Fashion Fever by Aly Dailey
The engagement ring signifies change, celebration, and the beginning of your life with someone else. When paired with your wedding band it signifies love and devotion. You will likely wear these rings everyday for the rest of your life so it is important to get it right. You’ve chosen the love of your life now choose the ring that will symbolize that. Do your homework ahead of time. It is important to understand what you’re shopping for and what questions to ask. Here are a few basic tips when selecting the engagement ring:
-The Basics: The 4 C’s – Diamonds are rated on four standards: cut, clarity, carat and color.
Cut– Quality cutting is critical to a diamond’s value. A well-cut diamond captures and returns light through carefully designed, angled planes called facets. Cutting quality is rated on certificates as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. Cuts include: round brilliant, princess, emerald, oval, cushion, marquise, heart, radiant, pear, asscher, bar, bezel, channel, cluster, flush, pave, prong, tension, or trellis.
Clarity- Stones are based on their apparent transparency. Stones with great clarity are more attractive due to their unobstructed
ability to capture light, and they are structurally sound.
Color- A colorless diamond reflects light back in a pure rainbow without adding any other colors to dilute this effect. The GIA rates the colors of diamonds from D to Z. Diamonds rated D to G are considered essentially colorless. Diamonds rated H and I are considered near colorless. Diamonds rated J to Z have increasing yellow tones.
Carat Weight- One carat equals 0.007054 ounce. A one-carat diamond cut in a round shape would be about 6.5mm in diameter, or one-fourth of an inch. As a general guide, look for a diamond that is at least one-third of a carat, has a clarity rating of SI or better, is in the colorless or near colorless range (D to I), and has a cut rating of good or better.
-Traditionally, a man is expected to spend at least the equivalent of two month’s salary, although a lesser amount is acceptable these days.
– Remember the 80/20 rule. Once the budget is set, eighty percent of the budget should go toward the center diamond, while 20 percent should be reserved for an appropriate mounting.
Does she like expensive things? Is she plain, more laid back? Is she classic? Does she like large diamonds?
Be sure to find the ring that is just right for your significant other. Remember that they will wear this ring for the rest of their life so make it personal and special and don’t forget the wedding band too!
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