Even though an engagement ring is small in size, it can be threatening in cost, especially if you have limited funds in preparing for marriage. Finding an affordable option that allows a couple a ring can become a major issue. There are choices, but they must be reviewed carefully by each of the partners that are involved.
To save money a substitute for a diamond is a good idea such as a cubic zirconia. Although marriage has been around for a long time, the tradition of diamond engagement rings has not. At the beginning of the last century, the De Beers diamond company, faced with an oversupply of quality diamonds in the market, created the "diamond engagement ring" as part of an advertising campaign to increase demands for diamonds, and therefore, their profits.
De Beers and other diamond sellers perpetuated the myth that the diamond is the only stone to have and thus have led to diamond rings becoming outrageously expensive. The symbolism involved, of beauty, clarity, and durability, can be applied to may other stones and to diamond substitutes without loss of meaning.
If you and your partner want very much to use a "real" diamond, it is time to start looking at your options. The first one is overlooked a lot: resetting the stone existing in one of the two families. Often purchasing an engagement ring from a current owner, or accepting one that has been a family heirloom, will result in the price being lower than a new stone, or in the case of one handed down through the family, the important "something old" that the bride traditionally wears for her wedding. Your budget won't be dimmed by a diamond if you offer the ring as an outright gift and place the diamond in an attractive setting.
If that doesn't work, you could ask an experienced jeweler who sells individual gems to locate a stone for you at a discount. Keep in mind that your notion of a low price may not be the same as a jeweler's... but a jeweler who has a reputation is much less likely to cheat you than a fly by night, or a chain supplier who has good intention without a great jewelery education.
Good jewelers will help you find affordable stones through different avenues, like other professionals and estate sales.
A reputable jeweler will be able to inform and educate you about diamonds more than any other source you can find. Lots of jewelers know about and may even discuss the price fixing that occurs with diamonds; they are not able to skirt the problem, but may suggest other beautiful, less expensive stones. Some individuals really like cubic zirconium, while others enjoy Moissanite, and still others like white topaz.
There are some people, with a good knowledge of many different stones, who will suggest a beautiful and unique alternative. Don't discount the advice that will be offered. Jewelers do not enjoy selling high-priced diamonds to customers who lack the training to appreciate them more deeply than shiny, valuable "traditional stones." Charging enough to make a profit on items spent makes many feel like a cheat. Without damage to their honor and your satisfaction, they can find a better choice and they will get a profit too.
A final, long-shot option, not recommended but not impossible take advantage of old shops that sell used items and bidding on ebay. These forms of acquisition entail some blind spots and there is no quality control which can over weigh them.
Even a dealer offering a stone or a piece of jewelry in good faith can "cheat" you simply out of ignorance, and the buyer is in a poor position to confirm the worth before purchase. There are several things to gamble on in ones life. The ring you received for your engagement should be unique.
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