From Clueless to Carats

Our Undercover Journey Into the Confusing World of Diamond Rings

However liberated modern couples may be, there's still really one part of wedding planning that remains solidly entrenched in Man Land. While it's true that, with some soon-to-be-weds, the groom's role is solely to write the check, we'd argue that most women would prefer a little surprise when he bends his knee. We roped a friend into posing as a ring-shopper and, with this writer as his wingwoman, headed out to four different ring destinations on the lookout for service, salesmanship and sparkle.

We knew we wanted something vintage (or vintage-inspired) and Art Deco but, other than that, we were blank slates. We also varied the price ranges at each place, so see how far our (fictional) money would go.

Mervis Diamond Importers
1700 K St. NW; 202-293-0600; mervisdiamond.com

Step off the hubbub of K Street through the double-lock doors and into the unassuming building that houses the downtown D.C. branch of Mervis, and you pretty much go, "Ooooh, shiny." We're greeted immediately by a pleasant receptionist, who calls a staffer down to help us. (We didn't have an appointment -- and you don't need one -- but we'd suggest reserving time if you're going on a Saturday.) After introductions, we're escorted into a private room, where the clerk asks some basic questions about our target ring and takes us through a basic course on diamond shopping. She also astutely feels us out: He works with computers and math ("So you need it to be perfect and exact," she offered) while our writer is more left-brained ("You're here to make sure it feels right").

Once we decide on the cut, our staffer is off. She returns with five settings, and the process is very much like an eye-doctor appointment: Which is better, one or two? The super-modern, cathedral-style setting, or the Art Deco-looking piece? We settle on three possibilities, at which point the stones are presented. We ask to see a larger diamond in a fancier setting, and she cautions us that it'll put us over our price range. Oh well. The leading contender is a 1.01 carat diamond with an F color and VS1 clarity in a platinum setting with .22 carats of pave diamonds for $9,396.

We depart with a business card bearing our staffer's name and details on the leading ring. They also cleaned this wingwoman's own engagement bauble for free.

Bottom Line: You don't get the onslaught of choices you might at other places, but the staff takes care to bring settings that are tailored to both giver and receiver.

Tiny Jewel Box
1147 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-393-2747; tinyjewelbox.com

With five floors of watches, jewelry and other gifts, Tiny Jewel Box isn't tiny, not really. We skipped the glittering cases of new jewelry, including engagement rings by Christian Bauer and others, concentrating instead on the vintage area.

The selection of betrothal rings is quite small (around a dozen choices), but just try re-finding the 1920 piece you missed because you had to think about it. The staffer helping us warns us: "I've seen it happen, and then you martyr the damn ring, so nothing is ever going to compare." So, if you find what you like, be prepared to plunk down the cash.

We've decided to start looking at Art Deco-esque pieces, and an Asscher-cut (a square emerald cut) 1 carat ring from the 1920s catches our eyes at $12,480. Not everything is so expensive. A 1920s half-carat total-weight ring with diamonds scattered over the band is only $2,700, yet looks like it belonged on the hand of a robber baron's daughter. There are also more unusual pieces, like the 1.27 carat, emerald-cut diamond ring with sapphire accents for $14,700. None them are "it," so the staffer actually gives us the name of another local jeweler who specializes in vintage pieces -- not one associated with Tiny Jewel Box, just "a very good neighbor." One last suggestion: Wear comfortable shoes, because there's no place to sit in the vintage section.

Bottom Line: Small selection means we can't promise the perfect ring, but if you're buying vintage, there's more than enough sparkle here.

Jared the Galleria of Jewelry
8113 Leesburg Pike, Vienna; 703-893-0154; jared.com

It's easy to feel intimidated upon seeing the rows and rows and rows of settings ("Over 700!" says our perky staffer), all of them peering hopefully up at you, like a pound puppy. We take a seat and, with the aid of our helper, eventually settle on three possible settings, even though we've seen fewer than half the available options (there are just so many!). Our favorite is a platinum band with half-moon diamonds on either side of the center stone, which the staffer assures us is "very unique."

The thing is, with the corporate, mall-like feeling of the store, how can anything here be unique? We don't want our fictional ring-bearer walking around with the equivalent of Gap khakis on her hand. We find an appealing 1 carat, cushion-cut, H color, VS1 clarity diamond: With the $4,129 setting, the $3,700 diamond puts us at $7,829.

There is pressure to use Jared's financing, even after our buyer asserted that he wouldn't need it, which kind of smacked of used-car sales. Rings are available within two hours, Lenscrafters-style, so our buyer could have proposed that night, should he have wished. The perks of such a large company -- on-site financing, a warranty (that costs extra) that covers repairs at any Jared across the country -- are tempting. But the vibe -- the easy-listening music, the strong suggestion that, no, really, we should totally do the financing, because rings are expensive, and so you might need that money for something else -- left us cold.

Bottom Line: The expansive selection would suit the shopper who wants to see everything, but the mass production of love feels a bit weird.

Tiffany & Co.
8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna; 703-893-7700; tiffany.com

Here's the thing about Tiffany: It's just so freaking awesome. Sure, sneer about how you're just paying for the blue box if you must, but those diamonds are amazing. "We don't go below VS2," said the staffer helping us -- not being snotty, just stating it as a matter of fact.

Tiffany's is unlike the other stores we visited in that they don't let you mix-and-match settings and stones; company boilerplate states that this produces "disappointing aesthetics." So a one-of-a-kind ring is really not a possibility. We're willing to overlook that fact, because they're all so gut-punchingly pretty.

After eliminating the classic Tiffany solitaire and mentioning our Art Deco-centric search, the staffer brings out two rings that literally -- literally-literally, not the figurative-literally that most everybody means when they say literally -- make our jaws drop. One, a 1.07 carat, F color, VS1 square-cut diamond in a platinum setting, is $16,400. The one that almost brings out the American Express, though, is the Legacy -- a 1.18 carat, G color, VS1 round cut nestled among other diamonds, all forming one sparkly, stunning circle.

At $22,500, yes, it's insane. But the bijoux is captivating enough that both of us stand there, staring at it and grinning. Rather than buying it right then and there, we decide to go buy a car instead. Kidding.

The service is elegant without being stuffy: When we (and by "we" we mean "wingwoman") can't resist asking to see a big honking ring, he says, "I didn't show that one to you, because it's out of your price range," without apparent judgment. We weren't here to spend $30,000 -- the honking price of the honking ring -- so he didn't try to upsell us.

Bottom Line: Again, no seats. And, yes, it's expensive. But the magic of the blue box isn't magic at all -- it's quality diamonds and high-class service.