Engagement rings can be stunningly beautiful and they're an incredibly important part of your life. However, there are lots of rings out there, and plenty of confusing terminology, making it hard to choose where to start on your quest. Here's some basic information to help.
There are three major parts to any engagement ring - the design, the stone, and the metal. The stone is generally a diamond, and the metal is usually gold, but other options are available.
Choosing A Stone You may already be aware of the diamond grading system. It's based on what are called the four Cs - Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat.
Pay close attention to the quality of your diamond when you buy, but don't necessarily insist on the best. Buying a somewhat lower quality diamond can save you money, even though the stone looks the same to the naked eye.
Choosing Metals Most engagement rings have bands and settings in either gold or platinum. You can get gold in levels of quality from ten to twenty-four karats, and in many colors, ranging from yellow to white to rose.
Eighteen karat gold is probably the most popular engagement ring choice, but ten and fourteen karats are chosen by some because they're stronger. These less pure alloys are harder to dent and scratch.
Platinum is an intriguing, though more expensive, alternative to gold. It looks similar to white gold, but it's much harder, and if you learn to look, you can tell the difference between the two metals.
Engagement Ring Design Your engagement ring design is a very personal choice. It doesn't matter whether you pick an existing ring or have a custom piece created to your specifications. Semi-custom rings are also available - you pick the band size and stone, as well as other design elements, to create your perfect ring.
Remember that your engagement ring design should do four basic things, however. No matter what you choose, you need a ring that's practical and comfortable to wear each and every day, strong enough to hold up and keep its stones, and looks good under any circumstances. What will constitute an attractive, durable, easy to wear ring depends on your lifestyle. Higher settings are pretty, but catch on things. This can be a safety hazard in some jobs.
Likewise, if you're a mechanic, you're going to be putting your engagement ring through more rough wear than if you're an office assistant. Think hard about how and wear you'll be wearing your ring when you choose its design.
This is why some people choose gold that is less pure and has been adulterated by other metals - it's stronger. It's also a reason why other people look for sturdier rings or choose platinum over gold as a metal.
Security of stones is determined by the setting. Four prongs is the least secure, with a six prong setting being stronger, and a bezel setting even stronger than any prong setting. Heavier, lower settings are more durable than light, high settings. - 17943
There are three major parts to any engagement ring - the design, the stone, and the metal. The stone is generally a diamond, and the metal is usually gold, but other options are available.
Choosing A Stone You may already be aware of the diamond grading system. It's based on what are called the four Cs - Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat.
Pay close attention to the quality of your diamond when you buy, but don't necessarily insist on the best. Buying a somewhat lower quality diamond can save you money, even though the stone looks the same to the naked eye.
Choosing Metals Most engagement rings have bands and settings in either gold or platinum. You can get gold in levels of quality from ten to twenty-four karats, and in many colors, ranging from yellow to white to rose.
Eighteen karat gold is probably the most popular engagement ring choice, but ten and fourteen karats are chosen by some because they're stronger. These less pure alloys are harder to dent and scratch.
Platinum is an intriguing, though more expensive, alternative to gold. It looks similar to white gold, but it's much harder, and if you learn to look, you can tell the difference between the two metals.
Engagement Ring Design Your engagement ring design is a very personal choice. It doesn't matter whether you pick an existing ring or have a custom piece created to your specifications. Semi-custom rings are also available - you pick the band size and stone, as well as other design elements, to create your perfect ring.
Remember that your engagement ring design should do four basic things, however. No matter what you choose, you need a ring that's practical and comfortable to wear each and every day, strong enough to hold up and keep its stones, and looks good under any circumstances. What will constitute an attractive, durable, easy to wear ring depends on your lifestyle. Higher settings are pretty, but catch on things. This can be a safety hazard in some jobs.
Likewise, if you're a mechanic, you're going to be putting your engagement ring through more rough wear than if you're an office assistant. Think hard about how and wear you'll be wearing your ring when you choose its design.
This is why some people choose gold that is less pure and has been adulterated by other metals - it's stronger. It's also a reason why other people look for sturdier rings or choose platinum over gold as a metal.
Security of stones is determined by the setting. Four prongs is the least secure, with a six prong setting being stronger, and a bezel setting even stronger than any prong setting. Heavier, lower settings are more durable than light, high settings. - 17943
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