I know there is a strong discouragement of editing posts, but there is helpful info here. Should I just edit out his direct link to prevent freeadvertising?

Congratulations Sportchampps. I've been down the engagement ring shopping road a few times. I'm on my third marriage now and this one is for keeps! If you've never bought an engagement ring before, it can be overwhelming but it doesn't have to be. I have some info for you. It's a lot, but it's all good...

I agree with McFly1955 who recommended you buy online. It's really the only way to get a decent ring for a decent price nowadays if you're on a budget. If money is no object, that's a different story. I know for a fact that you can get a ring online for 30%-50% less than you would at a retail store. I bought my current wife a ring online at James Allen.

The 4 C's are important, but it ultimately comes down to your budget. And for most normal people, you can't tell the difference between a $1000 and a $100,000 diamond! As long as the diamond is eyeclean (which means you look at it and can't see any black specs or obvious flaws) that's all that matters to you. You should buy the LOWEST DIAMOND CLARITY that is clean to your naked eye. Don't worry about inclusions that are only visible with a microscope. You'll never see them and you'll end up paying through the roof if you buy a diamond that is very very clear. Why pay more if you don't see the flaws with your naked eye?:rolleyes:

Some diamond cuts hide flaws very well because there are so many facets and angles you can't see the flaws when looking at it.

You should also get the lowest possible color that’s white to the naked eye. An H or I or better is usually enough. There's no reason a normal person need to get a D color diamond. For most diamond rings, 99% of people can't tell the difference between an F (expensive) color and an I (less expensive).

Anyway, that's a lot of info! Buy online to avoid pushy salespeople who will try to convince you to overspend and get things you don't need. All the big reputable online sites let you design your own ring and that way you stay within your own budget. Retail stores take advantage of younger people too. Of course be careful if you shop online. But as long as you stick with big well known stores you won't have a problem. I chose James Allen because they have free shipping and free returns and 24/7 customer service. But there are other good sites too. Make sure that whatever store you choose, you read reviews online and make sure it's a place people know about.

Fly4Fun;1144468 wrote:Fly4Fun has reported a post.

Reason:
Post: Engagement Rings
Forum: Serious Business
Assigned Moderators: Trueblue23

Posted by: ballyhoo
Original Content:

ts1227;1144505 wrote:Fuck it. I don't see there being some massive benefit to a jeweler from one link on a site like this, and it is some useful info as opposed to straight spam

Fly4Fun;1144910 wrote:Fair enough, it's why I asked. If anything I was just going to edit out the one link and replace with name. But I didn't think it was a big deal, I just know sometimes Justin cares about the advertising.