Engagements and weddings are as good as profanities for those on a tight budget. Very seldom do they signify a low-cost, low profile affair, which makes the bank balances of the groom and the father of the bride tremble. A common way to try to cut the costs of an engagement is to look for a cheap engagement ring. However, there are a number of obvious drawbacks with cheaper engagement rings which must be taken into account before purchasing one for your partner.

Drawbacks of Cheap Rings

Poor Quality - cheap rings are usually poorly made using low quality metal alloys which can break and deform with wear. Remember that an engagement ring is designed for life, so your purchase should reflect that rather than your current bank balance.

Symbolic problems - what does giving a cheap ring say about you? For one thing, your partner may take it as a sign that you are less than committed about the relationship or may see it as reflective of your personality. Make sure you only buy a cheap ring if you really have to, and that your partner is well aware of your reasons behind it.

Appearance - cheap rings don’t look good. That’s just a fact of life - from the bands to the stones, cheap rings invariably look cheap, and this will be identified from a mile off when your partner goes to show her ring to relatives and friends. Again, it’s all about creating a positive impression.

Lack of aftercare - jewellers who sell cheap rings tend to be more sales orientate than craft orientate, which means you can expect a poor aftercare service and very little warranty. After all, you get what you pay for.

Durability - cheap rings don’t usually stand the test of time, and can begin to rust early or weaken at the stone housing. With cheap rings, chances are they’re going to fail a couple of years into the marriage with daily use which will ultimately require a repair bill and a great deal of inconvenience.

Poor Stones and Setup - the stone quality in cheap engagement rings is rarely high, which means you might end up with some less pure or less well cut than another, more expensive ring. Again, it’s these details that really do make or break an engagement ring, and this can leave them looking cheap and tacky.

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Wedding rings with diamonds are a special breed. Traditionally the wedding ring itself is plain, and sits on top of the engagement ring on the ring finger. However there is a growing trend towards styling wedding rings in order to create an appearance akin to that of a plain engagement ring, which poses similar problems when looking for a good quality wedding ring. If this is what your partner wants, it’s a good idea first of all to know what you’re looking for in your wedding ring with diamonds prior to making your selection.

What You’re Looking For

Precious Metal Band - the band of the ring should really be some kind of precious metal, preferably in a style and colour that your partner traditionally likes to wear

Clear, Sharp-Cut Stones - the stones should be sharply and accurately cut in order to have that smooth, glamorous appearance. This is more obvious in some stones than in others, but it is something to look out for nevertheless when buying your ring.

Ring-size - a tricky one for most men, the ring size is crucial. Is the ring you’re about to drop a few grand on likely to fit your wife-in-the-making? Or is it going to be a little too tight, in which case it will be of absolutely no use whatsoever. To avoid destroying the element of surprise, measure her existing rings using coins as comparisons - then head in to the jewellers and describe the size in relation to the coins you have used. This is a great way of getting the size spot-on without having to ask too many questions.

Ring housing - how well does the ring seem to be put together? The ring housing is probably the best way to gauge overall workmanship, so examine how well the stones are fitted to get an overall idea of the quality you’re buying

Warranties/Repair Plans - this one is a must, especially if you’re spending heavily on a particular ring. If the stone falls out or if the band snaps unexpectedly, this could save you a pretty penny in repair bills and will also make sure you’re getting a better deal for your money.

Reputability - is the jeweller in question well respected and well established? If so, this should also help ensure you have a better idea of the kind of quality to expect

Exchange Policy - if your partner doesn’t like the ring, it’s important that you have the fall back option of an exchange. Make sure you check that you can get a cash exchange rather than a credit note however, just in case you’re wife-to-be is picky and doesn’t like any of the available rings, in which case you might end up heavily out of pocket.

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Hot Diamonds has become something of a desire brand in recent years. After widespread marketing campaigns and product placement, Hot Diamonds have become renowned for their glamorous, stylish jewellery - in particular their range of diamond rings. Hot Diamonds might not be as expensive as some traditional jewellers but it is nevertheless a top-end brand for most consumer ring buyers. As such, diamond ring buyers the world over are becoming increasingly more interested in realising a saving on their Hot Diamond rings without having to sacrifice on the quality side.

Hot Diamonds Online
Hot Diamonds have their own website, but they also have a diverse distribution channel of jewellers up and down the country. Whilst brand prices do tend to be relatively fixed, it is possible for find a retailer willing to sacrifice his margin in order to pass on a saving to the consumer. Particularly when sold on the internet, there is increased scope to offer discounts based on the lower marginal operating costs sustained by the retailer. With a bit of shopping around, it’s pretty easy to find the lowest price available on the Internet.

