Where to Purchase Affordable Engagement Rings in Orange County

June 26, 2017/in Engagement Rings, Recent Posts/by Watch & Wares

How to Shop for the Best Affordable Engagement Rings & Get the Most Value for Your Money

If you’re like most people that are getting ready to pop the question, you are probably a little curious about how much you want to spend on a diamond engagement ring. While some people are set on buying a brand new ring, others opt for antique & vintage engagement rings. Regardless of where you fall in that spectrum, budget is usually a top priority. As such, most searches usually start with looking for affordable engagement rings in your area.

When shopping for affordable engagement rings, the most important thing to remember is you don’t skimp on quality. Whether your budget allows for a $350 ring or a $35,000 engagement ring, you’ll want to get your money’s worth. Another thing to remember is dealing with a reputable engagement ring store. One that has a history of treating their customers with respect and ensuring they’re happy long after their purchase.

Let’s explore some important factors to shopping for affordable engagement rings in Orange County. Together we’ll look at why Watch & Wares has been the best place to buy affordable engagement rings for over 35 years.

The Difference Between Affordable Engagement Rings & Cheap Engagement Rings

Now that you have a budget in mind, let’s talk about what makes an engagement ring affordable. Affordable engagement rings doesn’t necessarily mean the ring you choose has to be cheap. For instance, some engagement ring stores in Orange County and surrounding areas will allow you to make payments. Furthermore, other jewelry stores will let you put a diamond engagement ring on layaway. This method is great, because you’re dodging those pesky finance charges.

In the 1930’s America saw some lean years. In fact, we were in the middle of The Great Depression. At this time, there was a De Beers Diamond campaign that proposed people should spend one month’s salary on an engagement ring. In the 1980’s they upped it to two month’s salary, asking the question, “how else can you make 2 month’s salary last forever?”

Today, things have changed. With so many options when it comes to affordable engagement rings, you shouldn’t limit your thinking in terms of salary. Pick a budget for your diamond ring and stick with it. Do some online research and find the best place to find affordable engagement rings in your area. Once you’ve got a handful of places to check out, visit the stores and see how they stack up against one another.

Why Watch & Wares is the Best Place to Buy Affordable Engagement Rings in Orange County

Watch & Wares has sold more affordable engagement rings than anyone in Orange County for the last 35 years. With a stellar selection of affordable diamond rings and jewelry, we’ve been a part of more SoCal weddings than any other jewelry store in OC.

Just remember, affordable engagement rings will vary from person to person. What might be a fortune to spend for one buyer, may be just right for another. Weigh your options, find the engagement ring store with the best terms and merchandise and choose with confidence. The right engagement ring store will make your purchase stress-free, letting you know you’ve made the right choice.

Our Engagement Ring Selection & Reputation Speaks for Itself

Watch & Wares has 3 brick & mortar stores and has been selling online since the 1990’s. On eBay, our feedback is 100% and we’re a jewelry lover’s favorite on Etsy, where our customers rave about our affordable collections. Our flagship engagement ring store in the Orange Circle has a 5-star rating on Yelp. Customers love our attention to detail, mom & pop’s service and discreet/safe purchase process.

Affordable Engagement Rings for Every Budget

When you’ve been collecting as long as we have, you tend to have an enormous selection of affordable engagement rings. Multi-colored gemstones, colored diamonds, to platinum, white gold and antique settings — we’ve got it all! If you’re looking for an affordable diamond ring to present to the love of your life, call us first!

You can sit down with one of our engagement ring experts and walk through the following in detail:

Your Budget
Our Full Selection
Choice of Stones & Settings
Whether You Want White Gold, Platinum or Other Options
Antique Diamond Rings
Vintage Wedding Rings

Watch & Wares also has an In-House Jeweler, known for his expert jewelry repair & custom engagement rings. We can create a ring for you from scratch or recreate a cherished heirloom from a photograph. When it comes to vintage and antique engagement rings, we’re the experts. We’re the engagement ring store other Orange County jewelers bring their customers’ diamond rings to, to have them fixed or set properly!

