Choosing an engagement ring to suit your partner’s individual style and personality can be difficult. If you need help, let your partner be involved in the process of finding a ring.
For further assistance, reach out to your local trusted jeweler to guide you through the journey of choosing metals, diamond shapes, styles, and designs. Although it may all seem daunting, this handy guide will help you break down each part of the engagement ring buying process.
The Four C’s of a Quality Diamond
Carat, color, cut, and clarity determine the quality of a diamond. Carat refers to the stone’s size and weight. Color refers to a graded scales based on color. For diamonds, colorless is the most sought after type of diamond.
A cut refers to a stone’s symmetry and shape that enable it to be brilliant or dull. Clarity refers to the stone’s flaws.
Gemstone Shape
Selecting a stone shape is one of the most important parts of choosing your engagement ring. Round diamonds are the most popular stone shape due to their radiance and classic shape. These diamonds bring in the most amount of light and fire when they are in natural daylight.
Princess diamonds are square-shaped and feature angular cuts for a modern twist on traditional stone shapes. Cushion-cut stones feature rounded edges on a oval/square shape. These stone shapes work well in vintage-inspired settings.
Asscher-cut stones resemble emerald-cut stones, but aren’t as rectangular as stones with an emerald cut. Both variations feature sophisticated step-cuts that aren’t quite as brilliant as round stones, but offer more transparency.
Other shapes include marquise, oval, and pear-shaped stones which may appear large, dramatic, and unique. Choose heart-shaped diamonds for a romantic and passionate touch.
Choosing a Metal
Engagement rings can vary in metal types, but the most common are platinum, white gold, yellow gold, and rose gold.
While platinum may be more durable and resistant against tarnishing, it does require regular maintenance to keep its original luster. Yellow gold is one of the most popular choices (available in 14K and 18K gold). White gold offers a similar hue to platinum, but develops a unique patina over time. Rose gold is an offbeat but romantic choice for engagement ring metals.
The Ring Setting
Engagement ring settings vary in style, size, and shape.
Solitaire settings, for example, only hold a single center diamond and usually do not have any other embellishments. This traditional setting style offers a delicate and simple engagement ring for more reserved and classic ensembles.
Bezel settings secure center stones with a thin metal strip that goes around the stone instead of prongs. Channel settings use a thick strip of metal to secure small side stones along the shank to avoid snagging like prong settings.
Three-stone settings feature three stones that are held close together. Usually, three-stone setting feature a single center stone with two smaller stones of varying shapes around it.
For a modern take on engagement rings, the tension setting uses the pressure from the band to secure the stone. This eye-catching setting gives the illusion that the stone is suspended in mid-air.
Vintage settings feature elaborate details and are often larger than other settings. Halo settings refer to center stone diamonds that are surrounded by a halo of smaller stones. Halos can comes in one, two, or threes, with each outer halo wrapping around the center stone and the inner halos.
Most styles of engagement rings can fit well with any types of finger, personality, and style. No matter what engagement ring you choose, your partner is sure to appreciate the sentiment and thought put behind it.
For more information on how to choose the perfect engagement ring, contact Medawar Jewelers at 855-850-8015 or info@medawarjewelers.com.
