How to choose diamond Engagement Rings
Choosing a diamond for your engagement ring is very difficult because it really is all about the cut, clarity, colour and carat size of the stone all of these factors will affect the budget for your ring.
Carat and Cut
The carat size is a weight
which means you can have a small top spread and deeper stone or a wider top
spread and shallower stone but a 1ct diamond with the perfect dimensions will
always cost more than a 1ct stone that is wider or shallower. The perfect dimensions mean the stone will
have more sparkle and fire and this is what everyone loves about diamonds.
Colour and Clarity
You can also put two 1ct
stones side by side which both have certificates that are 1ct, colour G,
clarity VVS1 and they will look noticeably different and this is because of the
person who cut the stone the better the cutter the more sparkly the stone. You can also choose a higher colour and lower
clarity or a higher clarity with a lower colour but the two stones can look
very similar to the naked eye. This is
why it is better to talk to an expert. Certificates
can guide you but certificates are only an opinion and some companies are more
critical than other certification companies and some jewellers even write their
own certificates. This is why diamonds
will be more expensive with a certificate that is checked to a higher
standard. GIA America is considered one
of the best certificates. This is not to
say other companies are not grading nice diamonds, but as my diamond merchant
likes to say “there is no such thing as a perfect cheap diamond”.
There are many different cuts
of diamond, brilliant cut (round diamonds), princess cut (square diamonds),
marquise cut (boat shape diamonds), pear shape, heart shape, baguette shape
(rectangular shape diamonds, oval shape, cushion shape, emerald cut and
trillion shape (triangle shape diamonds).
All these designs can be set as a single stone or as a diamond cluster
design or set with other coloured precious stones. We have even seen diamonds cut into an 8
pointed star and a horses head or the whole ring made out of a rough diamond
although I think this might be uncomfortable to wear all the time.
Engagement rings can be claw
set, rub over set, pave set, tension set or channel set depending on the design
you choose and the size of the stones.
If you can speak to the person actually making your engagement ring you
can make sure you get the design you have always wanted and the best quality
stone to your budget.
Make sure your engagement
ring is suitable for your life style and made from a solid mount which gives
the ring maximum strength and durability and you will be able to happily wear
your ring for a very long time.