My Complete Guide to Finding the Perfect Diamond Engagement Ring
The hunt for the perfect diamond engagement ring begins with the budget itself. You have to set aside a specific amount of money from your wedding budget just for the ring. After the budget is ready, you move on to other things like knowing the ring size of your partner, consulting with professionals, taking out insurance to cover theft, loss, or damage, and so on.
As you can tell, the steps to finding the perfect engagement ring are never-ending. However, this is just the start, and it barely scratches the surface. So we need to dive deeper and ask more necessary questions, specifically about the gemstones which in this case are diamonds.
With that in mind, here is my take on finding the perfect diamond engagement ring. Here, you will get to ditch the budgeting and other pre-buying rituals, and jump straight to decisive factors like where to look, what color you can take, what would be the right cut, and so on.
Knowing Where to Look
As long as you know where to look and which dealer to trust, you can find the best diamond engagement ring easily, even when buying online. At Leibish.com you will have the option to choose from a wide range of authentic diamonds. They come in various cuts and colors and are also affordable. Prices start as low as $500. You can rest assured that Leibish will not trouble your wallet if you buy from them.
Apart from guaranteeing authenticity, Leibish also provides you with the best service you can find at any online diamond stone. And in case you are feeling a bit fancy, you can check out some of the other gemstones they offer on their website.
Getting the Right Color
White or colorless diamonds are no doubt popular. However, colored diamonds are all the rage right now. The various natural fancy color diamonds on the market manage to grab everyone’s attention, and you too will surely feel intrigued by them.
Blue and red are quite popular, and picking a smaller carat size will put them right in your budget. Orange is pretty cheap, but it will not look that good, nor will it suit most of the ring bands. Opt for yellow if it is a cheap colored diamond you are looking for. Pink will work just as fine. Green and black, on the other hand, are very expensive.
Looking for a Good Cut
A round, oval, or cushion cut will be perfect for engagement rings. Princess and radiant cuts, although more expensive, will also look great. Your best bet is to get a round-cut and follow it up with some good clarity. That will make the diamond sparkle, and look very appealing.
Deciding on How Many Carats
The carat size is almost one-fifth of the total diamond weight. The end price of your diamond engagement ring is heavily dependent on how many carts the stone is.
A simple colorless diamond that weighs around 0.5 carats or less is available for anything between $700 to $1,500. Diamonds that are more than 0.5 carats, but less than 1 carat will cost you anything from $2,000 to $3,500. Match the weight of the diamond you are picking with the cut so that they can help balance each other out.
You should be fine with a 1 carat stone. In that case, focus more on the metal band and the cut. A good cut can make the smallest of diamonds look beautiful.
Checking the Clarity
The fewer flaws the diamond has, the better clarity it has. However, the more clarity you seek, the more expensive the stones start to get. Clarity is defined by certain grades assigned to the diamond.
The FL and IF grades are the topmost clarity grades that stand for flawless, and internally flawless respectively. Then there are VVS and VS grades, which stand for very very slightly induced, and very slightly induced. Finally, you have the two SI – slightly induced – grades that are placed near the end of the rankings.
To give you a quick understanding of the rankings, IF will cost you almost 1.5x more than SI. Your best bet, if you want a somewhat flawless and beautiful ring, but do not want to spend much, is an SI or VS grade one. They are not as expensive as FL or IF, but not that bad of a deal given the clarity they provide.
Picking the Right Metal for the Band
Once you decide on everything related to the diamond, it is time to find a suitable metal band to house it.
For metal, gold and platinum are popular choices. Platinum is the most expensive metal you can get. The metal is dense and hard-wearing. It will, however, require initial polishing to get rid of any residue in it. Then there is gold, a classic and traditional choice. The gold-diamond combination is bound to be a hit. You just have to polish it regularly to remove oils and dirt.
Silver would be a good choice too if you prefer something a little less expensive. While not as dense and hard-wearing as platinum, it still manages to look good with a diamond gemstone attached to it.
Finally, once you choose the metal, you will be done deciding on the perfect engagement ring. You have everything you need now – the place to buy from, the size and color of the diamond, the cut of the stone, and the metal for the ring band. Now all you need to do is place the order accordingly, sit back, and relax. After all, it is your marriage. You cannot take too much stress now, can you?