Take Advantage of Our Layaway for to Make Your Purchase Even More Affordable

Want to space your payments out over 12 months? No problem! Watch & Wares offers layaway on all our affordable engagement rings, with 0% interest. Simply leave a 20% deposit, then make monthly payments. Pick up your diamond engagement ring once it’s paid off, with no fees or interest!

Call Watch & Wares & Let Us Help You Find an Affordable Engagement Ring She’ll Love!

Our Owner and Engagement Ring Experts are here Tues-Sat from 10am to 5pm. Walk-ins are always welcome, or you can give us a call at 714-633-2030 to set a one-on-one engagement ring consultation! If you’re in the market for affordable engagement rings and live close to Orange County, we’d love to serve you!

Our reputation speaks for itself and we’re eager to prove why we’re the best place to buy affordable engagement rings in Southern California. If you have any questions or concerns, you can also send us message using the handy contact form on this page! We look forward to serving you and helping you find the engagement ring of your dreams soon!

The Best Place to Buy Antique Engagement Rings in Orange County & Surrounding Areas

June 12, 2017/in Engagement Rings, Recent Posts/by Watch & Wares

Antique Engagement Rings – Why Are Vintage Diamond Rings So Special?

Everyone has their own taste, and lovers of antique & estate jewelry are no exception. If you’re thinking of taking the plunge and searching for antique engagement rings for your bride-to-be, you’re not alone. Antique engagement rings are back in vogue — you’ve seen them on your favorite celebrities’ fingers and in major fashion magazines.

But why purchase an antique engagement ring? At Watch & Wares, we like to ask, why not purchase one? Vintage and antique engagement rings are nod to historic style and values, but also incredibly chic and unique. With each vintage engagement ring comes it’s own history and a connection to the past… a time where bonds between lovers were not only sacred, but tough to break. From the Great Depression to the Roar & Bustle of Big Band, Classic Hollywood Stars & Cinema, and who can forget Prohibition? The 1920’s and 1930’s saw a lot of ups-and-downs, but there was a solidarity within the country as well.

As such, there’s been a huge upswing in all things vintage & throwback, antique engagement rings included. We’ve also seen a rise in custom wedding bands made to emulate vintage wedding rings and estate jewelry from the days where radio and newspaper ruled over social media and online videos.

How Much Should I Budget for Antique Engagement Rings in Orange County?

Shop the Largest Selection of Antique Engagement Rings in Southern California at Watch & Wares

Antique Engagement Rings at Watch & Wares. Photo c/o @isaiahvaldez.official via Instagram

While many people have caught the vintage engagement ring bug, there aren’t too many guidelines out there to help you shop for an antique engagement ring. Orange County and Southern California are both havens for estate jewelry and vintage wedding rings come in all shapes, sizes, precious metals and colors.

Some antique wedding bands and vintage engagement rings may look the similar on the surface. The truth is, while most antique engagement rings may have similar qualities, there’s a few things you should look out for. But before we go any further, you’ll want to figure out your budget for the engagement ring. Finding out what you want to spend on a vintage diamond ring is paramount to the process. It provides a guideline for qualifying different pieces and picking your favorite rings.

Budgeting your purchase properly also gives the antique engagement ring store or jeweler insight as to where to start. Since we’re talking about diamonds and precious metals, prices will vary. The great news is that vintage engagement rings can be extremely affordable or on the other end of the spectrum, lavish & expensive. Once you’ve got the budget out of the way, we can now begin shopping for the perfect antique engagement rings that fit your taste & bankbook.

What Should I Look for When Shopping for Vintage & Antique Engagement Rings?

While some antique engagement rings feature a diamond as the main stone, others may incorporate sapphires or other precious gems. It’s important to buy from a reputable antique engagement ring store in your area. Go to a place you trust, or one that has great online reviews. Furthermore, look for a jewelry store that specializes in antique engagement rings. If you’re ever in doubt, simply ask.

If the jewelry store carries vintage or estate jewelry, ask them about their antique engagement rings. Find out about their selection and vetting process. Ask the vintage jewelry store if they have anyone on staff that inspects or certifies the diamonds. Look into whether or not they restore their antique jewelry and engagement rings. Finally, you’ll want to know about the vintage engagement ring’s appraisal process.

