Make sure your engagement ring fits your taste, budget, and lifestyle. An engagement ring is one of the key elements of a couple’s nuptial process, and choosing the right one takes a lot of time and consideration.
Hunting for the Eternal Symbol of Your Love: The Basics
Cut
Do you lust after that trademark “sparkle” for which diamonds are revered? Take note, because a diamond’s dazzle is impacted most by the cut of the stone. When a diamond has been cut with skill and precision, it will reflect light in a dazzling way, bringing all eyes to your hand.
The cut encompasses the shape, placement, number, and angle of all of the diamond’s polished surfaces. A stone that’s cut with great skill can have a trompe l’oeil effect, making a smaller diamond appear larger. How to spot a well-cut diamond? Seek out a stone with lots of sparkle and shine.
Color
Pertaining to diamonds, less is better. Diamonds have multiple rating scales, one of which is the color scale. A stone that has a rating of D to F is considered colorless. Near colorless is G to J, a stone with a faint yellow hue is K to M, light yellow is N to R and yellow is S to V. Color, like all things appearance related, is a matter of taste, but know that the closer to the beginning of the alphabet the diamond scores, the more valuable the stone.
It’s important to match the color of the stone to your setting – an utterly colorless stone will glimmer against a white gold or platinum band, while a stone with a bit of yellow may do better against a yellow gold band.
If you’ve got your heart set on one of the rarer naturally-occurring colors for diamonds – green, blue, pink, even red – be prepared to see a spike in price.
Clarity
Like all natural elements, diamonds have imperfections. The key is finding one that has a few small imperfections that aren’t visible to the naked eye. A diamond with more serious flaws won’t reflect light the way it should.
The diamond industry often refers to the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) scale to rate a gem’s clarity. This grading scale is divided into six categories, and includes eleven grades. These range from “included” (I1 through I3), through to “slightly included” (S1 and S2), “very slightly included” (VS1 and VS2), “very very slightly included” (VVS1 and VVS2), “internally flawless” (IF), and “flawless” (FL). The greater the number attached to a diamond’s lettered category, the further from flawless its grade.
Those at the “included” end of the spectrum have flaws that may be visible to the naked eye, while “flawless” diamonds have no blemishes or imperfections visible to a skilled grader under 10x magnification. The closer to “flawless” a diamond’s clarity, the rarer and more expensive the stone. Can’t afford to invest in a flawless stone? That’s fine. With a great setting and cut, a diamond’s flaws are far less noticeable.
Carat
Yet another rating system for diamonds, the carat refers to the weight of the stone, not the physical size. The higher the number, the higher the price. In other words, a diamond that is .05 may set you back significantly less than a rock that clocks in at 1.5 carats.
Shape
While factors like cut and clarity are utterly timeless, a diamond’s shape can reflect modern trends or classic tastes. A woman with more traditional tastes who wants to be sure her ring will be eternally “in style” may gravitate to a round or oval diamond – styles that have withstood the test of time.
The popular square-shaped princess cut is a modern look with lots of sparkle because of the cut around the rim. The less common pear shape is similar to the oval, but may have the added benefit of giving a slimming effect to the finger.
Are you a hopeless romantic who also loves to stand out from the crowd? The heart shaped diamond conveys a sentimental, but enduring, charm.
Setting
“Setting” refers to the way the gems are placed on the ring. For example, the Tiffany is a classic look in which the stone sits on a raised, pedestal-like setting atop a smooth band. This is a popular look, but there are also other possibilities, like the eternity band, in which the diamonds are embedded all around the entire band.
Consider how you use your hands on a daily basis when choosing a setting. Are you in the medical field, or any industry where you’re required to put on and remove latex gloves on a regular basis? Do you work with small children? If so, you may want to choose a low-profile, prong-free setting that won’t snag or scratch.
Alternative Ring Choices
In recent years, there have been some ethical objections from consumers regarding the treatment of workers at diamond mines and the environmental harm done by diamond mining. If this is a concern for you and your significant other, you can look into conflict-free diamonds, which are ethically mined. Some companies even donate a percentage of proceeds from sales to help rebuild African communities harmed by the diamond trade.
If a couple is thinking about using an heirloom engagement ring, but it’s not exactly to their tastes, the stone can be reset into a more modern setting. Just be sure that everyone involved is okay with having the ring modified. Heirlooms can hold a great deal of sentimental value, and when changed, can lead to hurt feelings.
Meet Lisa, the talented and dedicated editor of our wedding, health, relationship, and lifestyle blog. With her keen eye for detail and her passion for all things related to love and wellness, Lisa is an essential part of our team.
As an expert in all things wedding, Lisa knows how to help couples navigate the often-overwhelming process of planning their big day. From choosing the perfect dress to selecting the ideal venue, she understands that every detail matters when it comes to creating a memorable and magical wedding experience.
But Lisa’s expertise doesn’t stop at weddings. She’s also a health and wellness enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tips and trends in self-care and mindfulness. Whether it is advice on healthy eating, fitness routines, or ways to reduce stress, Lisa knows how to help readers live their best lives.
