Planning to Buy a Diamond Engagement Ring? Read this!

Engagement rings are an essential aspect of every engagement today. They show your love for your bride-to-be, and that is why most people invest heavily in them. Diamond engagement rings are costly, and if you are not careful, you may get duped with a fake diamond. 

You need to read the following tips before making an informed purchase. 

1.    Understand the 4Cs of buying Diamond rings

This is the very first tip when purchasing a diamond engagement ring. The 4Cs include;

•    Color: There are different grades for rating diamond’s value and its availability. Diamonds with a lesser shade are scarce to find.

•    Clarity: Legit Diamond should be clear without any blemishes.

•    Cut: How the diamond is cut will determine how well it shines. 

•    Carat weight: The carat weight will determine the diamond’s size.

Understanding the 4Cs will help ease your search for a perfect diamond engagement ring by eliminating the diamonds with qualities you don’t need.

2.    Know the difference between shapes, cutting styles and cut quality of diamond

Before you set out to shop for a diamond ring, take your time to understand diamond shapes cutting techniques and quality. 

  • A diamond’s shape is seen when you view it face up. Round is the most common shape, although there are other shapes like marquise, oval, square, pear, and heart. 
  • The cutting style is how its facets are aligned. These styles include the brilliant cut which has about 57 facets, the emerald cut (square/rectangle), and a radiant cut. 
  • Cut quality is determined by how well the facets shine when they come into contact with light. 

3.     Carefully select the band

The kind of band and metal you use for the engagement determines the overall appearance of the ring. Many people prefer platinum and white gold metals because they give a sleek and modern look. They also clearly show the diamond’s colorlessness pronouncing its quality according to the color grades.

You should also make sure that the metal you select doesn’t tarnish after some time. 

4.    Select a good setting

Setting in a diamond ring is very crucial as it highlights its beauty and protection from damage. The famous setting styles include:

•    Prong

With this style, the diamond is supported by 4 to 6 prongs. This is often referred to as solitaire- prongs securing a single stone. This setting also has variations for more protection of this stone.

•    Halo

The central diamond stone is surrounded by tiny diamond peckles. The surrounding diamonds add a little sparkle to the ring.

•    Bezel

In this style, the gem is surrounded by a thin metal strip to keep it in place. It gives such excellent protection to the diamond.

5.    Side stones

Side stones are a brilliant and perfect way to highlight an engagement ring. They give an elegant and simply sophisticated look to the stone. You can go for diamond baguettes which are set on the opposite sides of the diamond, or channel setting. 

Explore the options available before choosing one. 

Choose side stones that blend well with the center diamond for a good look.

6.    Observe the diamond under different lights

A diamond’s color varies in different lighting conditions. The facets reflect light in their surrounding, giving the different looks. As the facets reflect light, it produces mesmerizing views that you ought to see. 

You can try viewing it in the natural daylight, in a diffused light, and where there is mixed lighting. Where your bride-to-be will wear the ring most of the time will also help you identify the perfect diamond for her.

7.    Choose a diamond with the most sparkle

Diamonds’ cut determines the sparkle of the stone. For instance, these stones with identical color and clarity may have different sparkles due to their different cuts. 

Go for one with an excellent cut as it will sparkle more. Side stones and the number of diamonds on the rig will also determine its sparkle.

8.    Be conversant with her style and preference

Because an engagement ring is set to be worn every day, the wearer should be happy with it and should make her heart rejoice. When shopping for one, make sure you go for her taste and not yours.

To get her taste, you can observe the kind of jewelry she wears, shop together, and see the jewelry that draws her attention or even ask her friends about her preference.

9.    Know her size

When buying the ring, you need to know her size so you can get what fits her well. You can determine this by using a similar ring she wears or any other way, but make sure it remains a surprise.

10.    Determine your budget

The bottom line remains you spend what you can afford. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg on what you can’t afford- like taking a loan all for an engagement ring. After carefully learning the 4Cs, you’ll choose a ring that matches your budget and one that shows how much love you owe her.

11.    Get a jeweler

To get value for your cash, get a jeweler that is perfect at what they are doing. You can look for recommendations from friends or GIA.

12.    Ask for a grading report

Before buying a ring, a diamond grading report will help clear the doubts from your buying decision. There is a wide range of reports from GIA that will help you make an informed choice.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *