Will you marry “moi” ?

According to the encyclopedia, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman indicating her engagement to be married. In some countries, such as Great Britain and France, the ring is worn on the left-hand ring finger, while in other countries, such as Germany, Poland and Ukraine, it is customary for the ring to be worn on the right-hand. In the United States, the ring represents a formal agreement to a future marriage.

In classical times it is said to date back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or “vein of love”!

In Egypt, Brazil and many European countries, both the man and the woman usually wear engagement rings, most often in the form of matching plain bands of white, yellow, or rose gold. In these countries the man’s engagement ring often also eventually serves as the wedding ring. Some men wear two rings, but this is rarer. The woman’s wedding ring can sometimes have a precious stone. In Spain, the woman sometimes buys a wristwatch for the man as an engagement present.

THE FOUR C’S

Men still surprise their girlfriends, and heirloom rings are still being passed down from generations to generations, these days a ring usually involves a shopping expedition that is often taken together. Whatever guides your choice of an engagement ring, you and your fiancé should learn a few basics before buying… The four “c’s” represent the basic guidelines: carat, clarity, cut and color. Diamond professionals use these four factors to describe and classify diamonds. When taken together, they help in evaluating the finished diamonds you buy. They are often called value factors.

CARAT

The carat weight measures the mass of a diamond. One carat represents 200 milligrams. Fractions of a carat are called points; a half-carat is equal to 50 points. Much tinier gems used as side stones are often called pointers. The price per carat increases with carat weight, since larger diamonds are both rarer and more desirable for use as gemstones.

CLARITY

Clarity is a measure of internal defects of a diamond called inclusions. Inclusions may be crystals of a foreign material or another diamond crystal, or structural imperfections such as tiny cracks that can appear whitish or cloudy. The number, size, color, relative location, orientation, and visibility of inclusions can all affect the relative clarity of a diamond. Diamonds become increasingly rare when considering higher clarity grading. Only about 20 percent of all diamonds mined have a clarity rating high enough for the diamond to be considered appropriate for use as a gemstone; the other 80 percent are relegated to industrial use. Of that top 20 percent, a significant portion contains one or more visible inclusions.

CUT

Diamond cutting is the art and science of creating a gem-quality diamond out of mined rough. The cut of a diamond describes the manner in which a diamond has been shaped and polished from its beginning form as a rough stone to its final gem proportions. The cut of a diamond describes the quality of workmanship and the angles to which a diamond is cut. Often diamond cut is confused with “shape”. The more skillfully the cut is made, the more perfect the proportions and the more brilliant the stone will appear. The best cut stones are ranked in descending order: ideal, premium or good. Inferior cuts are graded poor. Brilliant cuts have facets shaped like triangles and result in a particularly fiery gem. Step cuts, used on emerald and cushion shapes, are ones that run up the sides of the stone like a staircase. Mixed cuts, such as princess shapes, combine both step and brilliant cuts.

COLOR

Gemologists use letter grades from D through Z to denote a white diamonds color or rather the lack of color. The best, rarest diamonds are pure white, which allows the most light to pass through them; they have a rating of D. The next has very slight traces of color which can be detected only by a diamond expert. These are graded as E color or F color diamonds. Diamonds which show very little traces of color are graded as G or H color diamonds. Slightly colored diamonds are graded as I or J or K color. A diamond can be found in any other color also other than colorless. Some of the color diamonds such as pink are very very rare diamonds and are priceless.

THE VARIOUS CUTS

Here we will look at the various cuts of diamonds from classic to antique and contemporary cuts

THE CLASSIC CUTS

ROUND

The round brilliant cut is by far the most popular shape available today. It was introduced in 1919 and so for almost 100 years, diamond cutters have been using advanced theories of light behavior and precise mathematical calculations to optimize the fire and brilliance in a round diamond. In addition to being the most popular and researched shape, a round diamond will typically give you more flexibility in terms of balancing cut, color, and clarity grades while still getting the fire and brilliance you want. Round brilliants work in a variety of settings, from simple to ornate, sleek to modern. The prong setting was invented by Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1886 as a way to showcase a round brilliant.

EMERALD

This rectangular shape was developed in the art-deco period in the 1920’s. It has long glamorous lines with lean facets extending down the sides. What makes this shape different is its large table, the flat surface on the top which shows off the stone’s clarity better than any other shape, though this also means that any flaws will appear more magnified. Also, emerald-cut diamonds can vary greatly in how rectangular they are; if you prefer an emerald cut with a squared outline; look for an Asscher-cut diamond.

OVAL

An oval diamond has beautiful brilliance that’s similar to a round diamond. Oval diamonds are also very popular as their length can accentuate long, slender fingers. Ovals can be set either vertically or horizontally, and look particularly pretty when paired with tiny diamonds.

PEAR

This brilliant-cut diamond is also called a teardrop for its single point and rounded end. The unique look of the pear shape helps make it a popular choice for a variety of diamond jewelry. If you choose an elongated pear shape, the length of the diamond creates a subtle slimming effect on the fingers.

