Guide to engagement Rings

Metals

Gold rings come in a number of colors and grades. The grades are indicated by the karat or “K”. Higher quality rings start at 14k and go up from there in grade. The lower the number next to the k the more alloys are mixed with the gold. The more pure the gold is the softer the metal is going to be. Remember that higher is not always better when it comes to metal. Gold is the easiest metal to find rings in this is because gold is more available than most other metals and is usually less expensive.

Platinum rings are another popular choice in metals. Platinum is a pure metal that is remarkably strong. It resists water and hold gem securely. Platinum is a more rare metal than gold and is usually priced to reflect the rareness of it.

Silver rings are another option. Silver is a metal that almost anyone can wear, most people who are allergic to metal find that silver is an exception to the rule and is a metal they can wear with no problems. Most jewelry that is made of silver is made of sterling silver. Sterling silver is a silver that has alloys to help make it stronger and to help keep it from tarnishing.

There are many other choices for metal out there. You will find most other choices are for the men’s ring only.

Dimonds
The Four C’s

Cut A stone’s cut refers to the placement, number and shape of the facets that are on the finished gem. The cut also has a lot to do with the brilliance of the gem. For example the cut of a diamond impacts the amount of light that enters the diamond and is reflected back out to give it its sparkle factor and the amount of impact it have on the viewer.

Color Diamonds range in color. Diamonds also come in colors. They come in blue, violet, red, pink, amber, orange and canary yellow. Most people use colorless diamonds to get engaged with. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has set a standard for the grading of diamonds so people can tell how much color is in the diamond. Grades range from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).

Clarity The clarity of a diamond depends on how many inclusions are inside and outside of the diamond. Another factor is if the inclusions can be seen by the naked eye or if it can only be seen with magnification.

Carat A carat is a unit of weight (not to be confused with Karat which indicated the purity of metal). A carat is 200 milligrams or 100 points.

Wedding Band Pointers
1. Begin looking at least three to four months before the wedding. Allow more time if it is a custom designed band.
2. The plainer the band the less expensive, by adding stones or designs will add to price.
3. This is a band you will be wearing for the rest of your life so consider comfort and look. A comfort fit band will have rounded edges which lends to the ease of wear.
4. Wiggle room is another consideration. Everything from weather to pregnancy can affect the size of the ring.
5. Consider the shape of the hand that the ring is going to be on narrow fingers a flat band looks good, for more stout fingers a wider band looks good.
6. The wedding bands don’t have to match you can unify the set with engravings that have sentimental value.

Written by
Deana Schwark
02/18/09