Save Money on the Best, Unique Diamond Engagement Ring: Learn the 7th “C”! Posted on 17 Apr 15:35 , 33 comments

Why not go beyond “the norm” of chasing a few hundred bucks for basically the same diamond ring from one business to the other?  Get more for your money.  Yes- after researching to learn about buying a diamond, you now know the 4 “C”s of diamond quality.  But did you know there are truly 7 “C”s if you want a ring which is more valuable and unique, at the best price?

After diamond Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat… one must consider the next “C”s, too:  COST (your budget), CERTIFICATION (GIA or AGS only are best) and most importantly, CONCEPT in overall design.

Why do you think price is such a competitive factor among so many major jewelry outlets?  Because they are selling “shades of sameness” in product.  Where else can they stand out but price?

In these days of the internet, within an hour one can learn what the going rate is for a 1-carat high quality stone.  There is some variation, of course, but generally, comparing grades which are similar, ALL  jewelers must meet the known market standard or they lose the sale. 

When you go into a retailer for almost any product these days with your internet printouts, most will match the price because they want to compete and make the sale.  The same is true in buying diamond  jewelry.   Do your research, of course, checking out each business you're contemplating contacting... including me! The availability of information has leveled the playing field.  Quality bricks and mortar stores or buying on-line now has built-in industry standards or you can't compete with the informed consumer. 

BUT ...is standard all that's possible?  The 7th “C” is CONCEPT in design where you can really maximize a difference in value, uniqueness and personal branding that the major on-line or bricks and mortar enterprises cannot.  Not in the same way as I am suggesting. 

I have been designing and gold smithing diamond engagement rings for more than 35 years. 

My colleagues and I are a different animal in how we approach each project.  Just as in the explosion of fashion design from the 50’s and 60’s, jewelry design blew open closed doors by introducing innovative concepts and  gemstones during the 70’s and 80’s.  I would argue that ALL of the jewelry you see today is a reflection of what we injected into the industry.  Even classics were revisited to add innovative changes complimenting a contemporary, modern lifestyle.  New metals, new gem cuts and widely improved design, fabrication and casting techniques have become the new normal in the industry.

Many of us were, and still are, similar to “the garage innovators” of I.T. like  Jobs, Wozniak and many you’ve never heard of.  We have the passion of vision in our work.  This is not about making a buck, like most businesses for most of us.  It’s before that part.  It's a personal mission to add to the world conversation.  We each have developed a unique style which runs through every single piece of jewelry you see under our names.  We’ve had to economize on every aspect of the rings we design, so that we could afford to make them first!  We know how to maximize every diamond cut to look the best in a setting because in the beginning we hand carved the wax over a 40 hour period!  I had to be truly convinced my design was hot to keep me committed for that long, believe me!

So what does this mean for you as a first time, second time or veteran jewelry buyer?  You get all of that experience included value added.  We are still impassioned to put every aspiration you have into one of our designs.  We can meet your budgets because we had to meet our own.  We can find you the best diamond value, because we’ve had to do it ourselves hundreds, no- thousands of times. 

We don’t do “stock” anything the same way a major retailer of any type would.  Its a different mind set.  We developed tricks which are uniquely reflected in each of our styles and can pass ALL of that knowledge on to you.  We also have to play by the same known market standard I explained before – so competitive diamond and mounting pricing is a given to you as the customer.  What you’ll get beyond the standards is a ring that looks like what you have dreamed of, or that is completely different to other rings or more sensitive to the quality of a classic that you’ve always admired.   

“Buy local” is another new normal.   A unique designer may be in your hometown.  Find them and check them out.  “Local” for diamonds and jewelry design is truly world-wide, and the carbon footprint is absorbed by all of us!  (We off-set that as best we can, or course.  It matters.)  The world’s best designers are at your finger tips.  Get going and find the one who speaks to your style.  Let us customize each aspect of a ring design you are drawn to, ultimately making it yours.  Here at Scott Keating Jewelry, we send you a wax ring with your chosen gems mounted into it for your approval.  No risk for you.  No need to take a leap.  No shipping costs, either. ( It’s also fun, by the way.)

If this truly is one of the most important purchases in your life, make the most of it.  Work with a visionary -one on one- to translate YOUR  vision into reality!