How do you find the perfect engagement ring? If you want to keep the ring’s look a surprise but still want to figure out what kind of ring might suit your partner best, you need to know what kinds of engagement ring styles and types are out there.
That said, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer availability of stone types, diamond cuts, metal types, and settings. Take a deep breath! Mark Broumand can help you find the perfect symbol of your love while also helping you stay on budget and work through the ring options at your fingertips.
Know the Four “C”s
When you think about an engagement ring, you probably start by thinking about diamonds. Professionals in the engagement and wedding ring industry classify diamonds according to the four Cs: color, clarity, carat, cut, as well as the fifth C: certification. If you want to pick your partner’s perfect engagement ring, understanding the four “C”s can help you find the best places to start.
Color
What color do you think a diamond is? Diamonds of the highest quality don’t have a color. Comparatively, lower-quality diamonds can appear yellow or even brown, depending on their cut and the lighting of the room a wearer is in.
The Gemological Institute of America ranks today’s natural diamonds from Z diamonds, which are yellow, to D diamonds, which are colorless. You have to consider how colorless you want your partner’s diamond to be when investing in an engagement ring based on these standards.
You do not, however, have to jump straight to a D classification to secure a beautiful diamond. Most of today’s engagement rings boast diamonds that fall within the Institute’s G to H ratings. You can discuss the color of the diamond you’re most interested in with a Mark Broumand design consultant and determine your standards accordingly.
Clarity
The color and clarity of a diamond go hand-in-hand. As is the case with color, professionals rank a diamond’s clarity on a comprehensive scale. Flawless diamonds receive FL grades, whereas diamonds with more visible inclusions rank as I1 and I2s.
The good news is that minor inclusions, or inclusions that would rank at VS2 or higher are incredibly difficult for the untrained eye to see. Once again, you can work with a professional to rank the gemstone you’re most interested in and adjust your purchase accordingly.
Carat
Of the four “C”s, a diamond’s carat is perhaps the most well-known. The term “carat” refers to the weight of the diamond included in an engagement ring. That said, larger-carat diamonds don’t always appear as large as they truly are. If a professional cuts a diamond poorly, it may look significantly smaller than its carat implies.
Even so, you should consider the carat of your preferred diamond and how it might impact your partner’s mobility. Larger carat diamonds certainly stand out in a crowd, but they’re not ideal for someone who works with their hands. Comparatively, you may feel like a smaller-carat diamond doesn’t stand out enough.
It’s particularly important to consult with your loved one or someone who understands your loved one’s preferred style when considering what weight of diamond you want for an engagement ring. Make sure you work with designers, as well, so the cut of your preferred diamond doesn’t under represent its carat.
Cut
Whether you opt to invest in a diamond or purchase your loved one a different stone, you have to determine what shape you want that stone cut in before you make your purchase. The most common stone cuts seen on today’s engagement rings include the following:
Each of these cuts comes with its own upsides and downsides. Round cuts, for example, are popular for their brilliance, but they can appear smaller than their carat size says they are on certain bands. Oval cuts boast a large and sparkly surface area, but you need to keep a wary eye out for the bowtie effect when choosing a gem.
The good news is that no professional will make you choose the cut of your loved one’s stone without discussing its pros and cons. You can subsequently choose the cut of your stone based on its longevity, overall appearance, and your loved one’s preferred style.
Certification
Calling the diamond classifications the four “C”s may actually be misleading. There’s a fifth “C” that you have to think about, after all: the diamond’s certification.
Last but not least comes diamond certification. If you want to verify the value and authenticity of a diamond, you can work with us to secure the diamond’s certification. This official paperwork allows you to keep a record of the diamond’s original carat, clarity ranking, and color ranking down on paper.
Certifications can also help you properly value an engagement ring diamond should you want to upgrade or sell the diamond at a later date.
Pick a Setting
The cut of a stone isn’t the only thing that can change its appearance. You also need to decide how you want a designer to set your partner’s stone. You can invest in a solitaire if you want to highlight a specific cut and its facets. You can alternatively include additional stones around a focal point courtesy of pave, three-stone, and halo settings.
Other available settings include bezel, channel, and cluster settings. You can discuss which settings suit which cuts of stone best with an experienced professional. Mark Broumand’s design consultants can, in turn, ensure that you pick a setting that will both protect a stone over the course of many years and highlight that stone’s most beautiful features.
Last but not least, it’s time to choose what kind of band you want to set your loved one’s setting to have. You have to choose not only the metal that you want a stone placed in but the width of the band and any custom features, including engravings or additional stone placements.
Mark Broumand can customize settings so that they are:
- Straight
- Knife edge
- Tapered
- Pave
- Side stoned
- Split
- Twisting
You can also invest in a custom design if you want to alter the appearance of the band and the way it holds your loved one’s stone.
Shop Engagement Rings With Mark Broumand
If you’re ready to look for the engagement ring that will serve as the perfect symbol of your love, take a look at Mark Broumand’s catalog. Mark Broumand offers a wide variety of diamond cuts and carats as well as unique settings and band styles. You can work with our team to customize engagement rings.
Contact us online or by phone to learn more about our collection of engagement rings. We can help you find the ring that will make your upcoming engagement picture perfect.
