3 Places You DON’T Want To Buy Your Engagement Ring
May 14th, 2015 / Alese Oldenburg
Buying an engagement ring is the most important purchase you’ll make in your life. While it doesn’t have the same financial commitment as a house or car, there is a far greater emotional commitment than any other purchase. With so much on the line, it’s scary to think about purchasing this sign of your love with a company you don’t trust.
However, if you’re able to get over that emotional hurdle, you’re likely to get a much better deal buy purchasing from a website. So how do you make sure you don’t get scammed when purchasing online? Here are three types of places to avoid:
Online Market Places
Examples: Amazon, Ebay, Overstock
Why: This will be the hardest to avoid because the deals will seem the best and you trust the stores. However, when you’re purchasing rings from these companies, they’re almost never the actual seller. Just about anyone can put their rings on these sites and they often outright lie about the quality of their rings. Amazon does offer a small collection of their own rings but they are not certified by a third party and are mass-manufactured, resulting in low quality.
Big Box Retailers
Examples: Walmart, JCPenney
Why: Again, these are names you know and trust so it may seem counter-intuitive to not trust a ring they sell you. Most rings sold on their sites are cluster-set, which is several small diamonds put together to look like a larger stone. Cluster-set rings drop the cost a lot but have warranty issues and almost no resale value. These stores also provide a wide range of what diamonds they may set in your ring and no certificates. This results in what is likely a low quality diamond in your ring.
Jewelry Store Chains
Examples: Kay, Jared, Zales
Why: No matter how many commercials they play over the holidays, you still don’t want to get your ring from one of these large chains. They all grade their own stones so they can sell a low quality diamond for a lot of money. These rings are also all made via mass manufacturing so they’re low quality and there is a high likelihood your friend may have the same ring. These store are masters at getting the most money for the lowest quality ring.
Now, while all of this may make logical sense, it’s hard to believe someone that is also trying to sell you an engagement ring. Just so you know that we’re not just being self-serving, here are other good alternatives to the above options: James Allen, Ritani, Brilliant Earth, Blue Nile and 1215 Diamonds. All of these stores are reputable, provide great deals and will leave you feeling great about the most important purchase in your life.
12FIFTEEN Diamonds is our sister company and a member of the Forever Companies family. They offer lab diamonds that are chemically and physically identical to natural diamonds, and are a great place to purchase an engagement ring from. At 12FIFTEEN, you can get a luxury engagement ring at the lowest price point possible. Each ring is handcrafted with meticulous care, unlike most companies who mass produce their rings in batches. Because they have the highest quality materials and craftsmanship, you can feel confident in your decision. Plus, with an easy to use ring builder, you can create your perfect ring in three simple steps: Choose a lab diamond, choose a setting style, then review and complete your order. Visit 1215diamonds.com to learn more.