Some other important things to ask when shopping for antique engagement rings includes:

What era is the vintage diamond engagement ring from?
What is the diamond’s clarity, size and color rating?
Is the precious metal rated at 10k, 14k, 24k etc.
Where was the antique ring acquired?
Did the vintage diamond ring undergo any restoration?
Do you have a GIA gemologist on staff?
Will I receive an appraisal & certificate with my purchase?

If You’re Shopping for Vintage or Antique Engagement Rings in Orange County, Check Watch & Wares First!

At Watch & Wares, we hate tooting our own horn, but we practically wrote the book on vintage, estate and antique jewelry. Our history dates back 35 years with over a century of vintage jewelry experience between our entire staff. Our Owner, William Houchin, is a collector of fine jewelry and vintage & estate engagement rings and has been honing his skills for over 3 decades. We started as collectors and that’s why we only offer the best.

Our customers know us as the premier destination for vintage, designer and antique engagement rings in Southern California. Our selection of vintage diamonds and wedding bands is staggering, and we’re proud of that. We’ve earned a reputation as the best place to buy antique engagement rings for many reasons, but our commitment to our customers is our favorite.

We’ve sold thousands of pieces on eBay, where we hold 100% Feedback since the early 90’s. We cross-sell items on Etsy and have an immaculate 5-star rating on Yelp through all of our 3 locations. Our flagship jewelry store in the Orange Circle features hundreds of antique engagement rings and vintage settings. If you’re looking for a custom engagement ring or would like to replace a cherished heirloom that was lost, we can do that too!

Watch & Wares Has the Best Selection of Estate & Antique Diamond Engagement Rings in SoCal

Watch & Wares has a GIA gemologist on staff and every vintage piece of jewelry we acquire undergoes a well-practiced restoration process. Not only is every antique engagement ring and vintage wedding band appraised properly, most look brand new.

We’ve served hundreds of beautiful couples that have tied the knot in Southern California. We’re proud to be a part of a legacy and tradition that keeps these beautiful antique engagement rings alive. We know that every customer is unique in terms of taste, budget and needs. We offer a 12-month layaway with no interest on all of our vintage wedding bands and diamond engagement rings.

Give us a call at 714-633-2030 or come by the store today! Speak with one of our Engagement Ring Concierges and let them walk you through some of our pieces. Ask us questions — we love answering them. In the end, we want happy & satisfied lovers making educated decisions. We want you to love the jewelry you wear and nothing is more cherished than an engagement ring.

Make the gift you give her on this special occasion one she’ll remember and covet forever.

*for more information about precious gems & diamonds used in antique engagement rings, visit the GIA Gem Encyclopedia.

*if you’d like to sell us antique engagement rings or other jewelry, you can come by or stop by our Tustin, CA location!

Used Watches: How to Shop for a Pre-Owned Watch in Orange County & Surrounding Areas

June 6, 2017/in Contemporary Watches, Vintage Watches, Watches, Women's Watches/by Watch & Wares

Shopping for Used Watches or a Pre-Owned Luxury Watch in Orange County

Shopping for used watches can feel like a daunting task at first. With so many variables, knowing what to look for when searching for the perfect pre-owned watch can be tricky at first. But if executed properly, there are many benefits to buying used watches.

With over 35 years buying, selling and trading used watches in Southern California, we’ve been able to put together a list of do’s & don’ts to help you with your search. Let’s explore how to find the best used watches and watch stores in Orange County & surrounding areas.

How Does the Watch Store Acquire their Used Watches?

Come shop the largest selection of used watches in Orange County

Most savvy watch buyers are elated to find a watch store that sells pre-owned watches. For many, buying a used watch is like buying a used car. Some pre-owned watches have been cared for so well you can’t tell they’re not new.

A good place to start is by finding out how the used watch store acquires their timepieces. Find out if they’ve got a long lasting reputation in the industry and community, and whether the watches come from reputable sources. The last thing you want is to buy a used watch and to find out it wasn’t taken care of.

