If you are spending your hard-earned money on a diamond ring to gift it to the love of your life then it had better be the real deal. Since an actual diamond is extremely costly and synthetic diamonds such as those made out of cubic zirconia extremely cheap but uncannily similar to the real one, it is important that you know how to test genuine real diamond. This will enable you to slip a genuine diamond ring over the finger of your loved one instead of getting cheated with a cheap imitation that might only get flung at your face once the truth is discovered.

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The recession has created a downward spiral on prices, and diamond prices in today’s economy have suffered somewhat too. They still hold good value, but it’s the best time now to buy to get a good deal. Since fewer consumers have cash in their pocket, those that do will have their pick of the diamonds out there. The diamond merchants are willing to give a good deal in order to move some inventory. Just make sure you are working with someone reputable and that you are paying a fair price. Educate yourself before you buy, and learn the 4Cs. The more you know about diamonds the better the likelihood that you’ll be able to spot a good deal when it shows up.

Deals That Are Too Good to Be True

You have to pay attention to what you’re buying when you’re out looking for a cheap diamond. You may think you’re buying a diamond, but actually end up with moissanite or cubic zirconia. In many cases, the merchant will tell you in trade lingo that the diamond is not a real diamond, but if the brand name of that simulant makes you think it is, you won’t be happy later when you find out. Places to avoid would be flea markets, and even private buyers who may not realize that what they have is not a real diamond since someone else sold it to them. Always get an third party appraisal if you’re not sure about a deal that seems a little too good to be true. Make sure the third party is not associated with the party trying to sell you the diamond in such a manner that they are tempted to misrepresent your purchase. Even when you’re looking for an inexpensive diamond, make sure it’s a real diamond first. That’s why you should buy from those who can provide a laboratory certificate from one of the three major labs verifying your diamond purchase.

Where to Buy Inexpensive Diamonds

If you’re looking for a real deal on a diamond, your best place to look is online. Diamond merchants online will not only be able to price their diamonds better because they’ve cut out the middleman, but they’ll also have a wider selection. That selection is easily searched due to innovating search engine technology that lets you price the cut, clarity, color, and carat weight of any diamond in their inventory. You know you are getting a great deal since they can offer you wholesale prices due to the greater volume of diamonds sold online without hiring salespeople. If you’re still not sure, take some time to browse the articles provided by only merchants. They are very keen on educating their customers so that they understand what a good deal they are getting in comparison to brick-and-mortar stores. Once you have a good handle on the four C’s and how they impact price, you’ll be in a better position to score that deal whether you end up buying offline or purchasing your gemstone online.

Before the recession, the idea of grabbing a cheap, fake, diamond to commemorate one of the most important decisions of your life – marriage – was seen as appalling. However, people still want to get married and many don’t have the money to splurge on a real diamond. You can use a “placeholder” ring to mark the commitment to marriage and replace it as soon as your financial situation turns around. Luckily, there are many choices for a cheap engagement ring, and as long as you’re honest with your intended, it shouldn’t cause friction later on.

Cubic Zirconia

This isn’t even made of the same material as diamonds. They’re actually zirconium dioxide in crystalline form. Visually, they appear similar to white diamonds, but any jeweler can easily tell the difference as it’s not made of the same material. In terms of cost, they are not even close to diamonds. However, you can buy them in various colors and for those that aren’t too distinguishing about real versus fake diamonds, you can probably pull it off.

Enhanced Diamonds

These are lesser quality diamonds that aren’t as valuable as their perfect cousins are. They may be color-enhanced or heat-treated to make imperfections less visible. Once a diamond has been enhanced, it’s often not very valuable at all. However, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t look great in a ring. Besides, you aren’t lying when you say it’s a real diamond!

Simulated Diamonds

Some of these are even hard to tell from the real thing. They are best known as “laboratory” diamonds as they are grown in a laboratory by implementing technology. They are created using high pressure and temperature techniques. They have been used extensively in manufacturing processes, but they are great as a cheap replacement for a real diamond.

If you want a diamond, why do you need to know about moissanite? The reason is that it can be even hard for jewelers to tell the difference between diamond and moissanite when determining real diamond jewelry. If they can be fooled, couldn’t you? That’s why it’s important to pick a diamond merchant with a solid reputation.

Moissanite vs. Diamond

Moissanite is actually Silicon Carbide, a material that in crystallized form resembles diamond closely. It was first discovered in a meteorite sample and mistaken for diamond until further tests were done. It was named after its discoverer, Dr. Henri Moissan. Its hardness is close to diamonds and it has a thermal conductivity that is also similar to diamonds. Later it was manufactured, as the natural occurrence of moissanite is rare, but it’s easy enough to duplicate in the laboratory. It’s for that reason that it’s often used in manufacturing applications where diamond may be too prohibitive. In jewelry, it is referred to as a “diamond simulant” and for that reason can sometimes be passed off as a real diamond.

