Engagement & Wedding Rings (3rd Edition): The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love

This is a must read for anyone looking to purchase a ring. Like many men, a wedding ring is a one time thing. It really is unlike any other product or service you will buy throughout your lifetime; such as: college, cars, a house or a dog. And like marriage, the ring is forever. So don't get caught walking into a shop not knowing anything about the product. This book, Engagement & Wedding Rings, 2nd Edition : The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love, is key to understanding everything you'll ever need to know about the ring. From color, clarity, size and quality, this book covers it all in any easy to read format. You'll thank yourself and your soon to be wife will also thank you forever for taking the time to read this book.

And get a cup of coffee. And a high-lighter. And then just let this book do your work for you. Why? Because "Typical Joe" will wander into a nice jewelry store not knowing diddly about diamonds, sporting a deer-in-the-headlights look that serves as an aphrodisiac to the store clerks. The love Typical Joe! With their lush carpets, free coffee, revolving credit and halogen lights that would make a piece of tar light up like Vegas, the stores also provide an "education" about diamonds through brochures published by their trade association. But if you want the REAL skinny -- and not some puff piece that glosses over the important info -- get this book. It holds your hand, feeds your head and keeps your wallet MUCH fatter in the long run. ( I know am I going to get negative marks at the bottom of this review from annoyed jewelers...sorry, folks). I saved thousands of dollars. For instance,I never knew about diamond brokers until I read this book. The appendix helped me find a good one;I saved a lot of money on the ring. I should mention that the purpose of the book is to educate on diamonds, not diminish the importance of a good jeweler (although, after I saw the mark-up on loose stones, I was livid. I'm all for making a profit, but most jewelers just GOUGE you). Point is, by reading this little book, you can learn a good deal of pertinent info and translate that into an immediate savings. Buying an engagement ring, in theory at least, should be a one-time purchase. And no guy wants to mess it up. Get this book, understand the color, clarity, blah blah blah but focus on the CUT. If you understand that, you're miles ahead of Typical Joe. This book is well-organized, well-written and provides all the info you need to get a beautiful diamond from a position of strength.

I recently purchased another book before I found this one, and quickly figured out the author was a diamond dealer trying to get my business. I was about to give up on finding a book that was written by a real expert who was NOT trying to sell me something, and then I found this one. What a treasure, written by someone who is really a consumer advocate, and tells the whole story. After reading Engagement & Wedding Rings, The Definitive Buying Guide For People in Love, I knew I wouldn't make a mistake or get ripped off. This book even told me what to ASK to be sure I was comparing "the same thing" when I went from store to store with my fiance (and even provided a place to write down information given from store to store)as well as what to get in writing. One of the things my fiance liked best, however, was the information on how to protect ourselves and how to find a reliable appraiser to verify what we were told. Personally, I loved the information on how to make our rings more personal and intimate, and the great advice on little design details that make such a difference in the appearance of the ring. We bought the diamond first, and then the ring, and even though the ring wasn't "custom made" , we knew what to ask for, so the jeweler knew what to show us and we found the perfect ring which the jeweler then ordered and engraved especially for us. So few things really affect what you do, but this book really did, and we can't thank the authors enough. I've even written a letter to the authors, to personally thank them (and that's something I've never done before). One thing was clear from the start: these authors not only know their stuff, but they really care about their readers making the best possible choice on this important decision. And without trying to sell us something!

The better my customers are informed, the better then can recognize quality and value. I own fifteen copies to lend out to customers.... Unfortunately I keep having to buy more because I never get them back!! If you're shopping for a diamond ring, then invest $13.96 before you invest $5,000.

This book came highly recommended to me by a well known and respected gem testing lab and I'm so glad I bought it. I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. It is very easy to understand! I got a ring exactly like I wanted and at the right price, too! After reading several books on the subject, I found this to be the most informative with essential information one needs before going out and making such an important purchase. The "updated" price guides were a great help, too. And I was well "armed" to avoid the many scams that I was amazed to learn REALLY do exist! This book gave me everything I needed to buy with confidence- besides the price guides, it lists questions to ask the jeweler, what should be in writing on the sales receipt (to protect ME!), how to verify what I've been told, how to get a reliable appraiser, qestions to ask when obtaining insurance...I have already recommended this book to several of my friends (I don't want to "lose" my copy!!). I think this is the BEST book I've read on the subject of buying an engagement ring. I have an interest in stones and have already ordered 2 other books by this same author!!