How do you know when you've found the right engagement ring?

For many men shoppers, it's difficult to tell if we've chosen something that will suit her. Many of us make terrible shoppers, even the thought of spending countless hours wondering around the shops is enough to send shivers down many men's spines. Of course, if it's the woman buying the engagement ring then the same might not be true. One way to minimize the time spent looking for that ideal palladium engagement ring, is to conduct some initial research online before heading out to the local jewelery shops. You also want to check out the financing options that the e-commerce stores give, especially if you're going for a diamond engagement ring, to breakdown that final amount a little. 

Also a helpful tip is to take a friend along, or a family member who can provide a good second opinion and may also be a good model, so that you've got a better idea of ring sizes and so forth. Take a few designs along with you as well if you wish to get your ring custom made as well. Don't be afraid to ask for discounts as well, as you never know you may get that sparkling diamond engagement rings for less than you had anticipated.

Conflict diamonds

Conflict diamonds are also sometimes referred to as blood diamonds, and are typically mined from conflict areas such as Sierra Leone, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Angola. The money from the trade of diamonds is used to fund local arms, thereby contributing and worsening the situation of the conflict. In recent years the West has become exposed to where their diamonds might actually come from, and various campaigns have ensued to eliminate buying diamonds from conflict areas. In the UK, media coverage on the subject of conflict diamonds was heightened by music celebrities - who often glamourise extravagent jewellery, actors and actresses and other celebrities to stop 'blood diamonds' being used in the UK's jewellery industry. And of course who can forget the motion picture staring Leonardo DiCaprio as the greedy diamond merchant looking for that ultimate stone. This movie helped to bring the issue really into the mainstream, and help combat the issue.

What this means today, for the average consumer is that they should be aware of the policies that jewelery companies have in relation to blood diamonds or conflict diamonds. People, should study websites, or any literature provided by their prospective companies and question where they are sourcing their diamonds. Has the companies' website got a statement relating to ethical buying/sourcing of their diamonds? Are they a reputable company. It's always worth doing some research before committing to buying a diamond engagement ring.

 

Certification and the four C's

As we looked at last week, the cut has a lot to do with how the aesthetics of the ring. The way the gemstone is cut can affect how big that diamond, emerald, or tanzanite appears. But this is not the only factor that one needs to be aware. The four C's are commonly referred to as being determining factors in the quality of the jewelery and usually when a gemologist examines your ring these are some of the factors that they will take into consideration: These are: colour, the cut of the diamond, the carat weight and finally the clarity of the diamond. The colour refers to how well the diamond or other gemstone retains and reflects the light and also of course about its natural colour properties. Often pink diamonds are sought after because of their rarity. In terms of cuts, usually the most popular tend to be the round brilliant cuts and the princess diamond cut. But of course there are so many to choose from. The carat weight is often one that people focus on and perhaps overlook the others slightly. However carat weight is not a factor that denotes the quality of a diamond, so going for rings with a large number of carats doesn't necessarily mean the ring is of considerable higher quality than one with a lesser number of carats. The clarity is also important as a mark of quality. It refers to the existence and visual appearance of internal characteristics termed inclusions.  If you are in doubt about the authenitcity and quality of either your palladium engagement or diamond engagement ring, then always get a second opinion from a qualified source.