Are you planning to get your diamond engagement ring from overseas? We are sure you must have thought of the 3 largest hubs of diamond purchase in the world, Belgium, India and UAE. But how do you narrow down the plethora of options that each has to offer you? How would you navigate your way in the ocean of diamond options that these three shopping destinations have to offer you? Keep reading further in this article, as we curate the mindfulness you need to have while buying your diamond engagement ring from a foreign destination.

Dubai, UAE

Dubai isn’t a mining destination, nor is it a diamond processing hub. But then how is it possible to buy diamonds and gold jewellery in Dubai for prices that are 30-40% and at times even 50% less than what is available in other world jewellery and diamond markets? Have you ever wondered the same? Well, the answers lie in the lower taxes and import duties that are imposed on diamonds and jewellery in the UAE. If travelling to Dubai is not something you wish to do, don’t hesitate to check the online stores of diamond sellers and jewellers in Dubai. You can still avail the advantage of lower-priced quality diamond jewellery, with as many options as you need, from the comfort of your home. If you prefer to have a gold and diamond engagement ring, then Dubai is the perfect location to purchase your engagement ring, since the UAE has strict quality check criteria and certification processes put in place for gold and gold jewellery. Moreover, keeping gold as an option also puts you in a privileged position to explore various tones in gold like yellow, rose and white gold. When it comes to exploring modern designs in engagement rings in terms of diamond cuts, shapes, designs and settings, Dubai is the perfect shopping fit. Dubai is a choice fiesta when it comes to a variety of diamond cuts and shapes like the princess cut, asscher cut and marquise cut. Above all, all of these unique and modern cuts and shapes are available at reasonable and affordable prices in comparison to Dubai’s global counterparts. A secret tip to remember while buying your diamonds in Dubai is that you can always negotiate the prices of your jewels with Dubai sellers!

Mumbai & Surat, India

In India, Mumbai and Surat are two major hubs for diamond trading. Unlike Dubai, India is a miner and processor of diamonds and gold. The logic for lower-priced diamond engagement rings in India is quite simple. The closer you get to the source, the lesser the number of middle hands included for the product to reach you, hence the lower prices. In India, you would find fine-quality of diamonds at lower prices compared to other global destinations. With the advent of technology, even Indian major diamond sellers and jewellers are available online, and you can always avail the option to buy them online. A major fact to keep in mind while sourcing your diamond-gold engagement ring from India is that the margins of price are lower as long as you are sticking to the traditional cuts and shapes (like round-cut, pear-cut, oval-cut etc.). If you are a couple seeking a traditional diamond engagement ring, then go ahead and this is the right fit for you! But if you are a couple seeking more options in terms of diamond cuts, shapes and settings, then the price range available for you in India might not vary significantly in comparison to the retail stores near you. So, be mindful of the nature of the diamond cut-shape and stone setting that you are aspiring for your diamond engagement ring before you set on to your destination purchase for your diamond engagement ring.

Antwerp, Belgium

If Dubai is the best diamond hub in the Middle East and India is the best diamond hub in South Asia, then Antwerp in Belgium is the most reputed diamond hub in entire Europe. Antwerp is famous for the brilliant diamonds it produces, and each year thousands of couples swarm the jewellery outlets of Antwerp to buy their perfect diamond engagement rings. Antwerp’s diamond trading and exchange are indeed fast and moving, so, if you have a design in mind, it is always better to reach out to your jeweller before your shopping visit to prevent your favourite options from going out of stock. Even if they go out of stock, letting your jeweller know about your needs and desires for your engagement ring would help them arrange for the same in a week or less. Antwerp's jewellers are known for their customized diamond engagement rings, so, if customization in terms of the diamond cut-shape and setting is what you are seeking, then Antwerp would be a perfect shopping destination to buy your diamond engagement ring. A fact to be mindful of when it comes to shopping for your diamond engagement ring from Antwerp is that almost all the jewellers in Antwerp set diamond engagement rings in white gold, if your preferred metal for your diamond engagement ring is platinum, you need to confirm with your diamond jeweller about the availability for the same. If they don’t have platinum diamond engagement rings available with them, then they would arrange it for you in a week or two’s time. Thanks to their customise-friendly dealership!

Time for some common mindful diamond shopping tips, regardless of which destination you buy your diamond engagement ring from. Make sure to ask for the quality check and proof certification from the diamond in your diamond engagement ring from your jeweller. This is the best way to avoid being scammed at any point in your engagement ring purchase. Also, ask for proof of quality for your gold and platinum as well. These quality check certifications would matter from a resale point of view for when or if you wish to upgrade your engagement ring after some time.

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Are you planning your engagement proposal and trying to figure out the last step of getting that perfect engagement ring for your beloved? We are here to guide you through the entire process, from the design of your ring to its price. How much would be an ideal amount to spend on an engagement ring? Are there any myths that stand in your way, when it comes to engagement ring prices? Or are there any easy hacks that you could use while shopping for your special engagement ring? Read through to get all your answers to these seemingly complicated questions!

1. The myths around engagement rings and how much you should spend on them!

As per a 2019 survey from The Knot, the average cost of an engagement ring is near $5,900, and a significant number of respondents in the survey (~10%) spent less than $1,000. While, in a much recent (2020) Brides’ American Wedding Study, couples revealed spending an average of $3,756 on their respective engagement rings. This was more than $2,000, but still less than the average 2019 spending on engagement rings.

