How To Choose The Engagement Ring – From A Woman’s Perspective!

Choosing the right ring is one of the most important things you’ll have to do when proposing to the women of your dreams. This process takes time as you will be searching for the ring which will make her fall in love with you all over again and will represent your love for eternity.

1) The first thing to do is take a peek at her jewellery box for inspiration

This will allow you to see the types of jewellery she likes already – if she’s more of a minimalist with simple classic pieces than she may prefer a ring with more character than if she loves her big brands and will want to see that that little blue box on her special day.  You should also talk to her family and any of her friends who will be able to keep a secret as they may have ideas as to what she’s like or there may be a family ring or shape of diamond that runs in the family allowing you to keep a tradition alive. It will also show your bride to be that you are willing to put all the effort in to find the perfect ring for her.

2) Now you need to consider the shape of the diamond you want to get her

ROUND: A round-cut diamond is one of the most popular cuts for an engagement ring. This is because it gives the stone sparkle like no other as it has 58 faces. This shape is favoured for traditional brides as it is a classic shape. It is also a very romantic shape as the round shape represents love without end. However, as it creates the greatest sparkle if your future fiancé is the type of girl who will want to see it shine everywhere than this will be a great shape for you.

PRINCESS: The princess-cut is also very popular for the bride who wants the traditional look of an engagement ring but with a special something extra. The sharp four points of the corners give the stone a modern twist. This is perfect for a fiancé who wants to gain the attention of the room and enjoy the spotlight, this cut is said to be for a woman who is a leader and willing to take risks for the person she loves. If this sounds like your future fiancé than this will be the perfect shape for you.

EMERALD: The emerald cut, with its fewer faces represents an old fashioned elegance and will be favoured by a bride who likes retro-inspired designs and wants an engagement ring that will make her stand out as it presents a very different type of bride. The open style of cut is also said to be symbolic of an open heart and personal clarity meaning that they are sure of themselves in a way in which they don’t feel the need to seek approval from those around.

CUSHION: This shape of diamond gets its name from its softer corners and curved sides that make it seem like a softer princess cut diamond. This diamond represents an effortless romance and was picked by Kanye West for Kim Kardashian as it harks back to an era of romance and elegance while giving a real wow factor. This cut is perfect for a fiancé who loves pure, classic romance.

ASSACHER: This vintage-inspired style creates a unique engagement ring that will make your future bride stand out from the crowd which also indicates the clarity of her. This is a cut created by royalty so if your bride is a true princess than treat her to this shaped diamond as it exudes a unique feeling of vintage royalty. If your future fiancé is the type of girl who loves hunting the vintage shops for a retro look than this cut will match her perfectly.

RADIANT: Like its name, a radiant-cut diamond will present your bride in a unique flirty light as it catches the light in a big way. This stone also has a timeless nature which is perfect for symbolising a timeless romance that you share to your bride directly through her ring.

HEART: This cut directly represents your love for your bride as it will allow her to gain attention from wherever she goes. It represents a symbol of pure romanticism and is often preferred by the bride who sees the world through a rose coloured lens who is after her own fairy tale wedding and honeymoon with you.

OVAL: The elongated circle of this cut allows the stone to have as many faces as a round-cut stone creating just as much sparkle for your future bride. This is an elegant shape and is favoured by a bride who wants to show a bit of creativity and individuality while still keeping a traditional sense to her engagement ring.  

MARQUISE: This cut often appears larger than life and appeals to a bride who has a flair for drama. This is because of its flashy shape which is perfect for the fiancé who has a desire for opulence and glitter and loves being the centre of attention through its unique shape.

PEAR: This is a hybrid of styles which is also known as a teardrop. This style is the perfect choice for a bride who plays by her own set of rules and showing her individuality through the shape while keeping her soft side for traditional romance visible.

3) The next thing to focus on is the four C’s:

CUT: Refers to how the different facets, faces and edges are cut to work together to let the diamond shine at its maximum.

This is the most important characteristic for the diamond as it has the greatest overall influence on a diamond’s beauty. This determines what we generally think of as sparkle. When a diamond is actually well-cut it can make it appear larger than one might expect for the number of carats it has. It is recommended to purchase the highest cut grade within your budget.

