As society has landed men with the job of proposing (except for that weird one day on a leap year) it’s probably about time men learnt what was actually going on with diamond rings. Now, you don’t have to get a diamond ring of course, but it is the traditional engagement item and so the most common. Whether you’re going big, like New York’s famous ascotdiamonds.com, or you are plumping for your nearest chain store, you will need to know what you are looking at so that you can get your future spouse the best.
Money
First: a warning. I know none of you expect diamond rings to be cheap, but what you need to know is that they can be very expensive, but that’s fine, it just means that giving yourself enough time to save up. Diamond rings often retail for thousands of dollars.
Carat
Some people believe that ‘carat’ means ‘clarity’; however it actually refers to the weight of the diamond. The bigger the diamond, the more ‘carats’ it will have. Five carats is equivalent to a gram, and obviously the bigger the diamond, the bigger the cost (although there are other factors).
Clarity
Clarity deals with the amount of imperfections and flaws in the diamond. You can buy ‘flawless’ diamonds but they will cost you your house, most likely. I would suggest going for the category known as ‘small/slight inclusions’ which do feature imperfections however in the majority of cases aren’t visible to the naked eye and so still look flawless to the casual observer.
Cut
When the diamonds come out of the ground and rock, they are known as ‘un-cut’ diamonds, like a DVD exclusive of Jackass. These un-cuts are then refined and using high-tech equipment, they are shaped into the stones we know today. For a complete guide, see this site. For choosing the right cut, you will need to know a bit about your future bride and her choice. I would say that ‘round’ or ‘princess’ cut diamonds are the most popular and so should prove a safe bet.
Certified
You can always go cheap and find some back-door seller, however the ‘diamond’ is probably just going to be a piece of cut glass and so almost worthless. It’s not essential, but there is the Gemological Institute of America (or the AGSL) that do certify gems so you know that what you are buying is the real deal. But like I said, it’s not essential as some legitimate shops don’t get their gems certified (they are normally more costly, as well).
When buying something as costly and important as a diamond, always go professional. Avoid mall chain stores and go to specialized jeweler, who hasn’t been swallowed up by corporate America… yet.
Disclosure: I was compensated for this guest sponsored post.
