Your First Visit
Visiting a jewelry store with the intention of purchasing a diamond ring for the first time can be a bit daunting. Every case that surrounds you is filled priceless jewels, shining trinkets, and polished distractions. Each salesperson is dressed for a formal dinner while you are in jeans and a T-shirt. You haven’t seen prices like these since the first time you bought a car! But fear not.
The truth of the matter is that your only after one of those jewels, that person behind the counter probably does not know as much about diamonds as you do (if you’ve done your homework), and you don’t have to pay for anything yet. It’s only your first visit. Below are some things to keep in mind the first time in a retail jewelry store.
- Let your first visit’s intention be to compare diamonds. Take this opportunity to browse through different kinds of diamonds to select what you want. Look at the different colors of diamonds next to each other. Examine different clarities. What must you have and what can’t you live with?
- Use every resource of the jeweler. Ask to use their microscope and examine different diamonds. If they have a catalog, request one. Whatever opportunity they give you to learn more about the diamond you are after, use it.
- Do not let the jeweler fill your head with ideas about what makes a jewel great. If you have done your research, you know what makes a diamond extraordinary. Remember, they are trying to sell you on something. I once had a lady tell me that a certain diamond was great because you could “see right through it.” It would have been great if I were looking for glass!
- Have enough time to visit several jewelers in one day. Many nationwide retailers have wonderful offers and services that are provided when you buy a ring from them. See what different places have to offer. Also, you may get more help from a second or third establishment than you will from your first.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Retail Shopping
Now that we are all connected by this wonderful web of knowledge called the internet, many are choosing to buy their diamond engagement rings online, but there is still a great deal to be said about walking into a store, looking someone in the eye, and passing the money across the counter.
For instance, as mentioned before, many nationwide retailers offers extras for costumers who purchase a ring from them. The biggest extra being the lifetime warranty. The program goes as follows:
- Bring the ring or jewel in every “x” number of months for a checkup.
- If anything is damaged the retailer fixes it for free.
- If the diamond or jewel falls out of its setting and is lost, the retailer replaces it for free.
Another advantage is the free adjustment. If at anytime the ring ring does not fit, the retailer will resize it for free. The last advantage is security. You know exactly who you are buying from, so if you think you have been defrauded or treated unfairly it is easier to track them down.
The disadvantage of walk-in retailers is the price. The markup on diamond rings in most jewelry stores is outrageous! I have seen a diamond ring on a reputable website be marked up 75% at a nationally known diamond retailer’s store. A $1500 dollar ring can sometimes come very close to running $3000.
So, the decision is do you want to pay less for a quality diamond or do you want to pay top dollar and get a quality diamond and the bonuses that come from buying retail.