How To Buy An Engagement Ring

1.

Set a Budget that Works for You
And stick with it. It may sound like common sense, but there is a lot of ridiculous noise out there about spending three months salary on a ring. That’s all marketing. Don’t fall for it.

2.

Do Your Homework
Much like buying a car, take the time to do some research. Do a bit of research on the 4Cs: Cut, Clarity, Colour, and Carat and you’ll learn how to get the best quality for the best price.

3.

Speaking of the Four Cs, Cut is the Most Important
Cut is the most critical of the Four Cs (raise your hand if you thought it was Carat) because it determines a diamond’s brilliance. Get the highest Cut grade your budget allows.

4.

The Other C’s: Find The Sweet Spot
As a diamond’s colour and clarity grade improves, its price increases, but at a certain point, the human eye cannot detect the difference in grades. For the best value choose a near colourless (graded G-H) and eye-clean (graded VS1-VS2) diamond.

5.

Buy Shy to Save Big
Diamond prices jump significantly at the carat and half-carat mark. Purchasing just shy of those weights can save a significant amount of money and the slight size difference will go unnoticed.

6.

Make Sure It’s Legit
The unofficial fifth C is independent Certification. Insist that your diamond comes with a grading report from the GIA (Gemmological Institute of America) to guarantee it’s what the seller says it is.

7.

Get in Shape
Round brilliant diamonds are very popular, but don’t rule out other shapes, such as pear, oval, emerald, and princess. Fancy shapes, as they’re called, can look larger and cost less than a round diamond of similar carat size. Now, that is fancy.

8.

Shop Around
Your phone is smart; use it to compare diamonds—even if you can’t see them side-by-side. Use the independent grading report to your advantage and visit several retailers, online and off, to compare the prices of two diamonds with the same Cs.

9.

Make Us Pay You
We pride ourselves on our low prices and high value, but if you find a comparable GIA-graded diamond at a lower price than ours, we'll match it. It’s that simple.

10.

Be Smart About Returns
Just in case, make sure that the jeweller has a good return policy. It’s hard to believe, but some companies still only allow returns within 24 hours and some don’t accept returns at all. Blue Nile offers a 30-day return policy, no questions asked.