When venturing out to buy an engagement ring, loose diamond or something to make your partner’s eyes light up, these five tips will go a long way when walking into a jewellery store. Spending the time being prepared will definitely have a positive impact on your jewellery shopping experience, not to mention saving you precious time. There is an easy way to make the whole experience easy, and enjoyable. All you need is the right guide. Good Luck!
Have an idea of what you want
One of the hardest things for a jeweller is a client who likes nothing or everything. Doing a little ground work like looking at Google images is a great a starting point. If it’s hard to find something they will like, having an idea of what they don’t like can also be helpful.
Do some basic research
While everything you read on the internet isn’t necessarily true, having a basic understanding of the 4C’s will help in your journey to find the perfect diamond. Diamonds are not like bottles of wine – they don’t get better with age. So it pays to do a bit of research to make sure that the diamond you are spending your hard earned money on is going to bring you years of happiness. My parents taught me that, “the sweetness of a cheap price is quickly forgotten, long after the bitterness of poor quality remains”. Sometimes good quality costs a little more, but no one has ever come back to me six months after their purchase and wished they had gone for the lower quality and cheaper option.
Research the company you’re buying from
Having a look at what others are saying about a company and its history is a great way to start narrowing down the jewellers on your shortlist. No business can ever take their clients for granted. Reputations take years to build up but can be destroyed in an instant. A business that truly cares about its clients will have clients that are more than happy to share their experiences. Choosing a business that has been in operation for a certain period of time is also crucial, as you are looking to form a long term relationship with your jeweller. After all, what good is a warranty if the jeweller is not around to honour it.
Have an idea of budget
Setting a budget can help narrow down the size of diamond you are looking at, especially if you are looking at having something made that has a complicated design. Don’t be afraid of letting the jeweller know your budget – a good jeweller will know how to work with every budget to get the maximum wow factor for your money. A bespoke jeweller should be able to easily estimate the cost of making a ring, which will tell you instantly how much you have left to spend on the diamond.
Know whether you’re doing it alone or with help
Deciding to get engaged or purchase jewellery for your partner is a big deal and is a very personal journey. It’s good to decide right from the beginning whether you are going to go alone or enlist the help of a family friend or partner. If you are going to use a friend or family member, make sure they are good at keeping secrets. You don’t want to go to the trouble of organising a big proposal moment, only to have to ruined by someone who has a terrible poker face.
