You know something funny? I like to compare purchasing a pre owned luxury watch to buying a car. Just like cars, luxury watches come with a high price tag, especially when you buy them new. And just like cars, watches have a large value depreciation as soon as they leave the authorized dealer. However pre-owned watches already lost that big chunk of change. So purchasing one in excellent condition gets you an investment that will perform just as well as the new one, but that initial depreciation is passed to the new buyer in the form of a lower price. And like cars, watches can run their lifetime and more with proper care. And as anyone who’s purchased or inherited an antique watch will tell you, they run much better and are much less to maintain than an antique car.
But enough about watches – I never thought to compare a car to an engagement ring. This graphic from Visual.ly does just that. Both are significant financial investments, but that’s about where the comparison ends. A diamond is forever (see DeBeers, every marketing campaign ever). A car? not so much. So, when a young man gulps at the price of a ring – sometimes more than he’d pay for a car, I’d like to direct his attention here, to put everything into context. Both are big purchases, no doubt. Both require (yes, REQUIRE) extensive research. You need to know your 4 C’s if you want to get the best deal on a diamond. And you need to feel comfortable with the process – think of how obnoxious a pushy car salesman can be. Those types exist int eh jewelry world too – you need to find a jeweler and a sales associate willing to listen to your needs and your budget, and work with you to find or create the perfect ring. We also might add to this list that you should consider new vs. estate or antique diamonds too. If your intended loves the antique look, you can either recreate it or purchase the real deal at an estate jeweler. And, of course, you know I already agree with them that buying an engagement ring online is the easiest way to buy a diamond.
