Pawn shops are diamond experts and will make you a good deal. To shop for a diamond ring, engagement ring, gold and diamond pendant, diamond earrings, or wedding rings, first understand what diamond cut you are looking for and which cut will bring sparkle to your giving.
Diamond Artistry
With precision and artistry, a diamond will transmit light with intensity through a sparkle that will be remembered forever. Skillfully crafted, a diamond's proportions, symmetry, and polish will deliver and return light with magnificence and wonder. Cutting diamonds, so they speak for themselves with brilliance and awe, takes a skilled gemcutter who understands diamond cutting and how to make a diamond from a rough stone into a faceted gem. Cutting diamonds require specialized knowledge, tools, equipment, and techniques because true craftsmanship is extremely difficult.
Type of Diamond Cuts
There are several types of diamond cuts; round, pear, marquise, princess, radiant, emerald, asscher, heart, oval, cushion, trillion, and baguette.
Round Cut Diamond
Round diamonds are the most popular cut. According to GIA, round diamonds are selected by 60% of couples as center stones. A round cut diamond represents over two-thirds of all diamonds sold. The Round Brilliant Cut boasts 58 facets (including the culet) and offers exceptional white light reflection, also known as brilliance. Their popularity lies in their excellent fire and brilliance created by the facets and circular shape. Round cut diamonds are the most popular of all the cuts.Pear-Cut Diamond
A pear cut diamond combines the beauty of the round cut with the appeal of the tapered marquise cut and is sometimes referred to as the 'teardrop' diamond. Pear shapes are round at one end and tapered at the other. They have a total of 58 factes, illuminated sparkle, and brilliance. Only 4% of all diamonds sold are pear shaped. A pear shaped diamond is consistently inconsistent and shows its color. They are challenging to cut. A pear shaped diamond was traditionally worn with the point going up. Still, in today's modern look, they are worn with the point flipped around and going down towards the palm or even set off-center to accentuate their asymmetrical vibe further.
Marquise Cut Diamond
Known for its long and narrow pointed shape, the marquise-cut is sometimes a modified brilliant-cut diamond. A marquise-cut diamond appears more prominent than it is and thus makes the person's hand who is wearing it look longer and slimmer. Its elongated shape catches the eye, making it a timeless shape and well remembered.Princess Cut Diamond
The princess cut diamond is a newer shape, and it combines the brilliance of a round cut and adds the pointed edges of a square. It is one of the most popular fancy cuts. A princess cut diamond is the second most popular choice for a diamond engagement ring, with princess cut diamonds being about 30% of all diamond engagement rings. With exceptional brilliance, a princess cut diamond is second only to the brilliance of a round diamond.Radiant Cut Diamond
What is a radiant diamond? It looks like the shape of an emerald cut diamond with added facets and cropped corners. It has incredible brilliance at a better price than a round cut diamond. Invented in 1977, the radiant cut diamond grows in popularity and is one of the most modern cuts. It has a classic look, with its elongated and square-shaped appeal. A radiant cut diamond gives a wedding ring a unique look.
Emerald Cut Diamond
An emerald-cut diamond has long straight cuts that look like stair steps, and Emerald cuts catch a diamond's clarity. Emerald cuts complement a simple and elegant setting, and it is a sophisticated cut. It is commonly used for engagement rings and is a popular choice for a stand-alone setting, such as a diamond solitaire.Asscher Cut Diamond
Like an emerald cut diamond, this cut has more sparkle because of having a smaller table and trimmed edges. The qualities give the diamond style and flair, and an asscher cut diamond has a vintage appeal.Heart Cut Diamond
A heart represents love, and a heart cut diamond is the highest symbolic representation of love. The greatest romantic storybook novel says love is a heart-shaped diamond used in a diamond ring, wedding ring, or pendant. They are passionate! Heart cut diamonds are “brilliant” cut stones and produce a lot of sparkles, and this type of cut can hide small inclusions with well-placed facets.Oval Cut Diamond
An oval cut diamond is brilliant and appears more significant than other shapes of the same carat. They are more affordable if you are looking for a diamond ring because they aren't as popular. An oval diamond will have about 57-58 facets and deliver as much sparkle as a round diamond.
Cushion Cut Diamond
A pillow is a cushion, and a cushion cut diamond has the appearance of a pillow with its square or rectangle shape that features smooth curved edges. The cut has been around for about 500 years with a vintage appearance. They aren't quite as brilliant as a round cut diamond, but they still have a lot of brilliance and appeal.Trillion Cut Diamond
A typical trillion cut diamond will have three sides equal in length, with a flat table at its surface. The shape is that of a triangle. Because of its larger surface, a trillion cut diamond appears more prominent than it is. The trillion cut diamond has 44 to 50 facets providing fire and sparkle. A trillion cut diamond costs less than a round cut diamond of the same weight. Trillion cut diamonds are rarely used as center stones, so it will be an eye-catcher if it is.Baguette Cut Diamond
A baguette-cut diamond is a diamond with a thin rectangular shape. It is elongated with a 5:1 ratio, length to width, but can be almost square. The baguette diamond introduced in 1920 has an alluring vintage appeal, and it was shaped in the roaring 20s after a French baguette. Most diamond rings that feature baguette diamonds are set horizontally, bringing attention to a center stone.
