I like jewelry. It’s a hobby. Take what you want from this but I realized I probably should have posted this before Valentine’s day... my bad. I hope I help someone save some money though.
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If you’re buying a gift for someone else, find out what they like/ want. Especially for something as important as an engagement ring. A common issue I see on Reddit is that one person wants a diamond while the other person thinks it’s a waste of money. It’s one thing if there’s no money for it, but there’s been a few posts where it’s within what their budget but they really prefer to spend the money on a vacation/ not spend the money/ whatever. IMO whoever is going to wear it every day for the rest of their lives should really get more say. My opinion is that if you buy your intended a CZ set in silver when they wanted a moissy set in gold AND you could have easily afforded the more expensive option, you’re cheap and not frugal.
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Think about durability. CZs are not a good option for everyday jewelry and I’ve seen too many people suggest them for engagement rings. Actually, a lot of options aren’t (another Reddit popular example is opals). If you want something that isn’t a diamond, a moissy, a sapphire/ ruby for an everyday piece, Google it first. There’s nothing worse than spending your hard earned money on something you think you can wear daily/ not baby and then it breaks, dulls, etc. If you’re ok with replacing them kind of often then by all means, go for it. But be aware that comes with costs. As a tip - no, not all colorless stones look like diamonds. And yes, some people can tell the difference between moissanite and diamonds at first glance. There’s nothing wrong with getting a colorless sapphire or a moissanite but I’ve seen a bunch of comments on Reddit stating that people cannot tell the difference. Anyone slightly familiar with these stones can see the difference. Just because no one said anything does not mean they can’t tell. You need to choose what you/ your intended personally like best.
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Lab stones are cheaper. Obviously. But they can still be really pretty!
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Custom isn’t always more expensive either. Get quotes. Don’t shy away from it.
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There are some deals on preloved pieces. I’ve personally had success in the past buying stuff off of eBay and having my jeweler remove stones to put in new settings. I’ll then sell the settings preloved/ scrap them/ sell off any additional stones I don’t want. I’ve been able to turn small profits on some of the preloved items I’ve bought and then sold. Some IG sellers have whole businesses based on this. There have been a few pieces I’ve seen on eBay sell with these IG sellers for more money. If you see a preloved item you like chances are you can have it polished to look new/ resized to fit but this obviously depends on the item itself and usually the seller will know.
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For diamonds - think about upgrade policies. If I could redo this I would have gone with a company that only makes you spend $1 more every time you want to upgrade your diamond. But I like change and we’re not sentimental. We also got married when we were young and broke. Some places don’t offer upgrades and some places make you spend double the amount.
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Don’t go to Kay’s/ Jared’s/ Ben Bridge/ Macy’s. Certain brands (Tiffany, Cartier, etc) have the appeal of the brand name and that’s cool, if you like designer stuff you do you, but that doesn’t apply to mall stores like Kay’s. These mall stores are super expensive for what they are and they are not designer. I personally wouldn’t spend more money for a Tiffany piece but I can see how that appeals to some.
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As a continuation of the above. Online tends to be cheaper (think James Allen, Blue Nile, B2C). If you’re worried about it, pay with a credit card for added protection but they’re all reputable. In general though don’t wire money to people you don’t know.
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Again for diamonds - explore lower colored stones especially if you like rose gold or yellow gold. I’ve had diamonds as low as Ms and I’m not color sensitive so it’s perfectly fine for me. You can also find lower clarity diamonds that are eye clean. Again, the main thing is you/ your intended likes it. I heard some comments when we were first shopping that any under J would look yellow and no, it doesn’t. Some people can see tint really well and it bugs them so they can justify the expense of a higher colored diamond. I can’t. Everyone is different.
That’s all I can think of ATM.
February 13, 2021 at 07:58PM
