Posts Tagged ‘engagement’

Traditionally an engagement ring was a diamond solitaire, or rather a round cut diamond solitaire. This would be set into yellow gold, with perhaps platinum prongs to hold the gemstone for security. If the groom’s budget stretched to it, the whole ring might be platinum. Other than that, the only difference between one engagement ring and a myriad of others was the size and quality of the diamond.

These days it is all very different. Couples no longer feel the need to adhere to the norms of engagement ring traditions.

Even if a couple settles on a solitaire, they can be tempted by a vast range of diamond cuts. A heart shaped gemstone can be readily sourced online for that special design, and princess and square cuts are widely available everywhere. And engagement rings are increasingly being set into stunning white gold, as well as antique looking rose gold.

But it does not end there.

Cluster rings are still very popular. The traditional cluster ring was all diamond, with a central larger diamond being surrounded by smaller ones. In this design, the central diamond was set slightly proud. These days couples are choosing to place a colored gemstone at the center of their diamond cluster. Colored gemstones are popular because they look especially stunning when complemented by a swirl of diamonds. Although they can be set proud of the accenting stones, they are also set flush into the design of the ring for protection.

Birthstones are a stylish choice for the center gemstone. This may be because they are considered to be good luck, or they may have some other special meaning for the couple. Economy may also be a consideration. Grass green peridot is often selected in preference to the more traditional, heavily included and more expensive, emerald. And fashionable gemstones, such as tanzanite are also all the rage as center gemstones.

The actual design of the engagement ring is changing as well. Two stone diagonally tension set twist rings, three stone diamond accented trilogy and channel set band rings are fashionable. So too are highly unique designs, created specifically by the bride and groom as one off pieces.

Settings too are changing. Whereas the traditional solitaire is prong set, more and more rings are being bezel set, even channel set, depending upon the design

In fact, THE ring today is whatever the bride and groom say it is! Whilst it will almost certainly be a diamond ring, there are no hard and fast rules for its style, design, cut, metal etc. As long as it suits the bride’s personality, it is fine! After all it will be she who will wear it for the rest of her life.

So when choosing an engagement ring be confident and choose whatever suits you!

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The term “diamond engagement rings” elicits feelings of expense. And that is as it should be. Fine jewelry is symbol of wealth. It can be affordable but never cheap. It is made from precious metals whose prices are set on international financial markets and are transparent for the world to see. Diamond prices are held artificially high. So if the price of diamond jewelry seems too cheap, beware!

To make sure you do not get scammed, try to calculate what is likely to be too cheap and what, an affordable bargain. Avoid cheap diamond rings at all costs. Never be tempted by flashing signs claiming genuine diamond rings at only $100. There is always a mark-up and when this is taken into consideration, you may be looking at a ring which cost around $20-$25.

For this price, the metalwork will be thin, with every possible weight saving trick employed to cut down on the gold content. The shank will be hollowed out, the gold quality will be 10k at best and the diamonds will amount to only a couple of points in total. And look for optical tricks which will reflect the diamonds to make them look larger and more substantial, such as tiny diamonds claw set into a much wider silvered channel.

Is this really the kind of diamond engagement ring you want to buy for your future bride?

However, it can be difficult for the average consumer to categorically distinguish between a genuine bargain and something that is just too cheap. This is why you must make sure you compare like with like.

Online shopping is a great way to do this. In fact the ease of comparing prices makes the internet the perfect place to buy fine diamond engagement rings and other jewelry. Make sure you determine the nature and purity (platinum, 22k, 14k, 10k gold, 925 silver etc) and weight of the precious metal included in each piece.

Next compare the size and quality (clarity, color, cut) of the diamonds. Be aware that a single 1ct diamond will cost very much more than a selection of small diamonds totalling 1ct. This is because it is much harder to find larger carat weights of diamonds and they are correspondingly expensive. However some jewelry outlets continue to focus on the overall total carat weight (ctw) of the diamonds in the piece. This can be very misleading, especially if the actual carat weight of the main stone is not detailed separately.

Diamond rings are not cheap, so do not expect them to be! The internet is a perfect place to do your homework in comfort. Make sure you are comparing like with like when determining which piece is the best bargain. Buy only from reputable jewelers and never be tempted by cheap rings!

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