In the last 45 years, Griner Jewelry has seen many, many couples come into the store looking to buy an engagement diamond for their soon to be bride. And after 45 years, Griner Jewelry has been able to guide these new couples through the complexities of diamond buying and fit them with an engagement set that is, in a word, perfect. It can be intimidating and even a little overwhelming when you walk in the door to purchase an engagement ring, so here’s a few things to know ahead of time.
Budget
The old rule of thumb used to be two month's salary. While that may not be the case for everyone, you certainly need to have a dollar amount in mind that you are comfortable with. Your diamond will be one of the first investments you make as a couple, so be sure to get all the diamond you can within your budget. The value of a diamond has been on a steady incline for the last 50 years, due to worldwide shortages and economic factors. "The appraisals on 30 and 40 year old diamonds can be amazing,” says Mr. Griner. "It's not uncommon to see a diamond's value go over 200% of it's original price over time." So while you are setting your budget, remember that you are making a serious investment and treat it as such.
The 4 C's of Diamond Buying
The 4 C's are the common standards in buying a diamond. Color, cut, carat, and clarity. There is a detailed technical guide explaining each of the 4 C's on our website for your research, and our staff will go over each point with you in the diamond buying process. However, Mr. Griner feels that color has the most apparent value because it is what the eye immediately recognizes. Diamonds can be colorless, white, off white, and even yellow and rose toned. "Each diamond, just like each person, is unique." according to Mr. Griner. "When we find the place where all of these points come together, then we have a match of the diamond to the client."
Personal Style
The practicalities of diamond buying are often more important to the groom, but the new bride is concerned with style. White gold and platinum are still very popular right now, but yellow gold is making a comeback. "We've seen a lot of yellow gold settings coming out of Italy, which is the trend setter in the jewelry world." Rose colored gold and two-toned settings are also enjoying a good bit of popularity at the moment. Round, brilliant diamonds are a classic, but princess cut diamonds paired with halo bands are a definite trend. Wearability is certainly a factor for an active person, but outstanding design might be more important to another person.
Customization
Custom designed settings are increasingly more common. Many couples are choosing to have a setting custom designed in house, rather than purchasing a ready-made piece. While it may sound complicated and expensive, that is not necessarily the case. You can choose your diamond and then choose your setting and have us create an original design based on your personal preferences. Engravings and custom mountings are by far the most common, there is a great deal of leeway when it comes to overall design.
Quality
Each diamond inside Griner Jewelry has been hand selected by Mr. Griner himself. Each year, he travels to Antwerp, Belgium for the specific purpose of buying quality diamonds directly from the source. Antwerp has long been established as the "Diamond Capital of the World", and where up to 80% of all diamonds are cut and traded. Griner Jewelry adheres strictly to the Kimberley Process, which has been established internationally to prevent "conflict" or "blood diamonds" from entering the diamond trade. These conflict diamonds have been mined in war zones and sold on the market to fund warlord activity. We are proud to say that we import only conflict-free diamonds into the United States.
Come see our knowledgable staff at Griner Jewlery at 30 1st Ave. SE Moultrie, Georgia 31768, or call us at (229)985-3700!