Engagement Rings
Choosing an engagement ring, far less making one bespoke for your special partner, can be a daunting experience for any man. Fortunately our guidance can make choosing the perfect engagement ring fun, exciting and a memorable journey.
Each woman is different.
Gathering Clues
In order to help with this critical decision and get a better idea of what a dream ring might look like, it is very helpful to look through social media accounts and pictures of everyday life and celebrations. Instagram for example is a great tool to get an idea of someone’s style, likes, lifestyle and image they wish to present so that the ring will reinforce and complement her overall look and speaks to herself and others about who she is. Looking at pictures of how a woman dresses and what her favourite jewellery pieces are will greatly help us to get started.
Gathering Clues
In order to help with this critical decision and get a better idea of what a dream ring might look like, it is very helpful to look through social media accounts and pictures of everyday life and celebrations. Instagram for example is a great tool to get an idea of someone’s style, likes, lifestyle and image they wish to present so that the ring will reinforce and complement her overall look and speaks to herself and others about who she is. Looking at pictures of how a woman dresses and what her favourite jewellery pieces are will greatly help us to get started.
Getting Started
Then comes the question of budget. It is good to establish that early on in the process, so that the critical search for the right gem can be productive.
Most engagement rings feature a diamond but rubies, sapphires and emeralds are also among popular choices. A diamond is the hardest mineral and therefore most suitable for such an important job. Sapphires and rubies are second most durable gems, emeralds less so but with the right setting and know-how, the perfect ring is born.
Choosing The Right Diamond
When looking for the right diamond; shape, size and quality are the factors to consider. You have probably heard of the four C’s: colour, clarity, cut and carat weight. One of the most common questions asked is always what is the most important: the size (carat weight), the colour or the clarity? The answer is very simple: there should be a nice balance between all of these factors in order to make the most impressive ring with budgeting guidelines.
The most desired and classic shape in a diamond is the round brilliant cut, which is also the most expensive cost per carat. Round brilliant cut diamonds have the most facets of all the standard cuts and therefore most brilliance. The round brilliant cut is designed to pull all the light out of the gemstone. This cut has the largest waste when cutting a round brilliant cut shape from the rough.
Cushion cut is very feminine and elegant. A cushion cut diamond can look a little smaller than its actual size as it has a bigger underbelly to hold the brilliance.
Oval cut for example looks perceptually bigger due to the elongated shape but it is a harder cut to choose the right stone if you have no experience, help or guidance. With the right guidance, this is a very beautiful choice of a cut.
There are many shapes to choose from.
Clarity plays an important role in a diamond and it either makes the stone look transparent, flawless or it can make it cloudy and included.
Inclusions in a natural diamond are essentially fingerprints of mother nature. There are many different kinds and with the right expert guidance it is very easy to establish what to avoid.
Size will greatly depend on a budget but should not be the main focus at the expense of clarity and colour.
Once the diamond is chosen, the process of design and setting begins…
Choosing The Right Metal
Choosing the metal colour is usually one of the easiest steps when looking at what the intended recipient mostly wears and skin tone plays an important part in what will look best.
Most engagement rings are made of either gold or platinum. We only use 18ct gold, be it yellow, pink, white or platinum.
18ct gold is stamped with a 750 hallmark which identifies the purity of gold, meaning that it has 750 particles of gold out of 1000 and the rest is alloys. Gold is a very soft metal and alloys are needed to strengthen the gold. With more alloys there’s less gold and it also reflects on the colour and appearance of the gold.
Platinum is a very rare metal and in jewellery usually has the marking of 950, identifying its purity.
When considering a ring made of white metal, we recommend platinum as it wears better than white gold. Gold in its nature is yellow in colour and 18ct white gold is made of 750 gold particles and 250 particles of white alloys and it is white rhodium plated to give it a nice tone. Over the years white gold wears a little yellow, and will need occasional plating, whereas platinum never loses its colour.
Designing The Setting
When designing the setting, it is critical to keep in mind that this jewel will be worn every day for life. Setting can be dainty but needs to be well durable and well made, to last. This is the part you cannot compromise. The setting of the ring is a home for the diamond and the setting needs to keep the diamond safe.
Consider A Wedding Band
It is always good to consider a wedding band when making the engagement ring. At this stage we don’t need to choose the wedding ring, however we should think about if we need them to sit flush next to each other, if they will be worn together and how they will potentially look together.
Sizing The Ring
Finger size. If this is not known, it can be worked around. There are educated ways to guess the size and there is also an average size. Unsure how to measure a finger size, then please refer to the sizing guide.
It is a good idea to make the ring a bit larger if size is not known, so that at the all important moment, the ring goes onto the right finger. Rings can usually be resized by a certain number of sizes and allowances can be made for this with the design if the size is not known.
Once the ring is ready, it is time to plan the proposal.
Making It Last
Finger size. If this is not known, it can be worked around. There are educated ways to guess the size and there is also an average size. Unsure how to measure a finger size, then please refer to the sizing guide.
It is a good idea to make the ring a bit larger if size is not known, so that at the all important moment, the ring goes onto the right finger. Rings can usually be resized by a certain number of sizes and allowances can be made for this with the design if the size is not known.
Once the ring is ready, it is time to plan the proposal.
Creating jewellery that is bequeathed from generation to generation and each creation expressing it’s individuality, creativity and unparalleled quality.
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