Buy it properly
Two visits to this page. Once to place the order with enough time to spare, and once when the box arrives and you need to check what's in it.
Where to buy
| Where | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Online diamond retailers | Best prices, huge selection, video of the actual stone, long return windows | You can't hold it first. Read the return policy before you pay. |
| Independent jewelers | Seeing rings in person, custom work, someone to call later | Higher prices, though many will negotiate or match an online quote |
| Mall chains | Convenience and a showroom to try sizes and shapes | The highest markups and the hardest sell on financing |
A common move: try shapes and sizes in a store, then buy wherever the same certified spec costs least.
Before you pay: five checks
A real certificate
The stone should come with a grading report from GIA or IGI. A certificate written by the store selling it is a brochure. Look up the report number on the grader's own website.
The delivery date, in writing
Made-to-order settings take two to six weeks. Get the ship date confirmed, and make sure it lands at least two weeks before the proposal.
The return window
Thirty days is standard online. Check that it starts at delivery, and that engraving or custom work doesn't void it.
Resizing terms
Ask whether the first resize is free and how long it takes. You'll probably need it.
How you're paying
A credit card you pay off that month gives you purchase protection at no cost. Store financing gives you a second ring's worth of interest. Shipping address: your office or a friend's place.
When the ring arrives
- Day 1
Check it against the certificate
Most certified diamonds have the report number laser-inscribed on the edge. Any jeweler can show it to you under magnification in a minute.
- Day 1
Look at it in daylight
Check the stone is secure, the prongs are even, and it looks the way the video did. If something's off, the return clock is running.
- Week 1
Appraise and insure
Get an independent appraisal ($50 to $150), then add the ring to your renters or homeowners policy or buy a standalone jewelry policy. Do this before the proposal. A ring in a jacket pocket on a pier is the highest-risk moment of its life.
- Until the day
Hide it somewhere boring
Not the sock drawer. A friend's house, your desk at work, or the pocket of a coat that's out of season.