Shopping for an engagement ring can be quite daunting. Men want to give their fiancee the perfect ring. However, diamond shopping is a new adventure. There are many different types of engagement rings and consumers should shop around. Here’s a brief tutorial on shopping for the special ring.
1. Budget Shopping
Not everyone can afford a mined diamond. Many companies grow stones that are identical in many ways to mined diamonds. That’s because the lab recreates the process of crystallizing carbon. The stones have the same brilliance of mined diamonds and they’re less expensive. Take a look at man made diamond engagement rings before making a final purchase.
2. Colored Diamonds
Brown diamonds were initially reserved for industrial use. A few retailers built ad campaigns around brown and yellow diamonds. Consumers started buying them but the gems are quite common. On the other hand, red, green, and blue diamonds are rare. Pink diamonds are the hardest to find. Consumers should be prepared to spend more for a colored diamond.
3. Metal Options
Consumers have to choose the metal for the ring’s band. At one time, yellow gold was really popular. White gold seems to be the choice of a new generation. White gold is mixed with an alloy so it’s more durable than yellow gold. Additionally, rose gold is stronger than yellow and white gold. Rose gold is made by mixing copper with yellow gold.
4. Settings
The prong setting is the most popular for engagement rings. Prongs can be round, flat, or v-shaped. Further, they must not block the diamond’s brilliance. Prong settings are made with four or six prongs. The more prongs, the securer the stone will be. Indeed, the prongs should be checked regularly to ensure they’re in place.
The bezel setting is the second most popular. Bezel settings blend well with emerald and cushion-shaped diamonds. A bezel setting encases the diamond but it doesn’t offer the same reflection as a prong setting. The Tiffany setting was trademarked by the jeweler in 1886. It was created for maximum light reflection on a diamond.
5. Diamond Cuts
Diamonds come in a myriad of shapes. The round brilliant cut is considered the standard for engagement rings. The diamond’s cut is selected by a jeweler because it shows off the stone’s facets. A heart-cut diamond looks like a heart and makes a perfect engagement ring. Square and rectangular stones are called step-cuts. Step-cut stones are not as sparkly as brilliant-cut stones. Mixed-cuts combine aspects of step-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds. The princess cut is the most popular of mix-cut stones.
6. Conflict-Free Diamonds
Many younger couples prefer conflict-free diamonds. These diamonds are mined without the involvement of rebel groups. An agreement, known as the Kimberly Process, is used to make sure diamonds are traded and mined without conflict. The jeweler should be able to produce the Kimberly Process Certification. Stones that don’t have this are known as blood diamonds. Many conflict-free diamonds come from Canada. The nation has many laws in place to make sure diamonds are ethically mined and traded.
There are many things to consider in purchasing a diamond engagement ring. Will you choose a colored or clear diamond? Does rose gold to complement your fiancee’s complexion? If you can’t decide what to buy, go with popular favorites.
