When someone wants to purchase a vintage engagement ring, first he or she usually looks for vintage engagement ring settings. That is the easy part. Next, there is the search for the Diamond Vintage Rings. Then there is the drama of the hunt. How can I find the best Affordable Engagement Rings? Where should I begin? In these precarious times, it’s best to have some understanding before shopping.

Diamonds have not always been named or branded. The process of manufacturing diamonds was slowly beginning to be standardized.

The syndicate began to dictate terms to manufacturers concerning national advertising campaigns with name brand diamonds which were rated by laboratories and had certificates. Each offered certificates describing the cut, clarity, carat weight of the color gemstones submitted.

Some laboratories offered courses teaching diamond and gemstone graders the elements of their system. However, the differences in opinion, leading to an impartial examination and grading of a diamond becomes, in reality, a highly subjective one. To give one example of how confusing this system may be, a diamond manufacturer who does not like the certificate a gem is given, may put that certificate away, and shop for another favorable lab. To go one step further, it has been shown that diamond grading laboratories have accepted private "payment" for a friendlier certificate.

A branded diamond creates differentiation from all the others. Hence we see much copy written brands: Hearts on Fire, Blue Nile Signature Diamonds or Amore Diamonds, to name a few. For those companies providing branded diamonds, the suggestion is that one gemstone is of a better quality than another, and that a company stands behind the product it sells and meets high quality standards. Undoubtedly, the ultimate goal of branding is that consumers think of diamond brands as they do name brand cleaning supplies. The perception that a brand name adds value to a diamond no longer exists. What is the importance of branding to the buyer who wants an antique ring setting with a center gemstone?

Thriving for brand names leads to more differing labs and different certificates, making consumers more confused. This consumer confusion included buyers who truly doubt the value of brands and begin to look elsewhere for a way to trust their purchase.

There have always been independent jewelers who have sold diamond engagement rings or antique style engagement rings without certificates. These jewelers either had a core clientele base that relies on their expertise or perhaps the jeweler has been around forever and is trusted in the community.

There now exist, online jewelers along with these independent jewelers. This has led to earn them more money by adding the brand name without substantially increasing the value of a diamond. We now experience more than ever, people are looking for high quality ruby diamond jewelry without unnecessary cost.

Once upon a time, variable rate mortgages were a way to buy home with a small down payment and banks started selling bunch of dubious mortgages as investment. Once upon a time, emerald settings were all the rage. Then, people gravitated to marquise shaped diamonds. Like fads that pass with time, the existence of certificate diamonds and brand names associated with high costs became the thing of the past. Now diamond buyers look for affordable color gemstones from trusted supplier.