Because we have bunked tradition so far, the fact that Eric was planning to propose was not a surprise at all- more like a discussion. He even asked me to help him pick out the ring. After hours upon hours of searching, I found a gorgeous five thousand dollar, 1.75 carat bridal set that I fell absolutely in love with upon first sight. “But what about the budget?”, you ask . What I neglected to mention until now was that I bought this gorgeous set brand new from Ebay for roughly $400. I am sure after that last sentence you are now reading this with your brows arched promptly towards the top of your forehead & your mouth open wide as if you are expecting to fed that first slice of wedding cake. But yes, you read that right. I bought my engagement ring on Ebay.
Despite whatever preconceived notions you may have, the fact of the matter is that Ebay, pawn shops, & the like are perfectly acceptable places to buy diamonds. Sure, they may not have all the glitz and glamour of big name jewelry stores but that’s exactly what you aren’t paying for. If you are willing to put in the time & effort to not only search but research, you too might end up with a ring twice as nice as anything you could typically afford at a jewelry store for half the budget.
Tips for buying diamonds on eBay
1. Know the seller & their merchandise. Are they someone who deals solely with jewelry or so they specialize in other items as well? I’d be weary of anyone who has diamond rings & novelty toilet paper in the same store.
2. Examine the ad. This is not a case of “less is more”. You want as many detailed photos & descriptions as possible.
3. Ask questions.. Does the ring come with a GIA certificate? Can the ring be sized? (you’d be surprised how many can’t) Is it in perfect condition? (Pictures, especially of diamonds, can be very misleading.)
4. Keep score. Not only look for “power sellers” (those who sell to hundreds if not thousand of customers per day) who have a customer satisfaction score of atleast 99% but those who have also been operating on Ebay for atleast 5 consecutive years.
5. Look beyond the stars. Actually read the detailed feedback left from previous buyers. Learn as much as you can about the sellers before you buy to hopefully spare you any surprises later. I recommend reading the first & last ten pages of feedback & atleast 5 pages in the middle.
6. Know the return policy. Look for sellers who offer a no-questions- asked 100% money back guarantee.
7. Be realistic. Like your mother always said, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. If someone is offering a flawless 5 carat diamond ring for fifty dollars, run the other way. There is a big difference between a deal & an outright scam. You should also note that very rarely does the jewelry sold on Ebay appraise for what is quoted in the ads. Take that price & divide it by half & even then it may be an exaggeration, so do not let that sway you.
8. Patience is not only a virtue, it can also save you money. Ebay is the only place in the world where stalking is not only legal but also beneficiary as well. Say you found a ring you absolutely adore, but it is offered in an auction only format. Resist the urge to bid on it right away. All that does is raise the price & the fact of the matter is items typically get more bids in the last hour of an auction than they do in all of the other days of the auction combined. Bidding too soon & raising the price only heightens the chance that the final sale price will be out of your price range. I suggest waiting until the final seconds before placing your bid. I won my ring by not placing a single bid until the last 20 seconds of the auction (to lessen the chance of someone having time to outbid me) & by entering a maximum bid hundreds higher than that of the person before me. If the auction ends for less than your maximum bid, that’s all you have to pay & the higher your maximum as compared to the current bid, the higher your chance of winning. Of course, this is not a fool-proof plan & you may be bidding against people who know the same tricks you do but it doesn’t hurt to try.
9. Get a second opinion. As soon as you receive your ring, take it (as well as a copy of the ad for reference) to a reputable jeweler and have it looked it. Ask if the color, cut, & clarity are all as described in the ad & that you got exactly what you thought you were paying for. This is where the all important return policy comes into play.
10. Pat yourself on the back. Secretly laugh inside every time a girlfriend shows off that ridiculously expensive ring her fiancé purchased for her at DeBeers. Chances are your ring is just as nice, if not nicer, & you & your fiancé probably won’t have to spend the first year of your married life living off of macaroni & ramen in order to pay it off.