Flawed Stones: Cheaper Rings, Same Appearance
Flawed or small stones are staggeringly cheaper than others. What’s more, they don’t necessarily look any worse appearance-wise. There’s a great deal of snobbery surrounding diamonds and their clarity and size, but for the average wedding ring there’s no need to get involved in all that. By simply opting for a smaller or less clear stone you can shave a great deal off the price of your diamond ring and look for something with an improved-quality band and stone housing.

Financing Your Ring
The perpetual question - how to pay for it all. Hot Diamonds don’t tend to break the bank, and most of their ranges are affordable. However for those living at the edge of their means, there are a number of potential financing methods available. Third party financing agreements are usually less expensive than store or retailer credit so this may be the best route to go down. Alternatively there are hire purchase agreements which can be negotiated with a number of Hot Diamond distributors to help stagger payments, although it’s wise to bear in mind that these do tend to be somewhat more costly in the long run.

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Engagement rings come in a variety of different designs and styles, to naturally meet the tastes of the market. Of course, they also tend to range vastly in price, so the trick is trying to find the style and stone you’re looking for at a price that’s well within your budget. Broadly speaking, there are a few general categories of style that encompass most engagement rings - plain and elegant, and what we call ‘over the top’.

Plain and Elegant
Plain and elegant style engagement rings are your basic, down-to-earth styles. A circular band with a simple stone, or perhaps even a simple collection of stones, can look just as glamorous, if not more so, than more intricate and ‘loud’ rings that are available. If you’re going for elegance, there’s nothing better than plain and simple white gold with one large diamond. Don’t be fooled by their more straightforward appearance - this kind of style can often rack up more of a bill that more intricate models, and tend to use higher quality materials to make up for less workmanship and jeweller involvement.

Over The Top
Whilst ‘over the top’ may have negative connotations, it is used in this sense to describe elaborate, intricate jewellery that involves complex craftsman shift and just demands to be admired. Some of these designs include a number of different stones of different colours, two-tone bands of different precious metals and a variety of other innovations and design features. Over the top rings are far more likely to be unique in their stylings as compared to most other rings available on the market which can provide that degree of exclusivity. Additionally, if you spend money on one of these rings it’ll show through the complexity of the design and setting of the stones.

Which To Choose?
The answer depends on both your personal taste and that of your partner. Whatever your budget, you should be able to find plenty of options in both categories, although it’s a good idea to find out what your partner actually likes before making any decision. Try to take photos of your partner’s existing rings to take in to the jewellers, or look at what kind of styles she seems to prefer - putting in this kind of research work might just pay off when it comes to choosing the perfect engagement ring design.

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Diamond rings are almost exclusively reserved for very special occasions - from engagements through to diamond wedding anniversaries. Indeed the diamond is considered top of the pile when it comes to precious stones, for its unrivalled beauty and impressive clarity. Unfortunately for the diamond ring buyer, there is literally no way of knowing whether the ring you’re about to purchase for a couple of thousand dollars is what your partner wants and, more importantly, is of suitable quality for the price you pay. Sure, the jeweller may tell you you’re getting a good deal, but how can you really know you’ve chosen your diamond ring well?

Finding The Band
A ring is composed of two general components - the band and the stones. Fairly obviously, the band is the metal that wraps around the finger and houses the stones, which provide the glamour and sparkle to any ring. The band is often treated as a secondary consideration to the stones but is nevertheless very important in augmenting the appearance of the ring and in making the ring a desirable object. The most popular bands available are gold, white gold, platinum and silver, although the latter is very much ‘out of fashion’ at the moment.

The Stones
The stones really are the crowing glory of any ring. When it comes down to it, diamond rings are usually considered most desirable, although this is down to your individual tastes, despite the fact that diamonds themselves vary dramatically in size, colour and clarity. The key thing to looks for in any diamond is how clear it is to look through. Diamonds with imperfections and flaws will be much cheaper, but will nevertheless only be detectable on close scrutiny as anything less than perfect. What this means is that buying a diamond with a number of flaws may work out cheaper when it comes to pricing the ring. Of course perfect diamonds are very rare, but by making it clear that diamond quality is not your number one priority, you can achieve a substantial cost saving without giving cause for any negative aesthetic properties in your stone.

Key Factors
* diamond clarity - do you care? It could just save you a pretty penny
* band metal - what does your partner prefer?
* band style - elegant and plain or brash and stylish?

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