Want to know what is socially acceptable for the engagement process?  Here is a list of some things to keep in mind before you go popping that question. 

• 25% of women view the proposal as more important than the actual wedding ceremony. Guys, take notes, the proposal is your time to shine since you typically have little or nothing to say about the wedding (except the I do). This means 75% of the women have been Read the rest of this entry »

  engagement finding the perfect ring ring statistics survey

In terms of popularity, Valentine’s Day is the most popular day of the year to get engaged (followed by Christmas Day & New Years).  Princess cut engagemet rings are the most popular style of engagement ring to buy.  These results are from a nationwide survey of retail jewelers. From a man’s persepective Valentine’s day is extremely good long term planning for the following reasons: Read the rest of this entry »

For many people, the image of an engraved ring is a heavily decorated simple gold or silver circle. Modern laser engraving equipment, however, means that rings can be engraved in a plethora of places and styles. Some of the top engraved phrases before modern laser engraving were: Read the rest of this entry »

When you are planning on purchasing a diamond it is important that you know as much as possible about how diamonds are classified. Learning about diamonds is first learning about the “four Cs” of diamonds which are considered the most important grades and categories:

• Cut
• Clarity
• Color
• Carat weight

These are the criteria jewelers use when grading diamonds, and they’re the ones you’ll need to understand to buy the right diamond for you. Click on each bullet point to learn more.

The clarity of a diamond is influenced by the amount and location of flaws in the diamond when viewed under 10 power (10x) magnification. GIA rates clarity grades in diamonds from Flawless to Imperfect. Most diamonds contain very tiny blemishes known as “inclusions.” An inclusion can interfere with the light passing through the diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more beautiful the diamond will be. Similar to scrateches on the face of your watch.

Diamonds have the potential of producing more brilliance than any other gem on earth. A diamond that is free of inclusions and surface blemishes is very rare…and therefore very valuable.  The most expensive diamond we found online so far is a 13.53 Carat Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring VS1. Ironically it was on Ebay.

Diamonds come naturally in every color of the rainbow (some more rare than others like blue). However most people are concerned with diamonds in the white range. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) rates the body color in white diamonds from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). 
 The best color for a diamond is no color at all. A totally colorless diamond allows light to pass through it easily, resulting in the light being dispersed as the color of the rainbow. Colors are graded totally colorless to light yellow. The differences from one grade to the other are very subtle and it takes a professionally educated eye and years of experience to color grade a diamond accurately.

See chart below for scale of colors. Click here to go back to our diamond education guide.

Tip:  Diamonds graded G through I show virtually no color that is visible to the untrained eye.

Tip: Fancy color diamonds do not follow this rule. These diamonds, which are very rare and very expensive, can be any color from blue to green to bright yellow. They are actually more valuable for their color. My wife owns a rare an expensive natural blue diamond bought in Alaska at Diamonds International.  These diamonds are beautiful.

Most are more interested in the proportions of the diamond as opposed to its shape when speaking of cut(Round Brilliant, Marquise, Pear, Princess, etc.) Every diamond regardless of its shape gets it brilliancy and scintillation (sometimes referred to as bling) by cutting and polishing the diamond facets to allow the maximum amount of light that enters through its top to be reflected and dispersed back through its top. A correctly cut, “well made”, stone allows light to enter the stone and bounce back out of the top almost like a mirror. As you can see if the angles are correct the light that enters is dispersed properly back through the diamond’s top facets.

When a stone is cut too shallow  or too deep the light that enters through the top is allowed to escape through the diamond’s bottom and does not allow the maximum beauty of the diamond to be realized.  If a diamond is cut to wide the light tries to exit the bottom.  If the diamond is cut to thin the light exits out of the sides. Click here to go back to diamond education.

What is the perfect engagement ring? Gone are the days of the simple diamond solitaire set in a plain gold band. Most women today want an engagement ring that reflects who they are as a person. Men not only have to consider size, shape, and precious metal, they must also consider color, setting, and most importantly their fiance’s style and personality. I can only imagine how daunting a task this may seem to most men, but it’s not an impossible one. I recommend taking some time before you buy to do a little research.

Talk to your girlfriend’s best friend, her mother, or her sister. Pay attention to the jewelry she currently wears. Take note, does she prefer classic yellow gold or white gold. What is her personality like? Is she more quiet and traditional, because a simpler ring (though not plain) would probably suit her. Or are you in love with a girl who is bubbly and outgoing, because she may want something a little more unique.

Probably the simplest and most accurate way of finding the perfect ring is to ask your girlfriend what she wants. Most women have an idea of what they would like their engagement ring to look like, if they don’t already have the exact one they want picked out, and possibly already put on hold! You can’t go wrong if you just ask.

But for those of you fellas out there that are hopeless romantics (God love you), and you want nothing more than to surprise your love with the perfect ring, just remember to take your time, and look for the ring that reminds you of her. You’ll know it when you see it, especially if you’ve done your homework. Remember, most women spend hours searching for the perfect wedding dress that will only be worn for one short day. Shouldn’t you invest just as much time finding the perfect ring that she will wear for the rest of her life.

This is the weight of a diamond measured in carats. As the carat weight of a diamond increases so does its rarity and therefore its price.  Do not rush to judge a diamond based on it’s weight.One carat is divided into 100 “points,” so that a diamond of 75 points weights .75 carats. The carat-weight of a diamond is the easiest measurement to determine. Most importantly, two diamonds can be of equal carat-weight, but their value can differ greatly due to their cut, color, and clarity.

 If your fiance wants a 2 carat engagement ring you can pay as little as $15 for a cubic zirconia on Ebay to $22.500 on diamond.com for a round cut, Clairty SI1-SI2, color G-H. At the end of the day find a setting that pleases your wife.  This actually effects your wife’s like factor of the ring significantly.  The carat weight determines her bragging factor to her friends.

Click here to go back to our diamond buying guide.