How Do I Know What To Buy?

A wedding ring is treasured for a lifetime. Plan your budget first. Then, buy a ring within your budget. Sometimes, you can find a rings at discounts or pre-owned if required.

How Much Of The Diamond/Wedding Ring Business Is Industry Hype?

Most diamonds are sold through the diamond cartel, deBeers. This does inflate prices. You can get reasonably priced diamonds if you know diamond quality and shop around with this knowledge.

What Is The Best Way To Buy A Wedding Set?

Decide what you both prefer in a wedding set first. Some couples really enjoy fancy bands; others desire simple elegance. Again, it is a matter of taste. Once you decide what you want, then shop around. This is an important purchase so discuss options first.

One thing to consider is your lifestyle. If you have a very active lifestyle, consider low set rings or simple bands. High set rings are beautiful, but they do catch on things easily.

Jewelry Mall Stores have many Wedding Rings

Is There Anything Wrong With Buying A Used Set?

Again, some people really want a new set. If you are one of these people, get a new set. If you decide that buying a used set is more cost effective, be certain to shop around. Just because it is used does not automatically mean it is cheaper. Often, one can find a new set less expensively if they do their homework.

Can I Buy a Fake Diamond?

Does it make sense to pay lots of extra money to get a high-quality diamond when only a professional gemologist can tell the difference? As a wedding ring is a symbol of everlasting true love, it is recommended to buy a high-quality ring.

For some people, having a flawless diamond is their dream. For others, it really doesn't matter. We don't recommend that you buy a fake diamond for your beloved without finding out her preferences first! There are many treated diamonds and synthetic diamonds which may be suitable if both parties agree. Additionally, see other alternatives listed below.

What Are Alternatives to Diamond Rings?

In various places in the world, rubies, sapphires or emeralds are used in wedding rings. If you prefer these stones, perhaps, they will work for you. Some people choose to delay (or forgo) getting an expensive ring for more desired goals such as a special musical instrument. Wedding gifts often symbolize long lasting love. As such, buying something special is recommended.

Moissanite is the best diamond look-alike stone we found. Other alternate clear/white stones are Zircon (natural), Cubic Zirconia (or CZ) (synthetic), and White Sapphire (natural).

Who Buys Which Rings?

The groom generally pays for the bride's engagement ring and wedding band. Often the bride is involved in picking out her wedding set. The bride generally pays for the groom's wedding ring, again, with him playing a role in choosing his style.

How Can I Determine If A Ring Is High Quality?

One needs to protect themselves from buying poorly made jewelry. How does one tell if something is high quality? What do you look for? Here is what I look for when buying a ring. Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid common pitfalls.

The things I look at are:

1. Casting Quality
   Rings that are not cast well can wear out or possibly break. I look at the quality of the casting and the amount of metal that was used.

   Verifying clean casting: Well casted rings have no pits (often from air bubbles in the casting process).

   Verifying that enough metal was used: The ring band should be thick enough around the whole ring so it will not wear out or break. Low quality jewelry often has really thin bands around the back of the ring.

2. Prong Settings
   Stones set in rings with prongs need at least 6 prongs to ensure that the stone will stay in the ring. Stones should NOT wiggle in its setting.

   Prongs should be evenly spaced around the stone. These prongs should be strong. If the stone has corners (such as a marquis cut stone), the corners of the stone should be protected.

   Rings with prong settings should be checked yearly to be certain that the stone hasn't become loose.

3. Channel Settings
   Channel settings are one of the most misused settings in the industry. Be certain that there is a real channel that the stones are set in -- rather than an impression with a thin additional bit of metal holding the stone in place. When there is a real channel, the stones will not come out under normal wear.

4. Metal Quality
   Finely made rings have a quality mark imprinted on the inside. Examples of such etched markings are: 14K for 14 Kt gold, 925 for sterling silver, and 950 Pt (or 850 Pt) for platinum. While I prefer 18 Kt gold, others prefer platinum, 14 Kt gold or sterling silver. 24 Kt gold is considered too soft. Platinum tends to show very little wear as it is more durable than gold.

   Electrolyzed or plated metal will often wear out on rings.

   High quality rings can be re-polished by a jeweler if they get scratched.

5. Gemstone Quality
   There is a huge range of gemstone quality. Generally, looking for stones without imperfections and with good color is a great place to start. Additionally, check out how well the stone is cut. More detailed information can be found on:

   Diamond Buying Guide
   Gemstone Buying Guides