Best Engagement Ring Prices

Engagement Ring: How can I make sure I get the best diamond price?

Select a Good Dealer
BY FAR the most important thing you can do to make sure you get a deal is to find a good dealer. No matter what you learn, you will never learn enough to protect yourself from an unscrupulous dealer. It took me years to learn what I know, and I still need a dozen instruments and proper lighting to accurately grade a diamond.

The answer? I spent months testing and rating the top 24 jewelers and only 2 online dealers received my perfect score. I spent months again carefully selecting the best local jewelers in each area of the country to make it easy for you to shop with confidence and get a great deal.

Other Precautions
Look at more than one store or Web site. Certainly check with the local Better Business Bureau to see if there are any outstanding complaints. (More on how to select a good dealer.) You might also check with friends who bought a diamond to hear about dealers they liked. Take these simple security precautions to avoid paying too much or not getting what you want.

Know the 4 Cs of Diamond Quality
The more you know about the 4 Cs of diamond quality, the better you will be prepared to assess a dealer and the price he offers.

Where to find good diamond information:

Online
We've spent months researching and organizing our diamond knowledge on this site. Plus, our knowledge ansd services are completely unbiased. We don't sell diamonds or take referral fees from any dealers.

Books
We have listed the best books that make it easy, fast and fun to make an intelligent diamond purchase.

Go Beyond the 4 Cs
What you don't know will cost you when it comes to diamond pricing. Please use our How to Read a Certificate report and be sure to follow the easy steps in our Diamond Pricing Tutorial to avoid making mistakes. If you do not make adjustments for the 13 major factors, you can easily pay up to 30% more than you should for your diamond. Easier yet, use our Dealer Ratings Report for the quickest way to find the best dealer and then the diamond you want at the best possible price.

Decide Exactly What You Want
The next step is to decide what you want. Go here for help in deciding on the size and quality of a diamond that is best for your unique needs and tastes. Don't settle for whatever a dealer has in stock -- use the information you have learned about the 4 Cs to decide what you want. Then hunt for a diamond that fits your unique needs. You can almost always find what you want if you are willing to hunt for it.

Learn the Rapaport Wholesale Price
Never buy a diamond without knowing the price listed for that stone on the Rapaport Diamond Report -- the price list used by diamond dealers all over the world. Caution: The 4 Cs and the Rapaport price list is not enough to price a diamond accurately. Our Diamond Pricing Tutorial will teach you all the tricks to using the huge online databases to include all 22 diamond price factors and find out the best possible price for your diamond.

Get a Grading Certificate
Always insist on a grading certificate from a respected, independent gem laboratory (we only recommend GIA, AGS or EGL). You should also arrange for a local, respected, independent appraiser to make sure the diamond you receive actually matches the certificate.

Knowledge is Power
The reports and calculators in our Five Easy Steps make it easy to be accurate because they do all the hard work for you.

Robert Hensley
President
Diamond Helpers