The Widening Global Market for Diamond Engagement Rings: Where Estate Jewelry Plays Its Role

The diamond engagement ring, a long-standing tradition in the United States, has recently been shown to have an expanding market. In Europe and Asia, engagement rings have long been part of betrothal and the wedding event, but only relatively recently has there been a noteworthy market for diamond engagement rings.

Contemporary jewelers are reporting increased interest in diamond engagement rings from buyers in Europe and China. Bridal jewelry, in these countries, has never been quite as popular as it is in the United States; also, those who did splurge on bridal jewelry favored colored stones or pearls. While the diamond solitaire has been the popular standard in the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Japan, for some reason the practice has not expanded further - until now.

Recent years have shown a surge of interest from markets that previously did not invest in diamond engagement rings. Economic analysts, market analysts, and jewelers are confident that the new market is attributable to globalization and the internet. Japanese couples and French couples, becoming more aware of the American-style engagement rings, are catching on to their charm. The appeal of making a conservative investment, a permanent investment, in a beautiful diamond ring, is proving to have worldwide appeal.

A Wall Street Journal article published on August 3, 2007 states that bridal jewelry (diamond engagement rings and wedding bands) make up 14% of the American sales of a major U.S. jeweler. The average purchase price is now, according to the Journal, $4500 - nearly a 7% increase from the amount in 2005. Obviously, the appeal of bridal jewelry is only growing in America, and in this age of globalization it only makes sense that bridal jewelry would be a growing field worldwide. As more and more couples realize that precious stones and metals are a safe and extremely enjoyable investment, diamond engagement rings and wedding bands will only grow in appeal.

The glory of a diamond engagement ring is everlasting. It's important that you trust the company that is selling you your ring: this may be the first real investment in jewelry you've made, and you want it to be a good investment. A diamond engagement ring is about love and sentiment, but it's also about forever.

Long-term value is often made clearest in comparing the wares of contemporary jewelers to those of estate jewelers. The estate jewelry is often markedly better made; the cuts used will make for a more gloriously glittery stone; and the sense of history that goes with estate jewelry can, quite simply, never be found in a new engagement ring. The widening market for engagement jewelry means, unfortunately, that quality may flag at all but the finest jewelers as pressure mounts to meet demand. However, at an estate jeweler, one finds pieces that have literally stood the test of time. At an estate jeweler, you find the diamond engagement ring that not only speaks of the past, and long, happy marriages of long ago, but you find the piece that speaks most to you. And you know, in your heart of hearts, that it is the article itself - it is the ring - that speaks to you and calls your name, whispering of love. No outside influence is swaying you one way or another. You've not been coldly influenced by a trendy bridal magazine. When you are looking at diamond engagement rings, in the end it must be the ring itself that speaks to you, saying, "I am the one for you."

Whether you are looking for the most traditional diamond solitaire, as the young in France are beginning to favor today, or you are looking for something a little more unusual, something that attests to your unique sense of style and history, as Americans like to do, the estate jeweler will have your special ring, waiting for you.