All of the diamonds have varying degrees of brilliance, scintillation and fire, but a well-cut diamond will always appear beautiful. Poorly cut diamonds will appear dull or glassy as they may have areas where light leaks out of the bottom and may even have dark areas. Diamonds with the highest cut grades cost more (but it’s worth it!)  as not only are they rarer, but also because of the skill and experience needed by the diamond cutter to actually produce a beautiful stone.

COLOUR: Refers to a diamond’s lack of colour, grading the whiteness of a diamond.

The less colour a diamond has, the higher its colour grade. A colour grade of D is the highest possible, while Z is the lowest. Colour is generally considered the second most important characteristic when selecting a diamond. For the purist, look for a colourless diamond with a grade of D-F as the diamond will have no discernible colour. However, for an excellent value in a diamond with little or no noticeable colour to the unaided eye, look for a near-colourless grade of G-I.

The human eye tends to detect sparkle before colour. This is why colour is the second most important characteristic. As the diamond size increases, the colour becomes more noticeable. The visible difference between diamonds of one colour grade is so minor it is difficult to detect with the unaided eye, but the cost savings can be significant. The round or princess shaped diamond can mask some colour in a diamond as it reflects more light.

CARAT: Diamonds are measured in carats, which take into account the weight, rather than the size.

Carat weight alone will not give you an accurate view of a diamond’s size. The diamond prices jump at the full-carat and half-carat marks. In order to get the best value, look for a diamond just below these sizes as visually you will not be able to see a difference in size, but your savings can be significant.

CLARITY: A measure of the number and size of the tiny imperfects (microscopic) that occur in almost all diamonds.

The clarity of a diamond is said by the experts to have the least impact on a diamond’s appearance. This is because it is referring to the natural imperfections that can’t be seen by the naked eye. It’s measured in a scale form flawless diamonds which have no imperfections and are very rare to diamonds which include imperfections and are cheaper.

Luckily most imperfections can’t be seen by the unaided eye. However, if your budget is tight, it can be possible to buy a diamond with a visible imperfection but then hide it beneath a ring claw so it will not be seen. As the size of the diamond increases, the size of the faces increases – this therefore increases the importance purchasing a diamond with a higher clarity grade.

4) Finally consider the type of metal you want to use for the band:

• GOLD:

Gold is one of the most common and desired metals used for women’s engagement rings. With 10kt, 14kt and 18kt being the most common karat values used, as the karat increases, the percentage of pure gold increases meaning that they become more expensive. The hardness and durability of the band varies depending on the karat of the gold. The gold rings come in a number of gold colours:

Yellow Gold- Is the most popular and quintessential colour as it is good for setting a diamond graded I or J as it complements its colour. It is usually 70-75% pure and is a combined with different metal alloys for added strength.

White Gold- This is becoming increasingly popular but does tend to be more expensive as it is yellow gold with the surface plated with rhodium which can in time wear away so beware!

Rose Gold- This pink-tinted metal is gold with an added copper alloy. Rose golds underlying meaning of love in causing it to become increasingly popular with romantics as well as being durable and having a look that is pleasing against many skin tonnes.

• PLATINUM:

Is a rare, naturally white metal which is known for its strength and purity. This is because platinum’s density makes it extremely durable, meaning it will keep the diamond you choose secure. It is also naturally hypoallergenic so will not irritate sensitive skin which is always a good thing. Furthermore, when it scratches, little metal is lost meaning that your brides engagement ring will withstand years of wear.

• PALLADIUM:

This is a lustrous silver-white metal which will last a lifetime and is very flexible. It is also hypoallergenic as it is a member of the platinum metal group, it is usually at least 95% pure as it doesn’t require alloys or plating. This makes it one of the most luxurious options for rings.

• RECYCLED METALS:

Recycled metals come from many sources like platinum and gold and take the colour and traits of the dominant metal. This is a unique style which would give your beloved a one of a kind band for her diamond as well as being better for the environment. You could also combine a recycled metal band and conflict-free diamond for a completely eco-friendly unique engagement ring that is guaranteed to be different from anyone else is.