A diamond engagement ring is something that becomes a permanent symbol of a couple’s love. It is one of the most precious things that every woman can expect in her life. So if you are getting married and looking for a diamond ring, you must want the ring to be perfect for her.
You don’t need to be a geologist in order to get the right ring for your engagement. You should only be armed with the basic knowledge about diamonds. Knowing just the diamond’s main attributes will be enough for you to shop for the perfect diamond engagement ring. Here are some useful guidelines that can lead you to get the perfect diamond ring for your engagement.
The Four C’s of a diamond
Do you remember the classic four C’s of a diamond? These are Cut, Carat, Color, and Clarity. Those are the four chief elements that make a diamond valuable and worth buying. You can make good use of the Internet knowing all these things about the diamonds.
- Cut is basically the shape given to the diamond so that it can reflect more light and look more attractive and shiny. A diamond’s cut refers to its angles and facets, as well as their proportions and symmetry when light reflects it. A skillfully-cut diamond will reflect the most balanced light and produce the shiniest sparkle possible. A diamond that’s cut too low or too deep will reflect light quite poorly.
- Carat is a term used to determine the weight of a diamond. The larger diamonds obviously are bigger and heavier and thus look more desirable and arresting to the eyes. A one-carat (6.5 mm) diamond is widely the most preferred size for an engagement ring, while a five-carat (11.1 mm) diamond is considered very big. And of course, the bigger a diamond’s carat is, the more expensive it gets. If you are on a tight budget but still dreams of buying a diamond ring for your fiancee, don’t be afraid to go down half a carat – make sure that it has a nice cut so that it will still look very sparkly.
- Color always depends on the buyer’s mind. Diamonds are also graded by color starting with the “D” (colorless and clear) to “Z” (light yellow). The color of diamonds doesn’t speak of their quality or value, but rather their clarity and rarity. Though colorless and clear diamonds are preferred by a majority of buyers, some fancy colored diamonds are also sought-after by even the most discriminate jewelry lovers. There are colorful diamonds that fetch a much higher price than traditional colorless diamonds. Pink diamonds, for instance, are even more expensive than 1-carat “D” diamonds, but it won’t stop them from being a hot commodity among buyers.
- Clarity is the shiny appearance of certain diamonds. The term refers to an assessment of a diamond’s tiny “inclusions,” which is more commonly known merely as blemishes or imperfections. This element has a wider range as it changes from diamond to diamond. Clarity is often the least important thing to consider because most diamonds have inclusions. Most inclusions are microscopic and thus they cannot be noticed by the untrained and unaided eye. Even the clearest-looking diamond has inclusions, only fewer and less visible. Besides, they do not affect the diamond’s physical beauty in a big way.
You must know about all four “C”‘s in order to select an attractive and stunning diamond engagement ring.
The ring’s band
The metal that makes up the band of a diamond engagement ring is also as important as the stone itself. Platinum is an extremely durable metal that gives off a sleek and elegant appearance. It is also highly resistant to scuffing. Gold is also a popular choice as it gives off that attractive yellow luster. Since both platinum and gold are soft in their pure state, they are often alloyed with other metals to make them harder. Rose gold is a popular metal used for engagement rings. Usually alloyed with copper, rose gold exudes a pinkish hue that highlights the skin tone, and most girls love rose gold jewelry.
People always allot a budget in advance to get the right thing at their price range. In case of a diamond engagement ring, it is necessary that you make a budget before buying a ring. Making a budget will ease your search for rings as you will only look for those items will match your spending capacity. It also lessens the likelihood of confusion and you will be able to assess diamonds rings better in that way.
It is easy for us to buy something for our own, but to get it for another person is always a challenge. Especially for guys, buying a diamond engagement ring for their loved ones is a daunting task indeed. Whenever they enter a jewelry store to shop for engagement rings, they are likely to feel confused and overwhelmed.
Men must want their rings to be liked by their own fiancees at just one glance. However, choosing that ring without knowing her choice will be almost impossible. Thus, it is necessary that you completely know her taste of diamond ring. Observe her dressing style and her choice of clothes, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. You may want her to take to a jewelry shop and let her choose the ring that she will like best. Or if you’re planning for a surprise wedding proposal, you might want to enlist the help from her family, friends, relatives or co-workers, etc.
Another tricky part of buying the ring is determining her ring finger size. The obvious solution is to take her to a jewelry shop and let her try a variety of rings displayed there for size. But if you plan to surprise her with a wedding proposal, perhaps the “sneakiest” way to know her finger size is to go to on a date at some fun place like an art festival or a cute souvenir shop. Then, buy her a cheap costume ring and slip it on her finger, pretending that it is a “promise ring.” You should encourage your girlfriend to do the same.
Always shop a diamond engagement ring from a reputable store who gives proper documents and grading certifications with their products. We hope and wish you the best of luck that you will find the best thing for your engagement.