Jewelry Care 101: Keeping Your Treasures Shining
Top 5 Tips For Buying the Perfect Diamond Ring For Your Wedding
Ah, Diamond Rings! These exquisite, enchanting gemstones make every moment special. Now it’s hardly surprising why every jewellery lover marks their special moments with diamonds, whether that’s some dainty and cherished, or a Hollywood-celeb style 8 carat diamond ring, there’s never a bad time to receive a sparkler.
Whether you’re looking for yourself or a partner, choosing a perfect ring can be a tricky process. After all, it’s a big investment so you want to make sure you get it right. We’re not saying that you should choose a diamond ring as carefully as you choose your life partner, but, well, we kind of are!
From budgeting to learning crucial diamond terms, keep reading to learn the best tips on buying a diamond ring and make a well-informed decision.
1) Always Get Your Basics Right: the 4C’s of Diamonds:
Making sure you’re familiar with the language of diamonds is an essential first step before you get anywhere near jewelers. Key terms to know are the 4Cs of diamonds: cut, color, clarity and carat. These are the four most important factors that determine the rarity, beauty and ultimately cost of a diamond ring
Cut: Among the 4Cs, cut is considered to be the most important as it is the factor that affects the degree to which your sparkle will, well, sparkle. A diamond that is cut poorly will reflect less light and will therefore be duller than a well-cut diamond. This is not the place to cheap out on – it’s always worth going for the best cut quality that you can afford.
Colour: Colour is a measurement of how white a diamond is and is measured using grades from D to Z. The most expensive among all grades are the colorless diamonds graded D, while diamonds graded Z are much more yellow. Most people find F or G diamonds a good balance between whiteness and value.
Clarity: The third C is Clarity, which is a measure of the tiny blemishes or imperfections in a diamond. These imperfections are termed as inclusions and formed naturally as the diamond was subject to great heat and pressure underground. The rule is – the fewer the inclusions, the higher the diamond quality (and price!). While ‘flawless’ diamonds are the top grade, a VS2 can be a good compromise.
Carat: The last C of the 4C’s is ‘carat’ – a measure of the weight of a diamond, rather than the size. The price of the diamonds generally increases as the carat increases, but some shapes look larger than others at the same carat weight, meaning that you can get stretch your pounds further.
2. Diamond Shape: Style and Cost
There are 10 regular shapes of diamonds used in engagement rings, although round diamonds remain the most popular by a country mile. Round diamonds are also the shape that sparkle the most as they are the most optimized to reflect light, although princess cuts come a close second while often being priced significantly lower.
Elongated shapes like ovals or pears can look the largest for a given carat weight and can look especially elegant when paired with a slim setting.
Stepped cuts like the Asscher and emerald cut can be an individual choice as they deliver a sophisticated Art Deco look and feel, as well as standing out in a sea of similar styles while being priced lower than most other shapes.
Photo by Taylor Kopel on Unsplash.com
3. Certification Matters the Most
You might have heard the famous saying, “All that glitters is not gold” and without wishing to mix metaphors too much, this proverb is relevant to diamonds too. While fake diamonds are thankfully rare, certification is important to prove not only that the diamond is real, but also that it is of the quality that you expect.
We always recommend asking for an independent certification of authenticity from the jeweler while you buy a diamond. It should include detailed information about the cut, clarity, colour, and carat as assessed by a qualified and genuine gemologist. Some retailers ‘self-certify’ which means an in-house jeweler has assessed the diamond, but this is to be avoided if possible as their opinions may be biased and they may overstate the diamond’s quality.
4. Select a Reputable Jeweller…And Shop Around!
With the boom in online jewelry businesses, it has now become easier than ever to review diamonds and find the one that is right for you. There can be a significant difference in the price charged for two seemingly identical diamonds, with some High Street retailers charging twice as much as an online specialist for a diamond of identical quality.
While the personal service of a bricks-and-mortar jeweller can be reassuring, it’s always a good idea to see how their price compares to online specialists who can potentially save you thousands. That’s money that can be spent on yoru big day itself!
While choosing your jeweller, it’s also important to review their refund and return policies and their warranty and guarantees on their workmanship. You want to ensure that your jeweller will stand behind their merchandise post-purchase, just in case anything goes wrong.
5. Always Set A Budget
When you’re looking for a diamond ring, it’s very easy to become enchanted by a beautiful diamond ring and end up spending far more than you have intended to do! Ask us how we know!
Before shopping for a diamond ring it’s essential to set a budget that you are comfortable with, and it can be a good idea to write it down and take it with you when shopping. This way, you have a constant reminder and are less likely to be tempted by ‘price creep’. If you need some more guidance on budgeting your wedding – here’s our wedding budget review.
A diamond is the one piece of jewellery that you are hopefully going to wear forever, so it’s worth taking a little bit longer to find ‘the one’ that is right for you. Getting informed, doing your research and comparing retailers is the way to ensure that you get a beautiful ring at a fair price. By focusing on what really matters (cut quality!) and not getting too distracted by what’s trendy right now (step away from Instagram!), you’ll ensure you choose a ring that you will be proud to wear for decades to come.
