What you won't see here
No fake authors. Every post is signed JewelEditor and stamped with process metadata you can audit: how many retailers we shopped, how many authority sources we cited, the date we last verified the prices.
No 3-month-salary nonsense. The "rule" was a 1939 De Beers ad campaign. Median US engagement ring spend is around $5,200 regardless of income. We take a $1,500 budget as seriously as a $15,000 one.
No retailer-paid placement. We earn affiliate commission when readers purchase through some links. That doesn't change what we recommend.
How we research
Before drafting any post, we run keyword research to confirm the topic represents real reader demand. Posts get scheduled by leverage: search volume divided by SEO difficulty.
For buying guides, we shop multiple retailers end-to-end. The "4 retailers shopped" in our byline is the actual number.
Authority sources we cite
For technical claims about diamonds, metals, or jewelry-industry standards, we cite first-party authorities:
- GIA: diamond grading and gemological data
- AGS: appraisal and ethics standards
- IGS: education and gemological reference
- FTC Jewelry Guides: legal disclosure and labeling
- The Knot, Brides, WeddingWire: consumer spend data
How we verify before publishing
- Sentence quality. Read out loud. Cut filler. Voice matches our direct position.
- Every link. Click each link. Confirm it loads and the source still says what we claim.
- Every number. Verify every price against the retailer. Verify every spec is achievable.
Affiliate disclosure
JewelEditor earns commission when readers purchase through some affiliate links. This is the FTC-standard disclosure: it doesn't change what we recommend, but you should know it.
Spotted a mistake?
We rely on readers to catch what we miss. Email editor@jeweleditor.com and we'll re-verify and update with credit.
See the method in use
Every guide, answer and tool on the site follows the process above. Start with Engagement Rings Under $5,000, which shows the pricing work in full, or Lab Grown Diamonds and GIA Diamond Grading for the grading-lab sourcing. The short answers follow the same rules at a smaller scale, and the tools publish the formulas they use.