How would you rank these jewelers, Helzberg, Bailey Banks & Biddle, Zales, Jared, Kay, Tiffany & Co.?

Zales, Kay, Helzberg, and Jared are not the best quality. Their best diamonds are typically barely acceptable to people who know diamonds and they prey on the uneducated consumer. They sell mostly SI or I clarity (I stands for inclusions that are eye visible which is not good) and G,H,I color (D-F is colorless and ideal) diamonds, none of which are the best quality.

Bailey, Banks, & Biddle and Tiffany have good quality, but over-charge a lot (you're paying for the brand name)!

I would suggest going a local independently owned jewelry shop. They will work with you to get the best ring and you can personally speak to an owner and negotiate price. My husband did this after we searched many "chain" stores. I saw a .6 carat ring I liked at Tiffany & Co. It cost over $8,000, it was a G/VS1 rated diamond in the ring. My husband went to a local jeweler and got my ring, which is an .75 carat F/VS1 diamond for just over $4000. I wouldn't trade my ring for the world! I also couldn't believe he was able to get a better quality ring than Tiffany & Co and pay about half price! My ring is truly gorgeous and because of this I would suggest going to a local jeweler.

Another plus to going to a local jeweler was that when we purchased our wedding bands, they gave us my husband's band for free because he bought my engagement ring from them! Local jewelers will definitely give you the best deal!

Also, if you properly insure your ring, a guarantee or waranty is a waste of money because your insurance should cover it!

My ring is from Tiffany's. I love it. It's perfect. Tiffany Novo 2ct and it's flawless. At least I can't find anything wrong with it under a microscope. And it sparkles in any light. I'm sure it sparkles in the dark!
My friend works at Jared and I have a few necklaces from them. Awesome.
Helzberg and Zales are like mall chain stores. They have nice stuff.
Never heard of Bailey Banks and Biddle.

Well, I've heard of every single one, besides Bailey.

In terms of quality, Tiffany's is the best on the list. They really have amazing, amazing rings. However, they're overpriced. If you don't mind spending 10K on a ring, then go to Tiffany's. If you're on a budget, look there for ideas and style, but buy elsewhere.

As for Helzberg, Jared, and Kays; they're mall jewelers and I don't trust them. Personally, when it comes to an engagement ring, I think someone's better off at a mom and pop, local place or a wholesale diamond dealer. It think you'll get better quality and service for your money.

Never heard of Bailey.

At Tiffany's you're of course going to get a flawless diamond. But is it necessary to spend a home down payment on a ring??

Then Jared.
Then Helzberg.
Then Zales.
Then Kay.

I don't mean to diss Kay. It's just the quality of the diamonds is a little less, that's all. Their prices are great though.

Frankly the best thing you can do is educate yourself about rings and gemstones before you go anywhere. It's best to purchase your setting and your stone separately as you cannot see many imperfections in the stone once it's set. Also, ask yourself what's important to you and your fiance. Large "named" stores are good but don't overlook the value of a small, reputable dealer. In our case, we ended up designing our rings with a very old, well established, very reputable dealer. I even ended up with a new diamond cut (a Flanagan) which is just being offered in the States which we would not have been able to get elsewhere at the time.

In term of insuring the ring (definitely recommended!) check with your insurance provider. I don't have to worry about a store's going out of business as I know my rings will be covered!

Good luck!

I love Tiffany but that are so expensive. I personally like Helzberg the best. For the quality and price of their jewelry they are really good. My favorite is Lady Emma. Check it out.

My fiance got mine at Kays and it is gorgeous + affordable. It was originally a $3,000 but he got it for $1700 with lifetime warranty. He also financed it with a Kays creadit card and got free interest for a year for putting a $200 down payment. I have had nothing but a good experience with Kays! Definitely don't forget to get the lifetime warranty though! They will replace a diamond if you loose it, size it anytime, clean it, sent it out to be buffed, and even replace it if for some reason you do something to mangle it like dropping it in a garbage disposal. All of that FOR FREE because of the warranty. All she has to do to validate the warranty is get it checked every 6 months... THAT'S IT! :)

P.S. Tiffany's is over rated. People go to Tiffany's because they want to say "Oh I got it from Tiffany's"... not because they actually want a good value ring.

P.S.S. Also keep in mind... if you go to a mom and pop place... that getting a life time warranty through them would be scary... think about it... which one do you think would go out of business first? A mom and pop place? Or a bigger corporation like Kays or Helzberg?

None. I used an online source and saved $$$.

I got my wife's ring at Diamond Brokers of Florida:

http://dbof.com/

http://diamondring.com/forums/forumd...

Or you could check out these other online sources:

WhiteFlash.com

GoodOldGold.com

ExcelDiamonds.com

BlueNile.com

Blue Nile's database is good, but they don't provide you with photos or analysis reports of the diamond. I wouldn't go with them for that reason.

Happy hunting.

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You should do Tiffany's, it's classic. I've always loved the turquoise boxes. Jared and Kay just don't seem as high quality to me. Also, you should get a diamond ring in silver or platinum, it looks prettier than gold. Good Luck!

I prefer independent jewelers. In my experience they have better prices and quality products.