Does the Watch Store Service & Restore their Used Watches?

pre owned rolex, pre-owned rolex, used rolex

Make sure your shop restores their timepieces the RIGHT way.

Because there are so many watch dealers in Orange County, you’ve got to make sure you’re doing your homework. Find out if the used watch store has an in-house watchmaker. Furthermore, find out if they service the used watches they sell. If you want to buy a vintage watch, find out their watchmaker restored it to OEM specs. Of course, some people don’t want them to get rid of the coveted patina or character, you simply want to make sure the movement is properly-tuned.

A good used watch store should have an in-house master watchmaker who knows the ins-and-outs of watch movement. Therefore, the watch store should service the used watches they sell and restore vintage watches to their manufacturer’s specs.

Does the Watch Store Offer a Warranty on Used Watches?

warranty, pre-owned watch, watch bench, watch repair

Make sure your pre-owned watch is backed by a warranty.

Find out if the watch store offers a warranty on their pre-owned watches. When buying a new watch, the manufacturer will usually provide the service warranty. Unfortunately, on some used watches, the manufacturer’s warranty may not still be active.

A warranty on your used watch will also ensure that the pre-owned watch store stands behind their product. Many used watch stores in Orange County don’t offer warranties or offer limited warranties on used watches. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is to ask about the pre-owned watch warranty before even trying a watch on.

Research Before Buying Used Watches: What is the Pre-Owned Watch Store’s Reputation?

In today’s world of online reviews and customer feedback, it goes without saying you should do your research before buying a used watch in Orange County. Websites like Yelp and search engines like Google offer a place where customers can leave reviews for businesses. Before buying a pre-owned watch from a watch store or jeweler, check out their online reviews.

Find out if the pre-owned watch dealer has a good reputation and upholds its promise to their customers. It’s important to read a few reviews before your used watch purchase because every watch store will have a different return policy. Furthermore, you’ll feel better about buying a used watch from a reputable watch store. Finally, ask a lot of questions. Find out if the store’s used watches come with a box & papers, certificate/card, original tools, etc.

Watch & Wares is the Best Place to Buy Used Watches in Orange County

Watch & Wares has been buying selling and trading used watches in Orange County for over 35 years. Because of our experience, we’ve been able to take the headache out of buying a used watch in Orange County. We’ve got a reputation as the best place to buy a pre-owned watch in Southern California for many reasons:

2 year warranty on all contemporary used watches / 1 year on all vintage watches
Pre-Owned Watches are serviced & restored to OEM specs by an in-house master watchmaker
Our Master Watchmaker was a former Rolex Technician and knows his movements
We acquire our pre-owned watches from reputable sources and most are like-new
We provide a box & papers for most of our used watches for sale
Our reviews don’t lie – 5 stars on Yelp and 100% Feedback on eBay since the early 90’s
We have the largest selection of used watches in Southern California
Take advantage of our 12 month layaway – make monthly interest-free payments

Watch & Wares Carries All Major Brands of Used Watches & Pre-Owned Watches

Because we believe any used watch store worth their salt should have a large inventory, we’ve invested decades into collecting only the best used watches in Southern California. Our pre-owned watch collection spans many decades, and we work hard to ensure a great customer experience.

Our owner, William Houchin has spent his life collecting, buying and selling the finest pre-owned timepieces from all major watch brands. Watch & Wares has it all: from pre-owned Rolex watches to vintage Patek Philippe. Furthermore, every used watch we sell is secured with a warranty and pre-purchase service.

We carry pre-owned watches in Orange County from the following brands:

Rolex
Breitling
Cartier
Panerai
Omega
Tag Heuer
Patek Philippe
Bell & Ross
Audemars Piguet
Franc Vila
Ulysse Nardin
IWC
Roger Dubuis
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Breguet
Glashutte
Longines
Tudor
Corum
Hamilton and more!

Come see us at our new location in the Orange Circle and try on Southern California’s largest collection of used watches. Call us at 714-633-2030 or stop in and try on some watches today! Of course, if you’d like to send us a message, simply reach out using our handy contact form!

If you’d like to sell your used watch in Orange County, you can also visit our Tustin Location!