Understanding the process of how diamond engagement rings are priced can help you in determining whether you're getting the best value for your money or not. Pricing a diamond engagement ring isn't as easy as it seems. You might think that the jewelry store just has to compare some prices in the marketing and price the ring at an appropriate margin. While this might work for a gold necklace, there's a lot more to be considered due to the craftsmanship and quality of a gemstone of such brilliance.

In determining the price, the cost of the raw diamond, the costs of cutting it, and everything else that is put in to making the diamond is considered. Four of the most important things that also are factored into the price are the clarity, the cut, the color, and also the weight of the diamond. Just to certify that the diamond is at a certain grade can cost you additional money - as there are independent companies that do the evaluation.

So as you can see, the diamond is floating around through various companies way before it gets to the retail jewelry store. Each time it changes location, there's a charge for shipping and labor. So after a diamond is mined, it has to be cut and polished, certified, and then it reaches the market.

The diamond market that I've mentioned isn't the typical jewelry store that you may be thinking about. The diamond must still go out to the wholesalers. Then retail stores try to find diamonds at wholesale prices so that they can mark the price up even more for consumers to buy. Is this a scam? No. Most stores operate this way. So whether you're buying a television set or a diamond engagement ring, the items trade hands so many times before they're sold in the consumer market.

Have you already purchased a diamond? If you're really trying to figure out if you got the right price, there is no guide that will tell the average consumer. Just by looking at the carat value isn't good enough, as there are various elements that I already mentioned that factor into the price. So what should you do?

Get it appraised if you really want to find out more details. However, an appraisal isn't always accurate. So you can get it certified through the GIA - the Gemological Institute of America. You'll be able to use a cutter's guide and the information in the certificate to determine how much your diamond is really worth.