Engagement rIng shopping can be a daring feat for anyone looking to pop the BIG question. And as if the nervousness is not enough in asking for forever, ensuring the right ring is something your companion will fall in love with at first sight is scary. I mean, after all, it is known to be a symbol of love and emotional connection. So, how does one go about finding the best diamond engagement ring? If you are a first time ring shopper, here are four tips to help you in the quest of finding the perfect diamond that not only symbolizes love, but thought:
Color Matters
There is a lot to consider when it comes to diamond color, especially when it comes to choosing one for your bride-to-be. Why? Because color, in the diamond world, means quality. Color in diamond talk equates to a letter grade and are graded by alphabet:
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D to F are considered the most colorless (meaning it nearly is so clear it looks like glass).
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G-J are nearly colorless (of course the closer to G you get the most colorless the diamond will get).
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K-M diamonds have a faint yellow (and not the kind of yellow like a canary diamond, but one that is more pale yellow and budget friendly).
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N and below is where you began to lose diamond significance because it has more tints of yellow and show poor quality. It is highly recommended not to consider these as options.
If your budget is limited, consider a diamond in the K-M range and you will not have to compromise quality and at the same time buy the perfect engagement ring that will not break the bank. If you have been saving for a few months or a few years (OR you are just balling like that) and money is not a factor, of course go as colorless as you would like. EIther way, the more color you see with the naked eye, the more quality is lacking.
Admire Others
Finding the best engagement ring means getting comfortable with admiring other women’s rings. Sounds crazy, right? NOT! What better way to know what is out there and seeing how it looks on another woman’s hands than to actually look (especially if they are similar in size to your partner). You may like not choose a big diamond engagement ring because it looks heavy and tasteless on someone. Or you may choose a larger diamond engagement ring because the one on someone’s hand is too small.
Not Just Any Jeweler
Much like finding the perfect car, finding the perfect engagement ring will take the same effort. You would not go to any car dealership to purchase a car, so why would you go to any jewelry store to find the perfect engagement ring? So, when shopping, consider the following two options:
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Location: While malls have a lot of jewelry stores, not all carry quality or have onsite jewelers to accurately answer your questions. And sorry, but not all salespeople know diamonds (they only know how to regurgitate what they have been told to say to get you to purchase). So how do you know what location to choose? Look for places that you have to be buzzed in (you KNOW they have the good stuff) or places with security in the store at all times (again, they have quality stones and cannot compromise security so extra measures are taken).
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Ask For Recommendations: Finding the best engagement ring means asking for help. The help may be from family, friends, and even strangers. If you see something you like on someone, ask where they got it from; as well as, about the jeweler if the person was there picking out rings (yes, a lot of times, women have been there for ring shopping even if no ring was purchased while shopping).
It Is Not the Size, It Is The Clarity
While diamond size matters, like color, clarity matters as well when it comes to finding the perfect engagement ring. And though clarity may appear to be sometime that means see through, in diamond talk it means flaws (aka imperfections). And the more imperfections the more quality it lacks. It is important to understand the clarity (or at least have some knowledge of when buying the perfect ring). Clarity has 6 categories (but only the ones listed here are the best engagement ring choices because of quality and costs):
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SI1 and SI2 Slightly Included Diamonds: These diamonds have noticeable flaws when magnified and can also be seen with the naked eye. Though flawed, they are still beautiful and most of all they are budget friendly.
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VS1 and VS2 Very Slightly Included Diamonds: These diamonds have minor inclusions when magnified, but not with the naked eye.
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VVS1 and VVS2 Very, Very Slightly Included: These diamonds have flaws that cannot be seen with the naked eye and sometimes when magnified.
FInding the perfect engagement ring will make the proposal that much sweeter. After all, when that box is opened, the amount of care you put into selecting it shows. Why not find one that dreams forever to the person you love?
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