Being a hopeless romantic, I still personally prefer the classic and romantic way of proposal where Prince charming proposes on one knee and with a beautiful engagement ring in hand. But I am not saying that the other alternatives are not as equally romantic. More and more couples are actually buying the engagement ring together which I am sure can be a lot of fun in its own right and at the end of the day, the most important thing is that you get to celebrate the fact that you are getting married!!

Whatever road you decide to take, we suggest you educate yourself about diamonds. It’s not every day that you purchase a diamond, and to the untrained eye it is easy to end up with something that you didn’t want. This beginner’s diamond guide will teach you a few simple rules so that you will be in a better position when you come go buying a diamond.

The first thing that you have to learn when buying a diamond is the ‘Four Cs’: Cut, Clarity, Colour and Carat. The following diamond guide provides more details about each of these.

Diamond Guide: Cut

The cut of a diamond is the most important characteristic to consider when you are looking for a beautiful diamond ring. This relates to its shape and proportions which greatly influence the beauty and sparkle on a diamond. You can find many diamond shapes like cushion, assher, marquise, round, pear and heart to name a few, but while the actual shape is not graded, the proportions are.

It is importnat that you have a good understanding of the diamond’s cut grade because this is the main factor that allows for the diamond to  produce the most brilliant sparkle and this diamond’s light performance really depends on how the diamond is cut.  This is one of the main factors to affect the appearance of the diamond, and therefore its value.  Ask what your chosen diamond is graded before buying it (it ranges from Shallow, Ideal, Good, Fair, Poor), although you will probably be able to see which is the better diamond from the amount of sparkle that it produces.

Diamond Guide: Colour

Colour grades for white diamonds go from D down to Z, with D being the superior due to its very lack of colour. This is the second most important factor after the cut of the diamond.

Basically, the whiter the diamond is, the more it will cost. A high-end diamond will be quite noticeable compared to a low-end, or yellow-coloured, diamond. However, the exact grades may not be noticeable to the naked eye, so always ask what grade your diamond is. ‘D’, ‘E’ or ‘F’ grades are classed as colourless and will be very expensive.

Diamond Guide: Clarity

When you are buying a diamond, it’s important to know that nearly every diamond will come with some imperfections, and this is what the clarity refers to. Some of these may be so small that you cannot see them at all, and for this reason it is the least important factor to consider.

Imperfections, or blemishes, can be external and internal. They are graded from ‘F’, which is flawless and very rare indeed, through ‘IF’, which is internally flawless and also very rare, down through ‘VVSI’ (Very very slightly inclusioned) and ‘I’ (Inclusioned). Only in ‘I’ grades are the imperfections visible to the naked eye.

Diamond Guide: Carat

The carat of a diamond is its weight. However, with a diamond it is overall the effect that is important, so a diamond with a lower carat can often seem bigger for other reasons. Carat should always therefore be considered in combination with the cut of the diamond and the distance across the top of the diamond, because this is how it will be viewed on the ring.

The cut will affect how the light is reflected and will therefore affect how big the diamond looks from the top. So if the cut is good, you could have a smaller carat and it would still appear to be a bigger diamond.

Which cut to go for? Phew – now you know a little bit about diamonds. But remember that buying an engagement ring is one of the most romantic purchases you will make in your lifetime, and it’s a ring that your wife-to-be will wear for the rest of her life on her ring finger together with her wedding band. Therefore we’d advise you to give it some thought rather than adopting a  ‘herd’ mentality and scooping up the first round-brilliant cut diamond you see that meets your $$$ and carat criteria. Yes it’s probably the most classic cut and it may well be the ideal cut for your fiancee, but know that there are many other diamond cuts and settings out there which could suit her better. Have a read of our article entitled ‘What your engagement ring says about you‘.

Buying engagement rings online We’re now firmly in the internet age and yes you can even buy engagement rings online and many people now do so. But we at Dolce Sposa very highly recommend sticking to reputable diamond retailers like Blue Nile. Should you decide that you’d much rather buy your ring in person at brick and mortar establishments such as Tiffany’s, de Beers or elsewhere, Blue Nile will nonetheless be an invaluable resource if you’re researching what you can get for your money based on cut, colour, clarity and carat. Good luck and happy shopping!

