone. Buy a simpler band and save some money to put into the stone.

Stone - One common mistake people make when they are looking to customize their engagement rings is to purchase the stone from a retailer and have the same retailer set the stone. This can costs huge amounts and can be avoided of you find the stone you want elsewhere and take it to another retailer you want to set it at.

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