Similar but Different

That’s about where the diamond resemblance ends. It’s not actually diamond, nor is the value similar to a natural diamond. It’s used in fake diamond jewelry to mimic the real thing, but it has no where near the value of real diamonds. It appears fierier than diamonds and some experts say that it has a greenish or gray hue under natural light. The choice to buy a moissanite ring rather than a diamond ring is personal, but it should be stated up front that it is a simulated diamond, and not the real thing.

Shop With Reputable Jewelers Online

You should get a certificate with your diamond that proves it’s a real diamond, to keep you from getting conned with fake diamonds that are close the real thing. Select only companies or jewelers who have a good reputation and have it in their best interest to keep the public informed about diamond simulants out on the market today. While it is difficult to tell a real diamond from moissanite, it is not impossible. The experts should be able to tell you whether you are purchasing a real diamond or a moissanite stone.

In the past, if you wanted a great diamond ring, you went to the local, high-end jewelry store. Today, people with much less money in their pocket might even look at cubic zirconia vs. diamonds to help save a little money, something unheard of in years past. Price has become a far more dominant element of the buying decision, even though quality is still important to most consumers. There are some major shifts going on in the diamond market, and as a consumer you should be aware of them so that you end up making a good buying decision.

Where to Buy Your Jewelry

The first thing that is changing is the perception that only jewelry stores offer good, quality, jewelry. People often bought jewelry from local jewelry stores, with experts in fine jewelry. Next, they might have approached department stores and looked at their cases. Nowadays, even players like Wal-Mart and Costco are trying to get into the jewelry market. Finally, the Internet has made it easy for mass merchants of diamonds to sell quality jewelry online without too many overhead costs.

They All Want Your Loyalty

Make no mistakes about it: They all want your loyalty. The problem is that you want quality jewelry at a low price. That means that you have to trust who is selling it to you. While buying your jewelry at Wal-Mart is low-cost, is it going to be quality jewelry? Are you educated enough to know that when someone sells you “white gold” that it is not worth as much as 14k gold? Do you know that a simulated diamond is not a natural, real, diamond? If you don’t know these things, odds are you won’t find out by shopping the display cases of box stores.

What Brings People Back Again and Again

Newcomers to the jewelry market are trying to understand what brings people back again and again. Is it the customer service? Is it the price only? Is it the selection of jewelry? Where every business is fighting over smaller and smaller numbers of consumers with discretionary money in their pocket, they are going to watch buying behavior carefully so they can change their sales promotions to suit it. If you go online, you can find a wide selection of jewelry, but it will be a different sort of customer service. In some cases, it can even be better without having a commission-based sales person trying to pressure you into making a purchase!

Where to Get Educated

The best consumer is the most informed consumer. For that, you have to hop online, and many people are doing so in this recession. Diamond merchants online are not only in the business of selling diamonds, engagement rings, and jewelry, but also to educate their buyers. It’s only natural for them to want to inform their customers because once they understand how they are getting a better deal online, they will create loyalty through being transparent and helpful. They already know that they can beat prices on comparable goods in retail stores, if the customer understands what exactly is a comparable good. A natural diamond will cost more than a simulated diamond, unless someone is selling it for far more than it is worth.

Diamond jewelry like engagement rings can be expensive. However, if you know what types of decisions to make to cut the cost, you can still get the style and look you want for much less. The more say you have in how you build your diamond engagement ring, the better likelihood you can get exactly what you want at the price you can afford.

Carat Weight – If you want a large diamond, it will cost you. However, it will also depend on the cut and clarity, and color of the stone too. You might find a cushion cut diamond of low clarity or a different color, like yellow, is less than a white diamond of the same carat weight. That’s why you have to determine if size really matters to you or not. If it doesn’t you can get a higher quality diamond that is smaller.

Cut – Pear-shaped diamonds are in vogue right now; that makes them more expensive. Certain diamonds are cut to almost perfect dimensions and marketed as high-technology cuts that are near perfect. You’ll pay more for those too. Ordinary princess cuts are not as expensive as other cuts, but don’t forget you can also go for a raw diamond ring too. In general, if the cut is not that important to you, you can save money by picking a more generic cut.

Color – Blue diamonds are among the most expensive diamonds out there, even costlier than white diamonds. If you want a blue stone, you can opt for a sapphire. You can try different fancy-colored diamonds of lower grade to get a unique diamond engagement ring. There are many more options now in color choices on the diamond market than every before.

Clarity – If you’re a jewelry with loupe, you’ll want a stone with excellent clarity. However, if you’re just a consumer, visual flaws and occlusions may be visible when magnified, but invisible to the average person. The thing is though that they affect the price of the diamond, thus, it’s also a way to get a lower quality stone that still looks good in public.

Metal Settings – Some metal settings are more expensive than other settings. Platinum is very expensive, and hard to resize. White gold is cheaper than platinum, but can end up getting scratched and in need of re-coating after a few years. Yellow gold quality and cost is determined by whether it is 14k or 10k gold. Whatever you metal you choose will contribute quite a bit to how much the ring costs.