MARQUISE

The shape of a marquise diamond can maximize carat weight, giving you a much larger-looking diamond. This brilliant-cut diamond looks beautiful set with round or pear-shaped side stones, and the length of the marquise makes fingers appear long and slender. This distinctive shape is for woman who wants to make a statement.

HEART

The heart is the ultimate symbol of love. Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece wears this style of stone in her engagement ring. When choosing a color grade, consider that while the price of a J-color heart shaped diamond is exceptional, color may be slightly visible in its corners.

THE ANTIQUE CUTS

ASSCHER

This beautifully unique shape is nearly identical to the emerald-cut, except that it is square. Created in about 1900 by Dutch jeweler Abraham Asscher, this shape was popular in the 1930’s and has come back into vogue with fashion’s renewed love for vintage styles.

CUSHION

This unique shape has been popular for more than a century. Cushion-cut diamonds (also known as “pillow-cut” diamonds) have rounded corners and larger facets to increase their brilliance. Cushion-cut diamonds are available in shapes ranging from square to rectangular. As with any emerald cut, any imperfections will be more visible on a cushion than on shapes with brilliant-cut facets. The cushion diamond had its heyday a century ago but is now coming back into style.

ROSE

A rose cut diamond is domed and covered with concentric facets, making it look like a rose. The pretty floral shape first emerged during the 15^th century in India, although it had long been out of style, it has begun to blossom again…

PRINCESS

The Princess diamond was designed in 1961 in London. This is a very popular non-round diamond. Its beautiful brilliance and unique cut makes it a favorite for engagement rings. The princess has pointed corners and is traditionally square in shape. When choosing a color grade, consider that while the price of a J-color non-round diamond is exceptional, color may be slightly visible in its corners. Also, princess-cut diamonds can vary greatly in how square or rectangular they are.

RING STYLES

CLASSIC SOLITAIRE

Simply put, solitaire means one. For an engagement ring, this means the ring has one simple diamond, without side stones, accent stones, or other gem embellishments. Solitaire engagement rings need not be dull or plain, however, and for many women, the simple elegance of a single, sparkling stone is the ultimate symbol of the single love that two people share. While round brilliants are most commonly used for solitaires, any shape of diamond can work in this simple presentation.

SIDE STONES

Marc Anthony gave Jennifer Lopez a ring with side stones. The most traditional version features a round diamond with two tapered stones on each side known as baguettes because they resemble the classic loaf of French bread. The two side baguettes flood the center diamond with light and make it sparkle even more.

WIDE BAND SOLITAIRE

This style is sleek and modern; it embeds a single diamond in a thick metal band an is ideal for brides who do not want to stack an engagement ring with a wedding ring band. It’s also flattering for women with larger hands and fingers who might not feel comfortable with dainty rings.

VINTAGE

Anyone looking for a retro or retro-modern style should look no further than a vintage engagement ring. Whether it’s a delicate or glamorous art-deco look, vintage rings have recently caught on with brides looking for something different. Keep in mind that stones cut in the 19^th century and earlier on, give off a softer glow than the more fiery contemporary versions of these styles. The reason is that the technology did not exist then to facet stones the way jewelers can today.

MICRO-PAVÉ

This method was invented in Paris about 20 years ago; it is a setting technique that involves placing many tiny stones closely together on a ring so that it looks covered with diamonds.

OTHER STYLES

COLORED DIAMONDS

THREE STONE DIAMONDS

CELEBRITY ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Elizabeth Taylor, when engaged to her third husband, Michael Todd, wore a nearly 30-carat emerald cut diamond. Lady Diana Spencer wore an 18-carat deep blue oval sapphire circled by fourteen diamonds when she promised to become Princess Diana. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ nuptial promise to Michael Douglas was sealed with a 10-carat antique horizontal set marquise diamond. Paris Hilton’s short-lived engagement was highlighted by the 24-carat emerald cut diamond ring. Donald Trump presented his bride-to-be Melanie Knauss with an overwhelming 12-carat emerald cut engagement ring reported to cost a cool $1 million. Jackie Kennedy was given a modest 3-carat emerald set with nearly three additional carats of diamond accents when she accepted John F. Kennedy’s proposal. Jessica Simpson’s 4-carat engagement ring was an unusual pear-shape set in platinum with two side stones. Katie Holmes’ 5-carat ring from Tom Cruise is a classic oval shape in a pavé setting. Reese Witherspoon’s 4.5 carat Asscher cut engagement ring is set in a stunning 1920s art- deco style. Camilla Parker Bowles wed Prince Charles with an emerald ring accented by baguettes on each side, set delicately in platinum with an art deco style. Madonna’s 5-carat total weight ring is a three stone design with bezel settings.

And finally remember that the purpose of an engagement ring and or a wedding ring is to be a constant reminder of a spouse’s constant love, you can’t put a price on that, so have fun exploring !!

Should you want to know more on this topic, simply contact us at our blog site and we will answer all your questions.

References: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond,www.theknot.com,  www.GoogleImages.com,www.InStyleWeddings.com,  www.Lovetoknow.com, www.howtobuyadiamond.gia.