Aside from finding the right ring for the woman they love, many men feel awkward shopping for jewelry. But some circumstances force them into the event.
Whatever the case, rings are for men just as much as they are for women. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. In this article we will show you how to choose the best jewelry for men.
1. What Are You Looking For?
Knowing exactly what you want in a jewelry item is an important part of the process. It gives you focus so you’re not distracted by the jeweler in his or her efforts to dangle the first and most expensive shiny object in front of you.
Plus, the reason why you’re purchasing the item will also help maintain some direction to keep things in line. Are you replacing a ring that’s broken beyond repair? Maybe you landed that dream job and need a nice watch to go with the attire you’ll be wearing.
Whatever your reason, make sure it remains focused in your mind during your shopping adventure.
2. What Do You Know?
If you tell a jeweler that you’re “looking for a cheap [fill in the blank]”, they may just bid you a good day and ignore you.
Knowledge is power, but only when it is put to use. You can be sure that a jeweler is going to assume that most people who come through the door may know little or nothing about jewelry. They might take advantage of that.
But if you demonstrate knowledge of the basics, like carat size, type of cut, color or clarity, without going overboard, the jeweler will respect you and avoid trying to fool you with the higher ticket items.
3. Who’s Your Jeweler?
If you have a good friend who is a jeweler, then you may not have to worry about #2. Knowing your jeweler is the best way to bring trust into this purchasing event. Instead of putting their emphasis on their commission, it will be on you, and your needs. They should also know how to take care of the jewelry – most of them have a jewelry cleaner machine, make sure you ask about that since your item might need cleaning in the future.
Otherwise, it would be safe to just talk to different jewelers casually, and get a feel for who they are. You should know within 5 minutes whether or not you can trust them. If you can’t find one locally, consider trying another nearby city.
4. Where to Buy?
This question might come up because regular jewelry stores can be expensive. Maybe you’ve looked all over and they are all quite a bit outside your budget. Are there any other options?
Some have gone to pawn shops to shop for their desired item. However, if you decide to go this route, take someone with you who knows jewelry to a reasonable degree. A pawn dealer might try to pass off a cubic zirconia as a real diamond, and charge you way more than it’s worth.
Still, this has worked out fine for many people. They not only got nice jewelry; they got it for a good price too. Just go in with eyes wide open.
It can be easy to go about your jewelry shopping casually, without any forethought. However, lack of forethought could lead to a bad purchasing experience. Still we hope this article has empowered you to make an informed decision when buying the best jewelry for men.