Design – If the design is intricate with multiple stones or engravings, it will cost more than a simple design. It doesn’t mean people on a budget can’t get additional features on their rings, but they might have to weigh that against the cost of the other elements of the ring, like the metal setting, the color of the diamond, and so on. Typically, the simpler the design, the less expensive it will be.

If this sounds like a solicitation for food sales, you’re wrong! The newest stars of the diamond market are being labeled champagne or chocolate-colored diamonds for their rich yellow to brown tones. In the past, these stones did not appeal to jewelers, but they are about to hit the market in time for a palette of spring colors that was made right for these precious gems.

Greens, Champagnes, and Browns

Spring 2010 is celebrating a unique palette that will have people scrambling to get some of these lovely gemstones in their jewelry chest. Add a little violet tones from amethyst, and the look is earthy, but with a promise of good things to come. Since they have not reached the popularity of other fancy-colored diamonds, nor of white diamonds, the champagne diamonds can be bought for a 15 to 25% markdown, compared to other diamonds. That’s because for many years they weren’t even considered for diamond jewelry, high end or not.

Try Them with Unusual Gold Colors

The champagnes can work well with rose gold, which has an alloy of copper added to it. You can use them white gold and combine them with semi-precious amethyst and white diamonds for a very modern feel too. The colors have a wide range of depth and make each piece that uses a champagne diamond unique.

Designers Are Loving Them

Expect to see far more champagne diamonds on the runways and in shows. Designers love the way they can be used in novel ways to create an entirely new palette. In addition, it’s recognized that they might appeal to cash-strapped consumers a bit more who have struggled through this recession and want some other diamond choices.

Argyle Has More Brown than Pink

The new popularity has some diamond mine owners swooning too, especially Argyle. This diamond mind in Australia is best known for the fancy-colored pink diamonds. However, before those were brought to the surface, there was an even larger stash of brown diamonds they worked their way through. The potential to have them used in jewelry, and not just for industrial purposes, will provide a better profitability to the Argyle mine.

The recession has given pause to rethink the rules and guidelines in place. One of these rules, is the idea that a suitor needs to spend two months of his salary on the most beautiful engagement ring she could ever hope to wear. The good news is that you can fudge a little on the two-month salary rule, particularly if you pay attention to what she wants, and not how much it costs. There are so many options available for people on a tight budget and the best way to find out how you can best spend your resources is to make a budget and hop online.

What Is A Reasonable Amount?

Maybe two or three month’s salary is not available right now for a ring. In that case, what amount is available? You have to start somewhere. No one is going to demand that you spend two month’s salary on a ring, so it’s really up to you to decide to set a budget that you can use to buy the ring she wants. Ultimately, you have to understand that some sacrifices will most likely be made when you don’t put aside two month’s salary to buy the ring. However, if they are not important to her final happiness with the ring, then they needn’t stop you from making your purchase at a budget you can afford.

Get an Idea of Her Perfect Ring

You may have to be stealthy or include her in the buying decision. If you want it to be a surprise, you can ask her friends and relatives about her tastes. If you’d rather she be involved, you can look up a virtual diamond engagement ring designer online and take a look at a few styles. You don’t have to finalize the entire look, just have her tell you which she likes best. Then, take it from there.

Concentrate on Balancing 4 Cs

Maybe she wants a cushion cut diamond in a larger size. In that case, you might be able to balance the additional monies required for carat weight by picking a stone of lesser clarity or of a different color quality. Don’t over look some of the fancy colored stones in yellow or champagne as they can be 15 to 25% less than a white diamond.

The choice of metal used for the ring setting will also play a large part in how much you end up paying. Platinum is far more expensive than gold, and gold is far more expensive than white gold. The design and style of the setting can also increase or decrease the amount you have to pay, so make sure you know whether she wants a simple setting or something more elaborate. The idea is to get the most features she want at the price that you can handle.

If she’s not too particular about the shape, but wants a white diamond, you will still be able to change the budget by looking at the different cuts and clarity available. The virtual ring builder makes it very easy to choose different stones with different settings to help you balance your budget.

If you take a look around during the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day it might appear that it is a “woman’s holiday” because of the obvious lack of advertisements, promotions and commercials for gifts especially for men.

So, what kinds of presents are out there for men during Valentine’s Day? Well, just like the ladies, men like diamonds too and there are many unique diamond gifts that a woman could present to her sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. Continue reading »

Over the years trends in fashion and jewelry can often change rapidly and dramatically, and the purchase of an expensive coat or bracelet can seem like a painfully expensive mistake only a short while later. This is one of the primary reasons that parents hesitate to purchase trendy jewelry for teenagers. This is unfortunate because a few well-chosen pieces could actually create the foundation for a wonderful personal collection of valuable jewelry. Continue reading »