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Top 5 mistakes made by men when engagement ring shopping

Shopping for an engagement ring can be a very daunting task for someone as this is probably the first, and hopefully last, time they are venturing into the world of diamonds and ring designs.  While there are so many different factors and details to be on the lookout for, there are a few key points that all guys (or girls) should always keep fresh in their minds to ensure they end up with the perfect ring for their significant other.

Mistake Number 1:  Not listening to their significant other's requests from the start. Many women know exactly what they want when it comes to their ring. When it comes down to it, they are the ones that are going to be wearing this forever! Since this is an important investment, consider having her a part of the process to tell you exactly what she likes. This will avoid lots of heartache in the future since she can never say you didn't get her what she wanted- after all she picked it! Look out for her tags on our Instagram page and pins from our Pinterest board- those are the best tips and we constantly create rings based on threes subtle hints alone.  Another good way to uncover this information is to ask people close to her (friends, relatives) or have her do some engagement ring browsing in advance to see what she really likes in person.
Mistake #2: Shopping based on price alone.  The old adage of "you get what you pay for" still rings true and from our experience a lot of the time cheaper price means lower quality. In terms of settings, ours are handmade and this labor intensive process comes at a premium because it is a better quality piece in all facets.  In addition, websites that post diamonds on a list are just pulling inventory from around the world without ever checking the diamond first to see its actual qualities. GIA certified stones are graded within a range. For example a G VS2 can be very cheap online because perhaps it is a lower end G color that exhibits brown or a bad VS2 with surface inclusions that can even be eye visible. Working with a diamond consultant will help you weed through the low end items to find a perfect match for you. Since we work with clients in person and provide in depth HD videos of diamonds and comparisons you are able to see first hand the subtle differences.

Mistake number 3: Emphasizing one portion of the diamonds quality aspect too much if you did not get her opinion first. Quality is very personal so if you are not sure of what is most attractive to her in terms of diamond quality, we feel that balance is key. For example, a D color with I2 quality is not the best option to purchase blindly because it will likely show imperfections to the eye. Another example is a big diamond with low color and low clarity. Unless you are sure this is what she likes, it is better to get something mid size, with mid quality so that everything looks eye clean. Our customers find the best value in the Colorless- Near Colorless and VVS-SI range.

Mistake number 4: Shopping based on certificate alone. It is extremely hard to tell the quality aspects of the diamond based on the certificate alone. We find this especially true in terms of clarity. Some VS2 clarity diamonds can have eye visible imperfections that are shown to the naked eye. Some SI1 and SI2 clarity will be eye clean and some will not. We find it difficult to tell based on the certificate just how eye clean a diamond is and find it important to look at this aspects visually. It is also impossible to gauge the sparkle of a diamond based on the certificate. Some VS-SI stones might be hazy or cloudy while others are perfectly shiny.

Mistake number 5: Waiting til the last minute. Creating a custom engagement ring is a time consuming process and a lot of labor goes into each ring like molding the metal to the perfect shape and hand setting each diamond. Rushing a ring can sometimes mean settling for an inferior product. The saying good things come to those who wait fits perfectly here- waiting a bit longer for a custom made product means higher quality and level of worksmanship. Leave yourself enough time between your intended proposal date and creating the ring so that you will have it in your possession well before that time. This will alleviate a lot of stress on your end just knowing that the ring is safe and sound with you and not in the middle of production a day before the day you want to propose!

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