Yep, Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

Guest Blogger: Isabel, Bridal Guide intern

I went to The Diamond Information Center’s The Art of Diamonds show with Elena, and while I was there, I was lucky enough to try on some of the jewelry (insert squeal of delight here). Of course, the second I touched a piece—every piece—I fell in love. There was only one small problem: falling in love with diamond jewelry is expensive. So I was pretty excited when I got to interview jewelry expert Susan Eisen, author of Crazy About Jewelry, about how to save money on wedding jewelry—there’s no saying I can’t use some of these tips myself, even though I’m not a bride!

Here are some of the great tips she shared:

Consider an heirloom. Check and see if your mom or grandmother (or even his mom!) has jewelry she wants to keep in the family—you might end up with a beautiful ring that saves you dough and has sentimental value. Or maybe there’s a hand-me-down stone you can have paired with a setting you choose.

Browse estate jewelry. You might stumble across a unique find—with a little history—for a much lower price. All it may need is little polishing and maybe some small repairs (such as retipping prongs or resizing) to make it ready for you to wear.

Try a palladium ring. Palladium, a white metal, is less expensive than gold, and it’s rising in popularity with wedding jewelry designers!

Make room to grow. Can’t afford your ideal diamond size? Ask for a setting that can easily hold a bigger rock and plan to add on at a future milestone anniversary.

And of course, be sure to ask about sales and financing options when you are looking at rings. Often, you can get a plan that lets you pay off your ring over a period of time with no interest. (Just be sure to read the fine print!)

Hmmm…with tips like these, maybe we can all have our diamonds!

Posted by Isabel at 11:12 a.m.