When I decided to buy a marquise diamond tennis necklace, I figured it’d be as easy as picking fries at McDonald’s. Boy, was I wrong. Started browsing online, clicking random jewelry sites at 2 AM. So many sparkly pics made my eyes hurt. Added three “amazing deals” to my cart without thinking. Almost hit checkout when my brain finally kicked in: “Wait, why’s this one way cheaper than the others?” Slammed my laptop shut. Needed coffee and a plan.
Step 1: Got My Wallet Handcuffed
First, I grabbed my budget. “How much am I actually willing to spend without crying?” I wrote down a max number on a sticky note and taped it to my credit card. Crucial move. Saw a gorgeous piece that night… $800 over my limit. Stared at it for 20 minutes like a lovesick puppy. Walked away. Budget first keeps you sane.
Step 2: The Metal Hunt
Platinum? White gold? Rose gold? Felt like picking Hogwarts houses. Went to three different jewelers trying on chains. Realized white gold scratched my neck after 10 minutes. Platinum felt heavy like chains. Rose gold made my skin look weird. Lesson: Don’t guess – go feel it. Chose white gold in the end ’cause it looked icy cool.
Step 3: Marquise Mayhem
Thought all marquise stones looked the same. Ha! Learned the hard way:
- Size Matters Wildly: Tiny stones looked like sparkly rice. Big ones screamed “ROB ME.” Settled on 0.5 ct total weight for subtle bling.
- The Pointy End Drama: Held two chains side-by-side. One had sharp ends that snagged my sweater instantly. The other had rounded ends. Guess which I bought? Yep.
- The “Spacing” Surprise: Some necklaces crammed stones so tight they looked like glitter glue. Others had huge gaps like missing teeth. Tested different gaps against a black shirt. Found one where stones “breathed” just right.
Step 4: Certificates Are Boring But Saved Me
Found a “stunning marquise necklace” discounted 70%. Heart raced. Then asked for its certificate. Seller ghosted me. Ran. Only trusted sellers who shoved a GIA report in my face without me asking. Geeked out on reading those docs – learned about:
- Color (avoided anything below H – no yellow hints)
- Clarity (stuck to VS2 and up – no visible junk inside)
- Cut (“Excellent” or bust – no lazy cutting allowed)
Step 5: Return Policy Paranoia
Before swiping my card, I interrogated every seller:
- “What if it breaks while salsa dancing?”
- “Can I return this if my cat hates it?”
Skipped two shops with shady 7-day return windows. Chose a place offering 60 days no-questions-asked returns. Slept like a baby knowing I had an escape hatch.
Two weeks later – my necklace arrived. Held my breath opening the box. Slapped it on. Perfection. Didn’t strangle me, didn’t turn green, didn’t bankrupt me. Now it’s my go-to fancy-dinner armor. Moral? Don’t rush shiny things. Do the legwork or get burned.