That special moment in your love life has finally arrived, you both feel committed, the excitement is sky high and you want to crown the event, the engagement, with a superior ring – a diamond one!
We feel you, it is easier said than done as it is an euphoric moment for you both, but we recommend that at least when out examining diamonds, try to keep your cool and act wisely, as it is easy to be rushed by romance.
Do your research on the local various diamonds on offer, which cut or carat you prefer, so you set your target, limits or budget at an early stage. Seek support from both friends and family for courage, tastes and acknowledgement, and by experts to assist in choosing the right one.
Remember that purchasing a diamond engagement ring could be one of the most expensive custom you will ever invest in your life.
Shopping for an engagement ring could be a daunting task, let alone a diamond one. If not conversant, you will be threading in the vast diamonds` realm, surrounded by all their diverse facets, which sounds intimidating.
However, this must be an exciting journey not a fearsome one, thus why we are here to assist, to empower you with what you need to know to filter down, and ultimately decide which diamond engagement ring is most suited to symbolise and share this love story with you.
Get the Correct Measurement
It should be the most obvious, but it is very important that you both get your fingers measured properly.
You want to avoid having a ring that is cutting off your circulation, or so loose that it`s at risk to fall off.
If you don`t want to make it so obvious as to let your partner know your ring size directly, make it known among your relatives and/or friends, as they will eventually be approached by your fiancé.
Accentuate on the Cut
It can`t be emphasised enough how significant a diamond`s Cut is, and that`s not coming from us only, but backed by the Gemological Institute of America.
In 1953 the GIA established a system which recognises diamonds, and grades them according to their various features. The grading standard is called The 4 C`s – Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat, and you guessed it, the Cut stands as the most important of all.
The Cut will affect the brilliance of the diamond, since an excellent cut will enable light to reflect with ease, while a more cheaper Cut will show when compared, even by simply looking at it with your naked eye. It is still highly recommend that you liaise with experts who will be accompanied by their loyal loupe, especially when investing a considerable amount of your hard-earned cash.
Now, if you already have an idea on which shape you want your diamond, that`s half of the task done. Price tags start to oscillate according to the Cut, as for example round Cuts will be the most expensive, whereas pear and marquise ones are less so.
Therefore, with this knowledge in mind now, you can conduct a better evaluation. If you are after Carat (which is a diamond`s weight not its size), you can opt for a non-rounded diamond to reduce its value. End result – you obtained a glimmering pear shape diamond which is less expensive than a rounded one, although they both boast excellent Cuts thus their luminosity.
It all bores down to the buyer`s preference, while the age-old quantity versus quality still applies. There are those who seek size, a larger stone, while others are content with a smaller but clearer, shinier diamond.
Colour and Clarity can always be tweaked to adapt to your budget, but the Cut will affect the other C`s.
As for Carat, our humble advice to save money is to stay just shy of the most common weights (0.5, 1, 1.5, etc.). No one will be able to tell if your diamond is a .92 instead of a 1 Carat.
The Band
The diamond is paramount to you, as it should be, but in the equation we must include the ring, which metal to opt for and if you will have it studded with extra small stones or not.
Eventually you will be adding the wedding ring to the same finger, well, at least that`s the custom in the majority of cases.
Therefore, keep this at the back of your mind when examining a diamond engagement ring, since according to which diamond you choose, you`ll have to see if the wedding band will stay flush to the engagement ring or otherwise. There are no strict rules, we are just suggesting, ultimately patrons will decide in line with their tastes.
Traditionally, both engagement and wedding bands are made from yellow gold, white gold, silver or platinum, though as recent we saw rose gold emerging as a fresh avant-garde alternative.
Amid these, platinum, being rarer and holding higher density, is the most expensive metal. Pertinent to note that some metals can be easier to scratch, so apart from your budget, consider lifestyle too.
Buy Certified
Make sure you are dealing with honest vendors in the market, and the peace of mind or guarantee you are looking for comes in the form of certification.
When considering that you are investing heavily on your glowing stone, it would be a pity if this was not backed by a reputable endorsement. See that you get your diamonds from an accredited lab or source like GIA.
Tip – most diamonds are laser inscribed on the girdle, which can be checked by an expert`s loupe, and against the certificate.
On a Final Note
Trust that you are now more equipped to commence your pursue of the perfect diamond engagement ring which falls in consonance with your demands.
Enjoy the venture, take your time, analyse, make it a memorable purchase.
May we take this opportunity to augur happiness on your new chapter in life.
Discover our collection of engagement rings!