There is this old saying that you should spend a quarter of your annual income as your engagement ring’s worth. But is sticking to such rules a necessity? Definitely not! It’s good if you want to spend this much, and it’s great if you can. But remember not to be pressured into paying a quarter of your annual income, just to fit into this expenditure myth. Do it only if you have the means to meet this cost, moreover if you really want to. What matters is your love for your soon-to-be life partner, and no rings can match the value of that love. So stressing over the cost of the ring and compromising on the joy of your union is not worth it! Get a ring that is affordable for you and enjoy this new journey of life in more comfort.

2. Know your ring’s design:

The cost of your rings is determined by two factors: a) The cost of the diamond(s)/stone(s) and the metal used & b) The cost of the design of the ring - the setting of the centre stone/diamond and the ones around. To cut costs on the first front, you can ditch the diamond entirely. What would this mean for your engagement ring? This is a question you need to ask yourself while making this decision. Would you and your partner be fine with a centre stone that is not a diamond and instead a gemstone? That is a gemstone which is as brilliant or even better, adding a hue to the message of love that your engagement ring is to carry. If you wish to consider this path then ruby, white sapphire, emerald, blue sapphire and tanzanite gemstones would be a great replacement. While ruby, blue sapphire, emerald and tanzanite are coloured options, white sapphire is a close cousin to the diamond in terms of being transparent and nearly as brilliant. If you wish to ditch diamond and not its aesthetics, selecting a white sapphire centre stone would be the smartest way to cut the cost of your engagement ring. If you desire to go for a diamond ring on a pocket-friendly budget, you can always go for smaller-sized solitaires on your diamond engagement ring.

When it comes to the band of the ring, your options will be in yellow, rose white gold or platinum. Platinum is usually found at the most expensive end of a diamond engagement ring, and rightfully, so it is suggested to make one of the most enduring holds for solitaire diamonds on an engagement ring. But if you wish to manage costs, white gold would be a smarter replacement. If you wish to have an aesthetic appeal to your ring that fits a platinum diamond engagement ring, but on a budget - a white sapphire solitaire gemstone engagement ring on a white gold band should do the magic! Like this, you may try all the other gemstones that are available with metal bands that are more comfortable on your budget to cut down the cost of your perfect engagement ring.

Finally, in your ring’s design, it is the setting of the stones and diamonds that could heavily affect the cost on either side of your budget. Stone settings like a three-stone engagement ring set can prove to be expensive since a three-stone set would also mean a larger centre stone, which would increase the cost of the engagement ring, especially if the centre stone is a diamond. We would highly recommend not going for a cluster setting either unless you are looking for a cluster of tiny-sized gemstones. What is ideal for a ring on a budget is always a classic solitaire diamond!

3. Play with the Four C’s

There is always a way to accomplish any look on any budget. When the look you want is diamond, the ways are hidden in playing around with the four C’s of the diamond on your diamond engagement ring. The four C’s stand for Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat of the diamond used to make your solitaire. But remember the C that you should play the least with should be the cut of the diamond unless it is the only C of the four C’s that you are playing with. Persuading the cute too much can affect the brilliance of the diamond used. While the colour and clarity are the two C’s that you can play around with to persuade a diamond engagement ring into your budget. While experimenting with the carat of a diamond, remember that as the higher the carat is, the costlier the engagement ring becomes. Smartly exploring ways to deal with the costs of the diamond by using the four C’s to your advantage you can definitely bag a diamond engagement ring of your liking any day any time!

While buying an engagement ring on a budget, remember that the ring you buy would be worn for a lifetime, so there should be enough of an investment to make the stone and the band last in the long run. At the same time, you don’t need to go overboard and go on spending so much that it would bring in debt unreasonably.

Make sure to keep our tips in mind and do share them with friends who are to be brides and grooms soon!

Asking for the hand of your beloved for a lifetime could make you feel nervous and intimidated, and all for the right reasons! When? Where? How? Which engagement ring? There must be so many questions on your mind, and it’s wise to do your research. But while doing your research to make your perfect proposal happen, it is necessary to be mindful that it covers the place, timing, and ring you choose.

Since we know how much she means to you, we bring you some helpful tips to ease your way through the three choices in your proposal planning:

1. Place -The first place that comes to your mind might be a fancy restaurant or somewhere that you think would make her feel more special than she already is! But we suggest you pause and think for a while about the places where you have had special moments up until today! It could be the place where you both confessed your love for each other, or where you met her for the first time! It could also be as simple as your festively decorated living room on New Year’s Eve when you are among friends and family!

2. Time - When you propose is just as important as how you do it! It should not be a time of the day when she is occupied with work meetings or any other commitments. She would definitely want to call her loved ones and her besties to share the good news once it happens! Keep your proposal short and sweet, so that she is taken by surprise and you should do it when she least expects it. Trust us on this one! She will be flaunting this story along with her engagement ring at the parties to come!

3. Ring - Put the best ring on it! The centre of all attention (after her, of course!) will be the engagement ring you put on her finger. The engagement ring will be the symbol of your love for her, so a good deal of time and research should go into finding the perfect ring! This means you have to find her ring size and choose the diamond and the design of the ring! Selecting the ring can be a confusing task in itself, considering the variety and range of available engagement rings! If you find the task of finding the perfect ring to be intimidating, remember we are here at Liali. All you need to do is reach out to us! We will ease out the complications to help you find the perfect engagement ring for your to-be fiancé.

(Pro tip: Make sure to read our articles on cluster diamond engagement rings and diamond shapes that would make your engagement ring completely unique!)

Once you have decided upon the best place, apt timing, and your precious engagement ring for your proposal, you are good to go. Remember to not hesitate to ask for help whenever and wherever needed! Be it from her friends, family, or Liali, all of us want to give you the best support for making this proposal a grand and memorable one!