Buying an engagement ring is often fun and exciting on one hand, and just plain intimidating on the other. But with a bit of preparation and some essential tips to guide you, nailing that perfect piece should come easier.
Defining Your Budget
Marriage and starting a new life with your partner can be costly, and getting an engagement ring you can afford is the smart thing to do. Forget about society’s outdated expectations. Keep the focus on your partner and the future you’ll be sharing.
Her Personality and Lifestyle
This will be easy – just look at her other jewelry. Traditional yellow gold or white gold? Are the designs vintage or modern? Also consider her clothing style. If she likes floral dresses, for example, she might love a ring with an ornate design. If her style is more on the sharp and sleek department, a platinum beveled ring might really impress her. If she leads an active lifestyle, get her a flush or bezel setting where the diamond wouldn’t be sticking out as much.
Diamond Basics
The following are the four C’s of diamonds – Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat – which basically dictate the gem’s quality and beauty:
Cut – This is the number one identifier of what a beautiful diamond is.
Color – Choose a diamond within the G-I range, where they have almost zero color). These diamonds cost a lot less than their totally colorless counterparts – the D-F range – but without any distinguishable difference to the naked eye.
Clarity – This offers the best value for what is seen by the naked eye.
Carat (Weight)- After assessing a diamond according to the first three C’s, find the biggest carat that you can afford.
Certainly, you should ask for a lab certification for the diamond, but keep in mind that not all diamond certificates are created equal. The two most trustworthy laboratories are the GIA and AGS.
Choosing the Right Metal
Your main choices of setting metal include platinum, white gold, yellow gold and rose gold. White gold is a lot cheaper than yellow gold (even if they look identical) and is easier to maintain and clean compared to platinum. When deciding between 14K and 18K gold, take note that their difference has something to do with their alloy composition, where 18K has 75{9c6a8ebadae6c95437aca685ccca3141bdaa337e4a31ae6e166fd704c91b60c2} gold while 14K has 58{9c6a8ebadae6c95437aca685ccca3141bdaa337e4a31ae6e166fd704c91b60c2}. More people prefer 14k gold because of its lower cost, although it’s just as beautiful as 18K gold, and also because it’s more durable (gold by itself is too soft).