An engagement ring is bound to become one of your most treasured pieces of jewelry. It is, after all, more than just a ring — it’s a symbol of your love and commitment. But just because you love your engagement ring doesn’t mean you can’t love it even more. Many people choose to upgrade their engagement rings after a few years for various reasons. Some do it to commemorate a milestone anniversary, while others upgrade just because it strikes their fancy.
Before you go rushing off to your jeweler, there are a few things to consider. Here are 5 things we recommend doing before upgrading your engagement ring.
Of course, we’ll also touch on the vital importance of engagement ring insurance. Because here at the myzillion blog, we’re all about jewelry insurance and ring insurance—especially engagement ring insurance.
Get an Appraisal
First, seek an engagement ring appraisal from a reputable source. An engagement ring appraisal will help you get the highest value possible for your new ring. If part of your upgrade includes removing some features and replacing them, you can then take any removed or replaced ring elements (such as diamonds, side stones, or the band) and sell them. The profit from your ring sale can go toward financing your new engagement ring—with maybe even enough left over to pay for engagement ring insurance.
Choose Your Upgrades
The next thing to tackle is deciding just what it is you want to upgrade. Maybe when your beloved proposed to you, you were also madly in love with a marquise-cut diamond…but today, an emerald-cut diamond is more your thing. Remember, there are a wide variety of diamond cuts available in engagement rings.
Perhaps your fiancé’s budget was limited at the time of proposal (not an uncommon occurrence). Today, you’d like your ring to feature a bigger diamond. Other options include changing or adding accents or side stones to your engagement ring, and you can also choose to change the band’s metal.
Once you’ve decided on exactly what it is you want to change about your ring, write it all down and take it to a jeweler for closer, professional jewelry inspection. You need to make sure your ring is in good condition—and that your upgrades are an actual possibility. The jeweler should also be able to give you an estimate of what your upgrades might cost.
Map Out Your Budget
Once you settle on your upgrades, you can get to work firming up your engagement ring upgrade budget. Budgeting helps you stay on track and not get in over your head when it comes to financing your new purchase. The most affordable option for ring upgrading is changing your ring’s setting. Center stone upgrades or reshaping can get expensive. Categorize your budget so you can allot dollar amounts to each element. Something like $500 for stone replacement, $200 for enhancements, and so on.
Choose Your Stone Wisely
If you do decide to upgrade or change the center stone on your diamond engagement ring, there are a few things to consider. First, you want to make sure the stone you select is certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), International Gem International (IGI), the American Gem Society (AGS), or Gemological Science International (GSI).
Next, you might want to consider researching ethically-sourced and sustainable diamonds and gemstones. Ethical diamonds are a complicated matter, and some people opt for lab-grown diamonds instead of natural diamonds to eliminate any potential for unethically obtained diamonds.
Talk With Your Partner
While the decision to upgrade is ultimately up to the person who owns the ring, it’s a good idea to discuss the desire to upgrade with your partner. An engagement ring holds sentimental value, and it’s important to assure your beloved that your desire for upgrades doesn’t mean you don’t value the gift they gave you. A part of any strong marriage is communication, trust, and joint decision-making — upgrading an engagement ring should be no exception.
Don’t Forget Engagement Ring Insurance!
Finally, when the time comes to upgrade your engagement ring, don’t forget one of the most important things of all: engagement ring insurance! Jewelry insurance protects your upgraded engagement ring in the event of theft, loss, accidental damage, and natural disasters. Don’t have ring insurance? Then you’ll never have assurance during tough times or times of loss. You wouldn’t want such uncertainty in your actual marriage. Why would you accept it when it comes to the invaluable, dazzling symbol of that love relationship?
Here at Zillion, we love all rings—whether old, new, or upgraded. We’re dedicated to providing comprehensive jewelry insurance policies that protect your cherished jewelry from the unexpected and unwelcome. With a jewelry insurance policy from Zillion, you do more than just wear that upgraded engagement ring — you wear it with confidence!
