Johnny Harris has long joked that he ought to start a YouTube channel called “Jewels and Judgment.” Many people shopping for engagement and wedding rings aren’t sure how to gauge the quality of a gemstone or don’t know what questions to ask first, says Harris, sales manager for Snyder Jewelers in Longmont.
For starters, he advises shoppers not to underestimate the power of physically going to a jewelry store.
“Sometimes you get somebody who says, ‘I think I would like something vintage.’ Once you show them vintage styles and they try them on, they might have liked them on the screen but not so much on their hand,” he says.
Here, Harris and other local jewelers share their ring shopping and designing tips, from selecting the right metals and gemstones to hacks for the budget conscious.
Consider your lifestyle
The first question Timothy White asks his customers is what kinds of activities they do in a day, week and year. If the person wearing the ring uses their hands often or is into adventure sports, those factors weigh into decisions about a ring’s overall design.
Someone who likes to rock climb, for example, shouldn’t select softer gemstones like opal or tanzanite, says White, owner of Darvier Jewelry Design Studio in downtown Fort Collins.
Lynnsey Lund, assistant manager at Greeley-based Weiss Jewelers, adds that rings with gemstones that stick out are more likely to catch or get damaged. And for those averse to bringing their jewelry in for maintenance, a smoother design will result in less wear and tear, Harris says.
Vintage or modern?
Vintage styles are typically more intricate, with patterns in the metal and smaller gemstones incorporated in the band, while modern styles are more simple and smooth, Harris says.
Many couples who opt for a vintage style hope to incorporate a family stone or even melt the metal used in family heirlooms. Lund says her shop resets family stones into new rings all the time, but melting down old jewelry is a different story.
To recast gold, it must be refined back to pure 24 karat, she says. The process can be tricky because of the other metals that were originally incorporated into the jewelry, and the final product can have porosity issues.
Harris adds that it often takes up to 30 grams of gold to even begin considering the recasting process due to the logistics involved. That’s why it’s important that those looking to save on jewelry costs by reusing heirlooms consider what the process entails. Lund says the cost after resetting gemstones is usually a wash when compared to the cost of a comparable new ring.
“Instead of picking something that is all new with stones that are just being set that’ll fit into the design, you have to kind of tailor the design to fit those specific stones,” she says.
Generations of rings from Snyder Jewelers.
Photo by Danja Barber Photography.
All part of the surprise
Lovebirds who want to surprise their partner with a ring have to consider the logistics of guessing their ring size and what design they will love.
At Darvier, which specializes in custom-designed jewelry, clients are told that no matter what, surprise engagement rings should be accompanied by the expectation that a ring size adjustment will probably be needed. To help with unknowns, White says Darvier offers a decoy ring that partners can bring with them to propose on the big day. The decoy requires a $500 deposit that goes toward the final ring a couple designs later—often together.
For the person who absolutely must have a surprise, White says fashion, clothing and music can serve as great sources of inspiration. He’s even had a couple design an engagement ring based on their favorite video game: The Legend of Zelda.
Budgeting for forever
Much of a ring’s cost is connected to the amount and quality of the material used. More expensive rings will use more metal, more gemstones and higher-quality diamonds, Lund says, so decisions about those parts of the design should help shoppers align with their budget.
All three jewelers say custom jobs are often comparable to new rings, and many options exist that allow them to design custom rings within a specific budget.
A less expected determinant of the cost of a ring is the U.S. political environment, Harris says.
The price of gold recently skyrocketed due to uncertainty surrounding the 2024 election. As a result, the jewelry business across the board has seen about a 30 percent rise in associated costs.
While Harris expects gold prices to come back down in a year or two, he says shoppers might find the best deals with their local jeweler. Big box retailers immediately update the price of their jewelry to reflect current costs, but smaller stores often maintain the price of their in-store products because they lack the resources to keep up with price changes in real time.
The key is finding jewelry that’s already in the case, Harris says. Jewelry that needs to be ordered will reflect the current price of gold.
Lab grown or natural?
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to natural diamonds, but they are manmade and more affordable, Lund says. She adds that natural diamonds are rarer, so they better retain their value over time. As lab-grown diamonds become easier to make, she says their value will slowly decrease.
Harris believes the price tag of a lab-grown diamond is enough to entice engaged couples. For instance, he says a one carat G color SI1 diamond could run about $6,000, but the same color and clarity would cost about $600 for a lab-grown option.
“We’ve sold a lot of rings where the side diamonds are naturals, but the center stone is lab grown,” Harris says.
Lab-grown diamonds have very small markers on them that identify them as such. Jewelers need specialized equipment to see them, Lund says.
“Just glancing at it, you wouldn’t know the difference,” she says.
A Breakdown of Gemstones & Metals Alternatives to diamonds:
Moissanite. Moissanite gemstones look very similar to diamonds but are made with silicone and carbon instead of pure carbon. The stones have a higher refractive index than diamonds that amps up their glitz level, but they aren’t as hardy in handling repair work.
Sapphires and rubies. Sapphires and rubies are both made of a natural substance called corundum. The gemstones make great alternatives to diamonds because they are hardy and stand up well to daily use.
Opal, emerald and tanzanite. Most jewelers say these gemstones make for beautiful jewelry if the person wearing them doesn’t plan to use them every day. Opals in particular are very temperamental: Even washing dishes puts them at risk of cracking.
Metals:
Platinum. Platinum is a great option for people with metal sensitivities. It is the purest among metals used for jewelry but can be more difficult when undergoing repair work.
Yellow, rose or white gold. The more gold in any of these alloys, the longer they last. There is a point when gold in its pure form, at 24 or 22 karats, is too soft for daily wear. White gold has a bright chrome finish that wears off from time to time.
Locally Owned Jewelry Shops
Fort Collins
Darvier Jewelry Design Studio
Dawson’s Fine Jewelry
Diamondpeak Goldsmiths
Doozie Jewelry
Garwood’s Jewelers
John Atencio
Mountain Standard Company
Rocky Mountain Goldworks
Sather’s Leading Jewelers
Sullivan Jewelers
Greeley
Weiss Jewelers
Wm Moore Jewelers
Loveland
Rydquist Fine Jewelry
Windsor
Towne Jewelers of Windsor
Longmont
Gold Market Diamond
Jewelers
Snyder Jewelers
Estes Park
Village Goldsmith
