If you are wondering how to make that moment special when you stop your partner in the middle of a cheerful moment, open up a little box to her, and wait to see her beautiful reaction, then you are at the right place!
Cherish her speechless expression forever when she sees a perfect engagement ring meant for her. One look is all it takes! That’s exactly what a diamond ring assures.
But, step into a jewelry outlet with zero knowledge of diamonds and there’s a chance that you might walk out with a synthetic diamond ring after paying for a real one, or get an H-grade solitaire instead of an F, unless you know what that really means.
Doubt not, because we will tell you everything you need to know!
- Is the diamond worth the ‘asking price’?
- To keep it a surprise, you never talked about a ring with your partner before. Is she going to like the one that you select by yourself?
- Is there an insurance policy you can buy to safeguard your costly ornaments against theft, damage, and accidental loss?
To answer these questions, a little research would always be handy whenever you decide to invest in an expensive diamond ring.
Let’s start with an interesting point about diamonds.
Why the diamond? There are other precious stones too!
“An object of eternity, with perfect brilliance, and an unbreakable bond.”
These are the magical characteristics of a diamond. Infuse these traits in a relationship through a diamond ring and the pledge is composed to last forever. The joy of owning a diamond ring is just priceless, and so is the commitment of love!
No other stone can match the embellishing touch a diamond ensures.
How to know your partner’s ring size, and still keep the element of surprise!
Of course, it can be tough if you don’t want to reveal your plan. Sizing her finger would instantly give her the hint of an impending proposal/order-in-progress and possibly give away the much-anticipated thrill you plan for her.
As a first step, you can assume her ring size based on her height.
A woman with an average height (5’4”) should have a ring size between 5 and 7.
However, this formula is not going to work for everyone. Here is an easy way, follow these steps:
- Buy or borrow a finger-sizing gauge.
- Acquire one of her rings in a subtle manner, without her knowledge.
- Use the finger-sizing gauge that you keep in your pockets and measure the size quickly.
- Place the stolen ring back!
- If feasible, you may also take her ring to a jewelry store and get the size.
Alternatively, call one of her close friends for help, or her mother if you have to. In case nothing works and you are certain that you want to keep this a secret, buy a Size 6 ring – the most popular for women.
At last, you can always ask her!
The budget
To set your budget, consider balancing – diamond characteristics, precious metals, and the cost of customization/designing.
Gold or platinum shouldn’t cost you much for a ring. However, depending on the 4Cs, a diamond can cost anywhere between several hundred to millions of dollars.
Time for a smart move now! Ask yourself this question:
How much you can afford to pay for a ring, without losing a fortune or a sizeable chunk of your savings?
As the saying goes, “Sometimes, the smallest things in life have the biggest meaning.”
It’s not about the size of a diamond. It’s about the affection that is embedded in this precious gem.
Nevertheless, make sure that you do not pay in excess. Only a diamond certifying agency of repute can assist you with finding out the true value of the gemstone in question. Keep reading, as we would further explain how every diamond is appraised using 4Cs – cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
What’s her style?
Observe her preferences and the type of jewelry she already has. Every woman has a unique style.
Is there a lot of white (metal) in her collection or she is a fan of gold? Do you always find her with modern designs, or she is a lover of traditions? A jewelry outlet would show you a lot of options on the table, but pick the one that matches her persona.
Don’t forget to consider her daily activities! A busy bee might prefer a durable ring that could withstand daily wear and tear.
Type of Metal
Once you figure out her fashion statement, it’s time to learn about the metals used to complement the diamonds.
The luxurious one, Platinum is the most popular selection for wedding rings. It’s tough, rare and beautiful at the same time. White glaze of platinum does not fade with time. It can be a little expensive though. Wait, no! It is actually the most precious metal that you can find to make jewelry.
Traditional one is the beloved Yellow Gold as most of us know – an excellent setting option that has stood the test of time. However, Rose Gold (red or pink gold) is fabled for a touch of love! When mixed with other metals to craft a bi-colored engagement ring, it simply adds another dimension of elegance to the finished ring.
Then there is White Gold! An alloy of gold and white metals (silver, palladium) to design enthralling specimens of wedding rings.
If your partner is a go-getter with an active lifestyle, think of Titanium – an extremely resilient and long-lasting metal known to man. A little darker in color, this lightweight metal is also an ideal choice for sensitive skin types.
The shape, color, and type of diamonds also play a role in deciding the right metal, i.e., which type of metal would look best with the diamond you have.
Now the fascinating part: Choosing the diamond
It is of utmost importance that you already know about the following points before you visit a diamond outlet:
- The 4Cs of diamond quality: Every solitaire has to be evaluated by any renowned gemological institution to ascertain its authenticity, preciousness, rarity, and detailed characteristics for determining the actual value in terms of money.
Diamonds are necessarily assessed on these four parameters (4Cs) –
- Cut: How correctly a raw diamond is finished (laser-cut) to get maximum fire, scintillation, and brightness.
- Color: Hue present in diamonds due to chemical impurities.
- Clarity: Inclusions and blemishes affecting the clarity.
- Carat Weight: Larger diamonds are rarer, thus expensive.
- Diamond certification: All of these characteristics (4Cs) above are elaborated in a Diamond Grading Report issued by the certifying organizations upon assessment. This is the document that you should absolutely ask for.
- Diamond shapes (cut): This ‘cut’ is different from the cut specified in 4Cs. A diamond can be trimmed to take various shapes like Round Brilliant, Princess, Emerald, Pear, Asscher, etc. Each form has its own unique properties.
- Diamond’s natural color: Again, it’s not the 4Cs’ color present due to impurities. We are talking about the fancy diamonds here. Colors like pink, blue, red, brown, etc. — fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions!
- Natural vs synthetic diamonds: Diamonds can be manufactured these days and they are comparatively a lot cheaper than the mined diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are not fake. They are absolutely real, even better at times than their natural counterparts and it is nearly impossible to tell the difference. Only a few gemological institutes in the world have the resources and expertise to spot a manufactured CVD diamond.
Setting style of rings: This is where the designing technique comes in. You can either have a ring customized with a halo of smaller gemstones surrounding by the main diamond as the center stone, or order an astonishing triple-stone ring, the choice is yours!
Where to purchase a diamond ring?
Only from a reputable jeweler!
Always ask for the diamond certificate. If a diamond is seated in the ring (in case of ready-made jewelry), it does not mean that there is no grading report for the diamonds used.
Once you get to see a document, do not hesitate to verify that online on the grading institution’s website. If you can see the laser inscribed report number on the diamond girdle itself, then downloading and authenticating the report becomes a very easy process. If in doubt, you can also find a certified appraiser to accompany you and help you complete the pricey purchase at the retail outlet.
It is quite usual for customers to protect their jewelry by paying a little extra for insurance, right at the store. Most major retailers have tie-ups with leading insurance providers to shield your ornaments against theft, damage, loss, etc.