How do I know I'm choosing the right diamond for my engagement ring?
Are you looking to pop the question soon with a diamond ring?
We are here to help you design the perfect ring and advise on every step, usually starting with choosing the right stone…
We have created beautiful engagement rings with all sorts of colourful stones, but if you (or your partner) are after a timeless diamond to set into it, we have a few things that you should think about before committing to a stone.
We firmly believe that a piece of jewellery as important as an engagement ring really should be picked by both the heart as well as the head. It’s so important that you love the stone and the ring, but it’s also just as important that you know what you’re buying and that it is right for you and your lifestyle.
When picking the stone, we try to have a few options for you to see based on the design of the ring. Your designer will ask you a few questions about what you or your partner wants, what suits them, what other jewellery they wear and what kind of lifestyle they live.
Once we have worked with you to decide on a design the ring, or have enough of an idea to start looking at stones, we will invite you in to see a selection. We will work within your budget and get a range that fit your priorities.
All the major characteristics of a diamond can pretty much be defined by four things. You may have heard of the 4 C’s…here is what they mean…
CUT
Cut doesn’t refer to the shape of the stone, instead it refers to a combination of the quality of symmetry, polish and proportions which then determine how the diamond will interact with light. This is what determines how sparkly the stone is, so is arguable one of the most important factors!
COLOUR
Diamonds are most desirable when they have no colour. Some diamonds may have a warm tint to them often seen as a yellow, brown or sometimes grey nuance. However, a very yellow tinted diamond is sometimes just as valuable as a colourless one…often described as a “vivid” or “fancy” yellow.
CARAT
The carat of a diamond actually has nothing to do with the quality of the diamond. It very literally refers to the weight and therefore, the size, of the diamond. A very small diamond can still be a high quality and a very large diamond can also be poor quality. A high quality diamond is however going to cost more the bigger it is, or the higher the carat weight is.
CLARITY
As diamonds are a natural thing created by many layers of carbon, there are always imperfections that develop in a stone, which can manifest in very different ways such as feathers and clouds. These blemishes, often called inclusions, determine the clarity. The higher the clarity, the less, or less noticeable, the inclusions are.
It’s important to set a budget. If you’re struggling with what that should be, pick a number that you think is too much to spend on an engagement ring and keep taking off increments until you land on a figure that feels comfortable. You don’t need to spend more than you can afford to get a beautiful ring!
An emerald cut diamond solitaire
Once you have a budget for the ring, your designer can let you know how much your budget is for the stone depending on the design that you want. For example, a simple solitaire ring will cost less to make so you have more to spend on a stone. If you want a halo or a ring with small diamonds in the band, this will cost more so will leave less for a stone.
So it’s important to know what you or your partner likes. If you’re shopping for yourself, try on some samples to see what looks good on your hand or if you’re shopping for someone, have a look to see what clothes and jewellery they wear. Are they flash? Quirky? or maybe minimalist?
A round brilliant cut halo with plain shoulders
Once you know what you have to spend, we can guide you to stones that would suit your budget. We always aim for diamonds that have a really eye-clean clarity and colourless to near-colourless colour grade. As for cut, this is always very good to excellent to ideal, we like our diamonds to sparkle for years to come.
If there is a certain shape you’re after, we can get it. If you’re looking for something a bit different, perhaps a lab grown diamond or even a fancy coloured diamond, we can ask our suppliers and get options for you!
A 1ct Trillion cut diamond
We want every aspect of your perfect ring to be bespoke and that includes the stone.
When you come in for your viewing, we can show you how to use the tweezers and an eye glass so you can really get to know the diamond and what the different characteristics look like and how they effect the look of the stone.
If you’re left with any questions or you’re feeling equipped with the information you need to start your design journey with us, get in touch!
