Buying a diamond engagement ring can be a scary thing. You'll be shelling out big bucks for a shiny little ring that will mean the world to the person you love most. The information below will send you out into the diamond-buying world armed with all you'll need to make the right choices.
Where Do I Shop?
As with any important purchase, it's best to gather as much information as possible before you begin to shop. It's a good idea
to decide where you're going to buy the ring.
The best place to start with is probably a trusted friend or family member who has recently bought a ring too. There's a good chance that someone you know has a well established relationship with a reputable jeweler and can recommend them to you. If you ask around and can't find a recommendation, try one of the well established brands like Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri, Surat Diamonds, Gili, or Intergold.
How Much Should I Spend?
The diamond industry suggests that you can spend the equivalent of 2 months salary on the ring. The formula is designed to encourage customers to spend without going bankrupt. Don't worry, if your salary isn't very high, jewelers will definitely have rings in your price range. Also remember, this is a somewhat arbitrary amount of money. Eventually it's up to you to decide the amount you can afford.
Also, look out for discounts and sales while buying your ring. End of February and October are great months to go shopping. Its sale time!
The Four C's
While buying a diamond the Four C's is what it's all about - Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. These are the criteria generally used to define the gem's value and quality.
Cut
A skilled diamond cutter can bring out the brilliance of a stone, making cuts that reflect the maximum amount of light inside the stone and up through the face of the diamond. The cutter aims to produce a perfectly symmetrical stone whose right and left sides are mirror images of each other.
An Ideal Cut Diamond is the term used to describe a round, brilliant diamond with 58 precisely placed cuts, proven to reflect the greatest amount of light. A Premium Cut Diamond is also highly prized, symmetrical and reflective, but is not quite as perfectly cut. An Inferior Cut Diamond has been cut to retain the maximum weight of the original, uncut stone since this yields a higher carat number. Polishing of the diamond is also grouped under the "Cut" heading and can affect the grading scale of the cut. A well-cut, symmetrical diamond can be downgraded if poorly polished.
Color
Reputable jewelers keep a set of Masterstones in their store. This is a set of real diamonds displaying the full range of stone color. It is difficult for the untrained eye to tell the color of a particular stone, and the Masterstones can help. Diamonds can vary in color from highly prized colorless stones to inferior quality diamonds that possess hues of yellow or brown.
Clarity
To the general public, the idea of "flaws" in a diamond determines its value. However, the word "flawed" implies certain deficiencies in the diamond, which are actually naturally occurring features within the stone. It is more accurate to discuss the number of "inclusions" within a certain stone. Almost every stone, even those of the highest quality, has some inclusions. The lesser the inclusions the better the diamond.
How to buy your diamond engagement ring
Carat
Weight is the final criteria used to determine the value of a diamond. The carat weight of the diamond has a considerable effect on the price you'll be charged. It is important to be sure that the weight the jeweler quotes you is accurate. Reputable jewelers will use electronic scales capable of determining weights as small as .002 of a carat. Naturally, they should weigh the diamond that has not been fixed into a ring. Ask your jewelers to show you how they weigh diamonds. If they're reluctant to do this, consider this as another red flag and move on to another dealer.
Also remember that while the layman often discusses the value of a diamond only in terms of Carat, it is the other 3 qualities – Color, Cut and Clarity in addition to Carat weight that really determine the value of the diamond.
The Setting
Ask your jeweler to discuss the prong setting with you. Prongs are the metal brackets that hold the diamond securely in place once it's been set into a ring. Badly formed prongs can cause a host of problems, from the diamond moving around in the setting to the outright loss of the stone. It is important that each prong is tightly and securely formed over the crown of the stone, so the metal is flush against the stone. Be sure that the thickness of the prong is adequate, particularly at the "heel" or the point where the edge of the stone cuts most deeply into the prong. It is at this point that the metal is at its narrowest.
The Shape
There are many shapes available on the market today. Jewelry designers frequently experiment with new shapes, but the most classic cuts are round brilliant, emerald, oval, pear, marquis and square. The shape you choose generally does not affect the cost or quality of the stone. Instead, it is more a reflection of the natural shape of the rough diamond before it was cut. However, the round brilliants do tend to command a higher price.
The Paperwork
Also remember, your diamond should be delivered to you along with a certificate of authenticity. It will state the quality, weight and cut of the stone and could come handy if you ever need to resell the diamond or insure it.
Now that you have all the tips you need, time to start shopping and wishing you and your loved one a happy married life ahead
