If you buy from a big box store, always insist on taking the display piece. Big box stores keep multiple iterations of the same ring in stock. They put the nicest one on display and then back stock the others. If you buy one and don’t physically see them bag up the item from the case, there is a good chance that you are getting a ‘lesser’ version of what you originally saw.

If you want a jeweler you can trust, look for an AGS certified store. AGS is a non-profit group that certifies stores that adhere to a strict ethical standard on pricing. Furthermore, they require that every member have a gemologist on staff, in every AGS store, at all times.

Do not buy any additional “lifetime warranties”. The manufacturers of most jewelry offer inherent lifetime warranties. If you shop at an independent store, most stores will honor those lifetime warranties and never charge you a dime, ever, for manufacturer defects.

Do NOT buy into EGL, IGI or any certification other than GIA or AGS. The former are for-profit companies. If you see any certificate other than GIA or AGS, you can safely assume that the color and clarity grades are at least one grade lower than reported. I could go into the complexity of how GIA reports are assembled to ensure accuracy, but it’d likely the bore everyone here.

Most big box stores (that I’m familiar with) have three phases. That means you can talk the price down three times. But be aware: There Are No Discounts In Jewelry. You are always paying above wholesale. You are, likely, always paying retail (or close) no matter where you go.

Shop local, shop independent. Will you pay more? Maybe, a little. But local businesses rely on building a relationship with the customer. We aren’t there to rip you off, we don’t have stores across the nation. We’ve got this one store, right here, and we want you to come back to it.

Do not buy “Moisonnite” or any of the other high-priced diamond substitutes. Moisonnite is the Monster Cable of the diamond world. It does exactly what a cubic zirconia or white sapphire will do, for twenty times the price

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