If you plan to get engaged over the holidays, you could get a better deal on that diamond after Black Friday, says Daniel Butler, vice president of retail operations for the National Retail Federation. It's difficult to find bargains on jewelry in the first three weeks of November.
"A lot of people get engaged in December," Butler says. For fine jewelry, "December is by far the biggest month -- it can be 30 (percent) to 35 percent of a jeweler's sales for the year." Because of the competition for that demand, discounts on fine jewelry can be found as the holiday shopping season kicks off, he says.
Another item that tends to be full-priced until holiday sales: fine watches, says Sharon Banfield, director of public relations for PriceGrabber.com.
Expect better deals: "If you're looking at jewelry, you want to wait until the end of November and the beginning of December," Butler says.
What is a bargain now: During the first three weeks of November, look for deals on costume and bridge jewelry of "up to 50 percent off," Butler says.
For those who seek a ring of a very different stripe: Tires are often a bargain in November, Banfield says. With winter weather imminent in many parts of the country, look for discounts of about 15 percent, she says.