Is Black Friday a Good Time to Buy an Engagement Ring?

It can be. Many jewelers run promotions in late November, so you may find a genuine saving. But there are two catches:

• A big percentage doesn't prove a good price. A "50% off" label means little if the starting price was inflated. Compare the stone itself, not the discount.

• Timing can be tight. Black Friday falls just before the busiest stretch of the year for proposals and for shipping. If you're proposing at Christmas, there's little room for anything to go wrong.

So treat Black Friday as a chance to buy a ring you've already researched, not as the moment to start. Any House of Diams offer will be shown on the site at the time. We don't promise sales in advance.

1. Two to three months before: learn and compare. Read how to choose a lab-grown diamond, and set your budget with our guide to how much an engagement ring should cost.

2. Eight to six weeks before: order. Every House of Diams piece is made to order. Standard pieces usually take about 16–22 days in total, and bespoke rings typically take about 3–4 weeks, depending on the stone. These are estimates, not guarantees.

3. Two weeks before: check it. Inspect the ring and the certificate, and confirm the size. Our returns page explains your options.

4. The week of the proposal: relax. You've left room for surprises.

1. Ask for the certificate. A grading report from a lab such as GIA or IGI tells you exactly what you're buying.

2. Compare like with like. Match the shape, the 4Cs and the metal, then compare the final prices across sellers.

3. Check the price history. Save the page in the weeks before the sale. If the "sale" price is the same as the normal one, it's no saving.

4. Read the small print. Check whether a promotion excludes the stone, and whether shipping, duties and returns have changed.

5. Look at the total. Add delivery, duties, sizing and insurance. At House of Diams, delivery is free and insured and duties are included in the price.