Engagement rings can be incredibly beautiful works of art, as well as an amazingly important part of your life. However, there are plenty of rings to choose from, and you'll probably run into a lot of confusing terms. That can make it hard to know what to pick without the right information.
There are three major components in any engagement ring choice - the metal, the stone, and the design. The stone is generally a diamond, and the metal is usually gold, but other options are also available.
Picking The Stone The diamond grading system is an important part of choosing the stone for your ring. This system uses the four Cs - Cut, Carat, Clarity and Color - to determine the quality of a diamond.
Pay close attention to diamond quality when you buy, but you don't have to buy the very best diamond. Lower quality stones often look the same to the naked eye, and can save you a lot of money.
Deciding On The Metal Most engagement rings are made in gold or platinum. There are many grades and colors of gold, from ten to twenty-four karat and traditional yellow to white or rose.
Eighteen karat gold is the most popular choice for many people's gold engagement rings, though some prefer fourteen or ten karat for their increased durability. These are less pure, but also less prone to scratching and denting.
Platinum is an interesting but costly gold alternative that looks a lot like white gold. However, it's harder than gold and there are a number of differences between the two.
Designing Your Engagement Ring The design for your engagement ring is an extremely personal choice, whether you choose an existing ring or have a custom one made to your own specifications. There are also semi-custom rings, where you choose the stone, band size, and other design elements, combining them into the perfect ring for you.
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.
That means that if you're a mechanic, you'll be putting your engagement ring through a lot more than you would if you worked in an office. Think about how and where your ring will be worn when you pick out the design. This is the reason that some people pick a less pure alloy when they decide on gold for their rings. This is a stronger material. Sturdier ring designs and the choice of platinum for the metal can also help.
There's also a design factor - four prong settings are the least secure, six prong settings are stronger, and bezel settings are the strongest. Low, heavy settings take more abuse than high, light ones. - 15683
There are three major components in any engagement ring choice - the metal, the stone, and the design. The stone is generally a diamond, and the metal is usually gold, but other options are also available.
Picking The Stone The diamond grading system is an important part of choosing the stone for your ring. This system uses the four Cs - Cut, Carat, Clarity and Color - to determine the quality of a diamond.
Pay close attention to diamond quality when you buy, but you don't have to buy the very best diamond. Lower quality stones often look the same to the naked eye, and can save you a lot of money.
Deciding On The Metal Most engagement rings are made in gold or platinum. There are many grades and colors of gold, from ten to twenty-four karat and traditional yellow to white or rose.
Eighteen karat gold is the most popular choice for many people's gold engagement rings, though some prefer fourteen or ten karat for their increased durability. These are less pure, but also less prone to scratching and denting.
Platinum is an interesting but costly gold alternative that looks a lot like white gold. However, it's harder than gold and there are a number of differences between the two.
Designing Your Engagement Ring The design for your engagement ring is an extremely personal choice, whether you choose an existing ring or have a custom one made to your own specifications. There are also semi-custom rings, where you choose the stone, band size, and other design elements, combining them into the perfect ring for you.
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.
That means that if you're a mechanic, you'll be putting your engagement ring through a lot more than you would if you worked in an office. Think about how and where your ring will be worn when you pick out the design. This is the reason that some people pick a less pure alloy when they decide on gold for their rings. This is a stronger material. Sturdier ring designs and the choice of platinum for the metal can also help.
There's also a design factor - four prong settings are the least secure, six prong settings are stronger, and bezel settings are the strongest. Low, heavy settings take more abuse than high, light ones. - 15683
About the Author:
The Diamond Tree online store has a wonderful range of male engagement rings and wedding ring jewellery.