The Setting is Like the Frame Around A Quality Piece of Artwork
Have you ever been to an art show or a store and admired a beautiful piece of artwork only to be thrown off by the frame. The frame didn't compliment the message of the work of art.
The setting for a diamond is the final and finishing touch. The setting will either add to and complement the diamond or take away from the diamond's elegance and beauty. When you are in the market to buy a diamond ring or another type of diamond with a gemstones ring, the setting can't be ignored. Selecting the right setting for a wedding ring, a blue Nile diamond ring, or a gold and diamond pendant is necessary.Prong Setting
The prong setting is the thin metal that holds the diamond and other gemstones in place by resting on the top edge of the diamond or gemstones to keep them in place. This is very important because you don't want to lose a diamond or gemstone. Prongs will also elevate the diamond from the piece's base, increasing visibility from all sides. Prongs will allow light to flow through the diamond or gemstones and emphasize their beauty and sparkle.
Bezel Setting
The bezel setting offers a smooth surface and protection for your diamond and gemstones. It is surrounded by metal from all sides except the front. A bezel setting limits the light flow, and so it will limit the sparkle and not allow light to bounce to and from the diamond.Semi Bezel Setting
A semi-bezel setting has characteristics of the prong setting and the bezel setting. The bezel setting doesn't surround the diamond or gemstones, allowing light to pass through while providing protection.A Side Note...What are Facets?
A diamond facet is a flat surface on the shape of a diamond. Facets enable light to be absorbed and reflected, giving the stone a brilliant reflective sparkle. An ideal or excellent cut diamond is well-proportioned with optimal facet angles. Different types of cuts have a different number of facets. The most popular diamond is the round diamond cut with 598 facets, 33 on the crown of the stone and 25 on the pavilion or lower half of the precious stone.
The number of facets on a diamond is not as significant as the pattern of the reflections in a diamond, and a diamond with more facets has smaller reflections. Overall a diamond is a beautiful precious stone and, when cut by an artisan, will reflect and absorb light creating brilliance and sparkle.
Things to Consider When Deciding Where to Purchase a Diamond, Diamond Ring, Gold and Diamond Ring, Larger Diamond, Diamond, and Gemstone Jewelry.
Jewelry Stores
Most customers visit a jewelry store when they are in the market for a diamond or gemstone piece of jewelry. Jewelry stores are an option, and they specialize in making jewelry, finding jewelry, and upselling jewelry. They have brick-and-mortar shops that make selecting and trying on a piece of jewelry quickly. They also are skilled in upselling and selling jewelry; this is their business model. Jewelry stores have price tags, and the prices are often marked up. When luxury retail jewelry stores sell fine jewelry, the markup on average for new jewelry is around 250% to 300%. Engagement rings can often have a higher markup due to the emotional and sentimentality of the product.Online
Search for someone selling gold and diamond rings, and search results will bring back several online stores specializing in selling jewelry. They advertise that the jewelry will cost less, and you will get the best value for your dollar. Typically online jewelry stores have a large selection of rings, necklaces, and diamonds, and prices don't include shipping in most situations. You can find some great deals at an online shop, but you can't experience feeling the jewelry item, trying it on, and deciding if the diamond cut, for example, looks good on you. In-person buying gives an advantage over online buying if you like to shop for things that you can experience. Another thing to remember is you will have to wait for shipment, and an expensive item may not be the same as it seemed when you saw it online. Inventory pictures are often enhanced to look the best and present the best view so that the price seems reasonable for the item's quality. Many people shop online and are satisfied, while others will tell you about situations where they paid too much for an item, and the item simply didn't meet their expectations.
Pawn Shops
When shopping for wedding rings, engagement rings, gold and diamond ring, gold jewelry, loose diamonds, a diamond ring, a gemstone ring, a diamond pendant or necklace, or any other type of jewelry, pawn shops are an option.
Pawn shops are experts in buying, selling, and loaning on jewelry. They deal in gold and silver and precious metals, and they know diamonds and how to help their customers save money on purchases. Once you decide to buy a quality piece of jewelry, check to see what pawn shops are near you. Pawnbrokers will bring gold and diamond jewelry in on loans, and sometimes the loans are defaulted on, making it possible for the pawn shop to sell the jewelry at a great price, saving you money.Pawn Shop Purchase = Brilliance
Pawn shop buying isn't just for people on a budget. Pawn shop buying is a brilliant idea if you're looking for gold, gold jewelry, silver, precious metals, a diamond ring, an engagement ring, a valuable gemstone, name brand tools, electronics, musical instruments, luxury handbags, and other things and don't want to pay a fortune. Pawn shops offer a lower price than most jewelry stores and retail stores. Shopping is easy and convenient. You can also find new items from time to time that people brought into the shop and sold because they didn't need or want them.