Photos courtesy of Leviev and diamond illustrations courtesy of Blue Nile

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1. Top Tips for Buying an Engagement Ring
2. What Your Engagement Ring Says About You….
3. Asprey Cut Diamond

9 days to go before Valentine’s Day and if you are seriously considering popping the big question, then we’d give you a list of things to consider before buying a diamond engagement ring. It is not something you do every day, and you’re going to want to make sure you do it properly because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime gift that will be worn for years to come, and also because diamond engagement rings are very expensive!

1. What style does she like?

Do you know what she likes when it comes to diamond engagement rings? They come in a large range of sizes, styles and colours, not to mention the setting and the band, and you don’t want to choose something she doesn’t like. Look for clues in her style of jewellery, and if you don’t have a clue then maybe ask one of her close friends as they are sure to know. There is nothing worse than being stuck with a ring she does not like, so if you’re going to buy it without her knowledge then make sure you do it right. To get started, have a read about what diamond cut will suit her personality and you take it from there.

2. Stick to your Budget

It can be very easy to go over your budget when you see all the diamond engagement rings on offer. And the jewellers will know how to exploit the fact that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. So pick an absolute maximum price and try your best not to get carried away and over blow your budget. Trust me, I’ve heard way too many stories….

The unofficial rule on the price is three months’ salary, but obviously stick within your means and buy an engagement ring that you can afford and she’ll love you for it no matter what. You don’t want to start off a marriage by getting heavily into debt, so stick to your limits.

3. Get Familiar with the ‘Four Cs’

The ‘Four Cs’ are basics about diamonds which you should inform yourself about prior to buying a diamond engagement ring. They stand for Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. We’ve published a separate article entitled the Beginner’s Guide to Diamonds where we’ve discussed this in a little more depth. Giving yourself this basic education will place you on much firmer ground in your search for the perfect engagement ring.

4. GIA Certificate

A good jeweller will have good quality and properly certified diamonds in their boutique, so going to a reputable shop is always a good start. As much as possible, we would always recommend that you ask to see the GIA certificate of the diamond you wish to purchase. This will give you some comfort that the diamond is genuine and of the quality described. Most jewellers should be able to provide you with this or something similar. Purchasing diamonds online is now also becoming popular, and in many ways it has enhanced the education of the average consumer as prices are more widely available. A good and reputable online retailer like Blue Nile will also provide you with GIA certificates for all their diamonds.

5. The Band

The type of band for the ring is another important consideration when buying the engagement ring. Do you want to go for a platinum band, rose gold, white gold or yellow gold? What band thickness will suit her? Do you want it to have a plain band or one encrusted with diamonds? Ultimately this is a question of taste and design. Good jewellers will be more than happy to show you all the different styles and to allow you to decide which will best suit the ring you’ve chosen for your prospective wife!

6. The Setting

The setting of the diamond can come in many different styles. Pave settings, micro-pave settings and the Tiffany-style settings are some of the popular ones and the list can go on. Visiting some of the luxury jewellers in New Bond Street such as Tiffany’s, De Beers and David Morris can be a good way to get inspiration (even if you don’t ultimately get the ring there), as they have a wide range of stylish settings for you to pick from.

7. Shop Around

Even if you see a fabulous ring in the first jeweller you visit, don’t be tempted to buy it there straight away. You may well be able to find a cheaper alternative, or even a better ring, elsewhere. Visit as many places as you can, and you can also choose to buy the ring online which is becoming very popular in this modern age. Wherever you go, check the store’s reputation before buying and find out about its guarantees, warranties and any trade associations it belongs to. And these days it’s even possible to buy your engagement ring online – but we would recommend sticking to reputable online retailers such as Blue Nile. Even if you don’t ultimately purchase your ring online, it’s an excellent starting point for you to find out what you can get for your money, bearing in mind that Blue Nile’s prices tend to be very competitive.

Good luck with the research and we hope you find a beautiful diamond engagement ring that she will love! And if you’re looking for some inspired proposal ideas once you’ve got your ring, check out Dolce Sposa’s romantic marriage proposal ideas!

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1. What Your Engagement Ring Says About You….
2. Beginner’s Guide to Diamonds
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