A wedding ring is one of the most important purchases you make in life. It encompasses all the feelings and emotions you have for your spouse. The wedding ring has to be perfect. Little wonder then that most people spend a lot to get that perfect ring.
Back in 2013, a Jewelers of America Report showed that the average American couple spent an average of $4,000 on the engagement ring, an extra $1,000 on the bride’s wedding ring, and an extra $500 on the groom’s band. The cost of jewelry keeps rising and as a couple, you do not want to start your married life in debt. Luckily, some ideas can help you save on your wedding bands without compromising on their quality.
1. Choose the Setting Strategically
You may need to spend a lot of money if you want to buy a diamond ring. However, it is still possible to cut the overall amount you spend on the rings. You can choose a smaller stone but create an illusion of a large size by choosing a halo setting. The setting you choose can save you a lot of money and your wedding ring will still look magnificent.
2. Consider Alternatives To Platinum And Gold
If you opt for yellow gold or platinum for your wedding bands, you may need to be ready to pay through the nose. Although these are the most expensive rings around, you can still get a beautiful alternative. White gold comes to mind if you want to purchase inexpensive wedding bands that still look fabulous.
You can also opt for other cheaper but beautiful alternatives to yellow gold and platinum. These include tungsten, cobalt, titanium, ceramic, silver, and palladium.
3. Go For a Pavé Diamond Ring
Every bride dreams of showing off a big diamond on her wedding ring. However, this is not always possible. Instead, you can achieve the same impact by choosing a wedding band well paved with beautiful diamonds.
Your jeweler can play around with the design to make the ring even more brilliant than a solitaire setting saving you a lot of money in the process.
4. Invest in a Wedding Set
Tradition says that the groom had to buy a brilliant engagement ring for his fiancé and later stunning wedding bands to solemnize the occasion. The fact that these rings can be expensive provides a reason for why wedding sets are now popular. A wedding set consists of an engagement ring and the wedding bands.
You can negotiate and get a better price from your jeweler and better still; it is easier to customize the set to achieve the style you want. Using the services of the same jeweler for the three rings provides you with the advantage to negotiate and get an amazing discount.
5. Go for Slightly Lower than 1 Carat Diamond
The main cost of a diamond wedding band is in the carat weight of the diamond you choose. There is a way around this. The difference between a 1-carat diamond and say a 0.98-carat diamond is huge yet the overall size and appearance does not change much.
Diamonds are priced on the basis of the “carat bracket” they fall into. Lowering the carat size of a diamond from a higher carat bracket reduces the price significantly without affecting its beauty. You will end up saving a lot of money and your wedding bands will still look great.
6. Avoid Big Name Chain Stores
For most people, buying wedding bands translates to a visit to a big name chain store. That in itself is a big mistake. Now, these chain stores have huge overheads, which they pass on to the customer through higher prices. You can find the same ring at a lower price online. Smaller independent jewelers also offer better prices and you still get the same quality.
7. Prioritize Cut and Clarity Over Color for the Diamond
If you opt for a diamond ring, the only way to save money is to prioritize your choice of cut and clarity and forget about color. Go for a VS1 or VS2 diamonds because it is impossible to detect any flaws with the naked eye. If you go for a brilliance cut and high clarity, these aspects will cover up for any issues with the color.
8. Choose a Minimal Prong Setting
The amount of metal on your ring will push the cost up. You could choose a minimal prong setting to cut cost. This setting also highlights the diamond on your wedding bands and you will not have problems cleaning the ring.
9. Bargain Till You Drop
If you find a good local store, then up your negotiation game because you could end up saving a lot of money. Working with your local jeweler can save you hundreds of dollars if you opt for a wedding set.
10. Choose a Reputable Retailer
While saving money is your priority, you need to identify a credible dealer who sells quality jewelry. The advantage of using such a dealer is that they can give discounts and you do not have to worry about buying poor imitations.
These retailers only sell GIA certified diamonds and you can safely enjoy their discounts knowing that the quality of the ring you buy from them is guaranteed.
These are just a few of the ideas that you could use to help you find high-quality inexpensive wedding bands. You can opt for an alternative to diamond or go online to get the best bargains. While looking for discounts, make sure not to compromise on the quality of the wedding bands.
Go for certified wedding bands and shop for rings from a reputable retailer. With these tips, you can now go on and shop for affordable wedding bands.