Diamond Engagement Ring: Things You Must Consider to Get the Best

A diamond engagement ring is something very precious that a man buys in his life. It is his gift for his sweetheart who will wear it probably for a lifetime That’s why getting right ring itself requires a lot of thought, research, and work, so there several things to be considered. Let’s have a look at major aspects on which you have to focus while getting a ring for your engagement.

Select the shape of the diamond: There are a number of cuts and shapes available in diamonds. Round and princess cuts are some of the most preferred cuts for a diamond engagement ring. These cuts cost you less as compared to the other cuts found in the market. There are also oval, radiant, cushion, marquise, emerald, pear, Asscher and heart cuts from which you can choose for your ring.

Your girlfriend’s opinion and personal tastes matter a lot since she is the one who will wear the ring, perhaps for a lifetime. If she’s the traditional type, you are most likely to buy her a ring with a round or a princess diamond cut. If she’s more of a girly type, then a pear- or a heart-shaped cut will suit her best. If she’s the type who wants to stand out from the ordinary, then you are likely to choose cuts like cushion or emerald.

Choose the metal you want: A majority of traditional rings are made up of gold. Gold is the most preferred metal for rings as it produces an attractive yellow luster and exudes a classy look. Gold is also durable and scratch-resistant so it requires little maintenance. White gold is also a good option for a diamond ring. While it requires some maintenance every few years, white gold resembles a lot like silver or platinum. And speaking of platinum, it is the most durable metal and exudes a classy, elegant and timeless look. However, platinum is also the costliest metal, and very few people can afford rings with a platinum band.

Choose a setting for your stone: Setting simply means the way you want your center stone to be fixed on the band. Prong, tension, bar, channel, bezel, cluster, flush, Tiffany, pave, halo, cathedral, flush, three-stone, antique, etc. are some common setting for a diamond engagement ring.

The prong setting is the most common and classic type of setting and the least expensive option among all the other settings. It can be rounded, flat, pointed, or V-shaped. It is popular because it gives the ring a simple and classic look, and it’s also easy and simple to maintain. This kind of setting also makes the center stone to stand out and become more visible.

The setting you will choose should reflect the personality of the one who is going to wear the ring.

Round Cut DiamondConsider other settings, too. It is totally up to you on how you want the center stone to be set. Your girl may want a solitaire setting or a multi-stone setting for the ring. A three-stone setting is the most common multi-stone setting and is perfect for a diamond engagement ring. The three-stone setting also allows you to choose the side gemstones, such as sapphire and emerald, for an attractive color contrast.

There are some settings that have small diamonds all over the band, such as channel and pave. However, it is pretty obvious that a multi-stone setting will cost you more than a single stone setting because of the quantity of smaller diamonds on the band, in addition to the bigger center diamond. Unless you can afford to buy smaller diamonds to choose such settings, it is important to think about what kind of setting you want and that your budget allows.

Look for diamond alternatives: Not all ladies consider the diamond as their best friend. Several women prefer good quality and colorful gemstone instead of a diamond. Gemstones like ruby, sapphire, and emerald are precious stones that are used in engagement rings.

Pearl and amber may not technically be stones, as they are organic minerals. But they are also considered as “precious stones” and make good center stones for your engagement ring. Amber is a fossilized resin and it would be cool to find an amber ring with a preserved insect inside it, which makes the whole thing more fascinating and beautiful.

Pearl, on the other hand, is considered a “jewel” from the sea. It is formed inside a shell of a mollusk, most commonly an oyster. Pearls come in different colors aside from the classic bluish-white: black, gold, pink and lavender, which all occur naturally.

You can also refer to your sweetheart’s birth month as a basis for your engagement ring purchase. If her birthday falls in July, her birthstone is ruby, so it’s good to get her a ruby engagement ring.

If your budget is really tight, you can settle on moissanite, which looks like a mined diamond but with a fraction of a price of the real thing. Moissanite is naturally found on meteorites, but there is also simulant (lab-created) Moissanites as well. It is even clearer and more brilliant than a diamond, which gives more fire and sparkle – something that your girl will surely love. One-Carat Moissanite will cost you just around $300 for retail whereas a one-carat diamond can fetch between $4,000 to $25,000.

Cubic zirconia is diamond look-alike simulants. Of course, it is cheaper than diamonds by a long mile. It costs you around $20 for retail. It has a hardness scale of 8.5 (a diamond has a perfect 10 hardness scale) so for its price, cubic zirconia is a pretty decent alternative. It may not be as sparkly as a diamond, but it still shines a lot. Most people think that cubic zirconia has virtually no intrinsic value since it is entirely man-made, but it depends on your girl’s preference and lifestyle. If she’s happy with simple things and is not the high-maintenance type of girl, she will be contented with a cubic zirconia ring. Besides, it doesn’t look any more different than a diamond.

For some women, an engagement ring is not measured by how expensive it is, or how large a stone it has – it is a gesture of a man’s promise of an everlasting love. At least, they appreciate the fact that their boyfriends go out of their way to buy them an engagement ring, no matter the size or cost.

Obviously, people have different tastes when it comes to engagement rings, so it is very important to ask your sweetheart about what type of ring she would like. If she wants the classic diamond engagement ring, you should allow a considerable budget for it. Do the right research, do some canvassing at several jewelry shops, and ask for consultations and recommendations from jewelry experts to help you in getting the perfect ring for your engagement.

The Proposal