So, you’re planning to pop the question? Good for you! Are you scared? Nervous? Excited? All of the above? Not to worry. Those are all perfectly normal feelings, and you’ll forget all about your present anxiousness in that very magical moment when she says yes. But first… to
Find That Perfect Engagement Ring. For some, that thought brings on even greater anxiety. But there’s no need for engagement ring shopping to be stressful, especially if you arm yourself with a little basic knowledge on the subject. So here are a few diamond facts to help you shop confidently and wisely; a diamond is forever, after all. The Famous Four C’s You want the best value – the most gorgeous engagement ring – for your budget, as any savvy shopper would. And the best way to ensure that you get the most for your money is to have a good understanding of the valuation process of diamonds; primarily the elements collectively known in the jewelry industry as The Four C’s.
CUT
The cut of a diamond refers to the precision with which the stone is cut, with particular regard to the number of facets. The cut of a diamond is a major factor in the stone’s visual brilliance. A superior cut, paired with the right ring setting, can make the diamond appear larger than it actually is in many cases.
COLOR
Diamonds are also graded on a color scale ranging from yellowish (lowest quality) to near colorless or colorless. Completely colorless diamonds are the rarer, and therefore more expensive than their slightly tinged counterparts. But near colorless diamonds can often appear colorless in the right setting, and so they are still a good choice for engagement rings.
CLARITY
A perfectly flawless diamond is hard to find, so keep your mind open when the discussion gets around to inclusions. Inclusions are imperfections in the stone, but often times these imperfections are not visible to the naked eye, so slight inclusions are usually acceptable and will still make for a beautiful diamond engagement ring.
CARAT WEIGHT
We all know this one, right? Carat weight simply refers to the size of the stone. It’s natural to think bigger is better in this instance, but your budget might disagree. This is where your new found diamond knowledge from above comes in – by paying particular attention to the stone’s grades on cut, color and clarity, combined with a ring setting designed to highlight the diamond’s finer qualities, you’ll come away with an engagement ring of superior beauty, that also happens to be a great value for your money.