A Change of Mind Doesn't Have to Cost You
For example, someone might bring in a diamond engagement ring because they planned on proposing and decided otherwise. Depending on the style of the ring, it's setting, and the quality of the diamonds, the pawn shop would look at the ring, appraise it and then give the customer the highest amount of money they could. Some pawn shops even have a jeweler on site to appraise items. Pawn shops have overhead, but because of their business model, they can offer diamond prices lower than most jewelry stores making pawn shops a place to purchase luxury items on-site without huge markups. As a customer, you can visit a pawn shop, try on, hold, examine the cut of a diamond and decide if it is what you want. They have an inventory that often changes, so if they don't have what you wanted, they may be able to find it or will call you when they do. Are you interested in ensuring that the diamond ring you buy has a real diamond in it? Remember that a pawn shop has to make money from lending and buying items that can be resold. They have a vested interest in determining the quality of the gold or diamond they buy because otherwise, they would lose money. Pawn shops have the equipment to test both gold and diamonds, and they will be able to spot a fake diamond ring before they buy it.
Pawn Shop Loans - Pawning
Pawn shops have a loan process that is easy to use when people need quick cash. They will accept luxury items and other items of value, do an appraisal, and then offer you money based on the value of the thing you want to pawn. Pawn loans are collateral loans, and the item you bring in is the collateral that secures the loan. There is no background check, credit check, or any other information like employment history gathered during the loan process. All that is needed is a state-issued ID. The pawnbroker explains the process along the way to make sure you understand how your items were valued and what money can be paid before you leave their shop. The advantage of a pawn loan is you can place a valuable ring or diamond or other items as collateral, make the regular payment, and have the item returned once the pawn loan is paid in full. You don't have to lose your things this way.Embarrassed about looking at pawn shop engagement rings?
Why? All the diamond rings at a pawn shop were previously purchased online or at a jewelry store. Each piece that has precious stone was crafted by an artist who knew the style, setting, and cut that would exemplify its beauty. Someone made a purchase and probably paid too much for the piece at some point in time. They then decided they didn't need the piece, didn't want it, or needed cash, and it made sense to sell it and bring the piece into the pawn shop. Selling to a pawn shop or getting a pawn shop loan is easy, and the process is secure and confidential.
Pawn shops are reputable and safe and fun places to shop. Shopping is made easy with tips, sales, and offers given by the pawn shop as part of their business model. Pawn shops want their customers and the communities they live in to be happy with the excellent deal they give each day on different luxury items. They want their customers to spread the word that they saved money by buying at their pawn shop or from their online store. With more than 80 percent of Americans buying diamond engagement rings before they say 'I do,' the industry is a $13 billion business worldwide. You don't have to be the customer who paid the 250% to 300% markup, and you can be the brilliant customer who spends your money wisely while giving a lifetime gift.
Idaho Pawn and Gold
No one knows better than Sam Reading, owner of Idaho Pawn and Gold, how the quality of a diamond's cut, clarity, and the setting add to the diamond ring price and value. Sam has two pawn shop stores located in Meridian and Nampa. He has a team of experts who buy jewelry, knowing that the ring at a pawn shop may be the ring that is given at a special time.
Sam realizes that weddings aren't cheap, and everyone seems to be on a budget when planning a special event. He maintains an inventory with affordable prices and diamond rings, diamond earrings, diamond necklaces, and diamond engagement rings that the people shopping in his store can't resist. Now married, he remembers when he decided to propose and announce the engagement, and he wanted to do so with the perfect ring but get it at an affordable price.
Idaho Pawn and Gold is a full-service pawn shop offering retail services, pawn loans, and buys. The pawn shop offers cash out the door when you come in to pawn or sell your items, and you won't only leave with cash. When you decide to shop at Idaho Pawn and Gold, they typically have a sale or discount event going on. There is always an opportunity to 'opt in' to niche lists, so you are kept informed of all sales and when items become available. New items become available each day, so look at Idaho Pawn and Gold's online store and store sales floor. Their prices are competitive, and they do ship. If you find something in one of his pawn shops but think you can negotiate a better price, don't hesitate to negotiate. At times Sam's expert team can work a deal so you can save money, pay for your purchase with a pawn loan secured by other collateral, or help you figure out other options that work within your budget. If you are wondering what type of a pawn shop Sam runs. Search for pawnidaho.com and see that Idaho Pawn and Gold has glowing reviews and was voted Idaho's Best Pawn Shop two years in a row and is expected to maintain this status in 2022.